Charts display your search results visually, making it easier to analyze patterns, trends, and comparisons. To display a chart, your search must include at least one attribute and one measure. When you switch to chart view, ClearInsights automatically selects the best-fit chart type based on your data. This article explains the available chart types, when to use them, and any important requirements or limitations.
In this article:
Overview
Comparison Charts: Bars and Columns
Trend Charts (Over Time)
Distribution and Relationship Charts
Proportion and Contribution Charts
Hierarchy and Density Charts
Flow and Process Charts
Geographic Charts
KPI and Summary Charts
Table-based Visualization
Additional Resources
Overview
ClearInsights offers multiple chart types grouped by how they display and analyze data. Some chart types may appear grayed out depending on the columns included in your search, and hovering over a chart icon will indicate what is required to use it. (click images to enlarge)
Note
Candlestick charts are visible in the chart selector but are not currently available.
The following charts support multiple measures on the y-axis:
- Column
- Stacked Column
- Bar
- Stacked Bar
- Line
- Area
- Stacked Area
- Waterfall
- Line Column
- Line Stacked Column
Stacked charts display measures layered together. Non-stacked charts display measures side by side.
Comparison Chart: Bars and Columns
Use these charts to compare values across categories.
Vertical comparisons
Column charts display data using vertical rectangular bars, where the length of each bar is proportional to the data value. This is often the default chart type and is commonly used to compare values across categories. Multiple measures can appear side by side for additional comparison.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Stacked column charts display vertical bars divided into color-coded sections using a legend, allowing you to compare aggregated totals and their components together. You can show detail labels for each section or total labels for the entire stack, and optionally enable a 100% stacked view. Dimensions retain their relative size and color across searches within a session.
Requirements
- At least two attributes and one measure.
- An attribute required to slice with color.
Limitations
- Top or bottom keywords may not be accurate.
- Cannot filter aggregated columns.
- Does not support cumulative or moving functions.
Line stacked column charts combine stacked column segments with a line overlay. The stacked columns are divided by an attribute in the legend, while the line represents a separate measure on its own y-axis. The two y-axes can be grouped to share a scale for easier comparison.
Requirements
- At least two attributes and two measures.
Limitations
- Top or bottom keyword results are not accurate.
- Cannot filter aggregated columns.
- Does not support cumulative or moving functions.
Horizontal comparisons
Bar charts are horizontal versions of column charts, displaying values as rectangular bars whose length represents the data value. They are ideal when category names are long or when horizontal comparisons improve readability. Multiple measures can be displayed side by side.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Stacked bar charts divide horizontal bars into color-coded sections, allowing you to compare both totals and their contributing values. You can enable detail labels, total labels, or a 100% stacked view to show proportional breakdowns. This chart is useful when comparing aggregated data alongside the values that compose it.
Requirements
- At least two attributes and one measure.
- Additional options.
Limitations
- Top or bottom keywords may not be accurate.
- Cannot filter aggregated columns.
- Does not support cumulative or moving functions.
Combined comparison
Line column charts combine column and line visualizations in a single chart. One measure appears as columns and another as a line, each with its own y-axis, and the axes can optionally be grouped to share the same scale. This chart is useful when comparing related metrics with different magnitudes.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and two measures.
Trend Charts (Over Time)
Use these charts to show changes and patterns over time.
Line charts display data as a series of data points connected by straight line segments and ordered by the x-axis value. They are especially effective for showing trends over time and identifying increases or decreases. Multiple attributes can be sliced with color to compare trends.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Area charts are based on line charts but include filled regions between the line and the x-axis. The shaded areas help emphasize volume and make it easier to compare different portions of the chart. This format highlights overall magnitude in addition to trend direction.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Stacked area charts divide the filled regions into layers using an attribute in the legend, showing cumulative contribution over time. They can be displayed in standard or 100% stacked format to highlight proportional relationships. This chart emphasizes how individual segments contribute to a total across time.
Requirements
- At least two attributes and one measure.
Distribution and relationship charts
Use these charts to explore relationships, patterns, or outliers.
Scatter charts display data as individual points plotted across two axes, which may be evenly or unevenly distributed. Each point represents the relationship between values, helping identify correlations, clusters, or outliers. This chart is commonly used to analyze relationships between variables. The scatter chart is useful for finding correlations or outliers in your data.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure, or at least two attributes.
