Skip to main content

Creating Simple-Series Charts

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create Simple-Series charts visualizations using a sample spreadsheet.

Visualizations made by using simple series charts

Visualizations made by using another set of simple series charts

Another set of visualizations made with different chart

Key Concepts​

When working with charts, you can add extra information on top of the data you want to display. This comes in the form of:

  • Chart Trendlines, which will display as lines across your chart. These are particularly useful when you want to display the relationship between your variables or the overall direction your information is taking. There are several algorithms, also known as regressions, which you can apply to your charts; you can select them within the Chart Trendline dropdown.

  • Axis Configuration: the axis configuration lets you configure the minimum and maximum values for your charts. The minimum value is set to 0 by default and the maximum calculated automatically depending on your values.

    • Logarithmic Axis Configuration: if you check the Logarithmic checkbox, the scale for your values will be calculated with a non-linear scale which takes magnitude into account instead of the usual linear scale.

  • Start Position: for Doughnut and Pie charts, you can configure the start position for the chart to rotate the slices and change the order in which your data is presented.

  • Slice Labels: for Doughnut, Funnel and Pie Charts, you can change the slice labels to display values, percentages or both at the same time.

Sample Data Source​

For this tutorial, you will use the Simple Series Charts sheet in the Reveal Visualization Tutorials.

Creating your Chart​

  1. Choose Edit in overflow menu.

    Edit button in overflow menu

  2. Select the + Visualization button in the top right-hand corner.

    Add new visualization button

  3. Select your data source from the list of data sources.

    Selecting the data source from the list of data sources

  4. Choose the Simple Series Charts sheet.

    Selecting Simple Series Chart sheet

  5. Open the Visualization Picker and select any of the chart visualizations. By default, the visualization type will be set to Column.

    List of chart types

  6. The charts in the table above, for example, display the population for a select list of countries. Drag and drop the Country Name field to Label and the Population field into Values.
    Organizing the data from the Simple Series Charts sheet

Adding a Trendline to your Chart​

You can add a chart trendline to display the relationship between your chart variables or to display the overall direction of your information. In order to do this:

1. Change SettingsTutorials-Navigate-SettingsGo to the Settings section of the Visualization Editor.
2. Access the Chart TrendlinesChart Trendlines option in the settingsExpand the Chart Trendline dropdown by selecting the down arrow to select one of Reveal's predefined trendlines.

Changing your Axis Configuration​

Similarly to the Gauge bounds, the chart axis configuration allows you to set the lowest and highest values in your chart. You can use this feature to include or exclude specific data.

1. Change SettingsTutorials-Navigate-SettingsGo to the Settings section of the Visualization Editor.
2. Access the Axis Bounds sectionAxis bounds in the settings optionsNavigate to Axis Bounds. Depending on whether you want to set the minimum or maximum value (or both), enter the value you want the chart to start or end with.

Setting your Axis Configuration as Logarithmic​

1. Change SettingsTutorials-Navigate-SettingsGo to the Settings section of the Visualization Editor.
2. Access the Axis optionTutorials-Axis-BoundsExpand the Axis dropdown by selecting the down arrow and select Logarithmic.

Changing the Start Position for Doughnut and Pie Charts​

1. Change SettingsTutorials-Navigate-SettingsGo to the Settings section of the Visualization Editor.
2. Access the Start Position sectionStart position settingsExpand the Start Position dropdown by selecting the down arrow. Select one of Reveal's predefined start positions for your chart (0°, 90°, 180° or 270°).

Changing the Slice Labels for Doughnut, Funnel and Pie Charts​

1. Change SettingsTutorials-Navigate-SettingsGo to the Settings section of the Visualization Editor.
2. Access the Slice Label sectionTutorials-Slice-LabelExpand the Slice Labels dropdown by selecting the down arrow. Select one of Reveal's predefined labeling options (Percentage, Value or Value and Percentage).