How to Create Interactive SharePoint Charts With Zero Coding

Using Microsoft SharePoint 2010 chart web part, you can quickly create charts with data from SharePoint Lists and other data sources. Here’s how.

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 comes with a built-in Chart Web Part, which lets you build interactive charts quickly, and without writing a single line of code, using data from various sources, such as SharePoint lists, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, SQL Server databases, and so on. This offers a major advantage, letting you add interactive charts to presentations in a jiffy. Here’s how you can go about creating a chart with this handy tool.

1. Create a Microsoft SharePoint custom list and give it a name. Include 3 custom columns, all of which should be of type – Single Line of Text.
2. Once the list is ready, add some data to it.
3. Create a new page in SharePoint by clicking on Site Actions, and then New Page. Give it a name.
4. Click on the blank area in the middle of the page and select the Group named Editing Tools. From the ribbon, select Web Part. On the categories pane, select List and Libraries. Now click on the name of the custom list you created in step 1, and click on the Add button.
5. Repeat step 4 and select Chart Web Part under the Business Data category.
6. Now click on Data and Appearance on the Chart Web Part. In the wizard that opens, click on Connect Chart to Data.
7. Select Connect to a List. Click on Next.
8. Select the list you created earlier. Click on Next.
9. Once again, click on Next.
10. From the drop-down for Y-field, select the appropriate name from your custom list.
11. Click on Finish to create your chart.
12. Now click on Data & Appearance.
13. Click on Customize Your Chart to add graphical enhancements to your new chart.
14. Tinker around with the options given in the section named Select Chart Type. Once you are satisfied, click on Finish and your chart will be ready.

Creating a chart with the Chart Web Part of Microsoft SharePoint 2010 can help you visualize data stored in SharePoint lists, external databases, or even Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, depending on the software being used to manage data in your organization. However, if you use third-party add-ons, you might be able to incorporate additional visual elements to your charts. That way, you will have access to additional chart types, color schemes, and even the option to export the visualizations in different formats, or print them directly through the add-ons themselves.

Source by Sayed Nasir Uddin