empower® charts 8.9

General improvements

1. Excel files that are stored in SharePoint or OneDrive but have been synchronized locally can now also be linked locally. This increases the performance of the links and also enables relative paths for links. Furthermore, linked files that are available online can be opened from PowerPoint.
2. If only the PowerPoint window is shared in a screen transfer (e.g. via Microsoft Teams), the empower charts windows are now also transferred correctly.

New functions in data charts

1. The background visibility for data labels can be controlled manually when required in a chart.
2. In waterfall charts, series can be set to be above or below the regular waterfall levels (e.g. to indicate a possible deviation).
3. Pie charts can now be rotated and pieces can be pulled out.
4. The setting options for standing category axes (e.g. for horizontal bar charts) have been improved.
5. Minor improvements and bug fixes.

New functions in Gantt charts

1. Data labels of phases, bars and milestones, as well as highlights and date lines can now also managed in the Excel sheet of Gantt charts.
2. Objects in the Gantt chart can now be copied by holding down the 'Ctrl' key and moving the copy. Objects can be moved at right angles with 'Shift' and moved freely with 'Alt'.
3. Objects now snap to other objects by default when moved, unless moved with the 'Alt' key.
4. The shape of task blocks and phases can now be changed (notches). There are also new icons for milestones.
5. When drawing task blocks, the details of the current block (start, end, duration) are displayed.
6. The height for task blocks and milestones can now be set to automatic, this is also the default setting for new Gantt charts.
7. Gantt charts are now fully translated when a translation is triggered via empower slides. Furthermore, Gantt charts now offer additional languages (e.g. for month names).
8. Small improvements around the user interface, as well as bug fixes.

Known limitations

1. Due to new features, charts created or edited with empower charts 8.9 can no longer be edited with older empower charts versions. It is of course possible to continue editing older charts with empower charts 8.9 (incl. the new functions).
2. Due to technical changes in empower charts 8.9 (e.g. to enable screen transfer only for the PowerPoint window) empower charts 8.9 is no longer compatible with Windows 7 and Office 2010.