Ways to Make Spreadsheets High-Impact & Appealing

Font Formatting

• Change the appearance of the fonts where appropriate. Changing the formatting of the fonts in the spreadsheet is a fast and easy way to make a spreadsheet more visually appealing. For example, making the header row bold creates an immediate visual impact and enhances reader understanding of the data.
  
  Numerous other formatting options, such as changing size, colors and style, can make a visual impact in the spreadsheet.
  
  

Font Alignment

• Change the font alignment of targeted cells. Most spreadsheet programs give users the ability to angle text by varying degrees. For example, select the header row and direct the header text to a 45-degree angle. This adds to the design of the spreadsheet and makes the headers take up less room.
  
  

Background Colors

• Change cell colors. Spreadsheet software allows users to change the background color of cells. This feature draws attention to specific cells or regions of cells. For example, changing the color of a grand-total row would draw attention to these figures.
  
  

Predefined Styles

• Use one of the predesigned styles available in the software. For example, Microsoft Office Excel 2007 allows users to choose from a palette of prefabricated designs and add it to either the entire spreadsheet or a selected region of the sheet. This feature saves users time and energy, particularly if they do not have the gift of visually designing interesting formatting.
  
  

Graphics

• Insert appropriate graphics into the worksheet. Graphics make spreadsheets high impact and appealing. This may consist of something as simple as adding a company logo alongside the title in the header area. Many spreadsheet programs allow users to use a graphic as a watermark or background of a spreadsheet to add visual impact to the spreadsheet.
  
  

Charts

• Use a chart in the spreadsheet. Charts take the data, or a section of data, and produce a visual representation for readers. Charts can go directly into a worksheet or into a separate worksheet. Most spreadsheet programs allow users to create a wide variety of charts, including pie, bar, area, line and column. High-impact features such as legends and labels added into the chart create additional clarity.