Displaying conditional colors in a column chart

Excel 2016 2013 2010
There are many ways to emphasize differences between data on the chart. You can add a threshold value using horizontal or vertical lines, highlight differences with a waterfall, individual values, and so on. Also, you can create a column chart in which the color of each column depends on the value displayed.

For example, you want to demonstrate the differences in sales during 2020 - 2022:

Colored column chart in Excel 365

To create a chart like the one above, do the following:

Prepare a new data

   1.   Split your data into different columns:

For example, split values into three columns:

  • Column I - the values less than 7%:

    = IF (<cell> < 7%, <cell>, ""),

  • Column II - the values less than 15%:

    = IF (AND (<cell> >= 7%, <cell> < 15%), <cell>, ""),

  • Column III - the values equal to or more than 15%:

    = IF (<cell> < 15%, "", <cell>), where <cell> = D*:

Colored column chart data in Excel 365

Create a column chart

Excel creates charts from the data with gaps in a strange manner. You need to add or change the data series manually. Follow the next steps to create a perfect chart:

   2.   Select the data cells without gaps (for this example, B3:C16).

On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, click the Insert Bar or Column Chart button:

Insert Bar or Column Chart in Excel 365

Choose Clustered Column:

Clustered Column Charts in Excel 365

Excel creates a chart from that you need to modify:

Simple column chart in Excel 365

Modify the chart data series

   3.   Do one of the following:

  • On the Chart Design tab, in the Data group, choose Select Data:
    Select Data in Excel 365
  • Right-click on the chart area and choose Select Data... in the popup menu:
    Select Data in popup menu Excel 365

In the Select Data Source dialog box, under Legend Entries (Series):

  • Click the Add button:
    Select Data Source dialog box in Excel 365

    In the Edit Series dialog box, type or choose the data for each data series.

    For this example:

    • The first data series for values less than 7% (E4:E16),
      Edit Series dialog box in Excel 365
    • The second data series for values less than 15% (F4:F16),
    • The third data series for values equal to or more than 15% (G4:G16).
  • Select the existing data series (for this example, Sales), and click the Remove button:
    Select Data Source dialog box in Excel 365

After clicking the OK button, Excel modifies the chart:

Colored column chart in Excel 365

Optionally, format the horizontal axis

   4.   Right-click on the horizontal axis and select Format Axis... in the popup menu (or double-click on the axis):

Format Axis popup in Excel 365

On the Format Axis pane, on the Axis Options tab:

You can then make any other adjustments to get the look you need.

See also this tip in French: Affichage des couleurs conditionnelles dans un graphique à colonnes.

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