Multiple Data Points in a Chart Column

Summary: Excel provides lots of ways you can create charts. This tip provides some pointers on how you can combine stacked column charts and clustered column charts in ways you may not have been aware of. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, and Excel 2003.)

Jeff creates a lot of charts to track expenditures and labor by project. He creates stacked charts that show totals, but is looking for a way to combine stacked column and clustered column charts to provide just what he needs.

The solution is found in the way you organize the data in your worksheet. In short, you should leave a blank column (or row) between major groupings of your data. When you then create the chart, the blank area translates into a blank area on the chart, which makes it appear as if you have different clusters of data.

For a complete discussion of how this can be done, refer to the links at Jon Peltier's Web site. Jon is an Excel MVP, and has a good resource that speaks to this very issue:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/ChartsHowTo/ClusterStack.html

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2431) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

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Multiple Data Points in a Chart Column