The same question exists on the microsoft website but the answers given there are inadequate.
The two options offered are to place connectors end-to-end or use a scribble line. In the first case they're not connected, so when you move shapes they don't adjust their path. In the second, you cannot connect the line to shapes.
51 Answer
As noted, the answers given on the Microsoft website are ad-hoc workarounds.
My answer here is another ad-hoc workaround but I think it offers some benefits over the accepted answer on MS.
The basic approach for creating elbow connectors between shapes such that the connecting line goes through multiple curves, is as follows:
Step 1: Add the "Select Objects" button to your Quick Access menu
- Click on the File menu, then Options
- Click on "Quick Access Toolbar"
- Under "Choose commands from", click the dropdown and choose "All Commands"
- The list is alphabetical. Scroll down and click on "Select Objects"
- Click the "Add" button
The 'Select Objects' toolbar button should now appear in your quick access toolbar (at the top left of Excel, above your menus).
Step 2: Build your connector as follows
The basic technique here is that we will use very small circle objects as intermediary points along the connector. We will use multiple connector objects to "join the dots", so to speak.
- Add a connector to the worksheet - it can be any style. (It can be a straight line, or an elbow connector, for example)
- Now add a circle object to your sheet, holding the shift key if you re-size it, so that it stays circular, and does not become oval.
- You want the circle's style to match the connector's - so click on the connector, then on the Home ribbon, click on 'Format Painter'. Now click on your circle. The circle should now have a line width and colour that matches your connector
- Click on the circle. Drag one of the corners to resize the circle while holding the shift key - make the circle as small as you can in this way.
At this point the circle should still be visible to you. We will fix that later. The key point now is that you can copy-paste this circle to reproduce it (ie at small size, matching the style of your connector).
- Go ahead and copy-paste the circle a few times, placing it at various points on your worksheet.
- Copy-paste your connector, or add new connectors of a different style
- Play around with connecting up between your shapes and between the new circles.
- Note that it is easier to select your circle if you click on the 'Select Objects' button in your Quick Access menu, then click and drag a square/box around your circle. This tool only selects objects wholly within the selection area, so if your box overlaps other objects - like your connection lines, they won't be selected as they won't be wholly contained in your selection. Note also that once you have selected your circle, it is incredibly small and so it is difficult to click on it to drag it - but notice that above your circle is an icon of a four-way arrow. Click and drag on that icon and it will drag your circle.
- Note that if you connect to the top, bottom or side of the circle, this will change the shape of your elbow connector.
Once you have your connection looking the way you like, the final step is to really shrink down those circles so they're barely even visible. To do this:
- Click on one or more circles at a time
- Right-click and choose "Format Shape"
- Under the sizing options, set the height and width to 0.01cm
The circles will be barely visible but your connecting lines will still look smooth as they connect to them.
If you later change your drawing and need to re-do the path of the connecting lines, you can still use the 'Select Objects' tool to select the circles, even at this miniscule size.
The result is a pseudo connecting point that you can click and drag, having your connecting lines respond to your changes. Remember to use the Select Objects tool and remember you can still click on a connector, then grab its end to undock it from a circle, then re-connect to a different point on the circle to change the line's shape.
