software

I have data collected on a daily basis (for work days) over several years,
and I want to plot it on an X-Y plot versus date. I would like the monthly
intervals showing on the scale to be like 1/1/04, 2/1/04, 3/1/04, etc.
Similarly, for annual intervals, 1/1/03, 1/1/04, 1/1/05, etc. Excel just
wants to put in the same number of days for the intervals. Any suggestions?

It sounds like you are using an XY chart.

For XY trend charts, I often run into the issue you are talking about
frequently. I use a few formatting tricks:

For my X Axis number format I double click the X axis to get Format Axis
window. I select number tab and enter my date format. For monthly data
spanning years, I use quot;mmm'yyquot; which will show up as Mar'06 on the chart X
axis.

For my interval, I use 32 days to make sure that I get my months to
increment.

I have several trend chart examples at
processtrends.com/pg_charts_trend_chart.htm

...Kelly
quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt;I have data collected on a daily basis (for work days) over several years,
gt; and I want to plot it on an X-Y plot versus date. I would like the monthly
gt; intervals showing on the scale to be like 1/1/04, 2/1/04, 3/1/04, etc.
gt; Similarly, for annual intervals, 1/1/03, 1/1/04, 1/1/05, etc. Excel just
gt; wants to put in the same number of days for the intervals. Any
gt; suggestions?
Thanks, Kelly, but this did not work for me. When I used 32 days, after about
every 20 months, it skipped a month on the axis, as if it were quot;roundingquot; to
the nearest month.

I have an old chart that has on the x-axis, 1/4/99, 2/4/99, 3/4/99, etc
through 8/4/04. Unfortunately all I have is a printed copy and have lost the
Excel file from which it was printed. So I know it can be done, but I just
can't figure it out.

quot;Kelly O'Dayquot; wrote:

gt; It sounds like you are using an XY chart.
gt;
gt; For XY trend charts, I often run into the issue you are talking about
gt; frequently. I use a few formatting tricks:
gt;
gt; For my X Axis number format I double click the X axis to get Format Axis
gt; window. I select number tab and enter my date format. For monthly data
gt; spanning years, I use quot;mmm'yyquot; which will show up as Mar'06 on the chart X
gt; axis.
gt;
gt; For my interval, I use 32 days to make sure that I get my months to
gt; increment.
gt;
gt; I have several trend chart examples at
gt; processtrends.com/pg_charts_trend_chart.htm
gt;
gt; ...Kelly
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt; quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt; gt;I have data collected on a daily basis (for work days) over several years,
gt; gt; and I want to plot it on an X-Y plot versus date. I would like the monthly
gt; gt; intervals showing on the scale to be like 1/1/04, 2/1/04, 3/1/04, etc.
gt; gt; Similarly, for annual intervals, 1/1/03, 1/1/04, 1/1/05, etc. Excel just
gt; gt; wants to put in the same number of days for the intervals. Any
gt; gt; suggestions?
gt;
gt;
gt;

John:

How many months of data do you have to chart?

Have you tried 2 month interval (63 days)?
What about quarter (94 days)?...Kelly

quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; Thanks, Kelly, but this did not work for me. When I used 32 days, after
gt; about
gt; every 20 months, it skipped a month on the axis, as if it were quot;roundingquot;
gt; to
gt; the nearest month.
gt;
gt; I have an old chart that has on the x-axis, 1/4/99, 2/4/99, 3/4/99, etc
gt; through 8/4/04. Unfortunately all I have is a printed copy and have lost
gt; the
gt; Excel file from which it was printed. So I know it can be done, but I just
gt; can't figure it out.
gt;
gt; quot;Kelly O'Dayquot; wrote:
gt;
gt;gt; It sounds like you are using an XY chart.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; For XY trend charts, I often run into the issue you are talking about
gt;gt; frequently. I use a few formatting tricks:
gt;gt;
gt;gt; For my X Axis number format I double click the X axis to get Format Axis
gt;gt; window. I select number tab and enter my date format. For monthly data
gt;gt; spanning years, I use quot;mmm'yyquot; which will show up as Mar'06 on the chart
gt;gt; X
gt;gt; axis.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; For my interval, I use 32 days to make sure that I get my months to
gt;gt; increment.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; I have several trend chart examples at
gt;gt; processtrends.com/pg_charts_trend_chart.htm
gt;gt;
gt;gt; ...Kelly
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt; quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
gt;gt; ...
gt;gt; gt;I have data collected on a daily basis (for work days) over several
gt;gt; gt;years,
gt;gt; gt; and I want to plot it on an X-Y plot versus date. I would like the
gt;gt; gt; monthly
gt;gt; gt; intervals showing on the scale to be like 1/1/04, 2/1/04, 3/1/04, etc.
gt;gt; gt; Similarly, for annual intervals, 1/1/03, 1/1/04, 1/1/05, etc. Excel
gt;gt; gt; just
gt;gt; gt; wants to put in the same number of days for the intervals. Any
gt;gt; gt; suggestions?
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
Kelly,
It varies. Sometimes I have 5 years worth, so that would be 60 months. Since
months, quarters, and years are of different lengths, having a certain number
of days as the major unit on the scale doesn't work out. Is there a way to
tell Excel to have as the major unit on the scale months or quarters or
years, even though the data are plotted by days? This is a format axis issue,
and I have done it before, but don't remember how.
John

