Create a combo chart with two of the same chart types

[Mark Parent]

I'd like to create a combo chart to compare "plan" and "actual" figures over
several years. I'd like to use 3-D Columns, but I'd like to indicate the
components within each plan and actual figure, in a stacked 3-D column. I
think what I'd like is a combo chart, with one 3-D column chart for plans
figures, and a second 3-D column chart for actuals. Can I create a combo
chart where both chart are the same chart type?

 

[Phil Preen]

I'd like to create a combo chart to compare "plan" and "actual" figures over

several years. I'd like to use 3-D Columns, but I'd like to indicate the
components within each plan and actual figure, in a stacked 3-D column. I
think what I'd like is a combo chart, with one 3-D column chart for plans
figures, and a second 3-D column chart for actuals. Can I create a combo
chart where both chart are the same chart type?

If you use the non-3D stacked bar chart, you can put your plan and actual
data series each on a separate Y axes (not sure why, but this option doesn't
seem to work for the 3D stacked chart). Unfortunately the one set of data
will sit on top of the other and obscure it so this doesn't work very well. I
thought this might be easy to fix by specifying odd numbers as the category
(x) values for one set of data and the even numbers for the other set,
unfortunately it doesn't seem to be possible to specify a different category
formula for the different series.
Probably your best solution is to create two separate charts and overlay one
on top of the other, offsetting one slightly so that the data doesn't overlap.

 

[Jon Peltier]

If we're not insisting on 3D charts (which are not particularly flexible
or capable), this example shows how to use primary and secondary axes
with column charts:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/ColumnsOnTwoAxes.html

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