BETA - Using Storyboards - Define panel (Explore in Storyboards)
Introduction
The Explore tool has long been your go-to for delving into data and crafting captivating visualizations. But now, we're thrilled to introduce a game-changing addition with the Define Panel.
What is it?
Think of it as Explore seamlessly integrated within your Storyboards. No more switching back and forth; now, you can uncover insights, create visualizations, and modify Tiles—all without leaving your Storyboard.
NOTE: This beta release is not behind a feature flag and is now available to all users. It is identified as a beta feature with the beta label on the Define panel.
The Define panel allows users to define queries and create a variety of visualizations, including: Basic Charts, Lists Table, Key Value, Funnel Chart, GeoMap, Free Text Tile, Pie Chart, Sankey Chart, and Scatterplot Chart.
Let’s get started with the Define panel, your Explore in Storyboards.
Permissions
The permissions of CanExploreData and CanCreateDashboard are required to create or edit the queries or visualizations.
These permissions are accessed from Admin > Application Role > Permission page. The user will also need Storyboard edit permission to make any modifications to that Storyboard. This permission is accessed from Admin > Data Access Role > Storyboard > Edit or via Storyboard Settings > Sharing > Can View & Edit.
Your Data Access Role permissions govern the actual data users are able to view based on their selected roles.
Authorized users can access the Define panel to create new queries or visualizations, as well as modify existing ones.
Accessing the Define panel to create new visualizations
The Define panel was designed to be super-intuitive and easy to use. With a few simple clicks, you can create impactful data visualizations in Storyboards. If you don’t like what you see? You can effortlessly make a few edits and refinements without ever leaving the Storyboard.
So, let’s start by creating a new visualization on an existing Storyboard.
Step 1.
Navigate to your chosen Storyboard. To create a new query or visualization click on the Edit [pencil] icon to enter Storyboard Modify Mode.
Step 2.
Click the Add [+] icon to display the new ‘Build Storyboard’ panel
Step 3.
Click the visualization type you want to create to display the Define Panel. The left-hand side of the panel offers a starter guide with information about the basic requirements to create the selected visualization type.
Step 4.
Use the query builder on the right-hand side to define the chart query. The + icon adds, the eye icon indicates your selections, and your check and cross icons are your filtering selections.
More detail about your selection options can be found here Interacting with Dimension chips in the Define panel
Step 5.
Click Run & Preview Query to run the query to preview your visualization.
Step 6.
Click the Table tab to switch to a table view of the data.
Step 7.
Before inserting, you can edit the query definition and re-run it as needed. Additionally, you can apply further customization to your visualization using the Design, Discover, or Describe tabs. Note that the Discover and Describe tabs will only appear if the selected chart type supports these additional options.
Step 8.
Click Insert to Storyboard to add the defined visualization to your Storyboard.
Step 9.
Enter a name for the Tile Title, then click Save at the top right of the page, and Exit Modify Mode.
Your new visualization has now been created and saved to your Storyboard. If you wish to add multiple visualizations, we recommend creating one at a time and saving after you have added each tile.
Editing an existing visualization using the Define panel
Step 1.
To modify an existing query or visualization in the Define panel from within a Storyboard, click on the Edit [pencil] icon to enter Storyboard Modify Mode.
Step 2.
Hover above the tile menu to reveal the text labels for the icons. Click on the Settings icon to display the Visualisation Settings panel.
Step 3.
Update or edit the query definition and click Run & Preview Query to run the new query.
Step 4.
Click Update on Storyboard to update the Storyboard Tile - the modal window will close. Alternatively you can Cancel to return to the Storyboard with no updates applied.
Note: If you click the Explore icon from the Tile Configuration Panel in Storyboard Modify Mode, the query list will open in Explore, however only legacy charts will be supported.
Interacting with Metric and Dimension chips in the Define panel
Interacting with Metric Chips (Basic Charts only)
In the Define panel for Basic Charts, when you hover over a metric chip, it enters a hover state.
Clicking the chip will reveal additional options, including:
- Series Type: Choose from Spline, Column, Line, Area, or Area Spline.
- For Column, there is an additional toggle option to switch between vertical and horizontal bars.
- Filtering: Options include Unfiltered, Top, or Bottom.
- For Top or Bottom filtering, you can input a filter count.
- Sorting: Select None, Ascending, or Descending.
Once your selections are finalized, click the Run & Preview Query. Click Update on Storyboard or click the left arrow near the metric name to return to the main Define panel.
Interacting with Dimension chips
When adding Dimensions or Pivoted Dimensions, the default selection is the top level (i.e., ‘Level 1’ for Dimensions or ‘Year’ for Time Periods). The selection icon is represented by an eye icon, followed by the number of selections made.
In the Define panel, hovering over a dimension chip places it in a hover state.
Clicking the chip reveals further options, including:
- Pivot and show label on X-axis: Toggle on/off to switch between a dimension and a pivoted dimension.
- Levels: Select one or more levels of the dimension.
- Nodes: Select or filter nodes within the dimension.
- Use the eye icon to select/unselect nodes, and the tick/cross icon to include, exclude, or reset node filters.
- Use the right arrow to drill down to the next level, and the breadcrumb trail to navigate back to previous levels.
Split Time
When exactly two levels of Time are selected, an additional toggle option, Split Node, appears. Enabling Split Node allows you to split the Time Dimension across both the X and Y axes of a chart or the column and row of a table.
If Split Node is enabled:
- Dimension chips will display as two chips across the dimension and pivoted dimension, each showing the relevant time level with a split icon.
- The Master Chip (main time level) remains interactive, while the Split Chip (secondary time level) is non-interactive, indicated by a dotted outline for intuitive UI feedback.
Summary of the Dimension chip interaction options:
Option | Interaction |
Pivot and show label on X-axis option | On/Off toggle switch |
Split Node: (This feature works only when exactly two view levels are selected.) | On/Off toggle switch |
Option to deselect any preselected dimensions nodes | Clear All or remove chips individually |
Select Levels | Eye icon to select/unselect nodes |
Select Nodes | Eye icon to select/unselect nodes |
Include Nodes Filter | Toggle to ‘tick’ to include nodes |
Exclude Nodes Filter | Toggle to ‘cross’ to exclude nodes |
Reset Nodes Filter | Toggle to neutral mode |
Drill down to next level |
Arrow icon to the right of dimension node |
Drill up to previous level | Click Breadcrumb nodes to navigate |
Return to the main Define query | Arrow icon at the top of panel to return to main view |
As shown below:
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