Excel chart templates don't save the axis label

Question

I've saved Excel chart templates, but whenever I use them again I have to re-type the axis labels. Is there a way to save the label in the template?

Solution 1

Unfortunately, you can't. :(

It also should be noted that chart templates do not save customer data, preventing customer information from being copied and saved into template files (customer data includes: data point and series values, text on titles, etc.). Although data is not saved, the existence, formatting, and layout of all elements is stored in the template.

http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-excel/archive/2008/02/21/chart-templates.aspx

Solution 2

There is a workaround for this:

1) Create a chart with the title position and axis label positions you wish.

2) Insert a text box for each label/title with the label text and formatting you wish, on top of the default titles. Fill the text boxes with the same color as the chart background, select "no outline" for the text boxes. It is a good idea to make all these text boxes larger than the default titles so you will not click the default titles accitentally i you want to change the texts.

3) Save the chart as a template.

Solution 3

Use Paste Special to re-use chart axis labels: http://chandoo.org/wp/2010/02/24/paste-special-chart-formatting/

Comments

[Raystafarian]

Have you tried typing them in and save as - template again?

[Chris]

@Raystafarian - yes; but it doesn't save it!