Chart frames

A chart is a graphical representation of tabular data. Visualizing data through charts helps to uncover patterns, trends, relationships, and structure in data that may otherwise be difficult to see in a map or as raw numbers in a table. Use charts in conjunction with maps to explore your data or to help tell a story.

Charts are created and edited in the chart view. Once a chart has been created, a chart frame containing the chart can be added to your layout. Chart frame properties, such as the background, border, and shadow, can be modified on the Format tab. Use the Format Chart Frame pane to adjust the visibility, chart references, and placement.

Add a chart frame to a layout

To add a chart to a layout, ensure that the layout contains a map frame pointing to a map with charts. If a chart does not already exist, first create one.

1. With layout view selected, click the Insert tab.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Map Surrounds group, click the Chart drop-down menu and choose a chart in your project.
3. In layout view, click and drag to create the chart frame.
   The chart frame appears on the layout and is selected.

Format a chart

The way individual chart elements—such as the title, axis labels, and description text—appear on the layout is determined by how the chart was defined. To make changes to the chart on the layout, open the chart in a chart view.

1. With layout view selected, click the Contents pane, right-click a layer that contains a chart, and click Open .
2. With the chart view open, on the ribbon, under Chart, click the Format tab. In the Current Selection group, choose the chart element to format.
3. Depending on the selection, you will be able to modify the Symbol and Text Symbol settings. Changes to chart elements automatically update on the layout.
4. In the Chart Properties pane, on the Data tab, you can change the variables of the chart, such as Category, Date or Number, Aggregation, and Series.
5. On the General tab, you can change the Chart title, X and Y axis titles, and Description.

Format the chart frame

Chart frame refers to the container of the chart on the layout. The appearance of a chart frame's background, border, and shadow on the layout can be changed from the Format tab. For example, the following steps provide instructions to change the background color of the chart:

1. In layout view, select the chart on the layout. On the ribbon, under Chart Frame, click the Format tab.
2. In the Current Selection group, click the drop-down menu and choose Background.
3. In the Background group, use the gallery to change the fill color.

To change another element of the chart frame, choose it from the Current Selection group.

Modify chart frame properties

The Format Chart Frame pane allows you to change additional properties, such as the chart frame's visibility and locked status on the layout, as well as its placement. You can also change the map frame and chart the chart frame is referencing.

1. In layout view, right-click a chart and click Properties.

   The Format Chart Frame pane appears.

2. In the Format Chart Frame pane, on the Options tab, you can change the chart frame's Name and Visibility.
   • You can change the map frame referenced by the chart from the Map frame drop-down menu.
   • If there are multiple charts for a layer, you can change the chart the map frame is referencing from the Chart drop-down menu.
   • You can also choose Only show chart data that is visible in the map frame. With this option, only data that is visible on the map is included in the chart. This is particularly useful when you're using a map series. If a map series is defined, you can choose to chart data that is visible anywhere in the map frame or data that's in the current map series page shape.
3. To change the chart frame's size and position, click the Placement tab.