The 6 Best Tips For Formatting Your Excel Charts

Excel chart formatting skills: improve data visualization effect

This article will share some practical tips to improve the visualization of Excel charts to help you create clearer and more attractive charts. Excel has built-in multiple chart styles, but for the best results, we recommend custom formatting.

1. Add a chart background

The charts need not be boring. Appropriate background can enhance the attractiveness of the chart and make the data clearer and easier to understand.

You can add pictures or colors as backgrounds. For example, using architectural pictures and sunset backgrounds makes the chart more visually impactful.

Even subtle color adjustments can make the chart stand out. The key is to have sufficient contrast between the background and the data points to ensure that the chart is easy to read.

How to operate: Double-click the edge of the chart and select the "Fill" menu in the "Format Chart" pane.

Select the fill type, such as "Solid Color Fill" to select the color and adjust the transparency; or select "Picture or Texture Fill" to insert the picture.

Remember, chart legibility is crucial. Avoid using too bright colors or complex textured backgrounds.

2. Adjust the minimum and maximum values ​​of the coordinate axis

A clever adjustment of the axis range can make the chart data more efficient in making use of space, avoiding too dense data or unnecessary blanks.

How to operate: Double-click the axis and in the "Format Chart" pane, modify the minimum and maximum values ​​in "Borders".

When data changes, the axis range needs to be readjusted to ensure that the chart accurately reflects the data. You can also adjust the Primary Unit and Secondary Units to control the intervals of the axis scales.

3. Reduce the spacing between bar charts or bar charts

The data point spacing in the Excel chart is expressed as percentages. The default spacing may be too large, affecting data comparison.

How to operate: Right-click the data point, select "Set Data Series Format", and adjust "Space Width" in the "Set Chart Format" pane.

4. Use visual elements in moderation

Avoid excessive complexity of charts. Not all Excel tools are required. Select the right element to achieve the best results.

You can use the chart element button (" sign) to select the desired element.

Or use the Reset to match style button to restore the default style.

5. Delete the worksheet grid line

Worksheet grid lines may affect the readability of the chart, especially if the chart background is transparent or translucent.

Uncheck "Grid Lines" in the View tab to make the chart clearer.

6. Save the chart design as a template

After the chart is finished formatting, save it as a template for reuse in the future.

The key to chart formatting is to optimize readability and maintain consistency. Apart from common pie charts and bar charts, don't forget to try other types of charts such as waterfall charts and sunburst charts.

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