Line chart for budgeting

**barb94044** · 02-19-2011, 12:23 PM

Very basic Excel question regarding charts.

Let's say I have a project with multiple tasks and each task will incur expenses by quarter. I have a total budget of 600K for the year for all those tasks.

I need a chart which, right now, will not have any numbers in it because nothing has been spent. But I need the 600K line to show the total budget for the year. When expenses start getting incurred, I will plug them in to the chart and will be able to see when I am over or under budget.

I know this is simple, and I do apologize for the simplicity of the question, but I just started using Excel and this is already too advanced for me.

Thank you!

**Andy Pope** · 02-20-2011, 08:47 AM

From what you describe you maybe able to use this approach.

I have added a table where you can enter Date, Expense description and Value.
The final 2 columns Budget and Running total will automatically update as you enter data at the end of the table.

The chart is linked to the table and will automatically update.

So to test simple add new information to A2:C2, then A3:C3 etc