1.4Formatting & page layout
The essentials in 30 seconds
- A readable report is a composed page, not a collection of visuals: hierarchy, alignment, white space.
- The standard grid: KPI at the top, trends in the center, detail at the bottom — a Z-reading that works everywhere.
- Align/Distribute from the menu, never by eye; rename the automatic titles; 4 to 6 visuals maximum per page.
Running mini-case — Zineb lays out her management page
Zineb has her four visuals but the page is in disarray: verbose titles, badly aligned visuals. She applies the section: she arranges the visuals according to the grid — KPI card at the top, bar chart and line in the center, matrix at the bottom. She selects the center visuals (Ctrl + click), then Format → Align top and Distribute horizontally. With the paintbrush, she renames the titles ("Sales by city" instead of "Sum of Amount by City") and places a page title. Her page reads in a Z: the key figure, the trend, the detail.
Standalone case for this section: it returns in the course, the diagram, the script and the 48h challenge of section 1.4.
1. Formatting and aligning
A readable report is not a collection of visuals: it is a composed page. The design rules (hierarchy, alignment, white space) apply, tooled by the Format pane (the paintbrush: title, colors, background, border) and the alignment commands (Align / Distribute). Zineb never aligns by eye: she goes through the menu.
2. The standard grid
A grid that works everywhere: KPI at the top, trends in the center, detail at the bottom — a Z-reading. You set the page size (16:9 by default, customizable according to the target) and rename the automatic titles: "Sum of Amount by City" is not a title, whereas "Sales by city" is. Zineb reorganizes her page according to this grid.
3. Air and prioritize
Fewer visuals per page = more readability: aim for 4 to 6 visuals maximum, the rest on other pages. The canvas area is the constraint that forces prioritization: what overflows doesn't exist. This layout will host the slicers and navigation of level 3. Zineb tests her rendering in Reading view.
🔎 Concrete example — 🔎 Concrete example — Aligning properly
Zineb composes her page without ever aligning by eye:
Select the center visuals (Ctrl + click)
→ Format → Align top → Distribute horizontally
→ clear titles ("Sales by city"), white background, discreet border
→ page title (text box): "Sales 2026 — Overview".Reading: Align/Distribute calculates the edges and spacings — never the eye.
Lesson: a hierarchical page (KPI, trend, detail) reads in a Z and is understood at a glance.
Section vocabulary
- Format pane (paintbrush)
- The formatting of the selected visual: title, colors, labels, background, border, shadow.
Simple example: Zineb gives a clear title and a white background to each visual there.
What it is not: a modification of the visual's data.
Reflex: dress a visual → Format pane.
- Align / Distribute
- Format → Align: calculated edges and spacings — never alignment by eye.
Simple example: Zineb aligns the center visuals from the menu.
What it is not: a mouse move until it "looks straight".
Reflex: align properly → Align menu.
- Page size
- 16:9 by default; customizable according to the target (screen, mobile/PDF portrait).
Simple example: Zineb keeps 16:9 for a management screen.
What it is not: a page in the default format without thinking about the target.
Reflex: think the target before the size.
- Report theme
- View → Themes: the global palette of colors and fonts.
Simple example: Zineb will use it to harmonize the whole report.
What it is not: a color chosen visual by visual.
Reflex: global consistency → theme.
- Canvas area
- The space of the page: what overflows doesn't exist.
Simple example: Zineb prioritizes: 4 to 6 visuals maximum.
What it is not: an infinite scroll that drowns the information.
Reflex: constraint = forces prioritization.
In practice — In practice — Composing the page properly
- Take back your 4 visuals from 1.3: arrange them according to the grid — KPI card at the top left, bar chart and line in the center, matrix at the bottom, like Zineb.
- Select the center visuals (Ctrl + click) → Format → Align top, then Distribute horizontally.
- With the paintbrush: give each visual a clear title (not "Sum of Amount by City" but "Sales by city") and a white background with a discreet border.
- Add a page title (Insert → Text box): "Sales 2026 — Overview". Test the rendering in Reading view.
Step-by-step script — laying out like Zineb (5 min)
1) Zineb arranges her 4 visuals: KPI card at the top, bar chart and line in the center, matrix at the bottom. 2) She selects the center visuals (Ctrl + click) → Format → Align top, then Distribute horizontally. 3) With the paintbrush, rename each title ("Sales by city") and set a white background with a discreet border. 4) Add a page title via Insert → Text box. 5) Test the rendering in Reading view mode.
Check the page size according to the target: 16:9 for a screen; a dedicated mobile layout will be handled later.
Copy-paste template — my page grid
Grid (Z-reading):
TOP : KPI card (the key figure)
CENTER : bar chart + line (the trends)
BOTTOM : matrix / table (the detail)
Alignment: select → Format → Align top + Distribute
Titles: clear ("Sales by city"), not "Sum of Amount by City"
Density: 4 to 6 visuals maximum; test in Reading view.Z-hierarchy
Zineb places the KPI, the trend then the detail: the eye follows the key figure first.
Clear titles
Zineb replaces "Sum of Amount by City" with "Sales by city".
Alignment from the menu
Zineb aligns and distributes her center visuals without ever aiming by eye.
Aired page
Zineb limits her page to 5 visuals and moves the rest to another page.
✓ Best practices
- Follow the grid: KPI at the top, trends in the center, detail at the bottom.
- Rename the automatic titles.
- Align/Distribute from the menu; 4 to 6 visuals per page.
✗ Common pitfalls
- Aligning the visuals by eye (use Align/Distribute).
- Overloading a page (more visuals = less readability).
- Leaving the automatic titles verbose.
Key takeaways
- KPI at the top, trends in the center, detail at the bottom: the Z-grid.
- Rename the automatic titles ("Sum of Amount…" is not a title).
- Align/Distribute from the menu, never by eye.
- 4 to 6 visuals maximum per page to stay readable.
48h challenge — apply tomorrow
Take back your page like Zineb and format it: arrange KPI, trends and detail according to the grid, align from the menu (Align + Distribute), rename each title, and limit yourself to 5 visuals. Test the rendering in Reading view.
- I compose a page according to the Z-grid.
- I align and distribute my visuals from the menu.
- I rename the titles and I limit the density.
Frequently asked questions
How to copy the formatting from one visual to another?
The "Format painter" paintbrush (Home) works as in Office: select the model visual, click the paintbrush, click the target. For global consistency, we'll go further with themes (level 4.1).
My report will be seen on mobile: how to adapt it?
Each page can have a dedicated mobile layout: View → Mobile layout — you reorganize the existing visuals in a column there. To be done at the end of design (level 5.3).
What standard grid organizes a report page?