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Sample timelines
This timeline uses angled text within cells, borders around the cells, and cell
fill colors.
You can add cell colors and angled text to your timeline.
This timeline uses callout shapes, cell fill colors, and clip art. To add a callout,
on the Insert tab in the Illustrations group, click Shapes
and then select a callout or any of the other shapes. Then, type a caption.
Try using callout shapes and clip art to enhance your timeline.
Two variations on these timelines:
This timeline was created with SmartArt. You can choose a pre-built SmartArt timeline
framework that includes all of the graphical elements and then add your text. You
can further customize the look of a timeline by applying a SmartArt style.
You can build a timeline with SmartArt.
How to create a timeline
The first set of steps shows you how to create a basic timeline with text, lines,
pictures, shapes, and formatting. The second set describes how to use SmartArt to
create a timeline. After you understand the basics, you can enhance the look of
your timeline by exploring other formatting and graphical tools and features, such
as background colors, cell styles, borders, and picture effects.
Create a basic timeline
- Plan your timeline:Do your research, and then sketch out a timeline on paper.
- Start Excel with a new, blank worksheet.
- Add a title across the top of the worksheet, and format the text.
- dates or times in a row, several rows below the title. Format the dates now,
or wait until you have entered all of the data.
- Type short descriptions in the row above or below the date or time.
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Orient the description at an angle to conserve horizontal space. Select the
text. Then, on the Home tab, in the Alignment group, click the Orientation button
and select an angle. For more choices, click Format Cell Alignment to open the Format
Cells dialog box. In the Orientation box, drag the line next to Text
up or down, or enter a number in the Degrees box to set the angle manually.
Tip:
 To save time, you can format groups
of cells instead of each individual cell. For example, if you select all of the
description cells and then choose an orientation angle, the formatting will be applied
to all selected cells at the same time. You can also save time by using the Format
Painter. Format one cell the way you want it. Then, select the cell and, on the
Home page in the Clipboard group, click the Format Painter button.
To apply that same formatting to one or more additional cells, click and drag across
the cells.
- Add a Picture, Shape, or Clip Art. On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations
group, click Pictures, and select a file on your computer. Or click Clip Art,
and then, in the Clip Art task pane, select Clip Art from the gallery
installed on your computer or the from the Microsoft Office Online Web site. Or click Shapes,
and select a shape. Then, drag the image or shape to position and resize it. Select
the shape and start typing to add text to it.
- Apply additional formatting ,such as font type and size, color, and styles,
to the elements in your timeline. For more options, on the Home tab in the
Cells group, click Format, and then click Format Cells. Here
you can access cell formatting details. On the Border tab, you can add or
remove borders, add border colors, and choose a line style.
- Adjust the width of columns and height of rows.Use the Format Cells
dialog box to enter sizes manually, or drag the border between column or row headings.
Select multiple rows or columns to change the sizes of all those selected at the
same time.
- Add color to cells. Select the cells you want to color. Then, on the Home
tab in the Font group, click the Fill Color button, and select a color.
- On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click SmartArt.
- In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, in the left navigation pane,
click Process.
- In the center pane, select a timeline thumbnail. The right pane displays the details
of the selected thumbnail.
- Click OK.
- Position and resize the graphic by dragging the border, or resize areas (the dotted
areas on the border).
- To add text, click a text placeholder and start typing, or click the arrows on the
left border and type text into the text entry box.
- To add formatting and styles, select the SmartArt graphic and then select options
on the SmartArt Tools Design and Format tabs.
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