How to Add a Legend in Excel (2 Methods)

In the below example, the Legend is marked by the red outlined box. The Blue color represents Sales and the Orange color represents Profit.

how to add a legend in excel in a sales report


Method 1 – Adding Legend with Chart

The sample dataset contains the sales Target of a company’s employees along with their Achieved amount and respective Incentives. A legend needs to be added.

Adding Legend in a Chart

Steps:

  • Select the dataset and then go to the Insert tab from the ribbon.
  • Choose Insert Column or Bar Chart.
  • From the drop-down menu, select Clustered Column.

Adding Legend with Chart

  • Click on any portion of the chart area.
  • Select Chart Elements (the plus symbol).

adding legends in an excel chart

  • Check the Legend box from the Chart Element dialogue box.
  • A Legend will be added to your chart.

  • To reposition the Legend go to Chart Elements.
  • Beside the Legend option, a big arrow sign will appear.
  • Click the arrow and choose your preferred position for the Legend.

Adding Legend in a Chart

The Legend has been added to the chart.

Read More: How to Show Legend with Only Values in Excel Chart


Method 2 – Creating Legend Without an Excel Chart

The sample dataset contains a Sales report and an Inventory report of an electronic store.

Creating Legend Without an Excel Chart

After following the 3 easy steps to create a legend without an Excel chart, you’ll be able to get the following output.

Creating Legend Without an Excel Chart

Read More: How to Reorder Legend Without Changing Chart in Excel


How to Edit a Legend in Excel

In the following dataset, we have sales reports of various flowers from the month of January to June.

How to Edit a Legend in Excel

Edit Font and Font Size

  • Click on the Legend of the chart.
  • Choose your preferred fonts and font size from the Font group under the Home tab.

Editing legend of a chart

  • The font and the font size of the Legend have changed.

Customize Legend Border and Background

  • Right-click on the Legend from the chart and select Format Legend.

How to Edit a Legend in Excel

  • From the Format Legend dialogue box, choose Solid fill from the Fill option.
  • Select your preferred background color.
  • Select Solid line from the Border option.

Editing a legend in an Excel chart

  • The Legend has been formatted with your preferred background color and border.

how to add a legend in excel How to Edit a Legend in Excel

Read More: How to Change Legend Colors in Excel


Things to Remember

  • In step 2 of method 1, if you can’t find the Chart Elements option, carefully click on any part of the chart area.
  • To edit the font and font size of Legend, make sure you select the Legend first. Otherwise, it will increase the font size of the Excel file.

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Zahid Hasan
Zahid Hasan

Zahid Hassan, BSc, Industrial and Production Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, has worked with Exceldmy for 1.5 years. He has written 95+ articles for Exceldemy. He has worked as an Excel & VBA Content Developer. He also worked as a VBA Developer for the Template team. Currently, he is working as a Junior Software Developer for the Excel Add-in project. He is interested in Software Development, Python, VBA, VB.NET, and Data Science, expanding his expertise in... Read Full Bio

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