Stacked Column Charts

This article applies to TrackVia’s current UI. For information about this article in the new UI, go HERE

Stacked Column Charts visualize data with individual columns that are divided into stacked segments with each segment representing a different category. They are used to compare the relative contributions of each category to a total value within a group.

When to Use a Stacked Column Chart

• For composition - show each category's component of a total value
• To compare multiple categories for multiple groups
• Show how parts of a whole change over time

When to Avoid Using a Stacked Column Chart

• When you need to accurately compare individual components within a category
• If the primary goal is to see how different parts of a category compare to each other directly, consider using a Non-Stacked Column Chart instead.
• When the sizes of components within a category vary significantly, it can be difficult to interpret 
• If you want to show a trend over time, consider using a Line Chart instead.

Example Use Cases for Stacked Column Charts

1. Budget analysis - see how a total budget value is divided amongst various teams
2. Revenue tracking - show the proportion each product line contributes to the total revenue

Set-up Instructions

Below are the chart settings used to create the example Bubble chart shown above. 

1. Select which fields to include in the chart: 

2. Under the "Format" tab, select the fields to be represented by the x and y axes. In this example, Sales Revenue is on the y-axis, and Quarter and Product are on the x-axis with the "Group by this field" checkbox checked for both fields. 
*Note that when you have two fields selected for an axis that the order (which field is on top or bottom) determines how the fields are grouped: top field = the columns, bottom field = column segments. 
In this example, I wanted the chart to show four columns, one for each Quarter, and have each column display two segments, one for each Product. 

3. Under the "Customize" tab, you can enter a title for the chart and edit the labels for the x and y axes if needed: 

4. If you want to change the colors of your chart, you can do so by navigating to the chart view, then clicking on the View Menu and selecting "Change Colors":

Related articles: 
Charts Overview
Non-Stacked Column Charts
Stacked Bar Charts