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Woo-Hoo! Look What I Just Did With Charts By Using The AR Search Feature!

OK, I admit I am not the most adept when it comes to software like Excel, but one of my sister's (Karen - for those of you who've met her) is awesome at teaching herself all kinds of stuff when it comes to technology, and I knew she knew how to do charts and graphs. And I wanted some of my own!

Karen and I spent a couple of hours on the phone, actually on Skype (it's FREE!), trying to get me up to speed, (okay kindergarten speed) on Excel so I could at least do the very basics for the types of charts or graphs that I'd like for some of my market reports. She's so patient, and sometimes I am and sometimes I'm not, but we finally got to where I could do and create the basics for what I want. And then I tinkered around and added color, changed some stuff up, etc. Now, how to get them into my posts - we just could not figure that part out, no matter what we did! U-G-H.........

Gena Riede - Sacramento Real Estate Sales

I had read Gena Riede's post on the latest market information on Sacramento real estate, and loved how her graphs looked. I asked her how she made hers, and how she got them into her posts. I didn't know how to do what she emailed me as her steps to getting those beautiful charts into her post, so I kept thinking.

And my thinking led me to remember to use the "Search" feature here on AR.

A little while back, I had read a post that Elizabeth Nieves had written and I thought she mentioned ScreenHunter, and downloaded that program right after reading her post. But I couldn't figure out how to make it work like she had done. And out of frustration, I was going to just delete it off my computer, but hadn't gotten around to it just yet. If it wasn't something I picked up from Elizabeth, my apologies to whoever it was - I just tried to find the post or comment in a post where I learned about this, and I can't find it to link to.

Richard Dolbeare - Kauai Real Estate

So, back to the AR "Search" feature - I typed in 'excel charts in posts', and got a slew of links that came up. Most of them weren't about what I wanted, but there were a few in there. I did read and watch Jeff Turner's tutorial post on charts, using google charts, but I wanted to use the charts I'd already created with my sister in Excel.

I kept reading, and found posts by Richard Dolbeare on Excel charts and some really cool things you can do with them, but I still wasn't seeing HOW to get them into a format that I could insert into my posts. His posts on advanced excel charts are great reading for really making your charts and graphs look really cool, so check them out.

More reading....and then I found Joe Manausa's post, "How to Make Market Graphs for Your Blog". Joe's got detailed steps in a video he put together on this post. Most of that info included the steps I'd already done, and then towards the end he told how to get them into .jpg format. And guess what?? He uses the program above that I was just about to delete - ScreenHunter! I watched that part in detail, and then went to my desktop, and opened ScreenHunter up, and just stared at it again, still clueless. But I was a little more determined this time around, and through their 'help' section, I finally GOT IT!!

Rye NH Homes - Activity for 2008 - Copyright Ann Cummings NH REALTOR

I can see I still need to tinker with ScreenHunter to get better with it, but I am psyched to know I can now get charts and graphs into my posts - FINALLY!!

So, thanks for all the sharing that goes on in so many posts and comments. If you're looking for some information, make sure to use the "Search" feature here on AR - you're sure to find exactly what you're looking for. I certainly did!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
ann@anncummings.com
888-349-5678x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine
New Hampshire and Maine Real Estate

Posted by Portsmouth NH Homes Condos - Ann Cummings New Hampshire REALTOR® on 01/11/2009 02:19 PM

Comments (108)

Technology and Tools in the ActiveRain Channel

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108 Comments on Woo-Hoo! Look What I Just Did With Charts By Using The AR Search Feature!

JAN

Hi Ann! GREAT post as these charts seem to be what everyone is trying to figure out! You know Renee Burrows in Las Vegas does some awesome posts in Excel too!

One secret that I learned was to design your chart, then SnagIt and save it as a .png (or whatever you want to save it as), then post it as a picture! For me, it was simpler than trying to figure out how to get the code to do it the other way!

