I need to set up a grid that lets me quickly pull together an interest/influence chart. My data is like this

NAME interest influence
Bob 4 3
Joe 2 1

And I’d like the data to plot them onto an x/y axis as coordinates, such that it makes a quadrant chart.

Any advice? Can’t seem to get the data series to work properly in scatter chart stuff.

Scatter diagram, but you need to choose where the axes cross, otherwise they’ll meet at 0. If all your values are positive then you need to decide at what point someone crosses from one quadrant to t’other.

Draw scatter diagram, click axis values, right click, format axis, down the bottom: “vertical axis crosses” – set to appropriate value. Repeat for other axis.

Yeah I did that but it seems to plot the figures twice for since reason

I tend to do these free hand in something like PowerPoint rather then try to do them accurately in Excel.

I need to be able to filter and map about 500 names

If you don’t need the names on the chart then it’s easy – just omit that column from the scatter plot.
If you do need the names then i *think* you might need an add-on

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-charting-and-pivots/390270-point-labels-in-an-excel-scatter-plot-to-be-associated-text.html

Pook – try ‘Select Data’ on the chart and see what data series are listed. If you’ve somehow got it in twice you can delete one of em.

I think the trick is in how you start off.

It’ll be a pain if you want the folk’s names in there (edit: yeah, Geoffj types faster than me!), but if you just want dots on the page, start by highlighting only the numbers in your two columns, then insert/scatter.

If you include the labels it starts to get upset and think your series are different to what they are.

Yep – need the names. It’s all about knowing where people are in the company.

I thought I was being stupid.

Yep – need the names.

Your going to need a big screen / large format printer / big **** off magnifying glass to make that work unless you’re filtering is going to result in less than about 25 names per plot.

It will.

Your going to need a big screen / large format printer / big **** off magnifying glass to make that work

Bit of A0 paper off a plotter roll. Draw the axis on and add post it’s with names on. Gives it the personal we actually care about you aspect.

I’ve sort of got it working (without any add-in 🙂 ) but Excel is being an arse about adding new names.