I want to show chart data in order of bars, not row names

[hdublisky]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I am trying to show a chart that has about 20 values, and I have sorted the source data so that I have the highest value items at the top and the lowest value items at the bottom. For example, if rows were Apple, Banana, Guava, Orange, and Yucca, I have sorted the data in order of the greatest value items (20 Guavas, 10 Oranges, 5 yucca, 2 bananas, and 1 apple). Yet the chart (a bar chart) only seems to let me display in either ascending or descending value by food name (either Apple to Yucca or Yucca to Apple). I want to sort so that the guavas show first since i have the most of them! Can you help? Thanks,
hjd

 

[Carl Witthoft]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I am trying to show a chart that has about 20 values, and I have sorted the
source data so that I have the highest value items at the top and the lowest
value items at the bottom. For example, if rows were Apple, Banana, Guava,
Orange, and Yucca, I have sorted the data in order of the greatest value
items (20 Guavas, 10 Oranges, 5 yucca, 2 bananas, and 1 apple). Yet the
chart (a bar chart) only seems to let me display in either ascending or
descending value by food name (either Apple to Yucca or Yucca to Apple). I
want to sort so that the guavas show first since i have the most of them!
Can you help? Thanks, <br>
hjd

Sort your source data by the second column, i.e. the one with the
numerical data in it.

 

[hdublisky]

I have done that, and it shows on the sheet in that order, and yet it shows on the graph in order of the names of the rows.

Any other ideas?

> (e-mail address removed) wrote:
>

> > Version: 2008
> > Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
> > Processor: Intel
> >
> > I am trying to show a chart that has about 20 values, and I have sorted the
> > source data so that I have the highest value items at the top and the lowest
> > value items at the bottom. For example, if rows were Apple, Banana, Guava,
> > Orange, and Yucca, I have sorted the data in order of the greatest value
> > items (20 Guavas, 10 Oranges, 5 yucca, 2 bananas, and 1 apple). Yet the
> > chart (a bar chart) only seems to let me display in either ascending or
> > descending value by food name (either Apple to Yucca or Yucca to Apple). I
> > want to sort so that the guavas show first since i have the most of them!
> > Can you help? Thanks,
> > hjd

>
> Sort your source data by the second column, i.e. the one with the
> numerical data in it.
>
> --
> Team EM to the rescue! http://www.team-em.com
>

 

[Mike Middleton]

hjd -

In Mac Excel 12.2.4, I arrange data in two columns.

Apple 1
Banana 2
Guavas 20
Oranges 10
Yucca 5

I select the 5 row by 2 column range, choose Insert > Chart > Bar >
Clustered Bar.

The chart appears, with Yucca as the top bar and Apple as the bottom bar
(because of the way Excel orders the data items on the chart).

I select a cell in the 5x2 range, choose Data > Sort > Column B (the column
with the numerical values), Ascending, No header row > OK.

Now the data appears as shown below.

Apple 1
Banana 2
Yucca 5
Oranges 10
Guavas 20

The chart has Guava at the top and Apple at the bottom, as I think you
desire.

- Mike
http://www.MikeMiddleton.com


Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor:
Intel I am trying to show a chart that has about 20 values, and I have
sorted the source data so that I have the highest value items at the top and
the lowest value items at the bottom. For example, if rows were Apple,
Banana, Guava, Orange, and Yucca, I have sorted the data in order of the
greatest value items (20 Guavas, 10 Oranges, 5 yucca, 2 bananas, and 1
apple). Yet the chart (a bar chart) only seems to let me display in either
ascending or descending value by food name (either Apple to Yucca or Yucca
to Apple). I want to sort so that the guavas show first since i have the
most of them! Can you help? Thanks,
hjd