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The stacked column chart in Power BI is useful for visualizing multiple dimensions in a single measure. Let me show you how to create a stacked column chart in Power BI with an example.

For this demonstration of the Power BI stacked column chart, we will use the SQL data source that we created in our previous article. So, check out the article Connect Power BI to SQL Server to understand the data source in Power BI.

How to create a stacked column chart in Power BI

To create a stacked column chart in Power BI, first drag and drop the Sales Amount section of the fields onto the region of the canvas. Automatically create a column chart.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-1-2286247

Clicking on the stacked column chart below the Display section, automatically converts the column chart to a stacked column chart

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-2-6896722

Next, let me add Color to the Axis section to create a column chart showing the sales amount by color.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-3-7871889

Next, we add the region name of the sales territory to the Legend section to make it the stacked column chart.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-4-4025825

Hover over any section of a vertical bar that displays the Territory, Color, and your Sales Amount tooltip

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-5-6738217

This time, we replace the color with the name of the state province in the axis section. In the screenshot below, you can see that the name of the territory region acts as the color of the bar. This is because you cannot group the territory within a state (state name inherited from the territory).

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-6-6964407

Hover over any vertical bar to display the state name, territory, and sales amount tooltip

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-7-5683912

Create a stacked column chart in Power BI approach 2

First, click on the stacked column chart below the Display section. Create a stacked column chart with dummy data.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-8-1351034

To add data to the Power BI stacked column chart, we have to add the required fields:

  • Axis: Specify the column that represents the vertical bars.
  • Legend: Specify the column to split the vertical bars.
  • Values: Any numerical value such as sales amount, total sales, etc.

Let me drag the sales amount from the Fields section to the Values field and the Color field to the Axis section.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-9-9188876

Then add the sales territory region name from the DimSalesTerritory table to the Legend section. You can do this by dragging Territory to the Legend section, or just check the Region Name column of the sales territory

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-10-8577054

Let me apply a quick format to this stacked column chart

NOTE: I suggest you refer to the Stacked Column Chart Format article to understand the steps required to format the stacked column colors, title, etc.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-11-8390178

The stacked column chart in Power BI is useful for visualizing multiple dimensions in a single measure. Let me show you how to create a stacked column chart in Power BI with an example.

For this demonstration of the Power BI stacked column chart, we will use the SQL data source that we created in our previous article. So, check out the article Connect Power BI to SQL Server to understand the data source in Power BI.

How to create a stacked column chart in Power BI

To create a stacked column chart in Power BI, first drag and drop the Sales Amount section of the fields onto the region of the canvas. Automatically create a column chart.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-1-2286247

Clicking on the stacked column chart below the Display section, automatically converts the column chart to a stacked column chart

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-2-6896722

Next, let me add Color to the Axis section to create a column chart showing the sales amount by color.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-3-7871889

Next, we add the region name of the sales territory to the Legend section to make it the stacked column chart.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-4-4025825

Hover over any section of a vertical bar that displays the Territory, Color, and your Sales Amount tooltip

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-5-6738217

This time, we replace the color with the name of the state province in the axis section. In the screenshot below, you can see that the name of the territory region acts as the color of the bar. This is because you cannot group the territory within a state (state name inherited from the territory).

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-6-6964407

Hover over any vertical bar to display the state name, territory, and sales amount tooltip

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-7-5683912

Create a stacked column chart in Power BI approach 2

First, click on the stacked column chart below the Display section. Create a stacked column chart with dummy data.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-8-1351034

To add data to the Power BI stacked column chart, we have to add the required fields:

  • Axis: Specify the column that represents the vertical bars.
  • Legend: Specify the column to split the vertical bars.
  • Values: Any numerical value such as sales amount, total sales, etc.

Let me drag the sales amount from the Fields section to the Values field and the Color field to the Axis section.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-9-7662872

Then add the sales territory region name from the DimSalesTerritory table to the Legend section. You can do this by dragging Territory to the Legend section, or just check the Region Name column of the sales territory

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-10-4375614

Let me apply a quick format to this stacked column chart

NOTE: I suggest you refer to the Stacked Column Chart Format article to understand the steps required to format the stacked column colors, title, etc.

stacked-column-chart-in-power-bi-11-2021390
R Marketing Digital