Visualizations in Report Studio

In this article we will be covering the three primary Visualization options found in Report Studio.  They are; Grid, Graph, and KPI.

 

Grid Visualizations

Graph Visualizations

KPI Visualizations

 

Grid Visualizations

Grids allow you to display data in columnar formats.  You can also create pivots and drill-down style reports using a grid.

To get started, double-click attributes and metrics to add them to the visualization.  Attributes provide a context in which to report on and analyze business facts or calculations.  An attribute on a dashboard services as a label for a group of metrics.  Clients, Projects, Tasks, People, and Divisions are examples of attributes.

Metrics are objects that represent business values and key performance indicators.  Metrics are calculations performed on your data.  The results of these calculations appear on your dashboard.  Metrics are similar to formulas in spreadsheet software.  Time Entry Hours, Billable Amounts, and Allocated Hours are examples of metrics.

A grid requires at least one attribute and one metric.  By default, Report Studio creates groups based on the attributes you select for your grid, and sums the metrics you select.

In the examples below, we have double-clicked on the Person Full Name attribute and the Time Entry Hours metric.  This provides a grid that has aggregated all Time Entry Hours for each person.

 

Compound Grid

A compound grid is a visualization that allows you to build complex grids that analyze different aspects of data across a common dimension.  This means you can have multiple unrelated attributes and metrics in different sets of columns that are then stitched together in one grid.  Each column set can appear different as thesholds, advanced filters, and formatting can be applied to each set.

In the example below, we want to see Time Entry Cost Amounts and Expense Item Amounts across a common dimension - Project Name.  However, we also want to see each cost broken out by if it is Billable to the project.

To achieve this, we will use a Compound Grid.

Double-click the Project Name to bring that field into the grid.  In the first Column Set, we can drag in Time Entry Cost Amount, and Time Entry is Billable.  This first column set is complete, showing us how much of the Cost Amount is Billable or Not-Billable to each Project.

Moving on to Expenses, we can create a new Column Set by clicking the icon in the Editor Panel "Add Column Set".

Drag in Expense Item Amount and Expense Item is Billable to achieve the report below.

Modern Grid with Microcharts

A modern grid visualization allows you to include microcharts within cells.  Microcharts are small versions of visualizations shown without labels, that convey information so that a user can, at a glance, determine the trend of a metric over time or how a metric is performing compared to forecasted figures.  The modern grid visualization is useful for this purpose because individual microcharts display attribute and metric data in a small graph that would otherwise be displayed as a single value in the grid cell.  This visualization supports three microcharts: sparkline, bullet, and trend bar, as well as basic grid functionality.

To achieve this, we will use the Grid (Modern).

In the following example, we want to see how much we have Billed to Clients over time.  First, double-click on Client Name, and Time Entry Billable Amount.

Next, add a MicroChart using the + button in the Editor Panel.

Select a Sparkline as the Microchart Type, Time Entry Billable Amount as the Metric, and Month Name as the Attribute.

This results in a Modern Grid that combines a small visualization on each row.

 

Analyze Data in a Grid

Reorder Columns

You can move rows or columns in a grid.

1. Select a grid visualization.
2. To reorder columns, drag the column to its new position in the Editor panel, or drag the column to its new position in the Grid.  Attributes can be arranged in any order, but must come before Metrics.  Metrics can be arranged in any order but must be placed after the attributes.
3. To move a row to a column, or a column to a row, drag the object from its current area in the Editor panel to another area.  Press and hold the Ctrl key to select multiple objects.
4. to change whether the metrics appear on rows or columns, drag the Metric Names attribute to the Rows or Columns area of the Editor panel.

Sorting Columns

You can sort data in a grid based on the attributes or metrics.

1. Select a grid visualization.
2. In the Editor panel or on the Grid Column, right-click the attribute or metric to sort.
3. Choose Sort Ascending to sort the values in ascending order (that is, A to Z or 1 to 100).
   or
   Choose Sort Descending to sort the value in descending order (that is, Z or A or 100 to 1).

 

Add Subtotals

1. Click on the grid visualization you want to add subtotals to.
2. In the Editor panel, right-click the attributes or metric for which you want to display subtotals.
3. Select Show Totals.  If you selected a metric, the corresponding totals appear at the bottom of the grid.
4. If you want to move the subtotals at the top of the grid, right-click the subtotal label and choose Move to Top.
5. If you want to move the subtotals back to the bottom of the grid, right-click the subtotal label and choose Move to Bottom.
6. Click the Show Totals icon in the Editor panel to toggle between showing or hiding subtotals.

