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Overview

This section covers the Blueprint and Quick Chart functionality.


Blueprint

Blueprint functionality, available via the dashboard canvas, allows users to wireframe a dashboard design. Blueprint was designed to allow multiple users to collaborate on dashboard design, securely within the Yellowfin platform. The chart widgets within Blueprint can be further configured to create charts directly on the dashboard through Quick Charts.

Blueprint is ideal for cases where a consumer type user might not have access to the view or data discovery products, but can still design their ideal dashboards. Dashboard creators with the appropriate ‘create’ access can then build charts, directly from a prototype. 


Quick Charts

These allow users to create charts directly on the dashboard canvas without going through Yellowfin Data Discovery’s report builder. This is done by using the Blueprint Widgets, which include some of the most widely used chart types. 

Note: For more advanced reporting, use Yellowfin Data Discovery.


Blueprint Widget types

The following types of Blueprint Widgets are included in Yellowfin.

Chart icon

Chart name

Description

Number chart

For charts with numeric report results.

Pie chart

For pie or ring charts.

Column chart

For charts with vertical columns.

Line chart

For time series charts. These can appear as line charts. 

Meter chart

For meter charts.

Bar chart

For horizontal bar charts.

Overlay chart*

For charts where a line chart is overlaid on a bar chart. The line chart represents  a trend and the bar chart emphasizes specific values.

Map chart*

For map charts to showcase geographical data.

Scatter chart*

For a scatter plot chart, where points are not joined.

Heat grid*

For a chart that plots the intensity of a metric across multiple categories.

* These widgets are currently only used as Blueprints, without the functionality to extend them to Quick Charts. Users can, however, use the Advanced Report option to create these charts via the Chart builder in Yellowfin Data Discovery.





Basic Tutorial

A Quick Chart can instantly be created by dragging a Blueprint Widget and using the properties panel to configure the chart. 

  1. Click on the Blueprint button on the left side to expand its panel.



  2. Drag a chart type of your choice onto the canvas. You can position and resize it to fit your design.
  3. You can add a title and description for it in its properties panel (make sure the Blueprint Widget is selected on the canvas to make its properties panel appear).

    Use the Activity Stream button (bottom right of the screen) to discuss and collaborate with other team members on your Blueprint further.




  4. To create a Quick Chart (created directly in the dashboard) or even an advanced chart (created in the report builder, but added here upon publish), proceed with the following steps.

    Click on Create Report. You’ll be faced with two options:





    1. Create Simple Report: This option allows you to create a Quick Chart within the dashboard canvas. 

    2. Create Advanced Report: This allows you to create an advanced report. On doing so, you will exit the dashboard and navigate to the report builder in Yellowfin Data Discovery. Create a report as per normal, and publish it. Then close the Report page to jump back into the dashboard where your newly created advanced report will be displayed.


  5. In this tutorial, we’ll be creating a Quick Chart, using the Create Simple Report button. Click on it to bring up the following form.





  6. Select a view from the list. Then select a dimension and series (metric) field for the chart.

  7. Click on the Create button.




  8. This will create a simple chart directly on the dashboard, as shown in the example below.




  9. To further configure this chart, open the chart’s property panel, which will display additional fields, which vary for each chart type. Each chart will also differ based on the minimum set of fields to be defined for it. 

      



    1. You can create filters in your Quick Charts. Click on the +Filters button to define a filter condition.



      • In the new popup create a filter condition. Upon saving it, the final filter logic will be displayed in the properties panel.



      • Note, however, that to display a user prompt filter on the dashboard, you will need to use a Filter Widget (see here for how to).
    2. Expand the Field Selection section and choose the data fields.
    3. Then in the Chart Settings section, define additional settings. 

      Refer to the chart type section below for further details on their specific configurations.

  10. You will notice your chart autogenerating with each field and configuration you define. You do not require additional steps to save the chart.
  11. You may update other properties of this widget, such as its size and location on the canvas, and background details. See the properties panel for details on all widget properties.





Blueprint Chart Widget configurations

Learn how to configure each type of blueprint chart widget to generate a chart on your dashboard.


