Often you may want to plot multiple data sets on the same chart in Excel, similar to the chart below:
The following step-by-step example shows exactly how to do so.
Step 1: Enter the Data Sets
First, let’s enter the following two datasets into Excel:
Step 2: Plot the First Data Set
To create a scatter plot for Team A, highlight the cell range A2:B12, then click the Insert tab, then click the Scatter option within the Charts group:
The following scatter plot will be created:
Step 3: Add the Second Data Set
Next, right click anywhere on the scatter plot. Then click Select Data from the dropdown menu:
In the new window that appears, click Add under the Legend Entries box.
Then type “Team B” for the Series Name, then choose D3:D12 for the Series X Values and E3:E12 for the Series Y Values:
Once you click OK, the values for the second data set will automatically be added to the scatter plot:
Step 4: Customize the Chart (Optional)
Lastly, feel free to modify the colors, add a chart title, add axis titles, and add a legend to make the chart easier to interpret:
Additional Resources
The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Excel:
How to Plot Multiple Lines in Excel
How to Create a Clustered Stacked Bar Chart in Excel
How to Create a Scatterplot with Multiple Series in Excel
Hi Zach,
I am a beginner with Excel charts. Many thanks for these very clearly written directions. Unfortunately, I seem to have hit a snag. I start with two columns of data and have created an XY scatter chart OK. Then I try to add data from two other columns of data to put a second XY scatter chart on the same chart: name “Team b”; series X values “C3:C126”: series Y values “D3:D126”. This gives an error message that the formula is wrong. I am aiming for independent scatter plots from two or more entities, just to compare one with another in different colours. Any thoughts on where I am going wrong?
Hi Derek…It sounds like you’re on the right track, but there might be a small issue with how you’re adding the second series to your chart. Here’s how you can successfully add multiple XY scatter series to a single chart in Excel:
### Steps to Add a Second XY Scatter Series:
1. **Create the Initial Scatter Chart**:
– Start by creating a scatter chart with your first set of data.
– Select the first X values (e.g., `A3:A126`) and the first Y values (e.g., `B3:B126`).
– Insert the scatter chart.
2. **Add a Second Series to the Chart**:
– Click on the chart to select it.
– In the Chart Tools, go to the “Design” tab.
– Click on “Select Data” (usually found in the middle of the ribbon).
3. **Add a New Series**:
– In the “Select Data Source” window, click on “Add” under the “Legend Entries (Series)” box.
– For “Series name,” you can type `Team b` or select the cell that contains the name.
– For “Series X values,” click the range selector icon and then select the range `C3:C126`.
– For “Series Y values,” click the range selector icon and then select the range `D3:D126`.
– Click “OK” to add the series.
4. **Ensure Correct Formatting**:
– Make sure that you remove any default placeholders in the “Series X values” and “Series Y values” fields before adding your ranges. These placeholders might look like `={1}` or something similar, and leaving them in can cause errors.
5. **Repeat for Additional Series**:
– If you want to add more series, repeat the process by clicking “Add” again and specifying the X and Y values for the new series.
### Example:
Let’s say you have:
– First series X values: `A3:A126`
– First series Y values: `B3:B126`
– Second series X values: `C3:C126`
– Second series Y values: `D3:D126`
Here’s how the steps would look:
1. Create the initial scatter chart using `A3:A126` as the X values and `B3:B126` as the Y values.
2. Click on the chart and go to “Select Data.”
3. Click “Add” to add a new series:
– **Series name**: `Team b`
– **Series X values**: `C3:C126`
– **Series Y values**: `D3:D126`
4. Click “OK” to finalize the addition.
### Final Note:
After successfully adding the series, Excel should automatically assign different colors to each series. If not, you can manually adjust the colors by selecting the series on the chart, right-clicking, and choosing “Format Data Series” to set the desired color.
This process should allow you to compare multiple datasets on the same scatter plot, each with its own color.