Visualizations → Column
About a Column visualization
A column visualization allows you to compare vertical columns. The vertical column length is proportional to the represented value.
A column visualization is ideal for displaying both nominal or ordinal data as a chart. Nominal data is categorical.The categories are arbitrary labels without numerical significance that function to describe calculated values. Ordinal data has a natural sequence where the distinct (and often numerical) order functions to categorize the calculated values.
With three possible dimensions, a column visualization offers a dashboard developer the ability to create an insight that groups one or more aggregated or calculated values by one or more attributes. The result is a column chart on a dashboard tab that shows:
- a grouping dimension as the labels along the x-axis (horizontal axis)
- a coloring dimension as vertical columns colors
- a measure as vertical column lengths with increments along the y-axis (vertical axis)
The distinction between a column visualization and a column insight is that an insight is an instance of the visualization. As an instance, a column insight has unique configurations that a dashboard developer determines for displaying a column chart on a dashboard tab. Insight configurations affect the available user interactions for a dashboard consumer such as the ability to drill down into a grouping dimension and/or coloring dimension.
Configurations for a column insight
A dashboard developer first selects a column visualization for an insight in the Analyzer. Using the Analyzer, a dashboard developer configures pill properties, filter properties, and insight settings. Insight settings and pill properties determine not only how the column chart appears as an insight in a dashboard tab, but also how a dashboard consumer can interact with the column chart.
The visualization selection in the Insight panel of the Analyzer determines the available trays. From the Data panel, a dashboard developer adds a column or a formula to a tray. A column or a formula in a tray is a Pill.
Each pill has configurable properties. The parent tray determines the available properties of a pill.
The available trays for a column insight are:
A column insight requires at least one measure pill. The Coloring Dimension tray is not available when there are two or more measure pills.
Grouping Dimension
From the Data panel, you can add a column or a formula to the Grouping Dimension tray. The column insight plots the first pill in the Grouping Dimension tray on the x-axis. Each pill in the Grouping Dimension tray is a filterable column for the insight. The pill ordering in the grouping dimension tray defines the following:
- the first pill is the initial grouping dimension
- the other pills define an order of user interactions that allow a dashboard consumer to drill down into the next grouping and/or coloring dimension and in doing so, also create one or more dashboard runtime filters
Coloring Dimension
The Coloring Dimension tray is only available when there is only one measure pill.
From the Data panel, you can add a column or a formula to the Coloring Dimension tray. A coloring dimension is a third dimension that colors the vertical columns in the chart. Each pill in the Coloring Dimension tray is a filterable column for the insight.
A defined coloring dimension introduces a Filter by menu as a user interaction for the column chart. With the Filter by menu, a dashboard consumer selects to filter the dashboard by:
- a grouping and a coloring dimension
- a grouping dimension
- a coloring dimension
The pill ordering in the coloring dimension tray defines the following:
- the first pill is the initial coloring dimension
- the other pills define an order of user interactions that allow a dashboard consumer to drill down into the next grouping and/or coloring dimension and in doing so, also create one or more dashboard runtime filters
Measure
To create an aggregation or calculation, you can add a column or a formula from the Data panel to the Measure tray.
A column insight shows the increments for the measure pill on the y-axis. A column insight with two or measure pills does not support the definition of a coloring dimension.
You can select the measure pill to open the Properties panel. In the Properties panel, you can configure various properties such as the Aggregation and Format properties.
Individual Filter
To filter individual rows for the column insight, define an individual filter for the insight. You can add a column or a formula to the Individual Filter tray from the Data panel.
You can select the individual filter pill to open the Filter panel. Using the Filter panel, you can specify the filter operator, one or more filter values, or the filter expression itself with the Formula Builder. You can also disable the individual filter.
To learn more about filter expressions for an individual filter, review Concepts → Individual Filter.
Aggregate Filter
You can define a filter expression that contains an aggregation or calculation using the Aggregate Filter tray.
The Aggregate Filter tray is not available for a column insight with one or more coloring dimension pills.
To create a filter expression, you can add a column or a formula to the Aggregate Filter tray from the Data panel. You can select the aggregate filter pill to open the Filter panel.
Using the Filter panel, you can specify the aggregation, the filter operator, one or more filter values, or the filter expression itself with the Formula Builder. You can also disable the aggregate filter.
To learn more about filter expressions for an aggregate filter, review Concepts → Aggregate Filter.
