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Area visualization

Lisa Wong
Updated

Best for visualizing shifts in quantities over time.

The following options are available under each tab.

Tip: Customize and edit the selected visualization type in the Edit Tile dialog box by clicking Edit.

Plot tab

Table 1. Series Positioning section
Options Description
Series Positioning Specifies how a set of data points is displayed. The following options are available:
  • Overlay: Data points are overlaid on the chart.
  • Stacked: Values are added on the y-axis. Each data point value appears above the last.
  • Stacked Percentage: Data point values are presented as percentages stacked on the y-axis, totaling 100%.
Grid Layout Separates the chart into smaller charts. Each chart represents a single row or pivot from the Data table.
Note: The maximum number of rows is 12.

The Number of Charts per Row option appears when a grid layout is selected. If you have more than 12 rows or pivots, limit your data by entering a number between 1 and 12.

Line Interpolation Determines how lines are drawn on the chart. Select one of the following options:
  • Linear: Displays straight lines between points.
  • Monotone: Displays smooth curves between points.
  • Step (center): Points are connected by steps, with the step line in the middle of the data point.
  • Step (before): Points are connected by steps, with the step line in the beginning of the data point.
  • Step (after): Points are connected by steps, with the step line in the end of the data point.
Plot Null Values Toggles the appearance of null values on the chart. When the toggle is:
  • Off: Sections of line and area charts can show gaps.
  • On: Null values are plotted at zero.
Note: This option is only available when the Series Positioning option Overlay is selected.
Swap X and Y Toggles whether x and y axes are swapped. When swapped, dimensions are plotted on the y-axis and measures on the x-axis.
Table 2. Legend section
Options Description
Hide Legend Toggles the appearance of the data points legend on a chart.
Note: This option is only available when there is more than one data point.
Legend Align Specifies whether the data point legend appears on the left, center, or right of the chart.
Note: This option is only available when Hide Legend is off, and there is more than one data point.
Table 3. Data section
Options Description
Limit Displayed Rows Show or hide rows in a visualization, based on their position in the results. The following options are available:
  • Hide or Show: Specify whether to hide and exclude certain rows, or to show and display certain rows.
  • First or Last: Specify whether the rows to be hidden or shown is the first or last rows in the Data results section.
  • Number: Specify the number of rows to be hidden or shown.
In the Data table, any excluded rows will be shown in a dark color.
Note: This option depends on the row order. Changing the sort order or adding a row limit can affect which rows are shown or hidden.

Series tab

Table 4. Colors section
Options Description
Collection Select from a group of pre-selected colors.
Palette

Choose one of several existing palettes or create a custom palette in the Custom tab. The following options are available:

  • Type in a hex code or click Edit All to edit all hex codes at once.
  • Click the Color Wheel button and click into the color wheel to select a color.
  • The color's brightness can be adjusted with the slider at the bottom.
  • Click the Add or Remove buttons to add or remove more colors in the color range.
Note:
  • Minimum number of colors in a palette is two.
  • Maximum number of colors in a palette is five.
Table 5. Labels section
Options Description
Show Full Field Name Shows the name of the data source and the dimension.

For example, the data source is in profile variables and the dimensions chosen is Count. When it is toggled on, it is displayed as Profile Variable Count.

Table 6. Points section
Options Description
Points Style Specifies how data points appear on the chart. Select from one of the following options:
  • Filled: Circle are filled.
  • Outline: Circles are outlined.
Table 7. Customization section
Number Options Description Screenshot
1 Arrow Click the arrow to display all other options.
2 Color Select a custom color for the data point. This option overrides the color palette in the Colors section.
3 Label Enter a custom data point label. This impacts the chart legend and tool tips.
4 Type Displays a different visualization type for the data point. The following options are available:
  • Area
  • Column
  • Line
  • Scatter

Use this option to combine different visualization types on the same chart. For example, show one data point as a column and the other a line.

5 Points Select the shape of the chart points if the Type is set to area, column, line, or scatter.

Values

Table 8. Labels section
Options Description
Value Labels Toggles the appearance of value labels for each data point on the chart.
Note: It is recommended to turn on Value Labels so stakeholders can see the values if you export the dashboard as a PDF.
Label Null Columns Toggles the appearance of labels for null data points.
Value Colors Defines the color of value labels. This field takes a comma separated list of one or more color values. Values can be hex codes (for example, #b79d0f) or CSS color names (for example, mediumblue).
Note: If multiple colors are added in the field, colors will be assigned to each data point in order. For example, the first data point in the table will be the first color, and so on.
Font Size Sets the font size of value labels using any CSS size. For example, 12px, 2 em, or 100%.
Value Rotation Sets the rotation of value labels. Values can be between -360 and 360.
Note: This option is only available when the Series Positioning option Grouped is selected.
Value Format Specifies the format of the value. For more information, see Numeric formatting for visualizations.

