Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 27, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Ken has two charts on a worksheet, both with the horizontal axis displayed as dates. (The charts are very similar.) One of the charts allows the Bounds options for the horizontal axis to be modified and the other chart doesn't offer the Bounds options at all. Ken wonders what causes the difference between these two very similar charts and how he can set the start and end dates without the Bounds options.
First, let's assume that the two charts are based on different sets of data in the worksheet. In this case the problem may well be rooted in the data on which the problem chart is based. You see, the Bounds option will only be available if Excel determines that the data on which the axis is based contains all dates. If Excel detects that the data contains something different (such as text), then it doesn't present the Bounds option. So, check the data and make sure it actually contains dates, refresh (or regenerate) the chart, and the problem should disappear.
If the two charts are based on the exact same data, then the problem is just a bit trickier. Follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Format Axis pane.
Note the setting near the top of the pane, under the Axis Type category. If the axis type is set to Text, then the Bounds options are not visible. You'll want, instead, to choose either of the other two options.
The trick to displaying the Bounds options is to make sure you select the axis type that is appropriate for your data and to make sure that your data contains just dates.
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2023-04-13 14:23:18
Dave
In order to find the offending date range complete a trim on the whole range of dates in another cell. You should see it almost immediately which is not a date. Then at that point convert the cell to date format. Then look at the list of "numerical date representations" one or more will have text or some other format. Change these to date entries and your boundaries should show up for you when you fry to format the axis.
2022-04-21 01:12:34
Paul Skayman
Hi,
I have a wacky problem with bounds. I have prepared 2 charts and both have almost the same (1 is a subset of the other) horizontal axis label points. They are all dates (everything is a formula (cell above + 7) and checked as date format. One has bounds as a format option and the other doesn't. The subset doesn't have bounds and the complete dataset does.
It's driving me crazy!
I'd be happy to send the spreadsheet if that helped. I look forward to any advice that you may have.
Best,
2021-08-27 12:14:28
TM21
That was an excellent tip - all of my graphs were showing the bounds limits except one.
And I did have one X-axis label that wasn't a date - remove that and I can see the bound limits again.
Many thanks!
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