How to Add a Secondary Axis in Excel?

For example, look at the below data.

Here, we have two different data sets for each month. The first data set represents “Sales” numbers for the month. Next is to define the “Target Achieved %” for each month.

Both these numbers are not related to each other, so it is inappropriate to show them on a single axis.

Below is the chart example if we show both numbers on a single axis.

From the above, can you tell what the target achieved percentage is?

The problem is that the axis numbers of “Sales” are too high, and the “Sales Conversion” numbers are also less. So, we cannot show the trend with a single axis.

Since both the numbers are plotted under a single axis, we cannot tell the numbers of the smaller data set. Therefore, we cannot recognize other data along with the chart.

We can add the secondary axis in multiple ways. We will see each technique separately. Below is the image of the secondary axis chart.

As we can see on the right side, another vertical axis shows the sales conversion percentage. Now, we will see how to add a secondary axis in Excel.

Method #1: Simple to Add Secondary Axis in Excel

  • Once you have applied the column chart, we will get a chart like this.

  • We cannot see the sales conversion percentage column, so select the chart and go to the “Design” tab. And from the “Design” tab, click on “Change Chart Type.”

  • It will open the below dialog box.

  • Choose “Recommended Chart.”

  • Under this, we can see Excel has a recommended chart based on the data set. Choose the first- “Clustered Column Chart in ExcelClustered Column Chart In ExcelIn Excel, a clustered column chart depicts data in a series of vertical columns. Though these charts are simple to create, analyzing them becomes increasingly difficult as the number of categories increases from single to multiple. read more.”

  • The preview shows that sales conversion percentage comes under a secondary axis with a different chart type -“Line Chart in ExcelLine Chart In ExcelLine Graphs/Charts in Excels are visuals to track trends or show changes over a given period & they are pretty helpful for forecasting data. They may include 1 line for a single data set or multiple lines to compare different data sets. read more.”

It looks easy, but we have one more method – manually. Let us see the method below.

Method 2: Manually Add a Secondary Axis to the Chart

We cannot directly select the “Sales Conversion Percentage” columns in this method, so choose the chart and click on “Format.”

  • Under the “Format” tab, click on the drop-down list in ExcelDrop-down List In ExcelA drop-down list in excel is a pre-defined list of inputs that allows users to select an option.read more of “Current Selection” and select “Series Target Achieved %.”

  • It will select the “Target Achieved %” column bars.

  • Now, press Ctrl+1 to open the “FORMAT DATA SERIES” option.

  • In this window, select “Secondary Axis.”

  • We can get the following chart.

As we can see from the chart, it has given the “Target Achieved %” in the column bar with a secondary axis. But reading both the data in columns is not ideal, so we need to change the chart type to a line chart.

  • Select the “Target Achieved %” column and click “Change Chart Type.”

  • In the below window under the combo chart in excelCombo Chart In ExcelA combination chart or combo chart in excel is a combination of two or more two different charts. We can create a combo chart from the insert menu in the chart tab. Also, to combine two charts, we must have two different data sets but one common field.read more, select “Custom Combination” in that select “Target Achieved %” as “Line.” Then, click on “OK.”

  • We will have a secondary chart like the below one.

We can easily see the trend from one month to another month from this chart.

Things to Remember

  • The secondary axis requires a different chart type from the primary axis chart.This type of chart is also called the “Combo Chart.”One can read secondary axis numbers from the right-side vertical axis.One can read primary axis numbers from the left side vertical axis.

This article is a Guide to Add a Secondary Axis in Excel. We discuss how to add a secondary axis in Excel? with an example and a downloadable Excel template. You may learn more about Excel from the following articles: –

  • Legends in Excel ChartInsert Trend Line in ExcelInsert Column Chart in excelInsert Gauge Chart in Excel