X

Table 9. Labels section
Options Description
Scale Type Specifies how the x-axis scale is calculated and displayed. The following options are available:
  • Automatic Based on Data: Scale is based on the underlying data. This is the default option.
  • Ordinal: Data is plotted along the x-axis as evenly-spaced, discrete entries, regardless of relative distance between data points.
  • Linear: Data plotted as numeric values. This option only applies when the data can be converted to numbers.
  • Time: Time data is plotted as time values. The x-axis is labeled with appropriate time increments.
    Note: The Scale Type option, Time may not work if a time dimension is not selected.
Reverse Axis Toggles the direction of the x-axis. When the toggle is:
  • Off: Values increase from left to right.
  • On: Values decrease from left to right.
Show Axis Name Toggles the appearance of the x-axis name label.
Custom Axis Name Sets a custom name for the x-axis name label.
Note: This option is only available when Show Axis Name is enabled.
Axis Value Labels Toggles the appearance of value labels on the x-axis.
Gridlines Toggles the appearance of gridlines extending from the x-axis. Gridlines are spaced based on scaling of the x-axis.
Label Rotations Sets the rotation of the x-axis labels. Values can be between -360 and 360.
Time Label Format
Note: The Time Label Format may not work because of the lack of a time dimension.

Y

Options Description
Gridlines Toggles the appearance of gridlines from the y-axis. Gridlines are spaced based on scaling of the y-axis.
Reverse Axes Toggles the direction of the y-axis. When the toggle is:
  • Off: Values increase going up the axis.
  • On: Values decrease going down the axis.
Left Axes and Right Axes Configure the chart's y-axis. Drag and drop a Measure to create a new axis.
Table 10. Configure Axis section
Options Description
Scale Type Specifies how the y-axis is calculated and displayed. The following options are available:
  • Linear: Data is plotted along the y-axis providing an equal distance between values. Most data is best displayed on a linear scale.
  • Logarithmic: Data is plotted along the y-axis using a logarithmic scale based on orders of magnitude. A logarithmic scale type shows the percentage of change. If the data set has a cluster of very small and very large values the setting enables you to see variation in small values while showing large values.
    Note: This option is only available:
    • When in the Plot tab, the Series Positioning option Grouped is selected.
    • For positive values.
Show Axis Name Displays the appearance of y-axis name labels.
Show Axis Values Toggles the appearance of y-axis values.
Unpin Axis From Zero Focus on the area where data exists rather than showing the full scale starting as zero.
Axis Name Enter a label for the selected y-axis.
Y Axis Format Specifies the number format of the y-axis values, independent of underlying dimension or measure. For more information, see Numeric formatting for visualizations.
Tick Density Sets the density of tick marks on the y-axis. The following options are available:
  • Default: Set ticks to the default density.
  • Custom: enables you to set ticks with custom density.
Minimum Value Defines the minimum value for select y-axis.
Maximum Value Defines the maximum value for the select y-axis.
Add Reference Line Enables the creation of reference lines in a chart. Multiple lines are able to be created and to delete a reference line click the X button.
The following options are available once selected:
Options Description
Type
  • Line: A horizontal line is plotted at the y-axis value entered in the Value field.

    The following options are available when this type is selected:

    • Value: Specifies the point on the axis to plot the reference line. You can select from the Median, Average (Mean), Maximum, Minimum, and Custom settings.
  • Range: A shaded range is plotted including and between the y-axis values entered in the Start Value and End Value settings.

    The following options are available when this type is selected:

    • Start Value and End Value: Specifies the start and ending point on the axis to display a range.
  • Line with Margins: A horizontal line is plotted at the y-axis value entered in the Value setting. Shaded ranges are plotted above and below the horizontal line, based on the values entered in the Margin Above and Margin Below options.

    The following options are available when this type is selected:

    • Value: Specifies the point on the axis to plot the reference line. You can select from the Median, Average (Mean), Maximum, Minimum, and Custom settings.
    • Margin Above and Margin Below: Specifies the shaded ranges to plot on either side of a reference.
Note: If you select the Custom option in the Value drop-down, you can enter a specific value or any of the following:
  • min
  • max
  • mean
  • median
Label Enter a label to appear on the reference line.

In the Label field, the following calculations are available to embed in double curly brackets {{ }}.

  • median
  • mean
  • max
  • min
  • deviation (for population standard deviation)
  • variance (for population variance)

For example, if you enter Average: {{mean}} it will display as Average: 123.4.

Label Position Position the reference line label at the left, right, or in the center of the chart.
Color Specify the color of the reference line.

Choose one of several existing palettes or create a custom palette in the Custom tab. The following options are available:

  • Click the Color Wheel button and click into the color wheel.
  • The color's brightness can be adjusted with the slider at the bottom.
  • Type in a hex code (for example, #b79d0f) or CSS color names (for example, mediumblue).
Value Format Custom format the value shown in the reference line label. For more information, see Numeric formatting for visualizations.
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