Data Series In Excel How To Add, Change, Remove In A Chart

In this tutorial, we will explore and dig up more ideas regarding how to add, change, and remove data series in Excel from your chart. Working in Microsoft Excel, whether with sales-related worksheets or not, can be time-consuming. 

Consequently, we will give you a quick and easy way to add, change or rename, and remove data series in your Excel spreadsheet effectively. Excel is a big help for everybody because it makes our lives more comfortable, easy, time-saving, and convenient.

What is Data Series in Excel?

A data series is composed of cumulative and related data that is represented in rows and columns of numbers or consecutive values that are plotted in a chart. You can plot one more data series in your chart.

How to add data series to a chart in Excel?

After creating a chart, you might need to add an additional data series to the chart. Refer to the illustration below.

In this example, the chart shows whole-year sales data from January up to December for bags and shoes. Then, we just added a new data set to the worksheet, which is “cosmetics.”

Note: The cosmetics data series does not yet appear in the worksheet.

how to add a data series in Excel

This is a step-by-step guide on how to get the above result.

how to add a data series in Excel
  1. Highlight or select all the data you want to display in the chart.
  2. Click the Insert tab.
  3. In the charts group, click the “insert column or bar graph.”
  4. It will automatically display the result.

Now, let’s proceed on “how to add data series to a chart in Excel.” In this result, the same procedure is applied.

how to add a data series in Excel

The picture above is the updated chart, in which we have already included “cosmetics.” The chart is updated automatically and displays the new data set that you added.

How to change or rename a data series name in Excel

If you want to rename or change a data series in Excel with an existing data series, or if you just want to change the values without changing the data on the worksheet, just execute the following steps:

1. Right-click the chart that contains the data series you want to change or rename.

2. Then, click “select data,” and the data source will automatically pop up.

How to change or rename a data series name in Excel

Result:

result on how to change or rename a data series in Excel

3. After you select data, in the Select Data Source dialog box, under Legend Entries (Series), select the data series and click Edit.

click edit

4. In the series name box, type the data you want to use, then click “OK.”

edit series

The illustrations show that “bags” were changed or renamed into “accessories.”

Result:

result of changing data series in excel

Note: The name you type will display in the chart, but it won’t be changed in the worksheet.

How to remove data series from the chart in Excel?

The procedure for removing a data series from an Excel chart was likely the same as for renaming or changing the data of a data series in Excel. However, the difference is that you have to click the “remove button.”

  1. Right-click the chart that contain of the data series.
  2. Click select data and click remove.
remove data series in excel

It will automatically be removed once you click “Remove.”

Result:

remove data series in excel

When you click “OK,” it will appear in the chart automatically. The data set has been removed, which is the “accessories.”

remove data series in excel

Note: The data you remove will no longer display in the chart, but it won’t be changed in the worksheet.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you found the easy way on how to add, change or rename, and remove data series from the chart in Excel.

I hope all of the steps and guide mentioned above on how to add, change, and remove data series from the chart will help you and that you will apply them to your Excel spreadsheets in a more productive way.

Thank you very much for continuing to read until the end of this article. In case you have more questions, feel free to comment. You can also visit our website for additional information.

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