Copy a chart

You can create a chart in an Excel worksheet and copy it to another worksheet.

You can also create a chart in Word or PowerPoint, but copying one from Excel is often more effective because there are different ways to paste the chart into the other programs.

To copy a chart to another worksheet in the same or a different workbook, right-click the chart and click Copy.

I already have another workbook open, so I am pressing the Alt+Tab keys to bring it to the forefront.

This workbook has a different theme applied.

Click the tab of the worksheet where you want to paste the chart.

Click the cell where you want the upper left-hand corner of the chart, and right-click the cell.

There are three paste buttons, as well as Paste Special.

You can paste and use the destination workbook’s theme; paste and use the formatting from the source workbook (when you point to a button you get a live preview, with both of these options, if you change the data for the chart, the chart updates automatically); you can also paste the chart as a picture.

With this option, the chart can’t be updated or edited.

Paste Special provides more options for pasting as different picture formats.

I am going to paste it using the workbook’s theme.

To paste the chart to another Office application, such as Word, copy the chart.

I already have a document opened. It also has a different theme applied.

Right-click the document.

If you want to keep the data with the chart, where you can edit it, but not have it linked to the source worksheet, choose Use Destination Theme & Embed Workbook, or Keep Source Formatting & Embed Workbook.

If you want to keep the chart linked to the source worksheet, so that changes you make to the data in the source worksheet updates the chart in Word, choose Use Destination Theme & Link Data, or Keep Source Formatting & Link Data.

You can also paste the chart as a picture.

I am going to select the Use Destination Theme & Link Data.

This way, it will blend with the document’s theme, but update when I change the data in the source spreadsheet.

If the chart in Word doesn’t show the changes you have made to the data in the source worksheet, in Word, click the chart, click the CHART TOOLS DESIGN tab, and click Refresh Data.

Now you have a good idea about how to create charts. Of course, there is always more to learn.

So, check out the course summary at the end, and best of all, explore Excel 2013 on your own.