XL2000: Data Labels on Chart Appear Outside the Plot Area

When you display data labels on a chart, some of the data labels appear outside the plot area.

This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

• You display the data values for the data points on a chart.
  
  -and-
• You adjust the scale of the y axis on the chart so that the maximum value of the scale is smaller than a data value in the chart.
  
  -or-
• You adjust the scale of the y axis on the chart so that the minimum value of the scale is larger than a data value in the chart.

When this problem occurs, the data point is not displayed, but the data value label is displayed at the top of the chart outside the plot area.

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Manually Delete the Excess Data Value Labels

To work around this problem, delete the data value labels independently. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click any one of the data value labels. This step selects the entire data series.
2. Click any one of the data value labels that you want to delete.
   
   By doing this you select a single data label.
3. On the Edit menu, point to Clear and click All.
   
   One data value label is deleted.

You must repeat this process for each data value label that you want to delete.

Method 2: Use a Macro to Delete the Excess Data Value Labels

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. This method uses a macro to delete all of the data value labels that appear outside of the plot area. To use this method, you must insert a module and then type the code that follows these steps:

1. Save and close any open workbooks, and then create a new workbook.
2. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press ALT+F11).
3. On the Insert menu, click Module. Then, type the following code:
   
   

   Sub Del_Label()
       ' Detect and store the top location of plot area.
       y = ActiveChart.PlotArea.Top
       ' Loop through all labels in series one.
       For Each y_label In ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).DataLabels
          ' Test if label is above top of the plot area.
          If y_label.Top < y Then
             ' Select and delete a label.
             y_label.Select
             y_label.Delete
          End If
       Next y_label
   End Sub
   					

4. Select the chart before running the Del_Label macro.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.