Draw a Bar Graph with Positive and Negative Values in Excel

This guide provides a practical overview of Draw a Bar Graph with Positive and Negative Values, including its main features, benefits, limitations, and important considerations.

Step 1: Highlight all the data you want to create charts -> INSERT -> I nsert Column Chart -> Select the chart type you want.

Step 2: After selecting the mouse click out of the chart you already have the chart:

Edit the chart after drawing

1. Change the title of the chart

Double click on the line Chart Title -> Enter the name of the chart corresponding to the content, can choose the background color and font color for the title:

2. Edit the location of the months accordingly

Because the months on the chart below are hard to see, you should move the months down.

Step 1: Click to select the months -> Right-click and select Format Axis .

Step 2: A dialog box appears looking for item LABELS -> move to Label Position -> click Low .

Step 3: Close the Format Axis dialog box found on the chart of the months moved downwards, clearly separated from the chart columns:

3. Edit the columns showing positive and negative values

You want to distinguish positive and negative values on the chart by changing the colors for the columns, negative values with one color, and positive values with one color. You can also change the width for columns that represent data:

Step 1: Select the columns in the chart -> Right-click and choose Format Data Series.

Step 2: Click on the Fill & Line (Color icon) -> click on the Solid Fill -> move down to choose the color for the positive chart column above.

Step 3: Integrate select Invert if begative to select the color for the negative column below -> click select Color color in 2nd icon.

You can create additional borders for the column values by moving down and click on Solid Line .

Choose effects for columns in a chart by going to SHADOW -> choose effects suitable for the chart.

After choosing a color, close the Format Data Series dialog box:

4. Fill in the legend in the chart

In order for the reader to understand the entire content, you should add comments in the chart.

Step 1: Add to the data table 2 positive and negative columns and the values in 2 columns are equal to 0 in 12 months -> Right click on the chart and select Select Data .

Step 2: Click the icon to select the data area. Notice the selection of the old data area and both positive and negative columns (Select both headers) -> In the Legend Entries (Series) area select the data fields that you want to note -> OK .

Click OK, you have created a note:

In case you have done the above but do not display the note you do the following:

Click on the chart-> click on the Chart Elements icon -> tick the Legend item.

So with the above steps hopefully you will create a chart as desired and full of components.

Good luck!