Charts and Graphs

SmartDraw 2009
Graphs and Charts

Certification
- Produced by SmartDraw.com -
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Contents
SmartDraw 2009 ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Graphs and Charts Certification .............................................................................................................. 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Lesson 1: Graph and Chart Fundamentals ............................................................................................... 5
Examples of Graphs and Charts: .......................................................................................................... 7
Charting Concepts and Structure ......................................................................................................... 9
Proportions of a Total ........................................................................................................................ 10
Rankings ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Time Trends....................................................................................................................................... 11
Distributions ...................................................................................................................................... 12
A Real-World Example ....................................................................................................................... 12
Lesson 2: The SmartDraw Difference: SmartPanels............................................................................... 15
SmartPanels ...................................................................................................................................... 16
SmartTemplates ................................................................................................................................ 17
Getting Started .................................................................................................................................. 18
Automatic Commands ...................................................................................................................... 21
The Chart Tab .................................................................................................................................... 29
Lesson 3: Let’s Build Graphs and Charts Together ................................................................................. 31
Building a Bar Chart of Software Sales ............................................................................................... 31
Labels ................................................................................................................................................ 41
Titles ................................................................................................................................................. 43
Saving Files ........................................................................................................................................ 45
Positive Elements of the Original Chart .......................................................................................... 46
Unnecessary Elements of the Original Chart .................................................................................. 47
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Neutral Elements of the Original Chart........................................................................................... 47
Charting a Pie Chart of Lunar Soil Composition .................................................................................. 48
Proportions of a Total ........................................................................................................................ 51
Lesson 4: Alternative Applications of Graphs and Charts ...................................................................... 62
Line Chart .......................................................................................................................................... 62
Relative Value Charts ......................................................................................................................... 62
Stacked Bar Charts ............................................................................................................................. 63
Area Charts........................................................................................................................................ 64
Layered Area Charts .......................................................................................................................... 64
Lesson 5: Advanced Graphing and Charting Methods and Topics ......................................................... 65
Building a Chart from a Comma-Separated Value (.CSV) or Text (.TXT) Data File ................................ 65
Modifying a Chart’s Categories and Series ......................................................................................... 66
Labeling a Chart ................................................................................................................................. 69
Customizing a Chart using the Chart Tab ............................................................................................ 70
Automatic Sequencing ....................................................................................................................... 71
Manual Sequencing ........................................................................................................................... 72
Working Online ................................................................................................................................. 75
Publishing to the Web and Hyperlinking Objects ................................................................................ 75
Capturing Web Pages to the Work Area ............................................................................................. 77
Creating, Storing, and Accessing Custom Flowcharting Symbols......................................................... 77
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................. 80
Take the Test ........................................................................................................................................ 81
Appendix A: Getting Help ..................................................................................................................... 82
Credits................................................................................................................................................... 86
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Introduction
Welcome to the Graphs and Charts Certification Training Course!
Do you currently sell a service or product? Do you need to

communicate practical information and keep your audience engaged?
Do you want a painless way to do so?
In the following five lessons, you will learn the benefits of graphing and
charting and discover how easily and quickly you can create them using
the World’s Most Popular Business Graphics Software™, SmartDraw®.
In Lesson 1, we will cover the fundamentals of graphing and charting

and consider a few examples; in Lesson 2, we go over the SmartPanel
and other features of SmartDraw that automate graphing; in Lesson 3
we walk through building a couple of graphs and charts using
SmartDraw to achieve professional-quality results in no time; in Lesson
4, we examine alternative applications of charts; and in Lesson 5, we
look at some advanced options of SmartDraw data charting.
If you should have any difficulties along the way, please refer to
Appendix A: Getting Help. For more information about SmartDraw,
please visit our website, www.SmartDraw.com.
Let’s get started!
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Lesson 1: Graph and Chart Fundamentals
The fast pace of our digital age often requires quick, informed decisions
based on reliable data and information. While raw data can be sorted
with a spreadsheet, or information can be written as text on a
document, the use of a graph expedites decision-making and analysis.
Charts are much faster read and understood than the data from a
worksheet or written down information.
Graphs and charts are used in a wide variety of fields, from academia to
business, government, science and media. Graphing and charting is the
most efficient way to represent data to an audience. You could explain
in writing how many bottled water sales you had last year by quarter, or
let a picture do the explaining for you (Figure 1.1). The simplicity of a
graphic is literally worth a thousand words.
Figure 1.1. Bottled Water Sales Chart
The terms graph and chart are often used interchangeably as means of
visually representing data, so that the data can be easily translated.
Graphs are generally used in a mathematical and computer science
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setting to show a data range which has a discrete or continuous value.
Charts depict the relationships between two or more variables of data
to provide a clear understanding of data. For training purposes, we will
use the terms graph and chart interchangeably throughout this guide;
both fall under the label of business graphics, and both are easy to
create in SmartDraw.
As a business graphics program, SmartDraw has the capability to create

practically any type of chart for visually representing information, such
as a calendar, form, map, organizational chart, project (Gantt) chart or
flowchart. This training guide focuses specifically on data graphs and
charts—those comparing two or more values in pictorial form.
Data charts can easily be viewed in many forms: bar, line, or pie, to
name a few. A bar chart is most commonly used to track various items
across their numeric value in order to compare each value. For
instance, they can show the temperature of different areas, the income
brought in during different months by a certain product, or the length of
time various companies have existed. A line chart depicts a certain
object or idea in two different aspects and is very useful for tracking the
numerical value of something over time; for instance, temperature over
the course of a month or sales over the course of a year. A pie chart is a
circular chart that is divided into different pieces in the same fashion
one would slice a pie; hence, the name. However, with the pie chart,
each piece stands for something different and represents a certain
percentage of the whole.
Figures 1.2 through 1.4 contain some other common charts you may be
familiar with, including a bar, line, pie, and stacked bar chart.
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Examples of Graphs and Charts:
Figure 1.2. Three-Dimensional Bar Graph
Figure 1.3. Line Graph
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Figure 1.4. Pie Chart
Figure 1.5. Stacked Bar Chart
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As seen in the preceding samples, a chart demonstrates the significance
of visual data. They capture your attention, can be retained in memory
longer, and are excellent tools for comparing and analyzing differences
between different variables, such as sales products, services, or team
members. Charting can help you identify your best sales year, pinpoint
when or if you had any sales slumps, determine which products or sales
team members were most successful, and identify trends that require
attention. A chart displays data so it can be easily and quickly
understood.
Charts can be presented in many ways. They can be horizontally or

