Plotting Categories on Two Different Y Axes (Bar Charts)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bob
  • Start date Start date
B

Bob

I know that Excel allows you to plot one data series
(e.g., Target) on the Y1 axis and another data series
(e.g., Actuals) on the Y2 axis. Is there a way, however,
to plot the data series for one category (e.g., Jan.) on
the Y1 axis and the SAME series for a different category
(e.g., 1st Qtr.) on the Y2 axis?

I suspect that this scenario is impossible to do,
especially given Excel's limitations, but any help would
be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
Bob -

Not so fast. When you set up a chart so it has primary and secondary
axes, Excel assumes it knows what you're doing, and only gives you a
secondary Y axis. But once you have a series on the secondary axis, you
can add the secondary X axis very easily. Right click on the chart,
choose Chart Options from the pop up menu, click on the Axes tab, and
select one of the Secondary Category (X) Axis options.

- Jon
 
Jon,

Thanks! I probably didn't explain the problem clear
enough, so let me try a different approach:

3 Series: Target, Outlook, and Actuals
4 Categories: Jan, Feb, Mar, and 1st Qtr

I want to plot Target, Outlook, and Actuals for Jan, Feb,
and Mar against the Y1 axis.

I want to plot Target, Outlook, and Actuals for 1st Qtr
against the Y2 axis.

Is there a way to do that? Thanks again for your help.

Bob
 
Bob:

Set up your data this way:

Target Outlook Actuals Target Outlook Actuals
Jan XX XX XX
Feb XX XX XX
Mar XX XX XX
Q1 XX XX XX

Make a regular chart of all six series (duplicates of Target, Outlook,
and Actuals). Select the three that have the Q1 data, and put them on
the secondary axis (double click on the series, on the Axis tab). Format
corresponding pairs of series the same. Remove unwanted duplicate legend
entries by clicking on the legend, then on the text of the legend entry,
and pressing Delete.

- Jon
 
Jon,

It worked! Thanks again!!!

Bob
-----Original Message-----
Bob:

Set up your data this way:

Target Outlook Actuals Target Outlook Actuals
Jan XX XX XX
Feb XX XX XX
Mar XX XX XX
Q1 XX XX XX

Make a regular chart of all six series (duplicates of Target, Outlook,
and Actuals). Select the three that have the Q1 data, and put them on
the secondary axis (double click on the series, on the Axis tab). Format
corresponding pairs of series the same. Remove unwanted duplicate legend
entries by clicking on the legend, then on the text of the legend entry,
and pressing Delete.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
http://PeltierTech.com/Excel/Charts/
_______


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