XL: 1-2-3 Commands to Attach Text Data Labels to a Chart

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel versions 4.0 and earlier, there is no way to automatically place a group of text data labels on a chart.

To create text data labels, you must attach them to data points by using the Attach Text command from the Chart menu. Each data label must be manually updated to refer to the original worksheet cell containing the label to be attached to the data point.

Additionally in versions 5.0 and later, there is no way to automatically assign data labels to a range of cells that is not the default for x-axis labels.

WORKAROUND

Because Microsoft Excel has built-in Lotus 1-2-3 compatibility, you can add data labels as a group by using the equivalent Lotus keystrokes to create a graph.

MORE INFORMATION

To use 1-2-3 commands to add data labels as a group, do the following:

1. On a new worksheet, enter the following:

         A1: Dog      B1: 10    C1: Rover
         A2: Cat      B2: 20    C2: Kitty
         A3: Mouse    B3: 30    C3: Mickey
         A4: Bird     B4: 40    C4: Tweety
   
   

2. On the Help menu, click Lotus 1-2-3 Help.

3. In the Help For Lotus 1-2-3 Users dialog box, under Help Options, select Demo.

4. To create a chart using Lotus 1-2-3 keystrokes, do the following:

   a. Click Graph> and click OK.

   b. Click X... and click OK.

   c. Select cells A1:A4 and click OK in the Help For Lotus 1-2-3

         Users dialog box.
   

   d. Click A... and click OK.

   e. Select cells B1:B4 to define the first series, and then click OK.

   f. Click Options> and click OK.

   g. Click Data-Labels> and click OK.

   h. Click A... and click OK.

   i. Select cells C1:C4, and then click OK.

   j. Click Quit and OK.

   k. Click Quit and OK to return to the main Graph menu.

   l. Create an x-y scatter chart by clicking Type and OK, then click

         XY and OK.
   

         The demo mode will draw the chart and return to the main Graph
         menu.
   

   m. Click Save> and click OK, then click Attach... and click OK.

   n. Select the range on the worksheet that you want to contain the

         chart, then click OK.
   

NOTE: The default chart type is a line chart. To create a different style of chart after selecting your series A, press T (Type), and then select a different chart type.

To change the chart type once the chart has been created:

In version 97

On the Chart menu, click Chart Type, and select a different type of chart.

In versions 5.0 and 7.0

On the Chart menu, click AutoFormat, and select a different type of chart.

In version 4.0 and earlier

On the Chart menu, click Main Chart, and select a different type of chart.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q161513
   TITLE     : Excel: Macro to Add Labels to Points in an XY (Scatter)
               Chart

   ARTICLE-ID: Q107484
   TITLE     : Excel AppNote: Tips for Manipulating Data in a Chart
               (XE0183)