Debe in Charlotte

I am glad you figured it out - I just highlight my chart in Excel and then copy it and then past it in ms paint then save it as a jpg so I can insert it as a photo - but sometime is is not as crisp as I would like. I am going to look at what you have done here.

it makes the post so much better - thanks for the reminder!

Happy 2009

Ann~

FANtabulous! I am going to reBLOG this and tell the guys to FEATURE IT!! and now I have another new thing to learn....

Very nice Ann, you've given me some great ideas. I hope you don't mind if I use some of these, thanks.

Ann, I have always loved how charts show the information you're referring to in an easy to read format. And they look great! I really appreciate you mentioning Joe's post and ScreenHunter!

Hi Debe - I've admired Renee's charts for a long time now, and have wanted to know how to do these for about that same amount of time. The next thing I'm going to tinker with is putting watermarks on them as Renee does. I feel like I can conquer the world now, at least today, since I put all this together and made it work!

I don't have Snag-It but have read about it here a number of times. ScreenHunter does the same thing, at least I think it does, and it's free. Once I read their help section on getting started, it was very easy to use. But, who reads directions anyway?? ;-)

ScreenHunter saves whatever the image is you're capturing as a .jpg, and then the rest is a piece of cake!

Thanks for your comment!
Ann

Hi Jo - one of the tweets I got on Twitter suggested using MS Paint, but I don't have that. And like you, I like the crisper look that I'd been seeing on some of the charts on other's posts, and wanted mine to look like that, too.

Hi Richard - I'm really glad, too, especially after all the hours yesterday and this morning! At least it paid off and I can now do what I set out to learn!

Hey janeAnne - thanks for reblogging this! And hopefully with the links I put in this post, it will be quicker and easier for you than it took me. But I did it!! ;-)

Hi Gabe - I'm glad this helped you as well, and please use whatever helps you out!

Hi Jim and Maria - I agree with you about how charts can convey information better than just words and numbers. I know for me, charts and graphs make that type of information more visually appealing and I'm more apt to read it than without some type of graphic.

Many thanks for reading and for your comments - much appreciated!
Ann

Hey Ann, thanks for the link! By the way, if you use Windows Vista, it ships with a tool called "Snipping Tool" that will allow you to make .jpg as well. Nice post.

Hi Joe - I don't use Vista, but for others reading this that might, your tip should help them. I'm thankful to you for mentioning ScreenHunter in your video, otherwise I'd likely still be struggling at this point. Thanks for the help you provided in your post!

Ann

Ann, God I love Active Rain :) Just read your "twitter" post and headed on over. I too use Excel, and struggle trying to get it loaded on my post. Now, reading Debe's Snagit tip, it will be simple! I love Snag it! (found that on AR also). Your first chart looks GREAT!

Thanks for turning me on to the search button and graphics, I will check it out

Hi Ann,

Great post, I'm off to see what I can do.

Hi Elizabeth - ah the power of Twitter and other online networks, huh? I had asked about putting charts up on twitter this morning, and Lisa Heindel told me about MS Paint, but I don't have that program. Jay and Monika McGillicuddy use SnagIt and they love it. I just had never bothered to buy it, and then read about ScreenHunter a little while back and downloaded that because it was free and it looked great, wherever it was that I saw someone write about it a couple of weeks ago. And now I actually know how to use it a little bit and I can get my charts on my posts!! Yee-haa!

I hope this post helps others who've been wanting to know how to do the same thing. I've seen plenty of questions in the comments on different posts where charts and graphs have been used, and I've wanted to know how to just this for awhile now.

Ann

Another tip is to copy the Excel chart into Publisher. Then right click on the pic in Publisher which lets you save it as a jpg. or tif. file. EZ even a 3rd grader can do it! I just had my husband teach me the graphs this weekend too because I couldn't figure out what Joe Manausa was talking about! I couldn't get it to work with the MLS info.

Congrats! It feels great doesn't it! You go girl!

