> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.custral.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bar Chart

> Compare categories and track distributions.

<Frame caption="A bar chart comparing two series across categories.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/custral/NGCdls_pt-1YDx5S/images/charts/bar.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=NGCdls_pt-1YDx5S&q=85&s=efb37dcc3e13c578aa56dd94efc58855" alt="A bar chart comparing two series across categories." width="760" height="420" data-path="images/charts/bar.png" />
</Frame>

Bar charts are ideal for comparing categorical data or showing distributions across different segments of your business.

## When to Use a Bar Chart

* **Sales Pipeline**: Compare the number of deals or total value across different sales stages.
* **Support Volume**: See which product areas or categories generate the most support tickets.
* **Team Performance**: Compare task completion rates or response times across different team members.
* **Customer Segmentation**: Visualize the distribution of your customer base by industry, region, or plan type.

## Configuring a Bar Chart

### Dimensions (X-Axis)

Choose the categorical property you want to compare.

* **Example**: `Status`, `Owner`, `Industry`.

### Measures (Y-Axis)

Choose the numerical value or aggregation you want to visualize.

* **Example**: `Count of Records`, `Sum of Value`, `Average Resolution Time`.

### Grouping (Optional)

Add a secondary dimension to create grouped or stacked bar charts.

* **Example**: Group sales stages by `Region` to see how different areas are performing.

## Best Practices for Bar Charts

* **Limit Categories**: If you have too many categories, the chart can become difficult to read. Consider using a "Top N" filter or grouping smaller categories into "Other".
* **Sort Logically**: Sort your bars by value (descending or ascending) or by a natural order (e.g., sales stages) to make trends easier to spot.
* **Use Clear Labels**: Ensure your axes and legend are clearly labeled so that anyone can understand the chart at a glance.


## Related topics

- [Radial Bar Chart](/bi/reporting/charts/radial-bar.md)
- [Bars List](/bi/reporting/charts/bars-list.md)
- [Donut Chart](/bi/reporting/charts/donut.md)
- [Treemap](/bi/reporting/charts/treemap.md)
- [Build a sales pipeline](/recipes/sales-pipeline.md)