Creating Chart with More Series than Categories (Fast Method)

ID: Q73553

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
Microsoft Excel for OS/2, versions 2.2, 2.21, and 3.0

SUMMARY

The way that Microsoft Excel plots data in a chart is determined by the shape and content of the worksheet selection. Microsoft Excel always assumes that you want fewer data series than categories (except with scatter charts). You can override this default in Microsoft Excel version 5.0 by using the ChartWizard to create the chart. In Microsoft Excel versions 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0, you can override this default by selecting the worksheet data as a multiple selection.

More Information

To create a chart that has more data series than categories, consider the following example:

Example

Enter the following data on a worksheet:


      A1:             B1: Col1        C1: Col2
      A2: Row1        B2:  10         C2: 12
      A3: Row2        B3:  13         C3: 15
      A4: Row3        B4:  11         C4: 13

Select cells A1:C4 and press F11 to create a new chart. Because there are more rows in the worksheet data than columns, "Row1"-"Row3" are placed as the labels on the X-axis (category axis). Close the chart.

Microsoft Excel version 5.0

Select cells A1:C4. From the Insert menu, choose Chart, and then choose As New Sheet.

In the ChartWizard - Step 1 of 5 dialog box, choose Next. Choose Next two more times.

In the ChartWizard - Step 4 of 5 dialog box, under Data Series In, select the Rows option. In the Use First Row(s) For Category (X) Axis Labels box, type "1" (without the quotation marks). Choose Finish.

Microsoft Excel versions 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0

Select the data on the worksheet again, this time as a multiple selection. First, select cells B1:C1 (the desired category names). Hold down the CTRL key and select cells A2:C4. To make this selection using the keyboard, select cells B1:C1, press SHIFT+F8 and then select cells A2:C4.

Press F11 to create a new chart.

Note that this time "Col1" and "Col2" are placed as labels on the X-axis.

To accomplish this method with other data, select the desired category names first, and then select the remaining data as a second or multiple selection before creating the chart.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide." Version 3.0, pages 406-407.

Additional query words: 2.00 2.0 2.01 2.1 2.10 2.2 2.21 2.20 3.0


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Last Reviewed: March 22, 1999