Column chart with both value x and y-axis

**chris46521** · 06-29-2006, 12:21 PM

I was wondering if it is possible to define the x and y axes from two columns of data for a column chart. For example, I want the x-axis to be "Days Past Due" and the y-axis to be "Quantity" for a bar chart. When I try to do it now, it plots both sets of data as separate bar series and I want it similar to XY scatter but with colums instead. Thanks for any ideas or suggestions you may have.

Jon Peltier · 06-30-2006, 12:35 AM

But that's not what a column chart is good at. Columns cannot be located in
this way, and if they could be, you'd still have to worry about overlapping
and so forth. Why do you need columns? If you want a connection to the axis,
you can use error bars, using a custom measurement of -100% of the value.
But I think even that little bit of decoration will not add value to the
chart.

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

"chris46521" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
>
> I was wondering if it is possible to define the x and y axes from two
> columns of data for a column chart. For example, I want the x-axis to
> be "Days Past Due" and the y-axis to be "Quantity" for a bar chart.
> When I try to do it now, it plots both sets of data as separate bar
> series and I want it similar to XY scatter but with colums instead.
> Thanks for any ideas or suggestions you may have.
>
> --
> chris46521

**chris46521** · 06-30-2006, 12:21 PM

Thank you for responding. Management wants to see information presented in the form of columns and that is why I wanted to know if a column chart could be used similar to an XY scatter. Is there a VBA or a plug-in that could accomplish this?
Thanks, Chris

Originally Posted by Jon Peltier

But that's not what a column chart is good at. Columns cannot be located in
this way, and if they could be, you'd still have to worry about overlapping
and so forth. Why do you need columns? If you want a connection to the axis,
you can use error bars, using a custom measurement of -100% of the value.
But I think even that little bit of decoration will not add value to the
chart.

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

"chris46521" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
>
> I was wondering if it is possible to define the x and y axes from two
> columns of data for a column chart. For example, I want the x-axis to
> be "Days Past Due" and the y-axis to be "Quantity" for a bar chart.
> When I try to do it now, it plots both sets of data as separate bar
> series and I want it similar to XY scatter but with colums instead.
> Thanks for any ideas or suggestions you may have.
>
> --
> chris46521

Jon Peltier · 07-01-2006, 09:50 PM

I looked at your original question again. Here's what to do.

1. Delete the label above the days past due data (you need a blank cell to
make it easier), and make sure there's a label above the Quantity data.
2. Select a single cell in the data range.
3. Create a column chart.

This gives you almost what you want. If there are gaps in the Days Past Due
data, there will not be gaps in the chart. To get these gaps, go to Chart
Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab, choose Time Scale under
Category Axis. This gives you some funny looking dates along the X axis.
Double click the axis, and on the number tab, choose General.

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

"chris46521" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
>
> Thank you for responding. Management wants to see information presented
> in the form of columns and that is why I wanted to know if a column
> chart could be used similar to an XY scatter. Is there a VBA or a
> plug-in that could accomplish this?
> Thanks, Chris
>
> Jon Peltier Wrote:
>> But that's not what a column chart is good at. Columns cannot be located
>> in
>> this way, and if they could be, you'd still have to worry about
>> overlapping
>> and so forth. Why do you need columns? If you want a connection to the
>> axis,
>> you can use error bars, using a custom measurement of -100% of the
>> value.
>> But I think even that little bit of decoration will not add value to
>> the
>> chart.
>>
>> - Jon
>> -------
>> Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>> Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>> http://PeltierTech.com
>> _______
>>
>>
>> "chris46521" <[email protected]>
>> wrote
>> in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> >
>> > I was wondering if it is possible to define the x and y axes from
>> two
>> > columns of data for a column chart. For example, I want the x-axis
>> to
>> > be "Days Past Due" and the y-axis to be "Quantity" for a bar chart.
>> > When I try to do it now, it plots both sets of data as separate bar
>> > series and I want it similar to XY scatter but with colums instead.
>> > Thanks for any ideas or suggestions you may have.
>> >
>> > --
>> > chris46521
>
>
> --
> chris46521
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> chris46521's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=35909
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>

**chris46521** · 07-03-2006, 10:34 AM

That worked perfectly. Thank you so much for your help!

Originally Posted by Jon Peltier

I looked at your original question again. Here's what to do.

1. Delete the label above the days past due data (you need a blank cell to
make it easier), and make sure there's a label above the Quantity data.
2. Select a single cell in the data range.
3. Create a column chart.

This gives you almost what you want. If there are gaps in the Days Past Due
data, there will not be gaps in the chart. To get these gaps, go to Chart
Options on the Chart menu, and on the Axes tab, choose Time Scale under
Category Axis. This gives you some funny looking dates along the X axis.
Double click the axis, and on the number tab, choose General.

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

"chris46521" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
>
> Thank you for responding. Management wants to see information presented
> in the form of columns and that is why I wanted to know if a column
> chart could be used similar to an XY scatter. Is there a VBA or a
> plug-in that could accomplish this?
> Thanks, Chris
>
> Jon Peltier Wrote:
>> But that's not what a column chart is good at. Columns cannot be located
>> in
>> this way, and if they could be, you'd still have to worry about
>> overlapping
>> and so forth. Why do you need columns? If you want a connection to the
>> axis,
>> you can use error bars, using a custom measurement of -100% of the
>> value.
>> But I think even that little bit of decoration will not add value to
>> the
>> chart.
>>
>> - Jon
>> -------
>> Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>> Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>> http://PeltierTech.com
>> _______
>>
>>
>> "chris46521" <[email protected]>
>> wrote
>> in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> >
>> > I was wondering if it is possible to define the x and y axes from
>> two
>> > columns of data for a column chart. For example, I want the x-axis
>> to
>> > be "Days Past Due" and the y-axis to be "Quantity" for a bar chart.
>> > When I try to do it now, it plots both sets of data as separate bar
>> > series and I want it similar to XY scatter but with colums instead.
>> > Thanks for any ideas or suggestions you may have.
>> >
>> > --
>> > chris46521
>
>
> --
> chris46521
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> chris46521's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=35909
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=556987
>