Bar Charts
What Are Bar Charts?
Bar charts display variables as vertical bars for each time period, making it easy to compare values across discrete periods.
Purpose: Compare values across different time periods, emphasize magnitude differences, show discrete data points.
When to Use
Best For:
Comparing performance across months/quarters
Showing discrete time periods (not continuous trends)
Emphasizing magnitude differences
Campaign period comparisons
Highlighting peak periods
Examples:
Monthly sales by channel
Quarterly marketing spend
Campaign performance comparison
Year-over-year comparisons
How to Create
Steps:
Select 1 or more variables
Click "Bar Chart" button (📊)
Click "Generate Chart"
Chart Layout:
X-axis: Time periods (months, quarters, etc.)
Y-axis: Variable values
Each bar: One time period
Multiple variables shown side-by-side
Reading Bar Charts
Bar Height:
Taller bars = higher values
Easy visual comparison
Quick identification of peaks
Patterns:
Consistent heights = stable performance
Varying heights = variability or campaigns
Gaps = missing data or zero values
Multiple Variables:
Bars grouped by time period
Different color per variable
Side-by-side comparison
What Variables to Visualize
Marketing Spend:
Individual channel spend by month
Total marketing budget by quarter
Campaign spend comparison
Performance Metrics:
Monthly KPI values
Quarterly revenue
Period-over-period comparisons
Budget Analysis:
Planned vs. actual spend
Channel allocations by period
Investment levels over time
Common Use Cases
Monthly Comparison:
Variables: Monthly_Sales
View: Which month had highest sales?
Insight: December peak, January dipCampaign Performance:
Variables: Campaign_A_Spend, Campaign_B_Spend
View: Which campaign invested more?
Insight: Campaign A spent 40% moreYear-over-Year:
Variables: Q1_2023_Revenue, Q1_2024_Revenue
View: Growth comparison
Insight: 25% increase year-over-yearBudget vs. Actual:
Variables: Planned_Budget, Actual_Spend
View: Did we hit budget targets?
Insight: Under-spent by 15% in Q2Bar Charts vs. Line Charts
Use Bar Charts When:
Discrete time periods (months, quarters)
Comparing magnitudes is priority
Data is not continuous
Gaps between periods are meaningful
Use Line Charts When:
Showing trends over time
Continuous time series
Connecting sequential points matters
Emphasizing direction of change
Interactive Features
Zoom:
Focus on specific periods
Compare subset of time
Tooltip:
Hover over bar for exact value
See period and variable name
Legend:
Click to hide/show variables
Compare specific channels
Dual Y-Axis:
Available if variables have different scales
First half use left axis
Second half use right axis
Tips
Variable Count:
1-3 variables: Clear comparison
4-6 variables: Still readable
6 variables: Consider separate charts
Time Granularity:
Monthly: Good for seasonal patterns
Quarterly: Good for business reporting
Weekly: Can be too granular (use line chart instead)
Visual Clarity:
Bars make magnitude obvious
Better than line charts for discrete comparisons
Easy for non-technical audiences
Summary
Bar Charts Show:
Discrete period comparisons
Magnitude differences clearly
Multiple variables side-by-side
Peak and low periods
Best for comparing values across separate time periods rather than showing continuous trends.
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