Chapter 3. Column and Bar Charts
Vertical columns or horizontal bars are the most popular data visualizations. These chart types are the first options you’ll find in the list of visuals in any BI tool, including Power BI. In Chapter 1, you learned that as soon as it detects numeric data, Power BI automatically generates a column chart.
Technically, column and bar charts are quite similar, differing only in a few options. Often, people use the term “bar chart” to refer to both types, simply distinguishing them as horizontal or vertical. However, in Chapter 2, you discovered their distinct conceptual differences. The column chart is limited in the number of categories it can display clearly, while the bar chart is more suitable for longer lists.
In this chapter, we’ll begin with a detailed setup of the column chart, providing a step-by-step guide. Then, we’ll complement it with specific options for the horizontal bar chart. Finally, we’ll address common mistakes associated with data filtration challenges.
You can download the practice dataset and follow the step-by-step guide in this chapter. This dataset is utilized for all the chapters in this part, allowing you to build the final dashboard.
Column Chart
In terms of its purpose, this visual is suitable for two types of analysis (Figure 3-1):
- Dynamics
When we want to observe how a value has changed over time.
- Ranking
When we need to compare categories based on their magnitude, identifying leaders and laggards.
Figure 3-1. ...
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