Selecting a Custom Chart

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 22, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Microsoft Graph is a simple graphing program provided with Word. It includes the ability to view your graph data in both spreadsheet and graph formats. Microsoft Graph supports over a dozen different general types of graphs, but you are not limited to these. It also includes the ability to choose from many more custom types of charts. To use one of the custom chart types, follow these steps:

Make sure your chart is visible on the screen and you have selected it. (You do this by clicking on the chart.)
Choose Chart Type from the Chart menu. Microsoft Graph displays the Chart Type dialog box.
Make sure the Custom Types tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Custom Types tab of the Chart Type dialog box

Using the Chart Type list, select the type of graph you want to use to display your data. A sample of the chart appears at the right side of the dialog box.
Click on OK. Microsoft Graph presents your data as requested.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (701) 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

Rechecking Spelling and Grammar

If you ever need to check the spelling or grammar of a document from scratch, it can be confusing knowing the proper ...

Discover More

Saving a Workbook in a Macro

Does your macro need to make sure that the workbook being processed is saved to disk? You can add the saving capability ...

Discover More

How Many Items Can be Added to the Quick Access Toolbar?

Want to add lots of tools to your Quick Access Toolbar? Word allows you to do so, seemingly without limit. This tip ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Changing Borders for Data Series

Microsoft Graph allows you to easily add charts to a Word document without using Excel. This tip explains how you can ...

Discover More

Formatting Datasheet Numbers

Controlling the appearance of numbers in a datasheet.

Discover More

Turning Off Borders for Data Series

Don't want a border to appear around a data series represented in a Microsoft Graph chart? You can easily control the ...

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 1 + 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.