Excel

Series

A simple chart consists of an x-axis and a y-axis, with the x-axis representing the various rows or columns of the selected area of your spreadsheet and the y-axis representing the values in the cells. It displays the information in a single row or single column of data in the spreadsheet. If you instead make a chart from multiple rows and multiple columns, Excel will make one dimension the x-axis and make the other into different series. These series are displayed in parallel on the chart, as side-by-side columns, different lines or whatever is appropriate for the chart type.

Adding a Series

It isn't hard to add a second series to a chart. Click the chart. This will cause the chart tools to display. Next, click the Design tab and click Select Data, under the Data group. The Select Data Source dialogue box will pop up. Under Legend Entries, click Add. This brings up the Edit Series dialogue box. Here you can enter a name for the new series and enter the cell range containing its data. For either one, you can click inside the box and then select the appropriate cell or cells on the spreadsheet, rather than manually.

Adding a Second Y-Axis

Your new series may not be measured with the same range of numbers as the old one. To make the chart look better, you can plot the new series on a differently scaled y-axis. Click the chart and select the Format tab. In the Current Selection group, click the arrow by Chart Elements and select the new series from the list that pops up. With that selected, click Format Selection (also in the Current Selection group). In the Format Data Series dialogue box, select the Series Options tab. Under Plot Series On, select the Secondary Axis option, then click "Close" to finish. More Secondary Axis info: Writeup, Visual Walkthrough, Video Instructions

Formatting

Now that you have the new series plotted on a secondary axis, the chart will automatically try to adjust the scale of the axis to something appropriate. Half the time, however, it isn't quite what you want. You can adjust the settings for the axis easily. Right-click the new axis and select Format Axis. This will bring up a bunch of options that you can set to your liking. You can also change the chart type for one series (for example, make it a line graph instead of a bar graph). With the series selected, click the Design tab, go to the Type group, click Change Chart Type and choose the option you want.

QUICK INSTRUCTIONS:

click on chart, > DESIGN > SELECT DATA > ADD > highlight the range you want to add.

Then click on chart, then click on new series, then right click, then select FORMAT DATA SERIES, then click secondary axis.

Then click on chart, then click on CHANGE CHART TYPE, then select CUSTOM (top right chart icon), then set chart type and secondary axis checkbox appropriately. (For tuition example, tuitions would be line with markers, and tuition percent increase would be bar chart with secondary axis checkbox checked.

Notes:

  • if your two charts don't align on horizontal axis, then click on chart, click DESIGN, click on ADD CHART ELEMENT, select AXES > SECONDARY HORIZONTAL this should cause them to align properly. Also, when I delete the top axis (1,2,3,4,5,6) it resets to non-aligned columns. So I had to leave it in, and then change font to be white so it doesn't show up!

  • If the bar chart is upside down, then select it, right click, select change chart type, and then set chart type for it to be stacked column.

Adding pictures to chart axis:

Box and Whiskers howto