vertically oriented and can be filled with a single solid color, gradient,
variation of colors, or even a graphic. Standard charts are generally
composed of bars using a single color or variation of colors. While a
standard chart can be effective for communicating data, it may be
lackluster or even inefficient for users to interpret. In contrast, a
graphic creates a much more compelling effect than a simple bar and
helps a user to immediately identify the values being displayed.
Charting Concepts and Structure
Many charts use one or more axes. Most use a horizontal and vertical
axis to illustrate your data. One axis usually depicts the categories and
another shows the range of possible values. There are usually two or
more values arranged in a “series.” A series is a set of values that
pertains to a single entity, such as a company’s annual revenue
numbers. Charts frequently have more than one series, as in comparing
the annual revenue figures of several companies. These series are
usually compared across one or more “categories.” A category is a
group of values in the series. For example, the year 2007 would be a
category for our comparison of the annual revenue amounts of several
companies. Bars depict frequencies of different values of a variable (as
a series) or simply the different values themselves (as categories).
When working with a bar graph, as the value increases, the bar
lengthens or heightens.
There are a few classes of relationship among data that determine the
structure of your chart. Each type of relationship can be best executed
with one or two chart types, and, importantly, should not be executed
with other charts types. These relationship types are:
• Proportions of a Total
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• Rankings
• Time trends
• Distributions
Proportions of a Total
If your message is about percentage or share of a whole then a pie chart

or relative value chart is the most appropriate (Figure 1.6). A pie chart
shows the shares as slices of a circle. The relative value chart shows
slices as part of a horizontal or vertical bar. One tip: beyond 6 slices, a
pie chart starts losing its readability. Usually it is acceptable to use an
‘Other’ slice to combine items into a single slice. If you are comparing
the distributions of different totals, for example from Year 1 and Year 2,
then a stacked bar chart works better than multiple pie charts.
Figure 1.6. Pie chart vs. Relative Value chart
Rankings
When your message entails a comparison of values, the bar chart is the
appropriate chart. The bar chart can be horizontal or vertical. In a bar
chart, one axis will indicate values and the other will show the items
measured, sometimes in groups. Bar charts are quite versatile and can
demonstrate different points about the relationships or rankings
between items by changing their visual presentation. Bars can be
stacked, grouped side-by-side, set off of a central axis, or paired ‘back-
to-back’ for different purposes (Figure 1.7).
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Figure 1.7. Bar Chart Examples
Time Trends
If your message is about a trend over time, a line chart or a vertical bar
chart should be used (Figure 1.8). The line chart can not only show the
values, but also give a visual feel for the rates of change. Line charts
work well for continuous metrics (even though the data will be distinct
points in time connected by line segments). Also, when there are more
than ten or twelve time periods, a line chart is cleaner than a vertical
bar chart.
Figure 1.8. Line chart Examples
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To show values derived from discrete time frames, such as sales total
per quarter, a vertical bar chart may work better than a line. As with
ranking bar charts, these time series bar charts can be stacked, grouped
side by side, set off a central axis or paired ‘back-to-back’ for different
purposes.
Distributions
Distributions show how many items or units fall into ranges or ‘buckets’
of data (Figure 1.9). These will use line charts and vertical bar charts.
Distribution charts are visually much like time trend charts; however the
range is not time, but is another numerical range—for example, size of
sale in dollars or number of employees. Like time trend charts, bars are
used for more discrete range sets and lines for more continues sets with
many range categories. Distribution charts may be grouped and stacked
to compare categories like different years or different product lines.
Figure 1.9. Distribution charts
A Real-World Example
Let’s examine a real-world example of a simple bar graph displaying
annual revenue. You are the sales manager for a small but growing
software business, which opened in 1999. You’d like to know which
years your team generated the highest revenues in order to compare
and contrast how different variables have impacted company sales over
the years.
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The first year’s revenue was great for a budding software company–
$400K. Annual reports for the last few years show revenue has grown
steadily, increasing by 50% in 2000 to $600K, another 25% to $750K,
and again to $800K in 2002—doubling over the four-year period from
1999 through 2002. It then dropped the next two years: in 2003 to
$750K, and bottoming out in 2004 to $652K. Finally, sales turned
around, slightly increasing in 2005 to $674K, and increased again in
2006 to $734K. What factors were in play in 2002? How about in 2004?
While reading through these figures can be effective, it certainly is not

efficient. Instead, why not use a chart like Figure 1.10 below?
Figure 1.10. Yearly Revenues Bar Graph
Clearly you can see the immediate benefits of a visual aid such as a bar
graph. Using one gets your message across immediately, creating time
to deliberate reasons for a boost in sales or solutions to potential
problems, rather than spending time on their interpretation.
Additionally, examining the data on a chart is much more engaging and
powerful than text; when used in a presentation, they encourage
intelligent conversation and provide support for or against certain
decisions. Charts help you to quickly see past the numbers and start
thinking about how to address the reasons behind them.
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Now that you have a greater appreciation for graphs and charts, Lesson
2 discusses how SmartDraw is unlike any other charting program out
there.
Notes:
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Lesson 2: The SmartDraw Difference: SmartPanels
Graphs and charts (graphing and charting, respectively) have been in

use for centuries, in one form or another. From prehistoric rock
carvings and ancient writings, to the robust spreadsheet applications of
today like Microsoft® Excel®, the value of graphs and charts is globally
recognized as a time-proven methodology for illustrating data.
The process of graphing and charting is now prevalent these days, but is
still often left to the few savvy users who are willing to dedicate their
time and energy to learning the complexity of charting applications.
Alas, the majority of users often feel they either lack the time or skill to
develop quality charts. Some users find it’s just easier to create data in
a table and present it in that manner; or to put it in writing and let
readers figure out how to interpret the data. Fortunately, there is a
better way.
SmartDraw offers a graphing solution to appeal to the majority of users

who want to build a professional-quality chart or graph, but don’t want
to allot the time or energy in learning how to do so. In fact, SmartDraw
is the easiest and fastest way to create a professional-quality graph or
chart. Only SmartDraw automates data charting for you, so that in just
minutes, and without any prior experience or knowledge, you can
produce a superior chart like the one below (Figure 2.1). SmartDraw is
the perfect charting tool because it yields instant productivity, saving
you time, energy and money.
Figure 2.1. Tax Dollar Spending Chart
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So how does SmartDraw’s charting capability outclass all other data
charting and graphing programs?
SmartPanels
SmartDraw provides a special SmartPanel™, designed specifically so you
can create charts as simply as point-and-click, yet with presentation-
quality results (Figure 2.2).
Figure 2.2. SmartPanel
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SmartDraw makes it incredibly easy to take your data and transform it
into a presentation-quality chart. There's no need to create a data table
first; simply choose the appropriate Chart SmartTemplate and type your
information directly into the chart. What's more, SmartDraw makes it
possible to replace the standard bars and lines with images of your
choice—even photos.
SmartTemplates
SmartDraw provides a host of ready-made SmartTemplates™ for most
every diagram type (Figure 2.3).
Figure 2.3. Blank Chart SmartTemplates
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Opening a Charts SmartTemplate opens the appropriate charting
configuration options and lets you get started right away with
everything required for a perfect graph.
A SmartTemplate determines the manner in which all the Work Area

