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Using charts with secondary axis in your data stories is an opportunity you would kill for if only you knew the benefits.
Well, the main benefit of a secondary axis is you actually don’t need to plot two charts to visualize two varying metrics in your data.
Yes, you read that right.
A secondary vertical axis provides you with the ability to plot multiple data series on the same chart. You can visualize multiple data series in a single chart, thus saving space.
We understand Excel is one of the most trusted visualization tools out there. However, plotting charts with two y-axes in Excel is not a walk in the park.
Essentially, you have to add secondary axis in Excel manually, which is a time-intensive process.
Imagine what it would be like to visualize your data with Double Y-axis Charts without doing away with Excel. Yes, it’s possible.
You just need to download and install an add-in (which we’ll talk about later) into your spreadsheet tool. How to add a secondary axis in Excel does not have to be time-consuming or overwhelming.
This blog will walk you through how you can access ready-made charts with double y-axes.
You don’t have to add a secondary axis Excel manually.
Before we delve into the how-to guide, let’s define the secondary axis and why you need it in your data story.
You can use the secondary axis to display insights into two different data sets within a single chart. A typical Cartesian-based chart has x and y-axes.
But a Double Axis Graphs come with two y-axes and an x-axis.
A secondary axis can help you to display insights into more than one data series.
Essentially, you can visualize two different variables by using two y-axes on either side of your chart. And this means you can easily extract comparison insights, irrespective of the magnitude of the data.
A Secondary Axis can help you emphasize the key data points within categories. More so, you can make comparisons between categories using a high contrasting color scheme.
If you want to use limited space in your data visualization dashboard, your go-to charts should have a secondary axis. You have an option of adding a secondary axis in Excel manually, which is time-intensive for sure.
The other option is going for ready-made and advanced charts with double y-axes, such as:
Think for a moment the amount of time you stand to save by using ready-to-use charts for your data stories.
There’re tools that come with ready-made charts. Yes, charts with a secondary axis to help you display insights into two different data series. Keep reading to discover more.
Charts with two y-axes can simplify your analysis phase, irrespective of the complexity of the data. More so, they can help you compare two different variables within your data for insights.
You can use charts with secondary axes to map and track changes of key metrics over time.
Unlike other typical Cartesian-based charts, visualization designs with double y-axes can help you display insights into different data sets over a given time.
Use charts with secondary y-axes, if you have two data series with varying scales.
For instance, you can compare the US and Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the same chart across a specified time (dimension variable).
We acknowledge that Excel is among the most-used data visualization tools by a majority of professionals and businesses. Besides, it has been there for decades, plus it’s familiar to many.
How to add a secondary axis in Excel does not have to be time-consuming or nerve-wracking.
Why?
We’ll show you how you can supercharge your Excel to access ultra-advanced charts in the next section. Essentially, you’ll learn how to install third-party add-ins into your Excel to access charts with the secondary axis.
ChartExpo has an ultra-friendly user interface to spare you the stress of learning programming or coding to visualize your data.
Furthermore, this tool has super-advanced charts with secondary axes you’ll never find in Excel, such as Double Axis Line and Bar and Area Line charts.
With ChartExpo, you don’t have to add secondary axis in Excel manually. Yes, you read that right. ChartExpo has ready-made charts that require minimum edits, such as adding a title and legends.
How to add a secondary axis in Excel should be a thing of the past for you. In the coming section, we’ll usher you into the new era of ready-made charts with double y-axes.
Make sure you already have installed ChartExpo in Excel.
To get started with ChartExpo, follow the easy steps below:
How to add a secondary axis in Excel does not have to be time-intensive. Keep reading to discover more.
Once you will logged in you will see ChartExpo Visualization list.
Click the Search box and type “Double Axis Line and Bar Chart.”
You will see following window. You can click on Add Sample Chart+Data to see the sample data which is required to draw this chart. Later you can replace that data with your own and see the final visualization.
As soon as you will click on this button you will see double axis bar chart visualization with sample data.