Pill properties
The parent tray determines the available properties of a pill. There are various possible configurations for each pill type:
- Grouping dimension pill properties
- Coloring dimension pill properties
- Measure pill properties
- Individual filter properties for a filter expression
- Aggregate filter properties for a filter expression
You can edit the properties of a grouping dimension, coloring dimension, or a measure pill with the Properties panel for a column insight.
In order to create a filter expression, you can edit the properties of an individual filter or aggregate filter pill with the Filter panel.
In the case of the Filter property of a measure pill, you can open the Filter panel from the Properties panel in order to create the filter expression.
To open the Properties panel or Filter panel, select the pill arrow.
Grouping dimension pill properties
Here are the properties for the a pill in the grouping dimension tray in a column insight:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Column fully qualified name | label | The fully qualified name of the selected column. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a column in the tray. |
| Formula | text box | When you select it, it invokes the Formula Builder to create the formula expression you want. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a formula added to the tray. |
| Data → Column Label | text box | Enter the label for the grouping dimension column or formula pill. The label of the first pill will be the x-axis title. |
| Data → Date Part | drop down list | When the selected column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are: ● Full (default) ● Year ● Quarter ● Month ● Day |
| Data → Hierarchy | toggle | This option is available only for columns from objects with data hierarchy. Enable this property to specify the level of data in the hierarchy that you want to include in the insight for the respective column. |
| Hierarchy → Level | text box | Enable Hierarchy to configure this property. Enter a numeric value that represents the level of data you want to include in the insight. Leave blank or enter "-1" to include all levels. |
| Data → Sort By | drag and drop | Drag and drop the column or formula to sort the x-axis labels by |
| Format | select | Select the format of the formula or date column. This option is available only when you edit the pill properties for a date column or a formula |
| Format → Date Mask | text box | Enter a customized date format or select a predefined one to appear in this text box |
| Format → Plot Bands | link | Select + Add Plot Band to highlight certain areas in the Column chart, usually specific thresholds designating whether the data falls under these boundaries or not. |
| Plot Band → Start | text box | Enter the numeric start position of the plot band |
| Plot Band → Stop | text box | Enter the numeric stop position of the plot band |
| Plot Band → Label | text box | Enter a label for the plot band |
| Plot Band → Background Color | select | Select the background color of the plot band |
| Drill Down → Dashboards Drill Down | link | Select + Add Dashboard to select a dashboard tab to drill down to when the user selects a grouping dimension value in the insight |
| Add Dashboard → Include Runtime Filters | toggle | Enable this property to pass the applied filter, if any, from one dashboard to another |
| Add Dashboard → Search Dashboard | text box | Enter a search string to filter the dashboard tree. From the results, select a dashboard tab to drill down to. |
The Plot Bands feature for Grouping Dimension pills is available starting with release 5.0.
Coloring dimension pill properties
The parent tray determines the available properties of a pill. Select the arrow to the right of the pill name to open the Properties panel and configure the related properties.
Here are the properties for the a pill in the coloring dimension tray in a column insight:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Column fully qualified name | label | The fully qualified name of the selected column. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a column in the tray. |
| Formula | text box | When you select it, it invokes the Formula Builder to create the formula expression you want. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a formula added to the tray. |
| Data → Column Label | text box | Enter the label for the coloring dimension column or formula pill |
| Data → Date Part | drop down list | When the selected column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are: ● Full (default) ● Year ● Quarter ● Month ● Day |
| Data → Hierarchy | toggle | This option is available only for columns from objects with data hierarchy. Enable this property to specify the level of data in the hierarchy that you want to include in the insight for the respective column. |
| Hierarchy → Level | text box | Enable Hierarchy to configure this property. Enter a numeric value that represents the level of data you want to include in the insight. Leave blank or enter "-1" to include all levels. |
| Data → Sort By | drag and drop | Drag and drop the column or formula by which you want to sort the legend categories and their related columns |
| Format → Format Color Palette | toggle | Enable this property to display the color palette, which allows you to change the color of a category |
Measure pill properties
The parent tray determines the available properties of a pill. Select the arrow to the right of the pill name to open the Properties panel and configure the related properties.
