This week in the Chandoo.org Forums, Greg asked the question, “I would like to conditionally format the data labels position to be above the plot line in a scatter plot if a certain cell contains ‘True’ and below the plot line if that cell contains ‘False’.”
Greg also wanted a Non-VBA Solution.
This post will describe how this is achieved as well as extend the idea into the fourth dimension.
All the charts in this post are available in the sample file: Download Sample File.
The Concept
The concept applied here to achieve the final result that Greg wants is that charts can use multiple data series.
These data series do not have to be visible but they can, at the same time, have Data Labels or other formatting applied.
The Application
First setup a set of data,
I have used values A to P as X Axis Labels and used a formula =Randbetween(10,20) in column C for the Y Values for the chart
Now add a Data Validation to a cell G3
Goto the Data, Data Validation Tab and select Data Validation
next add 2 columns
D3: =IF($G$3,C3,NA())
E3: =IF($G$3,NA(),C3)
Copy these down to Row 18
Select the Range B3:E18, note it includes the X Axis Labels and Headers
Now goto the Insert, Chart tab and select the chart type you want to use. I have chosen a Line Chart
Excel will draw a Chart with 3 series of lines
Now is a simple job of applying labels and formatting as applicable
The first thing to notice is that the chart has 3 series, Random Value, True and False
We can only see the True series, as it is in front of the Random Value series, The False series is hidden for now.
Select the True Series by Clicking on it
Then Right Click on it and Add Data Label
Excel adds the Data Labels to the True Series
Right click on any of the Data Labels and select Format Data Label
For the True values we will plot them above the Data Point
Change the values as shown above
Right click on the Data Series Line (the orange line) and select Format Data Series
Change the Line Type to No Line
The Orange line is gone and there is now a Blue Line, this is the Random Values series
Note we can still see the Data Labels for the True Series, even though the True Series Line is not visible
You can set or disable markers whilst you are here as well
Next select the False Series, by changing the Data Validation cell to FALSE
We can now see the False Data Series and the Random Values Series which is behind the Grey Line as before.
Right click the False Data Series, Add Data Labels
Then Right Click the New Data Labels and Change there settings to be below
Finally set the False Data Series Line Line Type to No Line
Now we can see the Rand Value series (Blue line) with the Data Labels showing for the False Series below the line
Change the Data validation from True to False and vice-versa and observe that Excel is only showing the series Labels for the Data Series which has values and doesn’t have #N/A errors in Columns D & E
So we are seeing 3 Series and 2 sets of Data Labels, it is just that we have set Two of the Line Types to No Line and Excel doesn’t display Series Values where the Value is the error value #N/A.
Now set the data Validation to True and select the Data Labels Font Color to Blue
Repeat the Process for the False Data Labels and set them to Red
Finally clean up the legend
Select the Chart, then click on the legend
Then click on TRUE and press the Delete Key
Repeat for the FALSE Legend
Our Final Chart
Change the Data Validation cell to True/False to verify that the system is working.
The techniques described above can be applied to most chart types.
Care must be taken with Column and Bar and other cumulative chart types.
Extensions
Having seen how Excel treats the #N/A error we can use that to create a number of variations for our Data Labels
Conditionally Format Data Labels above and below a set value
This is achieved by using a formula that applies to individual data points in each series
so that when a Data Point in a series (>15) is less than 15 it will return a #N/A error and not be displayed and also when a Data Point in a series (<=15) is greater than 15 it will return a #N/A error and not be displayed
Add a Third or more Set of Conditional Data Labels
This is achieved by simply adding a Fourth Data Series to the chart and adjusting the formulas as appropriate
Add Conditional Formatted Text Data Labels to Highlight Points
These are achieved by using the above techniques but instead of Displaying Values for the Data Label Series, we use the Value From Cells option
Add Conditionally Formatted Markers to Highlight Points
This is achieved by using the above techniques but alter the markers for the two helper Columns as well as the Data Labels
Explore
You can explore how these are constructed using the sample file.