Bubble charts are a variation of scatter charts where data points appear as bubbles rather than dots. In addition to x and y values, bubble size represents a third measure, allowing three to five dimensions of data to be visualized at once. The bubble size is configured under chart settings.
The size of each bubble depends on the measure you choose under Edit chart configuration.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and two measures.
Radar charts, also known as spiderweb charts, display three or more variables on axes radiating from a central point. The connected values form a web shape, making it easy to compare relative strengths or rankings. This chart is useful for analyzing performance ratings or identifying outliers. This is a good chart to use when you have asked users to rank an experience or product.
The measure values move from the smallest to the outer edge of the web. Each spoke of the web is reserved for one of the variables. The points where each value lies on the web are connected.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Limitations
- Radar charts do not support conditional formatting.
Pareto charts use the 80/20 principle to rank factors by impact. Individual values appear as descending columns, while a cumulative percentage line progresses to 100 percent using a secondary y-axis. This chart highlights which factors drive the majority of results.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Proportion and contribution charts
Use these charts to show parts of a whole or a proportional breakdown.
Donut charts divide data into slices where the arc length represents proportional value. They display both raw values and percentage labels, and support a pie-in-donut configuration to compare two measures using concentric rings. Color customization is available, and settings are saved within the session.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
- Fewer than 50 attribute values.
Limitations
- Donut charts do not support conditional formatting.
How donut charts divide data
Donut charts divide your data into sectors that each represent a proportion of a whole circle. To display the exact values of each slice and the percentage values, select Settings > All labels.
Pie in donut charts
The pie in a donut chart can be created from a regular donut chart in order to compare more than one component of an attribute. Pie in a donut charts show two concentric pie charts comparing different measures.
To see a pie in a donut chart, assign two different measures to the Size section under Edit chart configuration.
Funnel charts show a process with progressively decreasing proportions that total 100 percent. They are often used to visualize stages in recruiting or sales processes and display how data moves from one phase to another. Each stage is represented as a proportion of the total. Use the funnel chart to visualize the progression of data as it passes from one phase to another.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
- Attribute must contain 50 or fewer values.
Limitations
- Funnel charts do not support conditional formatting.
Waterfall charts illustrate how an initial value is affected by a sequence of positive and negative intermediate values. Columns are color-coded to distinguish increases and decreases. This chart is especially useful for visualizing growth over time or cumulative impact.
Waterfall charts are good for visualizing positive and negative growth, and therefore work well with the growth over time keyword. The columns are color-coded to distinguish between positive and negative values.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Hierarchy and density charts
Use these charts to display hierarchical or high-density data.
Treemap charts display hierarchical data as nested rectangles, where both size and color represent measure values. Each rectangle represents an attribute value, and branches can contain smaller sub-branches. This format allows large datasets to be displayed efficiently in a compact space. Treemap charts use color and rectangle size to represent two measure values. Each rectangle, or branch, is a value of the attribute. Some branches can contain smaller rectangles, or sub-branches. This setup makes it possible to display a large number of items in an efficient way.
By default, the treemap color is blue in various shades. You can change the treemap color under the chart configuration.
Requirements
- At least one attribute and one measure.
Limitations
- Treemap charts do not support conditional formatting.
Heatmap charts use color intensity to represent measure values across two attributes. Unlike treemaps, size does not vary; instead, color depth reflects relative magnitude. Data labels can be enabled or disabled within chart settings.
- The value of each cell depends on the measure you choose under Edit chart configuration.
- By default, the heatmap color is teal in various shades. You can change the heatmap color under the chart configuration.
- By default, heatmaps have data labels enabled for every value.
Requirements
- At least two attributes and one measure.
Limitations
- Heatmap charts do not support conditional formatting.
Flow and process charts
Use these charts to show movement or progression between stages.
Sankey charts illustrate flow through a process using columns connected by proportional lines. The width of each flow represents the measure value, and stages appear from left to right. This chart is commonly used to visualize transactional data, process transitions, or sourcing outcomes. For example, when you want to show the flow of candidates through different stages or visualize the outcomes of sourcing or diversity efforts.
