In Labelf Analytics, there are many different types of charts to choose from. Each chart type is good at showing different types of information. Here we go through some of the most common chart types and give examples of when to use them.
Bar Chart
What is it? A Bar Chart uses rectangular bars to display values. The length or height of the bar corresponds to the value.
When should you use it? When you want to compare values between different categories.
Example:
Number of customer calls per case type (e.g. “Billing issues”, “Technical issues”, “Orders”).
Sales by product category (e.g. “Mobile phones”, “Subscriptions”, “Accessories”).
Number of employees per department (e.g. 'Customer Service', 'Sales', 'Marketing').
Number of opened emails per mailing.
Tip:
Bar Charts work best when you have a limited number of categories (otherwise it can get messy).
You can use horizontal or vertical bars.
You can group bars (e.g. show sales by product category and by month).
You can stack bars (e.g. show total sales, broken down by online and store).
Line Chart
What is a line chart? A Line Chart uses lines to show how values change over time.
When should you use it? When you want to show trends and changes over a period of time.
Example:
Customer satisfaction (CSAT) over time (e.g. per month, quarter or year).
Number of visitors to a website per day.
Sales of a particular product over time.
Stock prices.
Tip:
Line Charts work best when you have continuous data (i.e. data that can be measured at any point in time).
You can show multiple lines in the same chart (e.g. to compare sales of different products).
Use different colors and line types to make it easier to distinguish between different lines.
Pie Chart
What is it? A Pie Chart uses a circle (or 'pie') to show how a whole is divided into different parts. Each 'pie slice' represents a category, and the size of the pie slice corresponds to the proportion of the whole.
When should you use it? When you want to show proportions or shares of a whole.
Example:
The distribution of customer calls between different case types (e.g. 25% “Billing issues”, 40% “Technical issues”, 35% “Other”).
Market shares of different companies.
Distribution of the budget between different departments.
Tip:
Pie Charts work best when you have a limited number of categories (max 5-7).
Use Pie Charts with caution. They can be difficult to read accurately, especially if there are many small pieces of pie.
If you have a lot of categories and want to show change over time, use stacked bars instead.
Avoid 3D effects, they make the chart harder to read.
Table
What is a table? A Table displays data in rows and columns, just like in Excel.
When should you use it? When you want to show detailed information and exact values.
Example:
A list of all customers with their contact details and purchase history.
A list of all products with price, stock status and product description.
A summary of sales figures by region and month.
Tip:
Use tables when it is important to see the exact values.
You can sort the table by different columns.
You can use filters to limit the data displayed in the table.
You can add formatting (e.g. bold, colors) to highlight important information.
Big Number
What is it? A Number Chart (or Big Number) shows a single important metric in large text.
When should you use it? When you want to highlight a key figure or an important number.
Example:
Total sales this month.
Number of new customers this week.
Average customer satisfaction (CSAT).
Tip:
Use Number Charts to show the most important metrics on your dashboard.
You can add a short text below the number to explain what it means.
Gauge Chart
What is it? A Gauge Chart shows a value on a scale, often with color coding to indicate whether the value is good or bad. Similar to a speedometer.
When should you use it? When you want to show how close you are to reaching a goal or how a value compares to a range.
Example:
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) - where an arrow points to a scale from 'Very dissatisfied' to 'Very satisfied'.
Sales vs. budget - where an arrow points to a scale from “Under budget” to “Over budget”.
Number of support cases resolved compared to a target.
Tip:
Use Gauge Charts to show one value at a time.
Make sure the scale is clear and easy to understand.
Use color coding to make it even clearer if the value is good or bad.
World map
What is it? A World Map shows data on a world map. You can use different colors and symbols to represent different values.
When should you use it? When you want to display geographical information.
Example:
Sales by country.
Number of customers per region.
Where visitors to your website come from.
Tip:
Make sure you have data that includes geographical information (e.g. country codes, latitude/longitude).
Use colors and symbols in a way that makes it easy to understand the information.
Treemap
What it is: Displays proportional data using rectangles, where the size of each rectangle corresponds to the value. Can also be used hierarchically.
When to use it?: When you want to show how a whole is divided into different parts and compare the size of these parts.
Example
Sales by product category, where each rectangle represents a category and the size corresponds to the sales value.
Market shares of different companies, where each rectangle represents a company and the size corresponds to the market share.
Budget distribution between different departments.
Tips:
Use clear colors and labels.
Avoid too many rectangles, as it can be difficult to read.
Consider using interactive features, such as being able to click on a rectangle to see more detail.
Sankey Chart
What it is: Shows flows and relationships between different nodes, where the thickness of the flow lines corresponds to the quantity or value.
When to use it: When you want to show how something moves or changes between different stages or categories.
Example:
The customer journey from first contact to purchase.
Energy flows in a system.
Movement of money between different accounts.
Tip:
Make sure the flow lines are easy to follow.
Use colors to distinguish between different types of flows.
Consider using interactive features, such as being able to click on a flow line to see more details.
Remember: these are just some of the most common chart types in Labelf Analytics. There are many more to explore! The most important thing is that you choose the chart type that best fits your data and the question you want to answer.
Next Steps:
Now that you have an overview of the most common chart types, it's time to start experimenting! In the next few articles, we will go through step-by-step how to create each chart type.