need a refresher: text boxes on charts that use relational formulas?

I could have sworn that a long time ago, I set up one or more text boxes on
a graph that had formulas in them, so the text that was showing would
automatically change each month.

I'm now using Win2000/XL2003, and not having much luck- I want to put my
legend on the bottom, then a text box under it where I will show 3 values
(one for each legend item) to provide some additional information on the
graph. I have too many graphs to do this and have to update it all manually.

What is the best approach to use, to link the contents of my text box (or
similar) to the contents of a cell that on my sheet?

Thanks!
Keith

--
The enclosed questions or comments are entirely mine and don't represent the
thoughts, views, or policy of my employer. Any errors or omissions are my
own.

Hi,

The textboxes can be linked to cells. The cells hold the formulas.
To link a textbox to a cell just select the textbox and then goto the
formula bar, F2, and type = and then click the required cell. Or you can
manually type the cell reference, for example =Sheet1!$A$1

This explains linking the charttitle to a cell but the principle works
for textboxes in a chart.
http://www.andypope.info/tips/tip001.htm

Cheers
Andy

KR wrote:
> I could have sworn that a long time ago, I set up one or more text boxes on
> a graph that had formulas in them, so the text that was showing would
> automatically change each month.
>
> I'm now using Win2000/XL2003, and not having much luck- I want to put my
> legend on the bottom, then a text box under it where I will show 3 values
> (one for each legend item) to provide some additional information on the
> graph. I have too many graphs to do this and have to update it all manually.
>
> What is the best approach to use, to link the contents of my text box (or
> similar) to the contents of a cell that on my sheet?
>
> Thanks!
> Keith
>

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info

Most excellent- I was trying to cram the formula directly into the textbox,
and as you can imagine, I was unsuccessful.
Thanks for the help!
Keith

"Andy Pope" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> The textboxes can be linked to cells. The cells hold the formulas.
> To link a textbox to a cell just select the textbox and then goto the
> formula bar, F2, and type = and then click the required cell. Or you can
> manually type the cell reference, for example =Sheet1!$A$1
>
> This explains linking the charttitle to a cell but the principle works
> for textboxes in a chart.
> http://www.andypope.info/tips/tip001.htm
>
> Cheers
> Andy
>
> KR wrote:
> > I could have sworn that a long time ago, I set up one or more text boxes
on
> > a graph that had formulas in them, so the text that was showing would
> > automatically change each month.
> >
> > I'm now using Win2000/XL2003, and not having much luck- I want to put my
> > legend on the bottom, then a text box under it where I will show 3
values
> > (one for each legend item) to provide some additional information on the
> > graph. I have too many graphs to do this and have to update it all
manually.
> >
> > What is the best approach to use, to link the contents of my text box
(or
> > similar) to the contents of a cell that on my sheet?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Keith
> >
>
> --
>
> Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
> http://www.andypope.info

This might be old hat, but just in case you have not heard of the trick:
Assume you have the result of your calculations in cell A1 and A2. In cell B1 you write:
="Result of Calculations "&A1&" and "&A2
and then refer to cell B1 in the textbox.

Often the result is not a nice number and the you get all the 13-or-whatever digits. One solution is to write
="Result of calculations "&ROUND(A1,2-INT(LOG(ABS(A1))))&" and "&ROUND(A2,2-INT(LOG(ABS(A2))))
but you can also round down in another cell and refer to that.

NSV