Question About Creating Graphs in Excel 2003

[razor]

I want to create a graph from data this is not in contiguous cells. Can I do
that?

I am trying to create a 3D bar graph and the data that I want to use is
spread out in different columns and rows throughout the spreadsheet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

sd

 

[Jon Peltier]

1. You can in fact use discontiguous ranges, but the number of cells you can
include is limited by how long the string describing the range becomes.
While creating the chart, on step 2 of the chart wizard, click to the Series
tab, and in the Y Values and Category Labels boxes, start selecting cells,
holding Ctrl to add another cell to the range.

2. It is always better to use contiguous ranges. If the original data range
cannot be compacted, set up a suitable range off to the side, and link the
cells in this range to the original data.

3. Charts that use 3D effects might look nice to someone in marketing, but
they are more difficult to read than 2D charts, and may even be misleading.
Consider another chart type. Most times the dimensional on the floor of a 3D
chart are not numerical or obviously sequential, so you lose no meaning by
changing a 3D column chart to a 2D clustered column chart, and a Line chart
may be even better.

- Jon

 

[razor]

Thanks, Jon.

sd

1. You can in fact use discontiguous ranges, but the number of cells you can
include is limited by how long the string describing the range becomes.
While creating the chart, on step 2 of the chart wizard, click to the Series
tab, and in the Y Values and Category Labels boxes, start selecting cells,
holding Ctrl to add another cell to the range.

2. It is always better to use contiguous ranges. If the original data range
cannot be compacted, set up a suitable range off to the side, and link the
cells in this range to the original data.

3. Charts that use 3D effects might look nice to someone in marketing, but
they are more difficult to read than 2D charts, and may even be misleading.
Consider another chart type. Most times the dimensional on the floor of a 3D
chart are not numerical or obviously sequential, so you lose no meaning by
changing a 3D column chart to a 2D clustered column chart, and a Line chart
may be even better.

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