Thread: How do I center category labels in Excel?

I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
to center the times themselves.

Sarah -

If Excel has applied a time scaling to the axis, it will often not seem
centered. Go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab,
check Category under Category Axis.

If that's not it, perhaps you need to double click the axis, and change
the Value Axis Crosses Between Categories setting on the Scale tab (just
guessing what else the problem might be).

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

Sarah wrote:

> I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
> clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
> to center the times themselves.

Jon,

Unfortunately neither suggestion helped....

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

> Sarah -
>
> If Excel has applied a time scaling to the axis, it will often not seem
> centered. Go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab,
> check Category under Category Axis.
>
> If that's not it, perhaps you need to double click the axis, and change
> the Value Axis Crosses Between Categories setting on the Scale tab (just
> guessing what else the problem might be).
>
> - Jon
> -------
> Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
> Peltier Technical Services
> Tutorials and Custom Solutions
> http://PeltierTech.com/
> _______
>
> Sarah wrote:
>
> > I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
> > clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
> > to center the times themselves.
>

Sarah -

What is the data, how do the labels look, how do you want them to look,
and what version of Excel are you using?

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______


Sarah wrote:

> Jon,
>
> Unfortunately neither suggestion helped....
>
> "Jon Peltier" wrote:
>
>
>>Sarah -
>>
>>If Excel has applied a time scaling to the axis, it will often not seem
>>centered. Go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab,
>>check Category under Category Axis.
>>
>>If that's not it, perhaps you need to double click the axis, and change
>>the Value Axis Crosses Between Categories setting on the Scale tab (just
>>guessing what else the problem might be).
>>
>>- Jon
>>-------
>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>>Peltier Technical Services
>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>>http://PeltierTech.com/
>>_______
>>
>>Sarah wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
>>>clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
>>>to center the times themselves.
>>

John,

The data is wage data by industry sector and the labels are the different
industry sectors. The labels are fairly long, ie transportation equipment
manufacturing, and so they run onto two or three lines. The first line looks
centered, but each line beneath it is farther and farther to the left. I
want them to be perfectly centered under the first line. I am using the 2003
version of Excel.

Sarah

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

> Sarah -
>
> What is the data, how do the labels look, how do you want them to look,
> and what version of Excel are you using?
>
> - Jon
> -------
> Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
> Peltier Technical Services
> Tutorials and Custom Solutions
> http://PeltierTech.com/
> _______
>
>
> Sarah wrote:
>
> > Jon,
> >
> > Unfortunately neither suggestion helped....
> >
> > "Jon Peltier" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Sarah -
> >>
> >>If Excel has applied a time scaling to the axis, it will often not seem
> >>centered. Go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab,
> >>check Category under Category Axis.
> >>
> >>If that's not it, perhaps you need to double click the axis, and change
> >>the Value Axis Crosses Between Categories setting on the Scale tab (just
> >>guessing what else the problem might be).
> >>
> >>- Jon
> >>-------
> >>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
> >>Peltier Technical Services
> >>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
> >>http://PeltierTech.com/
> >>_______
> >>
> >>Sarah wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
> >>>clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
> >>>to center the times themselves.
> >>
>

Are the labels entered in the cells as words with single spaces between
them, no spaces before and after the words on the ends, no carriage
returns or other non-printing characters?

I could reproduce your description by inserting spaces in between and
after the words.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______


Sarah wrote:

> John,
>
> The data is wage data by industry sector and the labels are the different
> industry sectors. The labels are fairly long, ie transportation equipment
> manufacturing, and so they run onto two or three lines. The first line looks
> centered, but each line beneath it is farther and farther to the left. I
> want them to be perfectly centered under the first line. I am using the 2003
> version of Excel.
>
> Sarah
>
> "Jon Peltier" wrote:
>
>
>>Sarah -
>>
>>What is the data, how do the labels look, how do you want them to look,
>>and what version of Excel are you using?
>>
>>- Jon
>>-------
>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>>Peltier Technical Services
>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>>http://PeltierTech.com/
>>_______
>>
>>
>>Sarah wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Jon,
>>>
>>>Unfortunately neither suggestion helped....
>>>
>>>"Jon Peltier" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Sarah -
>>>>
>>>>If Excel has applied a time scaling to the axis, it will often not seem
>>>>centered. Go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab,
>>>>check Category under Category Axis.
>>>>
>>>>If that's not it, perhaps you need to double click the axis, and change
>>>>the Value Axis Crosses Between Categories setting on the Scale tab (just
>>>>guessing what else the problem might be).
>>>>
>>>>- Jon
>>>>-------
>>>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>>>>Peltier Technical Services
>>>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>>>>http://PeltierTech.com/
>>>>_______
>>>>
>>>>Sarah wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
>>>>>clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
>>>>>to center the times themselves.
>>>>

Yes, they are just single spaced with nothing special. You are right that it
could be fixed by adding spaces to them to line them up, but that seems like
a very inefficient method.....