quot;Kelly O'Dayquot; wrote:

gt; John:
gt;
gt; How many months of data do you have to chart?
gt;
gt; Have you tried 2 month interval (63 days)?
gt; What about quarter (94 days)?
gt;
gt;
gt; ...Kelly
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt; quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt; gt; Thanks, Kelly, but this did not work for me. When I used 32 days, after
gt; gt; about
gt; gt; every 20 months, it skipped a month on the axis, as if it were quot;roundingquot;
gt; gt; to
gt; gt; the nearest month.
gt; gt;
gt; gt; I have an old chart that has on the x-axis, 1/4/99, 2/4/99, 3/4/99, etc
gt; gt; through 8/4/04. Unfortunately all I have is a printed copy and have lost
gt; gt; the
gt; gt; Excel file from which it was printed. So I know it can be done, but I just
gt; gt; can't figure it out.
gt; gt;
gt; gt; quot;Kelly O'Dayquot; wrote:
gt; gt;
gt; gt;gt; It sounds like you are using an XY chart.
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; For XY trend charts, I often run into the issue you are talking about
gt; gt;gt; frequently. I use a few formatting tricks:
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; For my X Axis number format I double click the X axis to get Format Axis
gt; gt;gt; window. I select number tab and enter my date format. For monthly data
gt; gt;gt; spanning years, I use quot;mmm'yyquot; which will show up as Mar'06 on the chart
gt; gt;gt; X
gt; gt;gt; axis.
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; For my interval, I use 32 days to make sure that I get my months to
gt; gt;gt; increment.
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; I have several trend chart examples at
gt; gt;gt; processtrends.com/pg_charts_trend_chart.htm
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; ...Kelly
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; gt;gt; ...
gt; gt;gt; gt;I have data collected on a daily basis (for work days) over several
gt; gt;gt; gt;years,
gt; gt;gt; gt; and I want to plot it on an X-Y plot versus date. I would like the
gt; gt;gt; gt; monthly
gt; gt;gt; gt; intervals showing on the scale to be like 1/1/04, 2/1/04, 3/1/04, etc.
gt; gt;gt; gt; Similarly, for annual intervals, 1/1/03, 1/1/04, 1/1/05, etc. Excel
gt; gt;gt; gt; just
gt; gt;gt; gt; wants to put in the same number of days for the intervals. Any
gt; gt;gt; gt; suggestions?
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;

Kelly,
Success! Whoopee!
I finally figured it out. Instead of an X-Y chart, use a Line chart. Then I
can have the major units as months.
John

quot;Kelly O'Dayquot; wrote:

gt; John:
gt;
gt; How many months of data do you have to chart?
gt;
gt; Have you tried 2 month interval (63 days)?
gt; What about quarter (94 days)?
gt;
gt;
gt; ...Kelly
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt; quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt; gt; Thanks, Kelly, but this did not work for me. When I used 32 days, after
gt; gt; about
gt; gt; every 20 months, it skipped a month on the axis, as if it were quot;roundingquot;
gt; gt; to
gt; gt; the nearest month.
gt; gt;
gt; gt; I have an old chart that has on the x-axis, 1/4/99, 2/4/99, 3/4/99, etc
gt; gt; through 8/4/04. Unfortunately all I have is a printed copy and have lost
gt; gt; the
gt; gt; Excel file from which it was printed. So I know it can be done, but I just
gt; gt; can't figure it out.
gt; gt;
gt; gt; quot;Kelly O'Dayquot; wrote:
gt; gt;
gt; gt;gt; It sounds like you are using an XY chart.
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; For XY trend charts, I often run into the issue you are talking about
gt; gt;gt; frequently. I use a few formatting tricks:
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; For my X Axis number format I double click the X axis to get Format Axis
gt; gt;gt; window. I select number tab and enter my date format. For monthly data
gt; gt;gt; spanning years, I use quot;mmm'yyquot; which will show up as Mar'06 on the chart
gt; gt;gt; X
gt; gt;gt; axis.
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; For my interval, I use 32 days to make sure that I get my months to
gt; gt;gt; increment.
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; I have several trend chart examples at
gt; gt;gt; processtrends.com/pg_charts_trend_chart.htm
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; ...Kelly
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt; quot;Johnquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; gt;gt; ...
gt; gt;gt; gt;I have data collected on a daily basis (for work days) over several
gt; gt;gt; gt;years,
gt; gt;gt; gt; and I want to plot it on an X-Y plot versus date. I would like the
gt; gt;gt; gt; monthly
gt; gt;gt; gt; intervals showing on the scale to be like 1/1/04, 2/1/04, 3/1/04, etc.
gt; gt;gt; gt; Similarly, for annual intervals, 1/1/03, 1/1/04, 1/1/05, etc. Excel
gt; gt;gt; gt; just
gt; gt;gt; gt; wants to put in the same number of days for the intervals. Any
gt; gt;gt; gt; suggestions?
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt; gt;gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;