1.128 FAQ-715 What are the unsupported graph types when open Excel workbook in Origin to plot?

Last Update: 4/9/2021

Origin's Excel Data Connector creates a live link between your Origin project and an external Excel file, making it easy to work with Excel files without opening them in Origin. If you are accustomed to opening your Excel files in Origin and you are upgrading to Origin 2021b or later, please see this note.

When you "Open" an Excel file in Origin workspace you have limited use of Origin's graphing capabilities. When making plots using the Select Data for Plotting dialog, you can designate multiple columns as Y (Y denotes the Column Plot Designation) but you can only select one column as X or Z.

Each graph type in Origin requires a certain combination of column plot designations. Some graph types requires additional label row or error columns as input. Others need to plot from a matrix stored in Origin matrixbook or a virtual matrix stored in an Origin worksheet. For a synopsis of data requirements by plot type, see Origin Graph Types.

Graph types XYAM vector and XYXY vector can be plotted if you click Use Defaults button once in the Select Data for Plotting dialog to use Default Plot Assignments.

The table below lists all the unsupported graph types if you "open" an Excel file in Origin to plot:

2D, Contour and Image Profiles
Graph Type Access Menu
Multiple Panels by Label Plot > Multi-Panel/Axis : Multiple Panels by Label (Worksheet Data)
Grouped Box Charts-Raw Data Plot > Categorical: Grouped Box Charts - Raw Data (Worksheet Data)
Heatmap Plot > Contour : Heatmap (Worksheet/Matrix Data)
Ternary Contour Plot > Contour: Ternary Contour (Worksheet Data)
Image Plot Plot > Contour : Image Plot (Matrix Data)
Image Profiles Plot > Contour : Image Profiles (Worksheet/Matrix Data)
3D Surface
Graph Type Access Menu
X Constant with Base Plot > 3D : 3D X Constant with Base (Worksheet/Matrix Data)
Y Constant with Base Plot > 3D : 3D Y Constant with Base (Worksheet/Matrix Data)
3D Color Colormap Surface with Projection Plot > 3D : Color Map Surface with Projection (Worksheet/Matrix Data)
3D Ternary Colormap Surface Plot > 3D : 3D Ternary Colormap Surface (Worksheet Data)
Color Fill Surface with Error Bar Plot > 3D : Color Fill Surface with Error Bar (Matrix Data)
Multiple Color Fill Surfaces Plot > 3D : Multiple Color Fill Surfaces (Matrix Data)
Multiple Color Map Surfaces Plot > 3D : Multiple Color Map Surfaces (Matrix Data)