Highlighting Key Information in Excel Charts

How can the key information in a chart be more prominent?

1. Use different colors

Use brighter or more contrasting colors to emphasize key data while weakening other non-key data.

Just like in this case:

If we want to highlight the company's operating situation in 2023, we can fill the column charts of the previous two years with gray and the 2023 one with the theme color:

So that the yellow column chart can be seen at a glance, that is, the key content of the chart!

Or using two contrasting colors can also highlight the key data:

2. Local enlargement

Adjust the chart size of the key data to be larger to highlight it.

Look at the case.

In the following figure, the gray column represents the volume of goods received in the warehouse every day, and the red column represents the volume of goods dispatched from the warehouse every day:

But because there are too many data, we can only roughly understand the daily in-and-out situation from the whole, but cannot highlight the key points.

If we want to make the chart prominently display the data of the recent seven days, the following modifications can be made:

After learning this skill, we can also use it to show the outstanding employees of the company and the GDP of the key concerned provinces, etc.

Such a chart that can view the trend from the overall and see the key points from the local is much better than the original chart, isn't it?

As for how to make such a chart, click the text link below to see the tutorial:

Why are the Excel charts made by colleagues so beautiful? (With case files as a gift)

3. Add shapes or icons

Adding shapes or icons in the chart can also highlight the key data.

For example, add a circular mark to the key data in a bar chart.

In a column chart, add a rocket or other icon.

If you have other ideas, welcome to communicate in the comment area.

4. Written at the end

Today, a total of 3 methods for highlighting the key points of Excel charts have been introduced. Let's review them:

❶ Use different colors to create contrast;

❷ Enlarge the key data of the chart;

❸ Add shapes or icons.

This article is from the WeChat public account: Qiuye Excel (ID: excel100), author: Zhu Lan