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 the 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 a layout. Chart frame properties, such as the background, border, and shadow, can be modified on the Chart Frame tab. Use the Element 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 the 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, click the Chart tab, and in the Current Selection group, choose the chart element to format.
3. Depending on the selection, optionally 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, optionally change the variables of the chart, such as Category, Date or Number, Aggregation, and Series.
5. On the General tab, optionally change the Chart title, X and Y axis titles, and Description values.

Format the chart frame

The chart frame contains the chart on the layout. The appearance of a chart frame's background, border, and shadow on the layout can be changed on the Chart Frame 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, and on the ribbon, click the Chart Frame 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 the chart frame properties

In the Element pane, you can 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 Element pane appears.

2. In the Element pane, on the Options tab, optionally change the chart frame's Name and Visibility properties.
   • Set the visibility scale threshold using the Maximum Scale and Minimum Scale drop-down lists. When values are set in one or both of these lists, the chart only appears if the source map frame is within the specified scale range.
   • Check Display only when populated to draw the chart frame only when there is data in the chart. When this is unchecked, the chart frame border, background, and shadow draw even if there is no data in the chart.
   • 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.
   • Choose Only show chart data that is visible in the map frame to include only data visible on the map in the chart. This is particularly useful when you're using a map series. If a map series is defined, you can chart data that is visible anywhere in the map frame or data that's in the current map series page shape.
3. Optionally, click the Placement tab to change the chart frame's size and position.