Change order of Legend without changing the order of the chart

Good morning

I have created a stacked column chart with 6 data points (Call them 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B), and the associated Legend.


Due to space constraints on where i want to put my chart, the legend will be in a format of 3 entries wide by 2 high. My data has 3 main areas, with 2 variants of each, so purely for presentation purposes i would like them to appear one on top of the other in the Legend Table. However in my Chart I want them to remain grouped together also (as in 1A, 1B, then 2A, 2B, and finally 3A, 3B) in order up the column. At present, with the legend scaled to be 2 high x 3 wide, the entries appear as follows:

1A 1B 2A
2B 3A 3B

My aim is to have them as follows:

1A 2A 3A
1B 2B 3B

I would like to change the order of the Legend so it reads easily, without actually changing the order of the chart itself as the stacked column is appearing just fine.

I have been unable to find any options in layout etc to move the legend entries around, and if I change the series order, it changes the chart itself? Flubbered !!!!!

Had this problem myself. My solution (and perhaps, not the most elegant) is to insert a text box into the chart and 'create' the legend in the order you prefer.

Thanks Steve ... good idea in the absence of another way ...
I will go with that if we dont have any other advice to the contrary. Seems like such a simple thing to be left out of Excel in a day of looks is everything when it comes to exec reports etc. I would think a simple drag and drop would not be too hard to build in?

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I hear ya. I sometimes use the camera tool as well. Are you familiar with that?

Thanks PTM

Unfortunately the real estate of this chart on the page it is on is quite limited, so i dont have that option.
It needs to be 2 high x 3 wide to be legible