Change your Excel chart’s number formats

A number format may look fine
on a worksheet, but the same values may look awkward in an Excel chart. By
default, charts use the same number format as the worksheet’s original data
series. The good news is you do not have to change the worksheet’s formats in
order to change the number formats on the chart sheet.

For example, your sales
figures are in general format, but you want them to be in currency format on
the chart’s value axis. To change the format, follow these steps:

1. Double-click any number in the axis.
2. Click the Number tab of the Format Axis dialog
   box.
3. Choose Currency in the Category list.
4. Click OK.

If, however, you want your
chart’s number formats to correspond to the worksheet format, follow these
steps:

1. Double-click any part of the chart that contains
   a number.
2. Select the Linked To
   Source check box on the Number tab of the Format dialog box.
3. Click OK.

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