 How to choose a chart type

Dashboard Studio and Template Studio offer many chart types. To help pick the best one for your chart, ask yourself what idea you want to communicate.

Comparison

Comparison charts are for comparing one or more sets of values:

•  Column
•  Bar
•  Pie or  Doughnut
•  Line
•  Waterfall

Composition

Composition charts show how individual parts make up the whole:

•  Pie or  Doughnut
•  Stacked Column
•  Stacked Bar
•  Area Stacked

Data distribution

Data distribution charts show a break down of a data set:

•  Line
•  Column
•  Bar

Trend

Trend charts show how a data set performed over a specific time period:

•  Line
•  Clustered Column + Line
•  Column

KPI

KPI charts show Key Performance Indicators or single measures; they are easy to read and hence popular for dashboards:

•  Gauge
•  Bullet

Geography

Map charts show how a measurement varies across geographic areas. Map charts come in the following types:

•  Classic: Compares values among locations on a numeric basis.
•  Heat: Compares values among locations through color intensity or hue (for example, the higher the value, the darker the color).
•  Bubble: Compares values among locations through the size of the circle at each location (for example, the higher the value, the larger the circle).

  Note:  To use map charts requires adding ISO codes to the model.

Specific cases

Show the effect of a single variable

To show the relationship between data sets or how a single variable relates to one or more different variables:

•  Line

Show sequential data moving through stages

To show how a data set narrowed down to arrive at its final total, as in a sales process:

• Funnel 

When a line chart and a column chart share the same X axis

To show the relationship between two or more measures in a single chart:

• Combo 