Line charts are a great way to display trends. However, the standard formats may not show up well, particularly if printing in black and white.
Here are ways to modify them so your lines are distinguishable.
The exercise and result are in the Chart Line Format file.
Let's pick up from the last lesson. We changed the plot area format, but still need to do some work on the lines.
Let's put some more punch in the lines.
Right click on any line and then select Format Data Series.
You get the Format Data Series dialog box.
First, let's focus on the left hand side. Excel did automatic formatting; we will change the custom choices.
One option is the style. You may want to mix the styles in a couple of your lines.
The second option is the color. You will see similar colors to changing the plot area.
Finally, you can change the weight. How thick will the line be?
Note as we make changes, we can see a sample of the new line in the sample area.
Now go to the right, to the Marker section; the Marker is the data point. Here are the choices. The first also is Style like it was for the line.
We chose the triangle to better show the next couple options, Foreground and Background. Foreground is the outer edge, background is the inside for markers like the triangle with space inside. Check out the other styles and how the backgrounds/foregrounds change.
Two other choices for the marker- the size and shadow (which creates the impression of a 3-D marker). We often take up the size of the market.
Notice how the sample changes above. We have come a long way from the preselected format. Now our reader can tell the difference in the lines, even if working with a black and white printout.
We continue on for other three lines and end up with a much better chart.
Final thoughts. Your formatting may depend on where the lines are in the chart. Mix up the lines, so you don't have two similar lines right next to each other. Also what for data points that fall near the same spot- are your markers different enough?
While less important as color printers get cheaper, even with colors, modify your line formats for better line charts.