Reading Charts and Tables

Learn how to interpret the most common chart and table types in Localis including YoY charts, KPI cards, ranked tables, maps, and distribution charts, plus the built-in tooltips and AI.

A quick mental model

Most visuals in the platform follow the same pattern:

1. What is being measured? (metric — e.g. spend, occupancy, visitation)

2. Over what period? (date range + granularity)

3. For which area? (selected region / boundary type)

4. What’s the comparison? (YoY, previous period, or multiple series)

5. What’s driving the change? (events, breakdowns, tables, and context)

If something looks unexpected, start by checking the filters first.

Screenshot placeholder: A chart with its title + filters visible, annotated with “metric / period / area / comparison”.

Line charts (trends over time)

Line charts show how a metric changes over time. In Localis, they often appear as:

• Year-on-year (YoY) trend lines (current period vs last year)

• Multiple series (e.g. different segments, source markets, categories, or regions)

Hover (to read exact values)

When you hover over a line chart, a tooltip shows the exact date/time bucket and value, plus the series label (e.g. year, segment, or category).

Typical tooltip information includes:

• the date (or week/month)

• the metric value

• which series the point belongs to (e.g. 2026 vs 2025)

GIF placeholder: Hovering across a line chart to show the tooltip changing by date and series.

Turning series on/off (to reduce clutter)

If a line chart has multiple series, you can select and deselect series using the legend (often displayed along the bottom).

This is useful when:

• too many lines overlap

• you want to focus on one segment at a time

• you want to compare specific series (e.g. this year vs last year)

GIF placeholder: Clicking legend items to hide/show series and make the chart easier to read.

Tip: If a chart looks “busy”, hide everything except the 1–2 series you’re investigating.

KPI cards (headline numbers)

KPI cards are designed for quick scanning. They typically show:

• the current value

• a comparison value (e.g. previous period and/or 1 year ago)

• a percentage change

The comparison period depends on the time granularity:

• if you’re viewing weekly data, it’s typically this week vs the same week last year)

• if you’re viewing monthly, it’s typically this month vs the same month last year)

Screenshot placeholder: KPI card annotated with “current”, “previous period”, “1 year ago”, and “% change”.

How to interpret KPI cards

• Use KPI cards to spot direction (up/down) and scale (how big).

• Then use a trend chart or table to understand whether it’s a one-off spike or a sustained change.

Tables (rankings and breakdowns)

Tables are commonly used for ranked lists (e.g. top regions, top categories, top source markets). They often include:

• current period values

• year-on-year comparisons

• YoY percentage change with colour coding

Colour coding (red vs green)

Tables often colour YoY change values:

• Green indicates an increase year-on-year

• Red indicates a decrease year-on-year

Screenshot placeholder: Table showing YoY % change with green/red formatting.

Important: Whether green is “good” depends on the metric.

• Green is typically “higher than last year”

• But “higher” isn’t always better (e.g. local markets, visitor markets, etc.)

Sorting tables (ascending / descending)

You can sort tables by clicking the column header:

• click once to sort one direction

• click again to reverse the sort order

This makes it easy to answer questions like:

• “Which areas grew the most YoY?”

• “Which categories are declining?”

• “What are the top contributors right now?”

GIF placeholder: Clicking a table column header to sort ascending/descending.

Bar charts (comparisons across categories)

Bar charts are used to compare values across categories (e.g. spend by category, visitors by origin, sentiment by theme). Some bar charts also support year-on-year comparisons (e.g. two bars per category for this year vs last year).

Screenshot placeholder: Bar chart showing multiple bars per category (YoY).

How to read bar charts

• Look for the largest bars first (biggest contributors)

• Then check YoY difference to identify what’s growing or shrinking

• Use sorting (if available) to surface top movers quickly

Area charts (composition charts)

These charts show share of total over time (a distribution), where all segments add up to 100%.

They’re useful for understanding:

• how the mix is changing over time (not just the total)

• which segment is taking a larger or smaller share over time

Screenshot placeholder: 100% stacked area chart with a note “totals = 100%”.

How to interpret

• If one segment rises, another must fall (because the total stays 100%).

• Use these charts to talk about composition, not overall growth.

Map charts (spatial patterns)

Map visuals highlight regions using colour intensity (a gradient), usually representing:

• a metric value (e.g. spend, visitation)

• an indexed score (relative intensity)

• a YoY change layer (where available)

Screenshot placeholder: Map chart with gradient legend visible.

How to read map gradients

• Darker / stronger colours usually indicate higher values (or stronger change)

• Always check the legend to confirm what the gradient represents

• Use hover to see the exact value for a specific area

GIF placeholder: Hovering across map regions to show the area name + metric value tooltip.

Chart descriptions, tooltips, and AI summaries

Every chart/table is designed to be self-explanatory, even if you’re seeing it for the first time.

Descriptions (what you’re looking at)

Charts and tables include a short description to explain:

• what metric is being shown

• what breakdown is applied

• what comparison is being used (YoY, period-on-period, etc.)

Screenshot placeholder: Chart description text shown beneath a chart title.

(i) tooltips (extra detail)

The (i) icon provides additional context such as:

• metric definitions and context

• calculation notes

• known caveats

Screenshot placeholder: (i) tooltip open showing definition/caveat text.

AI summary (Insight + Recommendation)

Many charts also include an AI summary panel that provides:

• Insight: what’s happening (pattern, spike, dip, anomaly)

• Recommendation: what to consider doing next (practical next steps)

Screenshot placeholder: AI panel showing “Insight” and “Recommendation”.

Tip: If you’re writing a report, the AI summary is often a great starting draft, but always sanity-check it against the chart and your filters.

Refer to the Platform Basics → AI Features for more info about our AI in the Localis Platform.

Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

• Comparing different regions unintentionally: module switches can reset region selection, always re-check geography.

• Mixing granularity: daily spikes can look “flat” in monthly views. Choose the granularity that matches the question.

• Assuming green = good: colour indicates direction, not whether it’s positive in context.

• Reading a 100% area chart like a total trend: those charts show composition, not volume.

Where to go next

• Next: Platform Basics → Data Freshness & Coverage

• Want help turning charts into a narrative? Using Localis in Practice → Monthly Reporting