Column

Overview

• Type: Two-dimensional chart with vertical columns
• Dimensions: X-axis (categories), Y-axis (values)
• Use cases: Compare values across categories, show trends over time, display grouped or stacked data
• Special features: Supports stacking (putting different groups together) and aggregation (aggregates from previous split element)
• Visual: Vertical columns proportional to values, making it easy to compare magnitudes

The image shows a column chart displaying FTEs (Full-Time Equivalents) by age groups over time, with each month showing stacked columns representing different age ranges.

Quickstart

To create a Column chart, initialize the graph, add an axis, and add data with chart_type: "column".

$olap.addGraph("2", "FTEs by Age group", "[time_month]:[age_range]", "","0");
$olap.addGraphAxis('2', '1', 'FTE','false')
$olap.addGraphData("2", "1","-", "[age_range]", "Sum([fraction]/100)", "column","stacked", "", "");

Start here

Copy this example and replace:

• "2" with your unique graph ID
• "[time_month]:[age_range]" with your split element (X-axis categories)
• "[age_range]" with your series column (for grouping/stacking)
• "Sum([fraction]/100)" with your measure expression

This produces a column chart where data is grouped by age ranges and stacked, with the split on months showing development over time.

Axes setup

Column charts require at least one Y-axis. The X-axis is defined by the split_element in addGraph.

Required axis setup:

$olap.addGraphAxis('graph_id', 'axis_id', 'Axis Label', 'false')

Parameters:

• graph_id: Your graph identifier
• axis_id: Unique identifier for this axis (used when adding data)
• Axis Label: Text displayed on the axis
• false: Left side (default). Use true for right side (dual axis)

Example with dual Y-axis:

$olap.addGraphAxis('1', '1', 'Count','false')
$olap.addGraphAxis('1', '2', 'Percentage','true','0','100','10')

Note

For dual Y-axes, set opposite: true on the second axis. Include min/max/interval to prevent scale changes when filtering.

Data series

Add data using addGraphData with chart_type: "column". The series column creates multiple visual groups (stacked or grouped).

Basic data setup:

$olap.addGraphData(
    "graph_id",
    "axis_id",
    "dataseries_label",
    "series",
    "measure",
    "column",
    "aggregation",
    "filter",
    "limit",
    "orderby"
)

Parameters:

Parameter	Required	Description	Example
graph_id	Yes	Unique identifier of the graph	"2"
axis_id	Yes	The axis identifier	"1"
dataseries_label	Yes	Label in legend/tooltip. Use "-" to inherit from series	"-" or "Revenue: -"
series	Yes	Column for grouping/stacking. Different values = different colors	"[age_range]" or "[product_group]"
measure	Yes	Expression to calculate	"Sum([amount])" or "count(distinct [id])"
chart_type	Yes	Must be "column"	"column"
aggregation	No	"stacked" or "aggregated". NULL for grouped	"stacked"
filter	No	Additional filter for this series	"[status] = 1"
limit	No	Limit number of series shown	"10"
orderby	No	Sort method. "M" for measure descending	"M"

Example - Stacked columns:

$olap.addGraphData("2", "1","-", "[age_range]", "Sum([fraction]/100)", "column","stacked", "", "");

Example - Grouped columns (no stacking):

$olap.addGraphData("2", "1","Revenue", "[product_group]", "sum([amount])", "column","", "", "");

Size and layout

Control responsive width using setGraphSize with Bootstrap grid classes.

$olap.setGraphSize("graph_id", "XS12", "SM6", "MD6", "LG6")

Parameters:

• XS12: Full width on mobile (12/12 columns)
• SM6: Half width on tablets (6/12 columns)
• MD6: Half width on desktops (6/12 columns)
• LG6: Half width on large screens (6/12 columns)

Common sizes:

• Full width: "XS12", "SM12", "MD12", "LG12"
• Half width: "XS12", "SM6", "MD6", "LG6"
• Third width: "XS12", "SM4", "MD4", "LG4"

Tip

Use XS12 (full width) on mobile for better readability. Adjust larger screens based on dashboard layout.

Common patterns

Stacked columns by category

Group data by one dimension and stack by another:

$olap.addGraph("1", "Sales by Region", "[month]:[region]", "","0");
$olap.addGraphAxis('1', '1', 'Amount','false')
$olap.addGraphData("1", "1","-", "[region]", "sum([sales])", "column","stacked", "", "");

Top N items

Show only the top items by measure:

$olap.addGraphData("1", "1","-", "[product_name]", "sum([revenue])", "column","", "", "10", "M");

Percent of total

Calculate percentage values:

$olap.addGraphData("1", "1","% of Total", "[category]", "sum([amount]) / sum(sum([amount])) * 100", "column","", "", "");

Dual Y-axis

Compare measures with different scales:

$olap.addGraphAxis('1', '1', 'Count','false')
$olap.addGraphAxis('1', '2', 'Percentage','true','0','100','10')
$olap.addGraphData("1", "1","Count", "[category]", "count(*)", "column","", "", "");
$olap.addGraphData("1", "2","%", "[category]", "count(*) / sum(count(*)) * 100", "column","", "", "");

Time series with grouping

Show trends over time with grouped categories:

$olap.addGraph("1", "Sales Trend", "[invoice_month]:[product_group]", "","0");
$olap.addGraphData("1", "1","-", "[product_group]", "sum([amount])", "column","", "", "");

Troubleshooting

Columns not showing

• Check: Ensure chart_type is exactly "column" (lowercase)
• Check: Verify split_element in addGraph contains valid column references
• Check: Confirm measure expression returns numeric values

Stacking not working

• Issue: Columns appear grouped instead of stacked
• Fix: Set aggregation: "stacked" in addGraphData
• Note: Empty string "" means grouped, not stacked

Wrong axis scale

• Issue: Y-axis scale changes when filtering
• Fix: Set explicit min, max, and interval in addGraphAxis:

  $olap.addGraphAxis('1', '1', 'Label','false','0','1000','100')

Missing data points

• Check: Verify filter expressions don’t exclude all data
• Check: Ensure split_element values exist in your dataset
• Check: NULL values in split element may be hidden

Caution

If using limit, it applies to the series, not the split element. To limit X-axis categories, filter in addGraph instead.

FAQ

Q: Can I mix stacked and grouped columns in the same chart?
A: No, each data series uses one aggregation mode. Create separate charts if you need both.

Q: How do I sort columns by value?
A: Use orderby: "M" in addGraphData to sort by measure descending. For ascending, you may need to filter/limit differently.

Q: Can I use column charts for time series?
A: Yes, use a time column (e.g., [invoice_month]) as the split element. Columns will display chronologically.

Q: What’s the difference between stacked and aggregated?
A: Stacked shows segments on top of each other. Aggregated groups them side-by-side. Use stacked to show composition, aggregated to compare groups.

Q: How do I show percentages instead of absolute values?
A: Calculate percentage in your measure: "sum([amount]) / sum(sum([amount])) * 100" or use a calculated column.

Q: Can I have multiple Y-axes?
A: Yes, add multiple axes with different IDs and reference them in different addGraphData calls. Set opposite: true for right-side axis.

Q: Why are some columns missing?
A: Check filters, NULL values in split element, or if limit is excluding data. Verify data exists for those categories.

Related

• Graph Method Overview - Complete reference for all graph methods
• Bar - Horizontal bar charts (alternative to column)
• Combined - Mix column with other chart types
• Spline - Line charts for trends
• TreeMap - Area-based visualization