DASHBOARDPRO & DASHBOARD In a world where text rules the flow of knowledge, how do you expand the content and present it in such a way that the viewer appreciates your hard work and effort to a greater extent? There are many ways to display the information held within your MCIF database, but selecting the appropriate medium and method can provide a challenge. In an effort to ease that burden, ExecuTrax contains charting and dashboard abilities which provide you with an easy-to-use, customizable, cutting edge interface designed to take your information to the next level. The stepby-step guidelines and examples within this chapter will assist you with producing a stunning visual representation of your file data worthy of a slideshow, report or any other display manner of your choosing. Enhance your data by utilizing the chart feature available within our software and provide your colleagues, co-workers or clientele with a chart display designed to complement your hard work and creative efforts. As you know, all saved filters within the ExecuTrax system are universal and can be accessed from within any accessible fileset. The DashboardPro & Dashboard features provide you with that identical functionality in order to streamline chart creation and modification in a user friendly fashion, a term synonymous with Marquis. The chart system is universal as well, in the sense that after spending precious time creating, modifying and finalizing your chart themes, you can generate the same theme time after time, for fileset after fileset, whenever you may need them. To further explain, the same chart you create for a January 2010 fileset can be generated within a February 2010 fileset and have all of the chart s saved display information represent the current data within the February 2010 fileset. Any fileset you enter where shared data fields contain adequate information can produce the same chart with different values. With this powerful, flexible feature, you are able to produce innovative, informational charts for a broad range of data files with a few simple clicks of your mouse button. Since your charts are universally available, you will never need to create another chart from scratch to achieve the look and feel of one you had created in the past. Your filters go hand-in-hand with the charts because they re universal, too. Any chart created which also references saved filters will retain the filter/chart combination throughout every fileset. Now that you have been properly introduced to our chart feature, shall we begin? Simply ensure that your fileset contains the data for which you re prepared to create a chart. If the data is dependent upon filters, you will need to ensure that the filter has been appropriately saved within the Research screen. You may access the DashboardPro feature from the Processors menu. Upon entering the Dashboard Setup screen, you will be presented with many options which are detailed within the following sections.
DASHBOARD SETUP Please familiarize yourself with the Dashboard Setup options by reading their details below. Should you encounter any questions or challenges throughout these pages, don t hesitate to call or email Marquis Support for guidance. Expand All Expands all groups, displaying all saved charts within each category. Collapse All Collapses all groups, hiding all saved charts from display. This feature is only available if the groups have been expanded. New Group Creates a new group in which to create charts. New Chart Creates a new chart within the currently selected group. View Chart Launches the currently selected chart. When launching a saved chart, the values will represent the data held within your active file. If you change files, the chart values will change accordingly. Undo Will undo your changes since entering the Dashboard Setup screen or from the last point at which you saved. Delete Deletes the currently selected chart or chart group; all charts beneath the chart group will be deleted. There is not a confirmation prompt when selecting this option. Ensure that your selection is the entry you wish to remove before proceeding. Save Saves the currently selected chart and all changes that have been made to it. Close Exits the Dashboard Setup screen. If prompted to save your changes upon exiting the screen, after selecting Yes, you must click Save in order to retain your modified settings. 2
CREATING A CHART Your system will contain premade, sample charts. If you desire, you may modify them to fit your needs or can remove them if preferred. It is our hope that you are able to utilize them within your data files. In order to provide a visual point of reference, examples are displayed within this section. The Product Distribution Pie Chart from the Samples group will be used for this purpose. In order to create a new chart with your currently selected group within the list, choose New Chart from the menu options. You will need to assign an appropriate name by single-clicking the default chart name provided upon its creation. Once you have named the chart, the options within the Settings section must be chosen accordingly. You are able to create multiple groups with multiple charts dispersed throughout. If by mistake, you place a chart into the incorrect group, you cannot move it to another location. Ensure that you have selected the desired destination group before creating your new chart. Chart Types 1 Pie 2 Doughnut 3 Point 4 Line 5 Area 6 Simple Bar 7 Multiple Bars 8 Stacked Bars 9 Stacked Area 10 3D Bars 11 Horizontal Bars 12 Horizontal Multiple Bars 13 Horizontal Stacked Bars There is no harm in changing the selected chart type; your data will remain the same. By doing so, you can view various chart types based on the same file information. Your color theme and shared chart settings will be retained when you change the Chart Type until you overwrite the previously saved chart. Chart Type Designates the visual style of your chart. Filter Group The group containing the filter for your chart. Filter The filter you select to further customize your results. A filter is not necessary in order to create a chart. Value Field Represents the data used for the Y Axis. Sum Summarizes the selected value by the field chosen below. Average Averages the selected value by the field chosen below. # of Accounts Generates a total of all accounts for the selected value by the field chosen below. Type The group containing the field for your chart. Field Represents the data used for the X Axis. 3
