Using Chart components Page 1 of 5

Using Chart components

Charts allow you to represent data visually to make it easy for users to see comparisons, patterns, and trends.
Xcelsius includes the following types of charts.
Area Chart

A standard chart with vertical and horizontal axes. Each point along the horizontal axis represents a data point. The
actual values for each data point are plotted against the vertical axis. For each series, colored areas are created by
connecting the plotted points against the horizontal axis. Use this chart in models that emphasize a trend line, such
as Stock Prices or Revenue History.
Bar Chart and Column Chart

A single- or multi-bar chart that shows and compares one or more items over a period of time or in a specific range
of values. You could, for example, use a column chart in models that contain the quarterly headcount by region.
Bubble Chart

The bubble chart is one of the most powerful analytic tools available. It lets you compare a group or series of items
based on three different parameters. It has an X-axis and Y-axis to represent the item location over the chart area,
and a Z value to represent the item size.
You could, for example, use this chart to represent the market composition with the X-axis representing the Return
On Investment (ROI) by industry type, the Y-axis representing the Cash Flow, and the Z-axis representing the
Market Value.
Bullet charts

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This chart component provides a method to display information in a condensed, less-distracting format and is
available with either a vertical or horizontal orientation.
The Bullet chart components have a single primary measure (for example, current year-to-date revenue) that is
displayed as a vertical or horizontal bar. A marker indicates a target or performance goal and changing color hues
behind the bar indicate qualitative ranges of performance (for example, poor, satisfactory, and good).
Designers can configure the Bullet chart to display multiple series and can configure the scale, axis, and ticks
separately for each series. For example, the chart can be configured to show revenue in thousands of dollars, profit
in dollars, and order size as a count.
Combination Chart

A combination column and line chart ideal for displaying a range of values and a trend line for those values. You can
use the combination chart in models examining stocks. A line series might show the historical stock price over the
year, and a column chart might show the volume of trading for that stock.
Line Chart

A single- or multi-line chart is ideal for showing tendency over a period of time. Use this chart in models that
emphasize a trend or a continuing sequence of data, such as Stock Prices or Revenue History.
OHLC Chart and Candlestick Chart

The open-high-low-close (OHLC) and candlestick charts are primarily used to display stock data. Each marker
corresponds to the values, which are represented as lines attached to the marker on the OHLC chart and as colors
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on the candlestick chart. The open value displays the opening price of the stock. The high value displays the highest
price the stock achieved on that day. The low value displays the lowest price the of the stock on that day. The close
value displays the closing price of the stock.
Pie Chart

A circular chart that represents the distribution or participation of each item (represented by a slice) of a certain total
that is represented as the overall pie value. The pie chart is appropriate for models such as Revenue Contribution by
Product. In that example, the overall pie size would represent the total revenue, and each slice would represent a
different product.
Radar Chart and Filled Radar Chart

Radar charts have axes that radiate outwards from the center of the chart. These charts can have several axes.
They are useful for plotting multi-dimensional sets of data. In the filled radar chart, the shape created by connecting
the points along each axis is filled in with color. You could use the radar charts to compare aspects of stocks. One
axis could display the price, another the volume, another the Price to Earnings ratio, and any other relevant data.
Sparkline

The Sparkline chart is based on the Sparkline chart created by Edward Tufte. It provides a method for displaying a
one-dimensional series (or multiple series) of numeric data in a way that is dense, takes up a small space, and can
be quickly interpreted.
Designers can set key data points (start value, end value, low value, and high value) that are displayed as markers
on the Sparkline chart. They can also define a normal range that is displayed as a colored background behind the
chart.
Stacked Area Chart

This standard chart has vertical and horizontal axes. Each point along the horizontal axis represents a data point.
The actual values for the data points are plotted against the vertical axis, with each series adding to the total value.
You could use the stacked area chart to compare the revenue for multiple products as well as the combined revenue

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of all the products and the contribution of each product to the combined revenue.
Stacked Column Chart and Stacked Bar Chart

Stacked bars compare one or more variables, with each series adding to the total value. This chart compares
several variables over a period of time, for example, Marketing Cost and Administrative Cost. Each one of the cost
components is presented in a different color and each bar represents a different time period. The total bar size
represents the Total Cost.
Tree Map

This chart displays hierarchical data in a small area. Each data point is represented by a rectangle.The tree maps
display two parameters, represented by size and color intensity and can be used to compare two sets of data.
For example, a tree map could be used to represent the size and interest rate of loans. You can set the size of the
rectangle as the loan amount; a large loan would be represented by a larger rectangle. The color of the rectangle
would represent the interest rate; a higher interest rate would be represented by a brighter color value.

