Using the Gauge View

You can use the gauge view to show results in gauges. Gauges are useful for displaying
a single data value and, because to its compact size, can often be more effective
than graphs for displaying certain types of results such as performance against
goals or problems in data.

Xactly Analytics offers multiple gauge types, including dial, bar, and bulb-style
gauges. You can select the type of gauge and customize its appearance, including
the title, the ranges to show, how many gauges to display in a row, and other characteristics
such as gauge width and dial and indicator needle size.

You can also set thresholds, borders and colors, and control other gauge characteristics.
Gauges are navigable. When a user clicks it, you can direct the user to another
saved report, or dashboard.

Gauge Types

The following table shows the available gauges and describes their uses:

Screen

Gauge View

How to…

Add a Gauge View

1. Create or modify the report with which you want to work.

2. Click the Results tab.

3. Click the button and choose the specific gauge style using the drop-down,
cascading menu.

4. Configure the view, as required.

5. Click the  button to save the view.

6. Click the button to save the report.

 

Configure a Gauge View

1. Create or modify the report with which you want to work.

2. Click the Results tab. The Results page appears.

3. In the Views pane, select the gauge view and click the button. The view
appears in the workspace.

4. In the Layout pane, specify the layout of the gauge view.

Do the following:

a. Use drop targets to modify the way that data is arranged in a view.
In the Layout pane, the columns in a gauge view are displayed in drop targets.
Drop targets represent a valid position for a column and indicate where
a column can be inserted, moved to, or dropped. Examples of drop targets
include Gauge Prompts and Sections, among others.
Drag and drop columns from the Subject Areas pane to a drop target. You
can also use drop targets to modify the way data is arranged in a gauge view
by dragging and dropping columns to different targets within the view.
b. Click the button (Properties) in a drop target to configure the properties for
the target. The Properties dialog appears.
Configure the drop target properties, as required.
c. In the Sections drop target, select the Display as Slider checkbox to specify
that members of the dropped columns are to be displayed as a section slider
(instead of displayed as a unique view).

5. In the Settings pane, set the thresholds that are to be displayed in the gauge.
Each threshold has a high and a low and is associated with a color in which the
range identified by the threshold is displayed in the gauge, such as green for
acceptable, yellow for warning, and red for critical.of the gauge view.

Do the following:

a. In the Goal field, specify whether high or low values are desirable.
Choose the corresponding radio button:

• High values are desirable—Specify that high values are the desirable goal.
Selecting this radio button lists the statuses in order from the most desirable
indicator (for example, Excellent) at the top to the least desirable indicator
(for example, Warning) at the bottom.
• Low values are desirable—Specify that low values are the desirable goal.
Selecting this radio button lists the statuses in order from the least desirable
indicator (for example, Warning) at the top to the most desirable indicator
(for example, Excellent) at the bottom.

b. In the Threshold section, specify the data values in a gauge that highlight a
particular range of values. The values must be between the minimum and the
maximum values set for the gauge limits. The range identified by a threshold is
filled with a color that is different from the color of other ranges.

Click the button and choose from among the following options using the
drop-down list:

To specify a data value, do either of the following:

• Enter a static value directly in a Threshold field.
• Click the Threshold Options button to set the value based on a measure
column, a variable expression, or the results of a SQL query.

c. In the Status section, specify the label for each range identified by a threshold
and the color in which the range is to be displayed in the gauge.
Click the button (Status Options) button to specify a label, and choose
from among the following options using the drop-down list:

Click the Color button to specify a color for each range. The Color Selector
dialog, allowing you to select the color for the range that is identified by the
threshold.

d. Click the button (Add Threshold) to add a new threshold row.
e. Click the  button (Delete Threshold) to delete a threshold row.

6. Click the  button.

7. Click the button to save the report (and embedded views).

 

Configure Gauge View Properties

1. Create or modify the report with which you want to work.

2. Click the Results tab. The Results page appears.

3. In the Views pane, select the gauge view and click the button. The view
appears in the workspace.

4. Click the button (Edit gauge properties). The Gauge Properties dialog
appears.

Gauge Properties Dialog

5. Click the General tab.

6. In the Gauges Per Row field, type the number of gauges to display in a gauge set.

7. In the Legend field, specify whether to display a legend, along with the location,
using the drop-down list.

You can choose from among the following options:

• Default—Display the legend in the default location (to the right of the gauge
canvas)
• None—Do not display a legend
• Top—Display the legend at the top of the gauge canvas
• Right—Display the legend to the right of the gauge canvas
• Bottom—Display the legend at the bottom of the gauge canvas
• Left—Display the legend to the left of the gauge canvas

8. In the Master-Detail field, select the Listen to Master-Detail Events checkbox to
specify that the gauge is to act as a detail view in a master-detail relationship
(and listen for master-detail events).
In the Event Channels field. type one or more channels on which the gauge is to
listen for master-detail events raised by one or more master views. The channel
name is case sensitive and must match the channel name specified in the master
view exactly. Separate channels with commas, for example, channel a, channel
b.