Here are the properties for a pill in the measure tray in a column insight:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Column fully qualified name | label | The fully qualified name of the selected column. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a column in the Measure tray. |
| Formula | text box | When you select it, it invokes the Formula Builder to create the formula expression you want. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a formula added to the Measure tray. |
| Data → Column Label | text box | Enter the label for the measure pill. The label of the first pill will be the y-axis title. |
| Data → Date Part | drop down list | When the selected column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are: ● Full (default) ● Year ● Quarter ● Month ● Day |
| Data → Aggregation | drop down list | Select the aggregation option for the measure values. The available options vary. The options are: ● Average ● Count ● Distinct ● Median ● Min ● Max ● Sum ● Formula ● None |
| Data → Scale | drop down list | Select the chart scale. The options are: ● None (default) ● Percent (%) ● Thousands (K) ● Millions (M) |
| Data → Running Total | toggle | Enable this property to display the measure values as a running total |
| Data → Filter | drag and drop | Drag and drop a column or formula to filter the measure |
| Format | select | Select the format of the measure (e.g. Dollar Rounded) |
| Format → Decimal Places | text box | This property appears when you select Decimal, Dollar, Euro, Yen, or Percent as the Format. Enter the number of decimal places to display for the measure value |
| Format → Thousands Separator | toggle | This property appears for all Format options, except No Format. Enable this property to include a comma separator for values of 1000 or greater |
| Format → Percentage | toggle | Enable this property to view the percentage value of the columns |
| Format → Prefix | text box | Enter value to add a prefix and create a custom format. The value of the prefix field cannot contain single quotes. |
| Format → Suffix | text box | Enter value to add a suffix and create a custom format. The value of the suffix field cannot contain single quotes. |
| Format → Abbreviate on Hover | toggle | Enable this property to abbreviate the measure value upon hover |
| Format → Color | select | Select a color for the measure value |
| Format → Plot Bands | link | Select + Add Plot Band to highlight certain areas in the column chart, usually specific thresholds designating whether the data falls under these boundaries or not. |
| Plot Band → Start | text box | Enter the numeric start position of the plot band |
| Plot Band → Stop | text box | Enter the numeric stop position of the plot band |
| Plot Band → Label | text box | Enter a label for the plot band |
| Plot Band → Background Color | select | Select the background color of the plot band |
| Drill Down → Dashboards Drill down | link | Select + Add Dashboard to select a dashboard tab to drill down to when the user selects the measure value in the insight |
| Add Dashboard → Include Runtime Filters | toggle | Enable this property to pass a filter from one dashboard to another |
| Add Dashboard → Search Dashboard | text box | Enter a search string to filter the dashboard tree. From the results, select a dashboard tab to drill down to. |
| Advanced → Base Field | drag and drop | Drag and drop the column to join two tables that are not directly joined. To learn more, review Concepts → Base Table. |
| Advanced → Average Lines | link | This property is available if no pills exit in the Coloring Dimension tray. Select + Add Average Line to draw a line across the entire chart to show specific trends, such as the average value or the linear trend of the measure. |
| Add Average → Average Line Type | select | Select the type of the line that you want to add: ● Average Line ● Linear Trend ● Simple Moving Average ● Exponential Moving Average |
| Add Average → Line Style | select | Select the style of the line, for example, dash, solid, or dot |
| Add Average → Period | text box | Select to add a Simple Moving Average or Exponential Moving Average for the Average Line Type to configure this property. Enter the number of the data points to get their average value that represents a point in the trendline. For example, if you set the Period to 2, then the average of the first two data points is used as the first point in the moving average trendline. The average of the second and third data points is used as the second point in the trendline, and so on. |
| Advanced → Query Plan | button | Select this property to access the Query Plan Viewer to check the Direct Data Map path that Incorta Analytics Service uses to retrieve or calculate the measure |
Individual filter properties for a filter expression
To filter individual rows for the column insight, define an individual filter for the insight. You can add a column or a formula to the Individual Filter tray from the Data panel.
