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Reports > Step 2: Creating Layouts > Showing Results in Charts

Showing Results in Charts

Use the Chart view to position columns on a chart and to customize the title, legend location, axis titles, data labels, size, and scale. You can select the chart graph, such as a line chart or a bar chart; the chart subtype, such as two-dimensional; and the style for columns, such as the shape and fill pattern. You can also set borders and colors and control other chart characteristics. Users can drill down on the results in the Chart view.

Chart graph choices include area charts, bar charts, bubble charts, line charts, and other types. Chart subtypes include 2D, 3D, absolute, clustered, stacked, combination, and custom.

This topic explains how to work with charts. It contains the following information:

• Chart Graphs
• Chart View Buttons
• Basic Chart Components

This topic also provides instructions for performing the following tasks:

• Adding or modifying chart views
• Specifying general properties for a chart view
• Controlling the display of grid lines in chart views
• Specifying the location of the legend on a chart view
• Setting colors for background, text, and borders in chart views
• Selecting the columns to display as axes in chart views
• Setting axis scaling options in chart views
• Editing scale markers in chart views
• Creating line scale markers
• Creating range scale markers
• Specifying advanced settings for range and line values
• Specifying axis titles and labels in chart views
• Specifying axis titles in chart views
• Specifying what happens when a user clicks a chart
• Formatting the appearance of a chart series
• Making selections for data labels in pie charts

NOTE: Oracle CRM On Demand uses a third-party charting engine. The type of the chart, its size, and the number of elements charted can affect whether axes or legends are displayed. Whether axes or legends are displayed is constrained by the amount of available space on the Web browser page. Sometimes, by adjusting the width and height controls, you can make axes and legends appear in the chart.

Chart Graphs

The following table shows the chart graphs available from the Graph drop-down list and describes their uses. Not all chart graphs are appropriate for all types of data. The default chart graph is a vertical bar chart.

Your selection for the chart graph determines the chart subtypes that are available from the Type drop-down list. Not all chart types have subtypes; for example, bubble and radar graphs have no subtypes. Chart subtypes default to the 3D option, if available. Depending on the chart type selection, subtype options might include the following:

• Area charts: 3D and 2D
• Bar charts: 3D, 2D, 3D Stacked, and 2D Stacked
• Line charts: 3D and 2D
• Pareto charts: 3D and 2D
• Pie charts: 3D and 2D
• Scatter charts: Scatter, and Scatter with Lines
• Step charts: 3D and 2D

Your selection for the chart type also determines the styles that are available from the Style drop-down list. Not all chart types have styles. The style defaults to solid fill, if available. Depending on the chart type selection, styles for charts might include the following:

• Area charts: Solid Fill and Pattern Fill
• Bar charts: Rectangle, Cylinder, Gradient, Triangle, Diamond, Pattern Fill
• Line charts: Rectangle, Cylinder, Gradient, Triangle, Diamond, Pattern Fill
• Pareto charts: Rectangle, Cylinder, Gradient, Triangle, Diamond, Pattern Fill
• Pie charts: Solid Fill and Pattern Fill

Chart View Buttons

The buttons at the top of the Chart View page provide access to various chart settings. The following table describes the Chart view buttons and settings.

Basic Chart Components

You can define the basic components for a chart. The following table describes the components you can customize.

NOTE: Some components are available only for specific chart types. For example, a pie chart does not have axes. The type of chart you select determines which components are available.

Adding or Modifying Chart Views

The following procedure provides the basic steps to add or modify a chart view.

SHOW ME

NOTE: If you select a chart graph that is incompatible with the results, no results are shown.

To add or modify a chart view

1. In the Create Layout page, perform one of the following actions:
   • To add a new chart view, click Add View, and then select Chart.
   • To edit an existing chart view, click the Edit View button for the chart view.

     The workspace shows the options and settings for the view.

2. Make your selections in the chart Graph, Type, and Style fields.

   Your selection in the Graph field, such as Pie or Line, determines the available choices for the Type and Style. For some graphs, only a default subtype or style is available.

   As you make selections from the drop-down lists, the Chart view changes to reflect your selections.

   TIP: You can add columns to the chart while you are in the Chart View page, by clicking the name of the field for each column in the Active Subject Area. Alternatively, you can navigate to the Define Criteria page to add additional columns. Any columns that you add in the Chart View page are added to the report overall; you can see columns in the Define Criteria page and also in other views, as well as in the Chart View page. To delete a column from the chart, you must navigate to the Define Criteria page, and click the Remove Column button for the column.

3. Use the buttons at the top of the Chart View page to specify additional chart settings.
4. To see the effects of your changes, click Redraw.

   You can click Redraw at any time to refresh the Chart view.

5. To remove changes and start from the original chart, click Restore Default.
6. To resize the chart, use the vertical and horizontal slide bars.
7. Save the report.