9. In the Null Values field, select the Include Null Values checkbox to override null
suppression and include null values in gauge rows that contain all nulls.

10. Click the Style tab.

11. In the Gauge section, do the following:

a. In the Dial Arch Length field, type the length of the dial arc in degrees (the
maximum value is 360 degrees).
note: This field is displayed only for dial gauges.
b. In the Gauge Size field, choose the size of the gauge using the drop-down list.
You can choose from among the following options: Fit to Canvas, Small,
Medium, Large, or Custom. If you choose Custom, complete the Width and
Height fields.
In the Width field, type the width of the gauge (in pixels).
In the Height field, type the height of the gauge (in pixels).

12. In the Marker Type section, do the following:
a. For each measure in the gauge, choose the type of indicator using the dropdown
list.
The indicator is the part of the gauge that points to the value that is plotted.
You can choose from among the following options:

• Needle—Use a needle to point to the value
• Line—Use a line to point to the value
• Fill—Fill the area inside the dial gauge to the value that is plotted. This
option is ignored if the gauge has thresholds or if the gauge shows multiple
measure columns.
b. For each measure in the gauge, click the  button and select the color of
the indicator in the Color Selector pop-up that appears.
note: The Marker Type section is available only for dial gauges.

13. In the Gauge Colors and Borders section, do the following:
a. In the Background field, click the button and select the gauge background
color in the Color Selector pop-up that appears.
b. In the Border field, click the button and select the border color (around
the gauge) in the Color Selector pop-up that appears.
note: The Gauge Colors and Borders section is available only for dial gauges.

14. In the Canvas Colors and Border section, do the following:

a. In the Background field, click the button and select the canvas background
color in the Color Selector pop-up that appears.
b. In the Gradient field, select the checkbox to have the canvas background
color gradually fade from the specified color (at the top) to white (at the bottom).
c. In the Border field, click the button and select the border color (around
the canvas) in the Color Selector pop-up that appears.

15. Click the Scale tab.

16. In the Scale and Limits section, do the following:

a. In the Gauge Limits field, select the limits of the gauge.

You can choose from among the following options:

• Default—Use the default gauge limits
• Specify—Allows you to specify the minimum and maximum limits
b. If you selected Specify in the Gauge Limits field, type the lowest and highest
points in the Minimum and Maximum fields respectively.

c. (Optional) Click the button (to the right of the Minimum or Maximum fields)
to specify the custom gauge limits. The Customize Gauge Limit dialog
appears.

In the Gauge Limits field, choose from among the following options:

• Static Value—Allows you to specify a static value, such as 1000. You can
specify either an actual value or a percentage. The value you specify
depends on the range of data points. For example, the maximum gauge
limit should be more than the maximum data point so that all data points
are shown on the gauge.
• Variable Expr—Allows you to specify a variable express along with a
default value.
• Column Name—Allows you to choose a column.
• SQL Query—Allows you to specify an SQL statement.

17. In the Scale Tick Marks section, do the following:

a. In the Tick Type field, specify the number of tick marks to display.

You can choose from among the following options:

• Dynamic—The system automatically calculates the number of tick marks
to display based on the data.
• Specify—Allows you to specify the number of tick marks to display.

b. In the Show Major Ticks field, select the checkbox to show major tick marks. If
you select this option, type the number of major tick marks to show.
c. In the Show Minor Ticks field, select the checkbox to show minor tick marks. If
you select this option, type the number of minor tick marks to show.
note: The Show Major Ticks and Show Minor Ticks fields are not available for bulb
gauges.

18. Click the Tile and Labels tab to set properties that control the display of titles and
labels for the graph.

19. In the Gauge Set Title section, do the following:

a. In the Title field, type a title for the gauge or gauge set. The title is displayed at
the top of the canvas.
This field is editable only when the next field is unchecked.
b. Select the Use measure name as graph title checkbox, as required.
c. Click the button to specify the font information for the title. The Font Format
dialog appears.

20. In the Gauge Titles section, do the following:

a. In the Title field, type the title to be displayed above each gauge.
You can use a token (@n) to include the results from the designated column in
the gauge title. For example, @1 inserts the results from the first column, and
@3 inserts the results from the third column.
Click the button to specify the font information for the title. The Font Format
dialog appears.

b. In the Footer field, type the footer to be displayed beneath each gauge.
You can use a token (@n) to include the results from the designated column in
the gauge title. For example, @1 inserts the results from the first column, and
@3 inserts the results from the third column.
Click the button to specify the font information for the title. The Font Format
dialog appears.

21. In the Labels section, do the following:

a. In the Legend field, click the button to specify the font information for the
legend.
b. In the Scale Labels field, click thebutton to specify the font information for
the scale labels.
c. In the Data Labels field, click thebutton to specify the font information for
the data labels.

22. Click the OK button.

23. Click the button.

24. Click the button to save the report (and embedded views).