Home / Statistical Tools / Analysis Tools / Dotplot / How-To / Multiple Data Columns
Multiple Data Columns¶
When you have multiple data columns, Quantum XL creates one dot plot per column, stacked vertically and sharing the same X-axis. This lets you compare distributions side by side.
Goal¶
Compare measurement distributions across three production batches to see differences in center, spread, and any unusual values.
Sample Data¶
Press Copy for Excel, then paste the table into a blank worksheet.
| Batch A | Batch B | Batch C |
|---|---|---|
| 49.1 | 50.2 | 42.0 |
| 49.5 | 51.8 | 43.5 |
| 49.8 | 52.5 | 44.0 |
| 50.0 | 53.0 | 44.2 |
| 50.1 | 53.5 | 44.5 |
| 50.2 | 54.0 | 44.8 |
| 50.3 | 54.5 | 45.0 |
| 50.4 | 55.0 | 45.0 |
| 50.5 | 55.0 | 45.2 |
| 50.6 | 55.2 | 45.3 |
| 50.7 | 55.5 | 45.5 |
| 50.8 | 55.8 | 45.5 |
| 50.9 | 56.0 | 45.8 |
| 51.0 | 56.5 | 46.0 |
| 51.1 | 57.0 | 46.2 |
| 51.2 | 57.5 | 46.5 |
| 51.3 | 58.0 | 47.0 |
| 51.5 | 58.5 | 47.5 |
| 51.8 | 59.0 | 48.0 |
| 52.0 | 60.1 | 48.5 |
| 48.5 | 51.0 | 43.0 |
| 49.0 | 53.8 | 44.5 |
| 50.0 | 55.5 | 45.5 |
| 51.0 | 57.2 | 46.8 |
| 52.5 | 61.5 | 50.2 |
Each column represents measurements from a different production batch. Batch A is tightly clustered around 50, Batch B is more spread out around 55, and Batch C is centered lower around 45.
Steps¶
-
Put the data in Excel
Press Copy for Excel above the table, click cell A1 in a blank worksheet, and press Ctrl+V. The header row lands in row 1 and the 25 data rows in rows 2 through 26.
-
Launch the analysis
From the Excel ribbon, select QXL Stat Tools → Analysis Tools → Dot Plot.
-
Select your data
Select cells A1:C26 (the header row plus all 25 data rows across all three columns).
-
Configure the analysis
In the Dot Plot dialog:
- Data Columns: "Batch A", "Batch B", and "Batch C" should all be checked
Click Finish to generate the chart.
Result¶
Quantum XL creates three dot plots stacked vertically, all sharing the same X-axis. At a glance you can compare:
- Batch A has a tight cluster of dots near 50, indicating very consistent measurements
- Batch B has dots spread from about 50 to 61, indicating more variability and a higher center
- Batch C is centered near 45 with most dots tightly grouped, plus one isolated dot near 50 standing apart from the rest