How to Add Dots to a Line Graph in Excel

A simple line graph in Excel is great for spotting trends, but the line itself can sometimes obscure the individual data points that make up that trend. Adding dots, or markers, to your line graph makes it instantly easier to read by pinpointing the exact value for each period. This article will show you several ways to add and customize these dots, from a quick two-click method to a more advanced technique that changes their color based on your data.

Quick Method: Adding Dots to an Existing Line Graph

If you already have a line graph and just want to add dots to it, this is the quickest way to do it. The dots are referred to as "Markers" in Excel's formatting options.

Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Select the Data Series: First, click on the line in your chart. This selects the entire data series, and you'll see small circles appear at each data point along the line.

2. Open the Format Pane: With the line selected, right-click on it and choose "Format Data Series" from the dropdown menu. This will open a formatting pane on the right side of your Excel window.

3. Navigate to Marker Options: In the "Format Data Series" pane, click on the "Fill & Line" icon, which looks like a paint bucket. Then, click on the word "Marker" to expand its options.

4. Enable and Customize the Markers:

   • Under "Marker Options," select the "Built-in" radio button.

   • Use the "Type" dropdown to choose a shape. The default circle is the most common "dot," but you can select squares, diamonds, triangles, or other shapes.

   • Adjust the "Size" to make the dots larger or smaller. A size between 5 and 7 is usually a good starting point.

That's it! As you make these changes, you'll see your graph update in real-time. You can also customize the fill and border color of your dots in this same menu to match your branding or make them stand out even more.

Creating a New Line Graph with Dots from the Start

If you're starting from scratch, you can save a few clicks by choosing the correct chart type upfront. Excel has a built-in chart style that includes both the line and the markers, so you don't have to add them later.

Let's say you have some simple data, like monthly website traffic:

Here’s how to create a line chart with dots directly from this data:

1. Select your entire data range (including the headers, from A1 to B6 in this example).

2. Go to the Insert tab on the Excel ribbon.

3. In the Charts group, click the "Insert Line or Area Chart" icon. It looks like a small line graph.

4. A dropdown menu will appear with several chart options. Hover over the options under the "2-D Line" heading. You will see one called "Line with Markers." Click it.

Excel will instantly create the chart with both the line and the dots already included. From here, you can use the method in the first section to further customize the size, shape, and color of those dots if the default style isn't quite right.

Customizing Individual Dots to Highlight Key Data Points

Sometimes, you don't want every dot to look the same. You might want to draw attention to a specific milestone, such as a record sales month or the launch of a marketing campaign. You can do this by formatting a single marker differently from the rest.

1. First, click once on the line to select the entire data series. All the markers will be highlighted.

2. Now, click again on the specific dot you want to change. This time, only that single marker will remain selected.

3. With only one marker selected, right-click it and choose "Format Data Point."

4. The "Format Data Point" pane opens on the right (it looks identical to the "Format Data Series" pane).

5. Go to the "Fill & Line" tab and open the "Marker" section.

6. From here, you can change the color, size, or even the shape of just that one dot. For example, you could make your all-time high sales point a larger, bright green circle while the rest remain smaller blue ones.

This is an incredibly effective visual trick to guide your audience's attention exactly where you want it when telling a story with your data.

Advanced Method: Making Dots Change Color Based on Rules

Want to take your charts to the next level? You can use a clever trick to apply conditional formatting to your markers, making them change color automatically based on a rule (e.g., green if above a target, red if below). While Excel doesn’t have a direct "Conditional Formatting for Charts" feature, we can achieve this with helper columns.

Let's use our website traffic example again, but this time we have a monthly traffic goal of 1600 sessions.

1. Create Helper Columns

Next to your original data, create two new columns: one for data points meeting the goal and one for those falling short. Let's call them "Above Goal" and "Below Goal."

In the "Above Goal" column (cell C2), enter this formula:

And in the "Below Goal" column (cell D2), enter this formula:

Here’s what these formulas do: The first formula checks if the session count in B2 is greater than or equal to 1600. If it is, the formula returns the session value. If not, it returns #N/A. The second formula does the opposite. Drag these formulas down for all your data.

The NA() function is essential here. It tells Excel to effectively ignore that cell when plotting the chart, so you won't get ugly zero-value dots at the bottom of your graph.

Your data table will now look like this:

2. Add the New Data to Your Chart

Now, we need to add these two new columns as separate series on our chart.

• Right-click your chart and choose "Select Data."

• In the "Select Data Source" window, click the "Add" button under "Legend Entries (Series)."

• For the first new series, select the name "Above Goal" for the Series name and the data in your "Above Goal" column for the Series values. Click OK.

• Click "Add" again and repeat the process for your "Below Goal" data.

3. Format the New Series

Your chart will now look crowded with three different lines. We need to clean this up.

1. First, click on the original "Website Sessions" line. Go to the "Format Data Series" pane, open the "Marker" section, and in "Marker Options" select "None." This will hide its original dots.

2. Now, click on the "Above Goal" series in your chart. In the Format pane, set the Line to "No line." Then, under Marker, choose a built-in circle and set its Fill color to green.

3. Finally, click on the "Below Goal" series. Once again, set the Line to "No line." Under Marker, choose a built-in circle and set its color to red.

You'll now have a single, clean line graph where the dots are automatically colored based on your rule. If you change any of the underlying data, the dot colors will update instantly.

Best Practices for Using Markers

Markers are a powerful tool, but like any visual design element, they can be overused. Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:

• Don't Overcrowd the Chart: If your line graph has hundreds of data points (like daily data for an entire year), adding markers to every single point will create a visually cluttered mess. In these cases, it's better to show only the line or use markers sparingly on a second, highlighted data series. Markers are most effective when you have a manageable number of data points, like weekly or monthly data.

• Keep Sizing Consistent: Unless you are intentionally highlighting a single data point, keep your markers a consistent and reasonable size. Markers that are too large can overlap and obscure the chart's trend line.

• Ensure Good Contrast: Make sure the color of your markers has enough contrast against the chart's background and the line itself. A dark blue dot on a dark gray line can be hard to see.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're quickly adding them to an existing chart or setting up a sophisticated conditional rule, adding dots is an excellent way to add precision and clarity to your Excel line graphs. This simple formatting tweak helps individual data points stand out, allowing your audience to both see the overall trend and process the specific values that drive it.

While mastering Excel charts is a valuable skill, it often involves a lot of manual reformatting and updating, especially when dealing with data from multiple sources like Google Analytics, Shopify, or Salesforce ads. We built Graphed to automate tedious reporting tasks like these. Instead of navigating menus and formulas, you simply connect your data and describe the dashboard you want in plain English. You can even ask for follow-up answers, getting live, interactive visualizations that save you hours of manual reporting work every week.