Make a data diagram translucent Excel information chart

Excel charts do not support color transparency, and when we apply a color to a column or bar chart series, the color must be a solid color. Although the Fill Effect dialog box includes the Transparency Control option, unfortunately the control option is not available, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

This article describes how to make a semitransparent bar or column data series by pasting the AutoShape. Figure 2 shows the effect before and after applying a semitransparent data series to a chart, noting the grid lines in the diagram.

Figure 2

The following is a detailed procedure

1. Select the range of data on the worksheet, select Insert > Chart, select the column chart, and then click Finish to get a column diagram that adjusts the appearance of the chart as needed, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

2. Right-click in the blank space on the toolbar, then select Draw from the pop-up menu, display the Drawing toolbar, and draw a rectangle on the worksheet using the Rectangle tool in the toolbar, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4

3. Double-click the rectangle to open the Format AutoShape dialog box. Select a color in the Drop-down list to the right of color in the fill area, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

4. Drag the "Transparency" right slider to adjust the transparency of the selected color, as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6

5. For better results, select Wireless Bar color from the Drop-down list on the right side of color in the line area, as shown in Figure 7. Click the OK button to close the Format AutoShape dialog box.

Figure 7

6. Select the rectangle on the worksheet, hold down the SHIFT key and select the menu command Edit > Copy picture. Note that you must hold down the SHIFT key to see the Copy Picture command. In the Copy Picture dialog box that pops up, take the default setting, as shown in Figure 8. Click the OK button.

Figure 8

7. Click the column data series in the chart and select menu command Edit > Paste. This allows you to get a semitransparent column data series as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9

8. The above is a Semitransparent data series with no borders. If you want to add a border to a column data series, you can double-click the column data series and then reset the border options in the Pattern tab of the Data Series Format dialog box, as shown in Figure 10.

Figure 10

As shown in Figure 11, we can also change the data series to a rainbow gradient, and the reader can try to make this effect by extrapolate the method described above (hint: when you set the fill color for the drawn rectangle in step 5th, you can choose the fill effect to be rainbow out 蚰 II).

Figure 11

Classification:

• Excel Tutorials