changing time (date) shown in x-axis (lengthening data series)

[meswartz]

Hello,
I am making some time-dependent graphs with time as the x axis. I've just updated the data set to include a longer time series of data and would like to update the graph (x-axis) to show these data. I am using an x-y chart, and have gone into format axis and manually changed the minimum value of the x-axis from 1/1/1991 to 1/1/1980. However, the graph doesn't actually change. I know this works in the older versions of excel... I'm less familiar with how to do it in the 2007 version. Do I need to enter the numerical value of the date (that is, the silly numerical value that excel uses, rather than the actual date)? I'm trying to send create a cleaner version of the graph to illustrate my problem, but even that is creating more problems for me.... (the minimum value I enter into the format axis box refuses to change to what I type. Argh!).

Thanks in advance for your help,
meswartz

[meswartz]

Ah ha... I've found I can get the axis to rescale by using the numerical value for the date, as calculated by excel. If anyone knows a shortcut for this, I'd love to know it. Thanks!
Melissa