Dot chart

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tom.harrington
tom.harrington Member, ALL USERS, GroupMember, Employee Posts: 5 Occasional Contributor
in Anaplan Community

Dot charts display the values of your data as a series of colored dots on two axes. Dimensions, such as time, are displayed on the horizontal X-axis, and the dependent data is displayed on the vertical Y-axis.

 

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


 

Dot-chart-example.png

 

Dots may appear as a different shape, such as a square or triangle. This is to make it easier to distinguish between different data categories.

 

What can I use dot charts for?


Dot charts are used to show pinpoint values for your data on a given scale or dimension, often time. They should be used when you want to place emphasis on the exact values of your data rather than their comparative size.

 

A dot occupies a small amount of space, so dot charts can be used for the comparison of a large number of data series, as they don't become as visually overcrowded as other types of chart. As such, dot charts are good when you have a high density of information you need to convey.

 

Dot charts work well as part of a combination chart. You can place dots over an area or column chart to effectively highlight a target or benchmark without hiding your data. 


 

You can use a dot chart to answer the question:


  • What are the exact values for different time periods?



  • How have sales differed across a multitude of different locations and demographics?



  • Which product has performed the best each month?


Some drawbacks of using a dot chart:
  • Dots can overlap if data points are close in value, unlike with bar or column charts.
  • It's harder to visualize total quantities or proportions compared to other types of chart.
Use a different type of chart if:
To learn about other types of chart, see Chart types in detail.

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