Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Make that Chart Quickly!.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 28, 2026)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Sometimes going through the Chart Wizards seems to take forever. If you want to put a chart into your workbook very quickly, you can follow these two simple steps:
That's it! Excel inserts a new chart worksheet before the current worksheet, and bases the chart on the data in your table and the default chart type you have set up. At this point you can perform whatever customization you desire on the chart and work with it as normal.
If you prefer an embedded chart to a chart worksheet, then the shortcut you should use in F11 is, instead, Alt+F1.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2210) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Make that Chart Quickly!.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
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