A radar chart, also known as a spider chart or a star chart because of its appearance, plots the values of each category along a separate axis that starts in the center of the chart and ends on the outer ring.

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• Learn more about plotting data in a radar chart

• Create a radar chart

• Save a chart as a template

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Learn more about plotting data in a radar chart

Data that is arranged in columns or rows on a worksheet can be plotted in a radar chart. Radar charts compare the aggregate values of multiple data series (data series: Related data points that are plotted in a chart. Each data series in a chart has a unique color or pattern and is represented in the chart legend. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. Pie charts have only one data series.).

Radar charts include the following chart subtypes:

• Radar and radar with markers  With or without markers for individual data points, radar charts display changes in values relative to a center point.

  

• Filled radar  In a filled radar chart, the area covered by a data series is filled with a color.

  

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Create a radar chart

So, how did we create this radar chart? The following procedure will help you create a radar chart with similar results. For this chart, we used the example worksheet data. You can copy this data to your worksheet, or you can use your own data.

1. Copy the example worksheet data into a blank worksheet, or open the worksheet that contains the data that you want to plot in a radar chart.

   How to copy the example worksheet data

   1. Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
   2. Select the example in the Help topic.

       Note   Do not select the row or column headers.

      

      Selecting an example from Help
   3. Press CTRL+C.
   4. In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.

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   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

   A B C D E Bulbs Seeds Flowers Trees & shrubs Jan 0 2500 500 0 Feb 0 5500 750 1500 Mar 0 9000 1500 2500 Apr 0 6500 2000 4000 May 0 3500 5500 3500 Jun 0 0 7500 1500 Jul 0 0 8500 800 Aug 1500 0 7000 550 Sep 5000 0 3500 2500 Oct 8500 0 2500 6000 Nov 3500 0 500 5500 Dec 500 0 100 3000

2. Select the data that you want to plot in the radar chart.
3. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, click Other Charts.

   

4. Under Radar, click Filled Radar.
5. Click the chart area (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.) of the chart.

   This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

6. On the Design tab, in the Chart Styles group, click the chart style that you want to use.

   

    Tip   For our radar chart, we used Style 26.

7. To change the size of the chart, on the Format tab, in the Size group, select the shape size that you want in the Shape Height and Shape Width boxes, and then press ENTER.

    Tip   For our radar chart, we used 3 for the shape height and 4 for the shape width.

   
8. To add, format, and position a chart title in the chart, click the chart area (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.), and then do the following:
   1. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Chart Title, and then click Above Chart.

      

   2. In the chart, click the chart title, and then type the text that you want.

       Tip   For our radar chart, we typed Garden Center Sales.

   3. To reduce the size of the chart title, right-click the title, and then enter the size that you want in the Size box on the shortcut menu.

       Tip   For our radar chart, we used 12.

9. To remove the axis labels, click the vertical axis, or select it from a list of chart elements (Layout tab, Current Selection group, Chart Elements box).
10. On the Format tab, in the Current Selection group, click Format Selection.
11. Under Axis Options, in the Axis labels box, click None.
12. If you want to use theme colors that are different from the default theme that is applied to your workbook, do the following:
    1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Themes group, click Themes.

       

    2. Under Built-in, click the theme that you want to use.

        Tip   For our radar chart, we used the Office theme.

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Save a chart as a template

If you want to create another chart like the one that you just created, you can save the chart as a template that you can use as the basis for other similar charts.

1. Click the chart that you want to save as a template.
2. On the Design tab, in the Type group, click Save as Template.

   

3. In the File name box, type a name for the template.

    Tip   Unless you specify a different folder, the template file (.crtx) will be saved in the Charts folder, and the template becomes available under Templates in both the Insert Chart dialog box (Insert tab, Charts group, Dialog Box Launcher ) and the Change Chart Type dialog box (Design tab, Type group, Change Chart Type).

   For more information about how to apply a chart template, see Create, apply, or remove a chart template.

 Note   A chart template contains chart formatting and stores the colors that are in use when you save the chart as a template. When you use a chart template to create a chart in another workbook, the new chart uses the colors of the chart template — not the colors of the document theme that is currently applied to the workbook. To use the document theme colors instead of the chart template colors, right-click the chart area (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.), and then click Reset to Match Style on the shortcut menu.

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