How to Create Charts with Assist

Overview

The Freeform Chart feature in Assist lets you turn spreadsheet data into beautiful, fully customisable charts in seconds. Upload your data, type a simple prompt, and Assist's AI will generate a chart automatically. From there, you can change the chart type, adjust colours, add branding, resize for any platform, edit data in real time, and export your finished chart.

This guide walks you through the entire process from start to finish.

What You'll Need

•       An active Assist account at app.assistco.ai

•       An existing project to work within

•       A spreadsheet file (.xlsx, .csv, or similar) containing the data you want to visualise

Step 1: Create a New Freeform Chart

1. From your project dashboard, click the + New Output button.
2. In the "Choose an output template" modal, scroll down to Default Templates.
3. Select Freeform Chart.
4. Click Create.

You'll be taken to the Freeform Chart interface, which includes a chart canvas on the left and the Project Assist chat panel on the right.

Step 2: Upload Your Data

1. In the Project Assist chat panel, click the + icon in the message input area.
2. Select Upload a File from the pop-up menu.
3. Browse your device and select your spreadsheet file (e.g., widget_sales_2024.xlsx).
4. Wait for the file to process, then click Done.

The file will appear as an attachment in the chat, ready for the AI to use.

Tip: Make sure your spreadsheet is well-structured with clear column headers. This helps the AI generate a more accurate chart on the first attempt.

Step 3: Generate Your Chart with AI

Once your file is uploaded, you can generate a chart using a simple text prompt.

Using a Basic Prompt

1. Click into the Project Assist chat box.
2. Type Plot and hit send.
3. The AI will analyse your data and automatically generate an appropriate chart on the canvas.

The AI will also provide Key Highlights from your data in the chat — such as identifying top performers, trends, or notable data points.

Using a Specific Prompt

For more control over the output, type a more detailed prompt. For example:

•       Plot quarterly sales by region — generates a chart that aggregates sales data by region across each quarter.

This replaces the current chart on the canvas with a new visualisation based on your refined request.

Tip: You can send multiple prompts to generate different views of your data. Each new prompt will update the chart on the canvas.

Step 4: Customise Your Chart

Once your chart is generated, use the right-side toolbar on the chart canvas to customise it. Each icon opens a different customisation panel.

4.1 — Change Chart Type (Graph Icon)

Click the Graph icon to open the Chart Type & Style panel.

Available chart types:

Bar Position options (for Column and Bar charts):

Style toggles:

•       Sort high → low: Reorders the data from highest to lowest values.

•       Data Labels: Toggle on/off to show or hide specific values directly on the chart.

4.2 — Resize for Any Platform (Size Icon)

Click the Size icon to resize your chart for different use cases. Choose from the following presets:

You can also enter custom pixel dimensions if none of the presets fit your needs.

4.3 — Customise Colours (Color Icon)

Click the Color icon to change the chart's colour scheme. You have several options:

Theme:

•       Toggle between Light and Dark themes to change the chart's background and overall appearance.

Preset Palettes (Preset tab):

•       Choose from ready-made colour schemes such as Colorful, Pastel, Neon, Blue, Green, Yellow, and more. Clicking a palette instantly updates the chart.

Brand Palette (Brand tab):

•       Click the Brand tab to create or select a custom brand palette.

•       To create a new palette:

◦   Click Create your first brand palette.

◦   Enter a name for your palette (e.g., "Brand").

◦   Use the colour picker or enter hex codes to define your brand colours.

◦   Click Save palette.

•       Your saved palette will appear under Team palettes and can be reused across any chart.

Note: Brand palettes are workspace-specific. Any palette you create will be available to all members of your workspace, but will not carry over to other workspaces.

Freestyle Palette (Freestyle tab):

•       Use the Freestyle tab to create a one-off custom palette without saving it as a brand preset.

Tip: The Dark theme toggle creates a visually striking chart that works especially well for presentations and social media posts.

4.4 — Add Branding & Text Elements (Elements Icon)

Click the Elements icon to add branding and text overlays to your chart.

Available elements:

Additional options:

•       Text Size: Adjust the size of text elements on the chart.

•       Font: Change the font used for text elements.

To add a logo:

1. Click Yes next to the Logo option.
2. Click Choose file... and select your logo image from your device.
3. The logo will appear on the chart (typically in the bottom-right corner).

Tip: Adding a logo and title transforms a basic chart into a polished, presentation-ready visual that's on-brand and professional.

Step 5: Edit Data Directly

Need to make a quick change to your data without re-uploading the file? You can edit it directly within Assist.

1. Click the Edit Data icon at the bottom of the right-hand toolbar.
2. A spreadsheet-style data table will open in a modal.
3. Click into any cell to change its value.
4. The chart updates instantly in real time to reflect your changes.
5. Close the modal when you're done.

Example: In the video, the value for Grace O'Brien's Q1 sales was changed from 251 to 134, and the chart updated immediately to reflect the new figure.

Step 6: Export Your Chart

When you're happy with your chart, you have two export options located in the top-right corner of the canvas:

Quick Reference: Right-Side Toolbar

Frequently Asked Questions

What file types can I upload?Assist supports common spreadsheet formats including .xlsx and .csv.

Can I change the chart after it's been generated?Yes. You can switch between any available chart type at any time using the Graph icon — the chart updates instantly. You can also send a new, more specific prompt to regenerate the chart entirely.

Can I use my own brand colours?Absolutely. Use the Color icon → Brand tab to create a custom brand palette with your own hex codes. Once saved, it's available as a Team palette for reuse across your workspace. Note that brand palettes are workspace-specific — they're shared with everyone in your workspace but won't appear in other workspaces.

Does editing the data affect my original file?No. Edits made in the data editor only affect the chart within Assist. Your original uploaded file remains unchanged.

What size should I use for presentations?Select the Google Slides / PowerPoint preset (16:9) from the Size menu for the best fit.

Can I export just the data without the chart?Yes. Click Download CSV to export only the data as a spreadsheet file.

Can I generate multiple different charts from the same data?Yes. Simply type a new prompt in the chat (e.g., "plot quarterly sales by region") and the AI will generate a new chart based on your instructions.

Summary

The Freeform Chart feature in Assist makes it easy to go from raw spreadsheet data to a polished, branded chart in under a minute. Upload your file, let the AI generate a chart with a simple prompt, then customise the type, colours, branding, size, and data to fit your exact needs. When you're done, export as a PNG image or CSV file and you're ready to go.