Analysis capabilities

See the following sections to learn which map or chart you should make to perform your analysis:

• Analyze your data
• Make a map
• Make a chart

Analyze your data

The tables in the sections below describe how you can do the following:

• Understand the quantities in your data
• Understand the relationships in your data
• Understand the change in your data
• Understand the interactions in your data
• Understand the distribution of your data
• Understand the proportions in your data

Understand the quantities in your data

If you want to see the size, amount, or degree of a variable, use the following chart types:

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Bar chart and column chart	Unique categories	Compare aggregated quantities between categories and identify broad differences at a glance.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Stacked bar chart and stacked column chart	Two unique categories	Compare aggregated quantities between categories or subcategories and identify broad differences at a glance.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Treemap	Unique categories	Compare aggregated quantities in a hierarchical structure by comparing the size and placement of categories.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Bubble chart	Unique categories	Compare aggregated quantities across categories using bubble size to represent magnitude.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Heat chart	Two unique categories	Compare aggregated quantities as they intersect with two categories in a matrix form. Patterns in the data can be quickly discerned as the quantities change across cells.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Key Performance Indicator (KPI) card	Unique categories or numbers	Compare the measure of a key indicator to a target value.	Create a chart using a number, rate/ratio, or string field.

If you want to see the size, amount, or degree of data spatially, use the following map types:

Icon	Map type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Graduated symbol map	Numbers	Compare the quantities of your data within a spatial context. The size of the symbol corresponds to the magnitude of the data value.	Create a map using a number field.
	Aggregation map	Two spatial datasets One dataset with boundaries One dataset that will be aggregated into the boundaries	Compare aggregated quantities within a spatial context. A graduated symbol is assigned to each boundary area based on the magnitude of the aggregated data.	Use Spatial Aggregation.
	Map with column chart symbols	Multiple categories for a single feature	Compare the quantities of categorical data within a feature and between features.	Create a map using a string field and change the symbol type to Columns.

Understand the relationships in your data

If you want to see the connection or similarity between variables, use the following chart types:

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Chord diagram	Two unique categories	Visualize the relationships between categories and allow comparisons of similarities within a dataset or between different groups of data.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Scatter plot	Two numbers	Assess the relationship between numbers visually and statistically, including the correlation between variables.	Create a chart using two number fields.
	Scatter plot matrix	Two or more numbers	Create multiple scatter plots at once to analyze the relationship between variables, while also comparing the relationships themselves.	Create a chart using three to five number fields.
	Link chart	Two unique categories	Visualize and assess the connections between nodes in a network.	Create a chart using two string fields.

If you want to see the connection or similarity of spatial data, use the following map types:

Icon	Map type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Choropleth map	Proportions, rates, or ratios	Visualize the way ratios or proportions are distributed spatially to discern spatial patterns.	Create a map using a rate/ratio field, or using a number and normalizing the data.
	Flow map	Two location fields in the same dataset	Visualize and assess the magnitude and direction of connections between nodes in a network within a spatial context.	Create a link map with direction.
	Spider lines map	Either of the following: One dataset with two location fields Two datasets with location fields	Visualize and assess the magnitude of connections between nodes in a network within a spatial context.	Create a link map without direction, or use Find Nearest.

Understand the change in your data

If you want to see how your data changes between categories or over time, use the following chart types:

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Bar chart and column chart	Unique categories	See the quantities of your categorical data and discern the differences between categories.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Stacked bar chart and stacked column chart	Two unique categories	See the quantities of your categorical data and discern the differences between and within categories.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Heat chart	Two unique categories	Chart the intersection of categorical data to see trends in two dimensions.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Data clock	Time data or categories	See the trends in your data over two different time intervals.	Create a chart using two date/time subfields.
	Line graph	Unique categories	See the values of your categorical data with an emphasis on trends between categories.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Time series graph	Time-enabled data	See how your data changes over time and discern patterns or trends.	Create a chart using a date/time field.
	Decomposed time series graph	Time-enabled data	Decompose your time series into trend, seasonal, and remainder components.	Use Temporal Decomposition.
	Forecasted time series	Time-enabled data	Predict future values for your time series.	Use Forecast.
	Time series with moving average	Time-enabled data and numbers	Create a smoothed time series or impute missing values in your data.	Use Moving Average.
	Combo chart	Two datasets with the same unique categories	See the interaction between the quantities and trends in your data.	Create a line graph and a column chart on the same card.

