XL98: How to Change Chart Type of a Series in Combination Chart (192643)

MORE INFORMATION

Because columns should appear side by side and areas typically appear stacked, all series that belong together must be on the same axis to appear as expected.

For example, Microsoft Excel places a column series plotted on the secondary axis in front of a column series plotted against the primary axis. In many cases, the overlay series obscures or overlaps the primary series.

Therefore, if you want to change a series from one chart type to the other in a combination chart, you must change both the chart type and the axis used.

Moving a Series

The following procedure describes the general steps you would use to move a series from a column to an area, an area to a column, or a line to a column in a combination chart.

NOTE: You must complete both step 2 and 3 to get the columns to display properly as a group and the areas to stack as a group, but you can complete these steps in either order.

1. Select the chart series to move.
2. On the Format menu, click Selected Data Series and change the axis to that of the group to which you are moving the series. Then, click OK.
3. With the series still selected, click Chart Type on the Chart menu, and click the standard chart type that you want the series to become. Then, click OK.

NOTE: You cannot combine 2-D and 3-D chart types. If you select a 3-D type the entire chart will be converted rather than the individually selected series.

NOTE: Not all chart types should be combined. In Excel 98, if you select a chart type that does not logically compare data in combination with existing chart types, you may receive the following error message: However, it is possible at times to manually create illogical combinations of chart types (such as bars and columns, or pie and columns) without getting such a warning message.

The following example illustrates the steps you would use to change a series from a column series to an area series in a column-area chart:

1. Create a new workbook and type the following example data:

      A1:  1    B1:  6    C1:  11    D1:  16
      A2:  2    B2:  7    C2:  12    D2:  17
      A3:  3    B3:  8    C3:  13    D3:  18
      A4:  4    B4:  9    C4:  14    D4:  19
      A5:  5    B5: 10    C5:  15    D5:  20
   						

2. Select the range A1:D5. On the Insert menu, click Chart. Select the Custom Types tab, click Column-Area, and then click Finish.
   
   NOTE: The columns are made from the data in the last two series and lie in front of the stacked area chart, which is made by stacking the first two series. By default, areas of a Column-Area chart display on the primary axis and columns on the secondary axis.
3. In the chart, select the leftmost column (series 3).
4. On the Format menu, click Selected Data Series. Click the Axis tab and change the axis of the series from the Secondary axis to the Primary by clicking Primary Axis and then OK. This shows the selected column series on the same axis as the area chart series and in front of the other column series rather than beside it.
5. With the series still selected, click Chart Type on the Chart menu, and click Area as the chart type. Then, click OK. This moves the previous column series to become part the stacked area series.