Customizing Chart Axes in Excel 2007

For most charts, data is plotted along the horizontal (X) axis and along the vertical (Y) axis (3-D charts contain a (Z) axis as well). Categories are generally plotted on the horizontal axis and values are plotted on the vertical axis. Thus, the x-axis is referred to as the category axis and the y-axis is referred to as the value axis. We have already seen that you can change various formatting options such as font type, color and size, alignment of text, formatting of numbers, patterns, etc. of both category and value axis data.

When you create a chart, Excel automatically creates a default scale for the horizontal and vertical axis. Sometimes, the default scale is not ideal and your chart will prove difficult to read. The Axis command button on the Layout group allows you to display values in thousands, millions, etc. Additionally, you can set the minimum and maximum values for the value axis, as well as the major and minor units of measurement (you will need to turn on minor gridlines as you learned in the last lesson for the minor gridlines to display) from the Format Axis dialog box.

If axis readability is an issue, you may wish to also consider changing the axis alignment from the Format Axis dialog box.

Format Axis dialog box

To Format the Category and Value Axis

1. Click the chart to select it.
2. Click the contextual Layout tab under Chart Tools on the Ribbon.
3. Click the Axis button on the Axes group.
4. To change how the values are display, point to Primary Vertical Axis and choose the desired display (Default Axis, Thousands, Millions, Billions, or Log Scale).
5. To modify the layout of the horizontal, point to Primary Horizontal Axis and choose the desired display (Left to Right, Right to Left, Axis without Label or None).
6. To select custom axis options, point to Primary Vertical Axis or Primary Horizontal Axis, and then click More Primary Vertical Axis Options or More Primary Vertical Axis Options
   Or
   Select the axis you want to format and click the Format Selection button on the Current Selection group of the Layout Ribbon.
7. Select the desired axis options.
8. Click OK to close the Format Axis dialog box.

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• Formatting Chart Text in Excel 2007
• Change the Chart Type in Excel 2007
• Modify an Organization Chart in Microsoft Office

Tagged as: Excel 2007 Tips, Microsoft Office Tips