numbers in the legend - clikc by click

Hi,



I am using Excel for ages and I noticed that in the case, I have to put
numbers in the legend, I have to click and select each of them separately
every time. Is there a faster way?



This is an example of "Testing results" chart (I need years on X-axis and
test numbers in the Legend)



test no.\year 2006 2007 2008

213345 1231 1311 1366

213367 1235 1333 1335



In Excel 2007:

I select everything and insert a Column Chart. Excel puts test numbers
(and even years) as columns. Wrong!?

I select data only and create a Chart. On the chart I use right click,
"Select data" and for each "Legend Item - series name" I click and select
appropriate cell. Too much clicking (this is a simple example, we have more
than 10 test no. in the chart)!?



I know I could put special sign ( ' ) in front of every test number (Excel
then interprets it as a text) and it would work, but I don't want to,
because we use numbers for that. So how to put or insert numbers in the
legend of the chart as fast as possible?



Thanks

Mitja

Hi,

Try removing the 'test no.\year' text from the top left corner of your data
set.
This will allow excel to better guess you data, even in xl2007. Where the
axis will be years and the series names (legend) will be part numbers.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
Hi,



I am using Excel for ages and I noticed that in the case, I have to put
numbers in the legend, I have to click and select each of them separately
every time. Is there a faster way?



This is an example of "Testing results" chart (I need years on X-axis and
test numbers in the Legend)



test no.\year 2006 2007 2008

213345 1231 1311 1366

213367 1235 1333 1335



In Excel 2007:

I select everything and insert a Column Chart. Excel puts test numbers
(and even years) as columns. Wrong!?

I select data only and create a Chart. On the chart I use right click,
"Select data" and for each "Legend Item - series name" I click and select
appropriate cell. Too much clicking (this is a simple example, we have
more than 10 test no. in the chart)!?



I know I could put special sign ( ' ) in front of every test number (Excel
then interprets it as a text) and it would work, but I don't want to,
because we use numbers for that. So how to put or insert numbers in the
legend of the chart as fast as possible?



Thanks

Mitja

This works only if I make a chart from the whole table.
OK. But what if I want to create a chart just for last two years 2007 and
2008? Then removing the 'test no.\year' and selecting appropriate cells in
columns does not help.
What then?

Mitja


"Andy Pope" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Try removing the 'test no.\year' text from the top left corner of your
data set.
This will allow excel to better guess you data, even in xl2007. Where the
axis will be years and the series names (legend) will be part numbers.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
Hi,



I am using Excel for ages and I noticed that in the case, I have to put
numbers in the legend, I have to click and select each of them separately
every time. Is there a faster way?



This is an example of "Testing results" chart (I need years on X-axis and
test numbers in the Legend)



test no.\year 2006 2007 2008

213345 1231 1311 1366

213367 1235 1333 1335



In Excel 2007:

I select everything and insert a Column Chart. Excel puts test numbers
(and even years) as columns. Wrong!?

I select data only and create a Chart. On the chart I use right click,
"Select data" and for each "Legend Item - series name" I click and select
appropriate cell. Too much clicking (this is a simple example, we have
more than 10 test no. in the chart)!?



I know I could put special sign ( ' ) in front of every test number
(Excel then interprets it as a text) and it would work, but I don't want
to, because we use numbers for that. So how to put or insert numbers in
the legend of the chart as fast as possible?



Thanks

Mitja

If you format the test numbers as text then select the range A1:A3,C13 it
will work.

But what I have noticed that is even more worrying than the excessive clicks
required is the scaling of the value axis.
It sets the Minimum value to 1150. This is not good practice for column
charts.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
This works only if I make a chart from the whole table.
OK. But what if I want to create a chart just for last two years 2007 and
2008? Then removing the 'test no.\year' and selecting appropriate cells in
columns does not help.
What then?

Mitja


"Andy Pope" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Try removing the 'test no.\year' text from the top left corner of your
data set.
This will allow excel to better guess you data, even in xl2007. Where the
axis will be years and the series names (legend) will be part numbers.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
Hi,



I am using Excel for ages and I noticed that in the case, I have to put
numbers in the legend, I have to click and select each of them
separately every time. Is there a faster way?



This is an example of "Testing results" chart (I need years on X-axis
and test numbers in the Legend)



test no.\year 2006 2007 2008

213345 1231 1311 1366

213367 1235 1333 1335



In Excel 2007:

I select everything and insert a Column Chart. Excel puts test
numbers (and even years) as columns. Wrong!?

