Excel enables you to manage large amounts of numerical data effectively, but humans generally have a hard time determining patterns from that data if all they have to look at are the raw numbers. That’s where charts come in. Charts summarize your data visually, which means that you and other decision-makers can quickly detect trends, determine high and low data points, and forecast future prospects using mathematical tools.

Excel 2007 marks a tremendous step forward in how Excel enables you to create attractive and informative charts quickly. By using a set of special tabs on the ribbon just for charts, you can select the type of chart you want to create, how you want the chart formatted, and how you want specific elements to be laid out. Excel 2007 also takes advantage of the new 2007 Microsoft Office system graphic and drawing capabilities, enabling you to create professionally formatted charts in just a few steps. The following graphic shows just one chart that you can make with Excel.