Compare and rank
Deviation bar chart
Shows category differences from a benchmark, target or other reference.
- Chart
- Deviation
- Comparison
What it answers
Which items miss or exceed a benchmark?
- Shape
- Signed bars around a reference
- What it shows
- Size and direction of shortfalls and excesses.
Example
The question
In which months did sales miss or beat target, and by how much?
Sales against target by month, 2025 (EUR thousand)
Illustrative data. It belongs to no company.
When to use it
Use it when
Actual-minus-target or difference-from-average reporting.
Avoid it when
When the benchmark or favourable direction is undefined.
How to read it
Read signed distance from the benchmark line.
Note
A reference-based use of a diverging bar chart.
The data you need
- Layout
- Long table
- Fields
- Category: text; Value or Difference: signed number
- One row is
- One category and a signed difference from a stated reference. What is the grain?
- Rules
- Define the reference and units. If supplying actual and reference values, calculate their difference.
- Optional
- Alternative columns: Category,Actual,Reference.
- Preparation
- Validate the input grain and missing values. Define the reference and units. If supplying actual and reference values, calculate their difference.
- Units
- Use the measured variable's stated unit consistently. No denominator is implied unless the value is a rate or proportion.
Worked example
Actual A92, target 100 gives-8; B112 gives+12. B exceeds target 12 and A falls short 8.
| Category | Difference |
|---|---|
| A | -8 |
| B | 12 |
| C | 3 |