Area

Emphasize the amount of change over a period of time, or they compare multiple items. An area chart also shows the relationship of parts to a whole by displaying the total of the plotted values. An area chart is a form of line chart, but the area between the horizontal (x) axis and the line connecting the data makers is filled with color. This makes it easy to see where the points encompassed by the different data series overlap.

Bar

Show the changes in a data series over time. or they compare multiple items. Types of items are arranged vertically and data values are plotted horizontally to emphasize variation over time. The 3-D bar chart provides an extra dimension for plotting data by comparing values along two axes.

Bubble

Are a type of scatter chart. The x and y coordinates of the data marker (the bubble) are determined by two data values. The size of the data marker indicates the value of a third variable.

Column

Show the changes in a data series over time, or they compare multiple items. Types of items are arranged horizontally and data values are plotted vertically to emphasize variation over time. The 3-D column chart provides an extra dimension for plotting data by comparing values along two axes.

Heat Map

Show the relationship between data items by using gradually changing shades of color. Heat map charts are commonly used in financial analysis to show which stocks are rising, which are falling and the amount and rate of change between them.

Line

Emphasize the amount of change over a period of time, or they compare multiple items. Data points are plotted in series using evenly-spaced intervals and connected with a line to emphasize the relationships between the points.

Pie

Show the size of items that make up a data series proportional to the total of the items in the series. Pie charts always show a single data series, and it is useful for determining which items in the series are most significant.

Scatter

Used either to show the relationship of items in several distinct series of data, or to plot two sets of values as one series of x/y coordinates. Scatter chart draw attention to uneven intervals or clusters of data. This type of chart is often used to plot scientific data, and can highlight the deviation of collected data from predicted results.

Stack Bar

Show the relationship of individual items in a series to the whole.

Stack Column

Show the relationship of individual items in a series to the whole.