objects are displayed and instantly reduces the time and energy
required to build a graph. Selecting the right SmartTemplate removes
the headache of design and gets you charting immediately. When
charting with SmartDraw, you needn’t struggle with converting data
into a graph or understanding complex key strokes or formulas.
SmartDraw automates charting, increases personal productivity, and
makes your life easier.
Let’s take a look at just how easy it can be.
Getting Started
When you start SmartDraw, the Document Browser Screen appears
(Figure 2.4).
Collection Tabs
Search Tool
SmartTemplates List
SmartHelp
Figure 2.4. Document Browser Screen
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The SmartTemplates List appears on the left, from where you can select
any category of business graphic. Above this list is a Search Tool for
searching the SmartTemplates by keyword.
The Collection Tabs at the top-left corner also enable you to switch
views of the SmartTemplates List to view diagrams by activity. If you
are an owner of the SmartDraw Legal or Healthcare Edition, you can
select the respective tab here to view the available diagrams.
SmartHelp appears on the right to provide quick access to ready help.

At the Document Browser, clicking “Charts” in the SmartTemplates List
on the left opens the Charts SmartTemplates Preview Area (Figure 2.5).
Scroll bar
Charts
Preview Area
Figure 2.5. Charts SmartTemplates
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Select an appropriate template from the Blank SmartTemplates section
or view examples of charts for ideas by using the scrollbar on the right
to scroll up and down the Preview Area. SmartDraw recommends
beginning with a Blank SmartTemplate, and generally does not
recommend editing examples as there are some built-in settings that
may prevent the best customization ability.
Click on a Blank SmartTemplate in the Preview Area to open the

Application Screen (Figure 2.6). The Charts SmartPanel appears on the
left side of the screen, and the Work Area is blank. All charts begin with
a blank page, so you can start charting data with any type of chart right
away.
SmartPanel
Figure 2.6. Charts Application Screen
So how does the SmartPanel automate your charting?
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Automatic Commands
The SmartPanel contains a set of controls that that make common
actions possible with a single click. We call them Automatic Charting
Commands (Figure 2.7). Automatic commands make building and
modifying your charts as easy as it is to click with your mouse.
Automatic Commands
Figure 2.7. Charts Automatic Commands
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Let’s give it a try. To create a chart, simply click the “Start a New Chart”
control in SmartPanel to open the Chart Selector menu (Figure 2.8).
Figure 2.8. Chart Selector Menu
Select the type Bar from the “Start a New Chart” dropdown menu
(Figure 2.9).
Figure 2.9. Bar Chart
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In two clicks you now have a complete bar chart in the center of the
Work Area (Figure 2.10).
Figure 2.10. Bar Chart
Once you’ve selected a chart type (bar/line/pie, etc.), the “Add to

Chart” group becomes active within SmartPanel on the left, so you can
add or remove a series or category on your chart (Figure 2.11).
Figure 2.11. Add to Chart group
To begin adding a series to the graph already in place, click the “Add
Series” button and a new series is added to the chart (Figure 2.12).
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Figure 2.12. Adding a Series
To remove a series, select the series and click “Remove – Remove

Series” (Figure 2.13).
Figure 2.13. Removing a Series
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Repeat the previous steps to add or remove categories from your chart
as necessary.
Once you have structured your chart with the appropriate number of
series and categories, you can customize the individual bar colors by
selecting a style from the Bar Style group of SmartPanel.
Select a series on your chart, click “Fill with Colors” from the Bar Style
group in SmartPanel, select a style, and the new color is applied (Figure
2.14).
Figure 2.14. Applying new Colors
SmartDraw enables you to build and customize your chart with images
as well, empowering you with visually compelling charts, just like those
in USA Today®.
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Simply select any series on your chart, click “Fill with Images” from the
Bar Style group in SmartPanel, click on an image from the library, and
SmartDraw emplaces that image in your bar (Figure 2.15).
Figure 2.15. Applying Images to a Bar
SmartDraw even provides you with the option to import a picture of

your choosing so you can be even more creative with your charts. Just
select “Import Image” from the Bar Style group of

SmartPanel and the Insert Picture dialog opens (Figure 2.16).
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Figure 2.16. Importing a Custom Image
Browse to your image; if it’s of a supported format, click “Open” to

import the supported file to the chart. Because you have a Chart
SmartTemplate open, the Charts symbol library is the default library
within the Bar Style group of SmartPanel (Figure 2.17).
Figure 2.17. Charts Symbol Library
If desired, you can browse to another SmartDraw library by clicking the

Libraries selector within the Bar Style group of SmartPanel (Figure 2.18).
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Clicking “More” opens the “More Symbols” dialog for access to the
extensive SmartDraw symbol library (Figure 2.19).
Figure 2.18. Libraries Dropdown menu
Figure 2.19. More Symbols Dialog
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Towards the bottom of SmartPanel is SmartHelp™ (Figure 2.20).
Figure 2.20. SmartHelp
This option provides answers to the most frequently asked questions on

building a chart.
The Chart Tab

An important element of charting with SmartDraw is the Chart Tab
(Figure 2.21).
Figure 2.21. Chart Tab
This Tab provides numerous functions for building and customizing a

chart. You can access the Chart Tab while on the Home Tab of the
Application Screen, by clicking “Chart” at the top of the Main Toolbar.
The Chart Tab provides access to many groupings and commands,
including Insert Chart, Chart Type, Chart Data, Labels, Layout, and Style.
We’ll cover the commands within these groups more in Lessons 3 and 5.
You should now begin to appreciate the benefits of a chart and the ease
and speed with which you can create one in SmartDraw, all by yourself.
Please follow along as we build a couple together in Lesson 3.
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Notes:
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Lesson 3: Let’s Build Graphs and Charts Together
SmartDraw’s powerful charting features make creating your own

compelling graph easy and fast. Let’s do a couple together so you see
what we mean.
Building a Bar Chart of Software Sales

