Line Chart in Excel

A line chart distributes category data evenly along a horizontal (category) axis , and distributes all numerical value data along a vertical (value) axis.

Line charts can display continuous data over time, set against a common scale, and are therefore ideal for showing trends in data at equal intervals or over time. In a line chart, category data is distributed evenly along the horizontal axis, and all value data is distributed evenly along the vertical axis. As a general rule, use a line chart if your data has non-numeric x values — for numeric x values, it is usually better to use a scatter chart.

Create a line chart

So, how did we create this line chart? The following procedure will help you create a line chart with similar results. For this chart, we used the example worksheet data. You can copy this data to your worksheet, or you can use your own data.

1. Copy the example worksheet data into a blank worksheet, or open the worksheet that contains the data that you want to plot into a line chart.How to copy the example worksheet data
   1. Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
   2. Select the example in the Help topic.

      NOTE: Do not select the row or column headers.

      

      Selecting an example from Help
   3. Press CTRL+C.
   4. In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.

1. Select the data that you want to plot in the line chart.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, click Line.
3. Click Line with Markers.
4. Click the chart area of the chart.This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.
5. On the Design tab, in the Chart Styles group, click the chart style that you want to use.For our line chart, we used Style 2.
6. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Chart Title, and then click Above Chart.
7. Click the chart title, and then type the text that you want.For our line chart, we typed Particulate Levels in Rainfall.
8. To reduce the size of the chart title, right-click the title, and then enter the size that you want in the Size box on the shortcut menu.For our line chart, we used 14.
9. On the chart, click the legend, or select it from a list of chart elements (Layout tab, Current Selection group, Chart Elements box).
10. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Legend, and then click the position that you want.For our line chart, we used Show Legend at Top.
11. To plot one of the data series along a secondary vertical axis, click the data series for Rainfall, or select it from a list of chart elements (Layout tab, Current Selection group, Chart Elements box).
12. On the Layout tab, in the Current Selection group, click Format Selection.
13. Under Series Options, select Secondary Axis, and then click Close.
14. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Axis Titles, and then do the following:
    1. To add a primary vertical axis title, click Primary Vertical Axis Title, and then click the type of vertical axis title that you want.For our line chart, we used Rotated Title.
    2. To add a secondary vertical axis title, click Secondary Vertical Axis Title, and then click the type of vertical axis title that you want.For our line chart, we used Rotated Title.
    3. Click each title, type the text that you want, and then press ENTER.For our line chart, we typed Particulate level in the primary vertical axis title, and Daily Rainfall in the secondary vertical axis title.
15. Click the plot area of the chart, or select it from a list of chart elements (Layout tab, Current Selection group, Chart Elements box).
16. On the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the More button , and then click the effect that you want to use.For our line chart, we used the Subtle Effect – Dark 1.
17. Click the chart area of the chart.
18. On the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the More button , and then click the effect that you want to use.For our line chart, we used the Subtle Effect – Accent 3.
19. If you want to use theme colors different from the default theme that is applied to your workbook, do the following:
    1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Themes group, click Themes.
    2. Under Built-in, click the theme that you want to use.

Line charts can use the following chart subtypes.

• Line and line with markers    Displayed with markers to indicate individual data values, or without, line charts are useful to show trends over time or ordered categories, especially when there are many data points and the order in which they are presented is important. If there are many categories or the values are approximate, use a line chart without markers.
• Stacked line and stacked line with markers    Displayed with markers to indicate individual data values, or without, stacked line charts can be used to show the trend of the contribution of each value over time or ordered categories, but because it is not easy to see that the lines are stacked, consider using a different line chart type or a stacked area chart instead.
• 100% stacked line and 100% stacked line with markers    Displayed with markers to indicate individual data values, or without, 100% stacked line charts are useful to show the trend of the percentage each value contributes over time or ordered categories. If there are many categories or the values are approximate, use a 100% stacked line chart without markers.

  TIP: For a better presentation of this type of data, consider using a 100% stacked area chart instead.

  

• 3-D line    3-D line charts show each row or column of data as a 3-D ribbon. A 3-D line chart has horizontal, vertical, and depth axes that you can modify.

This information is as per a Microsoft” Excel Support Post