Creating a Column Chart Widget

Column charts are useful for comparing multiple items and for comparing data over time. The column chart can include multiple values on both the x-axis and y-axis. It can also include a breakdown by categories.
To create a column chart:
  1. Click Dashboards tab, the Dashboards tab, and select a dashboard from the list.
  2. In the Widget library panel, click Create new widget button, the Create new widget button, to create a widget and open it in the Widget Designer.
    For more information, see Creating Widgets.
  3. In the Widget Designer, select Column Chart from the list of widget types in the top-left corner.
  4. In the data panel on the left, add data to the widget:
    1. In the Categories section, click Add button, the Add button, and select the field whose values you want to place on the x-axis.
      Usually, the x-axis in a column chart is used for descriptive data.

      You must add at least one item to the x-axis. You can add at most two items. When you add two x-axis items, the two x-axes are grouped.

      To change the order of the categories, drag a category up or down in the Categories list.

    2. In the Values section, click Add button, the Add button, and select the fields whose values determine the height of the columns.
      Usually, the values in a column chart represent numeric data.

      You must add at least one field in the Values section. When you add more than one field, each item is represented in the chart by its own color and column.

      Note: If one of the values uses a considerably different scale, you can add it to the right axis. Click Options button, the Options button, and select Show on Right Axis.
    3. In the Break by section, click Add button, the Add button, and select the field that you want to use to group the data represented in the chart.
      Each group is represented by a different column and is automatically added to the chart legend.

      You can use a Break by field under these conditions:

      • You can add only one Break by field.
      • The Break by option is available only when a single field is selected in the Values section.
      • If you used the Break by option, you can select only one field in the Values section.

  5. In the Design tab on the right, customize the appearance of the widget:
    1. Under Column Type, specify how the columns are represented in the widget.
      • Classic: Columns are displayed side by side.
      • Stacked: Columns are stacked on top of each other and do not overlap. You can hover over the columns to see the percentage distribution among the values.
      • Stack 100: Columns are stacked on top of each other and do not overlap. The combined column is stretched to represent 100%. This option is most commonly used when the relative distribution of the values is more important than their aggregation.
    2. Under Legend, specify whether to show or hide the legend and set its position.
    3. Under Value Label, specify whether to show or hide labels with values and set their orientation.
    4. Under X-Axis, specify whether to show or hide the x-axis and select the graphical elements that you want to include.
      These options are available:
      • Grid Lines: Displays grid lines on the x-axis.
      • Labels: Displays labels on the x-axis.
      • Title: Displays the x-axis title. You can use the default title or enter a different title in the text box.
    5. Under Y-Axis, specify whether to show or hide the y-axis and select the graphical elements that you want to include.
      These options are available:
      • Grid Lines: Displays grid lines on the y-axis.
      • Logarithmic: Displays the data using orders of magnitude.
      • Labels: Displays labels on the y-axis.
      • Title: Displays the y-axis title. You can use the default title or enter a different title in the text box.
      • Min, Max, Intervals: To change the default minimum, maximum, or interval values on the y-axis, enter new values in the text boxes. To restore any of the values to their default states, click Reset button, the Reset button.
    6. Under Auto Zoom, enable or disable the automatic zoom function.
      When a widget contains more data than can be displayed in the view, the Auto Zoom option resizes the chart automatically and, if necessary, displays a zoom bar. The zoom bar lets you scroll right and left or up and down and zoom in and out of different parts of the widget.
  6. Click Apply.
Parent topic: Creating Widgets