Thread: help: graph from merged cell values and fill question

Hello:

I'm trying to put together a new schedule proposal to my managers, and am not an Excel expert. I have been trying for about 2 hours to do a couple of things with no success. Two questions:

1) I have created a row of merged cells showing number of workers present in each hour of the day. The value in the merged pair of cells is the sum of the time in the two thinner columns above the merged cell. When I try to use this value in a graph, the graph takes two numbers from the merged cell. One is the sum formula result displayed in the merged cell, and the other value displayed in the graph is a zero- apparently the graph is treating the merged cell as two separate cells: the first cell containing the displayed value, and the other cell containing a ghost 0. The graphs look like a big saw tooth, dipping to zero between each value. How can I get the graph to look only at the intended displayed value in the merged cell? I have attached an example of this problem.

2) I want to put a light blue fill in the cells that represent the night time portion of the chart (24/7 full coverage schedule). The fill lays in front of the existing graphics, is opaque, and blocks vue of existing elements. I have not been able to "send to back". How can I do this?

Much thanks, Kip.................