Charts are handy for visual displays of your information. They can make viewing and examining information simpler, specifically for your audience. For geographical data, why not use the map chart type in Microsoft Excel?

Whether you want to show populations in several nations for your sales team or abbreviations for the United States for your elementary school class, you can create a map chart quickly in Microsoft Excel. You can then format it with labels, a legend, and a proper color pattern.

Get Your Data Ready

Like with other chart key ins Microsoft Excel, it’s best to begin with populated data. This allows you to choose the cells containing that data and simply place the chart for it.

Select a single data type for the map. Like the examples listed above, this can be the population or abbreviation that you can get from the built-in geography data enter Excel. Or, alternately, it might be your sales quantities, number of shops, average operating expense, or other data you have actually currently prepared in your spreadsheet.

While you can utilize the chart for smaller sized areas, such as cities, the map won’t be as effective. You’ll just see dots representing those kinds of locations. The map chart in Excel works finest with large locations like counties, states, regions, countries, and continents.

Create the Map Chart

When you’re ready to create the map chart, select your information by dragging through the cells, open the “Insert” tab, and relocate to the “Charts” section of the ribbon. Click the drop-down for “Maps” and select “Filled Map.”

Your recently produced chart will pop right onto your sheet with your data mapped.

Format the Map Chart

The next actions consist of formatting your map to include helpful elements and a color scheme. You can add a title, some labels, a legend, and a design.

If your map includes the default “Chart Title,” you can just click that text box on the map and key in your own title. If the map does not consist of a title, you can add one quickly as well as altering its position.

Select the chart and click “Chart Elements” (“+” icon) on the. Examine package for “Chart Title,” then get in the title in the text box that appears on the map.

Hover your cursor over the arrow to the right of “Chart Title” in the Chart Elements box and pick a different position for the title if you like.

You can likewise select “More Title Options,” which will show a sidebar on the right. In this spot, you can choose the position, use a fill color, or use a text summary.

If the data you’re displaying on the map is small enough, you may want to include data labels. These will show the information directly on each map place.

Select the chart and click “Chart Elements” on the. Examine the box for “Data Labels.”

To change the text and choices for the labels, choose “More Data Label Options.” Like with the chart title, the right-hand sidebar will open with formatting features for the labels.

Another helpful aspect for practically any chart is a legend. This beneficial tool is a crucial to the information that displays on the chart.

Select the chart and click “Chart Elements” on the. Examine package for “Legend.”

Hover your cursor over the arrow to the right of “Legend” in the Chart Elements box and select a position for the legend.

You can likewise select “More Legend Options” to open the sidebar and format the text and additional options.

The map chart is pretty standard in its color, but you can spruce it up with a theme or color scheme.

Select the chart and click “Chart Styles” (discovered on the paintbrush) on the right. Click “Styles” to scroll through premade styles or “Color” to choose a colorful or monochromatic plan.

Whichever you pick, you’ll see your map upgrade right away.

Move, Resize, Edit, or Delete the Map

You can easily move the map chart anywhere you desire on your sheet. Just select and drag it to its brand-new area. If you want to avoid changes, you can lock the Microsoft Excel chart in location. And to resize the chart, drag one of the corners or edges.

To modify the information that displays on the map, for instance, if you add more areas, right-click the chart and click “Select Data.” Additionally, you can go to the “Chart Design” tab and click “Select Data” in the ribbon.

Get in the cells in the “Chart Data Range” box at the top, or drag your cursor through the cells. Click “OK” when you end up.

If you choose that you don’t want to utilize the map chart after all, you can remove it easily. Select the chart and strike your Delete crucial or right-click and choose “Cut.”

If you wish to display geographical data on your Excel sheet, the map chart is a terrific visual tool. For other types of information, take a look at how to make a bar chart in Microsoft Excel.

When you’re prepared to create the map chart, choose your information by dragging through the cells, open the “Insert” tab, and move to the “Charts” area of the ribbon. Select the chart and click “Chart Elements” (“+” icon) on the. Select the chart and click “Chart Elements” on the. Select the chart and click “Chart Elements” on the. Select the chart and click “Chart Styles” (found on the paintbrush) on the.