CHARTS / PRACTICAL GUIDE
Bar chart: examples and when to use it
A bar chart compares values using the length of rectangular bars. Horizontal bars give long category names room; columns are useful for short labels or ordered periods.
When to use it
Use it to rank markets, compare departments or show counts across distinct categories. Sort by value when the question is about rank; retain a natural order when that order matters.
When to choose another view
For many continuous observations, use a line chart or histogram. For relationships between two numeric measures, use a scatter plot.
How to read it
Compare bar lengths against the same baseline and scale. The largest bar is the largest displayed value, not necessarily the strongest rate of growth or the largest share of a different denominator.
Data format and example
One category column and at least one numeric measure. Multiple measures can form grouped bars; stacked bars show contributions to a total.
| Country | Revenue |
|---|---|
| Indonesia | 120 |
| Singapore | 70 |
| Malaysia | 95 |
| Thailand | 87 |
| Vietnam | 64 |
| Philippines | 53 |
Make it in Datamon
- Use one row per category. Check whether repeated categories need aggregation before comparing them.
- Select Bar and map the category and measure. Choose horizontal bars when labels are long.
- Use a zero baseline for a length comparison. Label the unit and apply a purposeful sort.
- Highlight only the category the reader needs to notice. Export or open the data table for precise values.
Common mistakes to check
- A truncated baseline exaggerates differences in bar length.
- A stack compares totals well, but middle segments lack a shared baseline and are harder to compare.
- Mixed units need separate views or clearly identified axes; color alone cannot fix them.