The Bar and Line Chart is a hybrid visualisation that combines bar and line series on the same X-axis. It’s designed to help compare two different measured quantities over time—each with its own independent Y-axis.
When to use a Bar and line chart
This format is ideal when you need to:
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Visualise two related metrics with different units or scales (e.g. number of young people participating in work readiness programs vs percentage decrease in contact with the justice system).
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Compare absolute values (bars) against trends or percentages (lines).
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Provide a clear, side-by-side view of how distinct measures behave in relation to the same categories or time intervals.
How to build a Bar and line chart
Step 1: Select the Chart Type
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In the Explore Data tool, go to the Build Your Chart step.
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Under the Type tab, select Bar and Line.
Note: The Bar and Line chart option will be unavailable if any of the following conditions are present:
- "Measured quantity" is missing from the chart Legend
- "Measured quantity" contains fewer than 2 Categories
- There are multiple Variables in the chart Legend
- There are multiple chart tables present
- Chart tables include calc tables
Step 2: Create Bar and line charts
- Navigate to the Chart tab.
- Ensure only one chart table is toggled on (not a calculation table).
- The Legend should contain only the Measured quantity variable.
- Select which measured quantities to show as Bar and Line.
- By default, the first two are selected.
- You can manually update them and click Apply.
Step 3: Configure Y-Axis
Bar and Line charts use two Y-axes:
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Left Y-axis for the Bar series.
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Right Y-axis for the Line series.
To customise them:
- Go to the Custom tab.
- Set the Y-axis titles:
- Vertical Axis Title → for Bar chart (left).
- Secondary Vertical Axis Title → for Line chart (right).
- Set the value type for each axis individually:
- Choose between Percentage or Decimal for each Y-axis.
Here is an example of a Bar and Line Chart:
When you hover over the chart, a tooltip will appear showing both the Bar and Line values for that X-axis category.