About data ranges

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The data range type you choose in the Range type box on the Legend page of the Data Mapping Wizard determines the appearance of your data on the map. To make sure your map conveys the image you want, you can easily change or edit these range types. Depending on your data, not all range types are always available.

Choose the range type that best manages your data as a whole range or in separate, distinct ranges (or "groups") to convey the idea you want your map to illustrate. Experimenting with data ranges can help you to learn what will produce the most informative and effective maps. You can choose from among the following types of ranges:

Range type Best used when data

Continuous range

Data is displayed according to a continuous scale, either as shaded color scale or range of circle sizes, with each shade of color or size of circle representing a value.

Is evenly distributed across a range.

Does not need to be divided into separate, distinct groups.


Example  Use a continuous range to display population by state or province.

Continuous logarithmic range

Data is displayed according to a continuous logarithmic scale, either as a shaded color scale or range of circle sizes, with each shade of color or size of circle representing a value.

Is distributed in groups close to the beginning or end of the range.

Does not need to be divided into separate, distinct groups.


Example  Use a continuous logarithmic range when your data contains values between .01 and 100.

Discrete equal ranges

Data is displayed with a distinct color or size of circle representing each bucket of data that has a specified and customizable range of values. Up to 8 separate, distinct, and customizable ranges can be displayed.

Is regularly distributed.

Needs to be displayed in separate, distinct groups of data.


Example  Use discrete equal ranges when you want to quickly identify the areas representing the top percentage of sales in your company.

Equal data points (quantiles)

Data is divided into up to 8 groups of data, each of which contains the same number of data points. Each bucket of data is represented using a distinct color or size of circle.

Needs to be displayed in groups containing equal numbers of data points.


Example  Use equal data points when you want to quickly identify areas with the top 10, middle 10, and lowest 10 sales.

Discrete logarithmic ranges

Data is displayed with each distinct color or size of circle representing a bucket of data containing a specified and customizable range of values. Each bucket of data is represented using a distinct color or size of circle. Up to 8 discrete and customizable ranges can be displayed.

Needs to be displayed in groups of data.

Contains only positive numbers.


Example  Use discrete logarithmic ranges when your data is distributed across a wide range and you want to be able to quickly identify the areas representing the top percentage of sales in your company.

Unique values

Data is displayed with each color or circle representing a unique value, such as a name. Up to 8 unique values can be displayed.

Contains text strings, categories, or classes of things.

Contains no more than 8 separate values.


Example  Use unique values to display the majority political party by state or province.

Custom

Custom appears in the Range type box when you change any value in a Data range box. You can modify any range type to ensure that your map presents data the way you want.

Is irregularly distributed, or you want to highlight individual areas of distribution.

Is not best illustrated by any of the default range types.

Map data starting with the Data Mapping Wizard

Map data starting with the Import or Link Data Wizard

Map data to territories