Individual filter properties for a filter expression with a column as a pill
Here are the properties for a filter expression for a column as a pill in the Individual Filter tray for a column insight:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Column fully qualified name | label | The fully qualified name of the selected column. |
| Data → Column Label | text box | Enter the label for the individual filter pill |
| Date Part | drop down list | When the filter column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are: ● Full (default) ● Year ● Quarter ● Month ● Day |
| Operator | drop down list | Select the operator to use in the filter criteria |
| Values | multi-select | Select the value(s) to evaluate the column value against. Some operators do not require a value to evaluate against, such as Null and True. If applicable, enter a string in the search bar to filter the list of values. To add a value to the list, enter it in the text box below the list and select +. |
| Advanced → Disable Filter | toggle | Enable this property to disable the filter. Disabled filters are deleted when you save the insight. |
Individual filter properties for a filter expression with a formula as a pill
Here are the properties for a filter expression for a formula as a pill in the Individual Filter tray for a column insight:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Formula label | label | The formula label |
| Data → Column Label | text box | Enter the label for the individual filter formula pill |
| Formula → Dynamic | toggle | Enable this property to select a filter expression session variable as a value |
| Formula | text box | Disable Dynamic to configure this property. Enter the formula in the Formula Builder to create the filter expression. |
| Operator | drop down list | Select the operator to use in the filter criteria |
| Values | multi-select | Select the value(s) to evaluate the column value against, if required. Some operators do not require a value to evaluate against, such as Null and True. In the case that you enable Dynamic, select a filter expression session variable. If applicable, enter a string in the search bar to filter the list of values. To add a value to the list, enter it in the text box below the list and select +. |
| Advanced → Disable Filter | toggle | Enable this property to disable the filter. Disabled filters are deleted when you save the insight. |
Aggregate filter properties for a filter expression
You can define a filter expression that contains an aggregation or calculation using the Aggregate Filter tray.
The Aggregate Filter tray is not available for a column insight with a coloring dimension pill.
Aggregate filter properties for a filter expression with a column as a pill
Here are the properties for a filter expression for a column as a pill in the Aggregate Filter tray for a column insight:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Column Label | text box | Enter the label of the aggregate filter pill |
| Date Part | drop down list | When the filter column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are: ● Full (default) ● Year ● Quarter ● Month ● Day |
| Aggregation | drop down list | Select the aggregation type to use in the filter. The available aggregation types are: ● Average ● Count ● Distinct ● Median ● Min ● Max ● Sum ● None |
| Operator | drop down list | Select the operator to use in value comparison to the measure value. |
| Values | text box | Select the comparison value to use in the filter, or enter a new value to use in the filter comparison. |
| Disable Filter | toggle | Enable this property to disable the filter. Disabled filters are deleted when you save the insight. |
Aggregate filter properties for a filter expression with a formula as a pill
Here are the properties for a filter expression for a formula as a pill in the Aggregate Filter tray for a column insight:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Column Label | text box | Enter the label of the aggregate filter formula pill |
| Formula | text box | Enter the formula in the Formula Builder to create the filter expression |
| Disable Filter | toggle | Enable this property to disable the filter. Disabled filters are deleted when you save the insight. |
Settings panel
With the Settings panel, you can configure additional properties for the column insight. To open the Setting panel, in the Analyzer, in the Action bar, select Settings (gear icon).
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| General → Max Rows Limit | text box | Enter the maximum number of categories to show on the x-axis. A value lower than the number of the insight query rows returned will restrict results. A value of 0 will include all rows. |
| General → Logarithmic | toggle | Enable this property to display the x-axis on a logarithmic scale |
| General → Auto Refresh | toggle | Enable this property to automatically refresh the insight preview while editing it in the Analyzer. There is a tenant configuration in the CMC Clusters Manger that can globally enable or disable this feature at the tenant level. |
| General → Data Sampling | toggle | Enable this property to use and analyze a representative subset of data in the insight |
| Layout → Rotation | drop down list | Select an angle to rotate the x-axis labels (categories) at. The options are: ● Default (no rotation) ● -45 ● -90 ● 45 ● 90 |
| Layout → Legend | toggle | Enable this property to display the chart legend. The chart legend displays the values of the first pill in the Coloring Dimension tray, if any; otherwise, the legend shows the measure column label(s). |
| Layout → Values | toggle | Enable this property to display measure values on the chart |
| Layout → Fixed Placement | toggle | Enable this property to display overlapping columns for multiple measures. |
| Layout → X-Axis Labels | toggle | Enable this property to display the x-axis labels (categories) |
| Layout → X-Axis Title | toggle | Enable this property to display the x-axis title (i.e. the label of the first grouping dimension pill) |
| Layout → Y-Axis Labels | toggle | Enable this property to display the y-axis labels (values in the y-axis) |
| Layout → Y-Axis Title | toggle | Enable this property to display the y-axis title (i.e. the label of the measure pill). This property is available when only one pill exists in the Measure tray. |
| Layout → Y-Axis Min | text box | Enter a minimum numerical value for the y-axis |
| Layout → Y-Axis Max | text box | Enter a maximum numerical value for the y-axis |
| Advanced → Max Groups | text box | Set the maximum number of groups that cannot be exceeded in the insight |
| Advanced → Join Measures | drop down list | Select Yes to calculate the group-by function across joined tables |
User interactions for a column insight
As a dashboard consumer, you can interact with a column insight on a dashboard tab. Some interactions will affect only the column chart. Other interactions will affect both the column chart and the dashboard. The creation of one or more dashboard runtime filters is an example of a user interaction that affects all applicable insights on all tabs of a dashboard.