Requirements
- At least two attributes and one measure.
- Maximum 13 values per x-axis attribute.
Limitations
- Sankey charts do not support conditional formatting.
- Top or bottom keyword results are not accurate.
- Cannot filter aggregated columns.
- Cumulative functions are not supported.
- Does not support cumulative or moving functions.
Geographic charts
Geo charts show data on a map by location. There are three geo charts that let you visualize geographical data: Geo Area, Geo Bubble, and Geo Heatmap. These geo charts can display six types of geographical data, depending on the territory:
- Country
- State
- County
- Zip code
- Point (latitude/longitude)
- international sub-regions
Geo charts allow you to customize the map display by changing the Map type.
Requirements
Geographic column with appropriate granularity.
Limitations
- Geo charts do not support conditional formatting.
Geo area charts highlight geographic regions and display boundaries based on a geographic column. They are useful for showing regional distribution or density across mapped territories. Color intensity represents a measure value.
Geo bubble charts display data on a map using bubbles, where bubble size represents the measure value. This chart is particularly effective for zip code or point-based geographic data. It emphasizes magnitude at specific locations.
Geo heatmap charts represent geographic data using color intensity across mapped regions. Darker or deeper colors indicate higher measure values. This chart is useful for visualizing density or concentration by location, for example, "count of candidates" relative to "candidate state".
- Geo charts can display subdivisions from multiple countries within a single visualization. For example, if your selected column includes cities from both the United States and Mexico, all locations will appear together on one map.
- Geo charts also support multiple subdivision levels within a country, not just city or zip code. In addition, zip codes are displayed as geographic areas within a region rather than as single points on a map.
- To improve search accuracy, append the country name or include a country reference in your data. For example, you can use a formula such as:
- concat(region, ', ', country)
Here is a table that shows which GeoType data can be displayed using which geo chart type.
The VARCHAR data type, which stands for variable character, is used in databases to store strings of letters, numbers, and symbols that can vary in length.
GeoType |
Data Type |
Geo chart type |
Notes |
| Country | VARCHAR | Geo area (default), geo bubble, geo heatmap | Can also be regions. |
| County | VARCHAR | Geo area (default), geo bubble, geo heatmap | Only for counties in the United States. |
| Latitude (point) | VARCHAR | Geo bubble (default), geo heatmap | Must use both latitude and longitude columns. |
| Longitude (point) | VARCHAR | Geo bubble (default), geo heatmap | Must use both latitude and longitude columns. |
| State | VARCHAR | Geo area (default), geo bubble, geo heatmap | Only for states in the United States. |
| Zip code | VARCHAR | Geo bubble (default), geo heatmap | See attached CSV file for supported countries. |
| Other sub-nation regions | VARCHAR | Geo area (default), geo bubble, geo heatmap | The display depends on the type of administrative region. |
KPI and summary charts
Use these charts for high-level performance tracking.
KPI Charts
KPI charts track changes in key performance indicators and are part of the new Answer experience. They allow you to configure and save KPI visualizations for use in Liveboards to increase visibility. This chart is designed for high-level performance monitoring.
Limitations
- Cannot use “growth” or “versus” keywords.
- Does not support the “detailed” date keyword.
To learn more, refer to: ClearInsights: KPI charts Overview.
Table-based visualization
Pivot Table
Pivot tables provide a wide, customizable table layout that allows you to display some data horizontally and other data vertically. They use a drag-and-drop interface to rearrange fields and summarize data dynamically. Pivot tables enable flexible exploration within a structured table format.
The pivot table chart type has the following limitations:
- Maximum 100,000 rows.
- If the query the pivot table is based on contains the top or bottom keyword, column and row summaries are not accurate.
- Cannot filter aggregated columns.
- Does not support cumulative or moving functions
- Subtotals may be inaccurate with aggregated formulas
- Subtotals can be missing when categorizing by a formula.
- Conditional formatting is not supported in heatmap mode.
To learn more, refer to: ClearInsights: Pivot Tables Overview.
Additional Resources
ClearInsights Max: Chart Configurations
ClearInsights Max: Edit Chart Fields
ClearInsights Max: Edit Table Options
ClearInsights Max: Performance Getting Started
ClearInsights Max: Recruiting Getting Started
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