14. Visuals and Their Formatting
14.6 Line and Column Combo Charts
Start with a problem
Rani wants sales and delivery speed on one chart: ₹ sales per month as columns and the % of orders delivered in 10 minutes as a line.
Explain simply
A line and clustered column chart (combo chart) shows two measures with different units. Columns use the left axis; the line can use a secondary axis on the right.
Show the data
| Month | Total Sales (₹) | Delivered | Under 10 min | % under 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr-2026 | 900 | 3 | 1 (301) | 33.3% |
| May-2026 | 1,200 | 4 | 2 (304, 305) | 50.0% |
About this data: This table uses columns: Month, Total Sales (₹), Delivered, Under 10 min, % under 10. This table uses columns: Month, Column (₹), Line (%). This table uses columns: Wrong result, Reason, Correction. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).
Fictional sample data. Practice file: visuals_orders_apr_may_2026.csv (source: src/practice/).
Demonstrate
- Create
% Under 10 = DIVIDE(CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Orders), Orders[Status] = "Delivered", Orders[Delivery Mins] <= 10), CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Orders), Orders[Status] = "Delivered")). Format as %. - Insert Line and clustered column chart.
- X-axis: Month (from Order Date). Column y-axis:
Total Sales. Line y-axis:% Under 10. - Format › Visual › Secondary y-axis › On. Why: ₹ and % need separate scales.
Show the result
Your result should look like this (fictional sample):
| Month | Column (₹) | Line (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Apr-2026 | 900 | 33.3% |
| May-2026 | 1,200 | 50.0% |
Explain what happened
Both measures are evaluated per month. The line uses its own axis, so 50% is not drawn next to ₹1,200 on the same scale.
Explore further
- Label the secondary axis clearly so nobody reads % as ₹.
- Use a combo only when the two measures are discussed together.
Detailed reference for this lesson:
Line and stacked column and Line and clustered column show two measures with different scales on one chart.
- Field wells: X-axis, Column y-axis, Line y-axis, Column legend, Small multiples, Tooltips.
- Example: X-axis = Order Hour; Column y-axis = Total Orders; Line y-axis = Avg Delivery Time (mins). This shows whether deliveries slow down during the 7–10 pm rush.
- Avoid when both measures use the same unit (use a normal clustered chart), or when viewers may compare column height with line height as if they shared a scale.
- Formatting: Y-axis and Secondary y-axis (titles!, range), Lines and Markers, Columns colours, data labels per series.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, pay attention: not labelling the secondary axis is the combo-chart mistake I see most. Readers can't tell which line belongs to which scale. Always turn on both axis titles, for example "Orders" and "Avg mins", and use contrasting colours for the column and the line. Don't make this mistake!
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, लक्ष द्या: secondary axis ला label न देणं ही combo chart मधली मला सगळ्यात जास्त दिसणारी चूक आहे. कोणती line कोणत्या scale ची आहे ते वाचकांना कळत नाही. नेहमी दोन्ही axis titles चालू करा, उदाहरणार्थ "Orders" आणि "Avg mins", आणि column आणि line साठी विरोधी रंग वापरा. ही चूक करू नका!
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, ध्यान दो: secondary axis पर label न देना combo chart की सबसे ज़्यादा दिखने वाली गलती है. पढ़ने वाले समझ नहीं पाते कि कौन सी line किस scale की है. हमेशा दोनों axis titles चालू करो, जैसे "Orders" और "Avg mins", और column और line के लिए अलग-अलग दिखने वाले रंग इस्तेमाल करो. यह गलती मत करना!
Fix common mistakes
| Wrong result | Reason | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| The line is flat at the bottom | Both measures on one axis | Turn on the secondary y-axis |
| % looks like 0.33 | Measure not formatted | Measure tools › Format › Percentage |
| Overall % shows 57.1% (4 of 7) | Cancelled 308 has a blank Delivery Mins, and in DAX BLANK <= 10 is TRUE (blank compares as 0) | Keep Orders[Status] = "Delivered" in the numerator too |
Practise independently
Practice task
Add Total Orders as columns instead of sales. What are the column values?
Hints
- Count rows per month, including the cancelled order.
Solution
Apr 3 orders, May 5 orders (304–308). The line stays 33.3% and 50.0%.
Think like a professional
Combo charts are popular in operations reviews but easy to misread. Interview angle: mention that you label both axes and that you never put two ₹ measures on separate axes, because that can exaggerate differences.
Revision card