Excel 2007, create chart "The data range is too complex to be displayed"

Question

I am trying to display a very simple chart which has an x and y axis.  The x axis data range is from -9753.4 to 220296.4, the y data range is from positive 2 to negative 20 (-20).

The chart wizard I knew so well from previous versions of Excel is no longer available on Excel 2007 and when I try to graph the chart the "Select Data Source" pop-up box keeps resetting the data range.  For example, I press "Chart data range" select the y-axis data from 2 to -20, then hit the edit key for "Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels" and select the x-axis data from -9753.4 to 220296.4. There are only 23 coressponding data entries in total. 

Once I've selected the "Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels, the "Chart data range" entry has been removed and there is a message directly below the "Chart data range" saying "The data range is too complex to be displayed, if a new range is selected, it will replace all of the series in the Series panel".

I very much doubt the data range is too complex to be displayed, as this is a simple, almost linear data range on a chart, with a negative gradient.  There are many forums on the internet discussing this issue, but none that seem to solve it.  I've got an assisgnment due for university and I have to do up charts by hand because of this issue.

Please help me out, ASAP

Thanks

Tim

Answer 1

I am having the same problem.  My horizontal axis is 1973 thru 2010.  I am trying to expand it to be 1973 thru 2014 but cannot figure out how o do it.  I've tried all the tips I could find in the Help pages - so far nothing works?????

Answer 2

There's only 23 data points:

Answer 3

The number of data points in the Excel sheet might be exceeding the limits.

Refer to the link below for information about the chart specifications and limitations.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/excel-specifications-and-limits-HP010073849.aspx#BMcharting