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How do I modify the legend in Excel?
I want to change the order in which the entries appear in the legend in my
Excel chart. How do I do this without changing my actual data? ( I did a seach and it said I had to have a program called Visio. Is this correct or can I modify the legend straight from Excel?) Thanks |
Go into the chart. Select the series that you want to change. Look at the
command line and you'll need to change the number at the very end. It will read something like: =SERIES(Sheet1!$A$3,Sheet1!$B$1:$J$1,Sheet1!$B$3:$ J$3,2) You'll want to change the 2 at the end to say 1. Test it and see what happens. You can always undo the change if it's not what you want. "beckyboucher" wrote: I want to change the order in which the entries appear in the legend in my Excel chart. How do I do this without changing my actual data? ( I did a seach and it said I had to have a program called Visio. Is this correct or can I modify the legend straight from Excel?) Thanks |
An alternative to Barb's suggestion: double-click any series. In the
resulting dialog box, click the 'Series order' tab. Adjust the series order in their using the various buttons. -- Regards, Tushar Mehta www.tushar-mehta.com Excel, PowerPoint, and VBA add-ins, tutorials Custom MS Office productivity solutions In article , says... I want to change the order in which the entries appear in the legend in my Excel chart. How do I do this without changing my actual data? ( I did a seach and it said I had to have a program called Visio. Is this correct or can I modify the legend straight from Excel?) Thanks |
Unfortunately there are some cases in which you cannot vary the order of
the legend's entries. In a combination column-line chart, for instance, you can rearrange the column entries amongst themselves, and likewise the line entries. But you cannot move any of the line series above the column series. Also, if your series are split between primary and secondary axes, those on the primary axis will be listed before those on the secondary axis (subject to the chart type constraint above: primary and secondary columns are still listed before primary and secondary lines). - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ Tushar Mehta wrote: An alternative to Barb's suggestion: double-click any series. In the resulting dialog box, click the 'Series order' tab. Adjust the series order in their using the various buttons. |
Yes, I have a combination line-line chart (one x-axis and two y-axes). The
entries on the first y-axis must be listed in order so they are on the same axis, and the entries on the second y-axis must be listed together so they are on the same axis. Unfortunately, the legend makes it look like I did alternating entries on the different y-axes. If I put the legend on the right side of the graph it looks OK, but I want the legend on the bottom of the graph with two columns of data labels (with like data in the same column), but it puts the data labels alternating, one on the right and one on the left, instead of straight down. Any suggestions? Thanks "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately there are some cases in which you cannot vary the order of the legend's entries. In a combination column-line chart, for instance, you can rearrange the column entries amongst themselves, and likewise the line entries. But you cannot move any of the line series above the column series. Also, if your series are split between primary and secondary axes, those on the primary axis will be listed before those on the secondary axis (subject to the chart type constraint above: primary and secondary columns are still listed before primary and secondary lines). - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ Tushar Mehta wrote: An alternative to Barb's suggestion: double-click any series. In the resulting dialog box, click the 'Series order' tab. Adjust the series order in their using the various buttons. |
Unfortunately you can't tell Excel to list legend entries by column or
by row. If you stretch the legend so it's one row high, does this help with the arrangement? What I like to do, if the chart itself isn't too cluttered, is use data labels to identify the points rather than a legend. The labels are right there, so you don't force your readers to move their eyes back and forth to identify the series in the chart. This enables you to expand the chart into the zone previously reserved for the legend, and adds to the simplicity of the chart. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ beckyboucher wrote: Yes, I have a combination line-line chart (one x-axis and two y-axes). The entries on the first y-axis must be listed in order so they are on the same axis, and the entries on the second y-axis must be listed together so they are on the same axis. Unfortunately, the legend makes it look like I did alternating entries on the different y-axes. If I put the legend on the right side of the graph it looks OK, but I want the legend on the bottom of the graph with two columns of data labels (with like data in the same column), but it puts the data labels alternating, one on the right and one on the left, instead of straight down. Any suggestions? Thanks "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately there are some cases in which you cannot vary the order of the legend's entries. In a combination column-line chart, for instance, you can rearrange the column entries amongst themselves, and likewise the line entries. But you cannot move any of the line series above the column series. Also, if your series are split between primary and secondary axes, those on the primary axis will be listed before those on the secondary axis (subject to the chart type constraint above: primary and secondary columns are still listed before primary and secondary lines). - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ Tushar Mehta wrote: An alternative to Barb's suggestion: double-click any series. In the resulting dialog box, click the 'Series order' tab. Adjust the series order in their using the various buttons. |
Thanks for the tips, however, my graph already has 8 sets of data (4 on each
