Exploring Data

Last modified: June 11, 2025

Header charts

Once columns are parsed, Rowboat will display a visual representation of the column data in the column header. The specific representation can be changed in the column chart dropdown.

To explore data from two columns together, choose a linked chart or map from the column chart dropdown. Rowboat will then prompt you to choose the second column. Once the two columns are linked, the chosen linked visualization can be changed in the linked chart dropdown.

Maps

Rowboat automatically detects and maps the following geographic data:

Country names will produce a world choropleth map.
US state names will produce a US choropleth map.
US county names will produce a US choropleth map.

Note on counties: unless unaffiliated with a particular US state, county names that appear in multiple states (or countries) will automatically map to the first US state containing that county.
US ZIP codes will plot ZIP locations on a US map.

To see coordinates on a world map or US map, choose the map type from the chart dropdown in one coordinate column, then select the other coordinate column.

To see a choropleth map colored by values from another column, start with a choropleth map in the geography column, then choose "Color by another column…", and select the value column.

Note on coloring by value: Rowboat will use different methods for this, depending on whether entries in the geography column are all unique, or if there are duplicates. If all entries in the geography column are unique, Rowboat will use the corresponding value in the second column. If there are duplicate in the geography column, Rowboat will take the sum of the corresponding values in the second column.

Snapshots

To take a quick snapshot of a header visualization, click the "Capture" button in the header. This will download an adjusted compact image for easy sharing.

See more detail

To see a header chart in more detail, click the "Expand" button to open the chart in a bigger panel. Here, you'll have a few more options to add more layers of data to the visualization.

Column list

To see a list of all columns in the file, open the "Column List" on the right. Here, you can search for column names, as well as toggle the visibility of all columns. If the file include columns that are completely empty or that have only one unique entry, the column list will also include buttons to hide those columns.

Hiding columns

To hide a column, click and drag the right side of the column to collapse it. Alternatively, open the Column List, and uncheck the box for the column to hide it.

Hiding rows

To hide a row, hover over the row in the grid, and click the minus (-) button next to the row number, on the left-hand side.

Themes

Rowboat is available to enjoy in three different themes. To change your theme, click on "Themes" in the bottom-left corner of the screen, and choose the theme you want to see Rowboat in. Your theme selection will be saved in your browser for the next time you open up Rowboat.