 

Enable Outline Mode

You can enable outline mode to make grid visualizations easier to analyze, in a drilldown style report.

1. Create a grid visualization.
2. Open the Format panel.
3. Select Layout from the second drop-down.
4. Select Enable Outline.  The grid appears in outline mode.
5. Click the + or - icons to expand and collapse attributes and display more or less detail.  You can also expand or collapse an entire level by clicking the attribute header.  The expand or collapse state of the attribute header is saved with the dashboard.

 

Format a Grid

There are multiple formatting options for grid visualizations.  You can choose the font, background color, and borders for each part of the visualization, such as the column headers, row headers, values, container, and title.  You can define the padding, column height, row height, whether to merge row and column headers, etc.

1. Click on the grid visualization you want to format.  If necessary, you can select a specific object in the visualization for formatting.
2. Right-click and choose Format.  If you selected a specific object in the visualization, a pop-up menu displays the appropriate formatting options for that object.  In addition, the Format panel automatically updates the first drop-down list with the area of the visualization you are formatting and the corresponding format options appear.
3. Select the appropriate options to format the visualization.

Format Panel

Visualization Options

Template Select template style and color.

Layout Select options for banding, outline, row headers, and column headers.

Spacing Select options for cell padding, column size, and row size.

 

Text and Form

Change font color, size, and orientation for the entire grid, or individual sections of the grid.
Change the background color of cells, and add borders.

 

Title and Container

Select options for the title bar, fill, and border of the visualization container.

 

Renaming Visualizations, Attributes, and Metrics

You can rename a visualization from its title bar or the Editor panel.

1. Click on the visualization you want to rename.
2. In the visualization's title bar, click More, choose Rename, enter the new name, and press the Enter key.  Or, at the top of the Edit panel, click More next to the visualization name, choose Rename, enter the new name, and press the Enter key.

You can rename an attribute or metric from the Editor panel.

1. In the Editor panel, right-click the attribute or metric to rename and choose Rename.
2. Type a new name for the attribute or metric in the field and press Enter.  The object appears with a new name in the visualization.

Thresholds

You can highlight data for an attribute or metric by applying formatting when the data fulfills a specific condition.  This also allows you to create alias values for your data.

1. Click on the visualization to which you want to add a threshold.
2. In the Editor panel, right-click the metric to define a threshold on and choose Thresholds.
   
   
3. The Threshold panel opens with default options.  You can choose different colors, and different values to break on.
   
4. For more advanced options, click Advanced Thresholds Editor.  This allows you to have maximum control over the Fonts, Colors, and Background at each threshold level.  This also allows you to replace the data with alternative text.

 

Bar Chart

1. Open a report
2. In the top toolbar, click Insert Visualization
3. Choose Bar and one of the many bar chart options.  A bar chart requires at least one attribute and one metric.
4. In the Datasets panel, double-click attributes and metrics to add them to the visualization.

 

Line Chart

1. Open a report.
2. In the top toolbar, click Insert Visualization
3. Choose Line and one of the many line chart options.
4. In the Datasets panel, double-click attributes and metrics to add them to the visualization.  A line chart requires at least one attribute and one metric.  Time attributes are recommended for line charts and dual axis line charts.

 

Pie or Ring Chart

You can view the contribution of the attribute elements or metrics to a total by displaying your data in a pie or ring chart.

1. Open a report
2. In the top toolbar, click Insert Visualization
3. Choose Pie >> Pie Chart >> or Ring Chart
4. In the Datasets panel, double-click attributes and metrics to add them to the visualization.  A pie or ring chart requires at least one attribute and one metric.

 

Formatting a Graph

There are multiple formatting options for grid visualizations. You can choose the font, background color, and borders for each part of the visualization, such as the column headers, row headers, values, container, and title. You can define the padding, column height, row height, whether to merge row and column headers, etc.

1. Click on the graph visualization you want to format. If necessary, you can select a specific object in the visualization for formatting.
2. Right-click and choose Format.
   If you selected a specific object in the visualization, a pop-up menu displays the appropriate formatting options for that object. In addition, the Format panel automatically updates the first drop-down list with the area of the visualization you are formatting and the corresponding format options appear.
3. Select the appropriate options to format the visualization.

