Visualizations → Bubble

About a Bubble visualization

A bubble visualization is a chart that represents a collection of points, where each point represents three dimensions or aggregated measures as a circle disc. The Horizontal tray represents the horizontal position on the x-axis and the Vertical tray represents the vertical position on the y-axis, and the Size by tray represents the area of the circle disc, hence the term “bubble.” The Color by tray includes the pill that the bubbles will be grouped by. The plotted points are scattered in the chart when the Horizontal and Vertical trays include measures with aggregation set to none, thus acting as dimensions.

A bubble chart allows you to easily compare the position and the area proportions between bubbles. Consider using a bubble visualization to help identify a correlation or pattern.

The distinction between a visualization and an insight is that an insight is an instance of the visualization. As an instance, an insight has unique configurations that a dashboard developer determines for displaying a 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 coloring dimension.

A bubble visualization offers a dashboard developer the ability to create an insight that groups one or more listed or aggregated values based on the aggregation type.

Configurations for a bubble insight

A dashboard developer first selects a bubble 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 bubble chart appears as an insight in a dashboard tab, but also how a dashboard consumer can interact with the bubble 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 bubble insight are:

Horizontal

To create an aggregation or a calculation, you can add a column or a formula from the Data panel to the Horizontal tray. To add a dimension, you can choose the aggregation to be None.

The Horizontal pill determines the placement of the bubble on the x-axis

You can select the Horizontal pill to open the Properties panel. In the Properties panel, you can configure various properties such as the Aggregation and Format properties.

Vertical

To create an aggregation or a calculation, you can add a column or a formula from the Data panel to the Vertical tray. To add a dimension, you can choose the aggregation to be None.

The Vertical pill determines the placement of the bubble on the y-axis

You can select the Vertical pill to open the Properties panel. In the Properties panel, you can configure various properties such as the Aggregation and Format properties.

Important

The Vertical tray only allows numeric columns.

Color by

From the Data panel, you can add a column or a formula to the Color by tray. The bubbles in the chart are grouped by the column added to the Color by tray into colored groups. The plotted points are grouped by the coloring dimension.

The Color by pill is a filterable column for the insight. A defined coloring dimension introduces a Filter by menu as a user interaction for the bubble chart.

Size by

To create an aggregation or a calculation, you can add a column or a formula from the Data panel to the Size by tray.

The Size by pill determines the size of the bubble.

You can select the Size by pill to open the Properties panel. In the Properties panel, you can configure various properties. The aggregation of the Size by pill is SUM by default.

Important

The Size by pill is always a measure.

Use cases of the Vertical and the Horizontal trays

The bubble chart provides a scattered/listed and aggregated bubble charts depending on your choice of the aggregation function of the Vertical and Horizontal pills:

Horizontal aggregationVertical aggregationResult set
NoneNoneThe plotted points are scattered (listed)
NoneFunction, for example, countThe plotted points are aggregated horizontally, the bubbles are grouped by the horizontal pill
Function, for example, countNoneThe plotted points are aggregated vertically, the bubbles are grouped by the vertical pill
Function, for example, countFunction, for example, countA bubble representing the total aggregation of both, the vertical and the Horizontal pills

Tooltip

To show a tooltip as an aggregation or calculation, you can add a column or a formula from the Data panel to the Tooltip tray.

An insight shows the chosen aggregation for the tooltip pill when hovering on a certain point on the insight. The tooltip tray is optional as it accepts none, one, or multiple pills.

You can select the tooltip 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 data for the bubble 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.

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:

You can edit the properties of a grouping dimension or a measure pill with the Properties panel for a bubble insight.

To create a filter expression, you can edit the properties of an individual 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 to create the filter expression.

To open the Properties panel or Filter panel, select the pill arrow.

Horizontal, Vertical, and Size by 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 pills in the Horizontal and the Vertical tray in a bubble insight:

PropertyControlDescription
Column fully qualified namelabelThe fully qualified name of the selected column. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a column in the tray. Select the information icon (the letter i in a circle) to preview the column function (dimension, key, or measure) and sample data. You can also use the Copy Column Name option (two paper sheets icon) to copy the column’s fully qualified name.
FormulalabelSelect this property to invoke the Formula Builder and 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 Labeltext boxEnter the label for the measure or the dimension pill
Data → Date Partdrop down listWhen 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 → Aggregationdrop down listSelect the aggregation option for the measure values. There are different available options. The options are:

