Macro to Add Labels to Points in an XY (Scatter) Chart

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Sample Data

The sample code in this article assumes that data and associated labels are arranged in a worksheet according to the following format:

• The first column contains the data labels.
• The second column contains the x values for the xy (scatter) chart.
• The third and subsequent columns contain the y values for the xy (scatter) chart.

NOTE: Although the example provided contains only one column of data for y values, you can use more than one series of data.

To use the macros in this article, create a chart that uses the following data, and then use the appropriate steps:

   A1: Labels       B1: X Values   C1: Y Values
   A2: DataPoint1   B2: 12          C2: 5
   A3: DataPoint2   B3:  9          C3: 7
   A4: DataPoint3   B4:  5          C4: 3
   A5: DataPoint4   B5:  4          C5: 8
   A6: DataPoint5   B6:  1          C6: 4
				

NOTE: The table should not contain empty columns, and the column that contains the data labels should not be separated from the column that contains the x values. The labels and values must be laid out EXACTLY in the format described in this article. (The upper-left cell does not have to be cell A1.) To attach text labels to data points in an xy (scatter) chart in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0, follow these steps:

1. On the worksheet that contains the sample data, select the cell range B1:C6. On the Insert menu, point to Chart, and then click As New Sheet.
2. In the Chart Wizard - Step 1 of 5 dialog box, click Next.
3. In the Chart Wizard - Step 2 of 5 dialog box, click XY (Scatter), and then click Next.
4. In the Chart Wizard - Step 3 of 5 dialog box, click Next.
5. In the Chart Wizard - Step 4 of 5 dialog box, select the following options:

   Data Series in: Columns
   Use First 1 Column(s) for X Data
   Use First 1 Row(s) for Legend Text

   and then click Finish.
6. On the Insert menu, point to Macro, and then click Module. In the module, type the macro in the "Sample Visual Basic Code" section of this article.
7. Switch to the chart sheet.
8. On the Tools menu, click Macro. Click the AttachLabelsToPoints macro, and then click Run to run the macro.
   
   The macro attaches the labels in cells A2:A6 to the data points on the chart.

Sample Visual Basic Code

   Sub AttachLabelsToPoints()

      'Dimension variables.
      Dim Counter As Integer, ChartName As String, xVals As String

      ' Disable screen updating while the subroutine is run.
      Application.ScreenUpdating = False

      'Store the formula for the first series in "xVals".
      xVals = ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).Formula

      'Extract the range for the data from xVals.
      xVals = Mid(xVals, InStr(InStr(xVals, ","), xVals, _
         Mid(Left(xVals, InStr(xVals, "!") - 1), 9)))
      xVals = Left(xVals, InStr(InStr(xVals, "!"), xVals, ",") - 1)
      Do While Left(xVals, 1) = ","
         xVals = Mid(xVals, 2)
      Loop

      'Attach a label to each data point in the chart.
      For Counter = 1 To Range(xVals).Cells.Count
         ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).Points(Counter).HasDataLabel = _
            True
         ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).Points(Counter).DataLabel.Text = _
            Range(xVals).Cells(Counter, 1).Offset(0, -1).Value
      Next Counter

   End Sub