Excel 2003 x axis not formatting years

[West Coast Flash]

I'm trying to create a simple chart showing revenue (y axis) and year (x
axis). The chart wizard doesn't pick up the years selected- instead does 1-25
and when I try to edit and tell it the years it makes the y axis do
increments of $0.10 up to a dollar and shows nothing on the graph. I've tried
many different ways and enlisted the help of 2 co-workers who are versed in
excel so it's not something we're missing but likely a bug. I've tried
starting from different excel spreadsheets too. Help!! This is entirely too
frustrating.

 

[Jon Peltier]

Leave cell A1 blank; the blank cell helps Excel interpret your data range.
Put your years in column A from A2 through whatever row they fill. Put the
label "Revenue" in B1. Put the revenue values in column B next to the years
that start in A2. Make sure all of the values (revenues and years) are
numerical values. Text that looks like numbers will not necessarily plot
like numbers.

Select this range, A1 to B-whatever row, and start the chart wizard. Select
an XY chart type.

- Jon