Modern Chart Improvements with Maria Barnes

Mike Wolfe -

Microsoft Access is getting a major upgrade to its charting capabilities with the addition of several new chart types and improvements to existing functionality.

In a recent Access Lunchtime user group presentation, Maria Barnes provided a comprehensive overview of the new Modern Chart improvements coming to Microsoft Access. The presentation covered the ten new chart types being added, improvements to existing chart functionality, and practical examples of how to implement and customize these new visualization options.

Whether you're looking to enhance your data visualization capabilities or simply want to stay current with the latest Access features, this detailed walkthrough of the new charting options offers valuable insights for Access developers.

New Chart Types

  • Area Charts (3 variants)
    • Plain
    • Stacked
    • 100% Stacked
  • Radar Charts (2 variants)
    • Plain
    • Filled
  • Arc Charts
  • Box & Whisker Charts
  • Bubble Charts
  • Donut Charts
  • Funnel Charts
  • Scatter Charts
  • Waterfall Charts
  • Word Cloud Charts

Key Improvements

Enhanced Chart Settings

  • Customized data and format panes based on chart type
  • Context-sensitive property options
  • Improved visibility of available settings

Grid Line Options

  • New major and minor gridline support
  • Available in multiple chart types:
    • Bar
    • Line
    • Area
    • Radar
    • Combo
    • Box & Whisker
    • Bubble
    • Scatter
    • Waterfall

Pie, Arc, and Donut Enhancements

  • New data label format options
  • Percentage display with decimal place control
  • Multiple data label position options:
    • Best fit
    • Inside center
    • Inside end
    • Outside circle
    • Outside end

Technical Foundation

  • Built on Microsoft's IV charting framework
  • Designed for easier future enhancements
  • Better integration with Office suite

Known Limitations

  • Bubble charts currently limited to 2D representation
  • Funnel chart sorting needs improvement
  • Word cloud limited to black text only
  • No data table support below charts
  • Limited VBA accessibility compared to legacy charts

Conclusion

The new Modern Chart improvements represent a significant upgrade to Access's visualization capabilities.

While some features still need refinement, the transition to the IV charting framework suggests a strong commitment from Microsoft to continue enhancing these capabilities. The addition of ten new chart types, combined with improved customization options, provides Access developers with powerful new tools for data visualization.

Recording

The full recording is available on YouTube:

Join Live!

Want to get even more out of these presentations? Join the live Access User Group events! The next upcoming events are listed on the AUG Event Calendar.

Attending live gives you the opportunity to:

  • Interact directly with presenters during Q&A sessions
  • Network with other Access developers
  • Share your own experiences and challenges
  • Get immediate answers to your specific questions
  • Participate in group discussions

With multiple user groups across different time zones (and languages!), you're sure to find a meeting time that works for your schedule.

Acknowledgements

  • Base cover image generated by FLUX-schnell
  • Initial draft generated by Claude-3.5-Sonnet