How to create a Point Chart

In this blog we will learn how to create a Point Chart in the Open Source BI product Helical Insight. A point chart can also be converted into a Bubble Chart.

To create a Point chart, you need one dimension and one measure.

In this example:

  • The dimension employee_name is placed in the Columns section.
  • The measure sum_travel_cost is placed in the Rows section.

After placing these fields, select the Point option from the Chart section in the Visualization panel.

How to create a Point Chart

How a Point Chart Works

The chart displays individual data points where:

  • Each point represents an employee.
  • The Y-axis represents the total travel cost (sum_travel_cost).

Point charts are useful for simple comparisons and identifying variations or outliers across categories.

Converting Point Chart into Bubble Chart (Using Size)

In the example shown:

  • The dimension travel_type (Domestic and International) is added to the Color option.
  • The measure sum_travel_cost is added to the Size option in the Marks section.

Once a field is added to Size:

  • The simple points expand into circles (bubbles).
  • The size of each bubble represents the magnitude of the travel cost.
  • Larger bubbles indicate higher aggregated travel cost, while smaller bubbles represent lower values.
  • The information is also visible in the Tooltip when hovering over a bubble.

Now the visualization represents multiple layers of information:

  • X-axis → employee_name
  • Y-axis → sum_travel_cost
  • Color → travel_type (Domestic / International)
  • Size → sum_travel_cost

This converts the Point Chart into a Bubble Chart, enabling richer multi-dimensional analysis while keeping the visualization simple and intuitive.

How to create a Point Chart

Point / Bubble Chart using Chart Category

A Point / Bubble chart created using the Chart category can support:

  • One dimension in Columns
  • One measure in Rows
  • A dimension or measure in the Color or Size section

However, it does not support multiple dimensions in Rows and Columns simultaneously.

Point / Bubble Chart using Grid Chart

A Point / Bubble chart created using the Grid Chart category is more flexible.

It allows users to:

  • Drag multiple dimensions into Rows and Columns
  • Automatically generate a matrix-style layout of charts

How to create a Point Chart

In this example:

  • employee_name and booking_platform are placed in the Columns section.
  • sum_travel_cost is placed in the Rows section.
  • The Point option from the Grid Chart section is selected in the Visualization panel.

This creates a grid-style point chart, where each panel represents a different employee and booking platform combination.

Additional settings used in the example:

  • travel_type is added to the Color option.
  • sum_travel_cost is added to the Size option.

This allows users to easily analyze:

  • Travel cost distribution across employees
  • Differences between Domestic and International travel
  • Variations across different booking platforms

Additional Customizations

Helical Insight provides many additional customization options such as:

  • Color palettes
  • Labels
  • Axis formatting
  • Drill-down and drill-through
  • Caching
  • Interactive filtering

You can refer to our other blogs to explore these features in detail.

For any questions or support, reach out to support@helicalinsight.com

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