Excel Line Chart Not Displaying First Plot Point

Question

My Excel chart has blue vertical columns to represent activity volume by date, grouped into weeks. The three horizonal lines (yellow, gray & orange) represent bonus levels based on activity volume. (For example, when blue bars hit 70, you get $30 bonus, when they hit 80, you get $60 bonus.)

Why wont' the three horizontal bars Start at the farthest left point, in alignment with the blue bar of date 5/16, and why do they bend down to the bottom left? Thanks!

DATA:

Answer 1

Hi,

I'm Sneha and I'd be happy to help you out with your question. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

There could be several reasons why your Excel line chart is not displaying the first plot point and why the horizontal lines are bending down to the bottom left. Here are some potential causes and solutions to consider:

1. Data points are missing or invalid: Make sure that all of the data points for the horizontal lines are entered correctly and that none of them are missing. If a data point is missing or has an invalid value (such as a negative number), the line may not start at the first plot point and may bend down towards the bottom left.
2. Data series are plotted on the secondary axis: If the horizontal lines are plotted on a secondary axis, they may not start at the same point as the blue columns. To fix this, you can right-click on one of the horizontal lines and select "Format Data Series," then go to the "Axis" tab and select "Primary Axis."
3. Chart is showing a subset of the data: If your chart is not showing all of the data in the worksheet, it may be because the chart is filtered or has a data range that is smaller than the data in the worksheet. To fix this, you can either clear the filters or expand the data range to include all of the data in the worksheet.
4. Chart is using a different scale: If the horizontal lines are using a different scale than the blue columns, it may cause the lines to bend down towards the bottom left. To fix this, you can right-click on one of the horizontal lines and select "Format Data Series," then go to the "Axis" tab and select "Same as Primary Axis."

If you have tried these steps and are still experiencing issues with your Excel line chart, you may want to consider recreating the chart from scratch to ensure that all of the data and formatting is correct it's best to have a backup copy of it with you to have a reference to save your time.

If you have any other questions or need assistance with anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'm here to help to the best of my ability.

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Best Regards, Sneha

Answer 2

I figured it out. When you go to Select Data, then on the left, under Legend Entries (Series), you pick one, highlight it and then click Edit, there cannot be overlap between the cells listed in the top Series NAME section and the lower Series VALUES section.

I had the top as E5 and the bottom started at E5, too, so once I made the top only E4, it fixed the problem.