How to change Gradient colors in U.S. State Heat Map Excel Template?

In this article, we will learn how to change the gradient colors used in the U.S. Geographic State Heat Map Excel Template. Using the template, you can create a geographic heat map at the state level for 50 states of U.S using your own data.

Please visit the product page to understand the features of the U.S. Geographic State Heat Map Excel Template.

HOW TO CHANGE GRADIENT COLORS

The template comes with the default red to green gradient colors. If you like the gradient style of colors, but would like to change the actual gradient colours used, please follow the steps outlined below.

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1. Open the Conditional formatting menu in Home ribbon and choose ‘Manage Rules’.

U.S. State Heat Map - Conditional Formatting Menu — U.S. State Heat Map – Conditional Formatting Menu

2. Choose the sheet: Map

U.S. State Heat Map - Conditional Formatting Choose Sheet Map — U.S. State Heat Map – Conditional Formatting Choose Sheet Map

3. Select the Gradient Color Scale rule and then click Edit Rule.

U.S. State Heat Map - Conditional Formatting Choose Graded Color Scale Rule — U.S. State Heat Map – Conditional Formatting Choose Graded Color Scale Rule

4. Change the colors (for minimum, midpoint and maximum) as needed.

U.S. State Heat Map - Conditional Formatting - Change Colors — U.S. State Heat Map – Conditional Formatting – Change Colors

If you are familiar with Excel, you can use other conditional formatting rules and settings too. For example, you can also choose the format style be 2-Color Scale instead of the 3-Color Scale.

U.S. State Heat Map - 2 Color Scale — U.S. State Heat Map – 2 Color Scale

That will change the map visualization to appear like this.

Whenever you change colors, please update the NOTE so that the footnote that appears on the map aligns with the color rule applied.

U.S. State Heat Map - Note — U.S. State Heat Map – Note

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.