How to set up two stacked columns with 2 axis

I would like to set up 2 stacked columns with 2 axis in Numbers. May I have your support how to do this.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 14.0

Posted on Oct 5, 2023 6:02 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Oct 6, 2023 7:55 AM

Here are three charts overlaid. It is a lot of work to get it right. There is a slight difference in the table between the first screenshot and the second. I made row 2 a header row so that you can select entire columns as the data for the charts. This will greatly simplify your life when you need to add more people to the table. They will get included on the charts automatically.




  1. Make row 2 of the table a header row (not as shown in the 1st screenshot)
  2. Make stacked column charts of the two sets of data. When doing it, click the first column letter then command click the other two to select each column for the chart. You want the entire column like Table 1::C, not a range like Table 1::C3:C6.
  3. Make a 2-axis chart of the two "blank" columns. Set the one to Y1, the other to Y2 and both as columns.
  4. Give all of three charts a title but then hide the title. Having a title will make it easier to select them later.
  5. Change the colors on the second stacked column chart
  6. Set the gaps between columns to 180% on both stacked charts
  7. On the two stacked charts set the category labels to "none"
  8. Remove legend on the 2 axis chart
  9. Set the number of gridlines to the same thing for all charts. This will make them easier to align later.
  10. Set the min and max of the first column chart and the Y1 axis of the 2-axis chart to the same values (already done in the screenshot)
  11. Set the min and max of the second column chart and the Y2 axis of the 2-axis chart to the same values (already done in the screenshot)
  12. Remove the Y axis value labels from the stacked charts (the first one is already done in the screenshot)
  13. Slide the second stacked chart over the first one and resize/align so they match up
  14. Move/align the two legends
  15. Remove the legend on the 2-axis chart
  16. Slide the 2-axis chart over the other two and resize/align so everything matches up (X axis categories centered under the bars, Y axis gridlines all align)
  17. Send the 2-axis chart to the rear
  18. From here it might be best to select charts by right clicking on the sheet name and choosing the chart. Select one of the stacked charts and set the Y axis gridlines to "none" and turn off the X axis line. Do the same for the other one
  19. On the 2-axis chart, turn on the the Y1 axis line.
  20. You can add labels to the axes. I did not do that.
  21. I recommend selecting all 3 charts and locking them so they don't get messed up accidentally.


Hopefully I didn't forget to write down a step.


If the data changes and you need to change the Y min or max, do it on both the stacked chart and the corresponding axis of the 2-axis chart.


New rows will get added to the charts automatically. For a while they might fit into the given space but eventually you will have to make some changes.


It would be a whole lot simpler to do two separate stacked bar charts. A whole lot simpler.


5 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Oct 6, 2023 7:55 AM in response to Ben0318

Here are three charts overlaid. It is a lot of work to get it right. There is a slight difference in the table between the first screenshot and the second. I made row 2 a header row so that you can select entire columns as the data for the charts. This will greatly simplify your life when you need to add more people to the table. They will get included on the charts automatically.




  1. Make row 2 of the table a header row (not as shown in the 1st screenshot)
  2. Make stacked column charts of the two sets of data. When doing it, click the first column letter then command click the other two to select each column for the chart. You want the entire column like Table 1::C, not a range like Table 1::C3:C6.
  3. Make a 2-axis chart of the two "blank" columns. Set the one to Y1, the other to Y2 and both as columns.
  4. Give all of three charts a title but then hide the title. Having a title will make it easier to select them later.
  5. Change the colors on the second stacked column chart
  6. Set the gaps between columns to 180% on both stacked charts
  7. On the two stacked charts set the category labels to "none"
  8. Remove legend on the 2 axis chart
  9. Set the number of gridlines to the same thing for all charts. This will make them easier to align later.
  10. Set the min and max of the first column chart and the Y1 axis of the 2-axis chart to the same values (already done in the screenshot)
  11. Set the min and max of the second column chart and the Y2 axis of the 2-axis chart to the same values (already done in the screenshot)
  12. Remove the Y axis value labels from the stacked charts (the first one is already done in the screenshot)
  13. Slide the second stacked chart over the first one and resize/align so they match up
  14. Move/align the two legends
  15. Remove the legend on the 2-axis chart
  16. Slide the 2-axis chart over the other two and resize/align so everything matches up (X axis categories centered under the bars, Y axis gridlines all align)
  17. Send the 2-axis chart to the rear
  18. From here it might be best to select charts by right clicking on the sheet name and choosing the chart. Select one of the stacked charts and set the Y axis gridlines to "none" and turn off the X axis line. Do the same for the other one
  19. On the 2-axis chart, turn on the the Y1 axis line.
  20. You can add labels to the axes. I did not do that.
  21. I recommend selecting all 3 charts and locking them so they don't get messed up accidentally.


Hopefully I didn't forget to write down a step.


If the data changes and you need to change the Y min or max, do it on both the stacked chart and the corresponding axis of the 2-axis chart.


New rows will get added to the charts automatically. For a while they might fit into the given space but eventually you will have to make some changes.


It would be a whole lot simpler to do two separate stacked bar charts. A whole lot simpler.


Oct 5, 2023 6:40 PM in response to Ben0318

What you are requesting does not sound practical in Numbers. There are no 2 stacked column charts and the 2-axis chart does not have stacked columns. I think at best it will take three separate charts overlaid on each other: two different stacked column charts and one 2-axis chart. It will be difficult to set up and worse to maintain.

How to set up two stacked columns with 2 axis

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.