A lot of times I plot hourly or even 15 minute data. Unless if I am doing a
simple line graph (which can be done with an XY plot) Excel will only plot
the data as daily data. The only way to get around it is to change the X
value data (date/time stamp) to regular text data. I want to be able to plot
the flow on a line graph and the rain on the same graph (second y-axis) as a
bar graph.

Sample Data:
A B C
Date Time Flow(mgd) Rain(in)
2/13/2007 0:15 1.2 0
2/13/2007 0:30 1.3 0.1
2/13/2007 0:45 1.5 0.2
2/13/2007 1:00 1.1 0

To plot hourly data in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Enter your data into Excel, with the date and time in one column and the corresponding data (flow and rain in this case) in the adjacent columns.
2. Select the entire data range, including the date and time column.
3. Click on the "Insert" tab in the Excel ribbon and select the type of chart you want to create (line chart in this case).
4. Excel will automatically create a chart with the date and time on the X-axis, but it will likely be formatted as daily data. To change this, right-click on the X-axis and select "Format Axis".
5. In the "Format Axis" pane, under "Axis Options", select "Text axis" instead of "Date axis". This will allow you to plot hourly data.
6. To add a second Y-axis for the rain data, select the rain data series in the chart and right-click. Select "Format Data Series".
7. In the "Format Data Series" pane, under "Series Options", select "Secondary Axis". This will add a second Y-axis to the chart.
8. You can now format the chart as desired, including adding titles, axis labels, and adjusting the formatting of the data series.

By following these steps, you should be able to plot hourly data in Excel and create a chart with multiple data series on different Y-axes.

If you need a column chart, go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, click on
the Axes tab, and check the Category box under Category (X) Axis.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
A lot of times I plot hourly or even 15 minute data. Unless if I am doing a
simple line graph (which can be done with an XY plot) Excel will only plot
the data as daily data. The only way to get around it is to change the X
value data (date/time stamp) to regular text data. I want to be able to
plot
the flow on a line graph and the rain on the same graph (second y-axis) as
a
bar graph.

Sample Data:
A B C
Date Time Flow(mgd) Rain(in)
2/13/2007 0:15 1.2 0
2/13/2007 0:30 1.3 0.1
2/13/2007 0:45 1.5 0.2
2/13/2007 1:00 1.1 0

I don't know what that gives you. Still does not allow you to plot hourly
data with x data in "Date-Time" format

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

If you need a column chart, go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, click on
the Axes tab, and check the Category box under Category (X) Axis.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
A lot of times I plot hourly or even 15 minute data. Unless if I am doing a
simple line graph (which can be done with an XY plot) Excel will only plot
the data as daily data. The only way to get around it is to change the X
value data (date/time stamp) to regular text data. I want to be able to
plot
the flow on a line graph and the rain on the same graph (second y-axis) as
a
bar graph.

Sample Data:
A B C
Date Time Flow(mgd) Rain(in)
2/13/2007 0:15 1.2 0
2/13/2007 0:30 1.3 0.1
2/13/2007 0:45 1.5 0.2
2/13/2007 1:00 1.1 0

I guess that works. Not as nice as creating a normal time-scale plot. I guess
Excel does not expect people to be plotting 5 sec data.

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

If you need a column chart, go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, click on
the Axes tab, and check the Category box under Category (X) Axis.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
A lot of times I plot hourly or even 15 minute data. Unless if I am doing a
simple line graph (which can be done with an XY plot) Excel will only plot
the data as daily data. The only way to get around it is to change the X
value data (date/time stamp) to regular text data. I want to be able to
plot
the flow on a line graph and the rain on the same graph (second y-axis) as
a
bar graph.

Sample Data:
A B C
Date Time Flow(mgd) Rain(in)
2/13/2007 0:15 1.2 0
2/13/2007 0:30 1.3 0.1
2/13/2007 0:45 1.5 0.2
2/13/2007 1:00 1.1 0

I said "If you need a column chart", implying that a column chart might be
what you want but not what you need. In your other thread, I advised an XY
chart. Column charts are not good for time data anyway, you ought to use an
XY chart with lines connecting the points, to convey the passage of time.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
I guess that works. Not as nice as creating a normal time-scale plot. I
guess
Excel does not expect people to be plotting 5 sec data.

