Dates...not showing as dates

D

dave

Whenever I use a series of date ranges in a chart the display on the axis
becomes a series of numbers (IE 1,2,3,4.....) rather than the
dates(01/01/2004, 02/01/2004,03/01/2004......).

Very frustrating...not sure why.

Anyone?
 
J

Jon Peltier

Dave -

Two possible reasons.

1. Excel isn't using that range of data for the X values. You need to
select the entire range when you start the chart wizard, or add what's
needed in step 2 of the wizard, or using Source Data from the Chart
menu, using the Series tab to select the category range.

2. If it's an XY Scatter chart, the dates look like numerical dates to
you and me, but they are really just text. Excel turns text in its X
data range into 1, 2, 3, etc. in a scatter chart's axis. Convert the
text into numbers by copying a blank cell, selecting the range, and
using Paste Special from the Edit menu. Select Values and Operation -
Add. Then you'll have to reapply a date number format to the range,
because Excel just converted the dates into numbers like 37987, which
internally is how dates are stored (the number of days since 1 January
1900).

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

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