Add data labels to XY scatter chart (XP/SP3)

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I have data that I want to put into an XY scatter chart. Whilst I can create a sort of XY scatter chart, I want to be able to show data labels of Expenditure Categories (like Stationery, Wages, etc.) against each of the scatter points. My problem is that I don’t know how to tell Excel that the labels are to be other than the series name or a value.

There are 5 columns but I want to chart Risk against Expenditure:

• Col A – A sequence number – starting at 1, 2, 3, etc.
• Col B – Categories of expenditure – Stationery, Machinery Maintenance, etc.
• Col C – Amount in $ for category expenditure
• Col D – Risk Category – Currently text, Risk Factor 1, Risk Factor 2, etc. – but it needs be a number from 1 to 10 for an XY scatter chart hence the next column.
• Col E – Risk Category as a number from 1 to 10.
  [/list]The Y axis needs to be the Risk Factor with the X axis showing the Expenditure.

  How can I achieve this with Excel please?

  If my post does not make sense, I can attach a workbook.

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Download and install Rob Bovey’s free XY Chart Labeler.

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Thanks for your response Hans. I had already searched the Lounge and found your reply to another post that mentioned this Labeler. I installed it but couldn’t find it anywhere – but I have now found where it ended up – under the Tools menu!! (Seems logical in hindsight).

I was right-clicking away on a data label on thechart and got frustrated, shut down Excel, restarted Excel, removed the Add-In, re-installed the Add-In and knew it had to be somewhere. And there it was in the Tools menu… Works as expected.

Now, does anyone know how to change the XY scatter chart’s data points to a cross (+ – instead of a diamond, square, dash, etc.)?

Thanks for the pointer, very much appreciated, Leigh

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After creating the chart
Dbl-click on the series and you will get the “Format series dialog”
Open the “Patterns” Tab
In the “Marker” area, change the “Style” to the desired style (The “+” is at the bottom, the “-” is in the middle)

You can also change the color of the marker and its background here as well as the line color (along with many other things)

Steve

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Thanks Steve for your response.

What version do you refer to? The attached is from Excel 2002/SP3 and I do not have a cross listed.

Is it from a later or earlier ver?

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Set the background color to “No color”

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Well I’ll be… That’s the best news since I woke up alive this morning.

How on earth did anyone find that?

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Experimenting?

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Thanks, Hans

I had obviously looked at the contents of the Style drop-down, and like so many of the people I know, not looked outside the box. (I should try to be more creative ‘coz in so many ways working with MS products means finding a workaround.)

Of course this didn’t require a workaround, it was there all the time, but my blinkers were preventing me from looking outside the box…

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