How to Create a Two-Line Excel Chart with Vertical Connecting Bars
Question details
The user wants to create a line chart displaying two data series, connected by vertical bars to highlight the difference or gap between the data points.
- Product
- Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Visualizing the gap or range between two related data series in a chart.
- Observed behavior
- The goal is to display two distinct lines with vertical connectors bridging corresponding data points, officially known as High-Low Lines.
Ensure your dataset contains at least two parallel numerical data series representing high and low values corresponding to the same categories or dates.
Create High-Low Lines Using Chart Elements
This is the standard and most direct method to insert vertical connecting bars between two lines in an Excel chart.
Excel includes a built-in feature called High-Low Lines specifically designed to connect corresponding points across two data series on a 2-D line chart.
Highlight the dataset containing your categories and both numerical data series.
Navigate to the 'Insert' tab on the ribbon, locate the Charts group, and select 'Line with Markers' from the Line chart drop-down menu.
Select the newly created chart. Go to the 'Chart Design' tab on the ribbon, click 'Add Chart Element', hover over 'Lines', and select 'High-Low Lines'. The vertical connectors will immediately appear between the two series.
Use Up/Down Bars for Intersecting Data Series
If your two lines cross each other and you want a thicker visual distinction of which series is higher, Up/Down bars serve as a great alternative to High-Low lines.
Easily Add High-Low Lines in WPS Office
WPS Office Spreadsheet provides a highly compatible and intuitive charting tool to easily create complex visualizations, including High-Low lines to connect your data series.
- 1. Insert Chart: Select your data range, go to the 'Insert' tab, click 'Chart', and choose a standard 'Line' chart.
- 2. Access Chart Elements: Click the 'Chart Elements' shortcut button (the plus icon) that appears next to the top-right corner of the selected chart.
- 3. Enable High-Low Lines: Check the box for 'Lines' and choose 'High-Low Lines' to generate the vertical connectors between your data points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the High-Low Lines option greyed out or missing in Excel?
High-Low lines are exclusively available for standard 2-D line charts. If you have selected a scatter plot, a 3-D line chart, or a stacked line chart, the option will be disabled. To fix this, right-click your chart, select 'Change Chart Type', and choose a basic 2-D line chart.
Can I change the color and thickness of the vertical connecting bars?
Yes. Right-click on any of the High-Low lines in your chart and select 'Format High-Low Lines'. A side panel will appear where you can customize the line color, transparency, width, and dash type to match your presentation style.
What is the difference between High-Low Lines and Up/Down Bars?
High-Low lines are simple, single-color vertical strokes connecting two data points. Up/Down bars create rectangular blocks between the points and can be formatted with two different fill colors based on whether the first series is higher (Up) or lower (Down) than the second series.
