To make a graph using Microsoft Word 2010, use a shortcut that takes you right to Excel's chart design functionality. Through a simple pop-up window in Word, you never have to stray from your document to make custom graphs. Everything you need is within Word 2010, including the ability to make and update graphs if your data changes.
Open Microsoft Word, click the “Insert” tab, and then click the “Chart” button on the Illustrations section of the ribbon.
Choose your preferred type of graph, such as a pie. Scroll to that section of the window, and then select from the different type of graphs, such as “Exploded pie in 3-D.” Click “OK” to have Word insert the graph onto your Word document and pop up the “Chart in Microsoft Word – Microsoft Excel” window. If you are using multiple monitors, it might be helpful to move the Excel window to a second screen.
Review the generic chart inserted on the Word page. The graph simply pulls data from the generic Excel spreadsheet, which awaits your changes.
Click into the cells on the Excel spreadsheet and type the correct data for the Word chart. If, for example, the generic Excel pop-up's title is “Sales,” click into the Sales cell and type the correct title for your Word chart. Click into the data boxes and type appropriate data to make the graph reflect your actual numbers. Note that as you type and change anything on the Excel spreadsheet, the Word graph updates automatically. You do not have to manually do anything on the graph.
Add additional data to the Excel spreadsheet as desired, change label and axis names, type over existing data and make any other edits to make the Word graph to your liking. Close the Excel window. To edit the graph’s data again, double-click the graph to re-open the Excel window, or click the “Edit Data” button on the Chart Tools tab’s ribbon.
Review the options on the Word Chart Tools tab. Note that to see this tab, you must have the chart clicked, or selected. Scroll through the Chart Styles section on the ribbon; here you can change the default colors of the graph.
Click the Chart Layouts options to add percentages and other number designations to the chart. The options here depend on both your data and the chart type selected. To change the chart, such as from a pie to a bar graph, click the “Change Chart Type” button on the ribbon.
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