Ann, I like your chart AND I like your little navigation buttons at the bottom of your post. Super work!

Screen hunter is great. Glad to hear you figured it all out Ann.

Hi Ann~ I use the search feature on AR all the time, I love it. I even use to make sure a blog topic I want to write about hasn't been overdone, so I don't become a redundant poster:) Its no nice to get stuff figured out like that!

Portsmouth NH Homes Condos - Ann Cummings New Hampshire REALTOR® (RE/MAX Coast to Coast - Portsmouth New Hampshire) -One thing that I need to learn here is make graphs and charts for my Real Estate Market Reports. I am definitely going to check out the links in your post and use them as my guides. I am now following you on Twitter as well. Enjoy the rest of your weekend Ann. Great post.

I need to learn charts and graphs- one of my 2009 goals

Ann, I went and downloaded the new tool that Joe shared and I really like that a lot better than using paint! I need to finish some market reports so will test it out!

It really is amazing all the info that can be found right here in the Rain !

You are one determined lady! Now I am inspired to learn more about adding charts as well. I booked marked your post so I don't have to do as many searches. (lol)! I love to search for things on the the Internet and AR -- there is a answer to just about everything. Thanks for sharing your experience.

thank you..you sound like me when I encounter some of this stuff..it's so hard to figure it out, but when you do...you want to share it with others who have been struggling.

Way to stay patient and figure it out. I usually get frustrated and go on to something else. I am going to have to bookmark this so I can figure it out, too!

I use the search feature at ActiveRain a lot. By now, just about anything that you want to do has been written about by someone here.

there Ann

What another fine post you have written. I'll have to take a look at that there Screen Hunter program. It sure sounds real handy. Thank you kindly, for the tip about it, and the link.

Baker Home Inspection and Consulting

I like the results. Good job and I admire your determination.

Oh my, wow - a lot of comments came on quickly, and now I see why!
Thanks for my gold star!!

Hi Sonny - you're very welcome, and I hope all this info will be helpful to you as well!

Hi Alan - I bet you can do even better than I did! ;-)

Hi Lyn - I used to have Publisher until I switched computers, and then I just never bothered to load it onto this one. So, if I had Publisher, I bet it would be really easy. Fortunately, with ScreenHunter, it's also very easy, so easy that if I could do what I did, everyone else ought to be able to as well! And, yep, it does feel good to conquer something these days, even something like this! ;-)

Hi Margaret - thanks for the comments. Those buttons were made for me by a special friend of mine and I love them, too! Thanks for noticing them.

Hey Bill - ah, so you use ScreenHunter, too!?! Any tips or suggestions for me, now that I'm getting with the program a tiny bit?

Hi Laura - oh I felt so good when this all clicked for me earlier today! Almost good enough to bring tears to my eyes, I'd been struggling with it for such a time there. And I will be giving you a call this week - I saw your reply and I thank you for that.

Thank you all so much for your comments - I hope this post is helpful for those who've been looking to do the same thing I'd been looking for with charts!
Ann

Hi Lanre - thanks so much for the follow, and I did the same for you! I do hope you find this post and the links in it to be of help to you. Having charts and graphs just make things more visually appealing!

Hi Cindy - well then I hope this post helps you get one of your goals under way!

Hi Jo - good for you, and I hope you like it. I found it to be very easy to use, and will be using charts in my market reports from now on. Glad this helped!

Hi Christopher and Stephanie - there is so much information here in the rain that we could really almost never go anywhere else for help! I went elsewhere first, and then found all this right here, if only I'd looked here sooner!

Hi Joan - I'd spent so much time working with my sister yesterday, getting my spreadsets set up and then creating the charts, that I just had to find a way to be able to use them like I'd seen others do. And I did just that! Now, if only I could take that determination and get some other stuff done, too, that I'd wanted to get done this weekend... ;-)

Hi Konnie - I knew others had been wanting to learn the same thing because I kept seeing it in comments on various posts I'd read. And when I figured it out, I just had to let others know, too. I've gotten so much from others here, that I just have to pay it forward when I can.

