How to create the following complicated line chart?

**galapogos** · 02-19-2021, 03:30 AM

Hi,
I have the following attached spreadsheet, with 3 columns - date, item value, and item type.

I wish to plot a line chart with the following criteria:
1. Only specific item types are shown, e.g. item types 10/5/8/3, and ignoring all others such as 9/4/7/2 (rows 10-13 in the sample)
2. Each item type is its own line
3. Only increases are plotted over time, e.g. for item type 10, the line should start on 1 Jan at a value of 70, increase to 75 on 5 Jan, ignore (don't plot) the 50 on 13 Jan, then increase to 80 on 13 Jan.

Seems complicated to me, so I need some help. Thanks!

**Glenn Kennedy** · 02-19-2021, 04:11 AM

We'll see, but I don't think excel is clever enough to let you "join the dots" on a chart like yours... my best shot...

Happy to explain, if you can live with either option.

Alternatively, you could probably display them ONE at a time, with the dots joined...

**galapogos** · 02-19-2021, 05:19 AM

Thanks! The scatter plot is very close to what I'm looking for, and I didn't think of creating a separate table from the original to chart with. I went another direction, by using the same table, but adding a column that indicates whether the item value in that row is the max at that point in time. However, still nowhere nearer in terms of charting. Is there a way of charting only points based on a criteria (in this case if the "Max" column is a "Y")?

**Glenn Kennedy** · 02-19-2021, 05:38 AM

No. I don't think so. All you will do is wind up producing another table, pretty much identical to mine.

**MrShorty** · 02-19-2021, 10:14 AM

Is there a way of charting only points based on a criteria (in this case if the "Max" column is a "Y")?

If I may add some support to Glenn's solution, his solution IS how you chart points based on a criteria. I find that many charting questions are more about arranging data in the spreadsheet than actually creating the chart. Arrange the data correctly in the spreadsheet and charts are easy to create (a generous helping of helper columns/cells/ranges is often part of this). A reluctance to use helper columns/rows/cells/tables is often at the heart of making charting more difficult than necessary.