---
title: 'Column Data Types'
url: 'https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot/column-data-types'
markdown: 'https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot/column-data-types.md'
date: '2026-10-06'
description: 'Each chart type has specific requirements for its data columns, either text or numeric. To avoid Javascript errors, Plotalot does not allow charts to be created with the wrong column types. Plotalot determines the data type of a column by examining the data returned. It does not look at the databas…'
taxonomy:
  category:
    - docs
---

[](#) [ edit this page](https://github.com/getgrav/grav-skeleton-rtfm-site/blob/develop/pages/05.sql-for-plotalot/04.column-data-types/docs.md) 

  [ Plotalot for Joomla ](https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/)     [ SQL for Plotalot ](https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot)      Column Data Types    

# Column Data Types

Each chart type has specific requirements for its data columns, either text or numeric. To avoid Javascript errors, Plotalot does not allow charts to be created with the wrong column types.

Plotalot determines the data type of a column by examining the data returned. It does not look at the database column definitions. Text columns can consist of text and/or numbers. Numeric columns must only contain numbers.

The query requirements for each column are listed with the detailed descriptions of each chart type, later in this guide.

 [ ](https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot/unions-in-the-sample-charts) [](https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot/nulls)

---

## Navigation

- Parent: [SQL for Plotalot](https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot.md)
- Previous: [Unions in the Sample Charts](https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot/unions-in-the-sample-charts.md)
- Next: [Nulls](https://manuals.remository.com/plotalot/sql-for-plotalot/nulls.md)