Number chart

Field

Description/Instruction

Field Selection

Metric

Choose a metric field for your number chart



Pie chart

Field

Description/Instruction

Field Selection

Label

Choose a dimension field as the pie chart category. (These will make up the pie ‘slices’ or segments.)

Size

Select a series fields, which serves as your metric or measurement field.

Chart Settings

Enable drill downAllows you to enable drill down functionality on the chart.
Color set

Select a color set for the pie chart. Options include:

  • Configuration colors: Applies colors specified at the system configuration level.
  • Reference code: Applies any colors defined for reference code values.
  • Monochrome: Applies different shades of a single selected color.
ColorIf ‘Monochrome’ is selected as the color set, then select a color. The pie chart colors will be based on different shades of this color.

Chart type

Select what type of chart to generate, pie or ring.

Other segment %

Define a percentage limit for the ‘other’ category of the pie chart. That is, all values below this will be merged together to form the other category.

Show legend

Allows you to show or hide legends on this chart.

Show labels

Allows you to show or hide labels on each category.




Column chart

Define the following chart fields to generate a vertical column chart.

Field

Description/Instruction

Field Selection

Dimension

Choose a dimension field for the chart.

Series

Select a series fields, which serves as your metric or measurement field.

Aggregation

Apply an aggregation value on the primary series. You can aggregate the values with the following options:

  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max
ColorSelect a color for the chart. This will be applied to the primary series.

Optional Fields

This is an additional field you may select for a slightly more advanced chart. Note that you may only select one of the following options:

  • Second series: Add another metric to your chart to show two time series lines.
  • Color field: Apply the color range of any of the dimension field.
  • Function: Apply a chart function to your chart.
  • None: Does not apply an optional field to the chart.

Second series

If ‘Second series’ is selected as the optional field, then select a second metric field to be added to the chart.
You can configure formatting sections for this value via the Second Series Formatting section.

(Second series) Aggregation

Apply an aggregation value on the second series. You can aggregate the values with the following options:

  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max
(Second series) colorIf a second series is specified, then select a color to display this series in.

Color field

If ‘Color field’ is selected as the optional field, then choose a dimension field as the color field.

Function

If ‘Function’ is selected as the optional field, then select a chart function to be applied. Options include:

  • Average: Displays an average line on the chart.
  • Accumulation: Displays an accumulative % of total line or running total on the chart, using a secondary axis. You can further configure this value via the Function Settings section.
  • Reference line: Displays a reference line at a specified location. You can define location details in the Function Settings section.

Chart Settings

Enable drill downAllows you to enable drill down functionality on the chart.

Axis type

If the chart has a second series, then you can further configure the axis type. Options include:

  • Shared axis: Allows both series to have the same axis.
  • Dual axis: Displays 2 axes, one on each side of the chart. The first series will be shown on the left axis, and the second series, the right axis.
  • Second series: Displays both charts with separate axes, one on top of another. The first series chart will display on top, and the second series chart at the bottom. Both charts will have separate horizontal axes.
  • Stacked: Displays both series data stacked on top of one another in the same chart.

Date unit

If you have selected a date dimension field, this setting allows you to change the date unit. Note: you cannot select a date unit lower than the unit defined in the view. 

Axis summary

Enable this setting to apply automatic abbreviation to axis labels. This is useful for charts with large numeric values. For example, 10,000,000 will be changed to 10m, making it easier to read.

Sort by

Change the sort order of how dimension values are displayed. Sort these values by:

  • Auto: Determines best sort depending on the chart type. For column charts, default is sort by series.
  • Grouped data: This means that the chart will be sorted according to the order of the grouped data
  • Primary series: sorts the chart by the values of the first/primary series.
  • Alphanumeric: Sorts the chart in alphabetical order of dimension field values. 
  • Reference code: Sorts the value according to their reference codes if applied on the dimension field.

Sort order

Allows you to choose the sorting direction between ascending and descending.

  • Ascending: Values are sorted from lowest to highest.
  • Descending: values are sorted from highest to lowest.
Trim values (toggle)If your selected dimension field contains too many values to the point where it’s difficult to read your chart, enable this toggle to trim or cut out values from the chart.

Trim display

If your dimension fields contain too many values to the point where it’s difficult to read your chart, you can use this setting to trim or cut out values from the chart.

