Step Three - Options

Use the default settings, or specify your own formatting and analysis options in the provided tabs. Titles & Labels tab (shown below) provides entry fields for title, sub-title and x-axis labels. In this example, we applied x-axis labels using the contents of column A, as well as a background color to enhance the chart's appearance.

Other tabs in this dialog box, discussed later in this Tutorial,  allow you to define:

Format options, such as the selection of statistics and decimal places displayed, and line colors. (By default, all statistics are shown to 3 decimal places).

Analysis options such as the upper and/or lower specification limits (USL, LSL) and curve fit selection (Normal or non-Normal Johnson) used for process capability estimates. The Auto Drop feature will automatically remove out of control groups from the calculations, to remove their biasing effect. (By default, Auto Drop is turned off, and the Normal curve fit is applied).

Control Limit calculations and stepped control regions. (By default, all data within the chart is used to calculate the control limits).

Run Test rules. (By defaults all standard run test rules are turned ON).

Once the options are specified for a given chart, they are saved as your default settings for future charts. When the Excel file is saved, each chart and its specific options are saved with the file, so there is no re-entry of information required. Of course, each chart can be edited to change its properties at any time; however, when you provide the Excel file to a colleague who doesn't have the SPC IV Excel software installed, they will see the chart as a standard Excel image whose charting properties can't be edited.  

Once you've specified the options, select the Next button to advance to Step Four, or use the Finish button to draw the chart.