"propagating" a chart across a number of data sets

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hi,

I've got a bunch of survey results. Most are multiple choice questions and
responses. I want to create a chart showing the results for each of the 40
questions.

I just created one chart and it took me about 15 minutes.

Is there a way that I can use this chart as a "template" to create the other
39 charts I need to do?

thanks,
 
If your data is structured the same way, the easiest thing to do is make
a copy of the worksheet that hosts the data and chart you've already
created, copy a new question's data over the old data, and the chart
will automatically update.

If the data isn't so nicely arranged, you can turn the chart into a
custom user defined type:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/ChartsHowTo/CreateCustomTypes.html

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______
 
Jon,

Thanks for the useful information and link to your excellant website.

Couple questions if you would take them:

I'm using Excel X under the OSX operating system at school(work) and then
using the same file when I get home under Win XP Excel. Any problem or
limitations in this?

What would be a big time saver is if the "labels" and "titles" that are
inside of the pie chart I create would "take" their text from the
spreadsheet. Is that possible? For example: the Survey question is at the
top of the column B2 "Do you play sports?" and under that in C3 and D3 would
be the responses "YES" and "NO". Can I set it up so that it will take that
text and put it in the pie-chart? Or do I have to type it in manually?

thanks,

Ron
 
Ron -

I know very little about how Mac Excel works. I know that Mac Excel doesn't do
ActiveX controls, but I generally avoid them in favor of the more robust Forms
controls. I know Mac VBA is stuck in an Excel 97 mode. But I only have one Mac
client, and his projects are not technically challenging, and we've encountered no
problems to date.

To get a text element in a chart to reflect the contents of a cell, select that
element (but do not activate text editing in that element), press the equals key,
and click on the cell with the label. Some chart labeling utilities insert links to
text, not just text. Here are two good ones, free to download and easy to use (and I
don't know if they work in the Mac):

Rob Bovey's Chart Labeler, http://appspro.com
John Walkenbach's Chart Tools, http://j-walk.com

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______
 
Jon,

Thanks for the heads-up on the Apple/Windows question. I guess trial and
error will be the best "instructor" on that issue.

On the issue of getting text from cells into the pie-charts, I had limited
success. I could get the Chart "title" pasted in okay, but I don't seem to
be able to get the "labels" from a cell into the pie-chart.
To get a text element in a chart to reflect the contents of a cell, select that
element (but do not activate text editing in that element), press the equals key,
and click on the cell with the label.
Click to expand...

Am I asking more than Excel is capable of doing?

I haven't yet downloaded the shareware utilities you mentioned. I'll work
on that while I'm waiting to hear your response on the above.

Many thanks for your time and help. It has saved me quite a bit of time so
far.

This List is fortunate to have you,

Ron
 
This way may be slightly less troublesome, although it costs an extra mouse click:

Select the text element (data label, chart title, axis title), click in the Formula
Bar, type the equals key, then click on the cell with the label you want to display.

To select a single data label, first, make sure the series has data labels, click on
a label to select the series of labels, then click on the label you want to apply
text from a cell.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______
 
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