  • Top N: Trims the top 10 values from the chart. 
  • Bottom N: Trims the bottom 10 values from the chart. 

Trim value

If value trim is enabled, specify the amount of values (N) to be cut out from the chart. 

Show other dimension

Enable this to sum all trimmed out values together and display under a separate ‘Other’ field.

Color set

Define the color property of the chart.

  • Standard: uses standard default colors on chart.
  • Monochrome: uses variations of a single color on chart.

Function settings

This section allows you to manage settings related to some of the chart functions.

Function type

If the accumulation function is enabled on the chart, you can choose whether this value should be displayed as the accumulative % of the total line, or the running total.

Value

If the Reference  line function is selected, then specify the position of this line by providing the exact value.

Label

If the Reference line function is selected, then provide its label.

Color

If the Reference line function is selected, then specify its color.




Line charts

Define the following chart fields to generate a line chart.

Field

Description/Instruction

Field Selection

Dimension

Choose a dimension field for your quick chart. For line charts, these are limited to date fields to generate time series.

Series

Select a series fields, which serves as your metric or measurement field.

Aggregation

Apply an aggregation value on the series, you can aggregate the values with the following options:

  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max
ColorSelect a color for the chart. This will be applied to the primary series.

Optional Fields

This is an additional field on your chart. Note that you may only select one of the following options:

  • Second series: Add another metric to your chart to show two time series lines.
  • Color field: Apply the color range of any of the dimension field.
  • Function: Apply a chart function to your chart.
  • None: Does not apply an optional field to the chart.

Second series

If ‘Second series’ is selected as the optional field, then select a second metric field to be added to the chart.
You can configure formatting sections for this value via the Second Series Formatting section.

(Second series) Aggregation

Apply an aggregation value on the second series. You can aggregate the values with the following options:

  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max
(Second series) colorIf a second series is specified, then select a color to display this series in.

Color field

If ‘Color field’ is selected as the optional field, then choose a dimension field as the color field.

Function

If ‘Function’ is selected as the optional field, then select a chart function to be applied. Options include:

  • Average: Displays an average line on the chart.
  • Trend: Displays a trend line on the chart. You can select the trend type in the Function Settings section.
  • Forecast: Displays a forecast line on the chart. You can select the forecasts type in the Function Settings section.
  • Accumulation: Displays an accumulative % of total line or running total on the chart, using a secondary axis. You can further configure this value via the Function Settings section.
  • Reference line: Displays a reference line at a specified location. You can specify location details in the Function Settings section.

Chart Settings

Enable drill down

Allows you to enable drill down functionality on chart.

Time UnitBy default the time unit of the chart will be the same as that of the selected dimension field. But you may use this to change the default time unit. Note: you cannot select a date unit lower than the unit defined in the view.

Null behaviour

Allows you to fill in any gaps, null or missing values in a time series chart. Options include:

  • Break: The time data line will simply not be displayed for any missing values, resulting in a visible break in the line chart where there is a gap.
  • Skip: (Default selection.) The line is joined from the last available value with the next one, over the missing data points. The gaps are not filled in with any additional values, but rather skipped over.
  • Zero: The null values are treated as zero. This results in filling in the gaps with the value zero. This will alter any calculations included in your data set.

Date slider

Allows you to include a date or time slider to the chart.

Color set

Define the color property of the chart.

  • Configuration defaults: applies the Yellowfin system default colors to the chart. Note: these can be changed at the system level through the Admin Console.
  • Metric color: uses the colors specified for metric field in the view.
  • Monochrome: uses variations of a single color on chart.

Function settings

This section allows you to manage settings related to some of the chart functions.

Function type

If the accumulation function is enabled on the chart, you can choose whether this value should be displays as the accumulative % of the total line, or the running total.

Trend type

If the Trend function is applied, then choose a trend type. Options include:

  • Auto trend: Yellowfin creates a line with a trend it deems most useful based on some complex algorithms.
  • Moving Average: Displays the mean line, calculated using values from a set number of periods before each point. This can be used to follow changes in the data on a line that is smoother than the actual values, making it useful when displaying trend for noisy (spikey) data.
  • Linear Regression: This displays a straight line that indicates the relationship between the values on the x & y axes. This can be useful to give an idea of the general trend of data.
  • Polynomial Regression: This displays a curved line to the dataset which indicates the relationship between the values on the x & y axes. This can be used where the relationship between the values is not completely linear, for example if your trend has significant fluctuations through it.

