Stacked bar chart

Configure a stacked bar chart in Toucan AI to show part-to-whole breakdowns.

Target Audience: Non-technical users and builders configuring charts in the Library.

Overview

A stacked bar chart shows how a total splits into segments within each category. Bar category defines each bar; Bar segment defines stack layers; Bar height sets segment size.

• Dimension: Bar category and Orientation (vertical or horizontal).

• Measure: Bar segment (required) and Bar height with optional Aggregation.

In the Library, enable Manual Edit, set Type to Stacked bars, and map columns under Data.

Shared fields (Title, Narrative, Data) are in Chart types.

When to use it

Good fit

• Part-to-whole within each category (revenue by month split by product line).

• Compare segment mix across teams, regions, or periods.

• Survey or funnel answers stacked per question.

Prefer another chart

• Side-by-side category comparison → Bar chart.

• Trend over time → Line chart.

• Few slices as % of one total → Circular chart.

• Raw row listing → Table.

Examples: revenue by month and product line, headcount by team and contract type.

Limit Bar segment to a modest number of categories so stacks stay readable.

Common setups

• Vertical stacks: Bar category + Bar segment + Bar height (e.g. Sum).

• Over time: date Bar category + Date granularity + segment column.

• Horizontal: set Orientation to Horizontal, then same fields.

Configuration options

Open the chart in the Library, turn on Manual Edit, select Data, then set Type to Stacked bars. Panels: Dimension and Measure (More dimension options / More measure options).

Prerequisites: connected database, Manual Edit (how-to).

Dimension

Option	How it works
Orientation	Vertical (default) or Horizontal stacked layout.
Bar category	Column for each bar (category or time axis).
Date granularity	Only shown when Bar category is a date column. Year, Quarter, Month, Week, or Day.
Date format	How date labels appear on the category axis.
Order bars	More dimension options. Sort by a column, ascending or descending.
Show all labels	More dimension options. Label under each bar.

Measure

Option	How it works
Bar segment	Column whose values become stack segments (e.g. status, product type).
Bar height	Column for segment size. Often numeric; use Aggregation as needed.
Aggregation	On Bar height after the column is selected.
Format number	Shown when Bar height is numeric (after aggregation).
Show value on bar	More measure options. Values on segments (on by default).
Automatic y-axis scaling	More measure options. On by default; off for Min / Max.

Aggregations on Bar height

Aggregation	Typical column types
Sum, Cumulated sum, Average	Integer, float
Minimum, Maximum	Integer, float, date
Count rows, Count distinct	All types
Standard deviation	Integer, float

The AI assistant can pre-fill these fields; use Manual Edit to adjust.

Suggested next steps: Chart types · Bar chart · Customize a chart manually · Create a chart with AI