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Bar chart properties

You open the properties panel for a visualization by clicking Edit Edit in the toolbar and clicking the visualization that you want to edit.

If the properties panel is hidden, click open right panel Show properties in the lower right-hand corner.

Information noteIf the visualization has Linked Object in the upper right-hand corner, the visualization is linked to a master item. You cannot edit a linked visualization, but you can edit the master item. You can also unlink the visualization to make it editable.
Information noteSome of the settings in the properties panel are only available under certain circumstances, for example, when you use more than one dimension or measure, or when you select an option that makes other options available.

Data

Click Add to add a dimension or a measure.

Dimensions

On the Data tab, under Dimensions, click Add to open a list of available Dimensions and Fields. Select the dimension or field that you want to use.

You can also click Expression to create a dimension in the expression editor. To be able to edit a dimension that is linked to a master item, you must first unlink the dimension. Another way to create a dimension is to type the expression directly in the text box. Expressions added in this way must begin with an equals sign (=). Here is an example with a calculated dimension:

=If (Week < 14, Week, 'Sales')

If Add is missing, you cannot add more dimensions.

  • <Dimension name>: Click the dimension name to open the dimension settings.

    If you want to delete the dimension, right-click the dimension and select Delete in the dialog. Alternatively, click the dimension and click Delete.

    • Dimension: Only displayed for master items. To be able to edit a dimension that is linked to a master item, you must first unlink the dimension.
    • Field: If you have added a field from Fields in the assets panel, the field name is automatically displayed. Click Expression to open the expression editor.
    • Label: Enter a label for the dimension. If you have added a field from Fields in the assets panel, the field name is automatically displayed.
    • Include null values: When selected, the measure values of all null dimensions are summarized and presented as one dimension item in a visualization. All null values are displayed as gaps or dashes (-).
    • Limitation: Limits the number of displayed values. When you set a limitation, the only dimensions displayed are those where the measure value meets the limitation criterion:
      • No limitation: The default value.

      • Fixed number: Select to display the top or bottom values. Set the number of values. You can also use an expression to set the number. Click Expression to open the expression editor.

      • Exact value: Use the operators and set the exact limit value. You can also use an expression to set the number. Click Expression to open the expression editor.

      • Relative value: Use the operators and set the relative limit value in percent. You can also use an expression to set the number. Click Expression to open the expression editor.

      • Calculated on measure: <measure>: Shown when you make a limitation to the number of displayed dimension values. The dimensions whose measure value meet the criterion are displayed.

    • Show others: When selected, the last value in the visualization (colored gray), summarizes all the remaining values. When some kind of limitation is set (Fixed number, Exact value, or Relative number), the value counts as 1 in that setting. If, for example, Exact value is used and set to 10, the tenth value is Others.
    • Other label: Enter a label for the summarized values (when Show others is selected). You can also use an expression as a label. Click Expression to open the expression editor.
  • Master item: You can create a master dimension based on the dimension expression by clicking Create new.

  • Add alternative: Alternative dimensions and measures are dimensions and measures that are added to a visualization, but are not displayed until a user chooses to switch which dimensions and measures are being displayed during visual exploration.

You can drag the dimensions to set the order in which they are displayed in the visualization. Use the drag bars (o) to rearrange the order.

You can drag a field from Measures to Dimensions to change how it is used. Moving a measure to Dimensions removes its aggregation. You cannot drag a master measure to Dimensions. You can only drag a measure to Dimensions if its expression is simple. For more information on expressions, see Using expressions in visualizations.

Measures

On the Data tab, under Measures, click Add to open a list of available measures. Select the measure that you want to add to the visualization. If you select a field, you are automatically presented with some common aggregation functions that you can choose between for the measure.

If no measure is available, you need to create one. You can enter the expression directly in the text box, or click Expression to create a measure in the expression editor.

To be able to edit a measure that is linked to a master item, you must first unlink the measure.

If Add is missing, you cannot add more measures.

  • <Measure name>: Click the measure to open the measure settings.

    If you want to delete the measure, long-touch/right-click the measure and select Delete in the dialog. Alternatively, click the measure and click Delete.