Specifying General Chart Properties in Chart Views

You can set general properties for the chart, such as a title and the appearance of data labels.

Data labels are enabled by default for selected 2D chart types.

The default setting for the chart size is to scale all elements of the existing chart, including height and width, to fit the available space. The height and width of the chart remain proportional to each other when the size of the chart changes. The chart automatically resizes the chart elements. The revised size is based on the space available within the chart. You can specify a fixed size for the chart in the General Chart Properties dialog box. The fixed size overrides the default size.

NOTE: The chart can expand significantly if the number of items being charted grows substantially.

For example, suppose you create a report to display the sales of three products, create a chart of the results with the product sales shown as three columns, and size the chart to occupy about 25 percent of the page. If the report is run later and six products are returned, the chart is expanded to twice its original width, or about 50 percent of the page, so that the widths of the individual columns in the chart remain constant.

The chart elements are resized as needed to fit into the chart. Using the preceding example, the chart continues to occupy about 25 percent of the page, and the columns are resized to fit in the available space.

To specify general properties for a chart view

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the General Chart Properties dialog box:

   

2. In the General Chart Properties dialog box, make your selections, and click OK.

   The chart view refreshes. The chart might resize to accommodate your selections.

Controlling the Display of Grid Lines in Chart Views

You can control whether grid lines display on the chart, and specify grid line colors.

To control the display of grid lines on a chart view

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Additional Charting Options dialog box:

   

2. In the Additional Charting Options dialog box, click the Grid Lines tab, make your selections, and click OK.

   The chart view refreshes.

Specifying the Location of the Legend in Chart View

You can specify the location of the legend, and set the options for resizing the legend.

To specify the location of the legend on a chart view

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Additional Charting Options dialog box:

   

2. In the Additional Charting Options dialog box, click the Legends tab, make your selections, and click OK.

   The chart view refreshes. The chart might resize to accommodate your selections.

Setting Colors for the Background, Text, and Borders in Chart View

You can specify the color for the chart background, text, and borders.

To specify the background, text, and border colors in a chart view

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Additional Charting Options dialog box:

   

2. In the Additional Charting Options dialog box, click the Borders & Colors tab, make your selections, and click OK.

   The chart view refreshes.

Selecting the Columns to Display as Axes in Chart View

You can select which columns appear in the chart and which axes represent those columns. Oracle CRM On Demand displays a matrix of the appropriate options. The left edge of the matrix lists the columns, and the top edge lists the axes types available for the chart type you are using. You can also indicate whether measure labels appear for factual data plotted on an axis.

The available axes change depending on the type of chart selected from the Graph drop-down list. The chart axis buttons used in chart view are described in the following table.

To select the columns to display as the axes on a chart view

1. In the columns area to the left of the chart, click the appropriate check box for one of the axis buttons to display that column as the corresponding axis in the chart.

   The axis buttons change depending on the type of graph selected from the Graph drop-down list.

2. To add a column to the chart, click the column in the selection area, and then set it as an axis.

   This is equivalent to adding the column to the report at the Define Criteria page.

3. Click Redraw to refresh the chart view.

Specifying Axis Scaling Options in Chart View

You can control the axis limits, tick marks, and scale type, and the properties of scale markers.

To specify axis scaling options for a chart view

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Axis Scaling dialog box:

   

2. In the Axis Scaling dialog box, make your selections, and click OK.

   For charts with numeric axes, the settings of the axis scaling options determine how the scale is selected:

   • When you select Default, Oracle CRM On Demand selects the scale and sets the axis to zero (0) for positive numbers.
   • When you select Zoom to Data Range, Oracle CRM On Demand selects the scale. It evaluates the range of values on the axis and selects the appropriate minimum and maximum values for the scale. This feature is useful when charting a set of large values that are all within a small percentage of each other. The chart zooms in on the values so differences are more easily distinguished.
   • You can also manually set the axis scaling values to specific numbers.

     The chart view refreshes. The chart might resize to accommodate your selections.

Editing Scale Markers in Chart View

Scale markers are accenting lines or shaded background ranges that mark key points, thresholds, ranges, and so on. The lines or ranges can be applied to one or more axes, depending upon the type of chart. Lines appear in front of the chart information, whereas ranges appear in the background.

NOTE: Some chart types, such as pie charts, do not use scale markers.

The following procedure provides the general steps to edit a scale marker.

To edit scale markers for a chart view

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Axis Scaling dialog box:

   

2. In the Axis Scaling dialog box, click Edit Scale Markers.
3. In the Scale Markers dialog box, click Add to add the first scale marker, and make your selections for the marker.

   Advanced options include setting the scale to a static value, a particular column name, or as the result of an SQL query. For more information about the types of scale markers and using the advanced options, see the procedures that follow this one.