I really appreciate all the great comments!
Ann

Thanks Ann, I need to put more graphs in my posts. I have doneit, but so infrequently that I forget how I did it before I do the next one. Thanks for the little push to get back to doing them - and regularly.

I use create-a-graph for my charts. They have many options. But I don't think I can put a picture behind it.

Hi Kristie - I usually do just as you said you do, but I was determined to find a way to do this. Normally I would have just moved on and given up. Not today, for some reason, and I'm glad I didn't!

Hi Tim - I don't often use the search feature, although I have used it on ocassion. If I'd only thought to use it this time sooner, I might have saved myself some extended aggravation and some time, too. Next time, I'll start here when I need something!

Hi Dale - thanks and I hope it's helpful to you.

Hi George - my determination doesn't usually last this long, but I'm glad it did this time around. It certainly paid off for what I wanted to do, and hopefully it will be helpful to others as well.

Many thanks for reading and for commenting - much appreciated!
Ann

I think it is super there is so much help available, I would LOVE to learn to do this, but I got to tell ya - this is going to be bookmarked because I am still in the novice arena and already way confused!!! Thanks for the links - I have you bookmarked now and will get back here soon! I am envious of you all!

Hi Susan - I know exactly what you mean when you don't do something often enough to remember how the next time. I've done that numerous times on all kinds of things. And you're welcome for the 'push'!

Hi Ellie - I've used that program in the past, too, and almost gave up to go looking for that to use again. I really like the crispness of the charts and graphs in Excel, and had really decided that what's I wanted for my market reports. Create-a-graph is fun and easy to use for sure! I don't think you can put a picture behind it either, or at least I don't ever remember seeing that option. One of things I want to learn now is how to put a picture behind a graph like Richard does - I think that just looks so great. I have to savor this 'victory' a little first before I tackle that one! ;-)

Hi Valerie - it turns out to be a little easier than it appears, so if you need help, let us know.

Thanks for commenting!
Ann

ahhh, mission accomplished, now if I could just learn excel. Good for you it always feels great to accomplish something you have been wanting to do and have on the back shelf.

More great info. I really liked your post and your newsletter. It looks so nice. I am a rookie realtor a so I still need to do everything and am in awe of all of you!

Thanks, ILU Logo

Cindy

I have been going back and forth for doing a market report for certain areas and whats been stopping me is making it visually appealing with graphs and charts. I am going to go through all the links you mentioned and hopefully this will push me over the top to getting this done.

This is what I've been wanting to do and, now, thanks to you, I'll be able to make my charts.

Hi Ann, we've been wondering how to put charts in our posts as well and never got around yet to doing the research. Your post was not only timely, but unbelievably helpful. Thank you so much for the great information.

Looks great Ann! I plan to become proficient in doing these sorts of of charts & graphs myself. congrats to you.

You can learn so much here on active rain. So many helpful people

I love that you were determined to figure out how to do something and you found the resources to help you do it. It sounds like you invested some time on this and the results were rewarding. Good for you, not everyone would have completed the task!

Good job sometimes the technology can be a little overwhelming.

Very cool Ann. You'll have to teach me :) You'll be putting all sorts of charts in your blog now.

Hey Missy - I just had my sister show me just what I needed to do some quick and easy graphs, so I still have to learn it, too. But you're right, 'mission accomplshed', and it does feel good!!

Hi Cindy - well you've come to the right place to learn from a lot of people here who share all kinds of great tips and suggesions. Take advantage of all that!

Hi Morgan - I hope the links help you as much as they helped me. You can also use pictures to make your posts look good, too.

Hi Rebecca - have fun making all those charts and graphs!

Hi Dan and Amy - you're very welcome, and I'm glad this post is helpful to so many.

Hi Amber - thank you and I hope you make yourself some great looking charts!

Hi Russ - you're right about that - AR is one great big learning lab for sure!

