How to create a Bar and line chart

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:

  • 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).

  • Compare absolute values (bars) against trends or percentages (lines).

  • 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

  • In the Explore Data tool, go to the Build Your Chart step.

  • 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:

  • Left Y-axis for the Bar series.

  • 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.