  ●  Average
  ●  Count
  ●  Distinct
  ●  Median
  ●  Min
  ●  Max
  ●  Sum
  ●  Formula
  ●  None
The default is None.
Data → Scaledrop down listSelect the chart scale. The options are:

  ●  None
  ●   Percent (%)
  ●   Thousands (K)
  ●   Millions (M)
The default is None.
Data → Running TotaltoggleEnable this property to display the measure values as a running total. This toggle does not affect the dimension column.
Data → Filterdrag and dropDrag a column or formula to filter the pill
Format → Number FormatselectSelect the format of the pill (for example, Dollar Rounded)
Format → Decimal Placestext boxThis property appears when you select Decimal, Dollar, Euro, Yen, or Percent as the Format. Enter the number of decimal places to display for the pill value.
Format → Thousands SeparatortoggleThis property appears for all Format options, except No Format. Enable this property to include a comma separator for values of 1000 or greater.
Format → PercentagetoggleEnable this property to view the percentage value of the columns.
Format → Prefixtext boxEnter value to add a prefix and create a custom format. The value of the prefix field cannot contain single quotes.
Format → Suffixtext boxEnter value to add a suffix and create a custom format. The value of the suffix field cannot contain single quotes.
Format → Abbreviate on HovertoggleEnable this property to abbreviate the measure value upon hover
Advanced → Base Fielddrag and dropDrag the column to join two tables that are not directly joined.
Advanced → Query PlanbuttonSelect this property to reveal the direct data map path that the Incorta Analytics Service uses to retrieve or calculate the measure.

Color by pill properties

Here are the properties for a pill in the Color by tray in a bubble insight:

PropertyControlDescription
Column fully qualified namelabelThe fully qualified name of the selected column. Select the information icon (the letter i in a circle) to preview the column function (dimension, key, or measure) and samples of the column data. You can also use the Copy Column Name option (two paper sheets icon) to copy the column’s fully qualified name.
FormulalabelSelect this property to invoke the Formula Builder and 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 Labeltext boxEnter the label for the Color by pill
Data → Date Partdrop down listWhen the filter column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are:

  ●  Full (default)
  ●  Year
  ●  Quarter
  ●  Month
  ●  Day
Data → Sort bydrag and dropDrag the column or formula to sort the columns by
Format → Date Formatdrop down listSelect 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 Masktext boxEnter a customized date format or select a predefined one to appear in this text box
Drill Down → Dashboards Drill DownlinkSelect + Add Dashboard to select a dashboard tab to drill down to when the user selects a coloring dimension value in the insight
Add Dashboard → Include Runtime FilterstoggleEnable this property to pass the applied filter, if any, from one dashboard to another
Add Dashboard → Search Dashboardtext boxEnter a search string to filter the dashboard tree. From the results, select a dashboard tab to drill down to.

Tooltip 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 tooltip tray in a bubble insight:

PropertyControlDescription
Column fully qualified namelabelThe fully qualified name of the selected column. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a column in the Tooltip tray.
Select the information icon (the letter i in a circle) to preview the column function (dimension, key, or measure) and sample the column data. You can also use the Copy Column Name option (two paper sheets icon) to copy the column’s fully qualified name.
Formulatext boxSelect to invoke the Formula Builder and create the formula expression. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a formula added to the tray.
Data → Column Labeltext boxEnter the label for the tooltip pill.
Data → Date Partdrop-down listWhen 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 → Aggregationdrop-down listSelect the aggregation option for the tooltip values. The available options vary according to the column or formula data type.
The options are:
  ●   Average
  ●   Count
  ●   Distinct
  ●   Median
  ●   Min
  ●   Max
  ●    Sum
  ●    Formula
Data → Scaledrop-down listSelect the chart scale.
The options are:
  ●    None
  ●   Percent (%)
  ●    Thousands (K)
  ●   Millions (M)
The default is None.
Data → Running TotaltoggleEnable this property to display the tooltip values as a running total.
Data → Filterdrag and dropDrag a column or formula to filter the tooltip values by.
Format → Number Formatdrop-down listSelect the format of the tooltip (e.g. Dollar Rounded).
Format → Decimal Placestext boxThis property appears when you select Decimal, Dollar, Euro, Yen, or Percent as the Number Format. Enter the number of decimal places to display the values of the tooltip.
Format → Thousands SeparatortoggleThis property appears for all Number Format options, except No Format. Enable this property to include a comma separator for values of 1000 or greater.
Format → PercentagetoggleEnable this property to display the tooltip values as percentages in the tooltip.
Format → Prefixtext boxEnter a string (a currency symbol for example) to add at the beginning of the tooltip values. The string you enter cannot contain single quotes.
Format → Suffixtext boxEnter a string (a currency symbol for example) to add at the end of the tooltip values. The string you enter cannot contain single quotes.
Format → Abbreviate on HovertoggleEnable this property to abbreviate the tooltip value upon hover.
Advanced → Base Fielddrag and dropDrag a column to join two physical schema objects that are not directly joined. To learn more, review Concepts → Base Table.
Advanced → Query PlanbuttonSelect to access the Query Plan Viewer to check the Direct Data Map path that Incorta Analytics Service uses to retrieve or calculate the tooltip.

