What is the first step to creating a chart in Excel?

Selecting the data range is indeed the first step to creating a chart in Excel. This step involves highlighting the specific cells that contain the data you wish to visualize. By doing this, Excel can accurately plot the information on the chart, ensuring that the graph reflects the correct values and categories.

When you select the data range, it typically includes both the values you wish to represent graphically and any associated labels, which are essential for defining the different items in your chart. Once the data is selected, you can effectively proceed to choose the type of chart that best suits the data you want to portray visually.

This sequence is crucial because if the data range is not defined first, Excel won’t know which information to include when generating the chart, potentially leading to confusion and inaccuracies in data presentation.