How to Make a Slope Graph in Excel  

When it comes to data visualization, it’s easy to default to line graphs, bar charts, and pie charts—basically, whatever Excel generates with a quick click of “Add Chart.” While those are great starting points, sometimes a different type of chart tells your data’s story more effectively. 

Enter the “Slope Graph.” 

A slope graph shows how values change across multiple categories between two points in time. It uses parallel vertical axes with lines connecting data points, making it easier to spot increases, decreases, or stability. It’s one of those visuals that’s clearer to see than to explain. 

Let’s compare: 

Figure 1: Customer Survey Data Bar Graph  

Looking at the bar graph, can you quickly tell which items improved or declined and by how much? It’s likely your eyes bounce around the graph, trying to understand the information being shown.  

Now check out a slope graph of the same data: 

Figure 2: Customer Survey Data Slope Graph  

With this visualization, how quickly can you identify which items improved significantly or slightly? For me, the slope graph tells the story more clearly, in less time, and with less mental effort. 

Ready to try it? Here’s how to create a slope graph: 

If you’re just starting, using a template can help. Here’s my example:  

But if you’d rather build one from scratch, it’s as simple as making a line graph. Here’s how: 

1. Put your data into a table; most spreadsheet programs work best if you use two rows with multiple columns, but you can always switch these when selecting graph data 
2. Select the data and insert a line graph (if the lines have more than two, switch your x- and y-axis in the select data dialogue box) 
3. Delete the horizontal gridlines, horizontal axis values, and legend 
4. Add drop lines  
   1. In Excel, this is done under the Chart Design Tab > Add Chart Element > Lines) 
5. Add data labels  
   1. In Excel, this is again under the Chart Design tab > Add Chart Element > Data Labels) 
6. Add the category name to your data labels 
   1. In Excel, you click on the labels, go to Label Options, and check the box next to Category Name 

This will create a basic slope graph! It’s all formatting from here. I suggest: 

• Moving overlapping data labels 

• Deleting category names from the right side, keeping just the values 

• Using colors to highlight key data (e.g., gray for contextual items, red for decreases, blue for increases) 

• Matching fonts and colors to your company’s branding 

• Adjusting the horizontal axis scale if data points are too clustered 

It’s as easy as that!  

But before you go off making every dataset into a slope graph, remember two things: (1) slope graphs work best with small data sets, and (2) they only work to compare two data points across multiple categories. They are not always the right choice for telling your story, but they can be a powerful tool in the right circumstances.  

Here are some specific examples where slope graphs shine: 

• Highlighting trends in survey results across periods  

• Comparing pre- and post-implementation metrics  

• Tracking changes after a policy or process shift 

• Showing pricing trends across product lines  

• Comparing departmental budget allocations at the start and end of a fiscal year 

• Analyzing market share changes between competitors 

So, the next time you’re looking to highlight changes, consider reaching for a slope graph—it might just be the clearest way to tell your story.