Changing the Default Chart Type

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 20, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Word includes a program called Microsoft Graph that allows you to quickly and easily create graphs from simple data. If you find yourself working primarily with a specific type of data, and presenting that data in the same way most of the time, you may want to change the default chart type used by Microsoft Graph. When you first install Microsoft Graph, the default type of chart is a column chart. If you want your default to be a pie chart, for instance, you can follow these steps:

Choose Chart Type from the Chart menu. Microsoft Graph displays the Chart Type dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Chart Type dialog box

Click on Pie in the list of Chart Types, at the left of the dialog box.
In the right side of the dialog box, select one of the six pie chart subtypes.
Click on the Set As Default Chart button at the bottom of the dialog box. Microsoft Graph displays a dialog box asking you to confirm your action.
Click on Yes. Your default chart type is now set.
Click on Cancel to close the Chart Type dialog box.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (682) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Understanding MRU Files

Don't you love all the acronyms used in computer terminology? One such acronym—pertinent to Word users—is ...

Discover More

Positioning Graphics Evenly

If you need to arrange a group of graphics so that they are evenly distributed between a starting point and an ending ...

Discover More

Maintaining the Active Cell

Move from one worksheet to another, and Excel selects whatever cell was last used in the worksheet you are selecting. If ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Inserting Datasheet Rows or Columns

Microsoft Graph provides a handy way to add simple charts to your document without the need for Excel. Those charts are ...

Discover More

Selecting Text Orientation for an Axis in Microsoft Graph

Microsoft Graph allows you to easily create charts from numeric data, without the need to use Excel. This tip explains ...

Discover More

Changing Shapes in Microsoft Graph

Microsoft Graph allows you to define the shapes you use to represent data series. Here's how to do it.

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is six more than 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.