4. Click OK successively to close the dialog boxes.

   The chart view refreshes. The chart might resize to accommodate your selections.

To create a line scale marker

1. In the Scale Markers dialog box, in the Type field, select Line.
2. Enter a line width in the third column.

   This value is the thickness of the line, in pixels.

3. Enter the position for the line in the fourth column.

   The position indicates where the line will be located on the axis. For example, if your left axis has values from 0 to 100, and you specify a position of 40, you see a horizontal line intersecting the 40 position on the vertical axis.

4. Enter the color for the line.
5. Enter a caption for the line.

   The caption appears when a user pauses the mouse over the line in the chart and in the legend.

6. Click OK.

To create a range scale marker

1. In the Scale Markers dialog box, in the Type field, select Range.
2. Enter the low end of the range in the third column.
3. Enter the high value of the range in the fourth column.

   NOTE: You must specify values that appear on the same axis as the range. For example, if your left axis has values from 0 to 100, and you specify 20 for low and 40 for high, the graph background appears in the color that you specify for the range between those values.

4. Enter the color for the range.
5. Enter a caption for the range.

   The caption appears in the legend.

6. Click OK.

Specifying Advanced Settings for Range and Line Values

The options for these values include: a static value, a value sourced from a column included in the report, or one derived from an SQL query.

To specify an advanced setting

1. Click the Properties button beside the field where you want to specify the advanced option.
2. Select one of the following options.
   • Static Value. Enter a numeric increment.
   • Variable Expression. This option is based on the results of a session and its presentation variables. This option is limited because most session or presentation variables might not be related to values on the chart.
   • Column Name. Choose a column on which to base the increment.
   • SQL Query. This option is based on the results of an SQL query. The results might be a table, but only the first row and first column cell value is applied.
3. Click OK.

Specifying Axis Titles and Labels in Chart View

You can specify the following for a chart view:

• Whether the axis titles and data labels display at the bottom and to the left of the chart
• Whether the labels are rotated to fit better in the chart
• The maximum label length
• The text for the label if it is different from the default text

NOTE: Adjusting the size of a chart can affect how the axis labels appear.

To specify an axis title on a chart view

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Axis Titles and Labels dialog box:

   

2. In the Axis Titles and Labels dialog box, make your selections, and click OK.

   The chart view refreshes.

   NOTE: When you set the Limit label length, specify the total number of characters that a label can contain. Ellipsis points (…) appear where any additional characters have been removed.

Specifying What Happens When a User Clicks a Chart

When a user views the chart, you can specify the type of interaction to occur if the user clicks the chart. The following are the types of interactions for a chart:

• Drill. Allows the user to drill down to more detailed information. This is the default interaction if a path for the drilldown is automatically configured. If no path for the drilldown is initially available, use Navigate to configure a customized path.
• Navigate. Allows the user to navigate to another saved report or dashboard.
• None. Disables drilling down or navigation from the chart.

To specify what happens when a user clicks a chart

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Additional Charting Options dialog box:

   

2. In the Additional Charting Options dialog box, click the Interaction tab, and make your selection for the interaction.
3. Click OK.

Formatting the Appearance of a Chart Series

Formatting a chart series allows users to customize individual series components. The formatting is based on their position. Users can format the appearance of a chart series, such as the color, line width, and line symbols.

For example, on a line bar combination chart with two data series, assume that the bar is position 1 and the line is position 2. Users can change the color of the bar, the width of the line, and the symbol representing the data points. Users can also apply rule-based formatting, such as applying a certain color when a position of the series is equal to a specified value.

To format the appearance of a chart series

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Series Format Control dialog box:

   

2. In the Series Format Control dialog box, make your selections.

   The choices available in the Series Format Control dialog box depend upon the chart type. For example, to do the following:

   • To customize a series, deselect the Use Default check box.
   • To restore a series to its default settings, select the Use Default check box again.
   • To add a new format series control, click the Add button. Even if the current chart does not use this series, it will be used if it is needed (such as for drilling).
   • To return all series to their default values, click the Clear All button.
   • To change colors, click the color box to access the Color Selector dialog box.
   • To change other series attributes, click the appropriate tab, and select the bar or line attributes.
3. Click OK.

Making Selections for Data Labels in Pie Charts

Data labels appear when a user pauses the mouse over elements in the pie chart. You can specify how values appear and what the data labels display. You can show values as percentages of the total or as actual values. Data labels can display the value or name only, or both the value and name.

Depending on your selection, the chart might resize to allow the data labels to appear.

To make selections for data labels in pie charts

1. Click the following button at the top of the Chart View page to open the Chart Type Special dialog box:

   

2. In the Chart Type Special dialog box, make your selections for the value and the data label. Then click OK.