How to Create a Stiff Diagram in Excel

Excel does not have a Stiff Diagram chart option in the charts. But, we can create a Stiff Diagram in Excel by using a scatter chart and a freeform diagram in the shapes tool. Tweaking a bit of the coloring of the chart will give us the perfect Stiff Diagram. Here’s how.

Creating a stiff diagram

These are a few basic steps on how to create Stiff Diagram in Excel.

Enter the values of cations and anions. Use the anion values in the negative as shown below.

stiff anions and cations

Select 1, 3, and 5 (press Ctrl key, so select cells individually) and copy (ctrl+c).

stiff select data

Right-click on empty cell -> Paste special -> Transpose

stiff transpose

Select the data in this table (2, 3, 4)

stiff select transposed data

How to plot a stiff graph?

Now, go to Insert -> Charts -> Insert Scatter

stiff insert scatter

Assign the data labels according to the values in the first table. Select the blue dots by clicking -> right-click -> format data labels.

stiff format data labels

Select a value from the cells and then provide the range of cation names.

stiff provide cations range

Format Data Labels -> Size and Properties -> Text Direction -> Rotate 90 degree

stiff rotate 90 percent degree

Select free form diagram from Insert -> Shapes -> Freeform. Click on the dots to connect them into the shape below.

stiff insert shapes freeform

Remove the gridlines. Copy the chart and paste it as an image. Then Format -> Rotate 90 degree.

stiff diagram ready

To delete the point colors, right click on them and select color as white.

You can also add a horizontal axis to the chart by right-clicking -> axes -> Primary horizontal axis.

See also  Chart with Arrows ↗️

Your Stiff Diagram is ready to use.