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Quick scatter chart with multiple series names

  1. #1
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    Red face Quick scatter chart with multiple series names

    Stupid Thursday question maybe, but i'm stumped.

    See attached jpg.

    I'm trying to create a scatter plot chart (much larger than my simple example) that plots the x-y coordinates and attaches a series name in the legend at the same time.
    Currently I can only get it to plot them all under the "series 1" (or whatever name I assign) and it doesn't provide a different name and color for each point (eg. should be the ID# in row A used)

    data.JPG

    data.JPG

    Help appreciated.

  2. #2
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    Re: Quick scatter chart with multiple series names

    As with a lot of charting questions, I think that this ends up being more about data layout. If you arrange the data correctly, creating the chart should be easy.

    Something like this:
    Please Login or Register  to view this content.
    With your data arranged like this, you should be able to select this block, insert scatter chart, and the chart should just about create itself. If Excel gets rows/columns wrong, you may need to click on "switch row/column" or go into the "select data dialog" and manually select the first row as the horizontal axis data.
    Quote Originally Posted by shg
    Mathematics is the native language of the natural world. Just trying to become literate.

  3. #3
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    Re: Quick scatter chart with multiple series names

    thanks for the reply.
    Doesn't really work for my existing spreadsheet though.
    The setup of the spreadsheet is for a other functions already used.
    The rows called "OTHER DATA" are in between the data I want to graph and should remain there for the rest of the work. I suppose I could pull the data out into another worksheet to clear that information, but otherwise creating your table format from my layout requires a macro or some fancy LOOKUP statements...

    Is there a simpler solution?

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    Re: Quick scatter chart with multiple series names

    It doesn't seem to me that the formulas should be that complex. With a copy of your ID#s down column A starting in row 6 immediately below the input data as you show it, something like =IF($A6=B$1,B$5,NA()) copied down and across the desired block should quickly and easily create the data table I suggest. Note how I used a mix of relative and absolute references to make the formula easy to copy. Also note that I am using the N/A error to simulate "blank" cells for the chart (see http://peltiertech.com/mind-the-gap-...g-empty-cells/ )

    Other possibilities may depend on your exact requirements. You state that you want each data point to have its own series name, which means that each data point needs to be in the chart as its own data series. Without changing the spreadsheet, the only way I see to have each point as its own series is to select each data point individually then add it to the chart (using copy/paste or the select data dialog). That will be tedious and inflexible.

    Does each data point really need its own "series name"? What is the purpose of having a legend entry/series name for each data point? If the question behind the question is "how to help the reader identify each point", it might be easier to use Data labels rather than series names. Rob Bovey's XY chart labeler add-in (appspro.com ) is probably the easiest way to put such data labels onto a data series. Then you could add the data as a single data series, format so that the color/style changes with each point, and each point will have a data label that identifies it for the reader.

    Does any of that help further?

  5. #5
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    Re: Quick scatter chart with multiple series names

    Fair enough.
    I think you've got me a solution that will work.
    Thanks again.

    Otherwise I will do with data labels I guess:
    Data labels are useful, except that the series name is actually quite long - so the chart gets very messy with 200+ data points each with a 4-6 word label.
    I've got around this by creating a new row of data below the series name and using an ID# and then including a reference table somewhere that tells you what ID# is related to what Series Name.
    This doesn't change the color of each scatter point though, they are all the same color.

    My excel looks like this:

    ROW 1: This is a long series name ; Series name 2 is also long ; ... Series name 223 is long too
    ROW 2: 1 ; 2; .... ; 223
    ROW 3: data not used in chart
    ROW 4: x1; x2;...; x223
    ROW 5: data not used in chart
    ROW 6: y1; y2;....; y223

    For now that will work I suppose.
    Legend (though not for 223 series names) allows me to skip a "look up" table that relates ID# to Series Name in the report this is associated to.

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