» Showing or Hiding a data table or chart legend

The legend appears by default when a chart is created but one can hide or change its location after the chart has been created.

One can even show the data table for an area chart, line chart, column chart or a bar chart. These data table help in displaying the values that are present in the chart in the grid which is at the bottom of the chart. These also include the legend keys.

Showing or Hiding a Legend

1.Click on the chart in which you have to show or hide the legend. This will help in displaying the Chart tools in which there is the design, format and the layout tab.

2.Inside the Labels group, on the layout tab click on legend.

3.Follow any of the instructions given below:

• For hiding the legend click on none.

Tip

For removing the legend or a legend entry from the chart quickly all you have to do is select it and press DELETE. One can also right click on the legend or a legend entry and then clock on DELETE.

• For displaying the legend click on the display option that you want.

Note – When any of the display options are clicked the legend also moves and the plot area will automatically adjust itself to accommodate it. If the legends are moved or sized with the help of a mouse, the plot area will not adjust itself automatically.

• Click on More legend options for other options and then select a display option that you want.

Tip

The legend will not overlap the chart, by default. The size of the chart can be reduced in case of space constraints by clearing the check box of Show the legend without overlapping the chart check box.

Showing or Hiding data table

1.Click on the chart area of the line chart, column chart, bar chart or the area chart in which you can show or hide the data label.

This will help in displaying the Chart tools which has the layout, format and the design tab.

2.Inside the Labels group on the Layout tab, click on Data label.

3.Follow any of the instructions given below:

• Click on Show data table or Show data label with the legend keys for displaying the data table.
• For hiding the data label click on none.

Tip

If the legend has already been shown in the chart one can clear the check box of Show legend keys.

Note – In case of bar charts and charts displaying a date axis the data table is positioned below the axis.

Tip To quickly remove a data table from a chart, you can select it, and then press DELETE. You can also right-click the data table, and then click Delete.

For additional options, click More Data Table Options, and then select the display option that you want.

Tip If you already display a legend in the chart, you can clear the Show legend keys check box.

Note In bar charts and charts that display a date axis (axis: A line bordering the chart plot area used as a frame of reference for measurement. The y axis is usually the vertical axis and contains data. The x-axis is usually the horizontal axis and contains categories.), the data table is not attached to the horizontal axis of the chart — it is placed below the axis and aligned to the chart.