How to Add Zoom & Scroll to an Excel Chart

By Suman Medda

Microsoft Excel makes charts and graphs from spreadsheets.
i Duncan Smith/Photodisc/Getty Images

Microsoft Excel charts are a useful tool when it comes to representing data visually. There are numerous formatting options, ranging from the type and size of the chart to a possible 3-D representation. Zooming in and out of a chart can help if a user prefers a different scaling aspect. Adding a scroll bar to a chart can save space, particularly if it is embedded in the Microsoft Excel sheet.

Zooming

Step 1

Double-click on the y-axis of the chart. A new window appears on the screen.

Step 2

Select the "Scale" menu. This displays the zooming options for the y-axis.

Step 3

Change the range of the axis by typing a different number into the "Minimum" and "Maximum" fields.

Step 4

Click "OK" and the zoomed chart will be displayed.

Step 5

Repeat the procedure for the x-axis. This will produce the same results as the y-axis.

Scrolling

Step 1

Locate the tab labeled "Developer" at the top of the window.

Step 2

Click on the "Insert" option in the "Developer" tab and select "Scroll bar."

Step 3

Click "Properties" from the "Developer" tab and adjust the important properties of the scroll bar such as the minimum value and the incremental change. Link it to the first cell of the data to be plotted using the chart. Do this by using the "Cell Link" option.

Step 4

Select only part of the data that is to be represented by the chart. This step is important, since plotting all the data will cancel the effect of the scroll bar. For example, if plotting a monthly report, select the first 12 items to display 12 months at a time when scrolling.

Step 5

Create the chart by clicking the "Insert" tab and selecting one of the chart types. A scrolling chart is displayed.

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