Creating chart from a large set of data

[ochysam]

I need to creat a chart from a huge number of data. It was from the result of water sample collected since 1981 to 2011. The different variable measurements like temperature,conductivity, suspended solid etc needs to be ploted into a graph that would show the trend of change over time. How do I go about it and which chart should be appropriate for this task. This is an SOS message. So please help me. I can send the data to anyone that can help if neccessary. Thanks

 

[AlphaFrog]

You probably want to make a Line type chart. If you do a web search for Excel 2007 Line chart tutorial (insert your version), you will find several videos and step-by-step guides.

 

[ochysam]

Thanks for replying to my post. My Data ia huge and has several variables. It looks like this.I need to create a chart out of these. This is just a minute part of the table.
<table width="1088" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><col style="width: 48pt;" width="64" span="17"> <tbody><tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td style="height: 15pt; width: 48pt;" width="64" height="20">Date</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">DO</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">DO%</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">pH</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">Salinity</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">TEMP</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">CLARITY</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">COND</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">DOC</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">NH4</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">NNN</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">TN</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">DRP</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">TP</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">TSS</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">Turbidity</td> <td class="xl63" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">12/02/81</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">8/04/81</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">10.4</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">106</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6.8</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">16.5</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">10.4</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">36600</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">10/06/81</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">11.4</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">109</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.35</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">13.3</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">15.3</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">23/07/81</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">12</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">94</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.35</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">2.1</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">380</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">18.8</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">23/09/81</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">12.6</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">98</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.2</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">5</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">8.7</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6.8</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">11/03/82</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">12</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">109</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.5</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">11.1</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">11.5</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">4</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">27/05/82</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">10</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">100</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.35</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">29.2</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">7/09/82</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">11.5</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">95</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.48</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.3</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6.3</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">23.2</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">1/06/83</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">10.4</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">92</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.1</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">10</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">1.2</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">18/08/83</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">12.2</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">99</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6.85</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6.6</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">31.6</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">25</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">14/08/84</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">12.3</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">99</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.3</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6.1</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">3.6</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">1.8</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt;" height="20"> <td class="xl65" style="height: 15pt;" align="right" height="20">3/04/85</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">11.8</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">102</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">7.2</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">8.7</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">6.1</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">1.6</td> <td class="xl64" align="right">1.7</td> <td class="xl64">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

 

[Jon Peltier]

Select the first two columns of the data. Create a line chart. Format the chart (axis etc.) the way you like it. Keep the base unit of the date axis as days, then pick start, finish, and major and minor units as appropriate.

Then make a copy of the chart next to the first one. Select the new chart's chart area, note which areas are highlighted in the sheet (light blue, green, and purple borders), and drag the blue highlighting rectangle one column to the right. This changes the data in the chart. Repeat until each column is represented by a chart. Arrange the charts in a nice grid.

 

[ochysam]

Thanks Jon

 

[ochysam]

I have another question. How can I create a multiple line chart with each figures on each column having a different units. I was able to create the graphs from Jon's answer but I need to have about 5 variables in one chart. Check the figures above, they all have different units. I need all the Variables showing in one chart. I only succeeded in having 2 on the same chart. Thanks a million for assisting me.

 

[Jon Peltier]

You should ask new questions in a new thread.

The best way to handle this is to normalize each variable by dividing by a particular value. This allows you to plot all variables on the same scale, kind of like 0 to 100%, or min to max.