    • Expression: Click Expression to open the expression editor.The existing expression is displayed by default.
    • Modifier: Selects a modifier for the measure. Options are None, Accumulation, Moving average, Difference, and Relative numbers.
      • Accumulation: Only displayed when Accumulation has been selected as a modifier. It allows you to accumulate values of your measure over one or two dimensions.
      • The following options are available:

        • Dimension: Selects the dimension on which the accumulation will take place. If the accumulation is made across multiple dimensions, this will be the first dimension.
        • Across all dimensions: Continues accumulation across all available dimensions.
        • Range: Select whether the accumulation will happen on the Full range, or a Custom range of the dimension.
        • Steps: Only displayed when Range is set to Custom. The number of steps in the dimension which form an accumulation range. Only zero and positive integers are accepted.
        • Show excluded values: Include excluded values in the accumulation.
        • Output expression: Shows the expression used by the modifier.

      • Moving average: Only displayed when Moving average has been selected as a modifier. It allows you to accumulate values of your measure over one or two dimensions.
      • The following options are available:

        • Dimension: Selects the dimension on which the moving average will take place. If the moving average is made across multiple dimensions, this will be the first dimension.
        • Across all dimensions: Continues moving average across all available dimensions.
        • Range: Select whether the moving average will happen on the Full range, or a Custom range of the dimension.
        • Steps: Only displayed when Range is set to Custom. The number of steps in the dimension which form a moving average range. Only zero and positive integers are accepted.
        • Show excluded values: Include excluded values in the moving average.
        • Output expression: Shows the expression used by the modifier.

      • Difference: Only displayed when Difference has been selected as a modifier. It allows you to calculate the difference between consecutive values of a measure over one or two dimensions.
      • The following options are available:

        • Dimension: Selects the dimension on which the difference will take place. If the difference is made across multiple dimensions, this will be the first dimension.
        • Across all dimensions: Continues difference across all available dimensions.
        • Show excluded values: Include excluded values in the difference.
        • Output expression: Shows the expression used by the modifier.

      • Relative numbers: Only displayed when Relative numbers has been selected as a modifier.It allows you to calculate percentages relative to a specific selection, relative to the total, or relative to a field value. The modifier can be calculated over one or two dimensions.
      • The following options are available:

        • Selection scope: Sets whether the relative numbers are calculated based on the current selection or a specific field value. You can also disregard the current selection.
        • Dimensional scope: Sets whether the relative numbers are calculated based on a dimension. You can choose to have the modifier respect all available dimensions, respect a specific dimension if there are two, or to disregard the dimensions.
        • Output expression: Shows the expression used by the modifier.

    • Label: Enter a label for the measure. Measures not saved in Master items are by default displayed with the expression as label.
    • Measure: Only displayed for master items. To be able to edit a measure that is linked to a master item, you must first unlink the measure.
    • Number formatting: Different options for formatting the measure values. If you want to change the number format at app level, and not just for a single measure, it is better to do that in the regional settings, that is, in the SET statements at the beginning of the script in the data load editor.
    • The following number formats are available:

      • Auto: Qlik Sense automatically sets a number formatting based on the source data.

        To represent numeric abbreviations, the international SI units are used, such as k (thousand), M (million), and G (billion).

      • Number: By default, the formatting is set to Simple, and you can select the formatting from the options in the drop-down list. Click the button to change to Custom formatting, and use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.

        Examples:  

        • # ##0 describes the number as an integer with a thousands separator. In this example " " is used as a thousands separator.
        • ###0 describes the number as an integer without a thousands separator.
        • 0000 describes the number as an integer with at least four digits. For example, the number 123 will be shown as 0123.
        • 0.000 describes the number with three decimals. In this example "." is used as a decimal separator.

        If you add the percent sign (%) to the format pattern, the measure values are automatically multiplied by 100.

      • Money: By default, the format pattern used for money is the same as set up in the operating system. Use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.
      • Date: By default, the formatting is set to Simple, and you can select the formatting from the options in the drop-down list. Click the button to change to Custom formatting, and use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.
      • Duration: By default, the format pattern used for duration is the same as set up in the operating system. Duration can be formatted as days, or as a combination of days, hours, minutes, seconds and fractions of seconds. Use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.
      • Custom: By default, the format pattern used for custom is the same as set up in the operating system. Use the Format pattern boxes to change the format pattern.
      • Measure expression: The format pattern is determined by the measure expression. Use this option to display custom number formatting for a measure in a visualization.

