Excel 2010 Charts Question

[theboylow]

Hi,

I a trying to create a 2-d column chart that has a secondary axis on the right hand side to show percentages using the data below


Sales Success Rate
Pre Launch 20000 15%
Post Launch 30000 20%


I want to see sales and sucess rate as the columns with the volume of sales as the axis on the LHS and the success rate as %ages as the axis on the RHS. Pre and post would be the colours of the columns

Can this be done? if so can you show me how to?

 

[Jon Peltier]

Don't try to plot columns on both primary and secondary axes. To make it work, you need a bunch of dummy data in the chart, and even if you set it up right, people will not be able to read it.

So instead, you'll plot the percentage data on the secondary axis as a line chart.

Make a column chart with all the data. Select the percentage data (you might have to select the Success data and use Ctrl+Up Arrow to select it), press Ctrl+1 to format it, and select Secondary Axis. Then right click on this series and choose Change Series Chart Type, and change it to a line type.

This is easier in Excel 2013 and later, because you can do all this by right clicking any series and choosing Change Series Chart Type: the dialog lets you change chart type and series for each series in the chart.

 

[theboylow]

Cheers Jon - works a treat

Don't try to plot columns on both primary and secondary axes. To make it work, you need a bunch of dummy data in the chart, and even if you set it up right, people will not be able to read it.

So instead, you'll plot the percentage data on the secondary axis as a line chart.

Make a column chart with all the data. Select the percentage data (you might have to select the Success data and use Ctrl+Up Arrow to select it), press Ctrl+1 to format it, and select Secondary Axis. Then right click on this series and choose Change Series Chart Type, and change it to a line type.

This is easier in Excel 2013 and later, because you can do all this by right clicking any series and choosing Change Series Chart Type: the dialog lets you change chart type and series for each series in the chart.