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21_798452 ch15.qxp 3/13/06 7:41 PM Page 196
196 Part III: Working with Graphics

6. Select Callouts on the AutoShape pop-up menu and then click the thumbnail of
Line Callout 3 on the Callouts pop-up palette (the one third from the left in the
second row).
7. Click the thin black-cross mouse pointer on the top edge of the oval and then
drag upward diagonally to draw the callout box in the upper-right corner of the
Chart Area of the 3-D Column chart.
8. Type Summer Blow-out Sale in the callout text box and then adjust the size and
shape of the callout text box so that all the text is visible.
9. Click the outline of the callout text box, press Ctrl+1, and then make the follow-
ing formatting changes using options in the Format AutoShape dialog box:
• On the Colors and Lines tab, change the Color in the Fill section to light yellow
• Increase the weight in the Line section to 1.75 pt
• Select the first arrowhead shape on the second row of the End Style drop-
down list box in the Arrows section
• Select the last arrowhead size on the third row of the End Size drop-down
list box in the Arrows section
• On the Font tab, select Arial 10-point bold as the font

• On the Alignment tab, select Center as the setting for both the Vertical and
Horizontal Text Alignment
10. Adjust the size of the text box so that the formatted text all fits on a single line in
the text box and then click somewhere off the callout text box in the Chart Area
to deselect the callout.
11. Select Stars and Banners on the AutoShape pop-up menu and then click the
thumbnail of Horizontal Scroll on the Stars and Banners pop-up palette
(the second one from the left in the fourth row).
12. Draw a scroll to fill the blank area in the upper-left corner of the chart
(see Figure 15-6).
Check your chart against the one shown in Figure 15-6 before you proceed to
step 13.
13. Deselect the horizontal scroll AutoShape by clicking somewhere in the area
outside the 3-D Column chart and then save your work in a new workbook called
Solved15-4.xls in your Chapter 15 folder in the My Practice Spreadsheets folder.
Leave this workbook file open for Exercise 15-5.

Adding text boxes

Text boxes are a special type of graphic object that combines text with a rectangular
graphic object (the only other objects that do this are the callouts that you insert from
AutoShapes Callout pop-up menu). They’re great for calling attention to significant
trends or special features in the charts that you create. To create a text box, click the
Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar and then drag the mouse pointer to draw the
outline of the box. As soon as you release the mouse button, Excel places the insertion
point in the upper-left corner of the box.

You can then start typing the text you want displayed in the text box. When the text you
type reaches the right edge of the text box, Excel automatically starts a new line. If you
reach the end of the text box and keep typing, Excel then scrolls the text up and you then
have to resize the text box to display all the text you’ve entered. If you want to break the
line before it reaches the right edge of the text box, you press the Enter key. When you
finish entering the text, click anywhere on the screen outside of the text box to deselect.