Match the template to the comparison
Use a line for change over time, a bar chart race when ranks move, a number counter for one KPI, a Sankey for flow between stages, and a pie only when the parts of a whole are few and labeled. Picking the comparison first prevents a decorated chart that still does not answer the question.
A small set you can actually label
Four months on a line, or four categories across three dates on a bar race, is enough for a first export. Add a row only when the viewer needs that name. The animated chart templates page lists every chart; this page is the short list for choosing one.
Animate after the chart is honest
Check the final values against the source before you tune motion. Then reveal the frame, the data, and the takeaway in that order. A fast entrance does not fix a comparison that was the wrong chart type.

