Selecting columns on an axis

When creating a visualization, you select which data columns to show on various axes such as on the X-axis, the Y-axis and the color axis.

About this task

When you are an author and you are hovering over a visualization, you find column selectors along the axes or in the legend, which shows the currently selected column. For example, it can look like this:

To switch to another column, or to add more columns to an axis, either click the column selector itself and choose a column, or use the Data in analysis flyout to drag a new column to the visualization.

Selecting columns using the column selector

Procedure

In the visualization, click the column selector showing the column name.
A popover opens, which lists all columns in the data table. Depending on the type of axis and type of column data, the popover might look slightly different, as shown below. Axis selectors in the installed client can also be expanded to show more functionality.
Select a column in the popover.

Note: When applicable, also select an aggregation method from the top part of the selector.
If you want to show more than one column on the axis, click the plus sign next to the column selector, then select the column of interest. Click Remove to remove a column from the axis.

Tip: In the Display name field, you can specify your own display name for the axis. In the installed client you must expand the popover to see the field.
Click anywhere outside the popover to close it.
When the number of columns added to an axis exceeds three, the name of each column is no longer shown, only the number of columns.

Results

The visualization is updated.

After selecting a new column, you can adjust what you show on the axis using the scale label settings or the axis settings.

More about column selectors

Column selectors not only available on the axes, but also in the legend, in visualization properties and in certain dialogs or flyouts.

About this task

For the most part, column selectors behave in the same way regardless of where they are found in the application, but the available options depend on the context. Clicking the selector brings up a list of all available columns, together with any aggregation measures. See Other options than columns in column selectors to learn about menu alternatives which are not columns.

It is possible to search for columns and expressions in a search field. When you start typing in the search field of a column selector in the installed client, all columns containing the entered letters are listed in the selector. In the web client, you must press enter to perform the search. You also get a list of aggregation methods and/or any recent expressions where the entered letters are included:

Right-clicking the column selector will present a different menu, where some additional options can be changed, like the possibility to add multiple columns simultaneously by choosing Select columns, the use of Column from marked, or the option to add custom expressions. In the installed client, you can also handle column selections using a property, by choosing the Set from Property option.

If you have more than one data table in the analysis, and the data tables have some matching columns, you can select the data table to choose columns from the menu at the top left of the column selector popover. Read more in Multiple data tables in one visualization.

In the installed client, the expanded column selector popover provides the option to type a custom expression directly in the popover. You can right-click on a column from the list (before or after a search) to insert the column directly into the expression, at the current cursor location. You can also right-click a column and insert the column using a specified aggregation method.

Note that columns from other data tables than the main data table must be entered using their qualified name, that is, [Data Table Name].[Column Name] in the expression.

If you edit the expression, an Apply button in the shape of a bent arrow will show up. Click the apply button when you are done editing the expression. You can also press Ctrl+Enter on the keyboard to apply the expression.

Note: If you are manually editing the expression, the display name field will be unavailable until you apply the expression.

Right-click in the expression field to get access to Recent Expressions. See Expression and script editor keyboard shortcuts for some helpful keyboard shortcuts.

Note: The expression you see in the column selector only applies to that particular part of the axis expression. This means that if you have multiple columns on an axis and you want to edit the expressions for all columns, you must either open the column selector for each column, or, right-click the column selector and select Custom expression to edit the entire axis expression at once.

Some aggregation methods also present additional controls here in expanded mode. See Shortcuts to frequent custom expressions and the following topics for more information about the available controls for each aggregation method.

Selecting columns using the Data in analysis flyout

Procedure

If the Data in analysis flyout is not visible, click Data in analysis on the authoring bar.
In the flyout, find the column you want to visualize and drag it to the column selector in question.
- Alternatively, drag the column to the visualization, where different drop targets appear representing various axes. Drop the column on the axis of interest.
To show more than one column on the axis, select another column in the flyout, and drag it to the plus sign next to the column selector. Repeat to add more columns.

When the number of columns added to an axis exceeds three, the name of each column will no longer be shown, only the number of columns.