bar graph: how do you insert a break in scale (squigglly line)?
 

With a wide data range or one number that is much larger than others in a
series, how can one insert a break in the scale, often represented by 2
squiggly lines?

Thanks!

Answer: bar graph: how do you insert a break in scale (squigglly line)?
 

1. 1. Create your bar graph by selecting your data and clicking on the "Insert" tab in the Excel ribbon. Choose the type of bar graph you want to create.
   2. Select the vertical axis to bring up the "Format Axis" pane on the right-hand side of the screen.
   3. Scroll down until you see the "Axis Options" section. Look for the "Breaks" option and click on the drop-down menu next to it.
   4. Choose the type of break you want to insert. In this case, you want to insert a "Custom" break, so select that option.
   5. Enter the values you want to use for the "Minimum bound" and "Maximum bound". For example, if your data range is from 0 to 1000, you might want to set the minimum bound to 0 and the maximum bound to 500.
   6. Choose the type of squiggly line you want to use by clicking on the drop-down menu next to "Break shape".
   7. Adjust any other formatting options you want to use for your graph, such as colors, labels, and titles.

That's it! Your bar graph should now have a break in the scale represented by two squiggly lines. This can be very helpful when you have a wide data range or one number that is much larger than others in a series.

bar graph: how do you insert a break in scale (squigglly line)?
 

Hi,

Here are some examples of how to produce a broken axis effect.

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/BrokenYAxis.html
http://tushar-mehta.com/excel/newsgr...ial/index.html
http://www.andypope.info/charts/brokencolumn.htm

Cheers
Andy

Zach wrote:
With a wide data range or one number that is much larger than others in a
series, how can one insert a break in the scale, often represented by 2
squiggly lines?

Thanks!

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info