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An Area chart plots performance over time, displaying data as a shaded area ‘area’ that falls below a set of points connected by straight lines. Area charts are good for visualizing comparisons - , for example, using two color-coded shaded areas to display this year vs. last yearyear’s sales, or the value of sales vs. orders. 

An area will be displayed for each focused item in the current dimension. If you are in summary view, without any dimensions selected, the chart will typically display an area each for current and previous period or stream. 

Example

Create an area chart showing

The Percentage Area chart behaves in the same way as the Area chart but it provides a different way to view the proportional areas. It also has the benefit of tooltips showing the values in percentage form, which display when you hover over the data points. 

	Summary view	Focused view
Contents	There is a blue area for the current period (or stream) and an orange area for the previous period (or other stream).	There is a colored area for each of the focused items.
X-axis	The X-axis displays the time units of your current period.
Y-axis	Area chart: The Y-axis displays the total amount, which starts at zero. % Area chart: The Y-axis displays the percentage, from 0 to 100%.
Example	Area Image Added % Area Image Added	Area Image Added % Area Image Added

Example 1 - Create an Area chart

In the Sales database, create an Area chart to visualize the profitability of 4 key product categories, this year to date. This example uses a 'Sales' database. 

Step 1. Prepare the grid as follows:

1. Prepare the data in the grid:

   1. In Period mode, select the Product Class dimension, then select and focus on the four product classes.

   2. Select Measures > Profit.

   3. Select Period >

1. 1. Year to date.

   2. Click the Summary button.

2. Click the Chart  button, then click the Line chart category button on the left of the chart and select the Area option.

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   The chart displays the profitability of the four product classes for this year to date.

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3. (Optional) Change your view of the chart:

   • Use Total - If you have a dimension selected and are in Period mode (as in the current example), you can select the Use total option to create a simplified Area chart. This option means that rather than charting all the focused items for each time unit, Phocas

1. • charts only the total.

1. •  In the image below, the total value of the

1. • four product classes have been added together for each month, represented by a single blue shaded area

1. • .

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   • Use cumulative - The Use cumulative option is only available in Summary view, in Period mode. Click the Summary button, then select the Use cumulative option to chart current vs. previous cumulative for each time unit, rather than simply current vs. previous.

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2. (Optional) Save the chart as a favorite or add it to a dashboard.

Example 2 - Create a % Area chart

Using the same example as above, rather than selecting an Area chart in step 2, you can select the % Area chart option. When you hover over the data points in the chart, tooltips display, showing the values in percentage form.

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