        Limitations:

        Only works with visualizations that accept measures.

        Cannot be used with a box plot.

        Does not affect the number formatting of the axis.

    • Add trend line: Trend lines are lines used to show trends over time.

      • Label: Enter a label for the trend line. Click Expression to open the expression editor.
      • Type. Set the type of the trend line. The following types are available:

        • Average
        • Linear
        • Second degree polynomial
        • Third degree polynomial
        • Fourth degree polynomial
        • Exponential
        • Logarithmic
        • Power
      • Colors: Set to Custom to change the color of the trend line.
      • Dashed: Choose between dashed or continuous line style.

  • Master item: You can create a master measure based on the measure expression by clicking Create new.

  • Add alternative: Alternative dimensions and measures are dimensions and measures that are added to a visualization, but are not displayed until a user chooses to switch which dimensions and measures are being displayed during visual exploration.

You can drag the measures to set the order in which they are displayed in the visualization. Use the drag bars (o) to rearrange the order.

You can drag a field from Dimensions to Measures to change how it is used. Moving a dimension to Measures assigns it an aggregation. You cannot drag a master dimension to Measures.

Sorting

Drag the dimensions and measures to set the sorting priority order. The numbers show the order.

Dimensions and measures can also be sorted internally:

Click the dimension or measure name to open the settings and click the sorting button to switch to Custom sorting. The following list shows the internal sorting priority order and sorting options. The sorting is either Ascending or Descending.

  • Sort by expression: Enter an expression to sort by. Only available for dimensions.
  • Sort numerically
  • Sort alphabetically

Additionally, you can sort by load order by switching to Custom and leaving all sorting options unselected.

If you have set a custom order for a field, that custom order will override any selected internal sort order in Sorting. For more information, see Customizing the order of dimension values.

Add-ons

  • Data handling:

    • Include zero values: When unselected, measures that have the value ‘0’ are not included in the presentation. If there is more than one measure value, all the measure values must have the value ‘0’ to be excluded from the presentation.

      Calculation condition: Specify an expression in this text field to set a condition that needs to be fulfilled (true) for the object to be displayed. The value may be entered as a calculated formula. For example: count(distinct Team)<3. If the condition is not fulfilled, the message or expression entered in Displayed message is displayed.

    • A calculation condition is useful when a chart or table is very big and makes the visualization slow to respond. A calculation condition can then help so that for example an object does not show until the user has filtered the data to a more manageable level by applying selections.
  • Reference lines: Add reference line: Click to add a new reference line.

    • Show: When selected, the reference line is displayed.
    • Label: Enter a label for the reference line.
    • Color: In the color picker, select the color of the reference line and the label.
    • Reference line expression: Enter a value or an expression for the reference line. Click Expression to open the expression editor.
    • Delete: Click to remove the reference line.

Appearance

General

  • Show titles: Select to enable or disable titles, subtitles, and footnotes in the chart.

    Enter Title, Subtitle, and Footnote. By default, the string is interpreted as a text string. However, you can also use the text field for an expression, or a combination of text and expression. An equals sign (=), at the beginning of a string shows that it contains an expression.

    Click Expression if you want to create an expression by using the expression editor.

    Information noteTitles are displayed on a single line. If you inject line breaks they will be ignored.

    Example:  

    Assume that the following string is used, including quotation marks: 'Sales: ' & Sum(Sales).

    By default, the string is interpreted as a text string and is displayed as presented in the example. But if you begin the string with an equals sign: (='Sales: ' & Sum(Sales)), the string is interpreted as an expression instead. The output is then Sales: <value of expression>, where <value of expression> is the calculated value.

  • Show details: Set to Show if you want to allow users to be able to choose to view details, such as descriptions, measures, and dimensions.

Alternate states

  • State: Set the state to apply to the visualization. You can select:

    • Any alternate state defined in Master items.
    • <inherited>, in which case the state defined for the sheet is used.
    • <default state>, which represents the state where no alternate state is applied.

