Chapter 23: Visualizing with Custom Number Formats and Shapes
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In terms of Excel presentations, Unicode characters (or symbols) can be used in places
where conditional formatting cannot. For instance, in the chart labels that you see in
Figure 23.5, the x-axis shows some trending arrows that allow for an extra layer of analysis.
This couldn’t be done with conditional formatting.
FIGURE 23.5
Use symbols to add an extra layer of analysis to charts.
Let’s take some time to review the steps that led to the chart in Figure 23.5.
Start with the data shown in Figure 23.6. Note that you have a designated cell to hold any
symbols that you’re going to use (C1 in this case). This cell isn’t really all that important.
It’s just a holding cell for the symbols that you’ll insert.
FIGURE 23.6
Our starting data with a holding cell for our symbols