Microsoft KB Archive/26899

Excel: Changing the Series Names in a Chart Legend PSS ID Number: Q26899 Article last modified on 11-09-1990 PSS database name: M_eXceL

1.00 1.03 1.04 1.06 1.50 2.20

MACINTOSH

Summary:

To change a name in the legend of an extensive Microsoft Excel chart without having to change the data in the worksheet or re-create the chart, follow these steps:

  Select the series to be changed. The SERIES formula for that series will appear in the formula bar.   The first argument in this formula is the series name. In Excel version 2.20, it will be a reference to the cell on the worksheet that contains the series name information for that series. In Excel versions 1.50 and earlier it will be the actual series name as text within quotation marks. Replace the old series name argument with the new series name within quotation marks.   Press RETURN or click the check mark in the formula bar to enter the formula. 

More Information:

For example, if the SERIES formula reads

=SERIES(“1987”,Worksheet1!$A$1:$ A$12,Worksheet1!$ B$1:$ B$12,2)

but you want the legend to refer to the year “1988”, edit the formula to read as follows:

=SERIES(“1988”,Worksheet1!$A$1:$ A$12,Worksheet1!$ B$1:$ B$12,2)

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1990.