    For more information about alternate states, see Using alternate states for comparative analysis.

Presentation

When you have at least two dimensions or two measures, you can present the dimensions or measures grouped together or stacked on top of each other.

Select vertical or horizontal orientation of the visualization.

  • Scroll alignment:  Set the position of the chart scrollbar. By default the scroll alignment is set to Start.

  • Scrollbar: Set the type of scrollbar to display. There are three settings:

    • Mini chart: Show a miniature of the chart.
    • Bar: Show a regular scrollbar.
    • None: There is no scrollbar, but you can still scroll in the visualization.
  • Grid line spacing: Select the spacing of the grid lines. The Auto setting is Medium.

  • Value labels: Value labels: By default, Off. With the Auto setting, the value labels are displayed when there is enough space.

    You can select to show Segment labels, Total labels, or both.

You can change the styling of the bars by clicking on Styling.

  • Outline width: Select if the bars should have an outline, and what the width of the outline should be. Default setting is None.
  • Outline color: In the color picker, select the color of the outline. This option is not available if Outline width is set to None.
  • Bar width: Set the bar width. This option is not available when using a continuous axis.
  • Reset all: Resets all style editor properties to their default values.

Colors and legends

  • Colors: Select how the chart values are colored. There are two settings:
    • Auto: Colors the chart values using default settings.
    • Custom: Manually select the method of coloring your values in the chart. The following methods are available:
      • Single color: Color the chart using a single color (by default blue). Use the color picker to change the dimension color.
        • Use library colors: Option available when a master dimension or master measure used in the visualization has a color assigned to it. You can select to use the master item colors or to disable the master item colors. In cases where a visualization has both a master dimension and a master measure that have colors assigned to them, you can select which to use in the visualization.

      • Multicolored: Option when more than one measure is used.

        By default, 12 colors are used for the measures. The colors are reused when there are more than 12 measuresvalues.

        When selected, the following settings are available:

        • Use library colors: Option available when a master dimension or master measure used in the visualization has a color assigned to it. You can select to use the master item colors or to disable the master item colors. In cases where a visualization has both a master dimension and a master measure that have colors assigned to them, you can select which to use in the visualization.

        • Color scheme: Select 12 colors or 100 colors to be used for the different values. The 12 colors can all be distinguished by people with color vision deficiency, but not all of the 100 colors.

      • By dimension: Color the chart by dimension values. By default, 12 colors are used for the dimensions. The colors are reused when there are more than 12 dimension values. When selected, the following settings are available:

        • Select dimension: Enter a field or expression containing the values to color objects in this chart.
        • Library colors: Select whether to use the master dimension color or to disable the master dimension color. Option available only when a master dimension used in the visualization has a color assigned to it.
        • Persistent colors: Select to have colors remain the same between selection states.
        • Color scheme: Select 12 colors or 100 colors to be used for the different values. The 12 colors can all be distinguished by people with color vision deficiency, but not all of the 100 colors.

      • By measure:
        • Select measure: Select the measure to use to color your chart.
        • Library colors: Select whether to use the master measure color or to disable the master measure color. Option available only when a master measure used in the visualization has a color assigned to it.
        • Label: Enter text or an expression for the measure that displays in the legend.
        • Number formatting: You can set the format of the field or expression values

          The following number formats are available:

          • Auto: Qlik Sense automatically sets a number formatting based on the source data.

            To represent numeric abbreviations, the international SI units are used, such as k (thousand), M (million), and G (billion).

          • Number: By default, the formatting is set to Simple, and you can select the formatting from the options in the drop-down list. Click the button to change to Custom formatting, and use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.

            Examples:  

            • # ##0 describes the number as an integer with a thousands separator. In this example " " is used as a thousands separator.
            • ###0 describes the number as an integer without a thousands separator.
            • 0000 describes the number as an integer with at least four digits. For example, the number 123 will be shown as 0123.
            • 0.000 describes the number with three decimals. In this example "." is used as a decimal separator.

            If you add the percent sign (%) to the format pattern, the measure values are automatically multiplied by 100.

