inserting a total on a column chart

Joan -

You must have a row or column in the worksheet with the totals. If not
it's easy enough to make one.

Add a helper series to your chart, using the totals as the Y Values (in
future, make the chart with all four series right from the start). Excel
adds another column stacked on the first three: right click on the new
column, select Chart Type from the pop up menu, and choose a Line chart
type. Double click on the new line series, which has markers at the top
of each stack of columns. On the Data Labels tab, select Show Values; on
the Patterns tab, choose None for Line and for Markers to hide the
series. Finally, double click on the data labels, and on the Alignment
tab, choose Above in the Position box.

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

Joan wrote:

hi i have this spreadsheet that tracks indicators for a project and i
display the results in a column chart

there are 3 columns, but within each column it is made up of 3 groups
i.e. for the hours worked column it is made up of the U.S, Europe and
Africa showing the number of hours for each continent.

i'm wondering if it is possible to insert the total above or below
the column to show the total number of hours worked by all the
contents, which is the data changes it is automatically updated like
the rest of the chart

please help joan

thanks jon that worked a treat, it was greatly appreciated