You can create this visualization with your own data as well. You don’t need to every time go on sample data. You can have your own data and directly create your own visualization.
How to add a secondary axis in Excel with your own data?
Let’s visualize Your own data using the Double Axis Line and Bar Chart.
| Days | Sales | Purchase |
| Mon | 19000 | 16300 |
| Tue | 12000 | 10500 |
| Wed | 9000 | 6500 |
| Thu | 16500 | 15000 |
| Fri | 9600 | 9500 |
| Sat | 5000 | 4500 |
| Sun | 7000 | 4000 |
To draw this chart on actual values you need to go to the Settings section on top of the window check the section Chart Drawing and then select from drop down Value based, by default it was percentage base.
Once selected then click on Apply button to see the changes as shown below.
Like we said, how to add a secondary in Excel should never stress you or even consume a lot of your time. You chart is ready what you can do now is you can click on Edit Chart Button to see pencil icon on different area further click and change the more properties according to your requirement. Like you can add header, on top and left and right axis, can change the color of axis, can add prefix “$” sign.
Once you are done with properties changes you can click on Save Changes to preserve all the altered properties.
Your final image may look like this:
In fact, you should never add a secondary axis in Excel manually in light of the information you’ve read in this blog post.
How to add a secondary axis in Excel should never consume your valuable time. Use ChartExpo’s Double Axes Charts and have beautiful visualization for your dataset.
Consider the order to use when plotting bars in this chart.
One of the recommended strategies is sorting the bars from the longest to the shortest. Ordering can help your target audience (or readers) to interpret the chart.
Consider the color scheme to use to create contrast when you add secondary axis Excel.
We recommend you label your chart with relevant titles and legends. Labeling can help your audiences interpret charts in your data stories faster.
However, avoid cluttering your chart with excessive labels, which can obscure critical insights.
The spaces between each bar should not be bigger than the width of each bar. And this is because your chart may overextend beyond the margins of your dashboard.
On the other hand, if bars are closely knitted together, they can obscure key insights or render your chart visually unimpressive.
As we said, how to add a secondary axis in Excel does not have to be nerve-wracking or time-consuming.
The secondary axis allows you to visualize two different data series without the need for additional charts.
A typical Cartesian-based chart has x and y axes. But a Double Axis Graphs come with two y-axes and an x-axis. The secondary y-axis is located on the right side of the Double Axis charts.
Excel spreadsheet’s library lacks charts with secondary axes. Essentially you have to add a secondary axis in Excel manually, which is time-intensive.
But, you can supercharge your Excel with third-party add-ins, such as ChartExpo, to access visualization designs with two y-axes, such as the Double Axis Line and Bar Charts.
Visualizing two different data series with varying scales in one chart is challenging. You need specialized visualization designs to get reliable insights.
This is where charts with secondary axes come in.
You can use charts with two y-axes to visualize varying data series without plotting more diagrams. Yes, you read that right. Besides, you can easily save a ton of space in your dashboard by displaying different metrics within a single chart.
We recommend you to think beyond Excel if you want to access charts with secondary axes.
Why?
Excel is most loved demanding tool no doubt by many experts but sometimes needs more effort and time to achieve the results with two axis with awesome visualization. Essentially, you have to add secondary axis in Excel manually, which is time-consuming and complex. But, we’re not recommending you to do away with Excel. We recommend you install third-party apps, such as ChartExpo into your Excel to access advanced charts with double y-axes.
You don’t have to add secondary axis Excel manually. Let tools, such as ChartExpo do that work on your behalf.
ChartExpo is an add-in you can easily download and install in your Excel app. Besides, this tool comes loaded with insightful and easy to interpret charts with a secondary axis.
Here’s the bottom line: You don’t need programming or coding skills to visualize your data using ChartExpo.
Like we said, how to add a secondary axis in Excel should never be among your worries in data storytelling. We hope we’ve delivered value on how you can alleviate the problem (above).
Sign up for a 7-day free trial today to access easy-to-interpret and visually appealing charts with secondary axes.
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