Hi all, using Excel 2010 here. Time to time at work, I come across a spreadsheet that needs to be updated that people I work with like nicely formatted. We look at data over a number of years, so one thing they like is when the line graphs have 'breaks' in the line, to indicate the next year. E.g. 4 columns for 2008, then 4 for 2009, etc.
When you want to add the next year of data, however, this breaks the nice formatting, because it was done in what seems to be the only way to do it (see below).
Select a data point in the graph by clicking it,
Then right click it, go to "Format Data Point". Then "Line Color" and select "Solid Line", thus filling the point with colour and telling Excel "hey, this point is filled with colour, connect it with adjacent points that have colour".
Here I am doing the process of changing a 'blank' point to a line, and you can do the reverse by reversing the steps (thanks captain obvious nebffa).
Needless to say, this is a pain in the ***. Is there are a better way to create these artificial 'breaks' in the page? Bonus points if it can be done that naturally and gracefully evolves as new years are added in.
When you want to add the next year of data, however, this breaks the nice formatting, because it was done in what seems to be the only way to do it (see below).
Select a data point in the graph by clicking it,
Then right click it, go to "Format Data Point". Then "Line Color" and select "Solid Line", thus filling the point with colour and telling Excel "hey, this point is filled with colour, connect it with adjacent points that have colour".
Here I am doing the process of changing a 'blank' point to a line, and you can do the reverse by reversing the steps (thanks captain obvious nebffa).
Needless to say, this is a pain in the ***. Is there are a better way to create these artificial 'breaks' in the page? Bonus points if it can be done that naturally and gracefully evolves as new years are added in.
