Option
Description
Examples
Lets you select the symbol used to represent the first line in all symbol-bar combination charts. (The default symbol is a triangle.) If more than one symbol series appears, the chart rotates through symbols in this order: Triangle, Circle, Plus, Square, Diamond. For example, if your chart had four symbol series and you selected Plus for the starting symbol, the first series would be represented using plus signs, the second with squares, the third with diamonds, and the fourth with triangles.
In the example at right, circles, pluses, and squares are used.
Series on Left Scale
Refers to the number of lines and bars in vertical line-bar combination charts. By default, the first series that appears in your legend for these chart types becomes a line, and all remaining series become bars. However, you can convert series from bars to lines by entering the desired number of lines here. For example, if your chart had three series, the first series appearing in your legend would appear as a line, and the remaining two series would appear as bars. You could turn the second series into a line by entering 2 in the Series on Left Scale field.
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2 in the Series on Top Scale field. Line Style
Lets you change the line style in Grouped Bar with Line, Stacked Bar with Line, and Grouped and Stacked Bar with Line graphs. By default, lines in these chart types appear angular. If you want, you can change the line style to be curved. The example shows a Stacked Bar with Line chart in which the Curved line style has been set.
Thin
Medium
Thick
Number of Symbol Series
Refers to the number of series in Grouped Bar with Symbol and Stacked Bar with Symbol charts in which symbols appear in place of lines. By default, the first series that appears in your legend is made up of symbols, and all remaining series become bars. However, you can convert series from bars to symbols by entering the desired number of symbols series in Chart Properties . For example, if your chart had three series, the first series appearing in your legend would appear as symbols, and the remaining two series would appear as bars. You could turn the second series into symbols by entering 2 in the Number of Symbol Series field. For more information about Grouped Bar with Line and Stacked Bar with Line charts, see Stacked Bar with Line Chart , respectively.
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Sync Value Scales
Determines whether value scales in dual-scale charts (such as Grouped Bar with Line and Stacked Bar with Line charts) are synced. For more information, see Syncing Value Scales in a Dual-Scale Chart . The example shows a chart with synced value scales.
Hide Second Scale
Hides the second value scale in dual-scale charts (such as Grouped Bar with Line and Stacked Bar with Line charts) in which you have synced the scales using the Sync Value Scales option. For more information, see Syncing Value Scales in a Dual-Scale Chart .
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Sync Zero Lines
Syncs the zero lines in dual-scale charts with negative values so the "0" values match.
The first example at right shows a dual-scale chart with scales that do not match. The right-side chart is being used to measure sales, which are always going to be positive; hence the scale starts at 0. However, the left-side scale is being used to measure profit, which may dip below 0. In this case the scale starts at -2000. Because the scales do not match, the chart is difficult to interpret.
The second example shows the same chart with the zero lines synced. Even though the other values do not match, the viewer can easily use the zero line as a reference point to interpret the line and bars simultaneously.
Number of Running Total Lines
Lets you specify the number of lines in line-bar combination charts that are running total lines. Lines that become running total lines are determined by your chart series order as it appears in your legend. For example, if you indicated that you wanted two running total lines, the lines corresponding to the first two line series in your legend would become running total lines.
In the example, the blue and light green lines are running total lines; the dark green line is not.
Number of Running Total Bars
Lets you specify the number of bars in line-bar combination charts that are running total bars. Bars that become running total bars are determined by your chart series order as it appears in your legend. For example, if you indicated that you wanted two running total bars, the bars corresponding to the first two bar series in your legend would become running total bars.
In the example, the light and dark green bars are running total bars; the other bars are not.
Show as Running Totals
Lets you specify whether lines appear with running totals in several kinds of horizontal Line charts. In other words, each point in a series line displays the cumulative total of all points in the line up to that point. The example screenshots show the same Curved Line chart without and with running totals. In the first example, Show as Running Totals is off so the chart appears with each data point reflecting only the new data up to that point. In the second example, Show as Running Totals is on so each data point reflects all of the data in the line up to that point. This property is available for the following kinds of Line charts: Curved Line, Step Line, Symbol Line, and Curved Symbol Line. Several types of charts have built-in running total functionality, so there is no need to set a chart property. These include the following: Running Total Line Chart .
Show Right Scale
Includes a second vertical scale in most kinds of multi-line Line charts, with or without date or time data. This is useful in situations where you want to display lines with vastly different value increments in the same chart. In the example at right, the left scale shows values in increments of \$20,000 and the right scale shows values in increments of 2. Because two scales are present, both lines can be interpreted independently on their own scales. If there was only one scale, the \$20,000 increments would be used for both lines, so one of the lines would appear flat.
Lines on Left Scale
When Show Right Scale is checked, determines how many of the lines in the chart are measured on the left scale. All additional lines are measured on the right scale. If Show Right Scale is not checked, this property does not work.
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Style (all Area graphs but Stream)
Determines the style for an Area chart, either "Flat" or "Folded." "Flat" is the default style for this type of chart. If you select "Folded," the chart takes on a 3-D appearance, as shown in the example at right.
Style (Stream graphs)
Determines the style for a Stream chart, either Curved (default) or Flat . The example shows a Stream chart that uses the "Flat" style.
