Create a heatmap visualization in the Visualization Designer

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 4 minutes to read

    • Use a heatmap visualization to show the relationship between two table fields or indicator breakdowns. The changes in color as you move along the axes reveal patterns in the value of one or both fields/breakdowns.

    Before you begin

    Role required: Anyone with access to data can create a visualization of that data on any dashboard that they can edit. Users with the itil, report_user, admin, or viz_creator role can create a visualization in the Visualization Designer. If you create a visualization in the Visualization Designer, it is saved to the Library. For more information on access, see Report_view access control and Platform Analytics roles.

    About this task

    For information about the use of a Heatmap visualization in a dashboard, see the Developer Site. This site gives information about Heatmap data visualization components in the UI Builder, and some configuration options may differ from the Visualization Designer.

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > Platform Analytics > Library > Data Visualizations.
    2. Select New.
    3. Select the Heatmap (Heatmap icon) visualization type.
    4. Configure the Header and border. Header and border options are the same for all data sources.
      Header and border fields Description
      Show header The visualization header, including title and icons.
      Show header separator Option to display a line separating the header from the rest of the component.
      Chart title Title of the visualization.
      Description A short overview about the visualization that the end user sees.
      Wrap title Option to wrap long titles onto a second line. If false, displays an ellipsis to truncate long titles.
      Show border Option to display a line around the component.
      Bare Option to remove padding around data visualization to provide more compact positioning on the page. Only available when Show border is turned off.
    5. Choose a data source.
      For general descriptions of the data sources, see Data sources for data visualizations.

      • Table (available in the base system). When you select a table, you can filter it by conditions.

        Configured report sources appear in the Predefined conditions list. For more information, see Report sources.

        To help you create a custom filter, there is a preview list of records that would be included in the visualization. You can change which fields are shown as columns and the width of columns in the list actions.
        Preview record list for table source data visualization with list actions shown.
      • Indicator (available in the base system). You can filter the indicator scores by breakdowns and elements.
        Note:
        Benchmark indicators are not supported.

        Conditional filter for indicator data source on data visualization.
        Note:

        You might have a multiple select (is one of) or dynamic (is (dynamic)) operator on the breakdown element filter. These operators require the indicator and breakdown to support them. For more information about the configurations that support these operators, see "Is one of" and "Is (Dynamic)" operators on breakdown conditions in data visualizations.

    6. Select the options for your data source.
    7. Under Presentation, provide display and color information.
      Field Description

      Display settings
      Show data table Shows a table with chart and graph data for easier screen reader access. Data includes the percentage of the total for each value, when appropriate.

      Data label
      Show data labels Option to display the score for each data point.

      Legend
      Show legend Option to display the legend. Activated automatically at 400% zoom.
      Legend position Legend location relative to the chart: Above, Below, Right, or Left

      Colors
      Set color type
      Type of color scheme to apply to the component. The choices are:
      • Default default: A color from the UX Theme Properties [sys_ux_theme_property] table. The specific colors depend on which theme variant in the UX Themes [sys_ux_theme] table is applied to the instance.
      • Color range: A spectrum of colors between a color for the lowest value and a color for the highest value
    8. Under Chart interaction, set what if anything happens when a viewer clicks a chart or a chart segment on the visualization.
      Field Description
      Allow chart interaction Enable an event to occur when a user clicks in a chart or one of its segments.
      Action
      Choose the event that occurs when a user clicks in a chart or one of its segments. Choices depend on the visualization type and data source. Applies only when Allow chart interaction is on. For more information, see Chart interactions in a data visualization.
      • Go to data view opens the records view in a Core UI list or KPI Details relevant to the associated segment or visualization. Records do not open in Workspace embedded lists.

        Not supported for User Experience Analytics data sources.

      • Go to URL opens the specified URL, which can be on the instance or external. You have the option of specifying a page name to appear in the tooltip, for those visualizations with tooltips.
      • Drill down to chart (Visualization Designer only) Opens a different data visualization that is filtered by the selected data. You can add a drill-down visualization for each metric on the parent visualization.
        Note:
        The last level of drill down in the Platform Analytics experience is always a Core UI list. Records do not open in Workspace embedded lists.

        Drill down to chart supports only table data sources.
    9. Select Save.
      Navigate to All > Platform Analytics > Library > Data Visualizations to return to the Data Visualization list.

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