Line vs column vs pie vs scatter vs map: which Power BI visual fits the goal
Verdict: Match the visual to the analytic goal: line for a trend over time, column for comparing discrete categories, pie for a category's share of a total, scatter for a relationship between two numeric measures, map for geographic comparison.
| Criterion | Line chart | Column chart | Pie chart | Scatter plot | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shows | Trend across a time period | Side-by-side comparison of discrete categories | Each category as a proportion of an overall total | Relationship between two numeric measures | Comparison of values across geographic locations |
| Use when | Data has a time axis and viewers must spot growth or decline | Categories are discrete groups, not a time series | The question is what share of the whole each category holds | Two numeric measures need to be plotted against each other | The comparison is between places, not categories or time |
Rules
- Use a line chart to examine a trend, often over a time period.
- Use a column chart to compare numeric values across discrete categories.
- Use a pie chart to compare categorized values as proportions of an overall total.
- Use a scatter plot to compare two numeric measures and identify a relationship between them.
- Use a map to compare measured values across different geographic locations.
Traps
- A line chart is suited to examining trends, often over time, not a flat comparison of categories.
- A pie chart shows proportions of a total; it does not reveal how a value moves across a time period.
- A line chart examines trends over a period; it does not show the proportional split of a total.
- A column chart compares category totals but does not plot two measures against each other to find a relationship.