Cross Platform Functionality

Important!

Currently, templates only work in the BI system they were created in. For example, you cannot use a template from Qlik Sense in PowerBI or Excel. This functionality will be added in the future.

Introduction

Templates provide an easy and powerful way to build charts with a high complexity up to whole dashboards just by passing through a step-wise data mapping, which enables the usage of the underlying data- and layout definitions of your target cell.

Figure 1. Save templates

Figure 2. Use templates as cell content

Figure 3. Map to local data model

Figure 4. Save time

What benefit can you claim by using templates?

With templates it is possible to design complex apps with TRUECHART from scratch in a small piece of time. Templates also can be a way to improve or extend existing TRUECHART objects.

There are a lot of use cases for templates. Here are some of them:

shorthand use the standard (IBCS) templates
insert charts from one TRUECHART object to another
insert grids with nested charts from one TRUECHART object to another
merge two TRUECHART objects into a new one
share your charts and participate with your whole team

Standard Templates

TRUECHART provides a set of built in templates inspired by common IBCS diagrams. You can find the following ones in the list of templates:

Sense
- Simple
  - Simple base layout with icon button header line
  - Base layout with grid, title and comments
  - Tree chart
- Variances
  - Structure chart with deltas
  - Time chart with deltas
- Advanced
  - Stock development
  - Butterfly chart
  - HR diversity dashboard
  - Profit and loss (P&L) → Look also into our P&L how-to documentation
  - Sales dashboard
  - Sales dashboard with variances
  - Stacked bar chart month plus year
  - Stacked bar chart with table
Power Bi
- Layout
  - Simple base layout with icon button header line
  - Base layout with grid, title and comments
  - Tree chart
- Variances
  - Structure chart with deltas
  - Time chart with deltas
- Advanced
  - Stock development
  - Butterfly chart

Save a Template

To save a template to the database or download it as file, you need to go through the following steps:

Right-click on a TRUECHART object and the 'context menu' will be opened in front.

To create a template, click the '"Save"' template button. In the cell settings editor you can find it at the global action bar on the right side.

Another way is to open the layout editor and hit the button, which is part of the grid controls at the right side.

Now a modal dialog will appear where you can define the meta information of your template.

To enable the save button you must enter a valid '"title"' (1). Optional insert a '"description"' (2), some '"tags"' (3) or upload a '"thumbnail"' (4) which will be displayed as the preview picture in the list of templates.
By clicking the '"pencil"' button (5) you can add '"tags"' (6) and '"additional information"' (7) to each dimension, measure, variable or common table of the resulting template.

Rich meta information will help the automapping feature to find suitable objects in the step of the data mapping.

To set the initial publishing state of your template use the toggle on the right top corner of the modal.

The action bar at the bottom of the modal allows you to '"Save"' (1) your template to the database. Another option is to '"Download as file"' (2), without storing it to the database. '"Cancel"' (3) will help you to abort, but all information will be lost.

Publish templates

To provide a template from your private portfolio to specific users in your TRUECHART environment, go through the following steps:

Open a template in edit or save mode.
Use the toggle on the bottom left corner of the dialog to control the publishing state of your template. Other users have a read-only permissions and can either edit or delete your version.

Note

Templates can be switched between Public/Private and deleted via the Template Manager Facility (introduced in v2022.4.0 of TRUECHART)

Template owner can switch this option anytime.

Published templates are downloadable from every system user.

Load a template

To load a template into the target cell you will need to go through the following steps:

Select a cell with right click and open the context menu. Choose the option '"Cell"' or '"Layout"', to get into the cell settings or layout editor.

The top aligned action bar contains the button to open the dialog to load, map, manage and apply a template.

The dialog is divided into 4 steps:

"Load Template"	select or search a template from the list of templates and map, edit, download or delete it
"Map Data"	map the context data with all of its dimensions and measures
"Map variables"	map all the variables from your template to your target cell
"Map common tables"	map all the common tables into the resulting cell

Step 1: Load Template

In the first step of the load template dialog you can manage all your templates. If you search for a special one, you can filter the list by adding keywords to the search input (1) at the top.

Bellow you see the list of templates (2), which is selectable. By clicking on a row of the list the item gets active and gets a background highlighting.