Now that you’ve got a feel for SmartDraw’s charting capabilities, let’s
build the sales chart in Lesson 1 (Figure 3.1) from start to finish.
Figure 3.1. A Yearly Revenue Sales Graph for Software
This chart will represent software sales for our imaginary company. We
will be working from the period of 1999 through 2006, with a revenue
dollar range of just under $900K.
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Open a new instance of SmartDraw by clicking the New button on the
Quick Access Toolbar toward the upper left corner of your screen
(Figure 3.3).
Figure 3.3. Opening a New Instance of SmartDraw
The Document Browser opens so you can begin graphing with a new
SmartTemplate (Figure 3.4).
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Click on the Blank ‘Bar Chart’ SmartTemplate to open it (Figure 3.5).
Figure 3.5. Bar Chart SmartTemplate
The Application Screen appears with SmartPanel open on the left and a
bar chart on the Work Area with four categories and three series (Figure
3.6).
Figure 3.6. The Application Screen
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The bar chart we will create requires 8 categories and only 1 series. As
there are currently 4 categories in place, add 4 more categories by
clicking “Add Category” in the Add to Chart group of SmartPanel 4 times
(Figure 3.7).
Figure 3.7. Adding Categories
The newly added categories are added automatically to the existing

chart template (Figure 3.8).
Figure 3.8. Newly Added Categories
Since one of the series is unnecessary, click the first series to select it
and control handles (black boxes) appear on the edges of the selected
series (Figure 3.9).
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Figure 3.9. Selecting a Series for Deletion
As the series is selected, the Remove command within the “Add to

Chart” group of SmartPanel becomes active; click Remove and select
Remove Series (Figure 3.10).
Figure 3.10. Removing a Series
The series will be removed (Figure 3.11).
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Figure 3.11. Removed Series
Click Remove and select Remove Series again to remove one more
unnecessary series (Figure 3.12).
Figure 3.12. Removing the Other Series
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Let’s now give the chart some meaning. Double-click Category 1 on the
left to select the text (it becomes highlighted in black) (Figure 3.13).
Figure 3.13. Selecting a Category to Label it
Begin typing to label it; label this category “1999.” Press the Tab key on
the keyboard to work your way across the categories, labeling them in
ascending order (Figure 3.14).
Figure 3.14. Labeling the Categories
Label all categories through the year 2006 (Figure 3.15).
Figure 3.15. Labeled Categories
Now that the categories are labeled, let’s take care of the series. The
first year’s sales in 1999 were $400K, so we can either enter a value of
400 or 400,000 into the first column. Since we know all sales were in
the thousands, we can simply input a value of 400.
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Selecting one column selects them all, and thus puts control handles on
all columns for that particular category; this way, changing the color of
one category, reflects a color change in all.
Click category bar 1999 to select it and control handles will appear on its
edges, as well as the edges of all other categories (Figure 3.16).
Figure 3.16. Selecting Any One Category Highlights All Categories
While 1999 is selected type the number 400 and it appears within just
the selected column (Figure 3.17).
Figure 3.17. Entering a Series Value
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Once 400 is typed into the 1999 category bar and you press the Enter
key, SmartDraw adjusts the table range along the y-axis from 30 units to
500 units to accommodate the new value.
Additionally, the cursor is automatically placed in the value entry cell of

the next category bar 2000, so you can enter the next value (Figure
3.18).
Typing a Category 1. Adjusts series to

Value into a bar: accommodate value
2. Moves the cursor

to the next
category label
Figure 3.18. Chart Accommodating Input Value of 400
Sales for the next year (2000) were $600K. While the value entry cell for
the category bar 2000 is selected, type 600 into the cell (Figure 3.19).
Figure 3.19. Typing the Next Value
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SmartDraw again accommodates the new value, increasing the series
along the left to 700 and moving the cursor to the next year/category,
2001 (Figure 3.20).
Figure 3.20. Chart Accommodating Input Value of 600
Repeat the process of entering the sales figures to the chart for the
years 2001 to 2006, from left to right, and clicking Enter after each
entry: 750 ($750K) in 2001, 800 in 2002, 750 in 2003, 652 in 2004, 674
in 2005, and 734 in 2006 (Figure 3.21).
Figure 3.21. Entering the Remainder of the Sales Figures
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Notice how easily creating this chart has been so far. You did not have
to click through several menus, type in any complicated formulas, or
readjust your data table. SmartDraw did the work for you.
To finish up this chart, let’s give it some meaning by adding labels.
Labels
Easy to understand charts use only enough data labels and gridlines
needed to get the message across. Redundant labeling, such as having
the scale on the vertical axis along with horizontal grid lines and labels
on each bar, makes the chart too cluttered. In contrast, one can use
labeling on the bars, lines, or slices to further reinforce the message.
For instance, show the data label only on the bar that you wish to
emphasize. In general, when the relationships between values are
important, use less labeling (just be sure to make sure the sizes are
accurate to draw conclusions). If the actual values are important to the
message, then more labeling is necessary.
To label the x-axis, double-click Categories toward the bottom to select

it and begin typing (Figure 3.22).
Figure 3.22. Selecting the Categories Label
We can either label the categories section Years or simply delete the
text there; for simplicity, let’s assume readers will infer the categories as
years, so press the Delete key to remove the label (Figure 3.23).
Figure 3.23. Deleting the Categories Label
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To label the y-axis, double-click Units along the left-side of the chart to
select it; the label rotates from a vertical to horizontal orientation so the
newly added label is legible as you type it (Figure 3.24).
Figure 3.24. Selecting the Series
Since we are working with units in the thousands, we can label the
Series Revenue ($000s). Type Revenue ($000s) directly into the Units
cell and click outside the cell once to deselect it (Figure 3.25).
Figure 3.25. Labeling the Series
Note: pressing Enter after typing into a cell adds another line to the cell
for typing additional text into.
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We can label the legend on the right in a similar manner as before.
Because this label is a series, double-clicking the text selects only the
letter or series portion of the label, and not the numerical portion
(Figure 3.26a). This time, do not double-click the text; instead, left-click
and hold, and drag the cursor across the entire block of text to select the
entire label, including the number (Figure 3.26b). While the text block is
selected, type Revenue, and left-click once outside the box to deselect it
(Figure 3.26c).
a) b) c)
Figure 3.26. Labeling the Legend Key
The chart is coming along nicely (Figure 3.27).
Figure 3.27. The Chart
Titles
You can now create a title for this chart. When it comes to writing titles
for your charts, nothing works better than the message you want to get
across. Recall that any set of data can be used in a variety of ways to
support different messages. This principle applies to the title of a
chart—a chart by itself may demonstrate several ideas. Your title
should reflect the idea that is important to your message.
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The chart we’ve developed exhibits the revenues over the period from
1999 through 2006. If we wanted to emphasize sales not improving as a
result of newly added offices, we could label the chart “Yearly Sales
Revenue Trends: Sales not benefitting from new office expansion.” For
our purposes, we just want to get an idea of where sales are, so you can
simply label the chart “Yearly Revenues.”
Left-click and hold, and drag the cursor across the entire block of the
Chart Title text to select the entire label; then type Yearly Revenues
(Figure 3.28).
Figure 3.28. Entering a Title
With that, the chart is complete (Figure 3.29).
Figure 3.29. The Completed Chart
Congratulations! You have completed a sales chart!
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Saving Files
Now that you’re done creating your chart, you can save it (we
recommend you save often). Select the Save command on the Quick
Access Toolbar (Figure 3.30).
Figure 3.30. Saving on the Quick Access Toolbar
When you save a drawing for the first time, the Save dialog launches
(Figure 3.31).
Figure 3.31. Save Dialog
If you have saved this drawing before, your drawing will automatically
overwrite your last saved file and be saved with all the same properties
as your original document.
45
You may have noticed however some differences–both good and bad–
between the chart we just created and the one we used as a guide. For
comparison, here they are again (Figure 3.32).
New Data Chart
Figure 3.32. The Original Chart
Here are some key differences between our charts, in reference to the
original chart.
Positive Elements of the Original Chart

