Visualize and Analyze the Data

A bar chart (horizontal bars). Because the bars run horizontally, long category labels fit cleanly on the y-axis, making it ideal for ranking many categories.

A column chart (vertical bars) is preferred when category names are short and especially when showing values across a time sequence read left to right, such as months.

A line chart. It connects data points across a continuous axis, making it the standard choice for showing trends and changes over time.

An area chart fills the region below the line, emphasizing the magnitude or volume of values over time rather than just the trend line itself.

A stacked area chart shows how multiple series contribute to a total over time, with each series stacked on top of the previous so the top edge represents the cumulative total.

A combo chart is used when you need to plot two measures with different scales or units together, such as revenue (columns) and profit margin percentage (line) on a secondary axis.