Step 1: Preparing your Data

Before you create your dynamic chart, you must first prepare your data. To create a dynamic chart, you must have data that is formatted consistently. This means that each row represents a data point, and each column represents a data series.

For example, if you want to create a chart that shows the sales of your products over the past year, your data might look like this:

Product	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
A	100	200	150	180	250	300	320	400	350	375	400	450
B	150	300	250	275	200	150	100	50	100	200	250	300
C	50	75	100	125	150	175	200	225	250	275	300	325

Step 2: Creating a Chart

With your data ready, you can now create a chart. To create a chart in Excel, select your data and click on the “Insert” tab on the ribbon. From there, select the type of chart that you want to create. For example, if you want to create a line chart that shows the sales of your products over time, select the “Line” chart type.

Once you have selected your chart type, Excel will create a chart for you. However, this chart is not dynamic yet. It will not update automatically when you add new data or when the data changes.

Step 3: Making the Chart Dynamic

To make your chart dynamic, you need to use the “OFFSET” function in Excel. The OFFSET function allows you to retrieve data from a specified range of cells. You can use this function to create a dynamic range of data that includes new data that you add to your spreadsheet.

To create a dynamic range for your data, follow these steps:

1. Select the cell where you want to display your chart.
2. Click on the “Formulas” tab on the ribbon.
3. Click on the “Define Name” button.
4. In the “Define Name” dialog box, enter a name for your dynamic range.
5. In the “Refers to” box, enter the following formula:

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

This formula creates a dynamic range of cells that includes all of the data in your spreadsheet.

1. Click “OK” to create your dynamic range.

Next, you need to update your chart to use your dynamic range. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select your chart.
2. Click on the “Design” tab on the ribbon.
3. Click on the “Select Data” button.
4. In the “Select Data Source” dialog box, click on the “Edit” button next to the “Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels” box.
5. In the “Axis Labels” dialog box, enter the following formula:

=Sheet1!$1:$1

This formula tells Excel to use the first row of data in your dynamic range as the category labels for your chart.

1. Click “OK” to update your chart.

Now your chart is dynamic. It will update automatically whenever you add new data to your spreadsheet.

Step 4: Adding Interactivity

To make your chart more interactive, you can add a dropdown list that allows users to select which data series they want to display on the chart. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Create a list of your data series in a separate area of your spreadsheet.
2. Select the cell where you want your dropdown list to appear.
3. Click on the “Data” tab on the ribbon.
4. Click on the “Data Validation” button.
5. In the “Data Validation” dialog box, select “List” from the “Allow” dropdown.
6. In the “Source” box, enter the range of cells that contain your data series.

For example, if your data series are in cells A14:A16, enter “A14:A16” in the “Source” box.

1. Click “OK” to create your dropdown list.

Next, you need to update your chart to use the selected data series. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on your chart and select “Select Data” from the context menu.
2. In the “Select Data Source” dialog box, click on the “Add” button.
3. In the “Edit Series” dialog box, enter the following formula in the “Series Name” box:

=INDEX(Sheet1!$A:$A,MATCH(Dropdown!$A$1,Sheet1!$A:$A,0))

This formula uses the selected data series from your dropdown list as the name for your data series.

1. In the “Series Values” box, enter the following formula:

=OFFSET(Sheet1!$A$1,MATCH(Dropdown!$A$1,Sheet1!$A:$A,0)-1,1,1,COUNTA(Sheet1!$1:$1)-1)

This formula creates a dynamic range that includes only the data for the selected data series.

1. Click “OK” to add your new data series.

Now your chart is even more dynamic and interactive. Users can use the dropdown list to select which data series they want to display on the chart.

Conclusion

Creating dynamic charts in Excel is a powerful feature that can help you create charts that are easy to understand and presentable. By using the “OFFSET” function and creating a dynamic range of data, you can create charts that update automatically whenever you add new data to your spreadsheet. By adding interactivity, such as a dropdown list, you can create charts that are even more powerful and informative. Now that you know how to create dynamic charts in Excel, you can use this feature to enhance your charts and present your data in a more visually appealing and informative way.