Selecting Variables

Variables are the columns of data used by visualizations. For example, if you have a database of sales information broken down by product, you might associate the total amount of sales for a given with the Size variable in a Treemap. You could also associate the difference between this year’s sales and last year’s sales to the Color variable for the same Treemap. This simple configuration will let you see at a glance which products are bringing in the most revenue and which products are increasing and decreasing in sales.

Each Visualization uses a different set of variables, depending on the capabilities of the visualization:

Visualizations

Visualization	Variables
Bar Graph	Height, Color, Details
Box Plot	Color, BoxPlot, Details
Bullet Graph	Height, Reference, Color, Details
Categorical Line Graph	Color, Height, Details
Circle Pack	Size, Color, Details
Donut Chart	Size, Color, Details
Donut Gauge	Size, Color, Details
Dot Plot	Height, Color, Details
Funnel Chart	Color, Size, Details
Heat Matrix	Color, Icons, Details
Map Plot	Size, Color, Long, Lat, Details
Network Graph	Color, Size, Details
Numeric Line Graph	Color, X, Y, Details
Numeric Line Graph – Vertical	Color, X, Y, Details
Numeric Needle Graph	Color, X, Y, Size, Details
Numeric Needle Graph - Horizontal	Color, X, Y, Size, Details
Numeric Stacked Needles	Color, X, Y, Size, Details
Numeric Stacked Needles - Horizontal	Color, X, Y, Size, Details
Pareto Chart	Height, Reference, Color, Reference Color, Details
Pie Chart	Size, Color, Details
Record	Visual Members, Color, Icons, Details
Scatter Plot	Size, Color, X, Y, Shape, Alpha, Details, Reference Lines
Shapes	Color, Shape, Details
Surface Plot	Color, X, Y, Details
Surface Plot 3D	Color, X, Y, Z, Details
Table	Visual Member, Color, Size, Shape, Icons, Details, Reference Lines
Ticker Tile	Price, Change, Color, Details
Treemap	Size, Color, Icons, Details
Waterfall Chart	Color, Height, Details

 

Timeseries Visualizations

Visualization	Variables
Candle Stick Graph	Color, OHLC, Details, Reference Lines
Stacked / Grouped Needle Graph	Height, Color, Details, Reference Lines
Horizon Graph	Color, Details
Line Graph	Height, Color, Details, Reference Lines
Needle Graph	Height, Color, Details, Reference Lines
OHLC Graph	Color, OHLC, Details, Reference Lines
Order Book	Height, Size, Color, Reference Lines, Details
Price Band	Spread, Color, Reference Lines, Details
Spread Graph	Spread, Reference Lines, Details
Stack Graph	Size, Color, Reference Lines, Details
Timeseries Combination	Visual Members, Color, Size, Shape, Alpha, Details, Reference Lines
Timeseries Scatter Plot	Height, Size, Color, Shape, Alpha, Details, Reference Lines
Timeseries Surface Plot	Color, Y, Details

 

You can associate columns of data from the Data Table in the Design layout with the variables available for the visualizations in your dashboard.

IMPORTANT: You must be in Design Mode to add variables to visualizations.

In the sample steps below, we will associate a numeric data column called Market Cap with the Size variable in a Treemap. Then associate another numeric data column called 1 Day Change & (USD) with the Color variable.

Selecting Variables

1. In the Data Table panel, select the column you want to associate with a variable.

In this example, we are selecting the Mcap(local) data column.

2. Drag the column to the variable you want to use.

In this example, we are dragging the Mcap(local) data column to the Size variable in a Treemap we have already placed in the dashboard canvas, with the Industry column added as the breakdown.

3. Drop the column and it will appear listed in the menu for the variable.

The Treemap also changes to reflect the values of the Mcap(local) column as the Size variable.

4. You can drag more data columns onto the same variable. This produces a list of options that the user can select from.

In our example, we have added the RecScore data column to the same Size variable for the Treemap. 

The user will be able to quickly select between two different views of the data. In one view, the Treemap will associate Mcap(local) with Size and with RecScore in the second view.

IMPORTANT: Only numeric columns containing all positive numbers should be used with the Size variable.

If you try to drag a text column or a numeric column containing any negative numbers to a Size variable, the following message displays.

When using ABS, you have the choice of results:

• Sum of Absolute values. (Use the Abs Aggregation Type on the Size variable).

• Absolute Sum of values.  (Use the AbsSum Aggregation Type on the Size variable)

• Sum of Positive Values (Use the Pos Aggregation Type on the Size variable)

• Sum of Negative Values (Use the Neg Aggregation Type on the Size variable)

5. Continue associating columns to another variable in the Treemap. In this example, we are dragging the 1 Day Change % (USD) data column to the Color variable.

The default Color variable configuration of the added column is applied to the Treemap (i.e., White-Blue color palette, Weighted Mean aggregate, etc.). These properties can be modified to get the necessary information you need to analyze your data. For example, display Industries in the minimum range of the 1 Day Change % (USD) with a red color. Refer to Color Variable Configuration for more information.