Label the Data Markers

Data labels are optional text or values, associated with data markers, that provide additional information. The information comes from the associated source data, for example, the value from the worksheet cell or the percentage of the whole that one marker represents.

Add data labels   To add labels to all markers in a chart, click Chart Options (Chart menu), and then select options on the Data Labels tab. To add labels to a particular data series, select it and then click Selected Data Series (Format menu). (In Microsoft Graph, the command name is Selected Object.) Select the type of label you want. To add labels to only one data point, select the individual marker for that data point.

Modify data labels   To change the font, number format, or other characteristics, double-click a label for a data series. The selections you make in the Format Data Labels dialog box apply to all labels for the series. To modify only one label, after selecting the labels for the series, click the individual label and then double-click it.

Edit data label text   You can edit a data label by clicking it and then typing. However, this breaks the link between the label and the source data. If you want to restore the link, double-click the data marker (not the label itself) and then select the Automatic Text check box on the Data Labels tab. Are data labels too long or awkwardly placed?   You can move or rotate labels, or change the font. To move labels, select and drag them. Make other changes by double-clicking a label: Rotate labels by changing the alignment on the Alignment tab, and change the font on the Font tab.

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Want to know more?   Look up Getting Results - Customize a Chart in Help.