This sample uses the GCHART procedure in conjunction with the Annotate facility in the SAS/GRAPH software to create a series of bullet graph indicators, and then uses the GREPLAY procedure to arrange the indicators into a dashboard. This version is intended to run as a SAS stored process.

Note: Bullet graphs were invented by dashboard expert Stephen Few and are described in detail in Chapter 6 of Information Dashboard Design (Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2006).

For a sample of an individual indicator, see Create a bullet graph indicator for a dashboard using a stored process.

Five bullet graphs on the same page do not necessarily make up a dashboard, but they are useful building blocks that will be used later in a full-blown dashboard. To use this bullet graph macro, create a SAS data set that contains the following variables:

MYLABEL1

specifies the primary or large midpoint label, which is displayed to the left of the bar.

MYLABEL2

specifies the secondary or smaller midpoint label, which is displayed to the left of the bar.

BLANK

specifies a string of all Bs to reserve space for the labels.

ACTUAL

specifies the value for the dark bar that represents the actual value.

TARGET

specifies the value for the dark line that represents the target value.

RANGE1

specifies the maximum value of the first shaded area behind the bar.

RANGE2

specifies the maximum value of the second shaded area behind the bar.

RANGE3

specifies the maximum value of the third shaded area behind the bar.

VALUE_FORMAT

specifies the format that is to be used for the tick mark values along the axis.

BY_VALUE

specifies the tick mark increment for the values on the axis.

Note: This data set is similar to the data set in the Create a bullet graph indicator for a dashboard sample, except that it does not contain the TITLETEXT and MYLABEL variables, and it adds the MYLABEL1 and MYLABEL2 variables.

For each bullet graph, call the %DO_BULLET macro, passing in as parameters the data set name and the name of the GRSEG in which the graph will be stored temporarily. Here is an example that uses the data set MYDATA and stores the graphic in GRSEG PLOT1:

%do_bullet(mydata,plot1);

The bullet chart is created similarly to the chart in sample Create a single bullet graph indicator for a dashboard, except that the blank character is used as the bar midpoint value in order to reserve space for the labels, and MYLABEL1 and MYLABEL2 are annotated to the left of the bar. The %DO_BULLET macro is called five times, which generates the five bar charts and stores them in GRSEGs PLOT1 through PLOT5. The GREPLAY procedure is then used to replay the five charts into one page using a custom GREPLAY template.

The custom GREPLAY template is defined by specifying four X and Y coordinates for the rectangular area that will hold each graph. The units of the X and Y coordinates are the percentage of the total length of the axis where the coordinate is located, with 0,0 being at the bottom-left corner. Each rectangular area is assigned an ID number. Here is the layout of the GREPLAY template:

Note: The layout shown is not an exact representation of the areas. Space has been added around the borders of the areas to make the layout more apparent.

Here are the coordinates that place the Revenue bullet graph near the top of the dashboard in area 1:

   1/llx = 0   lly = 68
     ulx = 0   uly = 85
     urx =100  ury = 85
     lrx =100  lry = 68

where LLX is the lower-left X coordinate, LLY is the lower-left Y coordinate, and so on.

Area 0 is defined as the entire screen, and the GSLIDE procedure is used to create a title slide with the overall titles for the entire dashboard. Area 0 is defined in the custom GREPLAY template as follows:

   0/llx = 0   lly =  0
     ulx = 0   uly =100
     urx =100  ury =100
     lrx =100  lry =  0

Here is the GREPLAY procedure TREPLAY action statement that draws the appropriate charts into the desired areas of the custom GREPLAY template:

   treplay
    0:titles
    1:plot1
    2:plot2
    3:plot3
    4:plot4
    5:plot5

Note: For convenience and code readability, spacing is used in the TREPLAY action statement to make the layout correspond to the actual location of the charts in relation to one another.

Notice that the PLOT1 GRSEG is played into area 1.

For additional information about creating dashboard applications with SAS/GRAPH software, see SAS/GRAPH Dashboard Samples.

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These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

Note: This version is intended to be executed as a SAS stored process. For versions that can be executed in other ways, see

• interactive or batch version
• webDAV portlet version.

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/* This example uses SAS/GRAPH software to generate a bullet graph 
dashboard, as described by in "Information Dashboard Design" 
(Stephen Few. 2006. Sebastopol, CA. O'Reilly Media, Inc.).  */

/* Specify the name for the output file. */
%let name=bltdbSTP;

/* Set output options. */
goptions reset=all;
goptions device=gif;

/* Define range colors for the bullet graphs. */
%let color1=gray88;
%let color2=graybb;
%let color3=graydd;

/* Define bar and background colors for the indicator. */
%let barcolor=black;
%let backcolor=white;

/* If you need more space for the labels on the left side of bullets,
   add more B's to this string. */
%let blank=BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB;

/* Define fonts for indicator title and text. */
%let ftitle='swissb';
%let ftext='swissl';

/* Define the location of the HTML page that supplies drill-down details 
   for the indicator.  If you don't have Internet access, you must put
   the target HTML file where your browser can access it, then change the 
   following URL to point to your location. */
%let hardcoded_drilldown=http://support.sas.com/rnd/datavisualization/dashboards/generic_drilldown.htm;       

/**************************************************************************/
/* The do_bullet macro creates an individual bullet graph indicator.

