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Data Discovery: Chart Ribbon

The Chart tab provides a large toolset for customizing the appearance of your data charts.

Chart

See Charts for essential background information.

Type

Allows user to choose the desired chart type from a predefined list. Some of the types present a single chart, while other types (such as pies, doughnuts and funnels) automatically present multiple charts. For details about the various types, see the Charts chapter.

Layout

Allows user to determine chart layout:

Auto Layout - Allows the system to determine whether to display data in a single chart or in multiple charts, depending on the selected chart type and the selected data. (Some charts can only be displayed as multi charts.)
Single Chart - Forces system to use single chart layout.
Multi Charts Forces system to use multi chart layout. Multiple charts can be very effective when there are two or more dimensions used in the columns of a query, or when you wish to show two distinct measures from the measure dimension. Multiple measures can also be shown effectively using "combo" charts and the right axis capabilities.
- Auto Trellising - Chooses how many columns to display (1-6), where each column may contain multiple charts.

NOTE: Multiple charts can be very effective when there are two or more dimensions used in the columns of a query, or when you wish to show two distinct measures from the measure dimension on two different charts. Multiple measures can also be shown effectively using "combo" charts and the right axis capabilities. For more info, see Single-Axis Charts .

Scrolling Charts

Adds a scroll bar to the x-axis of the chart so it can be scrolled. The scroll bar is useful when the data categories on the x-axis are too numerous (or too bunched up) to be viewed properly. The scroll bar is activated in situations when the categories cannot be viewed completely.

General Formatting

Theme

Applies a predefined chart theme to current report. (Your system administrator may add additional chart themes, if necessary.)

NOTE: Changing the report theme in the Report Tab overwrites the current chart theme. Therefore, it is recommended to first set the report theme, and then (if desired) to change the chart theme.

Visual Options

Provides visual options for the current report:

Bevel - Adds a Beveled edge to charts (when relevant). Has no effect on 2D charts, such as line charts and point charts.
3D - Converts a 2D charts into 3D format (when relevant). Has no effect on 2D charts, such as line charts and point charts.
Series Shadow - Applies shadowing to plot area of chart (mainly for 3D charts).
Shading - Applies shading to plot area of chart (mainly for 3D charts).
Explode - Pulls apart the individual sections in a Segment Chart.

Line Width

Makes all chart lines thicker/thinner in unison (where chart lines exist). Does not affect the "plotted lines" portrayed with Line Charts.

Scale

When using the Multi Charts layout, charts can be displayed with different axis scales. The Scale command causes all of the multi charts to redisplay with a unified scale. The Scale command works only with charts that have a value axis (and does not work for Stacked Charts which lack a scale axis setting.

Animate

Turns on chart animation for first-time chart display. Implementation may vary depending on chart type. Animation provides a more interactive user experience, but can slow down query speed.

NOTE: The default animation setting is ON for Consumer users (and OFF for Professional and Analyst users).

Opacity

Allows user to control the transparency of displayed objects. Transparency can be helpful for 3D chart types (especially funnel charts) and combo charts, where two different charts overlap in the same plot area.

Completely Opaque (no transparency)
85% Opaque
75% Opaque
65% Opaque
45% Opaque
25% Opaque (most transparency))

Auto Size

Enables/disables automatic chart formatting:

Auto Scale - Enables automatic axis scaling.
Auto Font Size - Enables automatic font sizing.
None - Turns off Auto Scale and Auto Font Size.

NOTE: The goal of automation is to allow the system to perform basic formatting in order to save time. In most cases the basic formatting will be adequate. Manual formatting can always be performed following any auto-changes made by the system.

Data

Pivot Chart

Swaps displayed data such that columns become rows, and rows become columns. This feature affects screen display only and does NOT re-query the database.

Reverse Data

Changes the order of the categories in the chart. This feature affects screen display only and does NOT re-query the database.

Chart Totals

Displays the query totals in the chart. (First turn on Visual Totals in the Query Tab.)

Data Selection

Options dialog to allow data selection.

Chart Elements

For a description of these commands, see Chart Elements.

Chart Title
Axis Title
Axes (labels & lines)
Data Labels
Legend Options
Plot Area
Grid Lines

Chart Options

Line Thickness (relevant to Line/Point Charts)

Increase/decrease the thickness of the plotted lines.

Point Size (relevant to Point Charts)

Increase/decrease the size of the plotted points.

Axis Formats

Provides two options for display of axis units:

Auto Format - Displays axis values using the an automatic format for easy reading (for example, 180 M).
Measure Format - Displays axis values using the actual measurement values (for example, 180,000,000).

Data Points

Provides data display options:

Data Points - (relevant to Line Charts)
Turns on/off the visual display of the data points. When the points are turned on, you see the points together with the connecting lines. When the points are turned off, you see the lines only.
Point Grouping - relevant to Point Charts)
Turns point grouping on/off. When grouping is on, row data is grouped under a single display color, and column data is grouped under a uniform display shape.
Point Design - (relevant to Point Charts)
- Color - Displays the data from each column with a unique color (but same marker).
- Marker - Displays the data from each column with a unique marker (but same color).
- Markers and Colors - Displays the data from each column with a unique color and unique marker.