Let’s say you are keeping track of monthly sales figures for
the past six months (January through June), and you want to know what the overall sales will likely be for the second half of the year. You can use trendlines to have Excel predict the answers based on your
previous data. Follow these steps:

  1. Create
    a bar chart of the data you’ve tracked so far.
  2. Click
    on your chart, and then click on the data series.
  3. Go
    to Chart | Add Trendline.
  4. Click
    on the Options tab.
  5. In
    the Forecast section, click on the up arrow in the Forecast box until the
    entry in the box changes to 6.
  6. Click
    OK.

Excel will extend the trendline to
show estimated monthly sales figures for the rest of the year.

Miss a tip?

Check out the Microsoft Excel archive, and catch up on our most recent Excel tips.

Help users increase productivity by automatically signing up for TechRepublic’s free Microsoft Office Suite newsletter, featuring Word, Excel, and Access tips, delivered each Wednesday.

Subscribe to the Developer Insider Newsletter

From the hottest programming languages to commentary on the Linux OS, get the developer and open source news and tips you need to know. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays

Subscribe to the Developer Insider Newsletter

From the hottest programming languages to commentary on the Linux OS, get the developer and open source news and tips you need to know. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays