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How to use the Secondary Axis on a chart in Excel
Sometimes when you chart more than one data set in Excel, if the ranges of the data sets are very
different, the chart may be difficult to read. Also, the two data sets are different types of data, it would be
incorrect to use the same axis (such as a percentage and a count). For example, below is a run chart of
two indicators, one of compliance data that ranges from around 30% to 90%, and another of an outcome
in cases per thousand.
Compliance and Outcome, January – December, 2011
100.00
Percent Compliance
80.00
60.00
40.00
20.00
0.00
Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11
Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11
Compliance Indicator 33.00 36.00 55.00 77.00 82.00 70.83 73.33 82.50 81.67 87.50 78.57 87.14
Outcome Indicator
5.1
4.8
4.6
4.2
3.8
3.9
3.7
3.6
3.3
3.1
3.5
3
1) Right-click on the line that should be changed to secondary axis and choose “Format Data
Series…” from the menu.
2) In the “Series Options” menu that appears, select the option to plot the series on the “Secondary
Axis”.
OCTOBER 2011
This job aid was prepared by Simon Hiltebeitel of University Research Co., LLC (URC) for use by staff of the USAID
Health Care Improvement Project, which is made possible by the generous support of the American people through
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The USAID Health Care Improvement Project (HCI)
is managed by URC under Contract No. GHN-I-03-07-00003-00. This guidance does not reflect the official policy of
USAID or of the United States Government.
Your chart should now look like this:
Compliance and Outcome, January – December, 2011
100.00
6
5
Percent Compliance
80.00
4
60.00
3
40.00
2
20.00
1
0.00
0
Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11
Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11
Compliance Indicator 33.00 36.00 55.00 77.00 82.00 70.83 73.33 82.50 81.67 87.50 78.57 87.14
Outcome Indicator
5.1
4.8
4.6
4.2
3.8
3.9
3.7
3.6
3.3
3.1
3.5
3
To finish the job, the secondary axis will need a title:
3) Select the chart by clicking on it. This should bring up the “layout” tab in the ribbon.
4) Click on “Axis titles” in the ribbon, and select “Secondary Vertical Axis Title” and then “Rotated
Title” A text box for the secondary axis title will appear with the words “Axis Title” in it.
5) Select the text in the box and change the title as appropriate.
6) Unfortunately, it is very likely that Excel will place the title box for the secondary axis in a position
that covers some of the values for the axis. If you need to reposition your chart, click on the chart
and use the sizing handle:
Annotating run charts using data labels
2
Usually moving this
sizing handle on the
right is sufficient.
You’ll end up with a chart that looks like this:
Compliance and Outcome, January – December, 2011
100.00
6
Percent Compliance
4
60.00
3
40.00
2
20.00
Rate per 1000 cases
5
80.00
1
0.00
0
Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11
Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11
Compliance Indicator 33.00 36.00 55.00 77.00 82.00 70.83 73.33 82.50 81.67 87.50 78.57 87.14
Outcome Indicator
5.1
4.8
Annotating run charts using data labels
4.6
4.2
3.8
3.9
3.7
3.6
3.3
3.1
3.5
3
3