Excel User Tips

Creating Combination Charts

A combination chart is a chart that combines two or more chart types in a single chart -- for example, a chart that has a line series and a column series. When you choose the Custom Types tab in the first step of the Chart Wizard, you'll find the following combination charts listed:

Column - Area
Line - Column

Many users think that these are the only two combination charts that are possible. In fact, you have a great deal of flexibility in creating combination charts. They key is understanding how the Chart - Chart Type command works. When you select this command, it works in either of two ways:

If a series is selected in the chart, the chart
type that you choose applies only to the selected
series.

Or...

If anything other than a series is selected, the chart
type that you choose applies to all series in the chart.

For example, assume you want to create a combination chart that displays a column, a line, and an area.

Start by creating a column chart.
Select the second chart series and choose Chart - Chart Type. Select a line chart type for that series.
Select the third series and repeat this command, but choose an area chart type. The result is a combination chart that shows three different chart types.

Note:
Not all chart types can be used in a combination chart. For example, Excel does not allow any of the 3-D chart types to be used in a combination chart.

The figure below carries this concept to the extreme. This combination chart displays five series, and each series uses a different chart type. This chart, of course, is provided for demonstration purposes only. I can't think of any situation that would warrant such a confusing chart!