Excel 2007 - Merged cells as data source

[QB]

I am using a set of merged cells as a data source for a line chart. However,
I am getting empty/null entries as part of the data set from the merged
cells???

Basically, I have a set of merged cells each consisting of 3 cells. When I
create the data source I get values like:
73%,,,61%,,,...

Why is it making up value for each cell even though the cells are merged
together???

I am truly finding 2007 very frustrating and very counter-productive!

Please help,

QB

 

[David Biddulph]

With Excel 2007 as well as with earlier versions the advice stays the same.
Don't use merged cells. These newsgroups show countless reasons why not.

 

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

Charts do not understand merged cells. Each cell contains a value even
if 2 of those cells are not displayed.

Create a contiguous range of data for the charts.

Cheers
Andy

 

[QB]

Not an option in this case, I require the formatting to remain (took weeks to
get it functional as is).

So what you are saying is don't use built-in functionalities?! Great,
another great MS'ism! I paid for software, that you are saying doesn't work
properly.

QB

 

[QB]

Firstly, thank you for trying to help.

I will lookup/look into 'contiguous range' and see what I can do with that.

Also, as an FYI, I just tested merged cells on Excel 2003 and they work just
fine! It is solely an issue in 2007. Another improvement that was made
between versions by Microsoft...

QB

 

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

You need to divorce the required data layout for chart with your
'pretty' presentation layout.

If your data is in A1,D1,G1 etc then elsewhere on the sheet, or another
sheet, use formula to link cells.

A10: =A1
B10: =D1
C10: =G1
etc

Then chart A10:C10...

Cheers
Andy

 

[Andy Pope]

I just did a test in xl2003 with Merged and Center Across. Both included
the empty cells in a column chart.

Only way I could get just the value cells was to manually edit the
series formula.

=SERIES(,,(Sheet1!$A$4,Sheet1!$D$4,Sheet1!$G$4),1)

But the series formula has a limit of 1024 characters so is restricted
in the amount of data points that can be specified.

Cheers
Andy