• There is no visible grid behind the chart; this presents a
cleaner appearance.
• There is a border around the chart; this draws focus to

the chart.
46
• The category labels (years) and labels (dollars) toward
the tops of the category bars are aligned at a 45 degree
angle; angled text accentuates details.
Unnecessary Elements of the Original Chart

• The category bars show the values of their labels
(dollars) toward the tops of the bars; this can be
extraneous unless you want to point out exact values.
Neutral Elements of the Original Chart

• The original chart is colored blue.
• The category bars are narrower.
• The title is slightly smaller
• The title is positioned higher and to the left.
• The x and y axis labels are black and not blue.
We’ll go into the details of customizing these other elements of a chart

in Lesson 5. For now, let’s build another chart to keep up your charting
momentum.
Notes:
47
Charting a Pie Chart of Lunar Soil Composition
Let’s say that you are currently researching the composition of lunar soil
for a science course you are involved with. You need to present your
findings to your peers in a professional manner and know that a chart
will do the job. Displaying your data in chart form like the one below
can grab your audience’s attention better than a simple bar graph
(Figure 3.33).
Figure 3.33. Pie Chart of Lunar Soil Composition
As seen here, this graphic chart depicts the breakdown of the chemical
components of lunar soil more effectively than reading a simple block of
text would.
We can assume you currently have SmartDraw open from our last
drawing. To get started, open a new instance of SmartDraw by clicking
48
New on the Quick Access Toolbar toward the top-left corner of the
Application screen (Figure 3.34).
Figure 3.34. Opening a New Instance of SmartDraw
The Document Browser opens so you can select a new SmartTemplate

(Figure 3.35).
49
Click Blank Pie Chart SmartTemplate (Figure 3.36).
Figure 3.36. Blank Pie Chart SmartTemplate
Like before, the Application Screen opens with a default SmartTemplate

on the Work Area with three series or pie slices (Figure 3.37).
Figure 3.37. The Application Screen
50
Proportions of a Total
The data you have gathered from your research shows there are 6
major elements that comprise the lunar soil, and other elements that
Smart Tip: are too numerous and of such a small composition that you decide to
bundle those together in an Other category.
Beyond 6 slices, a
pie chart can start A key note: beyond 6 slices, a pie chart can start losing its readability, so
losing its it is usually acceptable to use an ‘Other’ slice to combine items into a
readability, so it is single slice.
usually acceptable
to use an ‘Other’
slice to combine
items into a single
slice.
Figure 3.38. Default Pie Chart SmartTemplate
This pie chart requires a total of 7 series. As there are currently 3 series
in place, add 4 more series by clicking “Add Series” in the “Add to Chart”
group of SmartPanel 4 times.
Figure 3.39. Adding Series to the Pie Chart
51
The newly added series are added to the existing chart template,
perfectly aligned and color-matched for immediate presentation (Figure
3.40).
Figure 3.40. Newly Added Series
Let’s begin keying in our data values for this chart.
Here are the elements of the chart and their composition: Oxygen 42%,
Silicon 21%, Iron 13%, Calcium 8%, Aluminum 7%, Magnesium 6%, and
Other 3%.
Begin to input values into your series by clicking directly onto a pie slice
(you may also click the number to the right of Series 1); as you click the
slice, control handles appear on the edges of the slice and a frame
appears around the data value label (numbers to the slice’s right)
(Figure 3.41).
52
Figure 3.41. Selecting a Pie Slice
Label the first slice 42, the value for the Oxygen content; the remainder
of the pie chart acknowledges that entered value and resizes the chart
accordingly (Figure 3.42).
Figure 3.42. Labeling a Pie Slice
Once you type in the data value for your chart and press Enter,
SmartDraw automatically selects the next slice on your chart so you can
simply continue entering data values (Figure 3.43).
53
Figure 3.43. Preparing to Enter the New Data
Type 21 to enter the second data value for Silicon, and press Enter.
SmartDraw takes the new value and moves the cursor to the next pie
slice to receive the next data value (Figure 3.44).
Figure 3.44. Entering Data for another Pie Slice
Continue entering the data values for your pie chart in the same manner
until they are all entered; Iron 13%, Calcium 8%, Aluminum 7%,
Magnesium 6%, and Other 3%.
54
Your chart is coming along nicely now (Figure 3.45).
Figure 3.45. The Entered Data Values
Now that the data values are keyed in, let’s label the slices.
Click the far end of the text of each series to highlight it. For instance,
for the pie slice “Series 1: 42 (42%),” click between the number “1” and
the “:” symbol. This highlights the series label so you can type into it
(Figure 3.46).
1) Click here
2) The label is selected
Figure 3.46. Selecting the Series
Type Oxygen and press Enter to label the first series; SmartDraw moves
to the next series, awaiting your key entry into the next label (Figure
3.47).
55
Figure 3.47. Labeling the Series
SmartDraw continues moving in the same clockwise direction as you

entered your data values, so you know your data values will match your
labels.
For reference, here are the elements of the chart again, along with their
composition:
• Oxygen 42%
• Silicon 21%
• Iron 13%
• Calcium 8%
• Aluminum 7%
• Magnesium 6%
• And Other 3%
56
Continue entering the labels as above (by typing in the name of the next
element and pressing Enter) until all pie slices are labeled (Figure 3.48).
Figure 3.48. The Labeled Series/Pie Slices
Let’s give the chart a title; left-click and drag the cursor across the entire
block of the Chart Title text to select the entire label. Type Lunar Soil
Composition (Figure 3.49).
Figure 3.49. Entering a Title for the Chart
The chart is technically done. However, recall that graphics can

enhance any presentation. For this example then, you will need to
57
insert an image of your choice into the pie chart. The final step we’ll
take is to add an image to the pie chart.
For this example, the custom image of the moon below was used
(Figure 3.49). Unfortunately, as this is a custom image, it is not included
in the SmartDraw library. For purposes of your chart however, you can
select another image from the SmartDraw library instead of the moon.
Figure 3.49. The Moon
With the pie chart selected, click Fill with Images in SmartPanel (Figure
3.50).
Figure 3.50. Filling a chart with Images
Click on an image from within the Slice Style group of SmartPanel