If you have a template as a file on your disk, you can upload it right here with the '"Upload"' button (3)

If you have selected a template the following options will be enabled:

Map data and apply
Edit the meta data or publish / unpublish a template
Delete a template of your own
Download the template as a file (JSON)

Search for a template

If you want to use a special template of yours, or the public stream, you can filter the result by using the full text search of the templates feature. Start typing in keywords, while the system filters the list just in time.

Your entered text will be searched in the name, description and tags of the template`s meta data.

Step 2: Map Data

Map data means you decide for every context, it`s dimensions and measures if a new similar object is generated or an existing one is used to apply the template to the target cell.

The first three columns (1-3) of the mapping table belong to the template. Column (4) is giving control to set the mapping mode between new and existing. Column (5-7) display the result in the target cell. The last column (9) of each row displays the validation state. (8) can be used to check all rows that are able to be applied. Rows with errors can`t be checked, and will prevent the system to apply the template finally.

By switching the toggle at column (4) you decide about the result in the target cell. You can choose '"New"' if you have no usable objects loaded in the current extension. An '"Existing"' object you can choose from a dropdown appearing after the toggle is switched to '"Existing"'. Even the mode '"New"' provides a dropdown which giving the options from the app. The "fx"-button loads the expression editor in front. Confirm it and you are back in action.

Step 3: Map variables

The process of mapping your template is analogous to map the data with some different validation rules.

Step 4: Map common tables

Common tables have a specific password property, which makes it slightly different to map them. For each row a right aligned button labeled with the name of the common table is rendered in the data mapping table. By clicking it, a popup with some inputs will be shown in front. Depending on which edit mode you choose the controls and requirements will not be the same.

new common tables

If you don´t want to map the common table from the template to an existing of the extension or you even have none, choose the edit mode '"New"'. Here you can define a new common table resulting in the extension after applying the template. To do this click the target button (1). In the upcoming popup you can define a '"name"' (2), which has to be unique in the target cell. Add a '"description"' (3) and some '"additional information"' (4) if you want to. Insert a '"password"' (5) and repeat it (6). Now close the popup by clicking somewhere outside of it or hit the button (1) again. The validation button of the row will show you if your entrees are valid.

existing common tables

If you want to map existing common tables, the stored password is required to apply the template. You can do this, by choosing the edit mode '"Existing"' and clicking on the right button (1) labeled with the common table name. A popup will appear where you can choose a 'existing' common table (2). You can add a '"description"' (3) and '"additional information"' (4). Now enter the valid password. If you have errors, you get a validation feedback from the right aligned validation inputs as a tooltip by hovering your mouse over them.

Validation

To apply a template to the selected target cell you need to get through the mapping process. One of its objectives is to get no errors in the steps (1). Steps with errors have an additional red exclamation mark at the right bottom of its icon. Contexts will be validated too. If you got any error at it or in one of its items, you will be informed by the error level icon (2). If you picked a target context with issues you can check this at the right aligned validation button of the input / dropdown (3).

There are different error levels a validation state can assume (1-4). You should try to reach that all items are valid. The checked state is a help to mark items, but while not cause mapping itself. You can check all items by clicking the green button (5) in the table header.

Icon	Errorlevel	Effect
	Error	the template can`t be applied if you have an error
	Warning	The decision to proceed can impact data or the expected result. Applying is still possible.
	Valid	Every validation rule is resolved
	Checked	the user did check this by clicking the validation button 'Valid' item

The automapping feature

If the structure of involved data models is similar the automapping feature will find all suitable object and select them automatically. This suggestion will be shown as the initial state if you open a data mapping step of the dialog.

By selecting an existing context, or switching the target mode to '"New"' the automapping feature will be triggered each time.

Apply the template

The result will be shown in the preview of the cell settings editor. You can use all of its features and you have the following options:

cancel > hit the 'Cancel' button
accept > hit the 'OK' button
edit > optimize your settings

Upload a template

To upload a template, open the load template dialog and hit the button "Upload" at the bottom of it.

if you don`t use the server version of TRUECHART, all uploaded templates will only temporarily be available for your session.

Download a template

To download a template, open the load template dialog and select it from the list of templates.

Edit a template

To edit a template, open the load template dialog and select it from the list of templates. Press the button on the right side of the list of templates, appearing to the selected object.

The same interface will be shown which you can use to save a template. After adding or changing data use the Save button at the bottom to persist your entrees to the database.

Delete a template

open the load template dialog and select it from the list of templates. Click the button with the cross icon.

Confirm this with inline popup coming up after clicking the delete button.

The template will be removed and is not restorable.

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