How to Break Chart’s column?

20Oct

There is simplicity in breaking the column of a chart, and we are going to justify this simplicity. You will follow as I break one column.

But first, look at the data we want to break column on:

data table

Create another table, which is titled Break Info. The break is where you would like to break, and the resume is where the column should resume after the break.

another table

Click on the value beside max in your new table (1), and type Break_Max in the name box (2).

break max

Note: Repeat this step on the rest of the data, using SPLIT_RESUME, SPLIT_BREAK, and SPLIT_MIN, as the name.

You should create a new table, with the original data. Start with the labels.

new table labels

Table of Contents

Breaking a column

Click on a cell beside new label (1), and type in =IF(B4>SPLIT_BREAK;SPLIT_BREAK;B4) (2).

if split break

Double-click on the small square that shows when clicking on the result of previous formula.

results previous formula

Click under break (1), and type =IF(B4>SPLIT_BREAK;1;NA()) (2).

click under break column

Double-click on the small square.

double click small square

Click under continue (1), and type ==IF(B4>SPLIT_BREAK;B4-SPLIT_RESUME;NA())

if split break column

Double-click on the small square.

double click continue

Mark between G3 and J15 (the new data).

mark between new data

Inserting a 2d bar chart

Click on insert (1), column chart (2), and choose 2D chart bar (3).

insert bar chart

Right-click on the break (1), select white color in fill (2).

right click break column

Note: Repeat this on to continue series, and then double-click on continue, and break in the legend series, and press delete on your keyboard.

We just created a chart with the break in one column. You can keep working on the chart, doing things like changing the “Original” series name. This is how our chart looks like, with a broken column.