Scatter Graph: Plotting Value x Effort

mhqsmartsheet

Hi Smartsheet Community,

My organization has a few questions about scatter graphs. Our goal is to create a graph that charts the organization’s projects according to value and effort on the X and Y axis.

Here is an example of the format we want to create in PowerPoint. Of course, it would be much better in Smartsheet because it could be updated in real time.

Question 1: How do we chart Value x Effort in a Scatter Graph?

We have two columns of data. Value is out of 25 and Effort is out of 5. What would the settings be in the Scatter graph to plot the projects as the x and y axis on the graph? Is this possible in Smartsheet? So far we have only managed to plot them independently.

Question 2: How do we flip the axis so that Effort goes high to low?

One last ask is that effort starts at 5 on the axis and goes up to 0. This is possible in Excel. Not sure if this is possible in Smartsheet. How do we flip the axis so that Effort starts at 5 instead of 0?

Thanks very much for any help you can offer!

Genevieve P.

Hi @mhqsmartsheet

There's a setting in Chart widgets that says Use first column as series labels. This is how you can get your Effort to be on the X-Axis... ensure that it's the first column in your Metric sheet and then toggle on the option to put the first column as the "label" on in this case, the X-Axis:

Note that this won't be able to have the "Project Name" associated with the chart, though.

Another option would be to set up your Metric sheet so the Project Names are column titles, and the Effort is listed out down one column as 1 - 5 (not skipping any). Then you'd put in the value according to the Effort in your chart:

However keep in mind that with this set-up, all the 0s will show in your chart as well:

There currently isn't a way to adjust the X-Axis to start at 5 and go down to 0. Please feel free to vote on these Product Idea threads and add your voice so the Product team can hear from you:

• Option to remove zeros from Scatter Charts
• Set a Min-Max for Axis on Charts
• You can also create your own Idea in regards to Scatter Plots & adjusting the X-Axis in the Product Ideas topic.

Cheers,

Genevieve

Genevieve P.

Hi @mhqsmartsheet

There's a setting in Chart widgets that says Use first column as series labels. This is how you can get your Effort to be on the X-Axis... ensure that it's the first column in your Metric sheet and then toggle on the option to put the first column as the "label" on in this case, the X-Axis:

Note that this won't be able to have the "Project Name" associated with the chart, though.

Another option would be to set up your Metric sheet so the Project Names are column titles, and the Effort is listed out down one column as 1 - 5 (not skipping any). Then you'd put in the value according to the Effort in your chart:

However keep in mind that with this set-up, all the 0s will show in your chart as well:

There currently isn't a way to adjust the X-Axis to start at 5 and go down to 0. Please feel free to vote on these Product Idea threads and add your voice so the Product team can hear from you:

• Option to remove zeros from Scatter Charts
• Set a Min-Max for Axis on Charts
• You can also create your own Idea in regards to Scatter Plots & adjusting the X-Axis in the Product Ideas topic.

Cheers,

Genevieve

Lawrence Petrowicz

I am trying to make a similar plot, and I am very disappointed that the product cannot do something basic like this with the project name included. It really defeats the point.