Format Panel

Visualization Options

Container Fit: Determine how to size the visualization. Select None to size the visualization according to your existing settings. Select Compact to size the visualization so that all graph items appear at once. Select Automatic (default) to size the visualization to take up all available space on the visualization's panel.

Show All Labels: This option appears when Container Fit is set to Automatic. By default, this option is disabled for time-based attributes, since time follows a recognizable pattern.

Banding on Rows: Select the checkbox to apply color banding to alternating rows in the visualization. Banding rows can make reading multiple rows of data easier for the user.

 

Shape Formatting

Graph Shape: Select the shape of the graph markers from the drop-down list (for example, Bar, Tick, Pie, etc.).

Attribute: If your graph contains multiple shapes, select the attribute that corresponds with the shape you want to format.

Color: Select the fill color for shapes. If you are using thresholds, click to modify the threshold colors.

Fill: Select the fill color and opacity for shapes. The higher the percentage, the more opaque the color is.

Border Style: Select the border style and color (if applicable) of shapes.

Show Marker: Select this checkbox to show markers on a line. This option is only available for areas and lines.

Marker Color: If you selected the Show Marker checkbox, choose the marker color.

 

Data Labels

Text: Select this option to display data labels using the metric values associated with each graph item. This option is only available if there is an attribute in the Break By area of the Editor panel.

Values: Select this option to display data labels using the metric values associated with each graph item.

Totals: For a stacked bar chart, select this option to display total data labels using the metric values associated with each graph item.

Percentage: Select this option to display data labels using percentage values associated with each graph item.

None: Select this option to hide data labels. This is the default option.

Hide Overlapping Labels: Select this checkbox to hide labels that overlap each other.

Position: For pie or ring charts, select whether to position data labels Inside or Outside the slices. The default for pie or ring charts is Outside.  For bar charts, select whether to automatically position the data labels or locate them on the Outside End, Inside End, or Inside Base of the bar. The default for bar charts is Automatic.

Leader Lines: If you position data labels for pie or ring charts outside the slices, the default setting of Automatic hides or shows leader lines based on the size of the visualization container. Leader lines automatically appear when the container for the pie or ring chart contains less space. Resizing the container to a larger size adds extra space and eliminates leader lines. You can also choose to Hide or Show leader lines.

All Metrics: Select this checkbox to display data labels for all metrics.

[Specific Metrics]: Select the checkbox next to the name of each metric to display the corresponding data labels.

Font: Select font formatting options.

 

Axes

Axis Configuration: Select the metric for which you want to specify axis configuration options. Select All Metrics to specify axis configuration options for all metrics in the visualization. This option is only available if the visualization displays multiple metrics.
Axis Scale: To determine how to display the axes for the metrics selected in the Axis Configuration drop-down list above, select one of the following:

• Global (default): Display each of the selected metrics on axes with the same minimum and maximum values.
• Per row/column: Display the selected metrics using the same minimum and maximum Y-axis values across each column of graphs, and the same X-axis values across each row of graphs.
• Per Cell: Allow MicroStrategy to display the selected metrics using the axis values best suited to display the metric data.
• Custom: Define specific minimum and maximum values to use to display the selected metrics. A preview of your changes is appears in the scale below. The numbers above the scale represent the minimum and maximum axis values that you define. The numbers below the scale represent the minimum and maximum values in the data.

Log Scale: Determine whether to use a logarithmic scale to display the metrics selected in the Axis Configuration drop-down list above. This can improve the display of data that follows a logarithmic trend.

Axis Origin: Define a custom axis origin value for the metrics selected in the Axis Configuration drop-down list above. You can use this option to display a scatter plot on an axis that divides the graph into four quadrants. The value is determined automatically by default. To define a custom value, clear the checkbox and enter the numeric value at which to begin displaying the axis values.

Max Size: Select Automatic to allow MicroStrategy to automatically determine the maximum size of the graph items in the visualization. Select Manual to enter a maximum graph items size as a ratio between 0.01 - 1.0. If all graph items in the visualization are the same size (that is, there is no metric in the Size By area), this value determines the size of all items that appear in the visualization. If the graph items are automatically sized based on the value of a metric (that is, there is a metric in the Size By area), this value is the size of the largest graph item that appears in the visualization.