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

> Are the labels entered in the cells as words with single spaces between
> them, no spaces before and after the words on the ends, no carriage
> returns or other non-printing characters?
>
> I could reproduce your description by inserting spaces in between and
> after the words.
>
> - Jon
> -------
> Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
> Peltier Technical Services
> Tutorials and Custom Solutions
> http://PeltierTech.com/
> _______
>
>
> Sarah wrote:
>
> > John,
> >
> > The data is wage data by industry sector and the labels are the different
> > industry sectors. The labels are fairly long, ie transportation equipment
> > manufacturing, and so they run onto two or three lines. The first line looks
> > centered, but each line beneath it is farther and farther to the left. I
> > want them to be perfectly centered under the first line. I am using the 2003
> > version of Excel.
> >
> > Sarah
> >
> > "Jon Peltier" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Sarah -
> >>
> >>What is the data, how do the labels look, how do you want them to look,
> >>and what version of Excel are you using?
> >>
> >>- Jon
> >>-------
> >>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
> >>Peltier Technical Services
> >>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
> >>http://PeltierTech.com/
> >>_______
> >>
> >>
> >>Sarah wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Jon,
> >>>
> >>>Unfortunately neither suggestion helped....
> >>>
> >>>"Jon Peltier" wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Sarah -
> >>>>
> >>>>If Excel has applied a time scaling to the axis, it will often not seem
> >>>>centered. Go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab,
> >>>>check Category under Category Axis.
> >>>>
> >>>>If that's not it, perhaps you need to double click the axis, and change
> >>>>the Value Axis Crosses Between Categories setting on the Scale tab (just
> >>>>guessing what else the problem might be).
> >>>>
> >>>>- Jon
> >>>>-------
> >>>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
> >>>>Peltier Technical Services
> >>>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
> >>>>http://PeltierTech.com/
> >>>>_______
> >>>>
> >>>>Sarah wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
> >>>>>clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
> >>>>>to center the times themselves.
> >>>>
>

Actually, in my example, they were wrong because of extra spaces, and
fixed by removing these extras.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______


Sarah wrote:

> Yes, they are just single spaced with nothing special. You are right that it
> could be fixed by adding spaces to them to line them up, but that seems like
> a very inefficient method.....
>
> "Jon Peltier" wrote:
>
>
>>Are the labels entered in the cells as words with single spaces between
>>them, no spaces before and after the words on the ends, no carriage
>>returns or other non-printing characters?
>>
>>I could reproduce your description by inserting spaces in between and
>>after the words.
>>
>>- Jon
>>-------
>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>>Peltier Technical Services
>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>>http://PeltierTech.com/
>>_______
>>
>>
>>Sarah wrote:
>>
>>
>>>John,
>>>
>>>The data is wage data by industry sector and the labels are the different
>>>industry sectors. The labels are fairly long, ie transportation equipment
>>>manufacturing, and so they run onto two or three lines. The first line looks
>>>centered, but each line beneath it is farther and farther to the left. I
>>>want them to be perfectly centered under the first line. I am using the 2003
>>>version of Excel.
>>>
>>>Sarah
>>>
>>>"Jon Peltier" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Sarah -
>>>>
>>>>What is the data, how do the labels look, how do you want them to look,
>>>>and what version of Excel are you using?
>>>>
>>>>- Jon
>>>>-------
>>>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>>>>Peltier Technical Services
>>>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>>>>http://PeltierTech.com/
>>>>_______
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Sarah wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Jon,
>>>>>
>>>>>Unfortunately neither suggestion helped....
>>>>>
>>>>>"Jon Peltier" wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Sarah -
>>>>>>
>>>>>>If Excel has applied a time scaling to the axis, it will often not seem
>>>>>>centered. Go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab,
>>>>>>check Category under Category Axis.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>If that's not it, perhaps you need to double click the axis, and change
>>>>>>the Value Axis Crosses Between Categories setting on the Scale tab (just
>>>>>>guessing what else the problem might be).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>- Jon
>>>>>>-------
>>>>>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>>>>>>Peltier Technical Services
>>>>>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>>>>>>http://PeltierTech.com/
>>>>>>_______
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Sarah wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I am trying to center the category labels for a chart in excel...for
>>>>>>>clarification, I do not need to center the axis label (example time), I need
>>>>>>>to center the times themselves.
>>>>>>