Horizontal Clustered Bar Charts | Compare Multi-Series Categories with Clarity#

Horizontal Clustered Bar Charts display multiple series of data across shared categories using grouped horizontal bars. This format is ideal when comparing subgroups across categories—especially when label length, dimensionality, or ranked ordering matter.

The Edilitics Visualization module makes it easy to create Horizontal Clustered Bar Charts using a point-and-click interface. Each chart is built on a governed dataset, ensuring consistent aggregations, filters, and formatting—so your visuals remain scalable, interpretable, and trustworthy.

When to Use a Horizontal Clustered Bar Chart#

📌 Learn more: Chart Types Overview

Chart Configuration in Edilitics#

Inputs Required#

• 1 Category Field (Column)

  Used for vertical groupings (e.g., Region, Customer Type, Department)

• 2–10 Numeric Fields (Rows)

  Represent the subcategories or metrics to be compared within each group (e.g., Sales, Returns, Profit %)

📌 Edilitics automatically generates color-coded clusters based on the number of row fields selected.

How to Configure a Horizontal Clustered Bar Chart#

• Select "Horizontal Clustered Bar" from the Chart Library

• Choose your category (column) and numeric (row) fields

• Apply aggregations

  Options include: Sum, Average, Count, Min, Max, Median, etc.

• Customize formatting

  Use the Format tab to adjust:

  • Bar height, spacing, and color schemes

  • Axis labels, legends, titles, and gridlines

  • Font sizes and styles for labels and tooltips

• Enable interactivity

  • Tooltips on hover

  • Filters (sheet-level or dashboard-wide)

  • Data labels, conditional coloring, and sorting

• Add to dashboards

  Embed this chart within any multi-sheet dashboard. Charts can be resized, reordered, and filtered consistently.

Feature Highlights#

Smart Auto-Aggregation#

• Edilitics detects numeric types and recommends optimal aggregation methods

• Non-numeric fields are aggregated using Count logic automatically

Cluster Styling & Color Mapping#

• Bars are grouped and color-coded automatically based on row field order

• Customize bar colors for each series via the legend configuration

Legend & Tooltip Enhancements#

• Dynamic legends reflect subcategory labels and colors

• Tooltips support custom decimal formatting, prefixes/suffixes, and units (K, M, B)

Label & Value Controls#

• Independently configure axis labels and bar value labels

• Supports text casing, font selection, number formatting, and placement

Sorting & Layout Adjustments#

• Sort categories by total value, alphabetical order, or fixed sequence

• Adjust bar spacing and cluster separation for tighter or more open layouts

Best Practices#

How Edilitics Is Different#

Unlike tools that let users freely drag multiple dimensions onto a canvas—often creating inconsistent groupings—Edilitics enforces:

• Governed inputs for category and series fields

• Standardized aggregation logic across all clustered bar charts

• Reusable filters for subgroup exploration

This ensures that every horizontal clustered bar chart is both accurate and repeatable across teams and dashboards.

Horizontal Clustered Bar Charts offer a robust way to compare multiple series across shared categories—while maintaining clarity and interpretability even with long labels or grouped dimensions. With governed inputs, dynamic formatting, and interactivity built into Edilitics, these charts help teams uncover key patterns across complex datasets.