How to Create and Update a MS Word Chart

Here is a good way to create a MS Word chart that you may need to edit at some point in the future.

The KEY IDEA is this: create your chart in MS Excel and then copy-paste it into your Word document. That way, the chart will maintain a link to the Excel document. Anytime you update the Excel chart, your chart in Word will be updated as well.
(Click images to enlarge them)

(1) Launch both your MS Word and MS Excel.

(2) In Excel, create your data table.

(3) Select your data and then select INSERT tab from the ribbon and click on one of the many chart types available on the CHARTS pod. For this tutorial, I’ll just use the most simple 2-D LINE graphic style. Excel will automatically create your chart.

(4) At this point, make sure to SAVE your Excel document because Word needs to refer to this document for updates.

(5) Select your chart and from your HOME tab, COPY your chart to the Clipboard.

(6) Now switch to your Word document and PASTE the chart wherever you want.

In the LAYOUT tab, you can select Data Table > Show Data Table option to display your data right next to your chart as well. It’s up to you.

Here is the same chart also displaying its associated data table:

(7) Now whenever you update your data in the associated Excel sheet and save it, your Word chart will be updated automatically as well.

(8) To edit data and chart, right-click on your Word chart and select the Edit Data option to switch automatically to the Excel document. Save your edits to change your Word chart accordingly.

(9) Make sure to save both your Word and Excel files before closing them.