Rhett Miller
Joined: November 15, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 17762
MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 04:26 PM UTC
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Ok, so maybe I'll get a better response to my post on the mrexcel chatboard (hey, another place for GGW to stalk me!), but what the hell…any of you nerds here have any idea?
I have a graph with monthly data points that automatically connects the monthly data points.
The problem occurs when the data is quarterly (on some of the data). Thus, when there is missing data, the data points don't connect. I can't very well make up data for the missing months just to get the points to connect, as it would plot nonexistant data.
Any suggestions on how to get them to connect?
ratioci nation
Joined: November 22, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 4463
Re: MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 04:36 PM UTC
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If I understand correctly, they shouldn't connect, if there was a line connecting them wouldn't it be representing nonexistant data?
Rhett Miller
Joined: November 15, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 17762
Re: MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 04:49 PM UTC
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Nope. The boss wants the line in this case. The data is reported either monthly, quarterly, or annually. It's a measure of data for one whole month, quarter, or year, even though it's one number representing an entire time span. Seems the graph defaults to a monthly plot, and if you're graphing quarterly data you'll have missing months (even though all three months are covered in a quarter).
That Mr.Excel chatboard is quick. Within a minute, I got a response to use #N/A in the cells lacking data. Thus, I will have continuity and get my lines, without data points at points where there is no data.
El Tee
Joined: October 09, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 3809
Re: MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 05:00 PM UTC
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Originally posted by Venerable Balls:
to use #N/A
I was close – I was going to say use "0" but then your lines would drop.
ggw
Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 14237
Re: MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 05:11 PM UTC
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You have to type in =NA()
If you use #NA, the interceding points will all be zero.
brennser
Joined: October 21, 2002 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 3760
Re: MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 05:46 PM UTC
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#N/A works as well
markie
Joined: October 15, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 13178
Re: MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 07:08 PM UTC
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I do all my graphing in an ancient application called Kaleidagraph. It is a useless spreadsheet, but makes beautiful graphs.
http://www.synergy.com
Samantha
Joined: August 30, 2002 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 1438
Re: MS Excel question
March 11, 2004 at 07:52 PM UTC
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speaking of Excel. I gotta learn that fucker…my bf is going to give me a copy. I'm searching for a receptionist job by this summer and it looks like all jobs want you to know it. I'm so idiotic when it comes to these programs.
angelml
Joined: October 22, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 153
Re: MS Excel question
March 12, 2004 at 08:14 PM UTC
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lol…that's funny…i had the same question last week…but in the end, my boss didn't care about the line…the data points were more important to him…