If you want to see how your data changes spatially, use the following map types:

Icon	Map type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Graduated symbol map	Numbers	Visualize the quantities in your data and see the way those quantities change with location.	Create a map using a number field.
	Density map	Points	Calculate the density of your data and see how the density changes with location.	Use Calculate Density.
	Heat map	Points	Visualize spatial distributions based on areas with the most and least number of points, and how those distributions relate to location.	Create a map and change the Symbol type to Heat Map.
	Binned map	Points	Aggregate your data into equally sized bins to see overall spatial trends across your data.	Create a map and change the Symbol type to Bins.
	Map with column chart symbols	Multiple categories for a single feature	Compare the quantities of categorical data within a feature and between features.	Create a map using a string field and change the symbol type to Columns.

Understand the interactions in your data

If you want to see the flow of information between variables, use the following chart types:

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Chord diagram	Two unique categories	See the quantity and direction of interactions between categories.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Link chart	Two unique categories	Identify interactions and quantify the relationship of nodes relative to each other.	Create a chart using two string fields.

If you want to see the flow of information between places, use the following map types:

Icon	Map type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Flow map	Two location fields in the same dataset	Identify relationships in spatial data and see the direction that information flows through a network.	Create a link map with direction.
	Spider lines map	Either of the following: One dataset with two location fields Two datasets with location fields	Identify relationships in spatial data, either through geographical proximity or attribute connections.	Create a link map without direction, or use Find Nearest.

Understand the distribution of your data

If you want to see how your data is arranged numerically, use the following chart types:

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Histogram	Numbers	See the distribution of your numerical data and make comparisons to a bell curve, or normal distribution.	Create a chart using a number field.
	Box plot	Numbers	See the distribution of your numerical data and identify basic statistical values.	Create a chart using a number field.
	Point chart	Unique categories and numbers	See the distribution of your numerical data by category.	Create a chart using a string field and a number field.

If you want to see how your data is arranged spatially, use the following map types:

Icon	Map type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Location map	Location field only	View your spatial data in its most basic form to identify where your data is located.	Create a map using a location field.
	Choropleth map	Proportions, rates, or ratios	Classify your proportional data to see how changes in the data interact with changes in location.	Create a map using a rate/ratio field, or using a number and normalizing the data.
	Graduated symbol map	Numbers	Classify your number data to see where the quantities are largest and smallest.	Create a map using a number field.
	Heat map	Points	Visualize your data based on the number of points and discern patterns based on spatial distribution.	Create a map and change Symbol type to Heat Map.
	Density map	Points	Calculate the density of your point data and see how the density is distributed spatially.	Use Calculate Density.
	Unique value map	Unique categories	See how your data is distributed and determine how categories are affected by location.	Create a map using a string field.
	Binned map	Points	Aggregate your data into equally sized bins to see a generalized view of how your data is distributed across locations.	Create a map and change Symbol type to Bins.
	Map with column chart symbols	Multiple categories for a single feature	See the distribution of categorical data within a feature and between features.	Create a map using a string field and change the symbol type to Columns.

Understand the proportions of your data

If you want to see the relative proportions of categories in your data, use the following chart types:

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Donut chart	Unique categories	See your categories arranged proportionally to see the size of each relative to the whole.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Treemap	Unique categories	See the proportions of your categories through both size and hierarchical orientation.	Create a chart using a string field.

If you want to see the relative proportions of categories in your data spatially, use the following map types:

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Map with column chart symbols	Multiple categories for a single feature	See the proportions of categorical data within a feature.	Create a map using a string field and change the symbol type to Columns. Display the columns by stacked percent.
	Map with pie chart symbols	Multiple categories for a single feature	See the proportions of categorical data within a feature.	Create a map using a string field and change the symbol type to Pies.

