Map one column to x axis second to y axis in excel chart

For MS Excel 2010, I struggled with same issue i.e. instead of X-Y chart it was considering two columns as two data series. The catch to resolve it is after you select cells including all data points and column headers, you should insert -> chart -> Scatter chart.

Once the chart is created (it will be in X-Y format), you may choose change chart type option to change scatter chart to column chart/histogram etc.

If you select all data points and try to create column chart at first time, excel 2010 always consider two columns as two data series rather than x-y axes.


I don't understand quite. What kind of graph do you want ? This ?

To get this, choose your chart as a linear type (xy scatter group). After that go to select data, and select x and y values by hand from series 1. After that, fix up a little your x axis properties, so the year shows every year, and not every two or so ... Might want to fix up the default look of the graph too.

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  1. Select the cells containing the data you want to graph
  2. Select Insert -> Chart
  3. Select graph style you want
  4. Next
  5. In the "Chart Source Data" dialog, select the "Series" tab
  6. Remove the X axis data column. Series 1 is the leftmost column, so in your example, you'd remove Series 2
  7. Enter Names(legends) for the other Series(lines) -- in your example, you'd enter "Value"
  8. Select the spreadsheet icon at the right side of the "Category (X) axis labels" text box -- this will minimize the wizard and bring up the spreadsheet
  9. Select the X axis data from spreadsheet -- in your example, the data in the "Year" column
  10. Click the X at the upper right of the minimized wizard -- this will maximize the wizard, not close it
  11. Next
  12. Change/add chart, X, and Y titles
  13. Make any other format changes
  14. Select Finish

Is this intuitive? Hell, no! It's Microsoft!