How to set double vertical coordinates and secondary coordinate axes in PPT charts

Key points of this article

Dual vertical coordinates solve the problem of different units. Data in the same unit should be adjusted first, and there is no need to rush to use dual axes.
Hang the series to be measured separately to the secondary axis, and then change it to a line or other chart type so that the two lines can be easily read separately.
The units must be written on both the left and right axes, and the legend name must be able to tell which side it corresponds to.
The intersection point of the dual-axis graph has no actual meaning and is easy for readers to misunderstand. If necessary, split it into two side-by-side graphs.

Many people have encountered this situation when making PPT charts: one group is sales (unit 10,000 yuan), and the other group is growth rate (unit percentage). There is a big difference between the two values. If they are placed on the same vertical axis, the growth rate line is almost close to the horizontal axis, and no change can be seen. If you want two units to have their own scales and appear on the same picture at the same time, you need dual vertical coordinates, which are secondary coordinate axes. This is the problem that many people really want to solve when searching for "How to set two vertical coordinates in ppt charts".

This article is written for people who need to make combination diagrams in work reports, debriefs or course presentations. After reading, you will know when to use the secondary axis, how to hang a certain data series on the right axis, and where to check after finishing. The operations in this article only talk about general methods and do not rely on the specific menu of a certain software. You can also follow the instructions if you change the tool.

How to set two vertical coordinates in ppt chart? One sentence conclusion

The conclusion is: first determine whether the two sets of data really need double units. If necessary, hang the series to be measured separately to the secondary axis, change it to a line or other chart type, and then set the scales on the left and right sides respectively. If both sets of data have the same units, it is often clearer to just adjust the range of the primary axis.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
The two sets of data have different units and their numerical magnitudes are very different.	Put the series with smaller values on the secondary axis	The two lines are each displayed according to their own scale, and both can be seen clearly.
The two sets of data have the same units, but different numerical ranges.	Adjust the small and large values of the main coordinate axis	There is no need for two axes in the same unit, as it is easy for people to misunderstand the two axes.
Look at both quantity and proportion	Column plus polyline combination, polyline placed on the secondary axis	Columns represent quantities, polylines represent proportions, and types are clearly distinguished.
The two series need to be strictly compared to the same scale	Split into two small pictures side by side	Prevent readers from interpreting the intersection of two lines as a meaningful signal
Charts need to be printed in black and white	Use different line types and label points, and describe the left and right axes in the legend	When the colors are difficult to distinguish, you can still understand them by relying on the lines.

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Before you start, take two minutes to confirm the following things to avoid rework.

Confirm that the chart is an editable native chart. If the chart in PPT is actually a picture, you cannot set the coordinate axis and can only return to the original data and re-insert the chart. The judgment method is simple: click on the chart, and if the data editing entrance appears, it means it is a native chart.
Confirm that two sets of data indeed require dual axes. When the units are the same, the dual axes will cause readers to misjudge the intersection of the two lines. First ask yourself: If both lines are placed on the same scale, can they still be seen clearly? There is no need to use dual axes if you can see clearly.
Open the data table and check each column. The data for most PPT charts comes from embedded tables. Before making changes, confirm which series each column corresponds to to avoid setting the wrong coordinate axis.
Think about what the left and right sides represent. Write down the name and unit of each axis in advance, such as "Sales (10,000 yuan)" on the left and "Growth (%)" on the right. Titles, legends and footnotes should all match.

Steps to hang the data series on the secondary axis

The following steps apply to PPT charts in common desktop office software. The name of the interface may be slightly different depending on the version, but the idea is the same: select the series, change the mounting location, change the chart type, adjust the scale, and add a title.