Tip: To see an example of a model with a Tree Map component, click File > Samples and open the sample
file Tree Map.
Waterfall Chart

A waterfall chart is commonly used to display how an initial value is affected by a series of sequential positive or
negative values. The initial and final values are represented by full columns, while the intermediate values are
represented by partial columns. The columns are color-coded to distinguish between positive and negative values.
For example, a waterfall chart could be used to represent the inventory level of goods that your retail business sells.
Purchases of additional inventory are represented by positive values, and sales from inventory are represented by
negative values.
XY Chart

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This chart displays data that encompasses two dimensions. The XY chart shows each data point as a result of the
intersection of X values and Y values. You can, for example, use the XY chart in models that compare ROI (on the X
axis) against Market Value (on the Y axis) for a group of companies.

In this section:
 To set up a chart
 Chart General properties
 Chart Drilldown properties
 Chart Behavior properties
 Chart appearance properties
 Chart alerts properties
 Configuring drilldown behavior
 Allowing users to adjust chart scales

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Using Container components Page 1 of 2

Using Container components

Containers group and display other components.
Note: Container components are not available in Xcelsius Present.
Container components can be nested within each other to create multi-layer models. To avoid decreasing the
model's performance, use only one layer of nesting, for example, a parent Tab Set component on each tab with no
container components within the child containers.
Canvas

The Canvas container component is similar to the Panel container component, but it does not have any art, for
example, background, borders, heading bar, and so on.
In design mode, the container is visible to allow the designer to work with the component, but when the model is run,
the container is invisible so components in the container appear to be free floating. If the components in the Canvas
container extend beyond the container borders, scrollbars are added.
Panel Container

The Panel Container component acts as a smaller canvas within the main canvas and can hold one or more
components. Components in the panel container can be moved, added, changed or deleted. In the "Object Browser"
panel, to see the list of components within a panel container, click the Plus icon next to the Panel Container name.
Note: The Panel2 Container component has the same functionality as a Panel Container, but with a different
look.
To explore a sample model that includes a Tab Set component, click File > Samples and select Panel Container.
Tab Set

The Tab Set component acts as a smaller canvas within the main canvas and contains multiple tab views. Each view
can contain one or more components, which can be linked to different data sets. To display a view, users click its
corresponding tab.
When you configure the Tab Set component, you can increase or decrease the number of tab views by selecting the
Tab Set component, and then clicking the Plus or Minus icons above the row of tabs. When the model runs, the Plus
and Minus icons are not visible.
Note: The Tab Set component functions as a single grouping of tabs. You cannot create sub-groups of the
tabs within the component.
To see an example of a model with a Tab Set component, click File > Samples and open the sample file Tab Set.

In this section:
 To set up a container

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 Container general properties

 Container behavior properties
 Container appearance properties

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Using Selector components Page 1 of 5

Using Selector components

Selector components allow you to pick an item from many members or from a list and insert the selected item's row,
position, value, label, and so on into another row or cell in the embedded spreadsheet. Other components can then
retrieve that information to complete other tasks.

Note: For information about the functionality of Selector components, on the component's "Properties" panel,
click the Information icon ( ).
Accordion Menu

The Accordion Menu is a two-level menu that lets users first select a category and then select from items within that
particular category.

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Tip: To see an example of a model with an Accordion Menu component, click File > Samples and open the
sample file Accordion Menu.
Check Box

A standard user-interface component where users toggle between two states: checked and unchecked.
Combo Box

A standard user-interface component that drops down a vertical list of items when it is clicked. Users can then select
an item from the list.
Filter

The Filter component looks at a range of cells with multiple fields of data and categorizes them by unique data
entries. The Filter sifts through the data range and inserts data corresponding to the list selections.
Tip: To see an example of a model with a Filter component, click File > Samples and open the sample file
Filter.
Fisheye Picture Menu

With the Fisheye Picture Menu, users select from a set of pictures or icons. As the mouse is moved over each item
in the menu, the item is magnified. The closer the mouse is to the center of the item, the more the item is magnified.
This creates an effect similar to that of a fish-eye lens.
Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