Make a map

If you have a spatial dataset, you're ready to make a map.

Icon	Map type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Location map	Location field only	Create a location map to see where your point, line, or area features are located.	Create a map using a location field.
	Aggregation map	Two spatial datasets One dataset with boundaries One dataset that will be aggregated into the boundaries	Create a spatial aggregation map to generalize your data and see big picture patterns.	Use Spatial Aggregation.
	Binned map	Points	Create a binned map to see a quick, aggregated representation of how your data is distributed.	Create a map and change the Symbol type to Bins.
	Unique value map	Unique categories	Create a unique values map to see where point, line, or area features are located and what type they are.	Create a map using a string field.
	Choropleth map	Proportions, rates, or ratios	Create a choropleth map to see distributions of ratios or proportional data.	Create a map using a rate/ratio field, or using a number and normalizing the data.
	Density map	Points	Create a density map to determine the density distribution of your point data.	Use Calculate Density.
	Flow map	Two location fields in the same dataset	Create a flow map to see the magnitude and direction of relationships between different locations.	Create a link map with direction.
	Heat map	Points	Create a heat map to visualize areas with the most point features as the hottest.	Create a map and change the Symbol type to Heat Map.
	Graduated symbol map	Numbers	Create a graduated symbol map to show symbols of graduated sizes to indicate numeric values.	Create a map using a number field.
	Spider lines map	Either of the following: One dataset with two location fields Two datasets with location fields	Create a spider lines map to see the connections between different locations.	Create a link map without direction, or use Find Nearest.
	Map with column chart symbols	Multiple categories for a single feature	See the distribution or proportion of categorical data within a feature and between features.	Create a map using a string field and change the symbol type to Columns.
	Map with pie chart symbols	Multiple categories for a single feature	See the proportions of categorical data within a feature.	Create a map using a string field and change the symbol type to Pies.

Make a chart

You can make a chart with any dataset, whether it's spatial or nonspatial.

Icon	Chart type	Requirements	Description	How to create it
	Box plot	Numbers	Create a box plot to see the distribution and basic statistics for your numerical data.	Create a chart using a number field.
	Bubble chart	Unique categories	Create a bubble chart to compare the quantities of your categorical data.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Bar and column chart	Unique categories	Create a bar or column chart to see an overview of your categorical data.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Combo chart	Two datasets with the same unique categories	Create a combo chart to see both quantities and trends for the same categorical variable.	Create a line graph and a column chart on the same card.
	Chord diagram	Two unique categories	Create a chord diagram to see directed relationships between categories.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Data clock	Time data or categories	Create a data clock to see trends in your data over different periods of time.	Create a chart using two date/time subfields.
	Donut chart	Unique categories	Create a donut chart to see the proportions of your categorical data.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Heat chart	Two unique categories	Create a heat chart to see trends in the intersection of your categorical data.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Histogram	Numbers	Create a histogram to see the frequency and distribution of your numeric data.	Create a chart using a number field.
	Key Performance Indicator (KPI) card	Unique categories or numbers	Compare the measure of a key indicator to a target value.	Create a chart using a number, rate/ratio, or string field.
	Line graph	Unique categories	Create a line graph to see trends between categories in your data.	Create a chart using a string field.
	Link chart	Two unique categories	Create a link chart to identify the interactions and relationships with your data.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Scatter plot	Two numbers	Create a scatter plot to analyze the relationship and correlation between two numeric variables.	Create a chart using two number fields.
	Scatter plot matrix	Two or more numbers	Create a scatter plot to analyze the relationship and correlation between multiple numeric variables.	Create a chart using three to five number fields.
	Stacked bar chart and stacked column chart	Two unique categories	Create a bar or column chart to see an overview of your categorical data, including subgroups.	Create a chart using two string fields.
	Time series graph	Time-enabled data	Create a time series graph to see trends in your data over time.	Create a chart using a rate/ratio field.
	Treemap	Unique categories	Create a treemap to see the proportions of your categorical data through both size and hierarchical orientation.	Create a chart using a string field.