#How to plot a graph in excel with 4 y values code#

Put that code into this HEX -> RBG color converter.

Grab the HEX color code of your brand colors.

Have specific colors for specific KPIs throughout your report or presentation whenever your visual identity allows it.ĭesign-wise: remove redundant labels, get rid of shadows and use white spaces between series. We used only one color hue from our visual identity, and we will stick to it in the following pages of our report so our readers can associate this color with other charts about stock. In the example below, you can see the stock composition changing over three fiscal years. The area chart is the best option for when you want to show the comparison of elements changing over time. Try UpSlide Tip #8: Always remain consistent Consider removing the background lines that distract from understanding the most important elements.

When you have many data points, you should avoid using markers – it is much better to add an average, minimum or maximum to make your data easier to understand.

Double-click on the bars, lines, or pie sections you’d like to change.

#How to plot a graph in excel with 4 y values how to#

How to remove the 3D styling from your graphs: Don’t let poor design weaken your argument! Because of the way the data is tilted, it gives the reader a skewed perspective of what the data actually reads. To make data look fancy, people will often make bar, line, and pie graphs 3D – but it actually just makes the data harder to read.

Select Gridline and then Format Color / Dashes / Width.

Right click and remove horizontal lines (y axis gridline).

See this example of a valuation method comparison chart: Dashes are a good option for displaying secondary elements (see below the vertical lines) and they too should be in the color of your visual identity. Rather than using a variety of different colors, stick to the color that is most synonymous with your brand to make your data really stand out! In this example below, it’s much better to have vertical lines as you can see the minimum and maximum of the valuation range. Most standard Excel graphs come pre-styled, however, these styles aren’t optimized for communicating information. Try UpSlide Tip #5: Remove unnecessary styling The Charts button automates all the steps you would normally take to build a Waterfall chart in Excel. With UpSlide’s Charts feature it takes just one click to create a Waterfall chart with your branding colors and design. To help people focus on those trends, remove the lines in the background of your chart. These lines can be distracting, so removing them will help people focus on the most important parts of your chart.

No one is looking at your graph to see incremental differences between data points – they want to see general, overarching trends. Graphs should allow you to roughly compare data within a set. Tip #4: Remove background linesĪs you can see below, there is a massive difference between the ‘before’ and ‘after’ Waterfall charts due to slight changes in design. Do this by minimizing white space in the blocks and between bars, and by making the bars wider. Click on Gap Width – you want less white space but enough to differentiate between blocksĪim to differentiate between a period and a series.The bars should be wider and the distance between the bars narrower.

It is easier to understand and there is more space to display the chart itself.Įxcel uses thin bars with wide spacing by default, but the opposite actually works better as it makes it easier to visually compare data.

#How to plot a graph in excel with 4 y values series#

In the ‘after’ chart, you can see that it becomes much clearer when data labels are displayed on the series itself, instead of using both axes. There are two different y-axes, one for the absolute amounts and the other for the percentage. In the ‘before’ chart below, we use a bar chart for absolute numbers such as net sales and a line to display percentages, for example gross margin. Always order your graph in descending or chronological order so it is simple, clear and easy to understand. Bar, pie, and line charts all convey your data differently, so choose the one that best suits the story you want to tell. Bonus tip: Format your financial charts, tables and graphs with a single click Tip #1: Always pick the right chart typeīefore you start tweaking design elements, you need to make sure that your data is displayed in the optimal format.