---
name: cloud-logs-widget_horizontalbar
title: Creating a IBM Cloud Logs horizontal bar widget
description: You can create a horizontal bar chart that can be included in custom IBM® Cloud Logs dashboards.
last-updated: 2026-05-22
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Creating a IBM Cloud Logs horizontal bar widget
{: #widget_horizontalbar}

You can create a horizontal bar chart that can be included in custom IBM® Cloud Logs dashboards.
{: shortdesc}

Use a horizontal bar chart widget to sort your data by value, in descending order by default. With [vertical bar charts](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-widget_verticalbar&format=markdown), data is generally sorted alphabetically by column name.

Horizontal bar chart widget incorporates thresholds, which allow you to change the visualization when certain values are met or executed. When you grop a data set by specific parameters, you create a multi-horizontal bar, where each horizontal bar represents a subset of the data. This enables simultaneous comparison across different categories or groups, providing a broader view.


## Step 1: Enter name and description
{: #widget_horizontalbar_1}

Complete the following steps:

1. In a [custom dashboard](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-create_dashboards&format=markdown), click **Add Widget** ![Add Widget icon](/icons/Plus.svg "Add Widget") and drag and drop the **Horizontal Bar Chart** widget from your side bar.

2. Replace *New horizontal bar chart* with the **Name** for the widget.

3. Enter a description.

    Click **Action icon** ![Action icon](/images/action-three-dots-horizontal.png "Action icon"). Then, select **Add description**.

4. Define where legend values are displayed. Valid values are: `Side`, `Bottom`, `Auto`, and `Hide`.

    Click **Action icon** ![Action icon](/images/action-three-dots-horizontal.png "Action icon"). Then, select **Legend Settings**.


## Step 2: Configure the query to define the data set
{: #widget_horizontalbar_2}

Complete the following steps:

1. Click **Action icon** ![Action icon](/images/action-three-dots-horizontal.png "Action icon"). Then, select **Edit mode**.

2. For `Query 1`, complete the following steps:

    Select the **data type**. Valid values are: `Logs`, `Metrics`, and `DataPrime`.

    Select the **source**. Valid options are: `Priority Insights` and `Analyze and Alert`.

    You can rename the query. Select the ![Action icon](/icons/action-menu-icon.svg "Action icon") and then click **Rename query**.

3. Enter the query.

    When the data type is `DataPrime`, enter a Dataprime query in the **Query** field.

    When the data type is `Logs`, enter a Lucene query in the **Query** field. You can apply filters and aggregations.

    When the data type is `Metrics`, specify the metric or desired PromQL in the **Query** field. You can apply filters and aggregations.


4. [Optional] Add one or more filters specific to the widget to narrow down the data that is displayed.

    Select a label and its corresponding value.

    Filters are applied at the widget level and work alongside dashboard filters. If there is a conflict, the dashboard filters take precedence over widget filters.

5. Add a function.

    For a query where the data type is `Logs`, you can show an aggregated value using one of the following functions:

    | Aggregation      | Description |
    |------------------|-------------|
    | Count	           | The total number of logs within the selected time range. |
    | Count Distinct   | The number of unique logs within the selected time range. |
    | Sum	             | The sum of all logs within the selected time range. |
    | Min	             | The smallest value among the logs within the selected time range. |
    | Max	             | The largest value among the logs within the selected time range. |
    | Average	         | The average value of all logs within the selected time range. |
    {: caption="Aggregation option when building a query when the data type is Logs" caption-side="top"}

    In Bar charts, changing the aggregation type will change the type of data you see.

    For a query where the data type is `Metrics`, choose a function.




## Step 3: Configure the widget
{: #widget_horizontalbar_3}

Complete the following steps:

1. Click **Action icon** ![Action icon](/images/action-three-dots-horizontal.png "Action icon"). Then, select **Edit mode**.

2. Choose a *Bar chart settings* option for the *Y-Axis view by* to configure whether the value or the category is desiplayed. Valid options are: `Value` and `Category`.

3. Choose a *Legend Management* option. Valid values for *Logs* are: `Group`, `Stack`, and `Aggregation `. Valid values for *Metrics* are: `Group` and `Stack`

    **Group** organizes the legend based on different data entities, such as servers or applications, displaying each as a separate entry.

    **Stack** displays how multiple data entries are grouped and layered together on the same horizontal bar. The data sets of the same stack are grouped into a single horizontal bar chart divided into segments. This shows you a second layer of data on the chart.

    **Aggregation** displays value by combining multiple data values into a single summarized value before displaying them in the chart or legend.

**Legend Colour Scheme** : Select whether you want your legend colours to be by group, stack, or aggregation. By default, the horizontal bar chart is by aggregation, which means a single colour will be shown for all bars.

4. In the *Visual management* section, choose how you want to visualize tha data.

    The max bar by graph displays the maximum number of individual bars in a single chart view according to your query.

    The max slices per bar displays the maximum number of segments within a single bar.

    Enable the *max bar by graph*, the *max slices per bar*, or both to display a single value within a specified range.

5. Configure the *Scale* section.

    A scale refers to how values are displayed along the x-axis and y-axis. You may choose between linear or logarithmic as values.

    Choose the *Scale type*. Valid options are: `linear` that defines how values increases proportionally and `logarithmic` wherein value is defined by logarithms instead of equal linear intervals.

    You can change the color of a threshold value.

    By default, setting is linear. If however you have large differences between the different values, it can be helful to show the logarithmic scale instead. For example, if the majority of your values are under 1k and one value is 10k, using the logarithmic scale will show you an easier to read bar chart than linear scale.
    {: tip}


## Step 4: Save the widget
{: #widget_horizontalbar_4}

Complete the following steps:

1. [Optional] Set the widget's dashboard time if you want to use a time range that is different from the Dashboard selected one.

2. Click **Save** to save your widget.

3. [Optional] Share a direct link to the widget. Click **Action icon** ![Action icon](/images/action-three-dots-horizontal.png "Action icon"). Then, select **Share Widget URL**, and copy the URL.

    Anyone with access to the dashboard can open the shared link to view the widget in context.

    Shared widget URLs always reflect the dashboard’s last saved version. If you’ve made changes to the widget or layout, save your dashboard before sharing.

4. [Optional] Add a custom action. For more information, see [Using actions to integrate with third-party services](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-actions&format=markdown).