How to Add a Series to a Chart in Excel

Adding another data series to an existing chart is a fundamental task in Excel, but it can sometimes be confusing. Maybe you've built the perfect chart showing last month's sales, and now you need to add this month's data for comparison. This guide will walk you through several easy methods for adding a new series to your Excel chart, from a simple copy-paste to the more powerful combo chart approach.

The Quickest Method: Copy and Paste

For simple charts and straightforward data, the fastest way to add a new series is often a classic copy and paste. Excel's charting engine is surprisingly smart and can usually figure out exactly what you're trying to do without any extra clicks.

Let’s say you have a simple column chart showing Unit Sales for "Product A" and "Product B" for January, February, and March.

Your data looks like this:

Now, you've received the sales data for a new product, "Product C," and want to add it to your chart. The new data is right below:

Here’s how to add "Product C" to your chart:

1. Select the new data range, including the row header. In our example, you would select the cells containing "Prod C" and its sales figures (90, 115, 160).
2. Copy the selected cells (you can use the shortcut Ctrl+C on Windows or Cmd+C on a Mac).
3. Click once on your existing chart to select it. You should see a border appear around the chart area.
4. Paste the data (use the shortcut Ctrl+V on Windows or Cmd+V on a Mac).

That's it. Excel will automatically add the "Product C" data as a new series to your chart, assign it a new color, and update the legend. This method works beautifully when your new data is structured just like your original data.

For Adjacent Data: The Drag-and-Drop Method

If your new data series is located directly next to the data already used in your chart, there's another visual and intuitive method you can use: dragging the data range handles.

Using our previous example, if you just added the "Product C" data directly below "Product B," this technique is perfect.

Follow these steps:

1. Click on your chart to select it. When you do, Excel will highlight the source data in your worksheet with colored outlines. You’ll see a blue outline around the actual data values and a purple one around the category labels (the months).
2. Move your mouse to the small square handle at the bottom-right corner of the blue highlighted range. Your cursor will change into a double-sided arrow.
3. Click and hold the mouse button, then drag the outline down to include the new row of data for "Product C".
4. Release the mouse button.

As you drag, you’ll see a ghost image of the outline expanding and the chart will update in real-time to show what the new version will look like. Just like the copy-paste method, this is a very quick way to add data without opening any menus.

The Most Reliable Method: Using the 'Select Data' Dialog Box

While the first two methods are fast, they can sometimes fail if your data is complex, non-adjacent, or if Excel misinterprets what you're trying to do. The most reliable and flexible method for modifying a chart's data is to use the Select Data Source dialog box. This gives you complete control over every element in your chart.

How to Access the 'Select Data' Menu

You can get to this menu in two ways:

• Right-click method: Right-click anywhere on your chart and choose "Select Data..." from the context menu.
• Ribbon method: Click on your chart to activate the Chart Design tab in the Excel ribbon. In the "Data" group, click on "Select Data".

This will open the "Select Data Source" window. It might look a little intimidating at first, but it's logically laid out. On the left, you have "Legend Entries (Series)," which lists all the data series currently in your chart. On the right, you have "Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels," which controls the labels on your X-axis.

How to Add a New Series Using the Dialog Box

Let's stick with our sales example. We want to add "Product C" to our chart.

1. In the "Select Data Source" window, look at the "Legend Entries (Series)" section on the left and click the "Add" button.
2. This will open a new, smaller window called "Edit Series." You'll see two fields to fill in:
3. Click "OK" on the "Edit Series" window. You will now see "Product C" listed in the series list.
4. Click "OK" again on the "Select Data Source" window to close it, and you'll see your chart has been updated.

This method gives you precise control and is essential for adding data from a different part of the worksheet or troubleshooting charts that aren't behaving as expected.

Creating Combination Charts by Adding a Series

One of the most powerful uses for adding a new series is creating a combination (or combo) chart. This is a chart that displays multiple data series using different chart types and sometimes even a second axis.

A classic example is to show sales volume as columns and the profit margin percentage as a line on the same chart. This helps you visualize the relationship between two different kinds of metrics.

Imagine your data looks like this:

First, create a basic column chart using just the "Sales ($)" data.

Now, let's add the "Margin (%)" data as a line chart on a secondary axis.

1. Add the "Margin (%)" data as a new series using one of the methods above (the "Select Data" box is best here). At this point, Excel will probably add it as another set of columns. Because the percentage values are so small compared to the dollar values, these new columns may be almost invisible.
2. Right-click on any bar in your chart and choose "Change Series Chart Type...".
3. The "Change Chart Type" window will open, with the "Combo" category automatically selected at the bottom of the list.
4. Here, you'll see each of your data series listed with options for its chart type.
5. Now for the final touch. Since sales are measured in thousands of dollars and margin is a small percentage, we need a second vertical axis. In the same window, find the "Margin (%)" series and check the box next to it under the "Secondary Axis" column.
6. Click "OK."

You now have a sophisticated combination chart. The columns show sales volume against the primary vertical axis on the left, and the line shows the profit margin trend against the secondary vertical axis on the right.

Fixing Common Issues

Sometimes things don't go exactly as planned. Here are a couple of common problems and their solutions.

Incorrect Horizontal Axis Labels

Occasionally, when you add a new series of data, Excel can get confused about what you want on the horizontal (X) axis, sometimes replacing your month names with simple numbers (1, 2, 3...).

The Fix: Open the Select Data Source window again. On the right side, under "Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels," click the "Edit" button. This opens a small window where you can re-select the correct range in your worksheet that contains your labels (e.g., the cells with "Jan", "Feb", "Mar"). Click OK, and your axis labels will be corrected.

The New Series Doesn't Appear Correctly

If your new series doesn't show up at all, or looks completely wrong, it’s usually an issue with the underlying data or your selection.

The Fix: Go back into the Select Data Source window, select the problematic series, and click "Edit." Carefully check the ranges defined for "Series name" and "Series values." The most common cause is accidentally selecting a text label as part of your numerical values. Make sure the "Series values" range points only to cells containing numbers.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to efficiently add and manage data series is essential for anyone who regularly works with charts in Excel. Whether you use a quick copy-and-paste for a simple update or the "Select Data" dialog for more complex combination charts, mastering this skill lets you build more dynamic and insightful visualizations that evolve with your data.

Of course, manually updating charts with new data from different sources is often just the beginning. The next step is automating this process entirely. At Graphed , we help you skip the spreadsheet wrangling by connecting directly to your tools like Google Analytics, Shopify, and Facebook Ads. Instead of constantly copying and pasting new numbers, you simply describe the dashboard you need in plain English, and we build a live, auto-updating visualization for you, instantly keeping you on top of your performance without any of the manual work.