Stacked Column Charts

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