Graph Types

Note: All graph types except for scatter, radar, and microchart can be 2-dimensional (2D) or 3-dimensional (3D). Not all types of graphs are appropriate for all types of data.

Graph Type	Description	Styles
Bar Subtypes available: Vertical Horizontal Stacked Vertical Stacked Horizontal	Shows quantities associated with categories. Bar graphs show quantities as bar lengths and categories as bars or groups of bars.   Bar graphs are useful for comparing differences among like items; for example, competing product sales, same product sales over different time periods, or same product sales over different markets. Can be used to compare measure columns by showing bars in a horizontal or vertical direction.	Rectangle Triangle Cylinder Diamond Gradient Pattern Fill
Line	Shows quantities over time or by category. Line graphs are useful for showing trends over time. Can be used to plot multiple measure columns.	Standard Line Stepped Line Curved Line
Area Subtypes available: Area 100% Stack	Shows the trend of the contribution of each value over time or by category.   It is a line graph for which the regions between lines are filled in. Regions stack, adding up to the total value for each time period or category.	Solid Fill Gradient Fill Pattern Fill
Pie	Shows data sets as percentages of a whole. Pie graphs are useful for comparing parts of a whole, such as sales by region or by district.	Solid Fill Gradient Fill Pattern Fill
Line-Bar Subtypes available: Standard Stacked	Plots two sets of data with different ranges, one set as bars, and one set as lines overlaid on the bars.   Line bar graphs are useful for showing trend relationships between data sets.	Rectangle Triangle Cylinder Diamond Gradient Pattern Fill
Time Series Line	Plots time series data. It scales the horizontal axis based on the time that has elapsed between data points.	Standard Line Stepped Line Curved Line
Pareto	Is a form of bar graph and line graph that displays criteria in descending order. In this graph type, the line shows a cumulative total of the percentages. Pareto graphs are useful for identifying significant elements, such as best and worst or most and least.	Rectangle Triangle Cylinder Diamond Gradient Pattern Fill
Scatter	Displays x-y values as discrete points, scattered within an x-y grid. It plots data points based on two independent variables. This enables you to plot large numbers of data points and observe the clustering of data points.   Scatter graphs are useful for observing relationships and trends in large data sets.	Standard Scatter Scatter-with-Lines
Bubble	Is a variation of a scatter graph that displays data elements as circles (bubbles). It shows three variables in two dimensions. One value is represented by the location of the circle on the horizontal axis. Another value is represented by the location of the circle on the vertical axis. The third value is represented by the radius of the circle. Bubble graphs are useful for plotting data with three variables, and for displaying financial data over a period of time.	None
Radar	Plots the same information as a bar graph, but instead displays data radiating from the center of the graph. Each data element has its own value axis. Radar graphs are useful for examining overlap and distribution.	None
Microchart Subtypes available: Spark Line Spark Bar Spark Area	A tiny graph (of similar size to a piece of nearby text) that displays only in the context of the trellis view and that is ideal for showing trend information.   A microchart graph type is useful within an advanced trellis, where data is displayed as a mixture of spark graphs and numbers. A microchart does not have axes or legends. Like larger graphs, a microchart's measure values are rendered as relatively sized bars (or lines, or area). Each measure name is displayed in its column header. Further details of the measure appear as tooltip text when you hover the mouse over a data cell.	None