Excel includes a selection of shapes and lines you can easily insert to define areas of your page and enhance the design. The Insert tab of the ribbon makes using drawing objects a breeze. These articles explain what you can insert from the shapes palette and the ways you can edit a shape once it is in place.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Drawing Objects' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Adding a Very Heavy Cell Border
Excel allows you to add borders to a cell or range of cells. If the available borders aren't exactly as you desire, you may want to consider using a rectangular shape to simulate the border you want.

   Adding Text to a Drawing Shape
You can add text to all sorts of drawing shapes, not just text boxes. Here's how easy it is.

   Changing the Color Inside a Shape
Adding a shape to your workbook is easy. If you want to fill the shape with a color, you'll want to follow the information provided in this tip.

   Changing the Size of a Drawing Object
Add a drawing object to your worksheet, and at some point, you may want to change that object's size. You can easily change sizes by using the technique described in this tip.

   Creating a Drawing Object
Creating simple drawing objects is easy in Excel. All you need to do is use the large number of drawing tools available on the Insert tab of the ribbon.

   Creating a Shape
Ever wanted to create a simple drawing in your worksheet? Excel has made this simple. This tip explains how Excel uses Shapes.

   Drawing Lines
Excel doesn't limit you to only numbers and text in your worksheets. You can also add different types of shapes. Here's how to add a line anywhere you want.

   Filling a Drawing Object
Want to add some spice to the graphics in your worksheets? There are many colors and effects in Excel that allow you take a run-of-the-mill drawing object and add a little extra punch to your project.

   Flipping a Drawing Object
Don't like the way a drawing object looks? Perhaps flipping the object could help appearances. Excel allows you to flip drawing objects either horizontally or vertically.

   Moving Drawing Objects
Add a drawing object to a worksheet and chances are good you'll need to move it in some way. Here's how to use the mouse to move the drawing object to just the position you need.

   Pictures inside Shapes
Filling one of Excel's drawing shapes with a picture of your choosing is a neat trick. Here's how to do it.

   Quickly Duplicating Drawing Objects
Excel provides a couple of different ways that you can quickly duplicate drawing objects in a worksheet. Committing these shortcuts to memory will help make your work with drawing objects easier than ever.

   Selecting Drawing Objects
Excel allows you to create all sorts of drawings using a wide assortment of tools. When you need to take an action upon those drawing objects, you need to know how to select them. Here's how.

   Sending Drawing Objects to the Back or Front
Not only can you place drawing objects in your worksheets, but you can organize those objects so some are in front and some behind. Here's how to do it.

   Specifying an Order for Drawing Objects
Drawing objects can be layered over each other in almost any manner you desire. If you want to change the order in which those drawing objects are layered, you'll want to use the techniques in this tip.

   Understanding Fill Effects
Want to fill a drawing object with different types of effects? Excel provides several effects that can make your drawing objects "pop."