(Figure 3.51).
Figure 3.51. Selecting an Image from SmartPanel
58
And the image is applied to the drawing (Figure 3.52).
Figure 3.52. Applying an Image to the Pie Chart
And don’t forget, you can also add your own images using the Import
Image button.
You can also add a border around the outside of the chart by right-
clicking anywhere on the chart and selecting Border Style and selecting
the first line (Figure 3.53).
59
Figure 3.53. Adding a Border
Your chart is now complete (Figure 3.54).
Congratulations! You have created a pie chart! Quite simple, isn’t it?
Figure 3.54. The Completed Pie Chart with an outlying Border
60
Here is how your chart would appear with an image of the moon (Figure
3.55).
Figure 3.55. A Pie Chart of Lunar Soil Composition
Now that you’re aware of how easy charting can be in SmartDraw, we

will introduce you to some alternative applications of SmartDraw’s
powerful data graphs in Lesson 4.
Notes:
61
Lesson 4: Alternative Applications of Graphs and Charts
Charting data can be useful for many purposes. This lesson introduces
you to some of the more common uses of charts and graphs and
provides you with guidance toward the proper SmartTemplate to begin
with.
Line Chart
A line chart is a chart that shows a certain object or idea in two different
aspects, unlike the bar chart that can only show one aspect of
something (Figure 5.1). Line charts are very useful for trying to track the
numeric value of something over time; for instance, temperature over
the course of a month, sales over the course of a year, or even income
depending on the number of customers.
You can create a Line Chart by beginning with a Blank Line Chart
SmartTemplate.
Figure 4.1. Line Chart Example of Monthly Revenue
Relative Value Charts

A relative value chart shows slices as part of a horizontal or vertical bar
(Figure 4.2). Like pie charts, relative value charts show the proportions
of a total. For instance: how each percentage of tax dollars is spent.
62
To get started creating a Relative Value chart, select a Blank Relative
Value Chart SmartTemplate.
Figure 4.2. A Relative Value Chart of Tax Dollar Spending
Stacked Bar Charts

A stacked chart is essentially a type of bar chart that has multiple series
with one series plotted as it is and one or more additional series being
stacked on top of the first (Figure 4.3). These types of charts can be
useful for comparing the sales of multiple products over the course of
the same time, such as three models of cars being sold within a 10-year
period. You can create a stacked chart by selecting a Blank Stacked Bar
Chart SmartTemplate.
Figure 4.3. Stacked Bar Chart of Yearly Revenue
63
Area Charts
An area chart behaves much like a line chart, displaying quantitive data
as an area of color filling the spaces between the lines. Like stacked bar
charts, an area chart is commonly emphasized with colors, textures and
hatchings. Like most other charts, an area chart compares two or more
quantities (Figure 4.4).
Figure 4.4. Area Chart
Layered Area Charts

A layered area chart is a modified version of an area chart which
displays area data in a layered fashion above one another. The
transparency feature is unique to SmartDraw, which makes layered area
chart creation a breeze (Figure 4.5).
Figure 4.5. Layered Area Chart
64
Lesson 5: Advanced Graphing and Charting Methods and Topics
Building a Chart from a Comma-Separated Value (.CSV) or Text

(.TXT) Data File
To quickly and easily create charts (Bar / Pie / Line, etc.) in SmartDraw
using an Excel data file (CSV) or TXT file:
Click the SmartDraw button (top-leftmost corner of the Application

screen).
Select New.
Select Charts from the Standard tab.
Select your desired chart from one of the SmartTemplates in the middle
of the screen (use the vertical scroll bar to preview the available
templates) and the Application Screen opens.
Select the Chart Tab on the Main Toolbar (Figure 5.1).
Select 'From File' from the Insert Chart section on the left (Figure 5.2)
Figure 5.2. From File Option
65
The Import Chart dialog appears (Figure 5.3).
Figure 5.3. Import Chart Dialog
From here, select the file type you wish to import from the Files of Type
dropdown window; you can import either a Text file (TXT) or Comma
Separated Value file (CSV).
Navigate to your file and click Open to import your CSV or

TXT file for automatic chart creation. Hint: if you already have an
opened Excel spreadsheet with data, simply copy/paste a data field
directly from the spreadsheet into the existing chart and SmartDraw will
create a data chart automatically.
Modifying a Chart’s Categories and Series
Once your chart is open, you can modify the series or categories in one
of the following three ways. The first method is to click into the first
data field, key in a value, and press Enter; as the value is entered, the
field adjusts and the cursor moves to the next field awaiting the next
value (Figure 5.4)
66
Figure 5.4. Keying in Data Values
The second method is to manually adjust the fields. Left-click to select

the particular data field you would like to edit and control handles
(black boxes) appear on the edges of the data field (indicating
adjustability); position your cursor over these boxes and your cursor
transforms into two black arrows; at this point, you can manually click
and drag to adjust the size of the data field (Figure 5.5).
67
Figure 5.5. Manually Adjusting the Values
The third method is to select the Show Data Table command from the
Chart Data group of the Chart ribbon. In the table that appears, you can
modify either the table name or data to change the values so that any
changes on the table are reflected on the chart (Figure 5.6).
68
Figure 5.6. Editing Values using the Data Table
From here, you can type individual values which are immediately
reflected in the chart.
Labeling a Chart
You can label a chart’s series or category in two manners: key labels
into the label fields directly, or key labels into the Data Table.
You can label a series or category directly (Figure 5.7).
Figure 5.7. Labeling a Category in the Data Table
Or use the Show Data Table command on the Chart Data group of the
Chart Tab (Figure 5.8).
69
Figure 5.8. Showing the Data Table to edit a Label
A data table appears alongside your current chart where you can
change the labels.
Customizing a Chart using the Chart Tab

Customizing the appearance and elements of a chart is easy in
SmartDraw. The Chart Tab contains everything required for designing a
chart (Figure 5.9).
You will see a few groups there: Insert Chart, Chart Type, Chart Data,
Labels, Layout, and Style. Each group contains commands for quickly
customizing your chart.
70
Automatic Sequencing
You know how beneficial SmartDraw is for charting. Did you know
SmartDraw makes it easy to present your chart to an audience in a
manner that increases the understanding and retention of your
material?
SmartDraw’s new Sequencing feature integrates smartly with

