How To Add Charts And Graphs To WordPress
You’ve heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” This certainly applies when you are presenting and explaining complex information.
Using charts and graphs is great for making data easier to grasp.
You can present data with tables, but if you want people to try and make sense of complex data with numbers, trends or comparisons easily, then graphs and charts allow you to present the data in a meaningful and intelligent manner that can be easily processed.
Graphs and charts help explain complex information so people can more easily interpret it!
If you need to present information visually and dynamically on your WordPress site using charts and graphs, this tutorial will show you exactly how to create and add eye-catching and interactive graphs and charts to WordPress that:
- Your web visitors can engage with
- Allows you to upload data from your computer or an online source of data
- Is fully responsive for mobile browsers
If you are displaying visual data like pie charts, comparison bars or trending graphs containing information that is not going to change (e.g. historical data), an easier option is to create the graphs or charts using a desktop application, convert these into images and then simply add your files and an image to your page or post.
Use WordPress Chart & Graph Plugins
If you want to add dynamic bar charts and pie charts to your WordPress content with no coding skills required, the easiest way to do this is to use a plugin.
Fortunately, there is a great plugin for WordPress that is simple to install, easy-to-use and allows you to not only create great-looking and mobile-responsive charts and graphs, it also lets you populate your charts and graphs with updateable content.
Visualizer Plugin For WordPress
Plugin URL
You can install the plugin inside your WordPress dashboard (we will explain how to do this a little further down the page), or download WP Visualizer the WP plugin repository using the link below:
http://wordpress.org/plugins/visualizer
Visualizer Plugin Description
The WordPress Visualizer plugin is a simple, easy to use and powerful tool that lets you create, manage and embed colorful and interactive charts into your WordPress posts and pages in just a few simple steps.
WordPress Visualizer uses Google Visualization API to render charts, which support cross-browser compatibility (adopting VML for older IE versions) and cross-platform portability to iOS and new Android releases, and are based on pure HTML5/SVG technology (adopting VML for old IE versions), so no extra addons are needed.
The plugin also comes with a variety of built-in optimized for your data visualization needs, including:
- Line chart
- Area chart
- Bar chart
- Column chart
- Pie chart
- Geo chart
- Gauge chart
- Candlestick chart
- Scatter chart
Visualizer is also flexible and customizable, allowing you to use Google Chart Tools with their default setting, or configure an extensive set of options to match the look and feel of your website. A number of options are available for each chart that allow you to fully customize their look and feel.
Additionally, charts are rendered using HTML5/SVG technology to provide cross-browser compatibility (including VML for older IE versions) and cross-platform portability to iPhones, iPads and Android devices. Your site visitors can see your charts and graphs on their mobile device browsers without requiring the installation of additional software.
Plugin Installation
From your WP admin area, select Plugins > Add New from the navigation sidebar menu …
In the Add Plugins page type in search for “visualizer” and click enter …
Locate the item in the search results section and click the “Install Now” button …
Click OK to proceed …
Activate the plugin …
You can also activate the plugin in the Plugins area …
Once your plugin has been activated, click on Library …
You can also get to the plugin’s ‘library’ screen by selecting Media > Visualizer Library in the main menu …
This brings up the plugin’s Visualizer Library settings page …
After installing the plugin, the library contains no charts.
The next step is to add the charts and graphs to your library that you will want to display in your content.
How To Configure Visualizer
To add a chart or graph to the library, click on Add New …
An image gallery displaying all the different types of charts available will come up on your screen.
Select the type of chart or graph you would like to create and click on the ‘Next’ button …
The selected graph/chart type will open up in a new window.
The next step is to upload a CSV file containing your data …
When creating your CSV data file, make sure that:
- Your first row includes the column headings.
- Your second row includes the series type (e.g. number, timeofday, etc.)
The screenshot below shows how to format your data as required …
If you are not sure how to format your CSV file, simply use the sample spreadsheet supplied with the plugin.
Next, select your data source (‘From Computer’ or ‘From Web’) in the ‘Upload CSV File’ section.
Upload CSV File From Computer
To upload your CSV file from your computer select ‘From Computer‘ …
Use the browser to locate and select your data file and then click on ‘Open‘ …
The plugin imports your data from the CSV file and displays it using the graph/chart type selected …
Upload CSV File From The Web
For a step-by-step tutorial that explains how to create, save and publish data to a Visualizer chart or graph using Google Spreadsheet, see the article below:
After importing the data, check that all of the information is correct (if not, click on the ‘Back’ button and reupload a new data file with the correct data), and click ‘Next‘ …
Depending on the chart or graph type selected, the plugin displays a range of customization settings and options …
The plugin gives you complete control over your chart or graph, and updates your display in real time …
For example, the pie chart offers various configurable options, including:
- General Settings – Configure chart title settings, font styles, tooltip, and legend.
- Pie Settings – Create 3D pie charts, draw slices counterclockwise, set the text content displayed on the slice, create a “donut” pie chart, rotate the chart’s “start” angle and set the slice border color.
- Residue Settings – Set the ‘Visibility Threshold’ (the slice relative part, below which a slice will not show individually.), ‘Residual Slice Label’ (the label for the combination slice that holds all slices below slice visibility threshold, e.g. “Other”), and ‘Residue Slice Color’.
- Slice Settings – Customize the ‘Slice Offset’ (how far to separate the slice from the rest of the pie), and ‘Slice Color’.
- Layout & Chart Area – Configure the layout (total size of chart) including the width and height of the chart as a number of percentage, background color for the main area of the chart and the chart border width and color, and the placement and size of the chart area (where the chart itself is drawn, excluding axis and legends).
Once you’re satisfied with the way your chart or graph is looking, click on the ‘Create Chart’ button …
The new graph or chart will now be added to the Visualizer ‘Library’ …
Note that each element is given a unique ID displayed as a shortcode. As you will see shortly, this lets you embed graphs and charts into your WordPress content quickly and easily …
Charts and graphs added to the Visualizer Library can easily be accessed by type …
After adding a chart or graph to the ‘Visualizer Library’, you can edit its details, clone it, or delete it …
Plugin Usage
After creating a new graph or chart and adding it to the Library, adding it to a page or post is really simple.
First, create a new post or page (or open an existing one) …
Next, place your mouse cursor where you want to insert your visual element into your content and click on the ‘Add Media‘ button …
Click on ‘Visualizations‘ …
Find the graph or chart to be inserted into your content and click on the “insert” icon …
This adds a shortcode into your content …
After you have finished adding the element, click on Publish to publish (or update) your page or post …
After updating the post/page, click ‘View post’ to see the end result …
Your page or post displays your chart in your content …
As mentioned previously, Visualizer also displays responsive graphs and charts for mobile device viewing …
As you can see, WordPress Visualizer lets you insert and customize dynamic charts and graphs in your content. You can change your data and the changes will automatically be reflected throughout your website. This is great if you’re managing interactive chart data in WordPress.
The plugin developers have created a number of step-by-step tutorials you can use to learn how to edit, customize and use Visualizer.
For tutorials on editing, copying, deleting and adding data to your charts, visit the site below:
Congratulations! Now you know how to easily add attractive and dynamic bar charts and graphs to your WordPress pages with WordPress Visualizer.
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"These tutorials have so much information and are easy to understand. If you use WordPress or plan to in the future these will help you with everything you need to know." - Valisa (Mesa, Arizona)
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