Charting with a Large Number of Data Set Formats

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 11, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365


Alfredo is using Excel to plot a large number of XY data sets and needs to have different formatting to allow identification. However, there seems to be a hard stop at 14 formats. At or over 14, every time Alfredo changes the format of one data set another one gets messed up.

It appears that this 14-format limitation seems to be associated with automatic formatting used by Excel for data series. In other words, if you allow Excel to automatically assign formatting to a large number of data series, then you'll get duplications after a while.

If you notice duplication happening, it is typically better to manually apply the formatting you want. In order to do that, you'll need to right-click on each data series in your chart and choose Format Data Series from the resulting Context menu. This displays a task pane at the right side of the chart, and you can use the controls in the task pane to specify how you want the data series formatted.

This obviously will take some time, as you must do this for each of your data series. If you have a chart that has 50 or 60 data series, you'll need to format each of them individually. That also means you'll need to figure out what changes in each of the data series—line, dot, colors, effects, etc. (You may want to document all the combinations you need in a worksheet before you actually start your formatting journey.)

If you don't want to undertake such an arduous formatting task, you might consider "cheating" and creating charts that you can overlay. For instance, you could create a chart for the first ten data series. Once you get it just right, make copies of the chart to use with your remaining data series. All you need to do on the copied charts is change the data used in the chart. Each chart could use formatting that is different from other charts by one attribute. For instance, one chart could use solid lines and the next could use dashed, another dotted, and so on.

Once the charts are done, and provided you don't change the sizing, you can make sure that the background of each chart is transparent and then overlay them on top of each other. You may have to adjust the position of the legend as you add each chart, but they should "meld" into a composite that provides the look you want.

Such an approach will obviously take trial and error, but it may be less arduous than modifying the formatting of dozens of data sets within a single chart.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (5844) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Zooming with the Keyboard

Excel doesn't provide a keyboard shortcut that allows you to zoom in or out on your workbook. It is easy, however, to ...

Discover More

Automatically Opening Macro Workbooks when Using a Shortcut Key

Click a button on a toolbar and Excel will go so far as to open a another workbook in order to run a macro associated ...

Discover More

Using Manual Line Breaks with Justified Paragraphs

If you use justified paragraphs, you know that if you press Shift+Enter, it can lead to some odd spacing between words ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Changing the Axis and Gridline Default Color

When you want to change the defaults used for charts, a chart template is the way to go. This tip shows how easy it is to ...

Discover More

Sorting within a Chart

When creating a chart based on data in a worksheet, you may want to sort the information in the chart without rearranging ...

Discover More

Preparing a Chart Sheet for Printing

One type of chart that Excel allows you to create is one that occupies an entire worksheet. When it comes time to print ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 1 + 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.