Some user interactions require specific configurations by a dashboard developer and therefore may not be available.
Here are the possible types of user interactions for a column insight:
- Select a legend label to hide (and then show) the related vertical column
- Select a vertical column to drill down into a grouping dimension and in doing so, create a dashboard runtime filter
- Select a vertical column to open the Filter by menu and select an option to drill down into a grouping dimension and/or coloring dimension and in doing so, create a dashboard runtime filter
- Select a dashboard tab to navigate to in the Go to menu (requires a dashboard drill down configuration for a coloring dimension or grouping dimension pill)
A dashboard runtime filter that affects all applicable insights on all tabs of a dashboard. A dashboard runtime filter appears as a filter bar pill and displays the filter expression.
More Options menu for a column insight
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) enforces access to certain features and functionality. With Discretionary Access Control (DAC), a user who owns the dashboard to control the access to the dashboard. Access rights include the ability to view, share, and edit the dashboard. Together, RBAC and DAC affect the available selections in both the Action bar and the More Options menu for an insight.
In addition, certain tenant configurations by a Cluster Management Console (CMC) Administrator affect the available selections in the More Options menu for an insight.
Download as
- For the column insight, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
- Select Download as.
- Select the download file format:
- PNG
- JPEG
- SVG
View as Table
The View as Table is an Incorta Labs feature and a tenant configuration. A CMC Administrator must enable the feature.
In order to view a column insight as a Listing Table or Aggregated Table, follow these steps:
- For the column insight, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
- Select one of the following options:
- View as Regular Table
- View as Aggregated Table
When viewed as a Listing Table or Aggregated Table, you can download the previewed table as CSV or XSLX.
Set Alert
You can set an alert that identifies specific changes to a column insight by defining a filter expression for a measure filter, individual filter, and/or aggregate filter.
- For the column insight, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
- Select Set Alert. Refer to the Scheduler document for additional information on Data Alerts.
Steps to create a column insight
For an existing dashboard, to create a Column insight for a given dashboard tab, follow these steps:
- If not already open, open a dashboard.
- To add a new insight to the dashboard, in the Action bar, select +.
- If needed, in the Analyzer, in the Data panel, select Manage Dataset.
- In the Manage Data Sets panel, select one or more business schema views and/or one or more physical schema tables.
- To close the Manage Data Sets panel, select X or any other area of the Analyzer.
- In the Insight panel, first select V.
- In Charts, select the Column visualization.
- From the Data panel, drag and drop various columns to various trays in the Insight panel:
- Grouping Dimension
- Coloring Dimension
- Measure
- Individual Filter
- Aggregate Filter
- Configure the pill properties using the Property panel or Filter panel.
- Configure various insight properties using the Settings panel.
Example of a column insight
In this example, you will create a column insight that compares revenue by product category per region. The example uses the SALES schema that comes with the Sample Data.
In the Cluster Management Console (CMC), you can create a tenant that includes Sample Data. The Sample Data includes the SALES schema.
Add an insight
- In the Action bar, select +.
- In the Data panel, select Manage Dataset.
- In the Manage Data Sets panel, in Tables, select the SALES schema.
- Close the Manage Data Sets panel.
- In the Insight panel, under Charts, select Column.
- From the Data panel, drag and drop the following columns to the respective tray:
- From the Products table, drag and drop Category to the Grouping Dimension tray.
- From the Products table, drag and drop Product to the Grouping Dimension tray.
- From the Countries table, drag and drop Region to the Coloring Dimension tray.
- From the Sales table, drag and drop Revenue to the Measure tray.
- From the Data panel, drag and drop Region to the Individual Filter tray. In the Filter panel,
- For Operator, select Not In.
- For Values, clear Africa and Middle East.
Edit the pill properties
- Select the arrow to the right of Revenue to open the Properties panel.
- For Format, select Dollar.
- Name the insight Revenue By Product Category/Region.
- Select Save.
