Introduction to Chart Types in One Model

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes 

Prerequisites: How-to create a basic chart or table in One Model - read this article first

What you'll learn

By the end of this article, you'll know how to:

• Switch between the available series types for any metric
• Flip a column chart from vertical to horizontal
• Stack metrics and dimensions to show composition or proportions
• Combine multiple metrics with mixed chart types on the same visualization

Overview 

Once you've built a basic chart, One Model gives you a lot of flexibility in how that data is displayed. Most of these options live in the same place, the metric settings panel, which you open by clicking directly on a metric name in the Basic Chart editor.

Series types

Every metric in a Basic Chart can be displayed as one of the following series types - column, area, area spline, line and spline. This means you can change the visual form of any metric independently, even when multiple metrics share the same chart. 

To change a series type:

1. Open your Basic Chart.
2. Click the metric name to reveal the settings panel.
3. Under Series Type, select one of the options.

Tip: Try applying different series types to the same metric (for example, Headcount EOP over time) to quickly see which format best communicates your data to your audience.

Horizontal column charts

Column charts display vertically by default. If a horizontal layout works better for your data, for example, when you have long category labels, you can flip the orientation with a single setting.

To make a column chart horizontal:

1. Click the metric name to open its settings panel.
2. Check the Horizontal tick box.

The chart will switch from a vertical to a horizontal layout immediately.

Stacking

Stacking lets you layer data within a single chart to show how a whole is composed of its parts. You can stack both metrics and dimensions.

Stacking a dimension

A common use case is stacking a pivoted dimension such as Gender against a metric like Headcount (EOP) over time. This gives you a clear picture of composition across periods.

Stack display options

When stacking, you have two display options:

The Stacked Column (Percentages) format is the most commonly used percentage view - it's ideal for showing how composition shifts over time.

Multiple metrics with mixed chart types

Basic Charts support multiple metrics displayed together, and each metric can have its own series type. This is where you can build more nuanced visualizations that tell a richer story.

Example 1 - Area Spline + Column (shared Y-axis)

Use this combination when your metrics are on comparable scales and you want to show them in relation to each other.

• Metrics like Hires (Net) and Hires - External can share a single Y-axis for direct comparison.
• Order matters: metrics render in the order they appear in your list. If you want one bar to sit on top of another, place it last. You can reorder metrics by dragging and dropping.

Example 2 - Line + Column (dual Y-axis)

Use this when your metrics have different scales - for example, a rate and a raw count - that would distort each other on a shared axis.

• Add a second Y-axis and move it to the right side to separate the scales visually.
• You can control data labels per metric. If two metrics overlap, consider showing labels only on the one that needs the most clarity (such as your rate metric). This option is set individually in each metric's settings panel.

Quick reference - when to use each approach

Next steps

Now that you understand chart types, you might want to explore:

• Formatting and labeling options - controlling colors, axis titles, and data labels.
• Filtering your chart - using dimensions to narrow what's displayed.
• Saving and sharing visualizations - publishing charts to Storyboards or exporting them.