Polar Charts
Polar charts display multivariate data in a circular format, where angles represent categories and distance from the center represents values. They are useful for highlighting patterns, distributions, and relative performance—especially when relationships are cyclical or directional.
Use polar charts to visualize data with natural cycles, compare trends or proportions around a central point, or highlight recurring patterns in business metrics.
Example use cases
example
- Market share by segment: Compare how different business segments perform in a cyclical layout.
- Customer activity by hour or day: Visualize traffic or transaction patterns in a circular format to reveal peaks and lulls.
Polar types
| Chart | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Polar Line | Connects data points in a circular layout using straight lines to show trends over a cycle. | |
| Polar Spline | Uses smooth curves to connect points in a radial layout, providing a polished trend visualization. | |
| Polar Area | Fills the area beneath the polar line to emphasize totals or volume by segment. | |
| Polar Spline Area | Fills the area under smooth curves, combining trend clarity with volume emphasis. | |
| Polar Scatter | Plots individual data points in a circular grid to highlight relationships or clusters. |
Create a polar chart
- Select Data Models and Views from the navigation panel.
- Right-click the data model you want to use and select New View from the context menu.
- In the Select a View dialog, choose a polar chart type from the Polar category.
- Enter a Name for the view. To assign names in other languages, select the translation icon next to the text box.
- Select the fields you want to include for each section.
- (Optional) Toggle Sample Mode to preview the data using a sample dataset.
- Click Confirm. The new view opens with your initial settings.
- Customize the view by using the view organizer, content area, and Toolbar.
- In the Toolbar panel, select Save or Save As to save your changes.
Polar settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Enter a descriptive name for the worksheet. Select the translation icon to add labels for different languages—ideal for multilingual environments. |
| Sample Mode | Enable to open the worksheet in sample mode. |
| Define the Levels to be Used in Drill Down | Select which fields support drill-down functionality in the chart. |
| X-axis values come from | Select the field that defines each point’s position around the circular axis (angle or category). |
| Y-axis values come from | Select the field that defines the distance from the center, representing the magnitude for each point. |