The do_bullet macro accepts the following list of parameters:

data_name = name of the data set that contains indicator values
pltname = name of GRSEG to store the graph
*/

%macro do_bullet(data_name,pltname);
%local data_name pltname;

goptions xpixels=500 ypixels=125 noborder;

data temp_data; set &data_name;
run;

/* Read values from the indicator data set into macro variables. */
proc sql noprint;
   select range3 into :range3 from temp_data;
   select by_value into :by_value from temp_data;
   select unique value_format into :value_format from temp_data;
quit;     

%let range3=%trim(&range3);
%let by_value=%trim(&by_value);
%let value_format=%trim(&value_format);


/* Set the 'tool tip' for the chart to provide a link to an 
   HTML page with drill-down details. */
data temp_data; set temp_data;
   length myhtml $200;
   myhtml='title='||quote( 
      'Value: '||trim(left(put(actual,&value_format)))||'0d'x||
      'Target: '||trim(left(put(target,&value_format)))||
      ' ')||' '||
      'href="'||"&hardcoded_drilldown"||'"';
run;

data myanno;
   set temp_data; 
   length function $8 color $12 style $20 text $20;
   hsys='3';
   
      /* Annotate three colored areas (bars), representing the three ranges of values.
         Use when='b' so these will show up behind the real bar chart bar. */
   xsys='2'; ysys='1'; style='solid'; when='b'; 
   
   x=0; y=0; function='move';
   output;
   x=range1; y=100; function='bar'; color="&color1";
   output;
   
   x=range1; y=0; function='move';
   output;
   x=range2; y=100; function='bar'; color="&color2";
   output;
   
   x=range2; y=0; function='move';
   output;
   x=range3; y=100; function='bar'; color="&color3";
   output;
   
   /* Annotate a thick line representing the target value. */
   x=target; y=15; function='move';
   output;
   x=target; y=85; function='draw'; line=1; size=1.7; color="&barcolor";
   output;
   
   /* Annotate the midpoint value label to provide have the flexibility to 
      easily place multiple lines of text. */
   xsys='1'; ysys='1';
   x=-2; y=85; function='label'; when='a'; position='4'; style="&ftitle"; size=14; text=trim(left(mylabel));
   output;
   x=-2; y=30; function='label'; when='a'; position='4'; style="&ftext"; size=11; text=trim(left(mylabel2));
   output;
   
run;

/* Draw the custom bullet graph (consisting of a bar chart with 
   annotated color ranges behind it and an annotated target marker
   across the bar). */
goptions gunit=pct htitle=10 htext=9.5 ftitle=&ftitle ftext=&ftext;
goptions cback=&backcolor;


/* The offset to the right is important to guarantee that the bars will line up.
   Style=0 makes the axis lines invisible. */
axis1 order=(0 to &range3 by &by_value) major=(height=3) minor=none label=none offset=(0,9) style=0;

/* The offset here makes more room for the shaded area to be visible above 
   and below the bar. */
axis2 label=none value=(font=&ftext height=9 color=&backcolor) offset=(7,7) style=0;

/* Set the bar color. */
pattern1 v=s color=&barcolor;

title;
footnote;

proc gchart data=temp_data anno=myanno;
   format actual &value_format;
   hbar blank / discrete
      type=sum sumvar=actual
      raxis=axis1 maxis=axis2
      width=2.4  /* width of bar */
      coutline=same
      nolegend
      nostats
      noframe
      html=myhtml
      des=""
      name="&pltname";
run;
quit;

%mend do_bullet;

/**************************************************************************/
/* Delete all GRSEGs in the current session to ensure that indicators use
the expected names.  If a name is already in use, then an attempt to create
a new GRSEG using that name it will add a number to the name.  In that case, 
the subsequent GREPLAY will be placing the wrong GRSEGs into the dashboard.

