You can simulate the effect w/o too much effect.

Create a data set that looks like:

1 2 3 4
name1 1 2 3 4
name2 1 2 3 4

keep in mind your original data set is
y1 y2 y3 y4
name1 1 2a 3 4b
name2 2a 2 1d 3a

Now, plot the first range in a line chart. Make sure that in step 2
you have 'data in columns' checked. This should give you four
horizontal lines, each with 3 points.

Format the x-axis so that the first marker is on the y-axis (double-
click the x-axis and from the Scale tab uncheck 'Value (Y) axis crosses
between categories'.

Format the chart to lose the backgroud, the legend, the gridlines, and
the y-axis. For the last one double click the y-axis and from the
Patterns tab set everything to 'None'.

Use Bovey's XY Chartlabeler add-in (www.appspro.com) or Walkenbach's
Chart Tools (www.j-walk.com) to add data labels for each of the 4
series. The data labels for the four series should be the four columns
in your actual table. Make sure you pick 'Center' as the position for
the labels.

Now, format each series to have no line and no marker.

--
Regards,

Tushar Mehta
www.tushar-mehta.com
Excel, PowerPoint, and VBA add-ins, tutorials
Custom MS Office productivity solutions

In article ,
says...
any ideas please? we have data as follows:

y1 y2 y3 y4
name1 1 2a 3 4b
name2 2a 2 1d 3a

which needs to go in a chart but the alphanumerics (4b etc) keep being left
out...)

help!