Combo Chart in Excel 2010: How to Create One

Yes. In Excel 2010, create a chart, select the data series you want to display differently, right-click it, and choose Change Series Chart Type; if the series uses a very different scale, plot it on a secondary axis. Excel 2010 does not have the later, one-step Combo chart button, but you can build the same kind of chart by combining chart types.

What a combo chart does

A combo chart, also called a combination chart, displays two or more data series using different chart types in a single chart area. A common example pairs columns for monthly sales with a line for a target or percentage. The columns make the size of each month’s sales easy to compare, while the line makes the target’s movement or trend clear.

Combining chart types is useful when the series answer related questions but have different visual needs. Columns work well for comparing separate periods or categories. Lines emphasize change over an ordered sequence, such as months. A chart that uses both can show actual results and a benchmark together without requiring the reader to compare two separate charts.

A combo chart is not automatically clearer than a standard chart. If the series use unrelated categories or there are too many lines and columns, a combined display can confuse rather than explain. Before building one, decide what relationship the reader should notice and whether the series share units and a meaningful horizontal axis.

How Excel 2010 handles combination charts

Excel 2010 predates the dedicated Combo chart type found in newer Excel versions. In Excel 2013 and later, a user can generally choose a combination chart through the chart insertion or chart-type controls. In Excel 2010, the process is more manual: insert a normal chart first, then change the chart type for an individual series.

This distinction matters when following online instructions. A guide that says to select Insert > Combo is describing a later version, not Excel 2010. The underlying idea is still available in 2010; it simply requires editing an existing chart series. The chart tools appear on the ribbon when the chart is selected, while some series-specific options are also available by right-clicking a plotted series.

The exact ribbon labels can vary slightly with the chart and workbook context. In Excel 2010, selecting a chart displays the contextual Chart Tools tabs, including Design, Layout, and Format. For changing a single series, the right-click menu is often the most direct route.

Prepare the data before inserting a chart

Arrange the information in a simple table, with category labels in the first column and each series in its own column. For example, a small sales report might contain Month, Sales, and Target as headings, followed by one row for each month. Use consistent units within a series, and avoid blank rows or merged cells in the middle of the range.

For a practical example, imagine monthly sales values in dollars and a target percentage for each month. Select the month labels and both series, then insert a basic clustered column chart. Excel will initially plot both series as columns. You can then change the target series to a line and, if necessary, assign that percentage series to a secondary axis.

Before charting, check these points:

Each column has a clear heading, so Excel can label the series.
The category column contains the labels you want along the horizontal axis.
Numbers are stored as numbers, not text that merely looks numeric.
The series are related enough to belong in one visual comparison.

If Excel puts months in the legend and series names on the horizontal axis, select the chart and use Chart Tools > Design > Switch Row/Column. This changes how Excel interprets the selected data; it does not alter the source table.

Create a combo chart step by step

Select the table range, including the column headings and category labels.
Choose Insert, then select a suitable starting chart, such as Column > Clustered Column.
Click the chart once, then click the specific series you want to change. A second click on a plotted series should select that series rather than the whole chart. Check that the series is selected before proceeding.
Right-click the selected series and choose Change Series Chart Type.
In the chart-type dialog, choose a different type for that series, such as Line, and confirm. The other series should keep their existing chart type.
If the line is difficult to see because its values are on a different scale, right-click that series and choose Format Data Series. Under Series Options, choose Secondary Axis.

For the sales-and-target example, the result could be sales columns on the primary axis and a target line on the secondary axis. Add a descriptive chart title and axis titles if readers might not know what the values represent. In Excel 2010, chart title and axis-title controls are available from Chart Tools > Layout.

If selecting the series is awkward, click the chart and use the Current Selection list on the Chart Tools > Layout tab to choose a named series. This can be more precise when columns overlap or a line is hard to click.

When to use a secondary axis

A secondary axis is useful when the series have different units or markedly different magnitudes. For example, sales might range from 10,000 to 50,000 dollars while a target rate ranges from 0 to 100 percent. If both series share one vertical scale, the smaller-valued series may appear nearly flat. A secondary axis gives that series its own scale on the right side of the chart.

To turn it on in Excel 2010, right-click the relevant series, choose Format Data Series, select Series Options, and choose Secondary Axis. The axis appears on the opposite side of the plot area. Make the units explicit with axis titles or clear labels; otherwise, readers may mistake the two scales as directly comparable.

