Formatting a Bar Graph

Formatting a Bar Graph

This tutorial is related to the step by step tutorial on how to Create a Bar Graph in Excel.

It covers formatting the bar graph after it has been created with Excel's Chart Wizard.

Change the background color of the bar graph

1. Right click on the Chart Area (white background) and choose the format option.
2. On the Patterns tab in the dialog box, change the color option from Automatic to Ivory.

"Hide" the graph's grid lines

1. Right click on the bar graph's grid lines and choose the format option.
2. On the Patterns tab in the dialog box, change the color option from Automatic to Ivory.

Remove the graph's border

1. Right click on the bar graph's border and choose the format option.
2. On the Patterns tab in the dialog box, change the border option to None.

Remove the graph's X axis

1. Right click on the bar graph's X axis (horizontal axis) and choose the format option.
2. On the Patterns tab in the dialog box, change the lines option to None.

Change the color of a data series in the bar graph

1. Right click on one of the three profit/loss data bars in the graph and choose the format option.
2. On the Patterns tab in the dialog box, change the color option from Automatic to green.

Add a drop shadow to the legend

1. Right click on the graph's legend and choose the format option.
2. On the Patterns tab in the dialog box, click on the Shadow checkbox.

Display the graph's title on two lines

1. Click once on the bar graph's title.
2. Click a second time on the graph's title between Shop and 2003.
3. Press the ENTER key on the keyboard to break the title into two lines.

Resize the graph

1. Click once on the bar graph to bring up the resizing handles on the corners of the graph.
2. Place mouse pointer on a resizing handle, hold down the left mouse button and drag the mouse pointer to resize the graph.

Move the graph with drag and drop

1. Click and hold down the mouse pointer on the bar graph's background.
2. Drag the mouse pointer to move the graph.
3. Release the mouse pointer to drop the graph in a new location.

• excel bar graphs
• excel charts and graphs