Instructions on using Excel's Chart Wizard to plot time series

These instructions are based on Microsoft Excel 97, which might have slight variations from earlier releases.

• Step 1: Open the data file in Excel. Highlight the column or columns that you want to plot.

• Step 2: Click 'Insert', and click 'Chart'. The 'Chart Wizard' window will appear.

• Step 3: Click on the two-dimension line type chart, click on the sub-type with no markers. This format displays trend over time or categories . Then click 'Next'.

• Step 4: If you wish to change the names of the series, click on 'Series'. Click on the name of the series you want to change. Click at the 'Name' area and enter the new name.
 
• Step 5: Click on 'Next'. Click on the 'Chart Title' area, and enter the chart title. Click on 'Category (X) Axis' area, and enter the name of the horizontal axis. Click on 'Value (Y) Axis' area, and enter the name of the vertical axis.
 
• Step 6: Click on 'Next'. Click on 'As new sheet'. Press the delete key on your keyboard. Enter the worksheet name of the chart. (If this option is not available in your Excel version, go to next step. To change the location of the chart, click at the chart, hold and drag to the desired location. To resize the chart, click on the chart, point the mouse at the middle of the sides or at the corner until a tiny double arrow appears. Click and hold the mouse, drag to the desired size.)
 
• Step 7: Click 'Finish'.

• Step 8: You are not finished yet! If the printer is black-and-white, the colors of lines have to be black in order to print. Double-click on the line until the 'Format Data Series' window appears. In the 'Line' section, click at the button at the right end of 'Color'. Click at the very first color square that is black. Click OK. If you are plotting two series you must choose dark grey (grey 80%) for the second series.

• Step 9: You are done. Ready to print! . To print the chart, click at the chart.  Click on 'File', click on 'Print', and click on 'OK'.