Forecast type

If the Forecast function is applied, then choose a trend type. Options include:

  • Auto trend: Yellowfin creates a line with a trend it deems most useful based on some complex algorithms.
  • Simple Exponential Smoothing: This displays a forecast based on the average of previous values in the dataset, with weighting defined by alpha (recent vs. historic data). This is useful for forecasting data which has no general trend or seasonality.
  • Double Exponential Smoothing: This displays a forecast based on the average of previous values in the dataset, with weighting defined by alpha (recent vs. historic data) and beta (trend). This is useful for forecasting data which has a general trend, but no seasonality.
  • Triple Exponential Smoothing: This displays a forecast based on the average of previous values in the dataset, with weighting defined by alpha (recent vs. historic data), beta (trend), and gamma (seasonality). This is useful for forecasting data which has a general trend and varies seasonally. Triple exponential smoothing requires at least two years of data for its seasonality calculations.
  • Moving Average: This displays the mean, calculated using values from a set number of periods before each point. For example, if your dataset contains 10 periods, a moving average may be set to use 5 at a time. This can be used to follow changes in the data on a line that is smoother than the actual values, making it useful when displaying trend for noisy (spikey) data.

Value

If the Reference line function is selected, then specify the position of this line by providing the exact value.

Label

If the Reference line function is selected, then provide its label.

Color

If the Reference line function is selected, then specify its color.




Meter chart

Define the following chart fields to generate a meter chart (also called a gauge chart). These are used to measure the rate of change of a measure against pre-defined targets.

Field

Description/Instruction

Field Selection

Measure

The series or metric field that serves as the measure for the meter chart.

Aggregation

Select the type of aggregation to apply to the measure value. ‘Default’ applies the default aggregation applied at the view level to the selected measure field (if any is applied). Other options include:

  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max

Chart Settings

Target type

Allows you to select how to add a target value to the chart, to highlight it through needles or other indicators. Options include:

  • Manual: allows you to manually enter the target value.
  • Field: allows you to select a metric field as the target value.

Target value

If Manual target type was selected, then provide the value of the target.

Target

If 'Field' target type was selected as the target type, then choose a data field as the target (must be a numeric field).

(Target) Aggregation

Apply an aggregation value on the target field. You can aggregate the values with the following options:

  • Default (the aggregation applied to the selected target field by default.)
  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max



Bar chart

Define the following chart fields to generate a horizontal bar chart.

Field

Description/Instruction

Field Selection

Dimension

Choose a dimension field for the chart.

Series

Select a series fields, which serves as your metric or measurement field.

Aggregation

Apply an aggregation value on the primary series. You can aggregate the values with the following options:

  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max
ColorSelect a color for the chart. This will be applied to the primary series.

Optional Fields

This is an additional field you may select for a slightly more advanced chart. Note that you may only select one of the following options:

  • Second series: Add another metric to your chart to show two time series lines.
  • Color field: Apply the color range of any of the dimension field.
  • Function: Apply a chart function to your chart.
  • None: Does not apply an optional field to the chart.

Second series

If ‘Second series’ is selected as the optional field, then select a second metric field to be added to the chart.
You can configure formatting sections for this value via the Second Series Formatting section.

(Second series) Aggregation

Apply an aggregation value on the second series. You can aggregate the values with the following options:

  • Sum
  • Average
  • Count
  • Count distinct
  • Min
  • Max
(Second series) colorIf a second series is specified, then select a color to display this series in.

Color field

If ‘Color field’ is selected as the optional field, then choose a dimension field as the color field.

Function

If ‘Function’ is selected as the optional field, then select a chart function to be applied. Options include:

  • Average: Displays an average line on the chart.
  • Accumulation: Displays an accumulative % of total line or running total on the chart, using a secondary axis. You can further configure this value via the Function Settings section.
  • Reference line: Displays a reference line at a specified location. You can specify location details in the Function Settings section.

