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docs(dashboards): Add Categorical Bar widget documentation #16266

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docs(dashboards): Add Categorical Bar widget documentation
gggritso Feb 4, 2026
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29 changes: 20 additions & 9 deletions docs/product/dashboards/widget-builder/index.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -67,24 +67,31 @@ Choosing "Releases (sessions, crash rates)" allows you to query properties speci

## Visualization Type

In this step, you can choose from four different visualization types:
In this step, you can choose from the following visualization types:

- [Area Chart / Bar Chart / Line Chart](#area-chart--bar-chart--line-chart)
- [Area Chart / Bar (Time Series) / Line Chart](#area-chart--bar-time-series--line-chart)
- [Bar (Categorical)](#bar-categorical)
- [Table](#table)
- [Big Number](#big-number)

### Area Chart / Bar Chart / Line Chart
### Area Chart / Bar (Time Series) / Line Chart

Area, bar, and line chart visualizations allow you to plot one or more aggregate functions as a time series.
Area, bar (time series), and line chart visualizations allow you to plot one or more aggregate functions as a time series.

![Time-series visualizations.](./img/widget-builder-time-series-visualizations.png)

Each chart type allows you to solve different problems:

- Area charts are ideal for showing results that are cumulative or where you want to show a breakdown. An example would be “count of errors for each major browser”.
- Bar charts will group results by day, making them good for daily roll-ups or as “big picture” summaries. An example would be “count of errors per day”.
- Bar (time series) charts will group results by day, making them good for daily roll-ups or as “big picture” summaries. An example would be “count of errors per day”.
- Line charts are a general-purpose visualization. Make sure the Y-Axis units match if you add multiple data series. Mixing count with duration will not yield useful results.

### Bar (Categorical)

Categorical bar charts allow you to plot an aggregate function grouped by a categorical field such as browser, country, or transaction name. Unlike time series charts where the X-axis represents time, categorical bar charts use a field value as the X-axis.

This visualization is useful when you want to compare values across different categories rather than over time. Some example uses include showing a count of errors by browser type, or the average response time by endpoint.

### Table

Table charts display the results of a [Discover Query](/product/explore/discover-queries/). This visualization is well suited to showing key fields and related aggregates. For example “duration percentiles for the most frequently visited transaction names”. You can also choose to display [issues](/product/issues/) data in a table visualization using the [dataset selector](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#choose-your-dataset).
Expand All @@ -109,21 +116,25 @@ If two or more columns are added, you can change the order in which they're disp

## Visualize

The option to set aggregates for visualizing is available on all visualizations except [table](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#table). In the case of [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-chart--line-chart), you'll be able to plot up to three values that can be functions or equations. If the units of your selections conflict, then the y-axis of the chart will be labeled using the units of the first selection.
The option to set aggregates for visualizing is available on all visualizations except [table](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#table). In the case of [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-time-series--line-chart), you'll be able to plot up to three values that can be functions or equations. If the units of your selections conflict, then the y-axis of the chart will be labeled using the units of the first selection. For [bar (categorical)](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#bar-categorical) charts, you can select a single aggregate function to visualize.

You can also choose to construct an equation by clicking “Add Equation”. Doing this displays a text box where you can enter your equation. Functions that you've added previously in this step will appear for autocompletion, but you can add other functions as well.

## X-Axis

The X-axis option is only available for [categorical bar charts](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#bar-categorical) charts. Use this to select the field that will group the data into categories along the X-axis. Only string-type fields are available, such as `browser.name`, `geo.country_code`, or `transaction`.

## Filter

Use this field to filter your results by the searchable properties of your [dataset selection](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#choose-your-dataset). For more information on which properties apply to each dataset, check out our [full Searchable Properties documentation](/concepts/search/searchable-properties/#properties-table).

On [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-chart--line-chart) you can add up to three queries to filter your results, each with their own search conditions, to compare results. Each query will generate a new series in your chart for each y-axis. To make it easier to differentiate between them in the legend and tooltip, you can add a legend alias that will be added as a prefix to the labels, as in the example below:
On [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-time-series--line-chart) you can add up to three queries to filter your results, each with their own search conditions, to compare results. Each query will generate a new series in your chart for each y-axis. To make it easier to differentiate between them in the legend and tooltip, you can add a legend alias that will be added as a prefix to the labels, as in the example below:

![Filter your results.](./img/widget-builder-filter-your-results-example.png)

## Group by

The option to group results is only available for [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-chart--line-chart). You can group your time series results by different fields or tags such as project, environment, or transaction. You can select up to 20 fields to group your data.
The option to group results is only available for [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-time-series--line-chart). You can group your time series results by different fields or tags such as project, environment, or transaction. You can select up to 20 fields to group your data. Note that [bar (categorical)](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#bar-categorical) charts use the X-axis field selection instead of the group by option.

If two or more groups are added, a draggable element will be displayed that you can use to sort the fields, but the sort does not impact how your data is displayed in the visualization:

Expand All @@ -141,7 +152,7 @@ If you select “Custom Equation”, an extra field appears where you can enter

## Limit

The option to limit your results is only available for [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-chart--line-chart) where you've applied a grouping. Depending on your configuration (for example, multiple y-axes, multiple queries), your chart results could become unmanageable, so a limit is imposed. You can change this limit by selecting it in the dropdown. We intend to show at most 10 series (that is, lines in a line chart or bars in a bar chart) when multiple y-axes or queries are selected.
The option to limit your results is only available for [time-series visualizations](/product/dashboards/widget-builder/#area-chart--bar-time-series--line-chart) where you've applied a grouping. Depending on your configuration (for example, multiple y-axes, multiple queries), your chart results could become unmanageable, so a limit is imposed. You can change this limit by selecting it in the dropdown. We intend to show at most 10 series (that is, lines in a line chart or bars in a bar chart) when multiple y-axes or queries are selected.

## Set Thresholds

Expand Down