Hi Sharon - I almost gave up a few times, but then I just kept at it, and it paid off fortunately!

Hi Mike - some of it can be very overwhelming, and this had been for me for some time now, but I just made up my mind that I was going to find a way to get those charts into my posts. And I did just that, and it feels great to have done that!

Thanks to you all for your great comments - thank you!
Ann

Ann,

We have a similar program in my MLS where I can just graph all the numbers but it isn't always clear so I have just been using create a graph which is really easy to use as well. I'll have to try this one out.

Hey Monika - you slipped in while I was trying to get caught up! Yep, I plan to use charts in my market reports from now on! I actually have several of them already done, I just need to write the reports to sgo with them. I never thought that would be the way things would go - charts made just waiting for posts! That's pretty funny to me, now that I think about it. I actually had fun making some charts after Karen taught me how yesterday.

Watch and see! ;-)
Ann

Ann very well done, but you better watch it or we are going to start to think that you are a techie .......... LOL

WOW, that is fantastic! I know how to use excel, just don't know how to integrate it with AR.

It is amazing what one can learn by simply searching and having a bit of tenacity. We just created our first Postlets after seeing another agent have one on their blog! I highly recommend checking out Postlets to create HTML versions of your flyers, and by putting the address in the title, you will be on the first page of google when you type the address into Google!

Hey George - now THAT's funny!! Me a techie?? Although I will say most in my office think of me as just that - I just happen to know more than they do, but far from being a techie!! Too funny! That';s our buddy Jay!

Hi Karen - now you know how to do just that!! Cool!

When I wrote this post, I knew it would be helpful to some because I'd read comments around the rain from others wanting to know how to do charts, but I had no idea just how many this would be helpful to. I'm glad to share what I learned, and I hope everyone is able to make some great charts. The next thing I'd like to learn is how to put a picture behind a chart, like Richard does on his charts. If anyone comes up with an easy way to do that, I hope you'll share!

Thanks for the comments!
Ann

Hi Chris - thanks for that tip on Postlets. I'll make sure to check it out. Who doesn't love to be on page 1 of google, huh?!?!

Thanks,
Ann

Hi Ann~ I think that ScreenHunter is something like SnagIt, except ScreenHunter is Free. I have been wanting to try and I like free! Thanks for the great information.

Hi Neal - sorry I missed you up there. I learned about Create-A-Graph from you back some time ago. It is easy to use. I really ilke the crispness of the Excel charts I've seen on some other posts so I really wanted to try to do that. And now I can. Now that I know how, it's just about as easy as Create-A-Graph. Give it a whirl and see what you think.

Hi Vickie - ScreenHunter is like SnagIt, and it's free, which is even better. I don't know if SnagIt has more capibility than ScreenHunter, but for now, I'm quite happy with what ScreenHunter can do to help me with charts.

Ann

I so love it when someone figures out how to do something... and shares it, most especially when I have already been frustrated trying to do something similar myself!. What a great new year gift to us all! I look forward to trying again real soon. Thanks so much , Ann

Woo Hoo! Yea You!! Thank you for sharing this insight!!! I am also wondering how to get my Mii on the AR blog. I will have to do a search on that later. Tonight, you have inspired me to work on some graphs for the neighborhoods nearest and dearest to me. Thanks again for sharing, Ann!!

Ann: I am impressed. I have to take all this techno stuff slow or my head might explode. One day I'll tackle the charts....Kelly

I have started using GoogleDocs for some spreadsheets, you might be able to use that as well.

Ann, Wow am I impressed with your charts. I can teach myself stuff too maybe I can learn this. How are you doing up there since the latest storm?

Ann - thanks for sharing your journey to chart creation. I don't do much in the way of complex charts, more out of laziness than anything. Some folks on AR really have top-notch looking charts. Thanks for sharing all the links, etc. so I can work on improving those that I use.

