By Team Edtoolkits · Charts
Compare categories with grouped columns and a clear zero baseline.
Use the guide alongside the working tool.
Open Column Chart Maker →A small dataset to try
Quarter,Online orders,Store orders
Q1,120,90
Q2,150,110
Q3,135,125Q2 has 150 online orders and 110 store orders. The two columns compare channels within the quarter; the online series also compares quarters. These counts can share one axis because their units match.
When to choose this chart
Grouped columns compare quantities across a small set of categories. They work well for monthly totals, teams or products when labels are short and each series uses the same unit.
Prepare and map your fields
Map a category column to the label field and one or more numeric columns to series. Keep rows in the intended order, or sort by a meaningful value. Choose Sum, Mean or Count deliberately if a category appears more than once.
Import category and value columns, then select the measure to compare.
Use grouping to compare equivalent series side by side. Keep the zero baseline so column heights represent relative magnitude honestly.
Check labels and legend at the final download size; shorten crowded category names rather than adding more tiny columns.
Read the result correctly
Compare column tops against the same baseline. A taller column means a larger value, while gaps between grouped columns show channel differences. Colour should identify a series consistently across every category.
A mistake to avoid
Do not mix percentages, money and counts on one grouped axis. A cropped axis exaggerates differences, and long category names become difficult to scan vertically.
Export and keep your data private
Review the title, units, labels and any omitted-row warnings at the final export size. PNG is a raster image, SVG retains vector chart elements, and PDF embeds a raster image. Save the original table if you may need to revise the mapping.
Data stays in browser memory; no upload, external chart service or AI model. CSV, TSV, semicolon/pipe text, JSON and JSON Lines: 2 MB, 10,000 rows, 24 columns. Charts allow up to eight series; categorical charts 60 groups, lines/scatter/candlesticks 500 rows, pie/donut/waffle 12 categories, radar 3–12 dimensions. Blank/invalid mapped values are omitted and counted. Numeric values use a decimal point; remove currency symbols and grouping separators. Percent strings are treated as displayed numeric values (25% becomes 25). Dates use ISO format. Recommendations check data structure, not meaning or causation. PNG up to 16 MP; SVG stays vector; PDF embeds a high-resolution chart image. Review mappings, ordering, aggregation and labels before sharing.
Ready to apply this workflow?
Try Column Chart Maker →Explore a related workflow
- Bar Chart Maker: Examples & Data Guide
Compare ranked categories with horizontal bars and readable labels.
- Chart Studio: Examples & Data Guide
Find suitable charts for your data and create a downloadable chart collection.
- Stacked Column Chart Maker: Examples & Data Guide
Compare totals and their components with stacked columns.
- Stacked Bar Chart Maker: Examples & Data Guide
Show category totals and components in horizontal stacks.
Keep your original files and review the result. Found unclear instructions? Contact Team Edtoolkits.