Excel Stacked Columns Graphs and reordering in descending order for each stacked column

Question

Hi All, need help with Excel Stacked Columns Graphs - There are multiple stacked columns in excel say 3 (Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3) and in each of the columns are more than 1 data series (apples, oranges, pears), I need to reorder the data series in each stacked column from highest number to lowest number (descending order) - how can this be done? reordering the data series in "select data series" format will only move the same data series across all the stacked columns in the same order but this is not what i want. each year column will have different ordering. Thank you, C

Answer 1

Hi C Z4,

Greetings! Thank you for posting to Microsoft Community.

There is no such feature in excel to sort for each column.

As a workaround you can make three charts. Move the second and third chart to the first one.

1.Right click the chart2,3 and select data and choose year 2 for the second and year 3 for the third.

2.Select all the sharp in chart except Column and delete them.

3.Change the Chart2,3 sharp fill to no fill.

4.Manual change the Columns sharp fill to the same for apple orange and pear.

5.Move them in to one chart.

Thanks for understanding this. Looking forward to your reply!

Best Regards,

Snow Lu

Answer 2

Thank you so much Snow Lu for your quick reply and suggestion. The illustrations that you provided is what i was looking for, so I will have a go with my real data. Thanks heaps again, much appreciated, C

Answer 3

Dear C Z4,

We appreciate that you posted back and confirm the workaround.

We’re glad to help you, you can provide your feedback to previous post via the options:

 

And if you have any other questions, welcome to post a new thread in our forum and we will also try our best to help you.

Sincerely,

Snow | Microsoft Community Moderator

Answer 4

Hi Snow Lu,

I tried the manual method and wasn't easy and fiddly because my tables has more than 5 rows and columns of data.

i think i just found it - using "format the axis" and i think the function "values in reverse order" might reorder in descending.

Thanks for your help earlier,

Cheryl

Answer 5

You are welcome!