PowerPoint® to automate your slide’s animation!
Let’s see how this works.
To access the new Sequencing feature, select the new PowerPoint® tab
found on the Main Toolbar.
SmartDraw has already presequenced this diagram for you, so all you
need to do is select how you would liked this sequenced. For this chart,
we recommend using the Categories preset.
71
Manual Sequencing
To manually set the Sequencing feature, select any number of objects
on your work area and select a step number from the Step dropdown
menu. For instance, in the flowchart below, select the first object and
select Step 2.
You should select Step 2—rather than Step 1— as your first step, as the
background is always the default step for step 1; you can change this as
necessary though.
Smart Tip:
You should select

Step 2—rather
than Step 1— as
your first step, as Then select the next step in your sequence and choose Step 2.
the background is
always the default
step for step 1.
You can change

this as necessary
though.
72
Sequencing your Objects
Whenever you want to preview how your steps would appear, just click
the Preview command. As you click the mouse, you will see the
different sequenced objects appear in sequential order.
And you can move to the next or previous slide, or cancel the preview
by selecting the appropriate command on the PowerPoint® tab (Next,
Previous or Cancel).
And SmartDraw has pre-sequenced most diagrams for you already, so

you can just select a diagram and select the Preview command to view
your sequenced presentation. Once you click Preview, each successive
mouse click steps you through your sequenced drawing.
73
Once you’re satisfied with how your sequenced drawing appears, just
select the Send to PowerPoint® command in the Export group of the
PowerPoint® tab. SmartDraw opens a new instance of PowerPoint® (if
installed) and instantly transfers your graphic into a new slide, already
pre-animated for you!
Smart Tip:
If you discuss any

series of topics
during a
presentation,
sequencing is a
definite must.
The animation appears in the same order it was sequenced in
And sequencing is SmartDraw. And you can just as easily make changes as necessary in
very easy to do SmartDraw to easily transfer your file back to PowerPoint®.
with SmartDraw.
And the best part is that SmartDraw has presequenced settings for all
charts and most other diagrams, so you have the best presentation
settings already built in! It can be a challenge to build animation into a
74
drawing if you don’t use PowerPoint® that often—but SmartDraw
makes it easy!
Working Online
Today’s digital economy demands applications which can create
graphics for seamless use on the Internet, and SmartDraw understands
this. SmartDraw makes it easy to publish drawings to the web, import
images from the web, and retain hyperlinks in your documents online.
Publishing to the Web and Hyperlinking Objects

You can publish your flowchart to the Web as an HTML file if desired.
Simply export your drawing to HTML using the Export command under
the SmartDraw Button . This opens the Export to HMTL Files Dialog
and SmartDraw builds the files ready for web posting: an HTML and GIF
image file (which you can change to JPG or PNG within the Change
option of the Export HTML window).
Publishing Drawings to the Web
75
SmartDraw provides a powerful hyperlinking feature which enables you
to hyperlink any objects on the Work Area to other SmartDraw
drawings, web pages, documents or programs.
To access the hyperlink function:
• Select an object on the Work Area
• Select the Insert – Hyperlink control from the Insert Tab on the Main
Toolbar
• Navigate to your chosen hyperlink and click OK; SmartDraw inserts the
hyperlink into your object. Objects that have hyperlinks are denoted by
a small icon in the form of a blue plus symbol within a white box.
Inserting Hyperlinks
SmartDraw will retain any active hyperlinks in the HTML file format.
When SmartDraw exports to an HTML file it also includes a GIF, PNG or
a JPG file with the same name followed by ‘_img.’ For example, if you
export to Flowchart.htm, a bitmapped file called Flowchart_img.GIF is
also created. Note: by selecting the Change button in the Export to
HTML Files dialog, you may also change the exported image file to PNG
or JPG.
• To ensure any hyperlinks remain active, you must upload both files
(using any FTP software of your choice) to the same folder on your web
server in order to view the exported image in a web browser.
• Additionally, you should always upload all of the files that SmartDraw
places in your selected export folder to keep all links intact. Once
you've added a hyperlinked file, you can launch it by selecting the object
you have hyperlinked from within the open HTML file.
76
Capturing Web Pages to the Work Area
Need to describe a process about a website on your Work Area?
SmartDraw provides a practical tool for easily capturing web page
images. To insert a web page image to your Work Area, ensure you are
online and do the following:
1. Select the Insert – Web Page control from the Insert Tab on the Main
Toolbar; SmartDraw opens a new web browser window (the SmartDraw
Web Page Import dialog).
2. Toward the top of the SmartDraw Web Page Import dialog you will find
a navigation bar where you can type in a web address (i.e.,
www.SmartDraw.com, etc.); type in the address of the web page to
bring into SmartDraw and click Enter.
3. Click Capture Web Image on the navigation bar; SmartDraw will capture
the web page image and automatically place it into your Work Area. At
this point, you can now manipulate the image as most other objects in
SmartDraw, including resizing, rotating and repositioning it.
Capturing Web Pages
Creating, Storing, and Accessing Custom Flowcharting Symbols

You can create your own flowcharting symbol with the tools in the Tools
group, or simply import an image using the Insert – Picture command
on the Insert Tab of the Main Toolbar. Custom-drawn objects should be
grouped first (Ctrl + G), to ensure they act as a single object. You can
then store them in any symbol library for future flowcharting purposes.
To store a grouped custom-drawn or imported symbol into a library for
future use, do the following:
1. Click and drag the symbol or image from the Work Area to a SmartPanel
library on the left; as you do so, the cursor changes to the Library Drop
77
Cursor and as you release the mouse button, the Edit Symbol dialog
appears, asking if you’d like to ‘add a copy of these objects to this
library as a new symbol.’
The Edit Symbol Dialog
2. Click OK and the new symbol appears in the Edit Symbol dialog.
3. Label this symbol a unique name, like ‘my symbol 1.’ Change any of its
properties as desired and click OK; SmartDraw will store this symbol in
the library for future use.
Once you’ve created or imported a symbol, you can use that as a

flowchart object, like any other symbol. Simply click and drag it over
from the library to your flowchart as desired. You can then access that
flowchart symbol by opening the particular symbol library you stored it
in.
78
Storing the Custom Symbol
If you need to search for the symbol, simply open any template, open
SmartPanel’s Library tab on the left, select More Symbols, and type a
keyword to search for the symbol library or custom-named symbol.
Accessing Custom Symbols
79
As you can see, SmartDraw really takes the pain out of charting and
empowers you with functional tools that enable you to be successful.
Conclusion
You now understand how valuable graphing is and how SmartDraw

makes graphing painless. Charting enables you to communicate
complex data using an easily digestible picture. At this point you should
feel comfortable creating a variety of charts. You’ve learned the
fundamentals of graphs and charts and using SmartPanel for easily
charting. And by using SmartDraw, you’ll be charting like practically an
expert in no time.
In summary, we hope that by taking this course you have learned the
following:
• The benefits and fundamentals of charting and graphing
• The automatic charting and graphing capabilities of

