PowerPoint: Chart Templates

by AJ George 

I was perusing the Microsoft Office Forums and came across an unanswered question from someone about chart formatting. This PowerPoint user wanted to be able to create multiple charts with the same formatting (ie bars on a graph with a gradient effect) without having to individually format each separate piece of every new chart. An attempt at copying and pasting the slide using the Keep Source Fformatting option did not keep the chart's formatting. The person struggling with this issue also mentioned that there were more than 300 charts that needed formatting and dreaded the prospect of having to individually format each one. Are you in the same situation? No worries! Here is how to create a chart template to be used with new charts or to be applied to existing charts.

How to Create a Chart Template

1. In PowerPoint (2007 or 2010), choose Insert > Illustrations > Chart (to open the Insert Chart dialog box.)
2. Select your desired chart and click OK.
3. On the PowerPoint slide, right-click each individual element of the slide that you would like to format and choose Format Data Series. (The Format Data Series dialog box will open.)
4. Format to your liking and click the Close button.

Note: Don't bother editing the excel spread sheet at this point, your data will not be saved with the template.


5. Ensure the chart is selected on the slide and chooseChart Tools > Design > Type > Save As Template(to open the Save Chart Template dialog box).

    
6. Give your chart template a name and click the Save button.

How to Use a Chart Template

1. In PowerPoint, choose Insert > Illustrations > Chart (to open the Insert Chart dialog box).
2. Click the Templates folder at the top left.  


 
3. Select your chart template from the gallery and click the OK button.

Note: If you would like your chart template to be the default chart style, click the Set as Default Chart button (as seen above) on the Insert Chart dialog box. To edit the template, click the Manage Templates button.

From there your data sheet will open and you will be able to enter your data. But what if you're in the same situation as the person in the MS Office forums and you already have charts that you'd like to reflect this formatting?

Apply a Chart Template to an Existing Chart

Please note that applying a chart template to an existing chart may cause your system to crash. Ensure you save frequently.

1. In PowerPoint, select your chart on the slide.
2. Choose Chart Tools > Design > Type > Change Chart Type (to open the Chart Type dialog box).




3. Click the Templates folder at the top left, select your chart template from the gallery, and click the OKbutton.

Your chart will now reflect the formatting of the template.

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AJ teaches a live, 3-hour class that offers tips/tricks for improving the look and feel of your PowerPoint presentations: Slide Sprucing: Remodeling Lackluster PowerPoint Slides for eLearning and Presentations.

Comments

[Julian]

Very good article. Thanks. We were just writing on the same topics.