A secondary axis is not always the right fix. If two series use the same unit and their values are close, keeping one axis makes their comparison more straightforward. Also avoid setting the axis limits in a way that exaggerates small changes. In a chart with two scales, identical-looking heights or slopes do not necessarily represent equal values or equal rates of change.

Choose chart types that make sense together

The most readable combinations usually have one series type for the main measurement and another for context. A column-and-line chart is a familiar choice: columns show totals, while a line shows a target, rate, or moving reference. Excel 2010 can also combine other supported chart types, but a technically possible pairing is not automatically a good design.

Columns and a line: useful for actual results compared with a target or trend.
Bars and a line: helpful when category labels are long, provided the line still has a meaningful order across categories.
Two lines with different scales: sometimes useful for related measures, but label both axes clearly and consider whether separate charts would be easier to read.

Use a line only when the order of the categories supports a continuous progression, such as dates. Connecting unrelated product categories with a line can imply continuity that does not exist. Keep the chart to a small number of series, use distinguishable colors and markers, and avoid decorative effects that make it hard to identify which series belongs to which axis.

Common problems and fixes

The whole chart changes type. This usually means the chart area or chart object was selected instead of one data series. Click the plotted series again, confirm that its data points are selected, and use the series-specific right-click command. The Current Selection list can help when the series is difficult to select directly.

The line disappears or looks flat. Its values may be much smaller or larger than the values on the primary axis. Try a secondary axis when the units differ, then check the scale and add an axis title. If the values should share a scale, a flat line may be an accurate representation rather than a chart error.

The chart shows the wrong categories or series. Review the source range and use Chart Tools > Design > Switch Row/Column if Excel has interpreted rows and columns in the opposite way from what you intended. Confirm that the category labels are included in the selected range.

The chart type command is missing or unavailable. Make sure an individual series is selected and that the chart type supports the change you want. Excel may offer different options depending on the chart and selected component. As a fallback, use Chart Tools > Design > Change Chart Type to inspect the available chart types, while taking care not to replace the type for every series inadvertently.

The secondary axis makes the chart misleading. Two axes can make patterns appear more alike or more different depending on their scales. Keep axis labels visible, use sensible limits, and explain the units. If a reader needs to compare exact values, consider a table or two aligned charts instead.

Excel 2010 compared with newer versions

The main difference is convenience, not the basic purpose of the chart. Excel 2010 lets you change the type of an individual series and plot a series on a secondary axis, but it does not provide the dedicated Combo chart workflow introduced in later desktop versions. Newer Excel versions make it easier to choose a chart type for each series in a single combination-chart setup.

Excel 2010 uses the ribbon and right-click menus described above. The steps should not be assumed to match Excel for the web or current Microsoft 365 exactly: their chart controls and available options differ. On a Mac, chart editing is also organized around the Mac version’s ribbon and formatting panes; menu labels and placement can differ from Excel 2010 for Windows. The instructions here are specifically for Excel 2010 on Windows.

If a workbook is opened in a later version, the chart may still be editable, but the available controls and appearance can change. If you are sharing the file with someone using an older Excel release, keep the chart simple and check the saved workbook in the recipient’s version when compatibility is important.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Excel 2010 have a Combo chart button?

No. Excel 2010 does not have the dedicated Combo chart option used in later versions. Insert a standard chart, then change an individual series with Change Series Chart Type and assign it to a secondary axis if needed.

Can I combine a column chart and a line chart in Excel 2010?

Yes. Create a column chart with both data series, select the series that should become a line, right-click it, choose Change Series Chart Type, and select a line chart type. The remaining series can stay as columns.

How do I add a second vertical axis?

Right-click the series that needs its own scale, choose Format Data Series, open Series Options, and select Secondary Axis. Add an axis title so the scale and units are clear.

Why can’t I select the series I want?

Overlapping columns or a thin line can be hard to click. Select the chart, then use the Current Selection list on Chart Tools > Layout to choose the series by name. You can also click a visible data point once the correct series is selected.

Should I always use a secondary axis for a combo chart?

No. Use one only when the units or scales make a shared axis unhelpful. If both series use the same units and have comparable values, a single axis is usually easier to interpret; if the measures are unrelated, separate charts may be clearer.

Try it: the Percentage Formula Generator: percent of, percent change, increase and decrease, with the formula.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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