Chart Settings

Enable drill downAllows you to enable drill down functionality on the chart.

Axis type

If the chart has a second series, then you can further configure the axis type. Options include:

  • Shared axis: Allows both series to have the same axis.
  • Dual axis: Displays 2 axes, with an extra one on top of the chart. The first series will be shown on the bottom axis, and the second series, the top axis.
  • Second series: Displays both charts with separate axes, next to each other. The first series chart will display on the left, and the second series chart on the right. Both charts will have separate vertical axes.
  • Stacked: Displays both the series data horizontally stacked in the same chart.

Date unit

If you have selected a date dimension field, this setting allows you to change the date unit. Note: you cannot select a date unit lower than the unit defined in the view. 

Axis summary

Enable this setting to apply automatic abbreviation to axis labels. This is useful for charts with large numeric values. For example, 10,000,000 will be changed to 10m, making it easier to read.

Sort by

Change the sort order of how dimension values are displayed. Sort these values by:

  • Auto: Determines best sort depending on the chart type. 
  • Grouped data: This means that the chart will be sorted according to the order of the grouped data.
  • Primary series: sorts the chart by the values of the first/primary series.
  • Alphanumeric: Sorts the chart in alphabetical order of dimension field values. 
  • Reference code: Sorts the value according to their reference codes if applied on the dimension field.

Sort order

Allows you to choose the sorting direction between ascending and descending.

  • Ascending: Values are sorted from lowest to highest.
  • Descending: values are sorted from highest to lowest.
Trim Values (toggle)If your selected dimension field contains too many values to the point where it’s difficult to read your chart, enable this toggle to trim or cut out values from the chart.

Trim Display

If your dimension fields contain too many values to the point where it’s difficult to read your chart, you can use this setting to trim or cut out values from the chart.

  • Top N: Trims the top 10 values from the chart.
  • Bottom N: Trims the bottom 10 values from the chart.

Show Other Dimension

Enable this to sum all trimmed out values together and display under an ‘Other’ field.

Color set

Define the color set of the chart.

  • Standard: uses standard default colors on chart.
  • Monochrome: uses variations of a single color on chart.

Function settings

This section allows you to manage settings related to some of the chart functions.

Function type

If the accumulation function is enabled on the chart, you can choose whether this value should be displays as the accumulative % of the total line, or the running total.

Value

If the Reference line function is selected, then specify the position of this line by providing the exact value.

Label

If the Reference line function is selected, then provide its label.

Color

If the Reference line function is selected, then specify its color.




Blueprint Widget properties

This section covers other properties details of a Blueprint Widget.



Property name

Description

Name

Allows you to update the name of the selected Blueprint widget. This is ideal for code mode.

Chart title

Allows you to provide a title for the chart.

Description

Allows you to provide a description of the chart. 

FiltersThe +Filters button allows you to create a filter on the selected Quick Chart. Once the filter logic has been defined, it will appear in this area.

Field Selection

This section shows data fields to be selected for the Quick Chart. Note that the configurations shown here will differ according to the selected chart type.

For more information on the different settings in this section, refer to the wiki’s section on a selected blueprint chart types.

Chart Settings

This section allows you to apply chart settings on the Quick Chart. These will differ depending on the chart type selected.

Function Settings 

This section allows you to manage settings related to some of the chart functions, if a function is applied.

Size & location


X

Specify the x coordinates of the top left corner of the widget, in order to position it exactly on your dashboard canvas.

Y

Specify the y coordinates of the top left corner of the widget, in order to position it exactly on your dashboard canvas.

Width

Specify the width of the currently selected widget, in pixels, in order to resize it exactly.

Height

Specify the height of the currently selected widget, in pixels, in order to resize it exactly.

Corners

This option allows you to define the roundness of your widget border corners. Tip: For maximum circular edges, enter half the value of the widget height. For example, if the height is 400 pixels, then set the edge value to 200 pixels. Moreover, any value greater than 200 for the edge, will have no further effect in this example.

Aspect ratio

Enable this toggle to maintain the aspect ratio. This means when increasing or decreasing the widget size, it maintains its shape (i.e. the relationship between its width and height).

