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A vertical chevron list graphically illustrates a progression of sequential steps in a task, workflow, or process to emphasize movement or direction, or a list that contains a main point with multiple sub-points. By using a SmartArt graphic, you can create a vertical chevron list and include it in your worksheet, e-mail message, presentation, or document.

Vertical Chevron List

  1. Click the Insert tab, and then click SmartArt.

    Click the Insert tab, can then click SmartArt

  2. In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic gallery, click List, and then double-click Vertical Chevron List.

  3. To enter your text, do one of the following:

    • Click [Text] in the Text pane, and then type your text.

    • Copy text from another location or program, click [Text] in the Text pane, and then paste your text.

      Note: If the Text pane is not visible, click the control.

      text pane control

    • Click in a box in the SmartArt graphic, and then type your text.

      Note: For best results, use this option after you add all of the boxes that you want.

Add a chevron

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic that you want to add a chevron shape to.

  2. Click the existing chevron shape that is located closest to where you want to add the new chevron shape.

  3. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Design tab, in the Create Graphic group, click the arrow under Add Shape.

    Cliick Add Shape

    If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To insert a chevron shape one level below, click Add Shape After.

    • To insert a chevron shape one level above, click Add Shape Before.

Delete a chevron

To delete a chevron, click the border of the chevron that you want to delete, and then press DELETE.

Notes: 

  • When you need to add a chevron to your chevron list, experiment with adding the chevron before or after the selected chevron to get the placement you want for the new chevron.

  • To add a chevron from the Text pane:

    1. Place your cursor at the beginning of the text where you want to add a chevron shape.

    2. Type the text that you want in your new chevron shape, press ENTER, and then to indent the new chevron shape, press TAB, or to negative indent, press SHIFT+TAB.

  • To move a chevron shape, click the shape and then drag it to its new location.

  • To move a chevron shape in very small increments, hold down CTRL while you press the arrow keys on your keyboard.

To quickly add a designer-quality look and polish to your SmartArt graphic, you can change the colors or apply a SmartArt Style to your vertical chevron list. You can also add effects, such as glows, soft edges, or 3-D effects. In PowerPoint presentations, you can animate your vertical chevron list.

You can apply color combinations that are derived from the theme colors to the boxes in your SmartArt graphic.

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic whose color you want to change.

  2. Click the Design tab under SmartArt Tools, and then click Change Colors.

    Click Change Colors

    If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

  3. Click the color combination that you want.

Tip: When you place your pointer over a thumbnail, you can see how the colors affect your SmartArt graphic.

Change the line color or style of a chevron's border

  1. In the SmartArt graphic, right-click the border of the chevron you want to change, and then click Format Shape.

  2. To change the color, weight, and appearance of the chevron's border, click Outline, and then click the options you want.

  3. To change the style of the chevron's border, click Style, and then choose the line style you want.

Change the background color of a chevron shape

  1. Right-click the border of a chevron, click Format Shape, and then click Fill.

  2. Click the color you want.

  3. Choose Gradient to specify how much you can see through the background color. You can also vary the percentage of transparency from 0% (fully opaque, the default setting) to 100% (fully transparent) from the Fill pane.

A SmartArt Style is a combination of various effects, such as line style, bevel, or 3-D, that you can apply to the chevron shapes in your SmartArt graphic to create a unique and professionally designed look.

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic whose SmartArt Style you want to change.

  2. Click the Design tab under SmartArt Tools, and then click the SmartArt Style you want.

    Click the SmartArt style

    Click the arrow next to the SmartArt Styles group for styles that best match the document and other style options.

    If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

Notes: 

  • When you place your pointer over a thumbnail, you can see how the SmartArt Style affects your SmartArt graphic.

  • You can also customize your SmartArt graphic by moving chevron shapes, resizing boxes, adding a fill or effect, and adding a picture.

If you're using PowerPoint, you can animate your vertical chevron list to emphasize each chevron shape.

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic you want to animate.

  2. On the Animations tab, click Animate, and then click By branch one by one.

Note: If you copy a vertical chevron list that has an animation applied to it to another slide, the animation is also copied.

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