Set Bar chart bar layout options

  1. If you have not already done so, insert a Bar chart by selecting it from the Insert menu, or double-click an existing chart to access the chart's configuration panel.

  2. Access the Chart tab.

  3. In the Appearance section, select Bar Chart from the list box. The Layout section appears.

  4. From the Bar Orientation list box, select the Vertical or Horizontal option.

NOTE: If you want to configure the chart to use a summary line, you must select Vertical orientation.

  1. From the Category Margin list, select the amount of space, in pixels, you want between categories on your chart. Zero represents no space between categories; 50 represents the most space between categories.

  2. From the Series Margin list, select the amount of space, in pixels, you want between series (all bars within a category). Zero represents no space between bars; 50 represents the most space between bars.

NOTE: The Series Margin cannot be set when bars are stacked (there is only one bar for the series).

  1. If you want all bars on the chart to start at zero, select the Zero Based check box. If this check box is cleared, the data source will determine the starting point for the bars.

  2. If you want the bars to be stacked, select the Stack Bars check box. Stacking bars means that all of the bars contained in a category are placed on top of each other; that is, all series items in a category are shown as one stacked bar. See Stacked Bars for more information.

  3. If you want to show the bars as percentages, select the Show as Percentage check box. The percentage of a series item is based on the ratio of that item to the sum of all other series items in the category.

NOTE: Percentages are supported only for zero-based charts.