I currently havre a pretty basic graph with time on the X axis and sales
along the Y. What I was wondering is whether there is a way to define
certain events on the graph to better put into context the sales
performance achieved during these events.

Example:
the graph already shows sales activity on a daily basis for the month
of may. I am open to any non pie-type graph that would allow me the
extra functionality of charting, in any reasonnable manner (other then
manualy touching up dates on the finished graph) these respective
dates:
-may 1 to may 5 as a promotional event
-may 12 to may 19th as a transition period
-may 28 to may 30 as a special marketing event

I'm open to any suggestions / software packages / ad-ons / questions
and am prommissing an honorable mention to anyone with any information
leading to the proper production of this graph, for whatever that's
worth!


--
Uncle Buck
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Here's my 1st attempt at a solution. You didn't say what type of chart
you are using, or any other details, but this worked for me, in one
form or another for a scatter plot, line graph, and a column chart.

1) Assume dates are in consecutive order in column A, sales figures for
each date in column B.
2) In column C, in rows corresponding to event dates (include dates in
between start and end), enter the minimum Y value in the chart. Other
rows left blank
3) Add column C as a series to the chart, formatted as a colored line
without markers.

This gives colored lines that show the dates over which the events
occured.

As an extension, you could use more columns and additional series to
indicate different event types -- say a red line for the "promotional"
event, a blue line for the "transition" event, and a purple line for
the "marketing" event.

If it was hard to see on the X axis, set the value to something a
little above the minimum Y value, or something near the maximum Y value
to put the event lines near the top of the chart.

Was that worthy of an honorable mention:)?


--
MrShorty
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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You can add a dummy series, and put data labels onto its points and
error bars to generate custom gridlines. Here are a few examples:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/...Gridlines.html
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/ArbitraryAxis.html
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/AddLine.html

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


Uncle Buck wrote:

I currently havre a pretty basic graph with time on the X axis and sales
along the Y. What I was wondering is whether there is a way to define
certain events on the graph to better put into context the sales
performance achieved during these events.

Example:
the graph already shows sales activity on a daily basis for the month
of may. I am open to any non pie-type graph that would allow me the
extra functionality of charting, in any reasonnable manner (other then
manualy touching up dates on the finished graph) these respective
dates:
-may 1 to may 5 as a promotional event
-may 12 to may 19th as a transition period
-may 28 to may 30 as a special marketing event

I'm open to any suggestions / software packages / ad-ons / questions
and am prommissing an honorable mention to anyone with any information
leading to the proper production of this graph, for whatever that's
worth!

Mr Shorty, thank You!
I tried it and it works, it actually worked even better then I thought.
I've formatted the event data to show up as lines on the bar graph and
it looks GREAT! I'm even planning on layering over the competition's
events at certain heights (example; our events are along the bottom of
the Y axis; competitor A events are found 1/3 of the way up the Y axis,
competitor B events, 2/3 up). I showed the post to my boss and we were
both very impressed.

Although I can't include your name clearly on the report body, it will
be embossed in the document's information label section
(File/properties/Comments: "Based in part on conceptualization and
development advice from Mr.Shorty, www.excelforum.com) , I assure you.


Thanks again!


--
Uncle Buck
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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