Non-Stacked Bar Charts

This article is specific to the updated TrackVia UI released in Fall 2026

Non-Stacked Bar Charts are one of the most commonly used chart types. Each category is represented by a single horizontal bar, placed alongside the others so their values can be compared directly.

When to Use a Non-Stacked Bar Chart

• When you want to compare individual categories against each other, rather than a total
• When the absolute value of each category matters more than its share of the whole
• When you want the differences between categories to stand out
• When category names are long, since horizontal bars leave room for readable labels

When to Avoid Using a Non-Stacked Bar Chart

• If you want to show how components add up to a larger total, a Stacked Bar Chart is more suitable
• If the focus is each category's relative size within a larger group, a Stacked Bar Chart is more suitable
• If you are showing values changing over time, a Line Chart is more suitable

Example Use Cases for Non-Stacked Bar Charts

1. Comparing sales figures across product lines
2. Analyzing performance metrics between departments
3. Highlighting budget variances across expense categories
4. Visualizing survey results, with each response option as its own category

Non-Stacked Bar Charts: view the records behind a bar

Click a bar in the chart to open a drawer on the right side of the view. The drawer lists the records counted in that bar. 

Note: Only charts that group and summarize records (aggregate charts) open the drawer, and a non-aggregate bar chart does not.

The drawer opens with the bar's group name as its title and shows the number of records, for example "Showing 3 of 3 records". While the records load, the drawer shows "Loading records".

• To look at a different bar, click that bar. The drawer switches to the new bar's records without closing. The chart stays usable while the drawer is open.
• To close the drawer, press Esc. Focus returns to the bar you opened.

Non-Stacked Bar Charts: what the records drawer shows

The records drawer lists the records behind one bar in a table.

• A bar with many records is split into pages. Use the page controls at the bottom of the drawer to see every record. 
• The drawer doesn't have search, sort, or filter controls. 
• Records with no value in the field the chart is grouped by appear in a bar labeled (blank). Clicking the (blank) bar opens a drawer titled Empty that lists only those records. The record count in the drawer matches the value of the (blank) bar. 
• If the records can't load, the drawer shows "Couldn’t load these records." The chart isn't affected. You can still open other bars.

Note: The (blank) bar can show a value but open a drawer with 0 records. The 0-record drawer happens when the chart groups by a text field that comes through more than one relationship, like Make from each vehicle's Model.

Related Articles

• Introduction to Views
• Interacting with Views
• Stacked Bar Charts