Individual filter properties for a filter expression

To filter individual rows for the bubble insight, define an individual filter. 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 with a column as a pill in the Individual Filter tray for a bubble insight:

PropertyControlDescription
Column fully qualified namelabelThe fully qualified name of the selected column. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a column in the tray.
Select the information icon (the letter i in a circle) to preview the column function (dimension, key, or measure) and sample data. You can also use the Copy Column Name option (two paper sheets icon) to copy the column’s fully qualified name.
Data → Column Labeltext boxEnter the label for the individual filter
Date Partdrop down listWhen the filter column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are:

  ●  Full (default)
  ●  Year
  ●  Quarter
  ●  Month
  ●  Day
Operatordrop down listSelect the operator to use in the filter criteria
Valuesmulti-selectSelect 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 FiltertoggleEnable 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 with a formula as a pill in the Individual Filter tray for a bubble insight:

PropertyControlDescription
Formula labellabelThe formula label text
Data → Column Labeltext boxEnter the label for the measure formula
Formula → DynamictoggleEnable this property to select a filter expression session variable as a value
Formulatext boxDisable Dynamic to configure this property. Enter the formula in the Formula Builder to create the filter expression.
Operatordrop down listSelect the operator to use in the filter criteria
Valuesmulti-selectSelect 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 FiltertoggleEnable 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.

Aggregate filter pill 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 stacked line insight:

PropertyControlDescription
Column fully qualified namelabelThe fully qualified name of the selected column. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a column in the tray.
Select the information icon (the letter i in a circle) to preview the column function (dimension, key, or measure) and sample data. You can also use the Copy Column Name option (two paper sheets icon) to copy the column’s fully qualified name.
Column Labeltext boxEnter the name of the aggregate filter pill
Date Partdrop down listWhen the filter column is a date or timestamp, select the part of the date used. The options are:

  ●  Full (default)
  ●  Year
  ●  Quarter
  ●  Month
  ●  Day
Aggregationdrop down listSelect the aggregation type to use in the filter. The available aggregation types are:

  ●  Average
  ●  Count
  ●  Distinct
  ●  Median
  ●  Min
  ●  Max
  ●  Sum
  ●  None
Operatordrop down listSelect the operator to use in value comparison to the measure value.
Valuestext boxSelect the comparison value to use in the filter, or enter a new value to use in the filter comparison.
Disable FiltertoggleEnable 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 stacked line insight:

PropertyControlDescription
Column Labeltext boxEnter the label of the aggregate filter formula pill
Formulatext boxSelect this property to invoke the Formula Builder and create the formula expression you want. This property is available only when you edit the properties of a formula added to the tray.
Disable FiltertoggleEnable 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 bubble insight. To open the Setting panel, in the Analyzer, select Settings (gear icon) in the Action bar.

PropertyControlDescription
General → Max Rows Limittext boxEnter the maximum number of categories to show in the chart. A value lower than the number of the insight query rows returned will restrict results. A value of 0 will include all categories.
General → Inherit Runtime FilterstoggleEnable to have this insight’s result set filtered by the selected dashboard prompt filters. When disabled, the dashboard prompt filters will have no effect on the result set of this insight.
LogarithmictoggleEnable this property to display the text on a logarithmic scale
General → Auto RefreshtoggleEnable this property to automatically update the insight when the underlying data is updated
General → Data SamplingtoggleEnable this property to use and analyze a representative subset of data in the insight
Layout → Rotationdrop down listSelect an angle to rotate the x-axis labels at. The options are:

