Working with Line Charts
Data Roles for a Line Chart
The basic data roles
for a line chart are categories and measures. You can assign one category
only, and the category values are plotted on the category axis. You
can assign many measures, and the measure values are plotted on the
response axis. If the line chart contains no measures, then the frequency
of the category values is plotted on the response axis.
In addition to the basic
data roles, you can assign these roles:
Group
groups the data based
on the values of the category data item that you assign. A separate
line is created for each data value.
Note: Grouping is not available
if you assign multiple measures to the visualization.
Lattice columns
creates a lattice of
charts with a column for each value of the category data item that
you assign.
Lattice rows
creates a lattice of
charts with a row for each value of the category data item that you
assign.
Forecasting
enables forecasting
for the line chart. Forecasting estimates future values for your data
based on statistical trends.
Note: Forecasting is available
only if a date or datetime data item is assigned to the visualization.
Underlying factors
if forecasting is enabled,
adds additional measures to the forecast as underlying factors. The
forecasting model evaluates the additional measures to determine whether
they contribute to the accuracy of the forecast. If the additional
measures do not increase the accuracy of the forecast, then they are
not used. If the additional measures do increase the accuracy of the
forecast, then the forecast line is adjusted, and the confidence bands
are narrowed.
The measures that you
add as underlying factors can also be used in a scenario analysis.
Note: Underlying factors are available
only if your line chart contains a single measure in the Measures role.
Specify Properties for a Line Chart
On the Properties tab,
you can specify the following options:
Name
specifies the name
of the visualization.
Title
specifies the title
that appears above the graph.
Note: The Title option
is disabled if you select Generate graph title.
Generate graph title
specifies that the
graph title is generated automatically based on the data items in
the visualization.
Show grid lines
displays grid lines
for each tick on the response axis.
Frequency
specifies whether the
frequency is displayed as a count (Count)
or as a percentage (Percent).
Note: The frequency values are
based on the data that is shown in the visualization (after filters
and other data selections have been applied).
Note: This option has no effect
if a measure is assigned to the visualization.
Measure layout
specifies whether the
measures share a single response axis (Shared axis)
or have separate response axes for each measure (Separate
axes).
Note: The Measure layout option
is disabled if your visualization contains exactly one measure.
Overview
specifies whether the
chart overview is enabled.
Show markers
shows markers for the
data points in the visualization.
Show data labels
shows the data values
as text in the visualization.
Note: You can always view a data
value as a data tip when you position the cursor over a data value.
Thin data labels
removes data labels
as necessary to avoid overlap. The thinning algorithm retains the
labels for local high points and low points on the line chart.
Rotate axis labels
displays the category
labels at an angle.
Reference Lines
adds reference lines
to the visualization. To create a reference line, click 
, and then specify the parameters for the line in
the New Reference Line window.
, and then specify the parameters for the line in
the New Reference Line window.
The name of each reference
line appears below the Reference Lines option.
You can edit or delete your reference lines by using the icons next
to each name.
Duration (if forecasting is enabled)
specifies the number
of data intervals to forecast.
Note: This option is available
only if forecasting is enabled for the visualization.
Confidence (if forecasting is enabled)
specifies the degree
of confidence for the confidence band. The default value is 95%.
Sort Data Values
By default, for category
data, a line chart is sorted in descending order by the value of the
first measure. To change the sorting, right-click on the data item
that you want to sort on, and then select Sort
sort-method.
sort-method.
Note: If the visualization contains
a rank, then, by default, the data is sorted based on the values of
the rank.
Note: Sorting is not available
if a datetime data item is assigned to the Category role.
Forecasting
About Forecasting
Forecasting uses the
statistical trends in your data source to predict future data values.
Forecasting is available only if a date or datetime data item is assigned
to the visualization.
In addition to the predicted
future data values, the forecast displays a confidence band. For more information,
see
Forecasting.
Enable Forecasting
To add forecasting to
a line chart, select Forecasting on the Roles tab.
Note: The line chart must contain
a date or datetime data item to apply forecasting.
On the Properties tab
for the line chart, you can adjust the number of data values to predict
by using the Duration option. You can specify
the degree of confidence for the confidence band by using the Confidence option.
On the Roles tab,
you can add additional measures to the forecast as Underlying
factors. The forecasting model evaluates the additional
measures to determine whether they contribute to the accuracy of the
forecast. If the additional measures do not increase the accuracy
of the forecast, then they are not used. If the additional measures
do increase the accuracy of the forecast, then the forecast line is
adjusted, and the confidence bands are narrowed.
Note: Underlying factors are available
only if your line chart contains a single measure in the Measures role.
The measures that you
use as underlying factors can also be used in scenario analysis and
goal seeking. For
more information, see
Working with Scenario Analysis and Goal Seeking.
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