Jeff

YOU ARE AWESOME. THANKS FOR SHARING THESE GREAT IDEAS. WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE POST. THANKS AGAIN. ROBIN

Ann: This is awesome! I wanna do this... I'm bookmarking this and will return! THANKS for sharing.

Interesting info- thanks for sharing with us all --- graphs are helpful tools.

Thanks for pointing this out! I love how the above chart is branded and MUST figure out how to do that!

Ann, you can add pics to your charts right in Excel! No new programs to worry about learning, just another step when creating them.

I have Vista, so these directions may not be exact for all users: Just right click on the chart, choose "Format chart area". In the FILL option, choose "Picture or texture fill", then "Insert from file". Choose the photo you want to use as a background and voila! Your pic has become the background for your chart.

I learned how to do charts from Renee. I love statistical data, it doesn't lie to ya.

I am on my way now to check out Screenhunter!~

I might have to give a screenhunter a try. I have alwayse used excel and it has worked ok. I have a program that converts the chart to any format pdf, png, jpg, etc. then I usually go use a photoeditor to add frames, our website or copyright etc. + like was mentioned above, sometimes they do not turn out very crisp. Thanks again. ~Rita

JAN

Ann, I haven't tried Screenhunter but Infranview is a free program that you could very easily make a photo into a jpg just by doing a screen shot. It really is very simple and wish you had called if my email was not easy to understand. Sorry you had to go through all that.

Ann, I am so impressed - charts just are a mystery to me. I have used the Search feature on AR and learned so much. AR Rocks!

Wow! I did not have a clue so this was a great post for me. Thank you so much Ann. Keep posting stories about how these charts convert to business.

Thank you! I have Vista and have been making charts for awhile, but - being technically challenged - never figured out how to make them visible in a blog. I'm going to do it this week. Thanks again!!

Great research and thanks for sharing. I just use excel but I like the one with the background picture.

Morning Ann, Reading your posts so reminds me of my own frustrations with all this tech stuff. Thanks for the download !

Great job Ann- I am going to check this out myself. It is a great addition for the posts. Very informative. Good luck in 2009!

Very cool Ann and proof positive you can teach an old dog new tricks. ;-)

From the Kid's Zone here's a graph tool anyone can use even 3rd graders and old Realtors.

http://tinyurl.com/5axoog

Ann - Great Illustration of AR's search abilities to find blogs to do anything you want to do. I've been using screen hunt and excel with pivot tables for some time now, thanks to Joe's great video explaination.

Oh Ann- this was just the type of Inspiration I needed this morning.....oh I probably won't use the Program cuz I haven't made any Graphs, but you're "I can do it" attitude was great :) I am so proud of you,.....and your accomplishment. I think that Search Function is underused for sure.

Thank you so much for the information. I am going to save it for future reference. I have gone over my alloted time for blogging so I can't play with it now. Have a great day. It's going to be 80 today here in San Diego...the most wonderful place to live.

Ann, love your perserverance. The charts look great. I didn't read the comments above, but did you finally tell us how you actually did the last part?

I would probably just have used screenprint and then cropped it in paint. The problem with that is that if the chart is too tall and needs scrolling, my method won't work.

I look forward to checking out ScreenHunter. Thanks for the post!

Hi Pat - oh I was getting mighty frustrated and wanted to give up a few times, but the time I'd put i the day before getting a spreadsheet and the charts done caused me to keep going. And I'm very glad I did, too, for me and all the others who've read this and found it to help them as well.

Hi Sonia - you're very welcome! I don't know what a "Mii" is, so I'm a bit on the helpless side on that one. Try using the search feature for that - you might just find some help on that. Have fun creating your graphs!

Hi Kelly - I feel like my head will explode at times, too! ;-)

Hi Lane - I've read a little about Googledocs, but was already well into having some stuff set up in Excel, and the posts I'd read were all using Excel, so that's the direction I headed in. I will check it out though and see how I can use that, too.

