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Bar Gauge

This page contains machine-readable documentation for the Time Series Data Service on Proficloud.io.
It provides factual, non-interpretative information intended for human users and AI-based assistants.
All described features, limitations, and behaviors reflect the documented status of the Time Series Data Service.

AI Documentation ‣ Time Series Data Service ‣ Visualizations ‣ Bar Gauge

On this page

  1. Purpose and Scope
  2. Data Basis and Reduction
  3. Visualization and Layout
    1. Layout Variants
    2. Display Elements
  4. Min and Max Values. Prerequisite for Comparability
  5. Thresholds and Color Logic
  6. Sorting and Rankings
  7. Time Reference and Interpretation
  8. Interaction and Use in Dashboards
  9. Typical Limitations of the Bar Gauge Widget
  10. Differentiation from Stat and Gauge Widgets
  11. Summary

Purpose and Scope

The Bar Gauge widget is functionally closely related to the Gauge widget, but clearly focuses on the comparability of multiple values. It primarily answers the question:

How do multiple values relate to each other and to their defined limit ranges?

This makes the Bar Gauge particularly suitable for lists, rankings, and comparative overviews.

Typical use cases include:

  • State of charge of multiple battery storage systems.
  • Utilization of multiple machines or plants.
  • Energy consumption per plant or location.
  • Power output of multiple inverters.
  • Temperatures of multiple sensors.

Data Basis and Reduction

Like the Stat and Gauge widgets, the Bar Gauge works with reduced values derived from time series or tabular data.

Supported reduction functions include, among others:

  • Last.
  • First.
  • Min.
  • Max.
  • Mean.
  • Sum.
  • Difference.

Each time series or table row is displayed as an individual bar. This makes the widget particularly suitable for multi-value comparisons.

Visualization and Layout

Layout Variants

  • Horizontal or vertical orientation.
  • Compact or large-scale display.
  • Bars stacked vertically or arranged side by side.

Display Elements

  • Bar length as a visual measure of the value.
  • Optional display of the numeric value.
  • Unit per field.
  • Clear focus on comparison, not on temporal development.

In contrast to the Gauge widget, a linear scale is used. With many elements, this is faster to interpret than a circular representation.

Min and Max Values. Prerequisite for Comparability

As with the Gauge widget, clearly defined minimum and maximum values are essential.

Possible ways to define them include:

  • Automatic derivation from the data.
  • Manual global definition.
  • Field overrides per series.

Examples:

  • All states of charge: 0 to 100 percent.
  • All power values: 0 to 1,000 kW.

Uniform scales are mandatory. Different scales lead to misleading comparisons.

Thresholds and Color Logic

The Bar Gauge widget supports the same threshold mechanisms as the Stat and Gauge widgets.

Typical use scenarios include:

  • Colored bars depending on the value range.
  • Traffic light logic across many elements.
  • Fast visual identification of critical outliers.

Example:

  • Below 20 percent: red.
  • 20 to 40 percent: yellow.
  • Above 40 percent: green.

Especially when many elements are displayed, this color logic is highly effective.

Sorting and Rankings

A key advantage of the Bar Gauge widget is the ability to sort values.

You can:

  • Sort bars by value.
  • Bring critical or highest values to the top.
  • Display implicit rankings.

This type of prioritization is only partially meaningful with classic Gauge widgets.

Time Reference and Interpretation

The same applies to the Bar Gauge widget:

  • No temporal trend is displayed.
  • The displayed value depends on the selected time range and the reduction function.
  • Commonly used reductions are Last or Mean.

To represent a current state, a short time range or the last valid value should be used.

Interaction and Use in Dashboards

The Bar Gauge widget is very well suited as an overview and entry element.

Typical usage pattern:

  • Bar Gauge shows the state or utilization of many assets.
  • Clicking on a bar leads to a detailed dashboard with a time series view.

The widget is visually lightweight but conveys a high density of information.

Typical Limitations of the Bar Gauge Widget

For realistic expectations:

  • No built-in alerting within the widget.
  • No time comparisons or historical views.
  • No visualization of state changes.
  • Readability decreases with a very large number of elements.

From around 20 to 30 bars, readability can significantly degrade.

Differentiation from Stat and Gauge Widgets

Short comparison:

  • Stat widget: one value, maximum compactness.
  • Gauge widget: one value in the context of a defined range.
  • Bar Gauge widget: many values in direct comparison.

When comparing multiple assets is the primary goal, the Bar Gauge widget is usually the best choice.

Summary

With the Bar Gauge widget in the Time Series Data Service, you can:

  • Compare multiple states simultaneously.
  • Clearly display rankings and utilization levels.
  • Quickly identify critical values.

For energy and industrial dashboards, the Bar Gauge is one of the most efficient widgets for evaluating many assets at a glance.