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How to Create a Combo Chart (Dual Axis) in Excel

Tap through each step to build a combo chart with two axes.

  1. Select two data series with different scales

    Select two data series with different units together, such as revenue amount and a growth percentage.

  2. Click Insert > Combo Chart

    In the Charts group of the Insert tab, click the combo chart icon.

  3. Assign a chart type to each series

    Set one series to display as a clustered column and the other as a line, for example, choosing a different chart type per series.

  4. Check the box to use a secondary axis

    For the series with a very different scale, check "Secondary Axis" so it displays against its own separate axis.

  5. Why it is useful

    It is useful when you want to compare two datasets with different units, like an amount and a percentage, together in a single chart.

Different from simply changing an existing chart's type

Changing chart type (via Chart Design > Change Chart Type) swaps an entire existing chart from one style to another, like bar to line. A combo chart is a different, slightly more involved process: it keeps two or more data series in the same chart while giving each series its own chart type and, if needed, its own axis.

Choosing which series gets the secondary axis

Put the series with a much smaller range of values, such as a percentage, on the secondary axis. Otherwise, next to a series with much larger raw numbers, its own line or bars can flatten out and become hard to read near the bottom of the chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a combo chart and just changing the chart type?

Changing chart type swaps an entire chart from one style to another, like bar to line. A combo chart keeps multiple data series in the same chart but assigns each series its own type and axis, which matters when you are comparing values on very different scales.

Can a combo chart include more than two data series?

Yes β€” you can assign a chart type to as many series as you have, though using a secondary axis is really only useful for the one or two series whose scale differs sharply from the rest.