Charts: How to Create Multiple Axis Labels - Top and Bottom

[Sharman]

Chart Type: Line with Markers
Issue: Create a X-axis and axis label at the top and bottom of the chart.

The chart basically represents concentrations of different elements. The elements are on the X-Axis at the bottom of the chart. The Y-axis represents the concentrations of each element measured. Now I want to add another x-axis at the top of the chart which represents some fixed value for each element. Please guide me as to how I can achieve the same.

 

[Jon Peltier]

You don't want an axis so much as another label, right? One way to get these labels is by adding a dummy series to the chart, putting data labels on the dummy series, then hiding the dummy series.

I'm assuming you have a simple data range and chart, like this:

We'll add a column "Dummy" which contains the Y values of the dummy points we're going to add, and another column "Labels" for the labels we want to add. Include the Dummy series in the chart, most easily by selecting the chart, and dragging the corners of the highlighted range in the sheet to expand the range.

Now we get to work. Top left: Format the vertical axis so its maximum is 20%. Top right: right click on the Dummy series and choose Add Data Labels from the pop-up menu.

Middle left: drag the top edge of the plot area downward to make more room for the labels. Middle right: Hide the Dummy series by formatting it so it uses no line and no markers.

Bottom left: apply the desired labels in place of the default ones. There are several ways to do this:

• In Excel 2013, you can select and format the set of labels, and use the Value From Cells option to select the range of cells that contains the labels. Earlier versions of Excel didn't directly allow this.
• Edit the text of each label manually: click once to select all the labels, click again to select the individual label, click yet again to select the text of the label, then type the text you want to display.
• Link each label to a cell manually: click once to select all the labels, click again to select the individual label, then type = in the formula bar and click on the cell containing the label.
• Use Rob Bovey's free Chart Labeler add-in, which actually applies the labels and links them to the appropriate cells in one step.

 

[jmhutchi]

Hi:

I am trying to do a similar labeling exercise on an excel scatter chart, and I am stuck.

I have an excel scatter chart that shows a map of a structure, so my X & Y axis are dimensions of length (millimeters) and I need those displayed. The gizmo I am making also has "rows" and "columns" across the structure.

I made a dummy series which has columns of X, Y and the row (or column) label. I can add that series to my chart, but when I turn on data labels, it just displays one of the X coordinate, Y coordinate or the series name. I would like excel to display the row label at the specific X,Y coordinate on the scatter plot.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Jon Peltier]

The four bullets at the end of my response describe four ways to get labels to show other information.

 

[jmhutchi]

Thanks! The link to XY Labeler Addin did the trick for me on Excel 2010.