Create an Excel Line Chart with Target Range

With an Excel line chart, you can show the sales results from a date range, to see how things have gone. For example, in the chart shown below, you can see the sales quantities for the first six months of the year. To add context to those numbers, you can create an Excel line chart with target range.

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Scroll Bar Changes Excel Chart Title

Last week, I shared a tip for using a scroll bar to change the date range in a report. The scroll bar selects the end date for the report, and the columns to the left show the two previous months.

It works very nicely, without programming, and makes it easy to view a different date range.

scroll bar to change date range
scroll bar to change date range

Link Chart Title to Worksheet Cell

This week, we’ll add a chart that shows the data for the selected date range. Then, we’ll change the worksheet heading to a formula, so it shows the selected dates. Finally, we’ll link the chart title to the heading cells, so it also shows the selected dates.

Oops! You’ll notice that I forgot to change Axis Title, that was added at the left side of the chart. If you use one of the Quick Layout options for charts, watch for those little extras that they might add.

You can see the steps in the video, at the end of this post.

I forgot to change Axis Title at left side
I forgot to change Axis Title at left side

Another Chart Title Example

You can see another example of linking a chart title to a worksheet cell in my post on pivot table report filters.

Instead of a simple link, you can use the IF function to affect the result, as in the formula shown below.

chart title formula with IF function
chart title formula with IF function

Watch the Chart Title Video

To see the steps for creating the chart, and adding the dynamic title, you can watch this short video tutorial.

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Compare Word Counts in Excel Chart

It’s week two in the free online Infographics and data visualization course, led by Alberto Cairo, and I’m working on this week’s assignment.

The discussion this week is about a New York Times graphic that shows the number of times that words were used at national conventions.

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