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Icon

The Icon can be used as a selector or display component. As a selector, it functions similar to the Check Box
component. It can represent the actual value contained in one cell and be compared to its target value in another
cell.
The Icon component can also be set to change color depending on its value relative to the target value, which is an
Alert. For more information about alerts, see Understanding Alerts.
At the same time, you can use the Icon to activate and display other components. For more information about
controlling component visibility, see Managing the Visibility of Components.
Note: To configure the Icon component as a display-only component, click the Appearance view and
deselect Show On/Off. User will not be able to select the icon.
Label Based Menu

The Label Based Menu component lets users select items from a vertical or horizontal grouping of buttons.
List Box

A standard user-interface component that lets users select items from a vertical list.
List Builder

The List Builder provides a way for users to build their own set of data at run-time. This data set can then be used to
populate another component. The List Builder consists of a "Source" list containing all possible selections, a
"Destination" list containing the selected items, and an Update button. Users move items between the "Source" and
"Destination" lists in one of the following ways:
 Double-clicking items in either the "Source" or "Destination" list to move the item to the other list.
 Dragging items from one list to another.
 Using the Add and Remove buttons.

When the Update button is clicked, the items in the "Destination" list are inserted into the destination range to be
used by other components. To change the order of items in the "Destination" list, drag an item up or down in the list.
Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Tip: To see an example of a model with a List Builder component, click File > Samples and open the sample
file List Builder.

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List View

The List View component has the same functionality as the Table component, but lets the user sort the columns
and adjust the width of the columns in the exported SWF file.
Play Selector

The Play Selector component sequentially inserts one row or column from a defined range into the destination cells
you selected. You can link the destination cells to a chart so the chart data changes each time the play selector
inserts a new row or column. The Play Selector component can display a large amount of data with a movie effect,
which lets users view the data without clicking each selection.
Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.
Push Button

The Push Button component inserts specific data each time it is clicked. It can be used to allow users to restore
Single Value components to their default values without resetting the values for the entire model or to create a pop-
up window that appears when the button is pushed.
You can configure the Push Button to set the values of one or multiple cells to specific values when users click the
button. The values only change when the user clicks the button, so users have more control over when the data is
copied to the destination cells.
Radio Button

The Radio Button component lets users select from a vertical or horizontal group of selections.
Scorecard

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The Scorecard component allows you to display visual alerts in a grid. At run-time, users can click column headings
to sort the grid according to the column's data. This component is similar to a List View selector, but it includes
options to enable and configure alerts in columns and to add headers that allow users to sort the columns at run-
time.
Alert levels can be displayed with cell background colors, font colors, or alert icons with or without values.
Sliding Picture Menu

With the Sliding Picture Menu, users select from a set of icons or pictures. The users can use arrows to scroll
through the icons or the menu can be configured to scroll through the icons as the user moves the mouse.
Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Tip: To see an example of a model with a Sliding Picture Menu component, click File > Samples and open
the sample file Sliding Picture Menu.
Spreadsheet Table

The Spreadsheet Table component is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) representation of any group of

cells from your spreadsheet.

Note: The Spreadsheet Table component can be used as a display component as well as a selector
component. As a display component, the spreadsheet table is a graphic representation of a range of cells in
the spreadsheet. To use the spreadsheet table as a display component, click the Cell Selector icon ( )
beside Display Data and select a range of cells to display from the spreadsheet. On the Behavior view, click
Deselect All. Users will not be able to select rows in the table. To use the spreadsheet table as a selector
component, after setting the Display Data range, set the Insert Option to rows.
Ticker

The Ticker component displays horizontally scrolling text in your model. Scrolling stops when the user moves the
mouse pointer over the labels.
Toggle Button

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A standard user-interface component that lets users toggle between two states: on and off.

