Numbers: create diagram - how it works

Numbers - Apple's alternative to Microsoft Excel - lets you create great charts. We explain how to do it.

Create charts with Numbers

1. First of all, you need data that you want to display in your diagram. To do this, create a table.
2. Make sure that there are no header columns, as these cannot be processed by the diagram. Headers, on the other hand, are fine. You change this setting in the header / footer menu
3. For a simple diagram, you only need two columns, one for the independent variable and one for the data to be displayed depending on this variable. For example, 12 months as an independent variable and your mileage by car as dependent data. Later, however, you can also create more than one data column to graphically display this data side by side.
4. When you have created your data, use the diagram button to insert the diagram type of your choice.
5. Now link this diagram to the data you want to display. Click on the data button of the diagram and then on the data you want to display.
6. Make sure that you first select the independent variable. For the moment this is displayed as Y, but as soon as you select the dependent variables, the independent variable changes to X - i.e. the horizontal axis.
7. Basically, the diagram is already finished, but you should still use the diagram options to give viewers more information. For example, name the axes and specify units.
8. You can find all these options in the settings on the right-hand side or by clicking directly on the diagram - for example, to name the axes.

Numbers works especially easily with the right templates. We'll show you where to download Numbers templates.