A chart without an axis is a riddle
Columns without axis labels look nice — until someone asks “in what is that?”. Axis X says categories (subjects, days). Axis Y says values (grades, korunas, votes). A legend says what each colour means when you have more series.
Today you will edit an existing chart so it can be read without your comment next to it.
Edit axes and a legend
You have a column chart from Grades (A1:B6). If not, make it again — Insert → Chart, range A1:B6.
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Click the chart. On the right an editor (Sheets) or a double-click (Excel). Section Customize → Horizontal axis (X). Axis title:
Subject. Font you can leave default. -
Vertical axis (Y). Title:
Grade (1 = best). With grades a smaller number is better — that belongs in the label, so nobody reads it backwards. -
Axis Y range. Tick “Mulai at zero”. Grade 1 and 3 must be seen in the context of the whole scale 1–5, not as two hair spikes.
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Legend. With one grade column turn the legend off — it only says “Grade” and adds nothing. With a pocket money chart (In + Spent) leave the legend and rename the series to
InandSpent. -
Click next to the chart. Save the workbook. Tomorrow you open it and the axes will still be named.
An axis label is not the chart title. Chart title: Grades — March. Axis Y: Grade (1 = best). Two different sentences, both needed.
A legend when you have two series
On Pocket make a chart with columns B (In) and C (Spent). Editor → Series — each series has a name from row 1. A legend at the bottom shows two colours. Without a legend it will not be clear which column is income and which is spend.
If the legend covers columns, move it: editor → Legend → position Bottom or Right.
What often goes wrong
An empty axis label. Axis Y without text. Write it in human words.
A legend with one series. A needless frame “Series 1”. Turn it off.
Axis Y does not start at zero. The difference 1.8 and 2.0 looks like a canyon. With grades and korunas leave zero.
🏫 Grade average — axis Y
A grades chart: axis X = subjects, axis Y = grade 1–5. Average 1.8 does not belong in the chart — it belongs in cell B8 under the table. On the dashboard later you will show the average as a number, not as a sixth column.
💰 Pocket money — two series
A column chart B1:C8. Legend: In / Spent. Axis Y: Kč. You already have cell format from the format lesson — the chart takes the numbers, but you must add the axis label.
📊 Class survey — axis X
On a snack survey axis X = answer names (roll, apple…). If they are long, rotate labels 45° (editor → Axis X → label angle). Otherwise the texts overlap.
🏆 Mini dashboard — no extra legend
On the dashboard there will be one grades chart — legend off, chart title + axis labels are enough. Do not put a pocket money chart on the dashboard, so you do not waste space. A total and a maximum as numbers are enough.
Now you 💪
First: a chart from Grades — named axes, legend gone, Y from zero.
Second: a chart from Pocket (In + Spent) — legend on, axis Y Kč.
Check: A stranger understands the chart without your explaining. Axis Y starts at zero. A legend is only where there are two series.
What to take from this lesson
- Axis X = categories, axis Y = values. Nama both.
- A legend only with more series. One series = legend gone.
- With grades and money leave axis Y from zero.
© 2026 Ing. Martin Polak / AlgoRhino · Ketentuan penggunaan konten