Every Picture Tells a Story

Charts are the quintessential graphical way to display your Excel data and information. There is no doubt about that. The fact is, however, that there are times when you want the fine print details as well. Happily, there is a truly excellent tool in Excel that enables you have both!

The Camera Tool 

Though not shown by default on the Excel ribbon, the Camera Tool can be enormously useful when you are presenting a chart, and would like to include a Resizable Image of the source data included within your graphical exhibit.  To gain ready access to this handy gizmo, simply go to the Quick Access Toolbar in the upper-left of your worksheet, and from the small drop down button, click More Commands.  Scroll down to Camera and click Add. 

Bamm! You now have the Camera Tool at your fingertips whenever you need it.

So how do you use this little piece of magic? Glad you asked!

1)  Select the data table of which you wish to use with your chart,  and Click the Camera Icon on your toolbar (just like taking a photo with a camera)

2)  Then, go to the area on the sheet on which you want the data to appear (probably a blank area on the chart), and Left-Click 

3)  Resize and Reposition until it makes you happy 

Why not just copy and paste, you ask? Because the image you captured with the Camera Tool is dynamically linked to the original! This is not just a static image, folks; Every time you update your data table, (and consequently your chart), your data image updates as well!

I guess the lines from the old Rod Stewart song were right, “Every picture tells a story, don't it…”