By: Shamima Sultana

In reply to PeterK.

Hello PeterK,

Thank you for the feedback. I completely agree that consistent coloring can improve clarity. To elaborate, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to ensure the same color is applied to similar years across categories in a grouped bar chart in Excel:

Select a Data Series: Click on one of the bars representing a specific year.
Open the Format Pane: Right-click the selected bar and choose “Format Data Series” from the context menu.
Choose Fill Options: In the Format Data Series pane, navigate to the “Fill” section and select “Solid fill.”
Set the Color: Choose the specific color you want to use for that year.
Repeat for All Bars: Apply these steps to every bar representing that year across all categories, ensuring you use the same color each time.
Verify Consistency: Once completed, double-check that all bars corresponding to the same year have identical colors, which will help viewers easily decode the chart.
Using these steps, the color will serve as an effective visual cue, aiding in a quicker and more accurate interpretation of the data.

Regards
ExcelDemy