Hi Pat B. - we just keep plugging along, no matter how much snow. We got about 7-8 inches in this last one, and another 1 or 2 this morning. It's pretty to look at but it's past the point of being an annoyance at this point... enough!

Hi Jeff - I saw that you had asked Gena tha same question on her post that I had, so I determined then that I was going to learn to do this, somehow someway, and with my sister's help, I did just that! I had to call her again tonight to ask her to remind me how I did something that I'd forgotten how to do even though I had just done it a few times yesterday. ;-)

Gold Star Realty - thank you, and you're very welcome!

Hi Kat - just do it! Once I did a couple of them, I was so excited that I did a few more, just because I could!

Hi Bob and Carolin - graphs and charts can add so much to a post, and they help explain some very dry numbers at times, too.

Hey Renee - Yep, I want to do that, too, and I love how you brand yours, too. I've wanted to know how to do what you do for so long....

Hey Lisa - ooh ooh, thanks for that tip!! I'm going to give that a whirl, and I appreciate you taking the time to write out those steps. I don't use Vista, but I must be able to do something very similar in the version I'm using. Thanks!!

Hi Craig - Renee does do some great charts!

Thanks SO much for all these comments!
Ann

Very cool! Congrats!

Hi Suzanne - it turns out to be a pretty easy program to use. I had to resort to reading the help section, but that was very simple, and once I did that, the lights went right on!

Kenna & Co. Real Estate - do give it a whirl! Now that I've played with it, I wiah I'd been using it longer. I am glad to have it now, I can think of all kinds of great things to do with it for posts, etc.

Hey Gena - no problem, I was just determined to get this done without bothering anyone else. I must admit, I don't know how to do a 'screen shot', so even that part baffled me. Anyway, your post and you saying you did them in excel are what prompted me to get it done. So thank you for that motivation!!

Hi Virginia - they were a mystery to me, too, and probably will be for awhile to come until I get really comfortable doing them. I had to call my sister this evening because I'd already forgotten one step from yesterday.

Hi Janice - glad to be of help on this!

Hi Ila - there ya go! Glad to help out, and getting them into posts was the final challenge for me in learning all this. But I did it, and so can you.

Hi Scott - using a background picture is the next thing I'm going to learn to do - love that look!

Hey Bill - I think there are a lot of us that get quite frusrated at tech stuff. I want to know what I want to know right then and there, and it just doesn't happen quite like that most of the time, does it?

Hi Tina - good luck with using some charts for your posts.

I really appreciate all these comments!
Ann

Okay Mr. Lee - I do believe YOU are older than me...... I have used that kid's zone site in the past, but I wanted to do the really great looking ones that I'd seen others doing in excel. You old dog, you!! ;-)

Hi Petra - Joe's video did help me get to that last part of the charts and getting them into posts - I was glad to find that post of his.

Hey Kathy - my 'can do' attitide waned there a few times, but then I'd yank myself back because I knew there had to be a way to do what I wanted, and finally I got it! Thanks for your nice comment!

Hi Liz - glad this post will be of help to you! Hmmm, 80 degrees sure sounds a bit better than temps in the 20's with too much snow on the ground....... oh that sounds so nice about now....

Hey Miss Maggie! I love seeing you here! I saw you over on Ines' post, too. ScreenHunter got me to the last part, and is how I got the charts into this post. I am SO glad to have finally figured this out. It's really great to see you back here in the rain! ;-)

Hi Tony and Libby - thanks!

Thank you all so much for all these comments - I hope this post is helpful to everyone who's been looking to find out how to do these charts and also how to get them into posts.
Ann

Ann, I'm late to your wonderful feature and happy to hear you didn't give up! That determination got you some beautiful charts--and thank you for the information!

Cha-Ching

AND

Rock ON!

THANK YOU ANN!

Oh yea, thanks for making them fun to do now! Oh yea, just wait till my REO report comes out. I take so many BPO pictures and combine that with my sick sense of humor, I will have to find the dumpiest homes to put in the background, lol!

