CREATING CHARTS USING OLE
(Object Linking And Embedding)

Dr. Warren C. Weber
MHR Department, Cal Poly University, Pomona


Introduction. What is OLE? Microsoft products (and others) used on the Macintosh and DOS/Windows machines utilize OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) to allow the embedding of a cell, chart, object, or document into a document created in another application and to be able to edit and format an object from within another application. PowerPoint, Word, and Excel are three common applications which can be used to accomplish this. You can create graphic elements and present data visually in a chart or graph in one application and link them to another application. Visual representation of data can greatly improve understanding (a picture is worth a thousand words).

All the information used to create the object is encapsulated in the embedded object that appears in the document. If you want to change something, double-click on the embedded object to open it in the application in which it was created to make editing and formatting changes. When you return to the document, the embedded object is updated with the changes you made.

Purpose of this Tutorial. This short tutorial will explain how to create a basic Chart from data you may collect in doing research. It is expected that the reader has some basic knowledge and experience using the Macintosh or PC, and it is helpful to have additional knowledge of the applications involved. (The look of some of the examples may differ slightly depending on the version of Excel and the System being used.)

What are Data? Data are bits of information analyzed to draw and explain conclusions. For analysis, data are usually placed on a spreadsheet (worksheet) in rows and columns of cells. Once the data are collected data through surveys, questionnaires, interviews, or other means, key elements which will aid the reader in understanding what has been found are selected. Data are classified as variables (e. g., time, quantity, age, sex, education, attitudes). For this example, time (quarters) and quantity (dollars) are used. Information may be entered as alphabetical (alpha) or numerical (numeric) data-letters or numbers. (Axes on charts are generally referred to as the X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) axes.)

Creating the Worksheet

Word. Open the Word application by clicking on the icon or its name in the finder. To open Microsoft Graph (and, simultaneously, a datasheet) used to create a graph, click on the chart icon on the ribbon at the top of the document . (If the ribbon is not shown, select Ribbon from the View Menu.) Opening Microsoft Graph and presents you with a small spreadsheet called a datasheet. Also appearing will be a corresponding chart. The type of chart that appears was selected by a previous user, but you can change the type of chart by selecting from the Gallery Menu. You may change the format and color by using the Chart and Format Menus in Graph.

Sometimes the charts or datasheets may be hidden behind your document, but as long as Graph is open, they will be on your desktop. Toggle between Word and Graph by using the pull-down menu of open applications in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen. To toggle between the datasheet and the graph use the Window Menu while in Graph.

The datasheet is likely to contain information entered previously which may be CUT by SELECTing ALL the cells (click on white box in upper left corner, click on Select All on the Edit Menu, or type Command-A), and then cutting (Select CUT from Edit Menu or type Command-X). This clears the chart to accept your new data. Enter data as shown and a new graph will automatically be created. As you change words or numbers the graph automatically changes.

The width of columns may be change by placing your cursor at the top of the vertical line between columns (the cursor will change appearance to a vertical line bisected by a horizontal line with arrowheads at each end) and dragging to change the width. The size of the graph may be change by dragging on the size box (lower right-hand corner).

When you are completely satisfied with the graph, click on UPDATE from the FILE menu. The graph will be placed in the document where your cursor was last placed. DO NOT use Copy Chart from the Edit Menu of Graph since that will not embed the information for later updating. If you use UPDATE, you will be able to click on the chart in Word in order to return automatically to Graph to make changes.

PowerPoint. Open the application by clicking on the icon or its name in the finder. When a new slide appears on which you wish to insert a graph, it is best to first Select All and Cut any Body and Title placemarks. Then, to open a datasheet used to create a graph, click on the chart icon on the toolbar to the left.


A crosshair cursor appears which should be dragged across the window to form a box about the size you want the chart to be, and Microsoft Graph opens up revealing the datasheet and graph windows. From here on the operation is much the same as in Word.

While Graph is still open, an outline of the box will show in PowerPoint and the graph will appear to have a thin veil over it. After updating, quit Graph and return to PowerPoint and the veil will disappear. You can change the size (only) of the graph by shift-clicking on the lower right corner of the box and dragging to the size desired, when Graph is closed. You will be able to update the graph's other attributes by selecting and double-clicking it to reopen Graph and using the various tools and menus available in Graph.

Excel. Open the application by clicking on the icon or its name in the finder. A new blank worksheet will automatically appear.

Entering Data. Data are entered in rows (1, 2, 3) and columns (A, B, C). The choice of either rows or columns for the data will affect the understandability and look of the chart. This example uses quantity ($ amount) in rows and time in columns which will result in an understandable chart. Plan the general look of the chart ahead of time.

To enter data, a cell (A1, B2, etc..) is selected by moving to the desired row/column with the mouse or arrow keys and then clicking the mouse in the desired cell and typing the data. This is how the chart looks after the information has been entered in rows 1, 2, and 3 and columns A, B, C, D, and E.


Changing Column Widths. If a column needs to be wider to accommodate long words, place the cursor in the shaded area between the row names and drag right widen the column (draft left to narrow the column. Row height, less commonly altered, may be changed by click/dragging up or down in the numbered row headings.)

Once the data and column headings are entered, select all the information you want in the chart by click/dragging across the rows and columns. The selected information will be darkened.


Changing Number Formats. If dollar signs percentages or decimal places are desired, select from the Format Menu and drag to Number. For dollar signs but no decimals, as shown, select $#,##0_);($#,##0) from the dialog box. Also, this will place parentheses around negative amounts.

A chart will then be created automatically by selecting New from the File Menu or by typing Command-N. When this dialog box appears select Chart and click OK.

If the proper data have been selected (in this case the entire worksheet), Chart2, on the following page, will appear.

Changing Chart Attributes. While in the Chart window, you may change the type of chart by pointing the cursor at the Gallery Menu and click/dragging to the desired chart type (pie, area, line, etc.). Not all charts work with all types of data. Refer to other sources for rules on chart selection (pie charts for parts of a whole, line charts for trends, etc.).

The type, look and attributes of the Chart may be changed by adding a title, legend, or arrows, changing colors or patterns, etc., in the Chart and Format Menus. The size may be changed by click/dragging on the lower right hand corner of the chart.


The chart has been changed from a column to an area chart (Gallery Menu); text (title ) and legend attached through the Chart Menu; and the pattern of the projected data was changed by selecting (clicking on) the area (clear squares appear) and selecting a new pattern in the Format Menu. The Chart was then widened by dragging the window to the lower right as described above. Try to change the chart to the size desired when it is pasted into another application.

Interactive Updates to Charts. While the worksheet and chart are open, changes in the worksheet data will interactively be changed in the Chart. Cell E3 (Actual in 4th Quarter) was changed to $1,000,000 and the chart changed as shown on the next page.



Resulting Chart-

To use the chart in another application. After the chart is created, select the entire chart by clicking on it. Then choose Copy from the Edit Menu or Command-C. Quit Excel after Saving the chart and worksheet. Open the new application (e. g., Word, PowerPoint, or any other application) and choose Paste Special from the Edit Menu and select Embedded. Using this method results in linked and embedded objects which may be double-clicked to get back to Excel and modify them; however, only the size may be changed, as described below, while in PowerPoint unless the chart is double-clicked to get back into the Excel chart for changes.


In PowerPoint, as shown, after Pasting the embedded chart into a slide, the chart may be resized by click/dragging on the black squares as shown by the arrow cursor above. To move the chart on the slide, click/drag on one of the patterned lines which surround the chart after it is selected.