Build and visualize

The type of visualization you choose depends on what kind of data you have, what questions you want to answer, and how you want to present your insights.

Here are some suggested charts you might use to answer different questions.

Sales Planning Integrations has many options to show changes to values over time. If you're looking to show data broken down by sub-groups, try out a stacked area step line chart. If you want to show irregularities in changes over time, use a step line chart.

Both stacked area step line charts and stacked area smooth line charts show a starting set of values, and then use shading to show values above that starting set.

To understand the frequency of values, use a histogram. To show the frequency of events within a group, use a boxplot.

A forecasting chart displays the actual historical values, fitted historical values, predicted future values, and the shaded confidence interval. You can use this visualization with any tool in Sales Planning Integrations.

A waterfall chart can help you understand what variables affect your predictions, as well as the cumulative effects of values. Waterfall charts are often used to show changes in revenue across two periods of time.

Radar charts can be helpful for showing budgets.

Use these charts to show ranked values or the relative value of different grouped categories.

Use these charts when you want to show how the proportion of different groupings relates to one another.

Use maps to show spatial data and scatter maps to show precise locations on a map.

Scatter plots are good for exploring relationships between two variables.

A candlestick chart shows price movements for a security, derivative, or currency.

A Sankey diagram shows how sets of values flow from one another.

A heat map uses color to show how a variable is clustered or occurs most frequently.

The Area line chart requires numeric columns to use in the chart.

Use the following configuration options to configure the Area line chart.

Usage example

For example, you want to see the difference between each of your sellers sales amounts for every quarter in 2024. Using the Area line chart, the data displays the amounts for each seller.

Figure 1. Area line chart example

The Area line chart displays the sellers sale amounts for each quarter.

When you hover over each point in the chart, you can see the data for an individual seller:

The Area smooth line chart requires both text and numeric columns to use in the chart.

Use the following configuration options to configure the Area smooth line chart.

Usage example

For example, you want to see the difference between each of your sellers sales amounts for every quarter in 2024. Using the Area smooth line chart, the data displays the amounts for each seller.

Figure 2. Area smooth line chart

The Area smooth line chart displays the sellers sale amounts for each quarter.

When you hover over each point in the chart, you can see the data for an individual seller:

The Area step line chart requires text and numeric columns.

Use the following configuration options to configure the Area step line chart.

Usage example

For example, you want to see the difference between each of your sellers sales amounts for every quarter in 2024. Using the Area step line chart, the data displays the amounts for each seller.

Figure 3. Area step line chart

The Area line chart displays the sellers sale amounts for each quarter.

When you hover over each point in the chart, you can see the data for an individual seller:

Use this chart to show the relative value of different grouped categories or to show ranked values.

Use this chart to show the relative value of different grouped categories or to show ranked values.

If some of your categories contain negative values, use a standard bar chart instead.

In this example, we want to show revenue for different products in two locations.

Each bar shows the difference in revenue between both locations for each product. However, this chart also shows the total revenue for each product.

The Boxplot chart can use both text and numeric columns.

Use the following configuration options to configure the Boxplot chart.

Use when you want to show magnitude.

Use a categorical variable for the Y-axis, such as day of the week. The X-axis can be any type of ordinal variable. Choose a numeric variable for setting the size of the bubbles that appear in the chart.

You can sort this chart by the X-axis values in either ascending or descending order.

Use a candlestick chart if you need to show price movements.

Use this chart to show the relative value of different grouped categories or to show ranked values.

Use this chart to visually highlight the differences between data sets.

Use when you want to show how the proportion of different groupings relate to one another.

If you have a lot of slices, pie charts can be difficult to read. Other charts that show proportional values include bar charts and box plots.

Use when you want to forecast future changes to your dataset.

Use when you want to reveal patterns or show the concentration of events.

Use when you want to count the occurrences of values in a column.

Use when you want to show magnitude or change over time.

Use when you want to show spatial data.

Use nested pie charts when you want to show an entire hierarchical data in a snapshot. Nested pie charts can be used to show various data types like:

Use when you want to show how the proportion of different groupings relate to one another.

If you have a lot of slices, pie charts can be difficult to read. Other charts that show proportional values include bar charts and box plots.

In this example, we use a pie chart to show the breakdown of men versus women working in a company.

Use this chart to show how qualitative data points compare to one another.

Radar charts can be helpful for showing budgets.

Use a Sankey diagram when you want to show how values map between two categories.

You could use a Sankey chart to show how budget categories flow into different departments. This is a simple example with only a few categories, but you can use Sankey diagrams to show complex value flows. Our example data set looks like this:

When we create a Sankey diagram using this data, we can show how each department's budget flows into the different categories. We can easily see which departments are spending the most in each category and how much of our total budget each category represents.

For example, below is a sample data set. Investigate and think about how A flows to B, and then B to C. Map and write that down before listing the ribbons below A.

This data set illustrates this Sankey diagram:

If you're having trouble creating a Sankey diagram, it could be because you have cyclical values in your data set.

The easiest way to create a Sankey diagram without errors is to ensure you have distinct values for each category. The categories you define are used in the From and To fields when you configure the visualization.

Let's look at this example data set:

In this sample data set, we do not currently have distinct categories. We are using HR as a category in both the Department column and the Type column. If we try to create a Sankey diagram with these values, we'll get an error.

We can fix this by using the Replace tool to change the HR value to a different value in one of the columns.

With this change, we can now successfully create a Sankey diagram.

Use when you want to show correlation between two variables. Use caution when showing correlation - remember, correlation does not equal causation. Good for exploring relationships rather than drawing conclusions.

You could use a scatter plot to show the link between someone's lung capacity (variable one) and how long they can hold their breath (variable two).

Use when you want to show magnitude or change over time.

Use when you want to show the total value of some data broken down by sub-groups.

Use when you want to show the total value of some data broken down by sub-groups.

Use when you want to show the total value of some data broken down by sub-groups.

Step lines are useful particularly when you want to show irregularities in changes over time.

Use this chart to show the relative value of different grouped categories or to show ranked values.

If some of your categories contain negative values, use a standard column chart instead.

In this example, we want to show revenue for different products in two locations.

Each bar shows the difference in revenue between both locations for each product. However, this chart also shows the total revenue for each product.

Use when you want to show magnitude or change over time.

Step lines are useful particularly when you want to show irregularities in changes over time.

Use when you want to show precise locations on a map.

Use table when you want to add tabular data, such as opportunity scores and seller leaderboard, to your chart dashboard.

A waterfall chart can help you understand cumulative effects of values.

Waterfall charts are commonly used to show changes in revenue across two periods of time.