If this is disabled, the widget can be stretched out of shape either vertically or horizontally.

Lock widget

Enable this toggle to lock the widget in its location. This stops you from moving or resizing it. This holds true even when selecting multiple widgets on the canvas. Note that the widget can still be customized. 

Background formatting 

Background color

Allows you to specify a background color for the widget. 

Opacity

Allows you to specify the transparency of the widget's background color.

Customise padding

This option allows you to define a custom padding or buffer around the widget, in pixels, when enabled. This includes padding for each side to the widget. If disabled, you can still define an overall padding size.

Padding top

When custom padding is enabled, this allows you to define padding to be added to the top of the widget.

Padding bottom

When custom padding is enabled, this allows you to define padding to be added to the bottom of the widget.

Padding right

When custom padding is enabled, this allows you to define padding to be added to the right of the widget.

Padding left

When custom padding is enabled, this allows you to define padding to be added to the left of the widget.

Padding 

This allows you to define an overall padding size for the widget. This size, defined in pixels will be constant for each widget side. To add different sized padding on any of the sides, enable the Customise Padding option.

Border width

This allows you to specify the thickness of the widget border.

Note: to make the border visible, you must define values for all three border properties.

Border style

This allows you to select a style for the widget border. Options include: dashed, solid, dotted, groove, and more.

Border color

This allows you to specify the color of the widget border.

Horizontal shadow

This option allows you to drop a horizontal shadow on the widget, by defining its size in pixels.

Vertical shadow

This option allows you to drop a vertical shadow on the widget, by defining its size in pixels.

Shadow blur

This option allows you to define the sharpness of the widget shadow. The smaller the value, the sharper and more defined the shadow will be. For a blurry or softer shadow, provide a bigger value.

Shadow color

This option allows you to set a color for the widget shadow.

Actions
Click Event

Select an event that will trigger when the selected widget is clicked. Event options include:

  • None: Use this if you do not wish the widget to trigger an event.
  • Next sub tab: Navigates the user to the next tab within the same dashboard.
  • Previous sub tab: Navigates the user to the previous tab within the same dashboard.
  • Reset filters: Allows users to clear filter selections, or in case default values are set, then reset filters to their default values.
  • Reset dashboard: Refreshes the dashboard by clearing any user interactivity performed on it, as well as removing all applied filters.
  • Go to report: Navigates users to a specified report. This report can be specified by providing its report UUID. 
  • Go to sub tab: Navigates to any sub tab in the same dashboard, where the sub tab is specified by its order number. For example to jump to the forth sub tab, enter 4 in the sub tab # field. Note that the sub tab order starts from number 1.
  • Go to URL: Navigates to an external link or page using the specified URL. You can also choose to open the new link in a new tab or window or in the current window. (See the below URL and Target settings for more information.)
Report IDIf navigating to a report using the ‘Go to report’ click event, provide the UUID of the report.
Sub Tab #If navigating to a sub tab using the ‘Go to sub tab’ click event, enter the order number of the sub tab.
URLIf navigating to an external page using the ‘Go to URL’ click event, provide the full URL of the page.
Target

If navigating to an external page using the ‘Go to URL’ click event, specify the page target. Options include:

  • New Tab/Window: Opens the URL page in a new tab or window, depending on your browser’s settings. Note: The default for most browsers is a window, however users can use computer shorts (Ctrl in Windows, and Cmd in Mac) to open in a new tab instead.
  • Current Window: Open the page in the current window.
  • Parent Frame: If Yellowfin is embedded as an iFrame, the new page will open (that is, its contents will appear) in the parent frame. Note that the parent frame is the one within which the Yellowfin frame is embedded.
  • Current Frame:  If Yellowfin is embedded as an iFrame, the contents of the URL page will open in the current frame. Note that the current frame is the one which embeds Yellowfin.




Quick Charts in Imported Dashboards

Imported dashboards containing Quick Charts, will have the Quick Charts appear in the ‘Report’ widget panel, and behave as regular report objects, meaning users will not be able to further configure them as Quick Charts (i.e. via the Properties panel). These charts can however be viewed and edited as regular reports in the dashboard.




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