          • Money: By default, the format pattern used for money is the same as set up in the operating system. Use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.
          • Date: By default, the formatting is set to Simple, and you can select the formatting from the options in the drop-down list. Click the button to change to Custom formatting, and use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.
          • Duration: By default, the format pattern used for duration is the same as set up in the operating system. Duration can be formatted as days, or as a combination of days, hours, minutes, seconds and fractions of seconds. Use the Format pattern box to change the format pattern.
          • Custom: By default, the format pattern used for custom is the same as set up in the operating system. Use the Format pattern boxes to change the format pattern.
            • Decimal separator: Set the decimal separator.
            • Thousands separator: Set the thousands separator.
            • Format pattern: Set the number format pattern.
            • Reset pattern: Click to reset to default pattern.
          • Measure expression: The format pattern is determined by the measure expression. Use this option to display custom number formatting for a measure in a visualization.
        • Color scheme: Select a color scheme from the following options:
          • Sequential gradient: The transition between the different color groups is made using different shades of colors. High measure values have darker hues.

          • Sequential classes: The transition between the different color groups is made using distinctly different colors.

          • Diverging gradient: Used when working with data that is ordered from low to high, for instance, to show the relationship between different areas on a chart. Low and high values have dark colors, mid-range colors are light.
          • Diverging classes: Can be seen as two sequential classes combined, with the mid-range shared. The two extremes, high and low, are emphasized with dark colors with contrasting hues, and the mid-range critical values are emphasized with light colors.
        • Reverse colors: When selected, the color scheme is reversed.
        • Range: Define the range of values used to color by measure or by expression.
          • Auto: The color range is set by the measure or expression values.
          • Custom: When custom is selected, you can set the Min and Max values for the color range.
      • By expression: Color the chart using an expression to define colors for values. Supported color formats are: RGB, ARGB, and HSL.
        • Expression: Enter the expression that you want to use. Click Expression to open the expression editor.
        • The expression is a color code: Selected by default. In most cases, it is best to keep this setting. When the selection is cleared, the expression evaluates to a number, which in turn is plotted against one of the chart gradients.

          For more information, see Coloring a visualization

          When the coloring is by measure or by expression, you can set the color range (Min and Max values). By setting the color range, the colors remain constant throughout selections and paging. When using color by expression, the option The expression is a color code must be cleared before you can set the color range.

  • Show legend: Not available when Single color is selected. By default set to Off. The legend is displayed if there is enough space. The placement can be changed in the Legend position setting.
  • Legend position: Select where to display the legend.
  • Show legend title: When selected, the legend title is displayed.

X-axis

  • <Dimension>

    • Continuous: Set to Custom to be able to show a continuous axis by selecting Use continuous scale. Use continuous scale is only available for dimensions with numeric values. You cannot change sorting when you use a continuous scale.
    • Show mini chart: You can select if you want to display the mini chart below the chart. This option is only available when you use a continuous scale.
    • Labels and title: Select what to display of labels and title.
    • Label orientation: Select how to display the labels.
    • Position: Select where to display the dimension axis.
    • Number of bars: Set the upper limit to the number of visible bars.
      • Auto: The number of visible bars is determined by the number of dimensions and measures used.
      • Max: The number of visible bars is set to maximum.
      • Custom: When custom is selected, you can directly set the upper limit to the number of visible bars using Maximum number, or by entering an expression. Click Expression to open the expression editor.

Y-axis

  • <Measure>
    • Labels and title: Select what to display of labels and title.
    • Position: Select where to display the measure axis.
    • Scale: Set the spacing of the measure axis scale.
    • Range: Select to set the min value, the max value, or both. The min value cannot be larger than the max value. You can use expressions for the values.

Tooltip

  • Tooltip: Set to Custom to be able to add measures as tooltips. Any added measures will be displayed as additional tooltips over the bars.
  • Hide basic rows: Hides the rows of the tooltip that show basic information. If a custom tooltip has no measures and a title and description, Hide basic rows will also hide dimension values as well.
  • Add measure: Adds a measure to be shown as a tooltip. You can add a measure from a field using From a field. You can also use an expression to add a measure. Click Expression to open the expression editor. The existing expression is displayed by default. You can add a title and description to the tooltip. You can change the label of the tooltip using Label as well as its formatting using Number formatting.

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