Microsoft KB Archive/75652

{| = Adding a New Chart Series with Time or DateValues =
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Last reviewed: November 2, 1994

Article ID: Q75652

SUMMARY
Microsoft Excel allows you to add a new data series to an existing chart by copying the appropriate information for the new data series on your worksheet and pasting it into your chart. However, attempting to paste a time or date series into your chart appears to paste nothing at all.

MORE INFORMATION
This behavior occurs by design. Excel treats the dates/times as labels if they occur in the first column of data being pasted to the chart.

Steps to Reproduce
  Enter the following data into a worksheet: A1:            B1: Time1       C1: Time2       D1: Time3 A2: Day1       B2: 7:46        C2: 1:30        D2: 6:00 A3: Day2       B3: 7:54        C3: 2:15        D3: 7:18 A4: Day3       B4: 8:03        C4: 12:45       D4: 7:30  Select cells A1:C4 and press F11 to create a chart. Activate the worksheet and select cells D1:D4. Select the Edit menu and choose Copy. Activate the chart. Select the Edit menu and choose Paste.

The new series will not be added to the chart.

Workaround 1
The following workaround will work properly using Excel version 3.0 only, and only if the first column in your original data contains labels:


 * 1) After following steps 1 and 2 above, select the labels in column A and the new series in column D simultaneously.
 * 2) Select the Edit menu and choose Copy.
 * 3) Activate the chart.
 * 4) Select the Edit menu and choose Paste.

The new series is added properly.

Workaround 2
If you are using Excel versions 2.x, OR if the first column in your original data does not contain labels, use the following workaround:


 * 1) In step 6 of Steps to Reproduce, select the Edit menu and choose Paste Special.
 * 2) Choose Values (Y) in Columns and Series Names in First Row.
 * 3) Deselect Categories in First Column.
 * 4) Choose OK.

The new series is added properly.