PowerPoint chart deleting data

Question

Took an existing PowerPoint slide with a chart, copied it. It had a single column of data, edited the data to include a second column of data. Chart updates to show both series. Save file.

Click on edit data again, and the second column of data is gone and the chart reverts to showing just a single series of data.

File is being opened and saved over a network (VPN to office). But it's not showing any errors with saving the file. The issue persists even after saving and copying the file to send to others to look at it.

Answer 1

Hello, we've seen it happen with 2 presentations across 2 versions of PPT in the last ~90 days, similar experience to OP. v2102 build 13801.20360. Creating a new file is a workaround. However, the struggle is that if the data was entered into the presentation as an inserted chart, the only way to get the data again is to hover over each data point because as soon as you click view or edit data it is lost. With fairly complex datasets - this is a big loss to start over and re-enter 3+ groups and all data points! Let me know if I can attempt to securely send you a file that shows this behavior, or a stream video showing the behavior.

-Luke

Answer 2

The issue is intermittent, I can't create it on demand. It has happened multiple times (more than a half dozen times), but not any time we create a new presentation. We create a couple hundred slides with charts a day, and then somebody will notice one of them doing this. Since they are usually showing the correct data, it's not until somebody goes to make a change to the data that we realize it's reverting back.

Answer 3

Hi Joshua and Luke,

I tested again with file the Joshua sent and still couldn’t reproduce the issue, I created a small GIF to show what I see.

Besides, a newer version of Current Channel 2106 (Build 14131.20320) is available, please update Office apps, see if you still experience the same behavior.

Regards,

Neha

Answer 4

Hello,

I've uploaded a chart that is having the issue here: https://xxxx-xxxx.s3.xxxxxs.com/PowerPoint\_Scatterplot+data+dissappearing\_safe.pptx

This chart was started one business day, with the user adding about 50 data points, but still had >200 more to add. Unfortunately, she had to start over. Like OP, we also build dozens of decks and charts every week, and this has been happening with increased frequency since Q1. But probably not more than 4 times so far, and also we save the files to a WinSrvr2016, but after the issue crops up, it doesn't matter if it's local or not, data is 'lost' in that chart.

I will have a user try/check the new version/build of PowerPoint - however we typically use quarterly release cycles for support of third party line of business applications, as recommended.

@Neha - try altering your chart to a scatterplot, and changing values to <0 like between .03 and -.2 and percentages to see if that impacts the outcome. The behavior as I see it, appears to be that when Excel goes to open the data from the chart, it doesn't understand the values or can't read/import them correctly. The scatterplot seeds some default values when blank/starting - I'm wondering if this is interfering as the data that is left when edited in the above linked example, takes the same cells.

Regards,

Luke

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Answer 5

Hi Luke,

Is it possible for you to provide us with a video showing the exact issue? To record video, you can use PowerPoint app. Once done, please upload the video in private message. Click here to access your PM.

Regards,

Neha