All the above charts are shown in the sample file: Download Sample File.
Selecting Chart Series
One of the annoying aspects of dealing with charts and formatting individual series is the ability to select hidden or covered series
Fortunately there are a number of ways to get around this.
Use the arrows Keys
In older versions of Excel, you can select a Chart, then use the Up/Down arrow keys to cycle through all the chart objects.
Once you had the object you wanted Press Ctrl+F1 to bring up it’s format Properties
Unfortunately Microsoft in its wisdom has removed this functionality in recent versions of Excel, so try it, If it works, Enjoy, If it doesn’t keep reading
Use the Tab Menu
If you select a Chart you will see two extra menu items on the Tab Menu
These are the Chart Design and Chart format Tabs
Select the Chart Format Tab
Then Goto the Drop down on the Far Left of the Tab
It contains a list of all the available Chart Objects,
Select the Chart Object you want, then press Ctrl+1 to bring up the format options
Use the Chart Format Menu
If you select a Chart and select any part of the chart press Ctrl+1 and the Format Menu for that object is shown
Now use the small drop down just under the Format Title and select the Object you wish to change
Warning
Despite being able to use the Excel =NA() function to force an #N/A error, which is ignored by Excel, future versions of Excel maybe about to change this behavior.
Some people using the Excel 365 Insider Fast Edition are noticing a new Dialog option.
So keep in mind if all of a sudden this behavior changes, you may have upgraded Excel and introduced this new menu
You can read more about how to use this new functionality here:
http://www.exceluser.com/excel_dashboards/two-business-uses-for-excels-new-chart-feature.html
Comments
If you have any other ideas about how to use this functionality let us all know in the comments below
28 Responses to “Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6]”
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Part 3: Preparing a project time line [upcoming] Part 4: Time sheets and Resource management [...]
the templates are great (I bought the combo).
What I'm missing is a way to have the project gantt chart and reporting with the data per resource, in such a way that I can also show the occupation per resource on an extended gantt chart.
So with hours entered per person per project or sub-activity, to show a gantt chart of how many hours/days a person spent on which project (or plans to spend).
[...] from: Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6] 25 Jun 09 | [...]
Hi Chandoo,
Funny I have a post on the value of MS project lined up which I will post when the current monster project I'm working on finishes and I get some free time!
I'm not sure this would help with any of the projects I've worked on, closing down a to do list seems like more effort than it's worth, but it might be useful for some things. I guessing it doesn't, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?
keep up the good work!
Ross
@Ross.. Thanks for sharing your ideas... I think to do lists are a great way to keep up with project activities and ensure accountability from individual team members, when they are implemented right.
"I guessing it doesn’t, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?"
Your guess is right. When you change the calculation mode to "iterative", excel takes care of the nittygritties and retains older values in circular references in formulas.
[...] Project Management in Excel [New Series] - Gantt Charts | To Do Lists [...]
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
Hi Chandoo,
The template give me lot of convenience to monitor the thing to do. It simple. Thank You
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
[...] make sure you have read the first 4 parts of the series - Making gantt charts [project planning], team todo lists [project tracking], project time lines chart [reporting] and Timesheets and Resource Management using Excel. Also [...]
Chandoo,
I really do not see any befit to this function in Excel unless it was somehow tied into some other chart. That is say a scheduled activities % complete is based on the to-do list.
The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless.
@Brian... Once you have a todo list up and running, it is easy to get metrics out of it. I didnt propose it as it might look a bit too micro-management-ish.
I am able to understand what you meant by "The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless."
Can you explain?
"Chandoo"
What I mean is this. Lets say you have 10 task which are part of one activity/WBS that is in your schedule. One there are very few cases were many people would be assigned to complete this one scheduled activity with no direction being given who should what of the 10 task. It is poor management, and the task 90% of the time would not get done in a timely manner if say 4 people were responsible. Secondly, you are assuming all 10 task are independent of each other. You might need to do task 1 thru 3 before you can do task 4, and to do task 7 you might need to do 4 and 6. Thirdly, the time it would take to compile and then fill out the to-do-list even in limited applications is really not worth it.
