Open the settings on any "metrics" widget and you'll find a new Chart type dropdown with four options: Vertical bar (the only option up to this point), Horizontal bar, line, and area. Each one provides a different way to view the same set of data, making it easier to understand at a glance. Not to mention a little visual differentiation goes a long way with making things more interesting and engaging!
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Nothing changes by default. Your existing widgets stay on vertical bar. The new options are there when you want them. All you've got to do is click on the ⚙ icon on any metrics (aka: bar chart) widget to get started.
These new options also look stellar in our new Planning Center mobile app!
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A few thoughts on each one to get the creative juices flowing:
Line is great for spotting trends. If you mostly care about whether a number is climbing or dipping over time, lines tell that story faster than bars do.
Area is line, but louder. Helpful when you want the magnitude of a trend to feel weightier on the dashboard, especially when comparing multiple sets of data.
Horizontal Bar is easier to scan when your category labels are long, or when you're focusing more on categories than on time.
Year-over-year still works in every chart type. Prior-years show as dashed lines so it's obvious which is which.
Pick whatever helps the story land best for the people looking at the dashboard.
💙 The Home Team