Is there a way to have a stacked column chart show each series but only have
the total height of the positive numbers would take into account the negative?

For example:
Q1 - US 59, Asia 45, Europe -30
Q2 - US 45, Asia 50, Europe -25

For Q1 - we would like the positive stack to reach 74 and Q2 - 70. But we
would still like to have it broken down by the individial series.

Thanks!
--
maryj

A column chart won't do this justice, but you could try a variation on a
waterfall chart.

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/...lcrossing.html

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


"maryj" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to have a stacked column chart show each series but only
have
the total height of the positive numbers would take into account the
negative?

For example:
Q1 - US 59, Asia 45, Europe -30
Q2 - US 45, Asia 50, Europe -25

For Q1 - we would like the positive stack to reach 74 and Q2 - 70. But we
would still like to have it broken down by the individial series.

Thanks!
--
maryj

Thanks Jon, but I don't see how a waterfall chart would help. We don't wan't
the hanging bar effect that a waterfall gives. Can you explain more?

Thanks!
--
maryj


"Jon Peltier" wrote:

A column chart won't do this justice, but you could try a variation on a
waterfall chart.

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/...lcrossing.html

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


"maryj" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to have a stacked column chart show each series but only
have
the total height of the positive numbers would take into account the
negative?

For example:
Q1 - US 59, Asia 45, Europe -30
Q2 - US 45, Asia 50, Europe -25

For Q1 - we would like the positive stack to reach 74 and Q2 - 70. But we
would still like to have it broken down by the individial series.

Thanks!
--
maryj

How else do you show the total amount when there are positive and negative
components to the total? Do you shrink the positives by a proportion to make
up the total? That distorts the data and doesn't show the negative data. Do
you show the positives at full size but offset the bottom of the stack to
where the negative component brings you? That hides the negative data. How
do you show the actual total without distorting and/or hiding data?

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


"maryj" wrote in message
...
Thanks Jon, but I don't see how a waterfall chart would help. We don't
wan't
the hanging bar effect that a waterfall gives. Can you explain more?

Thanks!
--
maryj


"Jon Peltier" wrote:

A column chart won't do this justice, but you could try a variation on a
waterfall chart.

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/...lcrossing.html

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


"maryj" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to have a stacked column chart show each series but only
have
the total height of the positive numbers would take into account the
negative?

For example:
Q1 - US 59, Asia 45, Europe -30
Q2 - US 45, Asia 50, Europe -25

For Q1 - we would like the positive stack to reach 74 and Q2 - 70. But
we
would still like to have it broken down by the individial series.

Thanks!
--
maryj

On Wed, 13 Jun 2007, in microsoft.public.excel.charting,
maryj said:

Thanks Jon, but I don't see how a waterfall chart would help. We don't wan't
the hanging bar effect that a waterfall gives.

As Jon says, how do you show the total amount when the total has
positive and negative components?

If you think about the effect of a stacked bar, in information graphic
terms, the information is coded in the area of the bar and its
components. But area is always a positive quantity: not like linear
distance, that can easily be given a negative value by its position with
respect to a zero point. So the only way to encode a negative area is to
have at least one other bar, one with a clearly understood negative
sign.

It would be possible to have all bars in contact with the x axis (no
hanging bar effect) if you start from the axis, extend the negative
stacked bar downward, begin a new, positive stacked bar at the furthest
extent of the negative bar that reaches up to and past the x axis to
finally arrive at its fullest upward extent. The area above the x axis
will be the total, and no part of the bar pair will be out of touch with
the axis.

However, numbers that sum to a negative will not reach the x axis, and
will "hang" below, so you may want to include a filler total that
reaches to zero, marked with the final value. This scheme can also work
the opposite way, with the final bar being positive, and the (rare?)
negative total being an extension past the zero line.

This will be both stacked and positive/negative, and using only two
bars, but two is the absolute minimum if you want to include both
positive and negative areas in your sum.

--
Del Cotter
NB Personal replies to this post will send email to ,
which goes to a spam folder-- please send your email to del3 instead.

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007, in microsoft.public.excel.charting,
maryj said:

Is there a way to have a stacked column chart show each series but only have
the total height of the positive numbers would take into account the negative?

It sounds like the best option for you is a waterfall chart. See Jon
Peltier's examples:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/Waterfall.html
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/Waterfall2.html
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/...lcrossing.html

--
Del Cotter
NB Personal replies to this post will send email to ,
which goes to a spam folder-- please send your email to del3 instead.