Bar and column charts

tom.harrington

Bar and column charts display data in rectangular bars — the larger the bar, the larger the value. However, a bar chart plots the unit of measurement on the X-axis, and a column chart plots it on the Y-axis. The other axis represents a dimension, such as time. 

 

To learn how to add a bar or column chart to a board or worksheet, see 'Add cards to a board' and 'Add cards to a worksheet'.

 

 

What can I use bar and column charts for?

Bar and column charts enable you to easily summarize and compare values within a data category. They are well-suited to such comparison because they provide a snapshot of your data at specific, defined points in time (or against other dimensions).

 

Although bar and column charts are very similar in their appearance and uses, their respective orientations mean they are better suited to different types of data analysis:

• Bar charts use a horizontal display, which provides more room for long, complex or numerous labels on the Y-axis. The labels also follow the natural reading direction, making bar charts easy to read. In bar charts, categories are usually displayed along the Y-axis, so they're commonly used for analyses where time is not a factor.
• In column charts, time is often displayed along the X-axis and the unit of measurement on the Y-axis. As this left to right direction is associated with the passage of time, column charts are ideal for highlighting changes over time.

Bar and column charts are also useful for ranking items in a data series. To do this, you must ensure to sort your data (by saving a view in your module) before creating a chart, so that the ranking is reflected in it.

 

Negative values are represented very clearly in bar and column charts, as any negative values are plotted in the opposite direction to positive values. However, large negative values reduce the amount of space available on a chart for any positive values, which can make it hard to differentiate between similar values on a chart.

 

Use a bar or column chart to answer the question:

• How does A differ from B?

• Which salesperson sold the most product?

• What was the average growth over the last X years?

• What is the composition of our website traffic?

Some drawbacks of using a bar or column chart:

• it can be hard to compare values that are not close to each other on the chart.

• long labels on the Y-axis of a bar chart will push a chart towards the right of the dashboard, making it harder to differentiate between different values.

• Column charts have less space for category axis labels to display.

• They can be misleading if you change the scale of your unit of measurement, as this diminishes or emphasizes differences in value in your chart.

Use a different type of chart if:

• you are trying to identify trends in your data rather than individual values (use a line chart).
• you have a dataset with multiple data categories and versions (use a combination chart).
• you are comparing data for a large number of categories against the same common dimension (use a dot chart).
• you need to compare a number of exact numerical values across several categories (use a dot chart, or a grid).

Other types of bar and column charts

Stacked bar and column charts

 

In a stacked bar or column chart, the values for different data categories are displayed in one contiguous bar — instead of the separated bars used in the default clustered charts.

 

Stacked bar and column charts make it easier to see the comparative value of sub-groups within a data category, while also enabling you to see the total value of the category. This makes them ideal for when you need to monitor both the overall value of a data category and the individual sub-categories within it.

Percentage bar and column charts

 

In a percentage bar or column chart, the entire axis of measurement is filled, showing the proportions of your data. This means that individual values for data categories are not displayed in this type of chart.

 

Percentage bar and column charts are ideal for when you want to see the relative contribution of a specific data category among others. However, as the axis of measurement does not show the values of your data categories, percentage bar charts are not suitable for monitoring the values of your data categories.

 

To learn about other types of chart, see Chart types in detail.