Stock+Chart

As its name implies, a stock chart is most often used to illustrate the fluctuation of stock prices. However, this chart may also be used for scientific data. For example, you can use a stock chart to indicate the fluctuation of daily or annual average temperatures. If you use a stock chart to display the fluctuation of stock prices, you can also incorporate the trading volume. In this article
 * [|Learn more about plotting data in a stock chart]
 * [|Create a stock chart]
 * [|Save a chart as a template]

Learn more about plotting data in a stock chart
The way stock chart data is organized on your worksheet is very important. For example, to create a simple high-low-close stock chart, you should arrange your data with **High**, **Low**, and **Close** entered as column headings, in that order. A stock chart that also measures volume displays two vertical (value) axes (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 vertical axis on the left shows the volume of stocks traded, and the vertical axis on the right shows the stock prices. When you create a stock chart, you can choose one of the following stock chart subtypes: [|Top of Page]
 * **High-low-close** The high-low-close stock chart is often used to illustrate stock prices. It requires three series of values in the following order: high, low, and then close. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102373861033 caption="High-low-close stock chart type"]]
 * **Open-high-low-close** This type of stock chart requires four series of values in the correct order (open, high, low, and then close). [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102373871033 caption="Open-high-low-close stock chart type"]]
 * **Volume-high-low-close** This type of stock chart requires four series of values in the correct order (volume, high, low, and then close). It measures volume by using two value axes: one for the columns that measure volume, and the other for the stock prices. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102373881033 caption="Volume-high-low-close stock chart type"]]
 * **Volume-open-high-low-close** This type of stock chart requires five series of values in the correct order (volume, open, high, low, and then close). [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102373891033 caption="Volume-open-high-low-close stock chart type"]]

Create a stock chart
So, how did we create this stock chart? The following procedure will help you create a stock 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 a stock 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.

> 1|| **Date** || **Volume** || **High** || **Low** || **Close** || > 2|| 1-Jan-07 || 41,301 || 27.20 || 23.49 || 25.45 || > 3|| 2-Jan-07 || 35,203 || 25.03 || 19.55 || 23.05 || > 4|| 3-Jan-07 || 27,908 || 19.05 || 15.12 || 17.32 || > 5|| 4-Jan-07 || 29,567 || 20.33 || 17.84 || 20.45 || > 6|| 5-Jan-07 || 25,895 || 18.56 || 16.33 || 17.35 || 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 stock chart.
 * 2) On the **Insert** tab, in the **Charts** group, click **Other Charts**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101654341033 caption="Charts group on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * 3) Under **Stock**, click **Volume-High-Low-Close**.
 * 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=ZA102373901033 caption="Chart Styles on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * Tip** For our stock chart, we used **Style 26**.
 * 1) On the **Design** tab, in the **Chart Layouts** group, click the chart layout that you want to use. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA102373911033 caption="Chart layouts on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * Tip** For our stock chart, we used **Layout 4**.
 * 1) 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 stock chart, we used **5"** for both shape height and shape width.
 * 1) In the chart, click the chart title, and then type the text that you want.
 * Tip** For our stock chart, we typed **Mutual Fund**.
 * 1) To reduce the size of the chart title, right-click the title, and then enter the size that you want in the **Size** box on the shortcut menu.
 * Tip** For our stock chart, we used **14**.
 * 1) To apply a special formatting effect to the plot area and chart area, click that chart element, or select it from a list of chart elements (**Layout** tab, **Current Selection** group, **Chart Elements** box), and then do the following:
 * On the **Format** tab, in the **Shape Styles** group, click the **More** button [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA100868781033 caption="Button image"]], and then click the effect that you want to use. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101653931033 caption="Shape Styles on Excel Ribbon"]]
 * Tip** For our stock chart, we used the **Subtle Effect - Accent 3** for the plot area, and **Subtle Effect - Accent 6** for the chart area.
 * 1) If you want to use theme colors that are different from the default theme that is applied to your workbook, do the following:
 * 2) 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"]]
 * 3) Under **Built-in**, click the theme that you want to use.
 * Tip** For our stock 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.