Ann - I have used Google docs to do charts, I will be doing more charts this year and I am going to checkout Screenhunter

JAN

Hi Carole - not too late at all! And thanks!

Hey Renee - thanks for those links - your charts are BEAUTIFUL!!! You may just have to tell me how to do that for my charts. That's my next learning step in this chart-learning process I started. Really great-looking on your posts!

Hi Jennifer - I hope ScreenHunter helps you out. Someone else mentioned using Google docs in their comment, too - will have to check that out to see what I can do with it.

For those interested in the charts with pictures as the backdrops - go check out Renee's newest market reports - the links are in her comment above. She did a GREAT job with those!!!

JAN

Ann,

Thank you for doing this comprehensive research. I have been doing something completely different that works but I think what you did looks even better. I have bookmarked the post and will come back to it later.

Ann, great job! We forget sometimes how much incredible information is right here on AR. What an awesome group we are, thanks for sharing your story!

Hi Jodi - I'd love to hear what you're doing, if you feel like sharing. I'm always open to new ideas and ways to do things.

Hi Diane - there is such a wealth of information here on AR! We just have to look for it, sometimes it's right there in front of us and other times we just have to look just a little bit and there it is, like this info on doing charts.

Thanks for reading and commenting!
Ann

JAN

this is a very cool presentation, what a great way to present some easy to understand market stats to your clients

JAN

This is great...I think I'll just jump on this bandwagon the next time I add some stats to my local area posts! You see..you always have something great you enhance yours with ..thanks Ann!

JAN

Hi James - thanks! I learn so much from so many here on AR, that the few times I have something cool to share like this I just can't help but put it out there for others to learn about it, too.

Hi Sally - I've got some nice charts done all ready for posts. Now, I just have to write the posts! ;-)

Thanks for commenting!
Ann

JAN

Ann-this is awesome..I'm lousy on excel..I admit..its funny a lot of times when I need to figure out something I type it in the search here and usually find what I am looking for! I bookmarked this!

I hope you are staying warm..its was nice today..I actually left the house without my gloves and jacket!

p.s I am going to be taking a class in excel in the next few days!

JAN

Ann - Once again the rainmakers come through for a member, a true testimonial as to just one of the value added features of being a member.

Hey Midori - I would love to be sitting there with you in that excel class! Take good notes so you can give me some pointers to learn more about it. My sister, Karen, who helped with me this, loves that program. No leaving my house today without gloves and a jacket - snowy and chilly!

Hi Kathy - you're exactly right - so much value in all there is here for us as members!

Ann

FEB

Good information. Thanks for sharing with us all -- all the best.

FEB

Hi Ann - Great post and some really good research. I've used excel to create grafts but am not pleased as to how they look in posts. I'll explore some of these features to see if I can come up with a graphic that will look good in a post.

FEB

Thanks Ann for your determination and thoroughness. I'm bookmarking your blog for future reference and will check out ScreenHunter. Great post!

FEB

EXACTLY what I've been looking for. Thanks for doing all the research. Bookmarked!

FEB

Hi Bob and Carolin - you're welcome!

Hi Jon - hopefully some of this info will help you do what you're looking to do. I was so happy to finally be able to do some charts like I'd seen others do. And when I have a chance, I'm going to figure out how to add pictures in the background so I can be as cool as Richard! ;-)

Hi Sue - I've used Screenhunter a number of times since this post and love it!

Hi Pat - glad to know my digging helped others!

Thanks for reading and commenting!
Ann

FEB

Ann, So I'm a bit late to the party here....GREAT stuff! I always have my husband make my charts and I need to learn how to do this myself. I"m bookmarking this. Thanks for the great info Ann :)

APR

Thanks so much. I will try this.

Ginger

APR

FYI I am one of the people that re-blogged this since I have people asking me what I do every time I post a graph, LOL!

SEP

Ann, I love being able to go back to useful posts and using them all over again. Thanks again.!

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