In this section:
 To set up selectors
 Selector general properties
 Selector behavior properties
 Selector appearance properties
 Selector alerts properties

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Using the Single Value components Page 1 of 2

Using the Single Value components

Single Value components let you add user interactivity to your models. Single Value means that the component or
each component marker is linked to a single cell in the spreadsheet. At runtime, users can view the output of each
component or marker, or adjust a marker to change the value in the associated cell.
Input vs. output
Single Value components have been classified as both input and output components, which means that you can use
any Single Value component as an input or output element in your model.
What dictates whether a Single Value component is an input (which permits user interaction) or output, is the cell to
which it is linked. If the cell contains a formula of any type, the component is interpreted as an output. If the cell does
not contain a formula, it is represented as an input.
For example, if you have a Gauge linked to a cell that does not contain a formula, you can modify the value by
dragging the gauge needle, thereby modifying the cell value. If you have a Gauge linked to a cell that contains a
formula, you cannot modify the value. The value is set by the formula in the cell.
Note: You can control user interaction with Single Value components by setting the Enable Interaction
option on the Behavior view for selectors.
Dial

An input component. A Dial represents a variable that can be modified to affect other components. For example, to
represent the Price per Unit.
Slider and Dual Slider

An input component. A Slider represents a variable that can be modified to affect other components. For example, to
represent the Price per Unit. The Dual Slider allows you to adjust both the minimum and maximum values.
Progress Bar

An output component. A Progress Bar represents a value that changes and fills the progress bar area depending on
its value.
Gauge

An output when bound to a cell containing a formula, or an input when bound to a cell containing a value.
As an output, a Gauge represents a value that changes and moves the needle. As an input, a Gauge represents a
variable that can be modified to affect other components. Users can interact with the Gauge by dragging the needle
to change the value.
Note: A single gauge can be configured to show multiple markers linked to different cells in the spreadsheet.
Value

An output when bound to a cell containing a formula, or an input when bound to a cell containing a value.
As an output, a Value represents a value that changes. As an input, a Value represents a variable that can be
modified to affect other components. Users can interact with the Value by typing in a new value.
Spinner
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An input component. A Spinner represents a variable that can be modified to affect other components. Users can
interact with the Spinner by clicking the up and down arrows or by typing a value into the component.
Play Control

An input component. Play Control is used to automatically increase the value of a cell in your spreadsheet. For
example, link the play button to a cell that contains the headcount. What will happen if the headcount increases by
one, two, three, or more? Play Control takes the initial headcount value and increases its value automatically in
increments.

In this section:
 To set up Single Value components
 Single Value component general properties
 Single Value component behavior properties
 Single Value component appearance properties
 Single Value component alerts properties

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Using Map components Page 1 of 1

Using Map components

Map components create models with geographical representations that can display data by region.
The Map components have two major characteristics: they display data for each region and each region can also act
as a selector. By combining these two features, you can create a model where the data for each region appears
when you pass the pointer over the region. At the same time, each region can insert a row of data that contains
additional information. This row of data is displayed by other components, such as a chart or value component.
How does it work?
Xcelsius 2008 associates data with each region in the map by using region keys. Each region in the map has a
default region key, and you can enter your own region keys. When a region on the map is selected, the component
searches either the first column or first row of that range's key. The data in the row or column corresponding to the
key is associated with the region.
By default, the USA maps use postal abbreviations as region keys; the Europe map uses the ISO (or International
Organization for Standardization) two-digit country codes as region keys. To use the map components with existing
spreadsheets, you can edit the region keys associated with each region by clicking the Manual Edit icon ( ) to type
the new keys, or by clicking the Cell Selector icon ( ) beside the Region Key box to select the row or column
containing the new keys by editing the region names.

Note: In the spreadsheet you must enter the region keys and data in adjacent cells for both Display Data and
Source Data.

Tip: Xcelsius 2008 provides a spreadsheet that lists the default region codes for each map component. The
file is located in the following location: C:\Program Files\Business
Objects\Xcelsius\assets\samples\User Guide Samples

In this section:
 To set up Map components
 Map general properties
 Map behavior properties
 Map appearance properties
 Map alerts properties

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Using the Text components Page 1 of 1

Using the Text components

This category contains components for placing labels and typing text into your model.
Text components let you customize your model. Not only can you insert static text to identify areas and elements of
your model, but you can also link the text components to cells in the embedded spreadsheet that contain formulas
that will dynamically change the text displayed in the model based on the formula result. In addition, formulas can
contain html code to increase your formatting options.
Xcelsius 2008 includes the following Text-based components:
Input Text Area

The Input Text Area lets users input multiple lines of text into the model.
Label

The Label component lets you add an unlimited amount of text to enhance your models. You can use the Label
component to create titles, subtitles, explanations, help, and more. Label text cannot be changed by the user.
Input Text

The Input Text component lets users type text into the model.