VIEWING YOUR CHART After making the desired selections within the settings options, you will need to choose Save before proceeding. Only after saving your options will the View Chart button become available to you. Upon selecting View Chart, the Chart Edit screen will appear, as shown below. Near the bottom of the Chart Edit screen, you will have six options immediately available to you, which are explained below. Print Sends the chart into a print editing screen. When printing the chart, your institution name as well as the currently selected data file will be displayed at the top left of the page, while the date, time and page number will be displayed at the bottom right. SnapShot Renders the chart as an image and allows you to save it to any location. The available image formats are: BMP, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIF and EMF. Copy Copies the chart to the clipboard, allowing you to paste the image into a document, email or another program. HTML View Launches the chart within your default internet browser and includes a spreadsheet view of the chart data. Save If any changes are made to your chart, you must save them before exiting or your modifications will not be retained. Close Exits the Chart Edit screen. 4
STYLE TAB The Style tab further expands the ability to change the chart s properties. Within these options, you can modify the Chart Type, Chart Value to Display, chart properties and legend selections. The center section of the Style tab will change depending on the chart type you are modifying. By changing the Chart Type selection, you can modify the display as shown below: In a similar manner to the steps you followed to create the chart, you are able to change the data being displayed by modifying the option: Chart Value to Display. Below is an example of this type of change with the values shown on each pie slice. Your selections may vary. Number of Accounts By choosing to display the chart by the number of accounts, each pie slice represents the distribution of product types by how many of each exists within the fileset. Sum of Account Current Balance By choosing to display the chart by the sum of the Account Current Balance, the total current balance for all accounts within each product type is represented within each pie slice. Average Account Current Balance By choosing to display the chart by the average of the Account Current Balance, the total number of accounts with each product type is calculated with the total of the current balances associated with them; the average of those balances is represented on each pie slice. 5
The universal options revolve around the chart type, value to display, legend, values, color, tooltips and visual depth of the chart. While the chart type and values to display were described on the previous page, the remaining items are explained in full detail below. Side Legends Selects the display preference for the chart legend. You may choose a vertical or horizontal representation, unless you prefer no legend at all. Vertical Horizontal Values in Shapes Toggles all values representative of your data within the chart. This feature must be selected in order to display the percentages from within the Pie and Doughnut Properties section. Change Color on Mouse Over With this feature activated, your slices will react with your mouse pointer and change color when the pointer occupies the same space. Show ToolTips Enabling this feature will cause a tooltip to appear alongside your mouse pointer when highlighting a portion of the chart. Depth & Shadow With a depth of 0, the chart will appear as a flat surface; the higher the number, the higher the chart s elevation. This field can accept values from 0 to 50. Placing a check within Shadow will cause the chart to cast a shadow beneath its flat surface. 6
PIE & DOUGHNUT STYLE PROPERTIES All pie and doughnut chart types share the same properties and will have the same modifications available within their Style tab. These property options apply to the following types: 1 Pie and 2 Doughnut. Detach Slices on Click When clicking on a pie or doughnut slice, the selected slice will move away from the center point. Detach on Legend Click When selecting the legend entry rather than the pie or doughnut slice, the same movement occurs that was shown above. Show Percentage for Labels If values are visible within the shapes, this check box allows you to convert the total value into a percentage, which is then displayed upon the slices. In order for this feature to display, you must ensure that the Values in Shapes option is checked. Legend Label Distance from Center This feature allows you to change the value s distance from the center of the chart by a precise amount. The lower the number, the closer the value to the center. This field can accept values from 0.01 to 2. 0.45 1.15 7
POINT STYLE PROPERTIES All point chart types share the same properties and will have the same modifications available within their Style tab. These property options apply to the following types: 3 - Point and 4 - Line. Line Caps If the depth of your point or line chart is set to 0, this option will place symbols upon each point representing a change in increase or decrease. Unique Shape When line caps are activated, the symbols used for multiple pieces of data are varied. By placing a check within the Unique Shape option, you limit the line caps to a single, uniform symbol represented at each line cap point. Caps Unique Shape & Shape Width These features allow you to set the size and shape of the line caps to a very precise setting. Both fields can accept values from 1 to 10. Utilize the Depth feature to increase the 3-dimensional distance of each line, shown in the following example. This is the same chart as shown in the two examples above, but with modified depth. With the same selections in place, the following point chart duplicates the information shown in the line chart above. 8
