excel charts for accounting

[Jackie]

I am trying to learn charting with excel. Currently I have
some data that shows Total Receivables, 30 days, 60 days,
90 days and 120 days past due.

0 30 60 90 120
$100 $100 $150 $200 $50
0% 20% 30% 15% 20%

Hopefully the above makes sense. :shrug:

How can I show the data in a 3D chart?

Regards

Jackie

[S...@internet.org]

Jackie

IME most data are easier for the reader
to understand and use when they are
presented in two dimensions, especially
the type of data you have.

A pseudo-three dimensional representation
of this two dimensional data may appear to
jazz up the chart and increase its "wow" factor,
but it does little to add value in interpreting
the chart other than arriving at some general
conclusions - if that is the only intent. On
occasion 3D may make it difficult to actually
use the chart to estimate intermediate values -
this does not affect your current chart because
you are displaying a "snapshot" of
receivables.

Then again, perhaps I am just a bit grumpy
this morning ...

-- Sam

"Jackie" <nospam...@rs-productions.com-nospam> wrote in message
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[S...@internet.org]

An additional comment - these data
(your dollars by past due category)
would typically be displayed in a pie
chart. I do not follow how your
percentages relate to the dollar amounts
shown unless they relate to something
like the percentage of accounts
contributing to each category of past
due receivables.

Alternatively, you may wish to consider
a stacked column chart with the second
series (percentages) plotted on the
secondary axis.

-- Sam

"Jackie" <nospam...@rs-productions.com-nospam> wrote in message
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[Jackie]

Thanks for your help on this.

>.
>

[Jonathan Wooldridge]

For a 3-D chart to be effective and useful, you should have three dimensions
of data.
The information in the Total Receivables example has two dimensions:
* Time (30,60,90,120 days)
* Amount (dollar amounts)

The percentages are categorical along the time axis, and do not actually add
another dimension.
-Jonathan

"Jackie" <nospam...@rs-productions.com-nospam> wrote in message
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[Jonathan Wooldridge]

Jackie,
Consider this scenario: A restaurant's daily business volume. In this
example, business volume fluctuates with the day of the week, as well as
over time in the usual sense. So I would propose a three dimensional graph,
with:
1. X=day of week
2. Y=week
3. Z=business volume
This could be graphed as a 3d surface, and would look like a ridge
landscape, peaking around the weekend.

-Jonathan