In this section:
 To set up Text components
 Text general properties
 Text behavior properties
 Text appearance properties

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Using the Other components Page 1 of 2

Using the Other components

This category contains an assorted set of components that you can use to enhance your models. Xcelsius 2008
includes the following Other components:
Calendar

The Calendar component is a selector that lets you incorporate date selection into your models.

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Local Scenario Buttons

The Local Scenario Button lets users save and load runtime configurations of an Xcelsius 2008 model on their local
machine. Once saved, these configurations or scenarios can be loaded again, even after closing the model. The
user also has the option to set a saved scenario as the default scenario so it loads when the model opens. These
scenarios are saved to the local machine, and will be unavailable if the model is opened on a different machine.
Trend Icon

The Trend Icon changes its pointing direction, depending on the value of the cell to which it is linked:
 If the value is positive, the arrow points up.
 If the value is zero, the symbol is neutral.
 If the value is negative, the arrow points down.
History

The History component tracks and displays the history of changes in a selected cell. This allows you to easily see
the effect of changes in worksheet data.

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Panel Set

The Panel Set component is a series of framing options that enables you to easily navigate between files in a
presentation. You can embed JPEG or SWF files into the frames of the Panel Set component and adjust a variety of
formatting features to customize the look of the component in your model.

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Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Source Data

The Source Data component has no visual interface. It allows you to push data into other cells simply by changing
the value of the component's Selected Index.

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Trend Analyzer

The Trend Analyzer combines data analysis and model. The component analyzes spreadsheet data and inserts data
points for a trend line into the spreadsheet, which can then be added to your model. You can also configure this
component to forecast based on historical values.

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Print Button

The Print Button allows users to easily print the model while it is running. The user can click the Print button to print
the SWF file. The Print button is part of the canvas and will be visible in the printout.
Reset Button

The Reset Button returns the model to its original state. Users can interact with the components, then click the
button to clear their changes.
Grid

The Grid component is a dynamic table that represents a group of rows and columns of content. The Grid lets you
show the data just as it is on any table, or perform data modification that can impact other components.
The Grid component differs from the Spreadsheet and List View components in that rather than being a static
representation of the data table, the user can click the cells of the Grid and type new values or drag the values
higher/lower

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

In this section:
 Other component general properties
 Other component behavior properties
 Other component appearance properties
 Other component alerts properties
 To configure Trend Analyzer components

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Using Art and Background components Page 1 of 1

Using Art and Background components

Art and background components provide visual enhancements for models. You can use them to enhance and
customize your dashboards. The background components can also be used to import images or Flash movies into
your models.
Xcelsius 2008 includes the following Art and Background components:
Background

Backgrounds are prebuilt artwork that you can add to your models. You can use them to create visual divisions or
groups of related components. Unlike Container components, backgrounds cannot contain or hold other
components. They simply provide a visual background.
Ellipse

The Ellipse or Oval component allows you to create visual divisions or outlines to define or contain sections or
components.
Image Component

Use this component to display JPEG images or SWF files. The Image component allows you to add your own logos
or artwork to models. You can also import Flash files into this component to add videos, animations, and other
interactive elements.
Line

The Vertical or Horizontal Line component allows you to create visual divisions or outlines to define or contain
sections or components.
Rectangle

The rectangle component allows you to create visual divisions or outlines to define or contain sections or
components.

In this section:
 To configure Background components
 To configure Image components
 To configure Ellipse or Rectangle components
 To configure Line components

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Using the Web Connectivity components Page 1 of 2

Using the Web Connectivity components

This category contains a group of components that provides options for linking your models to the Web.
Note: In Xcelsius Engage and Xcelsius Enterprise, web connectivity is built in. In addition to using these
components, you can use the "Data Manager" to configure web connectivity options. For more information,
see Managing data connections.
Connection Refresh Button

A button that manually refreshes the connection it is linked to.

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Tip: To see an example of a model with a Refresh Button, click File > Samples and open the sample file
Connection Refresh.
Reporting Services Button

The Reporting Services Button component enables you to connect to the XRS server and select a report to use to
populate the model.
Note: This component is available only in Xcelsius Engage Server and BusinessObjects Xcelsius Enterprise.
Slide Show

The Slide Show component creates a slide show of URL-based images and SWF files.

Note: This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.