Min Size: This field is available when there is a metric in the Size By area of the Editor panel. Specify how MicroStrategy determines the minimum size of graph items in the visualization. Select Automatic (default) to allow MicroStrategy to automatically size graph items. Select Proportional to allow MicroStrategy to determine the minimum size in proportion to the maximum size. Select Manual to manually size graph items. The graph item for the smallest metric value in the visualization appears as a percentage of the size of the largest item.

Enter .2 in Min Size to display the smallest metric items as 20% of the largest graph items.

 

Trend Lines

Trend lines are available for graphs that contain the following features:

• Each metric is plotted on its own axis.
• In graphs where there is more than one metric series that appears in each graph (that is, more than one metric on a single axis, or there is an object in the Break By area), the graph must be in absolute mode.
• Attributes on one axis and metrics on another, or metrics on both axes.

Trend lines are not available for stacked or clustered graphs in which there is more than one metric series that appears in the graph, or percent graphs. At least one axis must display numeric values.

Metric: If your visualization contains multiple metrics, select the metric for displaying the trend line from the drop-down list.

Enable Trend Line: Select this checkbox to display a trendline for the metric.

Line: Select the line style and color of the trend line.

Model: Select the type of trend line to display:

• Best fit: Display the trend line that best fits the data, defined as the trend line with the highest r-squared value.
• Linear: Display a linear trend line, which is a best-fit straight line that is used with simple linear data sets. Your data is linear if the pattern in its data points resembles a line. A linear trend line represents data that is increasing or decreasing at a steady rate.
• Logarithmic: Display a logarithmic trend line, which is a best-fit curved line that is most useful when the rate of change in the data increases or decreases quickly and then levels out. This option is available if the graph values are positive.
• Exponential: Display an exponential trend line, which is a curved line that is most useful when data values rise or fall at increasingly higher rates.
• Power: Display a power trend line, which is a curved line that is best used with data sets that compare measurements that increase at a specific rate.
• Polynomial: Display a polynomial trend line, which is a curved line that is used when data fluctuates. Use a polynomial trend line to analyze gains and losses over a large data set.

Degree: Enter the degree of the polynomial, from 2 to 6. The order (degree) of the polynomial corresponds to the number of upward and downward fluctuations in the data. Your data fluctuates if the pattern in its data points resembles a line with hills and valleys. Generally speaking, an order 2 polynomial has up to one hill or valley, an order 3 polynomial has up to two hills or valleys, etc.

Level: Determine whether to display a single trend line across each graph in the visualization, or use the same trend line across each row, column, or individual graph.

• Per cell: Display a separate trend line for each chart in the visualization.
• Per row: Display a separate trend line for each row of charts in the visualization.
• Per column: Display a separate trend line for each column of charts in the visualization.
• Entire table: Each chart shares the same trend line.

Include Break-by attribute: Select this checkbox to display a separate trend line for each attribute in the Break By area. This option is selected by default. It is available for graphs, other than scatter or bubble, with metrics on only one axis.

Enable Forecasting: If there is a metric on only one axis, select this checkbox to enable forecasting. In Forward, select the additional periods you want to insert before the starting point of the data. In Backward, select the additional periods you want to insert after the ending point of the data. If one of your axes contains a time-based attribute (that is, Quarter, Month, and Day), use the Seasons drop-down list to select additional periods, based on seasons, for display in the graph.

If there are metrics on both axes, select the metric you want to use for the trendline from the drop-down list. On the pop-up dialog, select the Enable Forecasting checkbox. In Min and Max, enter the minimum and maximum values at which to display the trend line. The minimum value must be less than the minimum value available in the data. The maximum value must be more than the maximum value available in the data. Use the corresponding visual reference for Forecast and Data Range. Forecast refers to the values you enter in Min and Max. Data Range refers to the range of values in your data.

 

Reference Lines

The Reference Lines options contain general graph formatting options to format the reference lines in a graph visualization. The options below are available if there is a metric on the X or Y axis. Reference lines are not available for 100% stacked graphs.

Metric: Select the metric for displaying the reference line from the drop-down list. If multiple metrics share the same axis and the metrics appear in a stacked graph, this option is not available and the reference line is calculated based on the sum of the metric values.