y-axis) so its already quite busy. I cannot make the legend one row high because it squishes my data too close together to see clearly(regardless if the legend is on the right, left, or bottom, etc.), hence, I have to put it separately as a text box I think. There may be no other way. Any suggestions are helpful tho.... "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately you can't tell Excel to list legend entries by column or by row. If you stretch the legend so it's one row high, does this help with the arrangement? What I like to do, if the chart itself isn't too cluttered, is use data labels to identify the points rather than a legend. The labels are right there, so you don't force your readers to move their eyes back and forth to identify the series in the chart. This enables you to expand the chart into the zone previously reserved for the legend, and adds to the simplicity of the chart. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ beckyboucher wrote: Yes, I have a combination line-line chart (one x-axis and two y-axes). The entries on the first y-axis must be listed in order so they are on the same axis, and the entries on the second y-axis must be listed together so they are on the same axis. Unfortunately, the legend makes it look like I did alternating entries on the different y-axes. If I put the legend on the right side of the graph it looks OK, but I want the legend on the bottom of the graph with two columns of data labels (with like data in the same column), but it puts the data labels alternating, one on the right and one on the left, instead of straight down. Any suggestions? Thanks "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately there are some cases in which you cannot vary the order of the legend's entries. In a combination column-line chart, for instance, you can rearrange the column entries amongst themselves, and likewise the line entries. But you cannot move any of the line series above the column series. Also, if your series are split between primary and secondary axes, those on the primary axis will be listed before those on the secondary axis (subject to the chart type constraint above: primary and secondary columns are still listed before primary and secondary lines). - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ Tushar Mehta wrote: An alternative to Barb's suggestion: double-click any series. In the resulting dialog box, click the 'Series order' tab. Adjust the series order in their using the various buttons. |
I think I may end up having to make several text boxes for my data.
Unfortunately, some of the formatting, especially objects made from the drawing toolbar, don't copy over when I copy and paste the textbox elsewhere. Only the letters copy over. Do you know how to copy and paste the entire textbox, including symbols from the drawing toolbar? Many thanks... "Tushar Mehta" wrote: What I do -- and have done on a consistent basis -- is to put the 'legend' into textboxes, one per series. That way I can format the legend to my hearts content (sub/superscript characters, etc). I also set each textbox the same color as the corresponding series and add an arrow showing what series corresponds to what textbox. In addition to formatting each 'legend' differently, I can also position each textbox independently of the others. Obviously, this is something that is suited only to a 'final' version of a chart since arrows and textboxes won't adjust themselves if the series or the chart size change. You could also put the information in a 'table' outside the chart -- extending the idea behind Custom Chart Table http://www.tushar-mehta.com/excel/ne...able/index.htm -- Regards, Tushar Mehta www.tushar-mehta.com Excel, PowerPoint, and VBA add-ins, tutorials Custom MS Office productivity solutions In article , says... Thanks for the tips, however, my graph already has 8 sets of data (4 on each y-axis) so its already quite busy. I cannot make the legend one row high because it squishes my data too close together to see clearly(regardless if the legend is on the right, left, or bottom, etc.), hence, I have to put it separately as a text box I think. There may be no other way. Any suggestions are helpful tho.... "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately you can't tell Excel to list legend entries by column or by row. If you stretch the legend so it's one row high, does this help with the arrangement? What I like to do, if the chart itself isn't too cluttered, is use data labels to identify the points rather than a legend. The labels are right there, so you don't force your readers to move their eyes back and forth to identify the series in the chart. This enables you to expand the chart into the zone previously reserved for the legend, and adds to the simplicity of the chart. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ beckyboucher wrote: Yes, I have a combination line-line chart (one x-axis and two y-axes). The entries on the first y-axis must be listed in order so they are on the same axis, and the entries on the second y-axis must be listed together so they are on the same axis. Unfortunately, the legend makes it look like I did alternating entries on the different y-axes. If I put the legend on the right side of the graph it looks OK, but I want the legend on the bottom of the graph with two columns of data labels (with like data in the same column), but it puts the data labels alternating, one on the right and one on the left, instead of straight down. Any suggestions? Thanks "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately there are some cases in which you cannot vary the order of the legend's entries. In a combination column-line chart, for instance, you can rearrange the column entries amongst themselves, and likewise the line entries. But you cannot move any of the line series above the column series. Also, if your series are split between primary and secondary axes, those on the primary axis will be listed before those on the secondary axis (subject to the chart type constraint above: primary and secondary columns are still listed before primary and secondary lines). - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ Tushar Mehta wrote: An alternative to Barb's suggestion: double-click any series. In the resulting dialog box, click the 'Series order' tab. Adjust the series order in their using the various buttons. |
