Overview

Bar and Column charts are cartesian charts within the single Chart block. Bar renders horizontal bars with categories on the vertical edge; Column renders vertical bars with categories on the horizontal edge. Both share the same X-axis configuration, series system, and add-ons. Switch between them via Chart Type in the Content inspector — switching never loses your configuration when the data fits.

Tip: Column is always vertical bars. Bar is always horizontal bars. Switch between them rather than trying to rotate one. Column always offers Group by; Bar only offers Group by while there is at most one series.

Chart Block Basics

The Chart block covers 18 plot types from a single Chart Type picker. Changing the type swaps the entire Content and Appearance inspector for the new type's property set. When the current configuration fits the new type, data mappings are carried over (though chart colors reset). When they don't fit, the block resets to the new type's defaults.

Data Binding

X Axis Configuration

Both Bar and Column configure the X axis identically:

Y Axis & Series

The Y axis carries the value axis label, tick formatting, and the series list. Each series has a Label and a Value field.

Y Axis Tick Label Formats

Series Modes

Bar Chart

Horizontal bars — categories on the vertical edge, values running horizontally.

Column Chart

Vertical bars — categories on the horizontal edge, values running upward.

Dual Axes Chart

Two independent value axes — Y Axis Left and Y Axis Right — each with its own series list, value format, and visualization type. Use it to overlay measures with different units (revenue columns against a conversion-rate line).

Note: Dual Axes has no Group by and no Threshold add-on. When both axes are set to Column, Bar Width and Gap Between Bars move up to the top level and apply to both. Switching a multi-series chart to Dual Axes puts the first series on the left axis and the second on the right; further series are dropped.

Common Chart Properties

Events & Methods

Exposed State

Behavior & Gotchas

⚠ Only the first row per category is plotted

On category and time scales, a second row with the same X value is silently dropped — values are not merged or summed. Aggregate your data before binding it. Rows with a missing or empty category are also dropped.

⚠ Non-numeric series values plot as zero

A null, missing, or non-numeric value in a series field renders as 0 — the bar still exists rather than leaving a gap.

⚠ Multiple series + Group by forces stacked Column on a category axis

Combining more than one series with a Group by removes the Grouped option and time/linear scale choices — the chart is forced to stacked bars on a category scale.

⚠ Bar hides Group by once you add a second series

On Bar, the Group by picker is only present while the series list has at most one entry. Column keeps it visible always. To group a multi-series bar chart, remove series down to one first.

⚠ Data labels vanish when the layout can't place them

On Bar and Column, data labels are only supported for a single series, or for multiple series in Grouped layout without a Group by. Stacking or adding a Group by silently switches every series' data labels off.

⚠ Scroller caps chart height at 400px

When the Scroller add-on is active, the chart's computed height stops growing at 400px. The scroller is the intended way to reach the rest of the data.

Common Patterns

Grouped Monthly Comparison

1. Set up Column chart: Set Chart Type to Column. Bind data with one row per month per region.

2. Configure axes: Set X Axis → Value to the month field, one series with the revenue field, and Group by to the region field.

3. Set layout: In Appearance, set Type = Grouped and pick a Gap Between Bars.

Revenue Columns vs Conversion Line (Dual Axes)

1. Select Dual Axes: Set Chart Type to Dual Axes.

2. Configure left axis: Set Y Axis Left → Visualisation = Column, series = revenue, format Currency.

3. Configure right axis: Set Y Axis Right → Visualisation = Line, series = conversion, format Percent.

Related Pages

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Bar chart and a Column chart?

Both plot the same data in the same way — they differ only in orientation. A Column chart renders bars vertically (categories on the X axis, values on the Y axis). A Bar chart renders bars horizontally (categories on the Y axis, values on the X axis). Column charts are better for time-series comparisons; Bar charts are better for long category labels.

How do I add a second Y axis?

Select Dual Axes as the Chart Type. This gives you two independent Y axes — Axis A (left) and Axis B (right). Assign each series to an axis in the series configuration. Each axis has its own format and scale settings.

My X-axis labels are overlapping. How do I fix this?

In X Axis → Tick Labels, enable the Rotate option and choose a rotation angle (e.g., 45°). You can also reduce the number of ticks by enabling auto-tick reduction, or shorten the label text in your data source before binding.

Can I stack and group bars at the same time?

No. The Type option on a Bar chart is either stacked or grouped — you cannot combine both simultaneously on a single series set. If you need a mix, consider using a Dual Axes chart where one axis shows a stacked Column and the other shows a Line.

How do I highlight a threshold line on a bar chart?

Use the Threshold property in the Common Properties section. Add a threshold with a fixed value and a label. The threshold renders as a horizontal line across all bars. Apply a distinct color to make it stand out. For a dynamic threshold, bind the value to a variable or data source field.