Dull rows of numbers may not help you make a point (say, when you're trying to impress your boss with your spectacular closing ratio). What you need is a jazzy graphic that shouts "Check me out!"

As pointed out by Peter Tesler, Excel 97 or later can help. First, click the AutoShapes button on the Drawing toolbar, select the shape you want to use by clicking it, and click in the formula bar. Then enter a cell reference such as =$B$14 and press <Enter>. In our example, the contents of cell B14 will then be displayed inside the AutoShape. If the content of the referenced cell changes, the graphic will reflect the change. Remember, AutoShapes offer formatting options that are not available within the standard Format menus.

Caption: AutoShape jazzes up your data

To make an AutoShape even snazzier, double-click the graphic to access the Format AutoShape dialogue box. From there, you can apply formatting changes ù for instance, adjusting the vertical or horizontal positioning, changing the font, adding colour, or making the text bold.