I want to make a chart but how do I start?

The first step to creating a chart is to add data in the Mekko Graphics data sheet. When you insert a chart using Mekko Graphics into a PowerPoint slide, the data sheet for that chart will automatically open. Notice that the data sheet is populated with dummy data. You can either type your data over the dummy data or paste it in from another source. For example, you can copy data from an Excel worksheet and paste it into the Mekko Graphics data sheet.

Alternatively, you can create the chart direct from data in Excel. In this case, highlight the data in Excel and under Mekko Graphics in the PowerPoint menu, choose Chart in PowerPoint and then select the chart type. Simply click on a slide to insert the chart. Now, the chart will be linked to the Excel data. This makes it easier to update your charts if the data changes. Read How to create a chart from Excel data to learn more.

Data Structure

Here are some tips to help you learn how to organize your data for charts.

• Rows in your data become series for a chart and columns become bars.
• Use the dummy data in the data sheet as a guide for how to structure the data for a particular chart.
• You do not need to have data in every cell of the data sheet. For example, you can create stacked bars that have different series by only including data in the relevant cells of the data sheet.

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• If your data is not organized with rows as series and bars as columns, you can flip it without using Paste Special Transpose. Just click on the Switch Bars and Series icon and Mekko Graphics will recognize rows as bars and columns as series. Note that the data will not change in the data sheet. Here's an example of the data sheet for a marimekko chart where we used Switch Bars and Series to flip the data

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Here's the chart.

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Download our chart gallery in PowerPoint or Excel to see the data structure for each of the charts.