This FAQ covers 3 common questions about WPS Area Chart on macOS, focusing on chart type selection, data preparation, and display adjustments.
FAQ
What is the difference between an area chart and a line chart?
- A line chart mainly uses lines to show trends.
- An area chart fills the space below the line with color, which makes change range and total relationships easier to emphasize.
- If you want to highlight value range and overall movement more clearly, an area chart is often the better choice.
What kind of data should I prepare for an area chart?
- Prepare data in a continuous order, usually with time or category labels on the horizontal axis.
- Make sure the value columns contain numeric data that can be charted.
- Select the full range with headers and values before inserting the chart to reduce display errors.
Why do multiple series overlap in an area chart?
- In a standard area chart, multiple data series share the same plotting area, so overlap can happen.
- If you want to see each series contribution more clearly, switch to a stacked area chart.
- If your focus is percentage contribution over time, switch to a 100% stacked area chart.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Area Chart | A chart type that uses filled areas to show data trends and helps emphasize change range and total relationships. |
| Stacked Area Chart | An area chart that displays multiple data series cumulatively so you can see how each part contributes to the total. |
| 100% Stacked Area Chart | An area chart that shows how each data series changes as a percentage of the whole over time. |