Customising Charts

Learning Statement: In this article you’ll learn different ways to customise the standard OMBEA charts beyond just changing the chart type.
Audience: This article is aimed at all OMBEA Response users.

Background

You can change chart types and colours within OMBEA. If you wish to go make further adjustments than OMBEA will allow you can use Microsoft Excel’s custom chart templates to do so. OMBEA applies a default chart template to all your charts so if you wish to use an alternative chart template you must switch the default OMBEA chart template off.

Change the type of chart

Option 1: Creating a question slide with a different chart style from the beginning

  1. On the OMBEA Response ribbon, click the bottom half of the New button. OMBEA will give you a drop-down menu. Select Multiple Choice and then choose one of the chart types.
  2. Complete your question as normal.

Option 2: Changing an existing chart style

  1. On the OMBEA Response ribbon, click Properties.
  2. In the Settings panel, on the left hand side, select the question you would like to update.
  3. Under the Chart Heading section, choose a new Chart Type using the drop-down list.
  4. Alternatively to change this setting permanently for all new slides, select General Properties on the left hand side rather than a specific slide. You’ll find the Default Chart Type setting under Chart Miscellaneous.

Change the chart colours within OMBEA

  1. On the OMBEA Response ribbon, click Properties.
  2. In the Settings panel, on the left hand side, select the question you would like to update. Alternatively to change this setting permanently for all new slides, select General Properties on the left hand side rather than a specific slide.
  3. Under the Chart section change the setting for Chart Colour Mode to User Defined.
  4. Under the Chart Colours heading, select the colour you would like for each answer option by clicking on each colour panel and changing it.
  5. Click Okay.

Change the entire chart template

Changing your underlying chart template can be useful to increase legibility on your PowerPoint slide. For example, the standard chart template uses black text and if you have a dark slide background, you can use this procedure to make the text easier to read.

  1. On the OMBEA Response ribbon, click Properties.
  2. In the Settings panel, on the left hand side, select the question you would like to update. Alternatively to change this setting permanently for all new slides, select General Properties on the left hand side rather than a specific slide.
  3. Under the Chart section change the setting for Apply Default OMBEA Chart Template to No.
  4. Click Okay.
  5. Now double-click on the OMBEA chart you would like to edit.
  6. If you receive a PowerPoint message about chart compatibility, click Edit Existing.
  7. Your PowerPoint and OMBEA ribbons will now have been replaced by Excel ones. 
  8. You can customise your chart as you wish, using the normal Excel chart controls.