Designing a Chart in 10 Steps

This page describes in general terms the 10 steps that you must take to create a chart. More detailed information about various customization options are included in Detailed Design Information.

The following two screenshots show each of the 10 steps on the user interface:

Screenshot 1 of the Charting Editor

Screenshot 2 of the Charting Editor

To start creating a new chart, click Add from the Charting Editor home page.

Step 1: Enter Your Chart’s Basic Details

On the Chart details tab, enter the following basic details for your chart:

Tip: Don’t click the Advanced button now. It’s easier to configure advanced settings later, once can you see a live preview of your chart.

Step 2: Select the Data Source for Your Chart

On the Data source tab, select your chart’s data source:

  • Campaign: Your INTERACTION_X table
  • Custom stored procedure: A stored procedure you’ve created in a database
  • Table or view: A table or view in a database

Note: In later steps you’ll pick the field(s) that you want to show. You’ll also be able to filter the data in your data source.

Step 3: Add a Graph (or Graphs)

On the Graphs tab, add the graphs that you want to show on your chart.

A pie/donut chart can only have a single graph; this determines the size of each slice. Pie/Donut’s graph contains the data about number of calls.

A serial chart can have multiple graphs; these can either be line or column/bar graphs. Serial (Column/Bar/Line) all have two graphs: one containing the number of calls for Business Travel and the other containing the same for Personal Travel.

Note: You may want to show graphs on different axes (see Multiple Axes). If so, you’ll need to add a new axis in the Vertical axes tab. You’ll then need to return to the Graphs tab and, for each graph, specify on which axis that graph should be shown.

Step 4: Configuring the Horizontal Axis / Pie Sectors

On the Horizontal axis tab (for serial charts) or the Pie sector tab (for pie/donut charts), select the field for your categories.

For a pie/donut chart, this determines the slices that are shown on your chart. Pie/Donut has two slices: Business Travel and Personal Travel.

For a serial chart, this determines what is shown on the category axis. Serial (Column/Bar/Line) all show weeks on the category axis.

Note: If you’re configuring a serial chart, imagine a column chart. If you later rotate your chart (to create a bar chart), this tab will automatically be renamed Vertical axis (and the Vertical axes tab will be renamed Horizontal axes).

Step 5: Configuring the Vertical Axes (Serial Charts Only)

On the Vertical axes tab, configure the value axis or axes that you want to show on your serial chart. Serial (Column/Bar/Line) all have one value axis showing the number of calls.

If you want to show multiple graphs of the same type against the same value axis, then you can select a Stack type. Clustering vs Stacking show the different stack types.

Step 6: Adding Conditions (Optional)

On the Conditions tab, you can add conditions to filter the data shown on your chart. For example, to include data from the last 4 weeks only, you’d add a condition to filter out all older data.

Note: There’s also a Condition field on the Graphs tab. That field is different: it filters on an individual graph (for example, to make the graph show Business Travel data only and not also Personal Travel data).

Step 7: Adding Dropdowns (Optional)

On the Dropdowns tab, you can add dropdowns to let a user filter the data shown on your live chart.

Step 8: Previewing Your Chart

Click Preview data/chart to see a preview of your chart.

Step 9: Configuring Advanced Settings

Use the advanced settings tabs to configure your chart’s advanced settings. The chart preview will immediately show the impact of your changes.

For a pie/donut chart, there are two tabs:

  • Chart: Here you can do things like turn your pie chart into a donut chart, make your chart look 3D, and configure animation settings.
  • Legend: Here you can configure whether a legend should be shown on your chart and, if so, how it should look.

For a serial chart, there are five tabs:

  • Chart: Here you can do things like turn a column chart into a bar chart, add other features, make your chart look 3D, and configure animation settings.
  • Horizontal axis: Here you can configure the look of your category axis.
  • Vertical axes: Here you can configure the look of your value axis (or axes).

  • Guides: Here you can configure guides to show on a value axis.

  • Legend: Here you can configure whether a legend should be shown on your chart and, if so, how it should look.

Step 10: Making Your Chart Live

Click Save to save your changes and then Cancel to return to the main page. Finally, click Make live to make your chart live.