---
title: "Parallel coordinates"
description: "Multi-dimensional comparison. What the parallel coordinates is for, the data it needs and every option it has."
section: "Widgets"
canonical: "https://banksync.io/docs/widgets/chart-parallel-coords"
specs: ["dashboards"]
operationBindings: [{"capability":"dashboards","operation":"dashboards.author"}]
---

Multi-dimensional comparison. It sits in the **Correlation** group of the widget library.

![Example parallel coordinates on a BankSync dashboard](https://cdn.banksync.io/screenshots/docs/charts/parallel-coords.98642da892bb91f8.png)

## When to use it

Use parallel coordinates to compare many rows across several numbers at once. Each number gets a vertical axis and each row is a line crossing them, so similar rows form bundles. For example, compare accounts by balance, monthly spend, income and number of transactions to spot the odd one out.

## When to pick something else

- Only two numbers? A **Scatter plot** is much clearer.
- Want to know which numbers move together overall? Use a **Correlation** matrix.
- A handful of rows and you need exact values? Use a **Table**.

## The data it needs

Pick these in the **Data** tab of the inspector. BankSync suggests a column for each when your source has an obvious match.

| Field     | Needed   | Pick       | Notes |
| --------- | -------- | ---------- | ----- |
| **Group** | Optional | a category |       |

Each row is drawn as it is, so shape the rows first if you need totals. See [Shaping data](/docs/dashboards/dashboards-shaping-data).

## Parallel coordinates options

This chart has no options of its own; everything on its **Style** tab is the shared chart styling below.

## Shared chart styling

Every chart also has the shared styling options. These apply to this one:

- [Legend](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#legend): position, layout and which series show.
- [Axes](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#axes): titles, tick labels and number format.
- [Grid](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#grid), [title](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#title), [padding](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#padding) and [background](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#background).
- [Value labels](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#value-labels) on the marks.
- [Categories and labels](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#categories-and-labels): top N with "Other", sort order, readable labels, the handwritten callout.
- [Style](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#style): corner radius, line width, opacity and animation.
- [Tooltip](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#tooltip) on hover.
- Click to filter: clicking a mark can filter the rest of the dashboard. See [Filters and cross-filtering](/docs/dashboards/filters-and-cross-filtering).
- [Colours](/docs/widgets/chart-styling#palette): follow the dashboard palette or pick one for this chart.

## Messy data

- It uses every number field it finds in the first rows, unless specific ones are chosen; with fewer than two you see "Choose at least two number fields".
- A missing value breaks that row's line instead of dropping it to zero. Rows with no numbers at all are skipped.
- Every axis has its own scale from its own lowest to highest value, so crossing lines show rank, not size.
- Above 1,000 rows, lines are sampled evenly.
- Colour groups are limited to three: the two biggest plus "Other".

## On a phone

Axes crowd together on a narrow phone card, and their titles are shortened or staggered on two rows. Keep it to three or four numbers, or use a **Table** on phones.

## Related charts

- [Bubble chart](/docs/widgets/chart-bubble): Scatter sized by a field
- [Hexbin](/docs/widgets/chart-hexbin): Binned 2D density
- [Contour](/docs/widgets/chart-contour): 2D density contours