Excel - Drawing Column Chart with Positive and Negative Values

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Ngày cập nhật gần nhất: 15/11/2025

When working on documents related to economics, geography, physics, etc., with a lot of data, you may want to insert a chart into the document to present specific data for everyone to see. Sometimes, the data table contains negative values, making it complex to present charts with negative values.

In the previous article, Mytour guided you on how to draw column charts in Excel. In this article, we will guide you on how to draw charts with positive and negative values in Excel.

Guide to Drawing Charts with Positive and Negative Values in Excel

Drawing Positive and Negative Value Maps in Excel

Step 1: Open the data table containing the values needed to create the chart, for example, we have the data table needed to create as below

Step 2: Select all the data, choose Insert --> Column --> select the chart type

The result will be as shown below

Step 3: Proceed to edit the chart

Step 3.1: Adjust the positions of the months.

Click on the positions of the months, right-click, and choose Format Axis...

A dialog box appears: in the Axis Options tab, select Axis Labels and choose Low, then select Close.

Result:

Step 3.2: Adjusting colors for positive and negative value columns

Select the column and then right-click, choose Format Data Series...

A dialog box appears: in the Fill tab, choose Solid fill, select a color for the positive column in the Color section.

Choose color for negative column: Check Invert if negative

Result:

Step 3.3: Modify the title

Double-click on the title to change its name: the result will be as shown below

Step 3.4: Adjust the legend for positive and negative columns

You add two columns to the table, one for Positive and one for Negative values with 0 as their values, then select the chart, right-click and choose Select Data.

Drag the mouse to select the data table, then the Chart data range will also change accordingly, click OK.

The result will be as shown below

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the steps to draw charts with both positive and negative values in Excel?

To draw charts with positive and negative values in Excel, first, open your data table and select the relevant data. Then, go to Insert, choose Column, and select your desired chart type. Edit the chart by adjusting axis positions, colors for positive and negative columns, and modifying the title and legend.

How can I adjust the colors of positive and negative value columns in an Excel chart?

You can adjust the colors of positive and negative value columns by right-clicking on the selected column in your chart. Choose 'Format Data Series,' then in the Fill tab, select 'Solid fill' for positive values and check 'Invert if negative' for negative values.

Is it possible to present negative values in an Excel chart effectively?

Yes, it is possible to present negative values in an Excel chart effectively. By customizing the colors for positive and negative values, and adjusting axis labels, you can clearly distinguish between the two and make your data more understandable.

What should I do to modify the title and legend of an Excel chart?

To modify the title of an Excel chart, double-click on the existing title to edit it. For the legend, add two columns for positive and negative values to your data table, then right-click the chart, choose 'Select Data,' and adjust the chart data range accordingly.

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