EXCEL: Failure to Print Text Boxes when Used on Charts

Question

Sometimes I want to include text boxes, particularly with area charts, to explain what the colored area is about. These show up correctly on the computer screen. However, when I either print the chart or save it as a picture, sometimes the text box and its content do not appear. I have not yet figured out what causes this or how to correct it. I have tried moving the text box to the front using the Bring to Front button that becomes available (sometimes) when I click on the text box. It seems like this sometimes work and sometimes does not. Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Also, the way I use text boxes becomes problematic if I resize the chart or if the chart "automatically" adjusts some of its element's positions. The Text Boxes do not move with the chart change the way data labels do, for example. So, I have to reposition them manually. Is there some way to tie a Text Box to its relative location on the chart so that it moves appropriately if the chart is resized?

The Chart Below provides an example of what I am asking about. In addition to the text above the two lines and in the green area of the chart, on the Exccel spreadsheet the chart displays similar text boxes in the yellow, blue and gray areas. But when printed or saved as a picture, these do not appear in the JPG or PGN images.

Answer 1

Hello bokis,

I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with text boxes in Excel charts. It seems like you’ve already tried some troubleshooting steps, such as moving the text box to the front and adjusting its position manually. However, it’s difficult to determine the exact cause of the issue without more information about your specific setup and Excel version.

Here are a few suggestions that might help:

1. Check the print settings: Make sure that the “Print drawings created in Word” option is enabled in the Excel print settings. To do this, go to File > Print > Page Setup > Sheet tab > Print section > check “Print drawings created in Word”.
2. Use alternative methods: Instead of using text boxes, you could try using data labels or chart titles to provide explanations for the colored areas on your chart. Data labels can be added directly to the data points, while chart titles can be positioned above or below the chart.
3. Consider using PowerPoint: If you’re still experiencing issues with text boxes in Excel, you could try copying the chart to PowerPoint and adding text boxes there. PowerPoint offers more advanced formatting options for text boxes and might provide a better solution for your needs.

Regarding your second question about tying a text box to its relative location on the chart, unfortunately, Excel doesn’t have a built-in feature to automatically move text boxes when resizing or adjusting the chart elements. You would need to manually reposition the text boxes after making any changes to the chart.

I hope these suggestions help,

Fathia

Answer 2

Thank you very much. Your suggestion to use data labels was excellent. I did not know that one can edit the content of a data label. I thought the data label had to come from the underlying data table. The changed chart shown below is the type I wanted, with data labels used for text in the gold, blue and gray areas. This also seems to "solve" the issue of wanting a Text Box to maintain relative position when a chart is resized. Data labels do that. Thank you.