AREA STYLE PROPERTIES All area chart types share the same properties and will have the same modifications available within their Style tab. These property options apply to the following types: 5 Area and 9 Stacked Area. Draw 3D Line in Top By selecting this feature, you allow the chart to take on 3- dimensional depth for the information being represented. Draw Borders By default, this chart type is generated without pronounced borders. By activating this feature, the system places highlighted lines upon the outside edges of the 3-dimensional chart image. 9
BAR STYLE PROPERTIES All bar chart types share the same properties and will have the same modifications available within their Style tab. These property options apply to the following types: 6 Simple Bar, 7 Multiple Bars, 8 Stacked Bars, 10 3D Bars, 11 Horizontal Bars, 12 Horizontal Multiple Bars and 13 Horizontal Stacked Bars. Bar Shape Within this selection, you have the ability to change the bar shape to Rectangular, Cylindrical or Triangular. Legend Direction Allows you the ability to change the direction of value text within the chart image in a Horizontal or Vertical fashion. Between Bars Designates the amount of space present between bars on the chart. This field can accept values from 0 to 50. 10
LEGENDS The options within the Legends tab are universal and take effect for any chart type you are working with. Within this section, you will find a list of all possible selections as well as their definitions. Title The title of the chart, which will stay stationary at the top of the chart canvas at all times. SubTitle The secondary title displayed immediately below the primary title of the chart. X Axis The text displayed along the bottom of the chart. Axis 2 The text representing the data shown alongside the X Axis. Y Axis The text displayed along the left of the chart. Shape Legend The text displayed within the chart objects. Scale Legend The text displayed for the scale measurements alongside the Y Axis. Side Legend The text displayed within the key legend itself. Caption With your selection in place as to which legend entry to modify, you may enter the desired text within the caption field. If no text is desired, remove the contents of the caption field. Font Name & Size/Bold, Italic & Underline By clicking the font button, you can select the font preferred for your chart. The bold, italic and underline options allow you to further customize the text. Color & Alpha/BackColor & Alpha The color selection represents the text in place for the currently selected legend, while alpha represents the visual strength of the color. The backcolor shades a box surrounding the selected text, while alpha controls its visual strength. The alpha fields can accept values from 0 to 255. Alignment This refers to the positioning of the text. Rotation Angle & Center The rotation angle refers to the positioning of the text in relation to the edge of the chart while the rotation center allows you to rotate the text from its center-most point. The rotation fields can accept values from 0 to 360. Hide Legend When Data is NULL Allows you to hide any legend text when there is no value assigned to its entry within the chart. 11
AXES The selection of the Axes tab is only available for point, area and bar charts. Modifications to the axes can assist you in achieving an aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-read chart. You have the ability to change line styles, widths, colors throughout and if desired, remove the axes completely. Axis Visible Toggles the visibility of the axes within the chart display. Show Tics on Legend Axis Toggles the tic marks which guide the chart objects to the data represented along the X Axis. Tic Length Increase or decrease the length of tic marks along the chart s X Axis. Line Style & Line Width Controls the format of the guidelines within the chart. The options allow for solid, dotted or dashed lines. Line Style can range from 1-4, while Line Width can range from 1-40. Line Selection Both line drop-down menus allow you to toggle or modify the existence and direction of background guidelines within the chart. The line, bar and axis, as well as their alpha settings, allow you the option to modify the selected colors and their visual strength within the chart background. Both alpha fields can accept values from 0-255. 12
COLORS The Colors tab contains a uniquely advanced theme list to assist in the creative process and to help you finalize the chart results. With appealing color combination palettes, monochrome option and transparency settings, the possibilities are limited only to your imagination. Color Type This selection allows you to choose the color scheme for the chart itself. Basic colors consist of those most commonly seen, while the option for random colors can yield results with any number of color combinations. The palette option contains twenty-three aesthetically pleasing ranges suitable for any chart. Brush Type While the color type selections allow you to customize the colors displayed within your chart, the brush type selection further enhances your data by providing stylish solid color, gradient and monochrome modifications. Transparency Give the chart the visual depth it deserves with a tool designed to turn your chart objects opaque, translucent or transparent. This field can accept values from 0-255. 13
Gradient Level Whether your preference is to have a solid color on the chart objects or a gradient, which displays darker and lighter shades of the object, the gradient level feature is a useful tool in this area. This field can accept values from -10 to 10. Gradient Direction Controls the lighting and shadow direction for the gradient level currently being displayed on the chart objects. This option is not available for pie and doughnut chart types due to their circular nature. Main BackColor & BackColor 2 Modifies the two background colors available for your chart customization. Both colors will mix and shade together to form a smooth view upon which to view your chart. Gradient Level Controls the lighting and shadow level of the background colors that you have selected for your chart. This field can accept values from -10 to 10. Gradient Direction Controls the lighting and shadow direction for the background colors that you have selected for your chart. 14
