Primary or Secondary Y Axis Incorrect Scale with Smoothed Series

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

In a Microsoft Excel line chart or xy (scatter) chart, the primary or secondary y axis scale may appear to have an incorrect maximum value, even though each series plotted on the affected axis is still scaled appropriately.

CAUSE

The y axis of a line chart or xy (scatter) chart will plot an incorrect maximum value under the following conditions:

• The chart contains a secondary y axis.

  -and-

• A series on the unaffected y axis (the one with the correct axis scale values) has smoothed line formatting and that same series also plots values greater than any other series on the affected y axis.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem in Microsoft Excel 5.0, manually set the maximum value of the affected scale with the following steps:

1. Make sure the chart is active.

2. Select the y axis that is being affected and choose Selected Axis from the Format menu.

3. In the Format Axis dialog box, choose the Scale tab, and type the desired maximum value in the Maximum edit box. Press OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for Windows. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel version 5.0c for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

In a line or xy (scatter) chart, a series can be formatted as a smooth line and it can also be formatted to appear on a secondary y axis. In addition, if you have multiple series plotted on the chart, and they are not of like numerical sequences, one or more of the series can be moved to the secondary axis to show two different axis scales on a single chart. Under certain conditions, one of the y axis scales will display an incorrect maximum value.

When you create a chart containing a secondary y axis, both y axes are plotted on separate scales. For example, if the first series plots percentages from 0-100% and the second series plots sales values from $1,000-$50,000, the primary axis could display the percentage values and the secondary axis could display the sales values, or vice versa.