Can I add a picture as a background inside the chart's data area itself?
A1:
You can easily add a background to your chart. Whereas Figure 10.9 shows a picture that appears behind the chart's normal gray charting area (called the fill area ), you can override this background and place a picture behind the actual data lines, bars, and points themselves . To do so, right-click over the fill area's background and select Format Plot Area. Next, select Fill Effects and place the picture just as you did in the final section of this hour .
Q2:
Why would I want an instant graph from the F11 keypress if none of the labels are accurate and if I cannot determine the graph type ahead of time?
A2:
Excel's instant charting feature certainly does not produce final, presentation-ready charts , but that's not the point. When you have data to analyze and you need a quick look at the data, select the data in a range and press F11 (or Alt+F1) to see whether Excel's default Column chart fits the nature of the data. If you want a fancier graph, use the Chart Wizard and specify all the details of the chart. The instant charting feature is available, however, for an initial look at a picture of your data.
