The Graph Matrix widget consists of several area graphs that display actual values. Each area graph also has a line graph above it to show forecasted values. One graph is displayed for every combination of elements from the attributes on the widget template’s rows and columns. For example, in the widget below, the Category attribute is on the widget template’s rows and the Region attribute is on the widget template’s columns. Fifteen graphs are displayed because data exists for five regions and three categories of products.
There is a separate area graph for each combination of region and product category. For example, there is an area graph that focuses solely on electronics product figures in the Northeast region. Values in that graph are plotted across quarter (on the X-axis) and revenue (on the Y-axis). The line graph at the top of the area graph represents revenue forecast metric values, or the amount of revenue the company predicted it would generate.
To create a Graph Matrix widget
Add the widget to a document in Web
Open the document in Design or Editable Mode.
From the Insert menu, point to Widgets, and then select Graph Matrix.
Click the location on your document, except for in the Detail section, where you want to place the widget. The widget template, which appears similar to a standard grid container, is displayed. A small icon at the bottom right corner of the widget template identifies the type of widget you have added to the document.
If desired, resize the widget by clicking and dragging its handles.
Add objects to the widget template
From the Dataset Objects panel on the left, select attributes and metrics, and drag them on top of the widget, as described below.
Place at least two attributes on the widget template's rows.
The first (left-most) attribute on the rows, and the second, third, fourth, and so on, provide the row headers in the widget.
The last (right-most) attribute on the rows provides the X-axes of the graphs. This attribute, which is generally time-based, is used to drive the time series of the graphs.
Place at least two metrics on the widget template's columns. The values of these two metrics produce the bubbles in the widget, as described below:
The first (left-most) attribute on the columns provides the column headers in the widget. These values are used to slice the data, or group it by the attributes on the columns.
Additional attributes on the columns produce separate line graphs within each area graph in the widget.
If you do not place any attributes on the columns, you must place at least three attributes on the rows.
Place at least one metric to the right of (or below) the attribute on the widget template's columns.
The first metric is depicted as the colored series in the area graphs.
Any additional metrics are depicted as the forecast lines in each area graph.
View the widget in Flash Mode
To view and interact with the widget, switch to Flash Mode by selecting Flash Mode from the View menu.
Note: If Flash Mode is not available in the View menu, you must make Flash Mode available for this document.
Modify the widget
In Flash Mode, right-click the widget and select Properties. The Graph Matrix widget dialog box opens. These are the options:
Uniform axis: This option makes all the grids and/or graphs appear to have the same empty axis values. If you scroll over the X-axis, you can see that the values are unique for each object on the widget.
Reference line: Select this option to display the reference line showing an average value for the grid or graph that you are viewing. For example, if you add profit to the widget and you want to get an average profit value for each grid or graph that you are viewing, then you can select this option to see the average profit data.
Axis labels: Select this option to display the dataset objects used in the widget -- for example, customer region and profit -- on the axes of the grid or graph that you are viewing.
Zoom view graph legend: The more graphs you add to your widget, the smaller each one will become, making it more difficult to see all of their content. Select this option to see a slightly enlarged version of the graphs that you add to the widget.
Background opacity: Determine how dark or light the gray background of the grid/graph area will appear. 0% will display a completely white background, while 100% will appear noticeably darker gray.
Inherit grid/graph formatting: This option allows you to select whether the widget values -- the percentage or currency, for example -- display in the same format as they do in the grid(s) and or graph(s) from which they were added to the widget.
Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.
To use the widget as a selector
A Graph Matrix widget consists of several attributes and elements in its column and row headers, and corresponding graphs at the intersection of those objects. You can enable these attributes, elements, and graphs as selectors. You can select elements from different attributes simultaneously by clicking those elements. You can also enable the attribute name displayed in a column header as a selectable item.
The following occurs when attributes in the widget are used as selectors:
When you hover the cursor over an attribute name or attribute element that is enabled as a selector, the attribute name or element becomes a hyperlink. If you select the attribute name or element, all target Grid/Graphs and panel stacks display data related to it.
When you hover the cursor over a graph in the widget, the cursor is displayed as a hand pointer to indicate that the graph is a selector. If you click the graph, the two corresponding attribute elements in the headers are automatically selected. Therefore, all target Grid/Graphs and panel stacks display data related to those two elements. For example, if you select the graph at the intersection of the Mid-Atlantic region and Electronics product category, all data for Electronics sales in the Mid-Atlantic region is displayed.
When you hover the cursor over a graph and click a specific data point in the graph, all data related to that data point is displayed in all target Grid/Graphs and panel stacks only if the time-based attribute on the widget template is enabled as a selector. You can also perform this task after maximizing a graph.
Only grids and graphs that are assigned as targets of the widget are updated when you choose an option from a selector.
In Design or Editable Mode, do one of the following:
Right-click the attribute, custom group, or consolidation in the Grid/Graph to use as the selector, and choose Edit Selector. The Configure Selector dialog box opens.
Right-click the Metrics column in the Grid/Graph, and choose Edit Selector. The Configure Selector dialog box opens.
Select the target Grid/Graph or panel stack in the list of available targets on the left. Click > to add it to the list of selected targets on the right. You can select multiple targets.
The attribute, custom group, or consolidation you selected in the Grid/Graph is the source, and the selected Grid/Graph is the target. The Action Type of the selector is set the Select Element.
To ensure that the user can select more than one element in the widget, select the Show option for All check box.
To ensure that the element displayed in the selector changes if an element is chosen in another selector, select Allow selection to be updated by other selectors.
Click OK to apply the changes and return to the document.
Related topics