Visuals
A visual draws the data of your data model: a chart, a card, a table or a slicer. This page lists every visual type and its wells.
Before you start
Section titled “Before you start”- Open the report in the editor. See Create a report.
- Visual type names, well names and format card names are in English in both languages.
Add a visual and fill its wells
Section titled “Add a visual and fill its wells”- In Visualizations, pick a type. A new visual lands on the page.
- In the Build tab, drag fields from the Data pane into the wells. Or select the visual and click fields in the Data pane: Fresco BI puts each in a well that takes it.
- Drag a chip to reorder it or to move it to another well.
Wells take two kinds of fields:
- Group wells (X-axis, Legend, Rows, Category…) take columns, date columns and hierarchies.
- Value wells (Y-axis, Values, Tooltips…) take measures. A column dropped there is aggregated, for example “Sum of Amount”.
A well that cannot take a field says This well does not take that field. A full well says This well is full.
Chip options
Section titled “Chip options”Click the arrow on a chip in a well:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rename for this visual | A name for this visual only. Leave it empty to use the data model name again. |
| Remove field | Takes the field out of the well. |
| Move to | Moves the chip to another well. |
| Aggregation | For an aggregated column: Sum, Average, Minimum, Maximum, Count or Count (distinct). |
| Show value as | Percent of grand total or Running total. A matrix also has Percent of row total and Percent of column total. Only on charts, tables and matrices that group values. |
| Number format | Model format, Whole number (1,235), Two decimals (1,234.57), Percent (12.3%) or Custom… (for example #,##0.00 or 0.0%). Values only, plus any column in a table. |
| Show items with no data | Also shows group values that have no data. |
Charts: column and bar
Section titled “Charts: column and bar”Use column charts to compare values across categories. Use bar charts when category names are long or there are many categories.
| Visual | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Clustered column chart | Compare one or more values side by side per category. |
| Clustered bar chart | The same, with horizontal bars. |
| Stacked column chart / Stacked bar chart | Show a total per category and the parts that make it up. |
| 100% stacked column chart / 100% stacked bar chart | Compare the share of each part; every column adds up to 100%. |
Wells of column charts (bar charts swap the axes: the category goes in Y-axis and the values in X-axis):
| Well | Takes | Fields |
|---|---|---|
| X-axis | Columns, dates, hierarchies | 1 to 6 |
| Y-axis | Measures | 1 to 8 |
| Legend | A column | 0 or 1 |
| Tooltips | Measures | 0 to 10 |
| Small multiples | A column | 0 or 1 |
Charts: line, area and ribbon
Section titled “Charts: line, area and ribbon”Use line and area charts for trends over time.
| Visual | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Line chart | A trend over time or an ordered axis. |
| Area chart | A trend with the area under the line filled. |
| Stacked area chart | A trend of a total and its parts. |
| 100% stacked area chart | How the share of each part changes over time. |
| Ribbon chart | How the rank of each legend member changes from one category to the next. |
| Well | Line chart | Area charts | Ribbon chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| X-axis (columns, dates, hierarchies) | 1 to 6 | 1 to 6 | 1 to 6 |
| Y-axis (measures) | 1 to 8 | 1 to 8 | 1 |
| Secondary y-axis (measures) | 0 to 4 | — | — |
| Legend (a column) | 0 or 1 | 0 or 1 | 0 or 1 |
| Tooltips (measures) | 0 to 10 | 0 to 10 | 0 to 10 |
| Small multiples (a column) | 0 or 1 | 0 or 1 | — |
A line chart with a Secondary y-axis has no Legend.
Charts: line and column (combo)
Section titled “Charts: line and column (combo)”Use a combo chart to show two kinds of values on one axis, for example revenue as columns and margin as a line.
- Line and clustered column chart
- Line and stacked column chart
| Well | Takes | Fields |
|---|---|---|
| X-axis | Columns, dates, hierarchies | 1 to 3 |
| Column y-axis | Measures | 1 to 4 |
| Line y-axis | Measures | 0 to 4 |
| Column legend | A column | 0 or 1 |
| Tooltips | Measures | 0 to 10 |
| Small multiples | A column | 0 or 1 |
With a Column legend, the chart takes exactly one column value. The lines can use the Secondary y-axis card in Format.
Charts: parts of a whole
Section titled “Charts: parts of a whole”| Visual | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Pie chart | The share of a few categories in a total. |
| Donut chart | The same, with a hole that can show a Center value. |
| Treemap | Shares of many categories, as nested rectangles. |
| Funnel | Values that drop from stage to stage, such as a sales pipeline. |
| Waterfall chart | How a starting value goes up and down to a total. |
| Visual | Wells |
|---|---|
| Pie chart, Donut chart | Legend (the category, 1), Values (1 measure), Details (0 or 1 column), Tooltips (0 to 10) |
| Treemap | Category (1 to 3 levels), Values (1 measure), Details (0 or 1 column), Tooltips (0 to 10) |
| Funnel | Category (the stages, 1), Values (1 measure), Tooltips (0 to 10) |
| Waterfall chart | Category (1), Breakdown (0 or 1 column), Y-axis (1 measure), Tooltips (0 to 10) |
The funnel can show a Conversion rate label. The waterfall has Sentiment colors and a Total column.
Charts: scatter
Section titled “Charts: scatter”Use a Scatter chart to see how two measures relate, one point per item.
| Well | Takes | Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Values | A column: one point per value | 1 |
| X-axis, Y-axis, Size | Measures, in this order: X-axis, Y-axis, then the optional Size | 2 or 3 |
| Legend | A column, to color the points | 0 or 1 |
| Tooltips | Measures | 0 to 10 |
The Number of data points card sets how many points are drawn: 100 to 10,000, 3,500 by default.
