Add categories and values, sort them in one click, and create a clean dot plot without a complicated setup.
The dot plot has not been calculated yet.
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A dot plot uses position instead of bar length to compare categories. It is compact, easy to scan, and especially useful for rankings, survey scores, performance metrics, budgets, and regional comparisons.
Use one category column and one numeric value column. Edit the sample table, paste data, or import CSV, TSV, TXT, JSON, XLSX, and XLS files. Everything stays in your browser.
Switch to comparison mode to create a connected two-series dot plot. The line between dots makes before-and-after movement or differences between two groups immediately visible.
One-click sorting puts low or high values first without changing the data itself manually. A reference line can mark a target, benchmark, average, or budget limit.
Adjust orientation, dot size, colors, grid, value labels, and scale before downloading PNG or native SVG.
List departments as categories, place the current score in the primary column, and add last period as the comparison series. Each pair of dots shares one numeric scale, so the connector shows both direction and distance. Sorting by the current score reveals the ranking; sorting by difference highlights the largest changes.
A target, service-level threshold, budget limit, or overall average can give the positions useful context. Label the axis with the unit and explain where the benchmark came from. Avoid adding an arbitrary line merely to make values appear above or below a standard.
Dots use less ink and make two values on one category easy to compare. Bars provide a stronger sense of distance from zero. Choose a horizontal bar chart when absolute magnitude and long labels dominate; choose connected dots when the gap between two comparable measurements is the main question.
State the measurement period, population, unit, and whether higher values are better. Keep the same scale for both series, investigate missing categories, and avoid interpreting a before-and-after difference as proof that an intervention caused the change.
Horizontal dots leave more room for descriptive category names and usually suit rankings. Vertical dots can work for a short ordered sequence. Keep enough scale padding to prevent labels from touching the edge, but avoid an unnecessarily wide range that hides meaningful differences. If the axis does not begin at zero, make the tick labels especially clear because position—not distance from a baseline—is the intended encoding.