STACKED COLUMN
The plot shows the value of the metrics available in the dataset across periods in absolute value or as % of the total. It is inspired by the stacked column chart IBCS template.
PLOT DETAIL
The plot is run for the chosen metrics at the total level...
..and, for the chosen dimensions, it is run for the chosen metric.
Categories are sorted by decreasing total amount value with "other rank > x" on top of the plot.
The integrated legends can also be positioned on the left....
or on the right of the plot...
The column width changes based on the aggregation period. Greater for year...
....smaller for quarter...
...still smaller for month...
...smallest for week.
It will also change based on the kind of metric. IBCS suggests to show ration thinner. What is not the same should not look the same. Therefore Discount in Percent (a ratio) is thinner than Sales Net Discount (a revenue metric).
SMALL MULTIPLES PLOT
To plot the items as small multiples, set the Plot Small multiples widget to True
and hit the Submit button.
SUMMARY PLOT
A summary slide is also generated that shows the break down of the chosen metric by up to six dimension columns.
Use the "choose dimension to plot" widget...
to choose the metrics to plot.
SAVING THE PLOT
To save the plot as a PNG file, hover the top right side on the chart. A menu will appear. Click on the camera icon.
OTHER OPTIONS
Open the expander under the 📊 Plot type drop down menu by clicking on the ➕ sign.
Additional options are available for selection.
INTEGRATED LEGEND LABELS
The plot does not use external color legends. IBCS recommends that this information be displayed within the chart and that external legends be avoided.
You can choose whether to plot legend labels integrated in the bars and/or on the left of the column. Columns will be wider if labels are integrated into the bars. If the chart has more than 10 columns this widget is disabled and only left legend labels are shown.
Bar value (and legend) labels that would not fit in the chart are dropped...
...or shortened.
Legend labels shown on the left of the left-most column are always plotted with no shortening even if that means that they overlap. Blanks are replaced with line break html tags ("<"+"BR"+">") in longer labels. For instance, in the example below the Sports & Outdoors label is written on three rows.
The labels are editable and movable. You can delete a label, move a label on the right side of the chart, or delete a line break tag in a label.
MAX NUMBER OF TIME PERIODS
The app plots a maximum of 25 time periods, and a maximum of 6 data series, again following IBCS recommendations.
SHOW CAGR IN DATA COLUMN
You can choose to show the CAGR values.
If the widget is set to True, calculated CAGR values will be shown on the data column on the right of the plot. If the plot is in successive quarters, months or weeks, the CAGR metric will be compounded by quarter, month or week, and shown as CQGR, CMGR or CWGR.
All metrics present in the dataset are plotted at the total level. The "choose metric to plot" widget ...
....selects the metric to plot at the dimension / column level.
By default, the three top items in terms of total Amount are plotted, while the other items are aggregated together and plotted in light grey. You can change the number of top items.
NORMALIZED STACKED PLOT
Values can be plotted in absolute value, as a % of total dataset, as a % of total dataset after filters, or as a % of the result row. The last two options only make sense if you plot a result row.
ADD COMPANY NAME TO PLOT
You can add the company name to the plot title, as preconized by the IBCS standard.
The company name will appear in the title.
FIXING THE CHART SCALE ⚖️
You might have two charts you want to display together. Take this example.
This does not work because the charts have different scales. What is not the same here looks the same. This is not good.
You could try using scale bands. Scale bands need to be added manually, for example in Powerpoint.
However this is not an optimal solution. The values of the two charts are in the same region, so it makes more sense to plot both plots with the same upper Y-axis scale limit, which would give this, a much better representation.
To "fix" upper limit scale values you need first to figure out which is the chart with the highest value. Set the "Plot small multiples" widget to False and set the "Fix chart scale" widget to True. Submit to plot the chart.
Here it is!
On top of the chart a message will appear showing that the scale value of the chart - 5234 in this case - has been "fixed" and will now be used for plotting other charts.
Lets plot our second chart. We change the parameters accordingly and hit submit. The app now plots the second chart with the same scale...
...as you can see if you show them side by side.
To "free" the chart scale valuy simple set the "Fix chart scale" widget to False.
Submit again. The chart now has its own scale limit.
NEGATIVE VALUES
Negative values - for instance negative margins, will be plotted correctly, however value and legend labels might miss placed...
and need to be adjusted by hand.
Same in the case of % stacked bar charts...
... that also might need labels to be adjusted by hand.
EDIT AND MOVE LABELS
You can edit and move around plot titles and labels. In this chart..
...you can write the arts & crafts label on two rows (insert the HTML "br" tag written in capital letters, "BR") and adjust their position.
ANNOTATE CHARTS
It is possible to annotate charts with lines, rectangles and circles. It is possible to modify the shapes and move them around, and delete them.
Hover and click on the "draw line", "draw circle" and "draw rectangle" icons on the menu bar on the upper right of the chart.
Draw and edit your shapes.
ADD PLOT MESSAGE
It is possible to add messages to the chart, in the style suggested by the IBCS standard.
Add your message in the text box, one chart at a time.
Once you have finished writing the message for a chart, click on the 🚀 Submit button.
Your message will appear above the chart title
Now write another message on the text box of a different chart.
Click submit. Your second message appears above the second chart.
The downloaded image of the chart contains the message. You can also annotate the chart with shapes.
CHART TITLE
The chart title is set on three lines: the first line contains the reporting unit ("who"), the second line the business metric ("what") and the third line the time period ("when").
You can adjust the position of the title, the message text and the horizontal line by moving them around with the mouse.
CHOICE OF COLOR PALETTE
You can choose one of the nine available color palettes. Six are inspired by Mekko Graphics, the other are default Tableau and PowerBi palettes, and a palette inspired from the IBCS examples.
GREYSCALE PALETTE
Avoids decorative use of colors. Good for a limited number of items. Similar pallets are available in other colors (greens, blues, reds,...)
TABLEAU PALETTE
This elegant palette is both beautiful and functional.
CIRQUE PALETTE
This bright palette contains clusters with distinct color separations.
MODERN PALETTE
This fresh palette contains modern tones and stunning highlight colors.
BLUE & GREEN PALETTE
This contiguous palette creates a bi-chromatic chart in cool subdued hues.
KHAKI & DENIM PALETTE
This subdued palette great for complex charts.
POLO PALETTE
This subdued palette is good for charts requiring contrast between segments.
HEATING UP PALETTE
This bright palette is great for complex charts.
POWERBI PALETTE
A lively, colorful palette.
IBCS PALETTE
This functional palette minimizes the risk of confusion between colors .
