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This article was originally published on my ExcelCharts.com blog in 2007 and migrated to this site in 2026. The text preserves the context of the original publication.
You can't write a novel just because you can type. You can't create a chart just because you know how to do it in Excel. First, you have to know the job, then the tool. Research for best practices in your field. Read what some authors have to say about specific formats and options. Then, build a framework and let it guide your information display needs.
(And, of course, never use Excel default options...)