Single values: card, KPI and gauge
Section titled “Single values: card, KPI and gauge”| Visual | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Card | One or more big numbers, such as total revenue. |
| KPI | A value, its trend and how it compares with a target. |
| Gauge | A value on a scale from a minimum to a maximum, with an optional target. |
| Visual | Wells |
|---|---|
| Card | Values (1 to 10 measures), Categories (0 to 2 columns: one card per value), Reference labels (0 to 3 measures), Tooltips (0 to 10) |
| KPI | Value (1 measure), Trend axis (0 or 1 column or date), Target (0 or 1 measure) |
| Gauge | Value (1 measure), Minimum value, Maximum value, Target value (0 or 1 measure each), Tooltips (0 to 10) |
A card with Categories shows at most 200 cards. Instead of a field in Minimum value, Maximum value or Target value, you can type a number in Min, Max or Target of the Gauge axis format card.
Table and matrix
Section titled “Table and matrix”Use a Table for a detailed list. Use a Matrix for a cross-tab with row and column groups, subtotals and totals.
| Visual | Wells |
|---|---|
| Table | Columns: 1 to 32 columns and measures |
| Matrix | Rows (1 to 5), Columns (0 to 3), Values (0 to 10 measures) |
Table:
- Click a column header to sort. Shift+click adds a second sort key, up to five.
- A table shows the first 1,000 rows. Above that it says so: filter the data, or use a matrix.
- Format cards: Style presets, Grid, Column headers, Values, Totals, Column width, Cell elements, URL icon.
Matrix:
- Expand and collapse row groups with Expand, Collapse, Expand all and Collapse all.
- The Layout and subtotals card sets the Layout (Stepped or Outline), Show values on (Columns or Rows), row and column subtotals and grand totals, and Rows expanded to level.
- A matrix refuses more than 2,000 rows, 100 columns or 10,000 cells. Filter the data or remove fields from Rows or Columns.
Slicer
Section titled “Slicer”A Slicer lets viewers filter the page. It has the wells Field (1), Child levels (0 to 5), Label (0 or 1 column) and Highlight label (0 or 1 measure). See Slicers.
Map is in the type list but marked Coming soon. It cannot be added yet.
Page elements
Section titled “Page elements”Text box, Image, Button, Shapes, Page navigator and Bookmark navigator are added from the ribbon. See Canvas objects.
Date hierarchy
Section titled “Date hierarchy”When the data model has a Date Hierarchy for a date column, the Data pane shows its levels: Year, Quarter, Month, Day.
- Drop the date column on an axis well: it fills the well with the levels, in that order.
- Drag the whole hierarchy, or one level.
- On the chip, pick Date Hierarchy or the plain date column.
With several levels or fields on the axis, viewers can drill down and up. See Interactions.
Small multiples
Section titled “Small multiples”Drop a column into Small multiples to draw one small chart per value of that column, each over its own rows. Column, bar, line, area and combo charts have this well. At most 12 panels are drawn; a note counts the panels not shown.
Conditional formatting
Section titled “Conditional formatting”The Cell elements card colors values by rules. It is on the Table, Matrix, Card, and on the clustered and stacked column and bar charts, the line, area and combo charts. Next to some color properties, an fx button opens the same rules for that color.
- Select the visual and open Format.
- Open Cell elements and add a format for a value field.
- Pick a mode and what it colors.
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gradient | A color scale between the lowest and highest value (2 or 3 stops). |
| Rules | A color when the value is Greater than, Less than, Equal to, Between… a number or a percent. |
| Data bars | A bar in the cell, sized by the value. Table only. |
| Icons | Arrows, Traffic lights or Marks by rule. Table and card only. |
| Field value | The color returned by a measure (Measure that returns the color). |
A format colors the Background or the Font color; on a table or card it can also be a Badge. A visual has at most 30 formats, and a format at most 20 rules.
Analytics
Section titled “Analytics”The Analytics tab adds reference lines to charts. Click + Add next to a line type.
| Line | Charts |
|---|---|
| X-axis constant line | Column, bar, line, area, ribbon and scatter charts |
| Y-axis constant line | All the charts above, plus combo and waterfall charts |
| Min line, Max line, Average line, Median line, Percentile line | Clustered column and bar charts, line chart, area chart, scatter chart |
| Trend line | Clustered column chart, line chart, area chart, scatter chart, line and clustered column chart |
| Error bars | Clustered column and bar charts, line chart, line and clustered column chart |
| Symmetry shading | Scatter chart. Marked Coming soon: it cannot be added yet. |
Each line has a name, color, transparency, style, width, position (In front or Behind) and an optional data label. A visual has at most 10 lines. X-axis constant line and Trend line need a continuous X-axis.
How much data a visual shows
Section titled “How much data a visual shows”| Visual | Rows or points |
|---|---|
| Charts and tables | The first 1,000 |
| Line and area charts | The first 3,500 |
| Scatter chart | Number of data points: 100 to 10,000 |
When a visual shows only part of the data, a note says so. Filter the data to see the rest. Several charts also have a Top N card that shows only the first N groups (1 to 1,000).
Frequently asked questions
Section titled “Frequently asked questions”Why can I not add a second value? The chart has a Legend field. A chart with a legend takes exactly one value.
Why is a well grayed out? Another well limits it. The message under the well says which one.
Why is my measure blank? It may be marked Needs rewrite. Rewrite its expression on the Measures page. See Measures.