Basic Control Parameters
Parameter | Mandatory | Description |
|---|---|---|
1. Data Source | Yes | Select the list containing the gauge sections |
2. Title | No | Title of the Gauge Chart Control |
Advanced Control Parameters
Parameter | Mandatory | Description |
|---|---|---|
3. External Item Selector | No | An external control which will be used as an item selector for this control |
4. Gauge radius | Yes | Indicates outer radius of the Gauge. Use 0 for auto size |
5. Scale radius | Yes | Indicates the radius of the scale. Use 0 for auto size |
6. Number of intervals | Yes | Determines number of major intervals on the gauge chart. |
7. Chart format | Yes | A format can be chosen from the Format list. This Format relates to the colors of the gauge elements: needle, numbers, background. Specify "Fore Color" for the numbers, "Back Color" for the needle, "Chart Series Color" for the background, "Chart Shape Color" for the background additional color. If you want to have a monocolor background, set "Chart Series Color" and "Chart Shape Color" to the same color. |
8. Range distance from scale | Yes | Determines the distance between the scale and the ranges |
9. Half-Circle | Yes | Allows to use a full or half-circle as gauge chart |
10. Scale | Yes | This defines the scaling used in the report. It can be overruled by the scaling in the Lists. |
11. Precision | Yes | Defines the number of decimals used for presenting the number. Options are 0-6. Similar to the Scale setting, The Precision setting is the default for all data in the report, but can be overruled by a specific (not -1) precision in the List. |
How to create a Gauge Chart
The behavior of the Gauge chart is defined by the list, used in the Data Source Parameter.
You can create a Gauge chart with the fixed values or a dynamic chart, which will change the behavior based on the item, picked from the related Item Selector (see External Item Selector report parameter).
Example 1
Let’s first consider a simple example of a Gauge chart for a single fixed KPI.
We will build a report, which will allow to see if the company has reached the target value (Budget) for the Gross Margin.
First, we need to create a list, which will be used as a Gauge Data Source:
- The dimensions to be included in the list are: Account and Category
- The first item in the list represents the actual value of Gross Margin
- The second item is the starting point for the chart – in this case it is zero and a multiplication by zero is used in the formula
#The third item represents a negative range – a multiplication formula is used (Budget value * 0.9) - The fourth item represents a neutral range – equals Budget value
#The fifth item represents a positive range – a multiplication formula is used (Budget value *2)
To define the colors of the Gauge ranges Maintain Formats menu is used.
You need to create a special Format for every range, specifying the Chart Series Color and Chart Line Width.
After creating the formats, apply them to the items in the Gauge Source list.
As a result, the Gauge Data Source list should look as follows:
After applying the list as a Data Source for the chart, fine tune the Report Parameters:
1. Set the Data Source to the list, created initially
2. Set the title to "Gross Margin" (the title will appear inside the Gauge chart)
3. Set Half-Circle parameter to Yes, so that the chart is displayed in the shape of a half-circle
In the end, we will get the Gauge Chart which displays the Gross Margin value compared to the set targets:
Example 2
Now let's consider an example of a dynamic report, which will allow to pick different accounts for the Gauge chart.
To achieve this we will combine a Gauge chart with an External Item Selector Control, also available in the Free Format Template.
1. First we will create a list to be used as an Item Selector and include there several accounts:
2. Then we will create the list, which will be used as a Gauge Data Source. Only Category dimension will be included in the list, as the account value will be defined by the Item Selector.
The ranges for the Gauge chart are defined the same way as in Example 1:
3. Now define the following Report Parameters:
- Set the External Item Selector parameter to Item Selector
- Set the Item Selector parameter to the list from Step 1
- Set the Data Source parameter to the list from Step 2
- Set the Half-Circle parameter to Yes
As a result, we will get the following Gauge Chart which display the values for any account, picked from the Item Selector:
