Simple bar charts in excel and adding or removing data series

[HC7531]

Good Afternoon:

I am trying to bar graph the number of jobs per salary grade. Salary grades start at grade 9 and extend to grade 25.

I have an excel table with 2 vertical columns

Column A = Grade and lists grades 9 to 25
Column B = The number of jobs per grade and is poluated by the number of jobs in each grade.

I am trying to create a bar chart with the number of jobs on the vertical axis, the maximum number of jobs in any grade being 20, so my vertical axis will not extend beyond 20.

However, I cannot change the scale of my horizontal axis which should start at grade 9 and extend horizontally across the page to grade 25.

There is 1 job in grade 9, 12 jobs in grade 10, 4 jobs in grade 11 and so on.

Please tell me whaht I am doing wrong as I cannot change the x-axis to start at 9 or extend to 25.

Do I highlight both columns when selecting data in setting up this bar graph.

In earlier versions of excel I seem to be able to graph whatever I wanted in a snap.

In MS Office 2010, I can't.

There must be a simple solution.... help.

Frustrated

 

[Steve=True]

Solution:

Only create a bar graph the data, not the grades.

Then select the the Chart.

Then Design Ribbon, then Select Data in the Data Group.

In the Select Data Source Dialog Box, select the Edit button on the right in the Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels.

Then select your Grades in the Axis Label Range dialog box that pops up.

You should be all set starting at Grade 9 - 25 or what ever label you want. The default is for Excel to look at your data and decide what is best and it thinks you want to use the grades as another series not as x axis labels.

Steve=True