Line charts
There are two line chart components available in Dashboard Publisher. All line chart components must be connected to a data source.
Line Chart
Section titled “Line Chart”Displays time series data, with data point markers connected by a line.
Spline Chart
Section titled “Spline Chart”Displays time series data, with data point markers connected by a smoothed line.
Properties
Section titled “Properties”- Component Name — enter a label for the component (optional). The label will not be visible in the dashboard; it is useful for identifying components quickly while laying out your dashboard.
- Chart Format — set the Title (default “Chart Title”), Title Colour, Sub Title, Sub Title Colour and Font.
- Size — set the component’s Fill and Height.
- Chart Settings — includes:
- Downloadable Data — adds an export menu to the chart so viewers can download it as a JPEG, PNG or Excel file. It’s off by default.
- Data Sorting — None, Ascending or Descending.
- Smooth Data Gaps.
- Tooltips, with Tooltip Number Format and Tooltip Number of Decimals (default 1).
- Show Data Labels, with Data Labels Colour, Data Label Number Format and Data Label Number of Decimals (default 0).
- Line Width (Line Chart) or Spline Width (Spline Chart).
- Colours — there are 10 default colours pre-set in Dashboard Publisher. You can change any or all of these by clicking the arrow next to each colour.
- Horizontal Axis — includes Opposite Side, Reversed Direction, and grid line colour and width.
- Vertical Axis — set the Minimum Value, Maximum Value and Units, plus the same options as the horizontal axis.
- Legend — configure the legend settings.
- Border and Background — add borders and/or background colours to the component.
Data source settings
Section titled “Data source settings”When you connect a line chart to a data store, you’re asked to select supporting variable(s) - Limit: 1. This is the variable the data is plotted against. Save stays disabled until you choose one.
After a data source is connected, you can still change Decimal Places and Format with commas on the DATA SOURCE tab.
Each data source also has its own filter bindings on the DATA SOURCE tab. See Dashboard filters for details.
Frequently asked questions
Section titled “Frequently asked questions”Can I add multiple data sources to a line chart?
Yes. Both the Line Chart and Spline Chart support unlimited data sources, so you can plot multiple data series on the same chart for comparison.
What aggregation types do line charts support?
Line charts and Spline charts support Mean, NPS, and Categorical aggregation types.
What’s the difference between a Line Chart and a Spline Chart?
Both display time series data with data point markers. The Line Chart connects points with straight lines, while the Spline Chart connects them with smoothed curves. Spline charts can make trends easier to see when data points fluctuate.
Can line charts connect to data explorations?
Yes. Both the Line Chart and Spline Chart support connecting to data explorations as well as data stores.
How can viewers download a chart or its data?
Turn on Downloadable Data under Chart Settings. The chart then shows an export menu where viewers can download it as a JPEG, PNG or Excel file.
Why does my chart show an error icon instead of data?
This happens when a field the chart uses has since been excluded from exports and AI. Excluded fields are withheld from Dashboard Publisher, so they no longer appear in the variable pickers, and charts that already use them show an error icon. Connect the chart to a different variable, or ask the data owner whether the field can be included again.