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Multiple Categories

When you have multiple category columns, Quantum XL creates a separate Pareto chart for each column, allowing you to analyze different dimensions of your data.

Goal

Create Pareto charts for both defect type and production line, showing which categories are most common in each dimension.

Sample Data

Download Pareto_MultipleCategories.xlsx

Excel Protected View

When you open downloaded files, Excel displays a Protected View warning. You must click Enable Editing before you can use Quantum XL with the file.

Alternatively, you can copy the sample data from the table below and paste it directly into a new Excel workbook.

Defect Type	Line
Scratch	A
Dent	B
Scratch	A
Crack	A
Scratch	B
Dent	A
Scratch	B
Chip	A
Dent	B
Scratch	A

Each row represents one defect observation with two attributes: the defect type and the production line where it occurred.

Steps

1. Launch the analysis

   From the Excel ribbon, select QXL Stat Tools → Analysis Tools → Pareto.

2. Select your data

   Select cells A1:B11 (the header row plus all 10 data rows).

   

3. Configure the analysis

   In the Pareto Analysis dialog:

   • Data Columns: Leave "Defect Type" and "Line" checked

   Click Finish to generate the charts.

   

Result

Quantum XL creates two Pareto charts:

Defect Type chart — Shows Scratch as the most common defect (5 occurrences), followed by Dent (3):

Line chart — Shows the distribution of defects across production lines A and B:

This lets you answer two questions at once: "Which defects occur most often?" and "Which lines have the most defects?"