Updated Izenda Vision (markdown)

[[_TOC_]]

Izenda Visualizations are a D3-based visual supplement to Izenda’s core charting engine. Visualizations are rendered in a chart report part, but are built on the columnar data in your summary or fields tab. These columns must be arranged in a specific order to provide valid data for certain visualizations. This document lists which column arrangement works with each visualization style.

Given that visualizations rely on the teamwork between the chart itself and the column data which supports it, this means that visualizations may not be easy to include in a complex report. Currently, any data in the Summary tab will be read, and if this tab is empty, the Fields tab will be used instead.

In Izenda terms, a field and a column are the same thing. This documentation will refer to fields and columns interchangeably. To be precise, fields are listed from top to bottom on the Fields tab, and displayed as columns from left to right.

When creating a visualization, you must pay specific attention to the field order. This is the idea that fields, from top to bottom, can be numbered - the first field in the list is 1, the second field is 2, and so on. Likewise, the leftmost column is column 1, the column immediately to the right is column 2, and so on. This field order is critical, as visualizations demand a specific order to fields which dictates not only if they will be used, but how they will be used.

Some visualizations permit multiple group fields. Group field hierarchy must be placed in proper field order. This means highest category first, and lowest category last. Here are some examples:

Visualizations read the exact field order as you define it. If I place Neighborhood before Country, my visualization will not make any sense by definition. Double check that fields are in the correct order if the visualization does not appear to be correct.

Visualizations sort in an order defined by the columns in the Summary or Fields tab. This order does not change if you select a different metric, which means that you can be viewing Metric B as sorted by Metric A. Currently, the only way to change the sort order is to change the sorting behavior defined by the arrangement of fields. If you are experiencing undesired or confusing sort behavior, check to make sure that the field sort order is correct.

Count(Order ID), Year(Order Date), Count(Customer ID), Ship City, Country

Some visualizations support dynamic filtering and drill-down-like behavior. Currently, a full drill-down - connecting through a visualization to another Izenda report - is not possible. A visualization can exist on a child report, and can exist on a parent report, but no part of the visualization is clickable to activate a downhill. The drill-down terminology in this case means that some visualizations, like heat map and sunburst, can drill-down within themselves. This is more accurately described as dynamic filtering. Dynamic filtering the visualization will also filter the linked summary or detail view.

Some visualizations can accept an indefinite number of fields as metrics. These fields are noted with a + after the field number order. That is to say, if a visualization requires 3 and only 3 fields, its fields will be listed as 1, 2, 3. However, if a visualization can have multiple fields after the first two fields which define its boundaries, its fields would be listed as 1, 2, 3+. In other words, after the mandatory fields 1 and 2, we could have fields 3, 4, 5, 6 which all serve as additional selectable metrics. Generally only one of these fields will be displayed at a time, but with the option of selecting between them.

Some visualizations can accept a large number of fields as groups. These fields are noted with a … after the field order number. This means that if a visualization accepts multiple levels of hierarchical data, I could have 5 group fields representing hierarchy in fields 1 through 5, and begin my metrics at field 6. In this documentation, this will be noted as Field 1…, Field 2. This does not mean that the metric needs to be in the actual second field. This means that the metric field(s) must be placed after all of the group fields in fields 1 through X.

Some visualizations do not care where a field is, so long as it exists. These fields are noted with a ? after the field order number. This means that you don’t necessarily have to place that field in the noted order, if you have some reason not to follow the recommended best practice.

These terms refer to the types of columns that each visualization reads.