Displaying values on a map chart is more meaningful than handing someone a sheet of data. Thanks to Microsoft Excel's Geography data type, creating a map chart is easier than you might think.

Microsoft released a variety of update to is Office applications includes Excel maps, PowerPoint QuickStarter and a new intelligent embedding capabilitiy called Tap for Word and Outlook.

Excel 2016 gives you six new chart styles. The three we explore here make it easier to compare data and show hierarchies and other relationships.

Indeed, you can use Excel to create heat maps for pretty much anything, from displaying your sports team's on-field strengths to showing how climate change is impacting temperatures over time.