How to Use Bullet Graphs

Bullet Graphs can be shown both separately in a text area or be included as a column in a graphical table. The behavior of the bullet graph is quite similar in both places, but some differences exist. Therefore, this list of step instructions has been split into three different sections: Graphical table specific information, Text area specific information, and General information applicable to both instances.

Graphical table specific information

When bullet graphs are included in a graphical table, the settings for the bullet graph item normally control a number of separate bullet graphs, one for each value in the graphical table row axis.

• To add a bullet graph column to a graphical table:

1. Right-click on the graphical table to display the pop-up menu.

2. Select Add > Bullet Graph.

Response: A new bullet graph column is added to the graphical table. A first attempt to set up a suitable bullet graph is made by the application, but you probably want to adjust the settings.

Comment: You can also add a new bullet graph column by using drag-and-drop. See Drag-and-Drop to learn more. Or, you can add a new bullet graph from the Axes page of the Graphical Table Properties dialog.

3. Right-click on the new column and select Bullet Graph Settings from the pop-up menu.

Comment: Note that each bullet graph column added to a graphical table has its own settings.

4. On the Bullet Graphs page, select a column or expression in the Calculate values using field.

Comment: This is the horizontal bar in the bullet graph.

5. Select a column or expression in the Calculate comparative values using field. If you do not want to use a comparative value, select Remove in the column selector.

Comment: This is the vertical line in the bullet graph, sometimes also referred to as the target value.

6. If desired, change the Color of the bar and/or vertical line.

7. On the General page, you may want to change the Name of the new column to something that describes the bullet graph content.

Comment: You can hide the name from the graphical table by clearing the Show name in header check box. (The entire header row of the graphical table can also be hidden by clearing the Header row check box on the Appearance page of the Graphical Table Properties.)

8. If desired, make other changes to the default settings, such as changing the filtering scheme on the Data page, adding color ranges, or an action, see below.

9. When you are done, click Close.

• To remove a bullet graph column from a graphical table:

1. Right-click on the column header of the bullet graph column you want to remove.

2. Select Remove from the pop-up menu.

• To change the column header for a bullet graph column:

1. Open the Bullet Graph Settings dialog on the General page by right-clicking on the bullet graph column header and select Bullet Graph Settings from the pop-up menu.

2. Type a new Name for the column.

3. Make sure that the Show name in header check box is selected.

4. Click Close.

• To hide the column name from a graphical table:

1. Open the Bullet Graph Settings dialog on the General page by right-clicking on the bullet graph column header and select Bullet Graph Settings from the pop-up menu.

2. Clear the Show name in header check box.

Comment: The entire header row of the graphical table can be hidden from the Appearance page of the Graphical Table Properties.

3. Click Close.

• To lock the bullet graph so it does not react to filtering:

1. Open the Bullet Graph Settings dialog and go to the Data page.

2. Make sure that the Specify separate data limiting radio button is selected.

3. Clear all check boxes under Limit data using filterings.

Comment: You can also select one specific filtering scheme and keep from modifying any of the filters in it.

4. Click Close.

Text area specific information

When a bullet graph is used in a text area it works slightly different from when it is included in a graphical table. For example, you will not get instant feedback to your setting changes since the bullet graph does not show up until you leave the edit mode. However, the placement of the edit box tells you where in the text area the bullet graph will show up. Below are some useful tips for working with bullet graphs in the text area.

• To add a bullet graph to a text area:

1. Create a text area where you want the bullet graph to reside.

2. Click on the Toggle Edit Mode button, , in the text area title bar to make sure that the text area is in edit mode.

Comment: You can also right-click and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

3. Type some descriptive text in the text area regarding what the bullet graph will show.

4. Click on the Insert Dynamic Item button,, and select the Bullet Graph option.

Response: The Bullet Graph Settings dialog is displayed.

5. Go to the Bullet Graphs page.

6. In the Calculate values using field, select a column or expression to define the horizontal bar in the bullet graph.

7. Select a column or expression in the Calculate comparative values using field, to define the vertical line in the bullet graph. If you do not want to use a comparative value, select Remove in the column selector.

8. If desired, change the Color of the bar and/or vertical line.

9. If desired, make other changes to the default settings, such as changing the filtering scheme on the Data page, adding color ranges, or an action, see below.

10. When you are done, click OK.

Response: The bullet graph is added to the text area. Exit edit mode to view the final result.

• To resize the bullet graph in a text area:

1. Click on the Toggle Edit Mode button, , in the text area title bar to make sure that the text area is in edit mode. You can also right-click and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

Response: The outline of the bullet graph is shown as a gray box.

2. Click on the gray edit box to select it and drag either of the corners to resize the box.

3. Click on the Toggle Edit Mode button, , in the text area title bar again, or click outside the text area in any other visualization to leave the Edit mode.

Response: The final result is shown in the text area.

Comment: You can always reset the size of the bullet graph to the original size if you change your mind. Just open the Format Control dialog by right-clicking on the gray box, click on the Reset button and then OK, and the size will be reset.

• To lock the bullet graph so it does not react to filtering:

1. Open the Bullet Graph Settings dialog and go to the Data page.

2. Clear all check boxes under Limit data using filterings.

Comment: You can also select one specific filtering scheme and keep from modifying any of the filters in it.

3. Click OK.

General information

• To add color ranges to the bullet graph:

You can add color ranges to a bullet graph in order to define, for instance, within which range performance is considered to be good enough. In the example below, color ranges have been added to indicate that if the bar is within the leftmost range, then performance is below what is acceptable, but as long as the bar is within the rightmost range it is OK.

1. Open the Bullet Graph Settings dialog and go to the Color Ranges page.

2. Select the Show color ranges check box to enable the settings: the Add button, a color selector, , and an empty text field.

Response: One single color range will be displayed in the bullet graph.

3. Click the Add button to add another color range.

Response: A column selector appears, and below it, another color selector with an empty text field.

4. In the column selector, define the value that should be the limit between the added color range and the one above it. You can choose a column directly from the column selector. Or, you can right-click to open the Custom Expression dialog and specify an expression to use.

Comment: The start value of the first color range will automatically be the lowest value of the bullet graph scale, and the end value of the last color range will automatically be the highest value of the scale.

Tip: If you want to use a specific value or percentage as the limit between the color ranges, see Tips for common setups of color ranges.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each color range you want to add.

Comment: A new color range is always added last in the list of existing color ranges in the dialog.

6. Optionally, enter descriptive texts for the color ranges in the text fields. The texts can be shown in the tooltip for the bullet graph.

• To remove a color range from the bullet graph:

1. Open the Bullet Graph Settings dialog and go to the Color Ranges page.

2. Click on the button, , to the right of the color range you want to remove.

Response: The color range is removed from the bullet graph, and the corresponding controls are removed from the dialog.

• To add actions performed when clicking on the bullet graph:

1. Open the Bullet Graph Settings dialog and go to the Actions page.

2. Select the Perform action on click check box.

3. Click on Settings....

Response: The Action Settings dialog is displayed.

4. Type a good Description explaining what will happen when clicking on the bullet graph.

Comment: The description can be shown in the tooltip for the bullet graph.

5. Add the desired actions and click OK.

See also:

What are Bullet Graphs?

Bullet Graph Settings

What is a Graphical Table?

How to Use the Graphical Table