---
title: "Stream graph"
description: "Centered stacked area. What the stream graph is for, the data it needs and every option it has."
section: "Widgets"
canonical: "https://banksync.io/docs/widgets/chart-stream"
specs: ["dashboards"]
operationBindings: [{"capability":"dashboards","operation":"dashboards.author"}]
---

Centered stacked area. It sits in the **Time series** group of the widget library.

![Example stream graph on a BankSync dashboard](https://cdn.banksync.io/screenshots/docs/charts/stream.7475e7445bc85f34.png)

## When to use it

Use a stream graph to show the rhythm of many categories over a long period, where shape matters more than exact values: which spending categories swell in which months. Bands flow around a centre line rather than sitting on zero.

## When to pick something else

- Need to read actual amounts? Use a **Stacked area**; a stream graph has no value axis.
- Comparing a few categories precisely? Use a **Line chart** or **Grouped bar**.
- Only one series? It draws as a plain **Area chart**.

## 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 |
| ---------- | -------- | -------------------- | ----- |
| **X axis** | Yes      | a category or a date |       |
| **Y axis** | Yes      | a number             |       |
| **Series** | Optional | a category           |       |
| **Color**  | Optional | a category           |       |

Rows that share a category are combined before drawing: choose **Sum**, **Average**, **Count**, **Min** or **Max** on the value field. See [Binding data](/docs/widgets/binding-data).

## Stream graph 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

- The value axis is hidden, so readers rely on the tooltip for numbers; it lists each band and a **Total**.
- A missing value counts as zero, so a band thins to nothing for that date.
- More than 8 series: the 7 largest keep their colour and the rest merge into **Other**.
- Values on the same date are summed by default.
- Stream graphs are meant for positive amounts such as spending; mixing in negative values makes the shape hard to read.

## On a phone

The shape survives at full phone width, but the legend moves below the chart and many categories get cut to "+N more". On a phone, a **Stacked area** with fewer categories is usually clearer.

## Related charts

- [Line chart](/docs/widgets/chart-line): Time series over any field
- [Area chart](/docs/widgets/chart-area): Stacked or overlaid area
- [Sparkline](/docs/widgets/chart-sparkline): Tiny inline trend
- [Stacked area](/docs/widgets/chart-stacked-area): Series stacked over time
- [Step line](/docs/widgets/chart-step-line): Discrete jumps over time