[Yandex Cloud documentation](../../index.md) > [Yandex DataLens](../index.md) > Charts > [Visualization reference](index.md) > Area chart # Area chart ![](../../_assets/datalens/area.svg) in Yandex DataLens This chart shows how a measure changed over time. The area between the axis and the plotted line is filled with color to indicate volume. If you have multiple data categories, the areas will be stacked one on top of the other or overlap, depending on the [setup](#stacking). **Example** {% list tabs %} - Visualization ![area-chart-groupped](../../_assets/datalens/visualization-ref/area-chart/area-chart-groupped.png =800x) - Source table Year | Home appliances | Household goods | Household cleaners ----- | ---------| ---------- | ---------- January 2017 | 325K | 248K | 96K February 2017 | 437K | 247K | 91K March 2017 | 490K | 314K | 111K April 2017 | 458K | 310K | 125K May 2017 | 530K | 368K | 127K June 2017 | 593K | 411K | 158K July 2017 | 555K | 457K | 138K August 2017 | 612K | 402K | 129K September 2017 | 646K | 407K | 138K October 2017 | 804K | 454K | 157K November 2017 | 716K | 406K | 160K December 2017 | 753K | 471K | 201K {% endlist %} Be careful selecting the measures when building your chart. For example, do not add the number of customers to the sales amount, or the purchase amount to the sales amount. ## Wizard sections {#wizard-sections} Wizard
section| Description ----- | ---- X | Dimension. You can specify only one field here. This dimension is usually a date. If this is the case, make sure to specify the `Date` data type for this field in the dataset. This is required for correct sorting and signature display. For better visualization, you can group dates into weeks, months, and years. For more information, see [Field settings](../concepts/chart/settings.md#field-settings). Y | Measure. You can specify multiple measures. If you add more than one measure to a section, the **Colors** section will contain a dimension named [Measure Names](../concepts/chart/measure-values.md). Colors | [Measure Names](../concepts/chart/measure-values.md) dimension or field. Affects the color of lines. To remove [Measure Names](../concepts/chart/measure-values.md), delete measures from the Y axis. Sorting | Dimension or measure. You can use a dimension from the **X** and **Color** sections or a measure from the Y axis. This section affects the sorting of values on the X axis or areas along the Y axis. The sorting direction is marked with an icon next to the field: ![image](../../_assets/console-icons/bars-ascending-align-left.svg) for ascending or ![image](../../_assets/console-icons/bars-descending-align-left.svg) for descending. To change the sorting direction, click the icon. Labels | Measure. Displays measure values on the chart. If multiple measures are added to the **Y** section, drag [Measure Values](../concepts/chart/measure-values.md) to this section. [Markup functions](../function-ref/markup-functions.md) are supported. For `String` type fields, you can configure using basic [Markdown in Yandex DataLens](../dashboard/markdown.md) syntax: click the icon before the field name and enable **Markdown**. Split | Dimension. Splits a chart horizontally by the selected dimension's values. The maximum number of splits per chart is 25. Filters | Dimension or measure. Used as a filter. ## Creating an area chart {#create-diagram} To create an area chart: {% note warning %} If you use the new DataLens object model with [workbooks and collections](../workbooks-collections/index.md): 1. Go to the DataLens [home page](https://datalens.ru/?skipPromo=true). In the left-hand panel, select ![collections](../../_assets/console-icons/rectangles-4.svg) **Collections and workbooks**. 1. Open the workbook, click **Create** in the top-right corner, and select the object you need. Follow the guide from step 4. {% endnote %} 1. Go to the DataLens [home page](https://datalens.ru/?skipPromo=true). 1. In the left-hand panel, select ![chart](../../_assets/console-icons/chart-column.svg) **Charts**. 1. Click **Create chart** → **Chart**. 1. At the top left, click ![image](../../_assets/console-icons/circles-intersection.svg) **Select dataset** and specify the dataset to visualize. If you do not have a dataset, [create one](../dataset/create-dataset.md#create). 1. Select **Area chart** as the chart type. 1. Drag a dimension from the dataset to the **X** section. The values will be displayed in the lower part of the chart on the X axis. 1. Drag one or more measures from the dataset to the **Y** section. The values will be displayed as areas along the Y axis. ### Configuring display of `null` values {#null-settings} * If the source data has a row with `null` for a measure value, this point will not be plotted on a chart with default settings. _For example, if the source has a row with the date, `20.07.2022`, but the sales total for it is not specified._ To set up null value display on a chart: 1. Click ![image](../../_assets/console-icons/gear.svg) in the top-right corner of the section with the measure you want to configure (the icon appears when you hover over the section). 1. In **Empty values (null)**, select `Display as 0`. 1. Click **Apply**. Now the chart will use `0` instead of `null`. * If a row is missing from the source data altogether, the chart section settings will not change the chart. _For example, if the source does not have a row with the particular date, `20.07.2022`, nothing will be shown for this date on the chart._ For more information, see [Configuring the display of null values in a Yandex DataLens chart](../operations/chart/chart-null-settings.md). ### Configuring a stacked chart {#stacking} Use the **Stacking** option in the [chart settings](../concepts/chart/settings.md#common-settings) to toggle between stacked or unstacked chart display. * A stacked chart shows a ratio of measures by category to the total value. Use this chart type when you need to see how each measure contributes to the total. For example, you can get the breakdown of total sales by product category. If you have multiple data categories, the areas are stacked one on top of the other. The top line represents all data. * An unstacked chart shows the changes in a measure separately for each category. You can use this chart type when you need to compare measures by categories. For example, total sales in each product category. If you have multiple data categories, the areas overlap. Each line corresponds to measure values for an individual category. {% cut "Example" %} ![area-chart-no-stack](../../_assets/datalens/visualization-ref/area-chart/area-chart-no-stack.png =800x) {% endcut %} ## Recommendations {#recomendations} * **Labels.** If the category values are too verbose, make them shorter so that the chart labels look neater. You can use string functions in calculated fields or the [CASE](../function-ref/CASE.md) conditional statements. * **Areas**. Do not display more than three to five areas on the chart. * To make it easier to track the dynamics, place the largest or most important categories closer to the chart base. To do this, drag the measure to the **Sorting** section or set up their order in the **Y** section. For example, you can do so to track sales dynamics in the `Household cleaners` category. {% cut "Chart example" %} ![area-chart-sort](../../_assets/datalens/visualization-ref/area-chart/area-chart-sort.png =800x) {% endcut %} * **Splitting.** You can split a chart by dimension into several small, easy-to-compare charts. To do this, drag a dimension from the dataset to the **Split** section. {% cut "Chart example" %} ![area-chart-split](../../_assets/datalens/visualization-ref/area-chart/area-chart-split.png =800x) {% endcut %} #### Useful links {#see-also} * [Creating a dashboard in Yandex DataLens](../operations/dashboard/create.md) * [Adding a chart to a dashboard in Yandex DataLens](../operations/dashboard/add-chart.md) * [Adding a selector to a dashboard in Yandex DataLens](../operations/dashboard/add-selector.md)