I just see almost no applications why a team would need to inform others separate from the schedule that they have completed a task on a to-do list unless anyone of the 4 people could of completed that task.
My point is, there might be a few very limited applications for this type of list but this list would be worthless as a Project Management tool in every other case.
However, change this from a to-do-list to a document change log and it is perfect. Instead of to-do it is the documents name or summary of what changed in the document. The person is who edited the document, and the time stamp is when they checked it in. But I do not know why you would use excel when there is free software you can use commercially that is 10 times better that does document management.
I think using excel to do Project Management over a real Project Management application is a bad idea. Unless you are running a very small, simple project, the time and effort is a lot more to use excel compared to the cost of the Project Management software.
This comes back to my point, I love your site, however, just because you can do something in excel does not mean you should do it. To often the time it takes to use excel is wasted 10 times over from the cost of doing it in an application designed to for the specific application.
@Brian: The todo list mentioned here is meant to keep track of all the tasks for which detailed planning is not necessary but some sort of tracking is needed. These are not be confused with project activities (a la gantt chart).
I like your suggestion about using this as a document tracker. Pretty cool use.
Coming to your point about excel as a real project management tool, well, I have my views, but in a serious project environment, it would surely payoff to have a dedicated project management application.
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Time sheets and Resource [...]
Chandoo,
Wonder how the timestamp column will maintain its previous data. Both Today() and Now() functions will update as and when the next timestamp happens.
[...] Preparing & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Part2: Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Part3: Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Part4: Time sheets and [...]
I've combined this with the issue tracker since I like the automatic date stamp, but one thing I'm noticing is that I can't replicate the chart that goes along with the issue tracker because the cells that are referenced have the formula that inserts the time stamp instead of a the actual date value. All the dates of the last 30 days display 0 when they should have a value.
Is there a way around this?
I have edited the chart so that my team members can update the percentage completion of the assigned tasks. When the cell is updated, i would like the time stamp to update. How would I manipulate the formula to update whenever the drop-down list is changed?
[...] … ??? To Do List [...]
Excel is great however sometimes you need to get a better idea of what tasks each person on your team is working on at any given time. We've developed a web app that can do just that! Each person has a list of tasks, listed in the order they have to complete them.
HII,
I want to expand the database through excel where i am working on 11 cities as of now and i want to expand it upto 50 cities and hence forth the data related to it will also expand so i want to make it precise where i can get updates also that this work is required to be done at that particular day or date
Thanks for making all of this information available for free. I am currently using excel to track everything for the first time. I later plan to output our information here with a more visual presentation. Wish me luck!
Can some one point me out to some additional direction on the "Who Finished it?" column? Something more 'basic' for a newbie excel guy? lol I got everything else working on this tutorial but that column. I can't seem to recreate it and I know a lot of it is due to lack of knowledge with VB code. I'd like to recreate this column very much 🙁
Dear Chandoo,
Thanks for the team to do list, kindly let me know how to set the column who " finished it " from another work sheet
Hi Chandoo,
Unable to download it - can you please check the link and confirm.
Great inhisgt! That's the answer we've been looking for.
Hi Team,
I know u all are the best programmers in the world!!! that's I am here to rectify my issues. here is my question please ans me as soon as possible before 8-3-2017 its really urgent.
I have a project named the production tracker.
1) I require the user form which shows the names of the Associates which are linked to the different tracks. when the user is selected the particular track related details and dropdowns should appear.
2) I need to track the associate needs how much of the time to complete the particular task. with start stop and pause and resume timer.
3) It should display the daily count of the production and save the data to the another Excel file.
this production tracker should save all the data no matter how many people logs in into it.
Please help me for this it will be very appreciated.
you can directly email me on my mail ID: tusharkch694@gmail.com