Introduction
PLAIO includes built-in charting tools that allow you to visualize your data directly within any worksheet. This functionality helps you quickly identify trends, compare values, and gain insights without needing to export your data elsewhere. This article walks through how to create, edit, and manage charts using the Chart Range feature.
Creating a Chart
To generate a chart:
Highlight data -- select any range of cells in the data grid
Open chart menu -- right-click the selection and choose "Chart Range"
Choose chart type -- select a chart type (e.g., bar, line, area) and style
View chart -- the chart is generated immediately based on your selection
Editing and Customizing the Chart
Once the chart is created, click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner to edit its layout and appearance. Options include:
Chart Option | Description |
Edit Chart/Advanced Settings | Change the chart type, layout, or color scheme |
Unlink from Grid | Convert the chart into a static view (no longer updates with data changes) |
Download Chart | Export the chart as a |
Switch Category/Series
The "Switch Category/Series" toggle lets you reverse the grouping between axes. This can help reveal alternative perspectives, for example, switching from "product over time" to "time per product."
Chart Setup Tab
The "Set Up" tab lets you define what data appears and how it's structured:
Chart Setting | Description |
Category (X-axis) | Select the field to use as your horizontal axis (e.g., date, product, region) |
Series (Y-axis) | Choose one or more columns to visualize as series values (e.g., quantity, forecast, revenue) |
If no category is selected (i.e., Category = None), the chart will not group or label the data by a field such as product or customer.
Choose which columns to include as data series:
Series Action | Description |
Add Series | Click “Add a series” to include additional columns in the chart |
Remove Series | Click the “X” icon to remove a series you no longer need |
Rearrange Series | Click and drag series items to change the display order |
You can add multiple series, remove them, and drag to reorder their display. If you leave Category blank, PLAIO will not group the data.
Customizing the Appearance
In the customization panel, you can:
Customization Option | Description |
Color Palettes | Apply different color schemes to better match your data or branding |
Gridlines & Axis Formatting | Show/hide gridlines and adjust axis formatting for clarity |
Axis Labels & Spacing | Add labels to axes and adjust spacing for better readability |
These options help make your charts presentation, ready or easier to read depending on your goals.
Downloading the Chart
When you're happy with your visualization, click the chart’s three-dot menu and choose "Download Chart" to save it as a PNG image. This is useful for sharing charts in reports or presentations.