Top 10 charts and how to use them

Basic common chart that displays a series of data points connected by straight line segments. Good for showing trends over time.
Supports 2 options:
1) One or more measures are compared across a single dimension. Each measure (series) is displayed as a separate line.
2) A single measure is selected for comparison across a primary dimension. A second dimension is also supplied and each member of the second dimension is plotted as a series on the chart.

Each series are displayed in a different color.

A variant of the Area chart which shows the contribution of a second dimension over the primary dimension (usually time) for a given measure. Good for showing how contribution of a dimension varies over time.

Good for comparing one or more measures across a dimension.
Supports 2 options:
1) One or more measures are compared across a single dimension. Each measure (series) is displayed as a separate bar.
2) A single measure is selected for comparison across a primary dimension. A second dimension is also supplied and each member of the second dimension is plotted as a series on the chart.

Where multiple series are selected, bars are displayed one beneath the other. Each series are displayed in a different color.

A donut chart is similar to a pie chart, but it has a blank center and unlike a pie chart can display multiple series (measures). Series are displayed one inside the other as a series of concentric circles.
Each segment (value) within the donut chart is displayed using a different color. Where multiple series are used segments relating to the same category (dimension) will be shown in the same color.

Similar to bar charts but also includes a second series (measure) which is displayed as a vertical line. Good for comparing performance of a primary measure against a target measure across a dimension. Identical to the Vertical Bullet chart, but the axes are reversed.
Each series are displayed in a different color.

Loved and hated in the industry.
A pie chart is similar to a donut chart but only displays a single series (measure).
Each segment (value) within the donut chart is displayed using a different color.

Lays out the members of a selected dimension radially as a series of spokes. Plots the values of multiple series (measures) along each spoke and draws a line to connect the data values of each series, creating a star-like appearance. Good for quality improvement programs to display the performance of multiple metrics.

A small line chart often displayed without any axes or labels. Good for showing the variation (usually over time) of a measure across a category (dimension) in a simple, highly condensed way.

A variant of the Columns chart which shows the relationship of members of a second dimension to the whole, comparing the contribution of each value to a total across a primary dimension. Good when you have multiple data series and when you want to emphasize the total.
Each member of the second dimension is plotted as a series on the chart. Each series are displayed in a different color.

Similar to column charts but also includes a second series (measure) which is displayed as a horizontal line. Good for comparing performance of a primary measure against a target measure across a dimension. Identical to the Horizontal Bullet chart, but the axes are reversed.