Leslie -

The columns will not reposition themselves over a different category
label just by changing the plot order. You would have to somehow
rearrange or sort the data so the data moved within its worksheet range.

I didn't read Tushar's explanation in detail, but his formulas probably
do the rearranging for you.

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

Leslie: wrote:

Jon,

The chart I'm concerned with has columns only. Six of them are based
on one series only, so I've described those as "simple" columns. The
remaining three are based on either two, three or four series, so
I've described those as "stacked" columns. The chart type I selected
in the chart wizard was the "stacked columns" subtype. However, I
arranged the data in the source worksheet in an unusual staggered
fashion which permitted the mixing of simple and stacked columns in
the one chart. I discovered that method from others. You may have
been one of those others or, if not, you at least have in the past
drawn people's attention to the method and pointed them to other
sources for it.

Two more things about the chart are that: first, the extreme
righthand column, which is one of my three "stacked" ones, is plotted
against a secondary y axis; and, secondly, to be able to show data
labels at the top of all of my columns, including the "stacked" ones,
I created invisible columns above the visible ones and of the same
value as the visible ones and put data labels inside the bases of
those invisible columns.

When I try to manipulate one of my "stacked" columns on the primary y
axis by changing the plot orders of the series formulas of the series
involved, the stacks jump around within the column just as desired.

However, when I try to manipulate my leftmost "simple" column on the
primary y axis by changing the plot order of its series formula from
1 to 2, the change in number shows up (and the next column's plot
order, that column also being a "simple" column, changes to 1), but
the columns stand still.

Perhaps the chart has some peculiarity of construction which prevents
me from switching simple columns by changing plot orders of their
series formulas. If so, I'll give up on the idea of automating
movement of columns or parts of columns in the chart.

Leslie