  ●  Default (no rotation)
  ●  -45
  ●  -90
  ●  45
  ●  90
Layout → LegendtoggleEnable this property to display the chart legend. The chart legend displays the values of the first pill in the Grouping Dimension tray.
Layout → X-Axis LabelstoggleEnable this property to display the x-axis labels (i.e. values of the first measure dimension pill)
Layout → X-Axis TitletoggleEnable this property to display the x-axis title (i.e. the label of the first measure dimension pill)
Layout → Y-Axis LabelstoggleEnable this property to display the y-axis labels (i.e. values of the second measure dimension pill)
Layout → Y-Axis TitletoggleThis property is available when only one pill exists in the Measure tray. Enable this property to display the y-axis title(i.e. the label of the second measure dimension pill).
Layout → Y-Axis Mintext boxEnter a minimum numerical value for the y-axis
Layout → Y-Axis Maxtext boxEnter a maximum numerical value for the y-axis
Advanced → Join Measuresdrop downSelect Yes to calculate the group-by function across joined tables

User interactions for a bubble insight

As a dashboard consumer, you can interact with a bubble insight on a dashboard tab. Some interactions will affect only the bubble chart. Other interactions will affect both the bubble 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.

Note

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 bubble insight:

  • Select a bubble to drill down into a grouping dimension and in doing so, create a dashboard runtime filter
  • Select a bubble to open the Filter By menu and select an option to drill down into a grouping dimension and in doing so, create a dashboard runtime filter
  • Select a dashboard tab to navigate to in the Go To menu
Note

A dashboard runtime filter 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 bubble insight

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) enforces access to certain features and functionality. With Discretionary Access Control (DAC), a user who owns the dashboard can 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.

For more information about RBAC and DAC, refer to the Security Manager documentation.

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 bubble insight, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
  • Select Download as.
  • Select the download file format:
    • PNG
    • JPEG
    • PDF
    • SVG

View as Table

The View as Table is an Incorta Labs feature and a tenant configuration. A CMC Administrator must enable the feature.

To view a bubble insight as a Listing Table or Aggregated Table, follow these steps:

  • For the bubble insight, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
  • Select one of the following options:
    • View as Regular Table
    • View as Aggregated Table

For a Listing Table or Aggregated Table, you can:

Set Alert

You can set an alert that identifies specific changes to a bubble insight by defining a filter expression for a measure filter and/or individual filter.

  • For the bubble insight, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
  • Select Set Alert. Refer to the Scheduler document for additional information on Data Alerts.

Open Lineage

Starting with 2023.7.0, you can view the data lineage of each insight on the dashboard. The Data Lineage Viewer v2 displays the entities (tables, views, variables, and columns) that the insight references.

  • For the bubble insight, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
  • Select Open Lineage. The Data Lineage Viewer v2 opens displaying the data lineage diagram of the insight.

Steps to create a bubble insight

For an existing dashboard, to create a Bubble 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, select V.
  • In Charts, select the Bubble visualization.
  • From the Data panel, drag various columns to various trays in the Insight panel:
    • Horizontal
    • Vertical
    • Color by
    • Size by
    • Individual Filter
    • Aggregate Filter
  • Configure the pill properties using the Property panel or Filter panel.
  • Configure various insight properties using the Settings panel.
Adding insights starting 2023.4.0

After introducing the dashboard free-form layout in 2023.4.0:

  • The steps to add an insight to a dashboard are as follows:
    • In the Action bar, select Edit (pen icon).
    • From the Insight panel, drag the visualization that you want to the canvas, and then hover over the new insight and select Edit (pen icon) to launch the Analyzer.
  • To open an insight in the Analyzer, hover over the insight, and then select Edit (pen icon).
  • The steps to edit the insight in the Analyzer are still the same.

Example of a bubble insight

In this example, you will create a bubble insight that compares revenue by product category, subcategory, and product per region. The example uses the SALES schema that comes with the Sample Data.

Note

In the CMC, you can create a tenant that includes Sample Data. The Sample Data includes the SALES schema.

Add an insight starting 2023.4.0

  • In the Action bar, select Edit (pen icon).
  • From the Insight panel, from Charts, drag Bubble to the canvas, and then hover over the new insight and select Edit (pen icon) to launch the Analyzer.
  • 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.
  • From the Data panel, drag the following columns to the respective tray:
    • From the Sales table, drag the Revenue to the Horizontal tray.
    • From the Countries table, drag the Country to the Vertical tray.
    • From the Sales table, drag the Year to the Color by tray.
    • From the Products table, drag the Category to the Size by tray.
  • Edit the insight title to be Revenue by Country, Year, and Category
  • Select Save.