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# Area charts

> Learn to build area charts in Sigma workbooks. Create stacked or 100% stacked visuals from data elements.

You can [create a chart](/docs/create-a-data-element) from the **Add element** section of the workbook, or directly from [an existing data element](/docs/create-a-data-element).

Visualized data does not display on the page canvas until all required plot fields are defined.

Add columns to open fields and marks using either the **+** menu or dragging and dropping the column.

## Required Fields

* **X-AXIS** (1+ columns)
* **Y-AXIS** (1+ columns)\
  Columns added to the Y-AXIS field are aggregated by default. Aggregation type (e.g. Sum vs Count) is dependent on the original column’s value type (e.g. text, number, date, etc).\
  *For example, a numeric column such as 'Sales Amount' creates a new calculated column, 'Sum of Sales Amount' (e.g. Sum(\[Sales Amount])).*

## Marks

* **COLOR**
* **TOOLTIP**
* **TRELLIS**

## Stacked area chart variations

Area charts support three stack variations:

* No Stacking - Areas start from the X axis and might overlap
* Stacked - Areas stack on top of each other
* Stacked 100% - All areas add up to 100% of the area

### Create a stacked area chart

**Before you start:** This action uses the editor panel. If you have not done so already, open the editor panel from either Explore or Edit mode.

1. In the editor panel, add a column to the **Color** field.
2. \[optional] Select one of the three stack options from the top of the chart’s editor panel view.

![AreaChartType.png](/home/runner/work/sigma-docs/sigma-docs/fern/assets/docs-images/7a28136-1.png)

## Format Options

To begin editing an visualization’s format options:

**Before you start:** This action uses the editor panel. If you have not done so already, open the editor panel from either Explore or Edit mode.

1. Select <img src="https://sigma-docs-screenshots.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Icons/element-format.svg" alt="Element format icon" /> **Element format** in the side navigation
2. Select a format option to view and edit its settings.

The following format options are available for area charts:

* [Background](/docs/customize-chart-background-and-style)
* [Title](/docs/customize-element-title)
* [X-axis](/docs/format-chart-axis-position)
* [Y-axis](/docs/format-chart-axis-position)
* [Legend](/docs/format-chart-legend)
* [Reference marks](/docs/display-chart-reference-marks)
* Area style
* [Tooltip](#customize-tooltip-fields-and-values)
* [Reference marks](/docs/display-chart-reference-marks)
* [Trend lines](/docs/add-trend-lines)
* [Background image](/docs/customize-chart-background-and-style#configure-a-custom-background-image-for-a-chart-beta)

## Related resources

* [Intro to charts](/docs/intro-to-visualizations)
* [Create a data element](/docs/create-a-data-element)