Bar and Column Charts in Power BI

Bar and Column Charts in Power BI

Power BI is one of the most powerful tools to transform raw and complex data into actionable and interactive reports. Data visualization is used to express your raw data into graphs. The most important and common graphs are the bar Chart and the Column Chart. These two charts may look similar, but they have different characteristics and uses. In this blog, let us explore the Bar chart and the Column chart and understand their differences with real-life examples.

Table of Contents:

What is a Bar Chart in Power BI

A Bar Chart in Power BI uses horizontal bars to display data across multiple categories. It makes comparing values side by side easy. The horizontal layout allows for better label readability, making it ideal for visualizing rankings or comparing categories. Bar charts are useful when you have many categories to display, and they help to highlight differences in values more clearly than other types of charts.

Advantages:

  • Better for long category names.
  • Ideal for ranking data.
  • Works well with a large number of categories.
  • Improved readability.
  • Clear visual comparisons.

Steps to Create a Bar Chart in Power BI

We will be using the following dataset:

Employee NameDepartmentTotal Sales
YashElectronics55000
SagarFurniture47000
LithinElectronics62000
SahilToys39000
EmmaFurniture53000
RohanToys42000

Step 1: Load the Dataset in Power BI

  • Click Home> Get Data>Text/CSV
 Load the Dataset in Power BI

This is how your dataset looks after loading it in Power BI.

Step 2: Create a Bar Chart

  • Select Clustered Bar Chart from the visualization pane.
  • Drag Employee Name to the Axis and Total Sales to the Values.
Clustered Bar Chart

Explanation: Each bar represents an employee’s total sales. Employees with higher sales will have longer bars. 

What is a Column Chart in Power BI?

A Column Chart in Power BI is a vertical bar chart that represents data. It is best for showing trends over time.

Advantages:

  • Best for displaying trends over time.
  • It is very easy and commonly used.
  • Good for side-by-side format.
  • Easy to increase and decrease spots.
  • Compact layout.

Steps to Create a Column Chart in Power BI

We will be using the following dataset to understand the Column Columnchart in Power BI..

MonthRevenue
January42000
February46000
March51000
April48000
May55000
June59000

Step 1: Load the data into Power BI

Click Home> Get Data>Text/CSV

data into Power BI

Step 2: Create a Column Chart

  • Select Clustered Column Chart from the Visualization Pane.
  • Drag Month to Axis and Revenue to Values.
Column Chart

Explanation: Here, an upward rise is visible from January to June, with June being the highest.

Bar Chart vs Column Chart

AspectBar ChartColumn Chart
OrientationThey are horizontal bars from left to right.They are vertical bars from bottom to top.
HandlingThey are better at handling long category names, as labels are horizontally aligned.They require rotated or truncated labels if they are long.
SpaceThey are ideal for wide dashboards or reports.They are great for a narrow dashboard or report.
SortingThey can sort the data from left to right or vice versa.They sort the data into natural chronological order.
Best forThey are used for comparing datasets across categories.They are best for presenting data over time intervals.

Real-Life Example

1. Bar Chart- Product Sales By Region: 

A sales team wants to see which region is leading in sales.

Step 1: Load the Dataset in Power BI

Click Home> Get Data>Text/CSV

Dataset in Power BI

This is how your dataset looks.

Step 2: Create a Bar Chart

  • Select Clustered Bar Chart” from the visualization pane.
  • Drag the Region to the Axis, Sales to Values, and Product to the legend.
Bar Chart

Explanation: Here, the length of each bar represents the sales amount.

  • South Mumbai has the longest bar as it has the highest sales.
  • East Kolkata has the shortest bar.

2. Column chart – Quarterly Growth Report: A finance company wants to see its quarterly revenue and growth pattern.

Step 1: Load the Dataset in Power BI

Click Home> Get Data>Text/CSV

 Dataset in Power BI

This is how your dataset looks.

Step 2: Create a Column Chart

  • Select Clustered Column Chart from the Visualization Pane.
  • Drag Quarter to Axis and Revenue to Values.
Clustered Column Chart

Explanation: This graph shows a dip in Q2 and a rise in Q3 and Q4.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Too Many Categories: A bar chart or Column chart with too many categories can appear more complex and challenging to read; Hence, try to reduce the number of categories in your chart.
  • Unclear Axis Labels or Chart Titles: The axis used in bar or column charts must be clearly defined, as it helps users understand your data.
  • Using the wrong chart type: Choose the correct chart based on the nature of the data; Column charts are used for trends, and bar charts are for comparisons.
  • Missing Data Labels: Without data labels, users will have difficulty guessing values. Always use data labels when you are comparing values.

Conclusion

Charts in Power BI are one of the best ways to visualize your data, which helps to fetch insights very easily. Both bar and column charts are very simple but powerful graphs in Power BI. Bar charts are used when working with long labels or ranking items. Column Charts are used to highlight time-based trends and patterns. Bar and column charts are understandable, which makes them appealing both for technical users and non-technical users. Your raw data can become meaningful visualizations that could help form data-driven stories. They can display comparisons between categories or track data records over time. They offer flexibility and a pleasing visual layout, and, when used efficiently in Power BI, can provide a fast pathway to insight and decision-making at all organizational levels.

To learn more about Power BI and its functions, check out this Power BI Course and also explore Power BI Interview Questions prepared by industry experts.

Bar Chart and Column Chart in Power BI – FAQs

Q1. What is the main difference between a bar chart and a column chart?

The main difference between a bar chart and a column chart is that bar charts are horizontal, while column charts are vertical.

Q2.When should I use a bar chart?

You can use a bar chart when you want to compare categories with long names.

Q3. Can I switch between bar and column charts in Power BI?

Yes, you can switch between bar and column charts in Power BI very easily.

Q4. Do these charts support drill-down functionality?

Yes, these charts support drill-down functionality to explore data hierarchies.

Q5.Can I show multiple series in one bar or column chart?

Yes, you can show multiple series with the help of a legend in a bar chart and a column chart.

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