Open PPT and select the prepared chart. Click the chart area to confirm that the chart enters the editable state and a control frame appears around it.
Select the data series to be displayed separately. Click on a line or group of bars in the chart. Double-check that you select the series and not the entire chart or axis.
Open the format settings for the series. Find the settings related to the coordinate axis in the series options, and change the series from the primary coordinate axis to the secondary coordinate axis. At this point, a second ordinate will usually appear on the right side of the chart.
Change the chart type of the series. In the combination chart, the series on the secondary coordinate axis commonly use polylines, and the main series uses columns. The two are of different types and will not block each other visually.
Set the scales on the left and right sides respectively. Select the left ordinate and set the minimum value, maximum value and unit spacing; then do the same settings on the right side. The goal is to have both lines rise and fall at the right height, rather than one touching the top and one touching the bottom.
Add titles to the two axes and indicate the units. There must be titles on the left and right sides. You cannot just write numbers without units.
Check legend. Both series should appear in the legend, and the name should let the reader know which side of the axis it corresponds to, for example, indicate "(right axis)" after the name.
Adjust font size and color. Small text and thin lines during projection will affect reading. Pull the colors of the two lines apart and make sure the labels don't overlap each other.

Step 3 is where things go wrong. If the coordinate axis does not appear on the right side, it is probably because the series is not really linked to the secondary coordinate axis; if the values of the two lines do not seem to match, first go back to the data table to check and confirm that the value of the series indeed corresponds to its name.

Check each item after completion

After the chart is completed, do not put it directly into the report. Go through the list below one by one.

Check items	How to see	What if there's a problem?
Left and right axis unit	See if the unit is specified in the title of the axis on both sides.	Add the unit and keep it consistent with the name of the legend
Numerical reading	Randomly select two points from the data table and compare the position readings on the chart.	If the deviation is obvious, check whether the series is hanging on the correct axis.
Scale starting point	See if both sides start from scratch, and if not, is there a description	The non-zero starting point should be clearly stated in the footnote to avoid magnifying the range of changes.
Intersection point meaning	See if the intersection of the two lines will cause misunderstanding.	When the point of intersection has no practical meaning, use a small picture side by side.
Projection effect	View text size and line thickness in projection mode	Enlarge when the font size is too small, thicken or change the line when the line is too thin.

If the data in the chart comes from another file, such as a table copied from PDF, check again to see if the numbers are misplaced during the conversion process. The conversion results may not be completely accurate, and important numbers are recommended to be confirmed one by one against the original file.

# frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Are secondary axes and double ordinates the same thing?

Right. The secondary axis is the second ordinate on the right side of the chart, and the two are often mixed. It shares the same horizontal axis with the principal axis, but the numerical scale is independent.

2. The chart is a picture, can you set two ordinates?

Cannot be set directly. The chart in the picture has no editable data series. You need to find the original data or original chart file, reinsert it and then set it up. If the original image is from PDF, you can first use the PDF tool of the desktop client to view the content, and then decide whether to export it to PowerPoint, and then restore it to an editable chart based on the actual results.

3. If the number of the right axis is not displayed, what should I do?

There are usually two reasons: the series is not really attached to the secondary axis, or the scale label of the secondary axis is set to hidden. First confirm the mounting position of the series, then check the display options of the axis, and open the scale label.

4. Will the double vertical coordinates mislead the reader?

It's misleading. There seems to be some connection when the two lines intersect, but in fact it is just that the positions of the two different units coincide at their respective scales. When reporting, you should indicate the two-axis units under the chart and, if necessary, divide them into two side-by-side drawings for readers to compare separately.

5. Can I continue editing the chart after it has been copied to Word or PDF?

Depends on how it is copied and the target file. After copying, it is recommended to confirm that the chart is still editable in the target file, and then re-check the scale, label, and legend. If it's just for display, try to export it to a picture and check the clarity.

# Summary

To set two ordinates for the PPT chart, the key is to determine whether the units are really different: if the units are different, hang the series to be measured separately to the secondary axis, change it to the appropriate chart type, and then set the scale and unit respectively. For the same unit of data, it is often clearer to adjust the scale or split it into two pictures.

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