connecting lines when using empty columns

  • Thread starter Thread starter heather p.
  • Start date Start date
H

heather p.

Hello,

I trying to create a trend chart (line chart) that shows
monthly data. The data has been rolled so some months
have four weeks of data combined and others have 5 weeks.
I'm trying to find a way to make the space between the
monthly data points reflect the number of weeks in the
month. I put empty columns between the monthly data
points to get the needed spacing, but lost the line to
connect them. If I take out the empty columns then the
months are spaced equally.

TIA!
 
heather p. said:
I trying to create a trend chart (line chart) that shows
monthly data. The data has been rolled so some months
have four weeks of data combined and others have 5 weeks.
I'm trying to find a way to make the space between the
monthly data points reflect the number of weeks in the
month. I put empty columns between the monthly data
points to get the needed spacing, but lost the line to
connect them. If I take out the empty columns then the
months are spaced equally.
Click to expand...


Sounds like the perfect application for an XY scatter chart rather than a
line chart. In a nutshell, each data point has an additional number that
determines where on the x-axis the point is charted. I know that
one-sentence descriptions are rarely helpful, so I suggest the help
function to describe the XY scatter chart in more detail.
 
Heather -

If you enter the data on the first or last day of each four or five week
period, and retain a Line chart, you can still spread out the data
according to the length of each month, in days. Right click the chart,
pick Chart Options from the pop up menu, click on the Axes tab, and
select Time Scale. Double click on the time scale axis, and click on
the Scale tab. Change Base Unit to Day(s), and format the other
parameters as you need them.

The difference between 30 and 31 day months is not remarkable if you
show an entire year, but I suspect you could tell a 28 day month from a
35 day month with one eye closed.

If not for the axis scaling features of a time scale axis, I'd use
Dave's XY Scatter chart suggestion.

- Jon
 
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