Defining Indicator Data

Data Columns

When you define indicator data, part of the information that you specify is the display attributes for each data column that is retrieved.

When you define an SQL query data source, you create a query that retrieves data from the data source. After you create the query, you submit the query for validation.

If the query is incorrect, the list is empty, and an error message is displayed.

Here is an explanation of the fields:

Column Name

is the name of the data column. You cannot modify this value.

In each type of display, Column Name is used as the default value for the names of the Category Label, Label, and Property Alias.

Category Label

is the data column that contains the name that is displayed on a KPI gauge or graph.

Label

is the data column that contains the formatted value that is displayed. This format can be a simple numeric value of a label.

An SQL query does not require this field. To create a formatted label at the bottom of a gauge, create the label as a formatted string in the SQL query, and then define that formatted string as the Label attribute.

Here is how Label appears in each type of display:

Display Type	Appearance of Label
All graphical displays	Displayed below each gauge and in tooltip text (to the right of the colon). For line and bar charts, displayed as the category for a given value.
Custom graph	Not used.
Dynamic prompt	Displayed in tooltip text.
Dynamic text	Not used.
KPI	Displayed below each gauge.
Spark table	Displayed in the value column.

Hyperlink

is the data column that contains hyperlinks.

In each type of display, hyperlinks are embedded in gauges or individual data points in graphs.

Property Alias

is the text that replaces the value retrieved for Label.

Here is how Property Alias appears in each type of display:

Display Type	Appearance of Property Alias
All graphical displays	Displayed as the axis label and in tooltip text (to the left of the colon).
Custom graph	Not used.
Dynamic prompt	Displayed in tooltip text.
Dynamic text	Not used.
KPI	Displayed as the axis label and in tooltip text (to the left of the colon).
Spark table	Displayed as the column heading.

Information Map Data Source

Overview

An information map data source easily aggregates data in such a flexible manner that a single information map can drive several different dashboard indicators.

OLAP Information Maps

The data returned from an OLAP information map is flattened into a two-dimensional table structure. You assign a role for each dimension when you define the data source. The roles are Column, Row, and Slicer.

Note: You must assign the role of Row to at least one data column.

For dimensions with the role of Row, the levels of each hierarchy are the data fields. The corresponding members of the level are the values of the data field, where the field name is the label for the level. The other data fields are the columns that are typically seen in an OLAP viewer. The field names for the data fields are the comma-delimited levels of the dimensions with the role of Column, in the order of the dimensions with the role of Row.

You can use the grouping feature of the bar chart with reference lines display with an OLAP information map to create a multi-dimensional display of data.