Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on September 25, 2018

Question: How do I create a chart that dynamically adds the values, as i type them on the worksheet?

Answer:

The following animated picture demonstrates what an excel defined table can do for your charts:

The excel table expands automatically when you add new data. Use the tab key to move to next cell in an excel defined table.

Create an excel defined table

  1. Select A1:B3
  2. Press with left mouse button on "Insert" tab
  3. Press with left mouse button on "Table" button
  4. Press with left mouse button on OK!

Recommended articles

How to use Excel Tables
An Excel table allows you to easily sort, filter and sum values in a data set where values are related.

Create a chart

  1. Select a cell on the excel defined table
  2. Go to tab "Insert" on the ribbon
  3. Press with left mouse button on "Column chart" button

Recommended article:

Recommended articles

How to create an interactive Excel chart [VBA]
This article describes how to create an interactive chart, the user may press with left mouse button on a button […]

How to temporarily hide rows or columns

The following animated picture shows you how to hide columns or rows.

Instructions on how to hide columns:

  1. Select columns by selecting column letters above grid
  2. Press with right mouse button on on selection
  3. Press with mouse on "Hide"

Here is a post I did about how to hide columns using vba:

Recommended articles

Hide specific columns programmatically
This article describes a macro that hides specific columns automatically based on values in two given cells. I am also […]

How to remove rows / columns

  1. Press with right mouse button on on a cell
  2. Press with left mouse button on "Delete"
  3. Press with left mouse button on "Table Rows" or "Table Columns"

Dynamic chart - remove values

Get excel *.xlsx file

Dynamic-chartv2.xlsx
(Excel 2007 Workbook *.xlsx)

Recommended post

The following article shows you how to create dynamic chart data labels:

Recommended articles

Custom data labels in a chart
You can easily change data labels in a chart. Select a single data label and enter a reference to a […]

This post demonstrates how to animate a chart:

Recommended articles

How to animate an Excel chart
This article demonstrates how to create a chart that animates the columns when filtering chart data. The columns change incrementally […]

Make a dynamic chart for the most recent 12 months data

The following instructions are made in excel 2007. If you are an excel 2003 user, first read excel 2003 instructions below to understand how to create named ranges in excel 2003.

Create two named ranges

  1. Go to tab "Formulas"
  2. Press with left mouse button on "Define name"
  3. Name it "recentmonths"
  4. Type "=OFFSET('recent 12 months'!$A$1,COUNTA('recent 12 months'!$A:$A)-12,0,12)" in "Refers to:"
  5. Press with left mouse button on ok!
  6. Press with left mouse button on "Define name"
  7. Name it "recentvalues"
  8. Type "=OFFSET('recent 12 months'!$B$1,COUNTA('recent 12 months'!$A:$A)-12,0,12) " in "Refers to:"
  9. Press with left mouse button on ok!

Insert chart

  1. Go to tab "Insert"
  2. Press with left mouse button on "Column chart" button
  3. Press with left mouse button on "Clustered column chart" button
  4. Press with right mouse button on on empty chart
    Dynamic chart - recent 12 months
  5. Press with left mouse button on "Select Data..."
  6. Press with left mouse button on "Add" button
  7. Type in "Series values:" =Sheet1!recentmonths
    Dynamic chart - recent 12 months - add series
  8. Press with left mouse button on OK

Repeat above steps and add a new series using the named range ='recent 12 months'!recentvalues.

Change horizontal axis labels

Dynamic chart - recent 12 months - add horizontal axis labels

  1. Press with left mouse button on "Edit" button
  2. Type: ='recent 12 months'!Recentmonths
    Dynamic chart - recent 12 months - add horizontal axis labels2
  3. Press OK
  4. Press with left mouse button on OK

Excel 2003 - Dynamic named range -> Dynamic chart

This animated picture demonstrates how a dynamic named range  automatically adds new values to the excel chart, as they are typed.

Let´s say you created this basic chart below. Now you need to setup named ranges, they expand automatically whenever new data is added.

Excel 2003 instructions:

  1. From the menu bar, press with left mouse button on "Insert"
  2. From the drop-down menu select "Name"
  3. Press with left mouse button on Define
  4. Name it "months"
  5. In "Refers to:" text box, type =OFFSET(Sheet1!$A$1,0,0,COUNTA(Sheet1!$A:$A),1)
  6. Press with left mouse button on OK

Repeat above steps and create a named range named "numbers". Use this named range formula:

=OFFSET(Sheet1!$B$1,0,0,COUNTA(Sheet1!$A:$A),1)

The named range formula is made assuming your data begins in cell A1 and that there are no headers.

Create a chart

  1. From the menu bar, press with left mouse button on Insert and Chart
  2. Select a column chart
  3. Press with left mouse button on Next
  4. Go to Series tab
  5. Add a series
  6. Type in values: =Sheet1!months
  7. Add another series
  8. Type in values: =Sheet1!numbers
  9. Press with left mouse button on Finish

Functions in this article:

Recommended articles

How to use the OFFSET function
The OFFSET function returns a reference to a range that is a given number of rows and columns from a […]

COUNTA(value1, [value2], )
Counts the number of cells in a range that are not empty