Measure settings

Measures can be accessed through the settings editor, clicking on the database icon. Or directly through the context menu selecting the data entry.

It is used to manage both types of measures, the measures from BI system and those that are user defined.

Deleting a measure automatically updates all formulas that use that measure and the remaining measure IDs in all formulas.

While deletion of user-defined measures takes effect immediately, measures from BI systems will be marked for deletion and then have to be deleted by the BI system.

By selecting a measure, it’s possible to make adjustments and apply several individual settings to it on the measures page.

Measure types

There are several different types of measures:

• BI measures are those measures that are inherited from the BI system
• Custom measures are those that can be defined additionally in trueChart
  
  • The Comment type is a comment type for text-based comments
  • The Date type is a comment type for date entry
  • The Flag type is a comment type for flag-based comments
  • The List type is a comment type for choosing an option from a list
  • The Measure type (also ‘trueChart measure’) is a general measure that can include a formula to calculate its contents
  • Value input is a comment type for input of a numerical value

Custom measures can be added by using the + button on the Measures pane.

General settings

By default, the measure name is inherited from the data definition depending on the underlying platform. If desired, an individual measure name is definable as well. It’s also possible to have multi-row names for a measure when using the formula editor. TRUECHART combines labels over several measure labels as long as they have the same spelling on the same row.

You can also add a description and multiple tags to a measure. The description and tags are used to find and differentiate the measure when using templates.

By setting a display condition, you can dynamically hide the measure in all your visualizations. The measure will be shown when the result of the condition equals to '' (empty string), true, 1 or -1 and hidden in any other case. In case of hidden measure in a data context, no data rule of this measure will be used in visualizations. Please note that measures can optionally be hidden in table visualizations using the table layout setting. In this case, the data rules for the table are applied as long as the measure is not deactivated in the data context by the display condition.

Comment group

For comment measures, you must choose a comment group to associate the comment measure with. This is done in the Comment group section.

Besides choosing the comment group itself, you can set the mapping between the dimension keys of the comment group and optionally a default value or expression.

Scaling group

Determine the scaling group of the measure. A scaling group defines that measures within the same group will be visualized in the same relative proportion in an extension. Scaling groups can be used to group the same types (currency, weight, number, etc.) of data together so they are scaled evenly on every chart. The determination of “same scaling group” is based on the exact same kind of “string”. A scaling group can also be defined dynamically by entering a variable. Example: $(vScaling_Group1) On some BI platforms, it’s possible to reuse already defined scaling groups, for example in Qlik Sense, as long as the scaling group was defined in another TRUECHART instance on the same sheet. In Power BI, scaling groups can only be used on a per extension base, i.e. you won’t be able to use them across multiple TRUECHART instances.

Also an empty scaling group is a valid group. Therefore, all measures with an empty scaling group will be scaled the same way.

Expression

Applies to

Filter data for this formula using category entities.
Example

The formula for the months January-June:
$(DIMENSION,POSITION)>=1 AND $(DIMENSION,POSITION)<=6

A value in Applies to is mandatory, true or an empty value makes the formula active for all category entities.

Formula (only available for user-defined measures)

If a user-defined measure was created, a Formula must be added to calculate its value (most likely by using values from other measures and/or based on additional calculations).
Example

This formula calculates percentage values based from two other measures:

• first measure is K01

• second measure is K02

Formula: ( $(K01) / $(K02) ) * 100

Calculation

Determines the calculation of the value entities

• Summation: The current value from the BI platform is used.

• Cumulation: The sum of the current and all former values. Cumulation continues until a formula with summation occurs. The cumulation is reset and starts from zero.

Rules

The Rules allows for creating and adjusting data rules for a specific measure.

The purpose of data rules is to allow formatting visualization elements such as bars, columns, axes or table cells. It can also be used for hiding certain visualization elements within an object.

Data rules provide a key functionality in TRUECHART that is essential for applying IBCS semantics.

Name

Determine the name of the Data Rule To add a rule, click the '+ Rule' button. To remove a rule, click the 'trashcan' icon on the right-hand of the rule that is to be deleted.

Applies to

Filter data for this rule using category entities. A value in Applies to is mandatory, true or empty value makes the rule active for all category entities.
Example

The rule for the months January-June: $(DIMENSION,POSITION)>=1 AND $(DIMENSION,POSITION)⇐6

Condition

Filter the data for this rule using values. A value in Condition is mandatory, true or empty value makes the rule active for all category entities.
Example

The rule is active for all values greater 100: $(K01; AC)>100

General

Type

Determine the type of the Measure. This results in a different category width. The width of each type is defined in the notation manual:

• Amount

• Quantity

• Relation

Value

Determine if the value is a normal value, a total or a subtotal.

Scaling

The displayed value is divided by this factor. The following predefined factors are available through download list: None, k(Thousands), m(Millions), b(Billions) & %. The scaling can also be specified as a TRUECHART variable based expression.

Decimals

The number of decimal places used for drawing. It can also be specified as TRUECHART variable based expression.

Rating

Turns around the meaning of positive and negative values, i.e. the two color schemes are exchanged.

Switch signs

Changes the sign of the measure.

Format

Unit

The unit of the measure to be displayed within defined visualisations, for example Euro or liter.

It can also be specified as TRUECHART variable-based expression.

Font color

Defines the text color of value representations. It can be any string value which is compatible with the CSS color property. This setting overrides the base/reference settings.

Background color

Defines the background color of the data cell. It can be any string value which is compatible with the CSS background-color style property.

Text decoration

Defines the text decoration of the value representations. It can be any string value which is compatible with the CSS text-decoration style property.

Font bold

Determines if the value representation should be displayed as bold or normal text.

Font italic

Determines if the value representation should be displayed as italic or normal text.

Base

Time

Relation of the keyfigure:

• Past, Past

• Past

• Present

• Future

Scenario

Scenario determines the meaning of the measure:

• Actual: Real existing values

• Budget: Planned values

• Forecast: Estimated values

Through the dropdown on the scenarios, you’re able to view the selected version and select a different one for this scenario. Different scenarios versions contain different visualization options.
Example

Scenarios for Actual are named ACT0 – ACTn.

Delta

When this option is activated, positive and negative values are drawn in different colors. The colors are defined in the notation manual for the currently selected scenario.

Individual

Standard colors are retrieved from the current scenario in the notation manual. Activate this option to allow individual colors. The colors can be set as RGB values and individually for the border, pattern and background.

Reference

References can be used to visualize the delta according to the base. If enabled, the values for Time, Type, Version, Delta and Individual are used as a reference for measures set as delta. This reference may be shown on the axis of the cell.