How do you put objects from the drawing toolbar (rectangles, etc., I
presume) into a textbox? If you have formatted individual characters in a textbox (as I do), they remain formatted if you copy the textbox as a whole. If you copy just the characters, then yes, the formatting is lost. Like I said, I do this with the final version of the chart. So, I don't mind the extra effort needed to achieve the desired printed/projected effect. -- Regards, Tushar Mehta www.tushar-mehta.com Excel, PowerPoint, and VBA add-ins, tutorials Custom MS Office productivity solutions In article , says... I think I may end up having to make several text boxes for my data. Unfortunately, some of the formatting, especially objects made from the drawing toolbar, don't copy over when I copy and paste the textbox elsewhere. Only the letters copy over. Do you know how to copy and paste the entire textbox, including symbols from the drawing toolbar? Many thanks... "Tushar Mehta" wrote: What I do -- and have done on a consistent basis -- is to put the 'legend' into textboxes, one per series. That way I can format the legend to my hearts content (sub/superscript characters, etc). I also set each textbox the same color as the corresponding series and add an arrow showing what series corresponds to what textbox. In addition to formatting each 'legend' differently, I can also position each textbox independently of the others. Obviously, this is something that is suited only to a 'final' version of a chart since arrows and textboxes won't adjust themselves if the series or the chart size change. You could also put the information in a 'table' outside the chart -- extending the idea behind Custom Chart Table http://www.tushar-mehta.com/excel/ne...able/index.htm -- Regards, Tushar Mehta www.tushar-mehta.com Excel, PowerPoint, and VBA add-ins, tutorials Custom MS Office productivity solutions In article , says... Thanks for the tips, however, my graph already has 8 sets of data (4 on each y-axis) so its already quite busy. I cannot make the legend one row high because it squishes my data too close together to see clearly(regardless if the legend is on the right, left, or bottom, etc.), hence, I have to put it separately as a text box I think. There may be no other way. Any suggestions are helpful tho.... "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately you can't tell Excel to list legend entries by column or by row. If you stretch the legend so it's one row high, does this help with the arrangement? What I like to do, if the chart itself isn't too cluttered, is use data labels to identify the points rather than a legend. The labels are right there, so you don't force your readers to move their eyes back and forth to identify the series in the chart. This enables you to expand the chart into the zone previously reserved for the legend, and adds to the simplicity of the chart. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ beckyboucher wrote: Yes, I have a combination line-line chart (one x-axis and two y-axes). The entries on the first y-axis must be listed in order so they are on the same axis, and the entries on the second y-axis must be listed together so they are on the same axis. Unfortunately, the legend makes it look like I did alternating entries on the different y-axes. If I put the legend on the right side of the graph it looks OK, but I want the legend on the bottom of the graph with two columns of data labels (with like data in the same column), but it puts the data labels alternating, one on the right and one on the left, instead of straight down. Any suggestions? Thanks "Jon Peltier" wrote: Unfortunately there are some cases in which you cannot vary the order of the legend's entries. In a combination column-line chart, for instance, you can rearrange the column entries amongst themselves, and likewise the line entries. But you cannot move any of the line series above the column series. Also, if your series are split between primary and secondary axes, those on the primary axis will be listed before those on the secondary axis (subject to the chart type constraint above: primary and secondary columns are still listed before primary and secondary lines). - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP Peltier Technical Services Tutorials and Custom Solutions http://PeltierTech.com/ _______ Tushar Mehta wrote: An alternative to Barb's suggestion: double-click any series. In the resulting dialog box, click the 'Series order' tab. Adjust the series order in their using the various buttons. |
How do I modify the legend in Excel?
Thanks for posting this suggestion! I knew how to change the series order
using the "Format data series..." option, but I didn't know you could simply type it in. I was having trouble because Excel was not letting me move a couple series up or down in the "Series order" tab on a plot with 5 data series. It also was listing both of the series as "Series1" and not by the names I had given them. When I checked the number at the end of the command line for the two problem series, they were 12 and 15. After changing the numbers for all of the series on my plot to 1 through 5, it now works correctly. "Barb R." wrote: Go into the chart. Select the series that you want to change. Look at the command line and you'll need to change the number at the very end. It will read something like: =SERIES(Sheet1!$A$3,Sheet1!$B$1:$J$1,Sheet1!$B$3:$ J$3,2) You'll want to change the 2 at the end to say 1. Test it and see what happens. You can always undo the change if it's not what you want. "beckyboucher" wrote: I want to change the order in which the entries appear in the legend in my Excel chart. How do I do this without changing my actual data? ( I did a seach and it said I had to have a program called Visio. Is this correct or can I modify the legend straight from Excel?) Thanks |
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