Note: The macro code just checks whether there are any gsegs to delete.  If 
it tried to delete specific entries and none existed, then you would get an
error message: "ERROR: Member-name GSEG is unknown." */

%macro delcat(catname);
 %if %sysfunc(cexist(&catname)) %then %do;
  proc greplay nofs igout=&catname;
  delete _all_;
  run;
 %end;
 quit;
%mend delcat;
%delcat(work.gseg);

/**************************************************************************/

goptions border;

%let _GOPT_DEVICE=gif;
%let _ODSOPTIONS=gtitle gfootnote style=minimal;
%stpbegin;

goptions nodisplay;
goptions xpixels=600 ypixels=600;  

/* Title Slide */
goptions gunit=pct htitle=4 ftitle=&ftitle htext=3 ftext=&ftitle;
title ls=2.5 "Bullet Graph Dashboard";
title2 ls=2 "2005  YTD";
proc gslide des="" name="titles" /* anno=titlanno */;
run;


/* The indicator data set must have the folllowing variables
   because the macro is hard-coded to use them:
blank      blank space to annotate bar labels
mylabel    label beside bar
mylabel2   secondary label beside bar
target     target is annotated as thick mark
actual     value is length of black bar
by_value   by-value for axis tickmarks
range1     max value of dark gray area
range2     max value of middle gray area
range3     max value of light gray area (also end of raxis)
*/

/* Call the do_bullet macro five times using five different data sets.
   The resulting graphs will be saved into individual GRSEGs that can
   later be replayed them into a custom template to get all five on 
   the same page. */

options mprint;

data mydata;
   blank="&blank";
   mylabel='Revenue';
   mylabel2='U.S. $(1,000s)';
   target=250;
   actual=270;
   by_value=50;
   range1=150;
   range2=225;
   range3=300;
   value_format='comma7.0';
run;
%do_bullet(mydata,plot1);

data mydata;
   blank="&blank";
   mylabel='Profit';
   mylabel2='%';
   target=.27;
   actual=.225;
   by_value=.05;
   range1=.20;
   range2=.25;
   range3=.30;
   value_format='percent5.0';
run;
%do_bullet(mydata,plot2);

data mydata;
   blank="&blank";
   mylabel='Avg Order Size';
   mylabel2='U.S. $';
   target=550;
   actual=330;
   by_value=100;
   range1=350;
   range2=500;
   range3=600;
   value_format='comma7.0';
run;
%do_bullet(mydata,plot3);

data mydata;
   blank="&blank";
   mylabel='New Customers';
   mylabel2='Count';
   target=2050;
   actual=1750;
   by_value=500;
   range1=1400;
   range2=2000;
   range3=2500;
   value_format='comma7.0';
run;
%do_bullet(mydata,plot4);

data mydata;
   blank="&blank";
   mylabel='Cust Satisfaction';
   mylabel2='Top Rating of 5';
   target=4.5;
   actual=4.6;
   by_value=1;
   range1=3.5;
   range2=4.3;
   range3=5;
   value_format='comma7.0';
run;
%do_bullet(mydata,plot5);

goptions display;
goptions xpixels=600 ypixels=600;  

/* Create a custom greplay template.
   0 = whole screen (for the title slide)
   1-5 = spaces for the 5 bullet graphs) */
proc greplay tc=tempcat nofs igout=work.gseg;
   tdef bullets des='Bullet Dashboard'
   0/llx = 0   lly =  0
     ulx = 0   uly =100
     urx =100  ury =100
     lrx =100  lry =  0

   1/llx = 0   lly = 68
     ulx = 0   uly = 85
     urx =100  ury = 85
     lrx =100  lry = 68

   2/llx = 0   lly = 51
     ulx = 0   uly = 68
     urx =100  ury = 68
     lrx =100  lry = 51

   3/llx = 0   lly = 34
     ulx = 0   uly = 51
     urx =100  ury = 51
     lrx =100  lry = 34

   4/llx = 0   lly = 17
     ulx = 0   uly = 34
     urx =100  ury = 34
     lrx =100  lry = 17

   5/llx = 0   lly =  0
     ulx = 0   uly = 17
     urx =100  ury = 17
     lrx =100  lry =  0
   ;
run;

   /* Replay the title slide and the individual bullet graphs into the
      custom dashboard template. */
   template = bullets;
   treplay
      0:titles
      1:plot1         
      2:plot2         
      3:plot3         
      4:plot4         
      5:plot5         
      des=""
      name="&name";
run;
quit;

%stpend;

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These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

Source: Stephen Few, Information Dashboard Design (Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2006), 127.

The following file contains the full code for this sample. To download a copy, click on the link and select the Save option.

bulletGraphDashSTP.sas

Creates a sample dashboard containing multiple bullet graph indicators.

Note: Requires Service Pack 4 for SAS 9.1.3. See Service Packs for the SAS9 Platform.

Type:	Sample
Topic:	SAS Reference ==> Procedures ==> GSLIDE SAS Reference ==> Procedures ==> GCHART Query and Reporting ==> Creating Reports ==> Graphical ==> Graph Types ==> Dashboards

Date Modified:	2009-01-07 14:36:46
Date Created:	2006-12-23 03:03:01

Operating System and Release Information

Product Family	Product	Host	SAS Release
			Starting	Ending
SAS System	SAS/GRAPH	All	9.1 TS1M3	9.1 TS1M3