Making graphs and charts is Excel's specialty, but you don't need to switch between programs to insert a line graph into a Word 2013 document. Make the graph right from Word using the Insert Chart feature, which provides the same graphing tools as Excel itself.
Tip
No need to rebuild a graph you've already designed in Excel: Just copy and paste a finished line chart from Excel to Word.
Step 1: Insert a Chart
Open the Insert tab in Word and click Chart.
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Step 2: Pick a Style
Select Line and pick one of the styles to set the chart's appearance. Click OK to create a line graph.
Warning
If you want to graph pairs of X and Y values, you need a scatter chart instead. Each line in a line chart graphs a single set of data.
Tip
Click Change Chart Type on the Design tab to change styles later.
Step 3: Build the Chart
Edit the data in the Chart in Microsoft Word window to build the graph. Unlike creating a chart in Excel, Word starts out with a ready-made sample chart, so edit the existing series labels, categories and values in the spreadsheet to turn the sample chart into your own.
Tip
- You aren't limited to the number of categories and series in the sample chart. Delete rows or columns to remove them from the graph, or add more as needed.
- Click the Excel icon on the window's title bar if you'd rather edit the data in Excel itself.
Step 4: Add Chart Elements
Close the spreadsheet when you're finished editing the data, and then click the + icon to add or remove other chart elements, such as labels, legends, titles or gridlines.
Step 5: Edit an Existing Chart
Right-click your chart and choose Edit Data to reopen the data spreadsheet for editing later. Changes you make to the spreadsheet take effect on the graph immediately.