SCALES / MARGINS The Scales / Margins tab contains the controls to modify empty space surrounding your chart as well as the tools to affect the chart s scale ranges, minimum and maximum values. Pie and doughnut charts can only have their outer margins changed; bar, point and area charts can have their scales modified in a very flexible manner. Global Margin Sets a universal margin from all four sides of the chart canvas. This margin will affect the chart s distance from the outer edge and will interact with the margin adjustments made within the following four options. This field can accept values from 0 to 50. Top Margin Adjusts the chart s distance from the top of the display area. This field can accept values from 0 to 50. Bottom Margin - Adjusts the chart s distance from the bottom of the display area. This field can accept values from 0 to 50. Left Margin - Adjusts the chart s distance from the left side of the display area. This field can accept values from 0 to 50. Right Margin - Adjusts the chart s distance from the right side of the display area. This field can accept values from 0 to 50. Show Scales Toggles the visibility of the chart s measurement scales along the X Axis. Scale Increment Sets the increment between the visible scale numbers on the chart. This option should only have its settings in multiples of 5. NOTE: The Scale Min. Value and Scale Max. Value features are only available when Custom Scale is checked. Scale Min. Value Forces a minimum start value within the chart s measurement scale. If this feature is activated, the Scale Max. Value will default to the total Scale Value you have entered. Scale Max. Value Forces a maximum end value within the chart s measurement scale. Once this feature is activated, the default setting matches that which you have populated within the Scale Value. This entry can be modified to your preferences. Scale Divider Divides the scale values by the number entered within this field. Horizontal Bars Per Legend Sets the number of horizontal bars between each scale value increment. This field can accept values from 1 to 20. Minimum # of Y Axis Legends Forces a total number of scale entries for the chart, despite the data s starting and ending value. Where normally a scale may have between five and ten tic marks, you are able to force the chart to display only two; the lowest value, middle value and the highest value, which are separated by two segments. This range can accept values from 2 to 50. Automatic Scale Formatting If decimals are present within the measurement scale, this feature will cause them to round to the nearest whole number. 15
The following examples display many of the aforementioned feature modifications, which will be explained below each image. In the example above, the Top, Bottom, Left and Right margins are set to 5, allowing the chart to remain in proximity to the outer edge of the display area. In this second example, all margins have been modified to increase the amount of space between the chart and the outer edge of the display area. The scale s value, minimum and maximum values have been modified to show the flexibility of the chart interface. As you journey through the Chart interface, make note of any questions or challenges you encounter along the way. Your Marquis Support team will be pleased to assist you with any inquiry, request or question that you may have for us. 16
DASHBOARD In an effort to inspire creativity and provide simplicity, ExecuTrax contains a helpful feature which allows you to quickly and easily access your charts across the many data files you will utilize within the system. All saved charts within the selected group will appear once the window is refreshed. The values displayed within the charts will change depending on your currently selected file, the filters used and the dates selected. The Dashboard, which can only be launched within an active file, resides within the Discovery menu option. The standard view when launched appears as follows. After selecting the desired chart group and making any additional changes to the settings, you must select Refresh. The Dashboard will render all charts within the chosen group, as shown below. Chart Groups Directs the Dashboard to the preferred group for which to generate charts. Tract Groups Allows selection of a saved tract group to affect resulting chart values. Date Range (Application/Action) Selects only those accounts within your active file with either date field matching your entries. If you wish to show all accounts, leave this entry blank. Chart Font Size Changes the displayed font from 60% to 100% of its original, saved size. 17
Some of the features available from when you created the chart are available from within the Dashboard interface, as well. By double-clicking any of the displayed charts, a Chart View window will appear. Print - Sends the chart into a print editing screen. When printing the chart, your institution name as well as the currently selected data file will be displayed at the top left of the page, while the date, time and page number will be displayed at the bottom right. Save - Renders the chart as an image and allows you to save it to any location. The available image formats are: BMP, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIF and EMF. Copy - Copies the chart to the clipboard, allowing you to paste the image into a document, email or another program. HTML View - Launches the chart within your default internet browser and includes a spreadsheet view of the chart data. Close - Exits the Chart View screen. Creating new charts and learning by way of customization is the second step after reading this guide in obtaining a great deal of knowledge about all of the possibilities within the chart and dashboard features. As you journey through the user guide and within ExecuTrax, please do not hesitate to contact your helpful Marquis Support team if you come across any challenges. As always, any questions, comments or requests are warmly welcomed. 18