SmartDraw
• How to create charts and graphs with SmartDraw
• Alternate applications for charting and graphing
• The advanced features of charting with SmartDraw
Congratulations! You’ve completed the SmartDraw Graphs and Charts

Certification Training Course! Why not create a few charts for fun?
Just take your time building your charts—you’ll still get them done in
record time with SmartDraw!
Thanks for your time and we look forward to helping you create winning
charts that allow you to succeed! When you are ready, please proceed
to the certification test.
80
Take the Test
The Graphs and Charts test helps us to evaluate your understanding of

the topics covered in this course. The test consists of multiple-choice,
true/false and fill-in-the-blank questions. The test will take
approximately 20 minutes to complete.
When you are ready to take the exam, please visit the link below:
Start the test
You can also copy and paste the link below into your web browser:
http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=956901
Once you complete the test, one of our certified trainers will evaluate
your responses. If you demonstrate an understanding for the material,
you will receive your certificate via email.
Good luck!
81
Appendix A: Getting Help
SmartDraw provides several resources to help you with any drawing: SmartHelp, SmartDraw HTML Help,
the User Guide, the SmartDraw website, and the SmartDraw Support team. While using SmartDraw, the
quickest place to obtain help is through SmartHelp. SmartHelp provides instant help, suggestions for
navigating SmartDraw, and answers to the most frequently asked questions when building a particular
graphic, such as a chart. SmartHelp is located on the right side of your screen, and can be accessed by
clicking on the “SmartHelp” control.
Opening SmartHelp
82
Opening SmartHelp
Once opened, SmartHelp will remain open on the right side of your
screen.
SmartHelp
When you’re done using SmartHelp, click the Close button to collapse
SmartHelp down.
83
Closing SmartHelp
While SmartDraw is open, you can access SmartDraw HTML Help by

pressing the F1 key. SmartDraw HTML Help provides a detailed
overview of the SmartDraw program and includes a quick search Index.
SmartDraw HTML Help
The SmartDraw User Guide can be accessed by first opening any

SmartTemplate, selecting the Help Tab, and selecting User Guide.
84
Accessing the User Guide
You may also obtain many additional, helpful details on the SmartDraw website.
The SmartDraw Website
Here are a couple of links worth looking into:
• The SmartDraw Encyclopedia of Business Graphics (information on

every diagram type available):
http://www.smartdraw.com/encyclopedia/index.htm
• The SmartDraw Knowledge Base
http://www.smartdraw.com/support/knowledgebase/index.aspx
85
If you have any comments or questions concerning SmartDraw, our
friendly and knowledgeable SmartDraw Support staff is available at no
cost to you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whether you are using the
trial or licensed copy of SmartDraw.
• To contact SmartDraw Support, please call 858-225-3373 or toll-free

800-817-4243; or e-mail support@SmartDraw.com.
Smart Tip:
Our friendly, local

SmartDraw staff is
ready to assist you
anytime of the day,
every day of the
year!
• When reporting a problem, please include the following information:
1) Your system configuration (version of Windows, printer,

display type etc.)
2) A description of how to reproduce the problem.
3) A sample file that exhibits the problem (if possible).
Credits
SmartDraw is a trademark of SmartDraw.com in the United States and

other countries.
86
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and other countries.
87

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SmartDraw 2009

Graphs and Charts

SmartDraw 2009 ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Graphs and Charts Certification .............................................................................................................. 1

Lesson 1: Graph and Chart Fundamentals ............................................................................................... 5

Examples of Graphs and Charts: .......................................................................................................... 7

Charting Concepts and Structure ......................................................................................................... 9

Proportions of a Total ........................................................................................................................ 10

A Real-World Example ....................................................................................................................... 12

Lesson 2: The SmartDraw Difference: SmartPanels............................................................................... 15

Getting Started .................................................................................................................................. 18

Automatic Commands ...................................................................................................................... 21

The Chart Tab .................................................................................................................................... 29

Lesson 3: Let’s Build Graphs and Charts Together ................................................................................. 31

Building a Bar Chart of Software Sales ............................................................................................... 31

Saving Files ........................................................................................................................................ 45

Positive Elements of the Original Chart .......................................................................................... 46

Unnecessary Elements of the Original Chart .................................................................................. 47

Charting a Pie Chart of Lunar Soil Composition .................................................................................. 48

Proportions of a Total ........................................................................................................................ 51

Lesson 4: Alternative Applications of Graphs and Charts ...................................................................... 62

Line Chart .......................................................................................................................................... 62

Relative Value Charts ......................................................................................................................... 62

Stacked Bar Charts ............................................................................................................................. 63

Layered Area Charts .......................................................................................................................... 64

Lesson 5: Advanced Graphing and Charting Methods and Topics ......................................................... 65

Modifying a Chart’s Categories and Series ......................................................................................... 66

Labeling a Chart ................................................................................................................................. 69

Customizing a Chart using the Chart Tab ............................................................................................ 70

Automatic Sequencing ....................................................................................................................... 71

Manual Sequencing ........................................................................................................................... 72

Working Online ................................................................................................................................. 75

Publishing to the Web and Hyperlinking Objects ................................................................................ 75

Capturing Web Pages to the Work Area ............................................................................................. 77

Creating, Storing, and Accessing Custom Flowcharting Symbols......................................................... 77

Take the Test ........................................................................................................................................ 81

Appendix A: Getting Help ..................................................................................................................... 82

Welcome to the Graphs and Charts Certification Training Course!

Do you currently sell a service or product? Do you need to

In Lesson 1, we will cover the fundamentals of graphing and charting

Let’s get started!

Figure 1.1. Bottled Water Sales Chart

As a business graphics program, SmartDraw has the capability to create

Figure 1.2. Three-Dimensional Bar Graph

Figure 1.3. Line Graph

Figure 1.5. Stacked Bar Chart

Charts can be presented in many ways. They can be horizontally or

Charting Concepts and Structure

If your message is about percentage or share of a whole then a pie chart

Figure 1.6. Pie chart vs. Relative Value chart

Figure 1.8. Line chart Examples

Figure 1.9. Distribution charts

While reading through these figures can be effective, it certainly is not

Figure 1.10. Yearly Revenues Bar Graph

Graphs and charts (graphing and charting, respectively) have been in

SmartDraw offers a graphing solution to appeal to the majority of users

Figure 2.1. Tax Dollar Spending Chart

Figure 2.2. SmartPanel

Figure 2.3. Blank Chart SmartTemplates

A SmartTemplate determines the manner in which all the Work Area

Let’s take a look at just how easy it can be.

Figure 2.4. Document Browser Screen

SmartHelp appears on the right to provide quick access to ready help.