Area+Chart

Area charts are much like line charts, but they display different colors in the areas below the lines. This colorful and visual display distinguishes the data more clearly. Unfortunately, data series (data series: Related data points that are plotted in a chart. Each data series in a chart has a unique color or pattern and is represented in the chart legend. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. Pie charts have only one data series.) with smaller values that are plotted in the back of an area chart may be completely or partially hidden behind data series with larger values that are plotted in front of them. However, in Microsoft Office Excel 2007, you can use transparency to show the entire outline of smaller data series through any larger data series in front. In this article
 * [|Learn more about plotting data in an area chart]
 * [|Create an area chart that uses transparency]
 * [|Save a chart as a template]

Learn more about plotting data in an area chart
Data that is arranged in columns or rows on a worksheet can be plotted in an area chart. Area charts emphasize the magnitude of change over time and can be used to draw attention to the total value across a trend. For example, data that represents profit over time can be plotted in an area chart to emphasize the total profit. A stacked area chart also shows the relationship of parts to a whole. Area charts include the following chart subtypes: [|Top of Page]
 * **2-D area and 3-D area** Whether they are shown in 2-D or in 3-D, area charts display the trend of values over time or other category data.3-D area charts use three axes (horizontal, vertical, and depth) that you can modify. As a general rule, you should consider using a line chart instead of a nonstacked area chart, because data from one series can be obscured by data from another series. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102360181033 caption="Area and 3-D area chart types"]]
 * **Stacked area and stacked area in 3-D** Stacked area charts display the trend of the contribution of each value over time or other category data. A stacked area chart in 3-D is displayed in the same way but uses a 3-D perspective. A 3-D perspective is not a true 3-D chart — a third value axis (depth axis) is not used. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102360191033 caption="Stacked area and stacked area in 3-D chart types"]]
 * **100% stacked area and 100% stacked area in 3-D** 100% stacked area charts display the trend of the percentage that each value contributes over time or other category data. A 100% stacked area chart in 3-D is displayed in the same way but uses a 3-D perspective. A 3-D perspective is not a true 3-D chart — a third value axis (depth axis) is not used. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102360201033 caption="100% stacked area and 100% stacked area in 3-D chart types"]]

Create an area chart that uses transparency
So, how did we create this area chart? The following procedure will help you create an area chart with similar results. For this chart, we used the example worksheet data. You can copy this data to your worksheet, or you can use your own data. How to copy the example worksheet data
 * 1) Copy the example worksheet data into a blank worksheet, or open the worksheet that contains the data that you want to plot in an area chart.

Selecting an example from Help
 * 1) Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
 * 2) Select the example in the Help topic.
 * Note** Do not select the row or column headers.
 * 1) Press CTRL+C.
 * 2) In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.

> llA ll B ll C ll D > **1llQtr 1** || **Qtr 2** || **Qtr 3** || **Qtr 4** || > 2|| **Region 1** || 217,047 || 129,870 || 174,850 || 125,678 || > 3|| **Region 2** || 207,740 || 152,144 || 83,568 || 157,634 || > 4|| **Region 3** || 130,942 || 78,730 || 86,895 || 104,567 || This displays the **Chart Tools**, adding the **Design**, **Layout**, and **Format** tabs. [|Top of Page]
 * 1) Select the data that you want to plot in the area chart.
 * 2) On the **Insert** tab, in the **Charts** group, click **Area**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101654341033 caption="Charts group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * 3) Under **3-D Area**, click **3-D Area**.
 * 4) Click the chart area  (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.) of the chart.
 * 1) On the **Design** tab, in the **Chart Styles** group, click the chart style that you want to use. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102360271033 caption="Chart Styles group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * Tip** For our area chart, we used **Style 2**.
 * 1) In the chart, click the legend, and then press DELETE.
 * 2) To change the size of the chart, on the **Format** tab, in the **Size** group, select the shape size that you want in the **Shape Height** and **Shape Width** boxes, and then press ENTER.
 * Tip** For our area chart, we used **3.5"** for the shape height and **4"** for the shape width.
 * 1) To add, format, and position a chart title in the chart, click the chart area  (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.), and then do the following:
 * 2) On the **Layout** tab, in the **Labels** group, click **Chart Title**, and then click **Above Chart**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101654001033 caption="Labels group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * 3) In the chart, click the chart title, and then type the text that you want.
 * Tip** For our area chart, we typed **Regional Sales**.
 * 1) To reduce the size of the chart title, right-click the title, and then enter the size that you want in the **Font size** box.
 * Tip** For our area chart, we used **14**.
 * 1) Click the vertical axis, or select it from a list of chart elements (**Layout** tab, **Current Selection** group, **Chart Elements** box).
 * 2) On the **Format** tab, in the **Current Selection** group, click **Format Selection**.
 * 3) Under **Axis Options**, in the **Display Units** box, click **Thousands**.
 * Tip** You do not need to click **Close**. You can leave the dialog box open and continue with the next step.
 * 1) In the chart, click the first data series  (data series: Related data points that are plotted in a chart. Each data series in a chart has a unique color or pattern and is represented in the chart legend. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. Pie charts have only one data series.), or select it from a list of chart elements (**Layout** tab, **Current Selection** group, **Chart Elements** box).
 * 2) In the **Format Data Series** dialog box, click **Fill**.
 * 3) Under **Fill**, click **Solid Fill**, and then do the following:
 * 4) In the **Color** palette, click the color that you want to use for the selected data series.
 * 5) Drag the **Transparency** slider to the percentage of transparency that you want to use, or type the percentage in the **Transparency** box.
 * Tip** For our area chart, we used **33%**.
 * 1) In the chart, click the second data series  (data series: Related data points that are plotted in a chart. Each data series in a chart has a unique color or pattern and is represented in the chart legend. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. Pie charts have only one data series.), or select it from a list of chart elements, and then repeat steps 14 and 15.
 * 2) Click **Close**.
 * 3) To use theme colors that are different from the default theme that is applied to your workbook, do the following:
 * 4) On the **Page Layout** tab, in the **Themes** group, click **Themes**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101654451033 caption="Themes group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * 5) Under **Built-in**, click the theme that you want to use.
 * Tip** For our area chart, we used the **Office** theme.

Save a chart as a template
If you want to create another chart like the one that you just created, you can save the chart as a template that you can use as the basis for other similar charts. For more information about how to apply a chart template, see [|Create, apply, or remove a chart template].
 * 1) Click the chart that you want to save as a template.
 * 2) On the **Design** tab, in the **Type** group, click **Save as Template**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101653891033 caption="Type group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * 3) In the **File name** box, type a name for the template.
 * Tip** Unless you specify a different folder, the template file (.crtx) will be saved in the **Charts** folder, and the template becomes available under **Templates** in both the **Insert Chart** dialog box (**Insert** tab, **Charts** group, Dialog Box Launcher [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA100985101033 caption="Button image"]]) and the **Change Chart Type** dialog box (**Design** tab, **Type** group, **Change Chart Type**).
 * Note** A chart template contains chart formatting and stores the colors that are in use when you save the chart as a template. When you use a chart template to create a chart in another workbook, the new chart uses the colors of the chart template — not the colors of the document theme that is currently applied to the workbook. To use the document theme colors instead of the chart template colors, right-click the chart area (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.), and then click **Reset to Match Style** on the shortcut menu.