I select data only and create a Chart. On the chart I use right
click, "Select data" and for each "Legend Item - series name" I click
and select appropriate cell. Too much clicking (this is a simple
example, we have more than 10 test no. in the chart)!?



I know I could put special sign ( ' ) in front of every test number
(Excel then interprets it as a text) and it would work, but I don't want
to, because we use numbers for that. So how to put or insert numbers in
the legend of the chart as fast as possible?



Thanks

Mitja

Regarding my comment about the automatic axis scaling. Whilst valid this is
not something that was new in xl2007, it occurs in 2003 as well.


--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"Andy Pope" wrote in message
...
If you format the test numbers as text then select the range A1:A3,C13
it will work.

But what I have noticed that is even more worrying than the excessive
clicks required is the scaling of the value axis.
It sets the Minimum value to 1150. This is not good practice for column
charts.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
This works only if I make a chart from the whole table.
OK. But what if I want to create a chart just for last two years 2007 and
2008? Then removing the 'test no.\year' and selecting appropriate cells
in columns does not help.
What then?

Mitja


"Andy Pope" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Try removing the 'test no.\year' text from the top left corner of your
data set.
This will allow excel to better guess you data, even in xl2007. Where
the axis will be years and the series names (legend) will be part
numbers.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
Hi,



I am using Excel for ages and I noticed that in the case, I have to put
numbers in the legend, I have to click and select each of them
separately every time. Is there a faster way?



This is an example of "Testing results" chart (I need years on X-axis
and test numbers in the Legend)



test no.\year 2006 2007 2008

213345 1231 1311 1366

213367 1235 1333 1335



In Excel 2007:

I select everything and insert a Column Chart. Excel puts test
numbers (and even years) as columns. Wrong!?

I select data only and create a Chart. On the chart I use right
click, "Select data" and for each "Legend Item - series name" I click
and select appropriate cell. Too much clicking (this is a simple
example, we have more than 10 test no. in the chart)!?



I know I could put special sign ( ' ) in front of every test number
(Excel then interprets it as a text) and it would work, but I don't
want to, because we use numbers for that. So how to put or insert
numbers in the legend of the chart as fast as possible?



Thanks

Mitja

I took you minor table, make a quick sheet.
I found that by making the date cells as 12/31/20xx and then custom
formating to show only YYYY, I got the desired results. Excell needs to What
the function of special numbers is (Date / time / phone etc)

I ommitted the Test / Yr cell and got an INSTANT, ready to read graph

"Andy Pope" wrote:

Regarding my comment about the automatic axis scaling. Whilst valid this is
not something that was new in xl2007, it occurs in 2003 as well.


--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"Andy Pope" wrote in message
...
If you format the test numbers as text then select the range A1:A3,C13
it will work.

But what I have noticed that is even more worrying than the excessive
clicks required is the scaling of the value axis.
It sets the Minimum value to 1150. This is not good practice for column
charts.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
This works only if I make a chart from the whole table.
OK. But what if I want to create a chart just for last two years 2007 and
2008? Then removing the 'test no.\year' and selecting appropriate cells
in columns does not help.
What then?

Mitja


"Andy Pope" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Try removing the 'test no.\year' text from the top left corner of your
data set.
This will allow excel to better guess you data, even in xl2007. Where
the axis will be years and the series names (legend) will be part
numbers.

Cheers
Andy

--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info
"mitja decman" wrote in message
...
Hi,



I am using Excel for ages and I noticed that in the case, I have to put
numbers in the legend, I have to click and select each of them
separately every time. Is there a faster way?



This is an example of "Testing results" chart (I need years on X-axis
and test numbers in the Legend)



test no.\year 2006 2007 2008

213345 1231 1311 1366

213367 1235 1333 1335



In Excel 2007:

I select everything and insert a Column Chart. Excel puts test
numbers (and even years) as columns. Wrong!?

I select data only and create a Chart. On the chart I use right
click, "Select data" and for each "Legend Item - series name" I click
and select appropriate cell. Too much clicking (this is a simple
example, we have more than 10 test no. in the chart)!?



I know I could put special sign ( ' ) in front of every test number
(Excel then interprets it as a text) and it would work, but I don't
want to, because we use numbers for that. So how to put or insert
numbers in the legend of the chart as fast as possible?



Thanks

Mitja