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

If you need a column chart, go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, click
on
the Axes tab, and check the Category box under Category (X) Axis.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
A lot of times I plot hourly or even 15 minute data. Unless if I am
doing a
simple line graph (which can be done with an XY plot) Excel will only
plot
the data as daily data. The only way to get around it is to change the
X
value data (date/time stamp) to regular text data. I want to be able
to
plot
the flow on a line graph and the rain on the same graph (second y-axis)
as
a
bar graph.

Sample Data:
A B C
Date Time Flow(mgd) Rain(in)
2/13/2007 0:15 1.2 0
2/13/2007 0:30 1.3 0.1
2/13/2007 0:45 1.5 0.2
2/13/2007 1:00 1.1 0

Jon:

There are times when XY based trend charts look much better with thin
vertical lines (made with error bars) illustrate the data better than trend
lines.

Here's an example -
http://processtrends.com/pg_chart_sc...r_checkbox.htm

Precipitation is one of those variable where it's better to use thin
vertical lines to display each day or hour discretely rather than connect
points with a trend line. Since there is no rain on most days/hours, a trend
line of precipitation will continually drop to zero, making an ugly chart;
thin vertical lines on rain days look much better.

Kelly

http://processtrends.com



"Jon Peltier" wrote in message
...
I said "If you need a column chart", implying that a column chart might be
what you want but not what you need. In your other thread, I advised an XY
chart. Column charts are not good for time data anyway, you ought to use an
XY chart with lines connecting the points, to convey the passage of time.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
I guess that works. Not as nice as creating a normal time-scale plot. I
guess
Excel does not expect people to be plotting 5 sec data.

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

If you need a column chart, go to Chart Options on the Chart menu, click
on
the Axes tab, and check the Category box under Category (X) Axis.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
A lot of times I plot hourly or even 15 minute data. Unless if I am
doing a
simple line graph (which can be done with an XY plot) Excel will only
plot
the data as daily data. The only way to get around it is to change the
X
value data (date/time stamp) to regular text data. I want to be able
to
plot
the flow on a line graph and the rain on the same graph (second
y-axis) as
a
bar graph.

Sample Data:
A B C
Date Time Flow(mgd) Rain(in)
2/13/2007 0:15 1.2 0
2/13/2007 0:30 1.3 0.1
2/13/2007 0:45 1.5 0.2
2/13/2007 1:00 1.1 0

Kelly -

That's true, of course. I was overgeneralizing. Then again, rainfall is a
discrete measure (it rains today or it doesn't, and the total rainfall today
was x), while your "flow" may be more continuous in nature. Your suggestion
makes complete sense. At times I have used a similar technique to get an
apparent column chart within a panel chart context; a true column chart
would need dummy invisible series on which to stack upper visible columns,
but using an error bar, often using the thickest line thickness, provide the
look with fewer hidden details to keep track of.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"Kelly O'Day" wrote in message
...
Jon:

There are times when XY based trend charts look much better with thin
vertical lines (made with error bars) illustrate the data better than
trend lines.

Here's an example -
http://processtrends.com/pg_chart_sc...r_checkbox.htm

Precipitation is one of those variable where it's better to use thin
vertical lines to display each day or hour discretely rather than connect
points with a trend line. Since there is no rain on most days/hours, a
trend line of precipitation will continually drop to zero, making an ugly
chart; thin vertical lines on rain days look much better.

Kelly

http://processtrends.com



"Jon Peltier" wrote in message
...
I said "If you need a column chart", implying that a column chart might be
what you want but not what you need. In your other thread, I advised an XY
chart. Column charts are not good for time data anyway, you ought to use
an XY chart with lines connecting the points, to convey the passage of
time.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
I guess that works. Not as nice as creating a normal time-scale plot. I
guess
Excel does not expect people to be plotting 5 sec data.

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

If you need a column chart, go to Chart Options on the Chart menu,
click on
the Axes tab, and check the Category box under Category (X) Axis.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
_______


"mjwedeking" wrote in message
...
A lot of times I plot hourly or even 15 minute data. Unless if I am
doing a
simple line graph (which can be done with an XY plot) Excel will only
plot
the data as daily data. The only way to get around it is to change
the X
value data (date/time stamp) to regular text data. I want to be able
to
plot
the flow on a line graph and the rain on the same graph (second
y-axis) as
a
bar graph.

Sample Data:
A B C
Date Time Flow(mgd) Rain(in)
2/13/2007 0:15 1.2 0
2/13/2007 0:30 1.3 0.1
2/13/2007 0:45 1.5 0.2
2/13/2007 1:00 1.1 0