Reference Lines: Lists reference lines for the selected metric. Click Add to add a new reference line based on the selected metric. Select one of the following options to display the reference line:

• Maximum: Display a reference line at the highest point in the graph.
• Minimum: Display a reference line at the lowest point in the graph.
• Average: Use the average of all data points in the graph.
• Median: Use the median value of all data points in the graph.
• First: Use the height of the first data point plotted in the graph.
• Last: Use the height of the last data point plotted in the graph.
• Constant: In the pop-up, type the height at which to display the reference line as a number and click OK. The reference line is named Constant, by default, but you can change the name. Click on the reference line name and enter a new name.

Line: Select the line style and color.

Level: This field is available for all reference lines, other than Constant. Select from the following options to determine the level at which to display each reference line:

• Per cell: Display a separate reference line for each chart in the visualization.
• Per row: Display a separate reference line for each row of charts in the visualization.
• Per column: Display a separate reference line for each column of charts in the visualization.
• Entire table: Each chart shares the same reference line.

Show label: Select this checkbox to add a label to the reference line. Choose one of the following options:

• Type: Display the type of reference line shown in the visualization, such as Maximum, Average, or Constant.
• Metric: Display the name of the metric used to create the reference line.
• Value: Display the value of the reference line.

Font: Select font formatting options.

 

Legend

If your visualization contains a legend, the following options are available for formatting:

Show Legend: Select this checkbox to display the legend. Legends are disabled by default.

Text: Select font formatting options.

Fill: Select the background color from the palette. In the Percent field, type the opacity of the background as a percentage. Higher values are more opaque.

 

Text and Form

Axis Labels

Select the axis to format from the drop-down.

Show Labels: Select this checkbox to show axis labels.

Wrap Text: Wrap axis label text.

Font: Select font formatting options for the axis label text.

Rotation: Select whether to display the axis labels as Automatic (default), Vertical, Horizontal, or Custom. If you select Custom, choose a rotation angle of 30, 45, or 60 degrees. The default is 30 degrees. This option is only available if you are formatting the X axis.

Axis Lines

Select the axis lines to format from the drop-down.

Line: Select the style and color of the axis lines from the drop-downs.

Axis Titles

Select the axis titles to format from the drop-down.

Show Axis Title: Select this checkbox to show axis labels.

Font: Select font formatting options for the axis title text.

Grid Lines

Select options to format the grid lines from the drop-down.

Line: Select the style and color of the grid lines from the drop-downs.

Rows and Columns

The Rows and Columns option displays fields for formatting rows and columns in a graph.

Text: Select the area of the visualization to format from the drop-down list (for example, All, Row Text, Column Text, Row Headers, Column Headers, Row Values, or Column Values).

• Show Text: Select this checkbox to show the selected row or column text.
• Font: Select the font formatting options.
• Align: Select text alignment options for the selected rows or columns.

Background: Select whether to format the background of rows or columns from the drop-down list.

• Fill: Select the background color from the palette. In the Percent field, type the opacity of the background as a percentage. Higher values are more opaque.

Matrix Lines: Select the boundary lines to display in the graph (for example, All Matrix Lines, Horizontal Matrix Lines, Vertical Matrix Lines, etc.).

• Line: Select the style of the grid lines from the drop-down list. Then, select the color of the grid lines from the palette.

 

Title and Container

The following options are available to format the title, background, and borders in a visualization:

Title

Show title bar: Select the checkbox to display the visualization's title.

Font: Select font formatting options.

Container

Fill Color: Select the background color of the visualization from the palette.

Outer Border: Select the style and color of the visualization's borders from the drop-down lists.

 

KPI Visualizations

A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) visualization is a visual representation of a performance indicator, that is a main data point in a dashboard. You can visualize the total value of a metric or how a metric, such as revenue, trends over time. A KPI visualization may contain one or more attributes and at least one metric. You can break a single KPI card into multiple KPI cards using an attribute in the Break By area of the Editor panel.

1. Open a dashboard/
2. In the top toolbar, click Insert Visualization
3. Choose KPI>KPI
4. In the Datasets panel, double-click attributes and metrics to add them to the visualization.  A KPI visualization requires at least one attribute and one metric.
5. Open the Format panel to select formatting options, specific to KPI visualizations.