Unlike the normal Image Component, which requires that you first Import the file, the Slide Show component loads
the image from the URL specified in the URL data source. If the Slide Show URL changes, the Slide Show
component attempts to load the image from the new location. Once the image is loaded , the component transitions
from the current image to the one specified at the new URL data source.
Note: When an image is imported into normal Image components, Xcelsius stores its own local copy of the
file internally in the XLF file. The original file is no longer accessed or used in the model. Because the file data
is stored within the XLF, the XLF can be moved or emailed and the contents of the file travels with it.
However, the Slide Show points to a URL, which can change at runtime. Since the image is not built into the
XLF, the Slide Show component must be able to access the URL and the image must be available to load at
runtime.

Caution: If a model is connected to an external data source, when the model runs, Adobe security restrictions
apply. When the model is run locally, the SWF file or the host application file must be made trusted. If the file
is run on a web server, there must be a cross-domain policy file. For more information, see Adobe Flash
Player Security Restrictions.
SWF Loader

Note:
 This component is not available in Xcelsius Present.
 The Adobe Flash Player memory management method controls when inactive items are removed from memory.
To avoid heavy memory consumption when using the SWF Loader:
 Reduce the number of SWF Loader and Slide Show components included in a single model
 Reduce the number of SWF files that the SWF Loader and Slide Show components in the model must load

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Using the Web Connectivity components Page 2 of 2

concurrently at run-time.
The SWF Loader component is similar to the Slide Show component; it loads SWF files from a specified URL and
avoids the need to first import the files. The SWF Loader has better memory management than the Slide Show
component, but it doesn't have transition effects and cannot block mouse events.
Loaded SWFs are not built into the XLF, so the SWF Loader component must be able to access the URL and the file
must be available to load at runtime.
Caution: If a model is connected to an external data source, when the model runs, Adobe security restrictions
apply. When the model is run locally, the SWF file or the host application file must be made trusted. If the file
is run on a web server, there must be a cross-domain policy file. For more information, see Adobe Flash
Player Security Restrictions.
URL Link Button

A button that links to a relative or absolute URL when pressed.

In this section:
 To set up Web Connectivity components
 Web connectivity general properties
 Web Connectivity behavior properties
 Web Connectivity appearance properties

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Deleting components Page 1 of 1

Deleting components
Delete any selected components by pressing DELETE or selecting Delete from the right-click context menu.

Tip: You do not need to ungroup components to delete components that are in the group.
Deleting a component can be undone pressing CTRL+Z or clicking Undo on the Edit menu.

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Understanding Alerts Page 1 of 1

Understanding Alerts
Alerts call the attention of the user to a specific item or action that has reached a pre-established limit. These limits,
often called targets, budgets, benchmarks, and so on, are a standard to which an item is compared.
In Xcelsius 2008, you can define alerts on most charts and single-value components. When alerts are enabled, the
component represents the current alert level as a color. Typically, green represents a desired condition, yellow
indicates that the situation is not ideal, and red marks an issue as critical. When you define the alert, you specify
which values to monitor, as well as, the alert thresholds and whether it is preferable for the values to be higher than,
lower than, or as close to the target value as possible. You can also define custom colors.
Alerts are available on the following components:
Component
Component
Type
Bar, Bubble, Column, Combo, Line, Radar, Stacked Bar, Stacked Column, XY
Charts Note: Alerts are unavailable for charts with multiple data series, except for
combination charts.
Combo Box, Icon, Label Based Menu, List Box, List Builder, Scorecard, Spreadsheet
Selectors
Table, Ticker
Dial, Dual slider, Gauge, Horizontal Progress Bar, Horizontal Slider, Spinner, Value,
Single Value
Vertical Progress Bar, Vertical Slider
Maps All
Other Grid

In this section:
 To configure alerts

Related Topics:
 Using Chart components
 Using the Single Value components
 Using Selector components
 Using the Other components

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To configure alerts Page 1 of 2

To configure alerts
If you want a component to indicate when its data value reaches a specific range, you can configure and customize
alerts.

1. Select the component and open the "Properties" panel.

2. On the "Properties" panel, click the Alerts view.
3. Select the Enable Alerts check box.

Note: For Scorecard components, you can enable alerts for different columns individually. For each
column that you want to show alerts for, select the checkbox in the Show column and then define the
alert properties for the selected column.
For Label-Based Menu, List Builder, List Box, and Combo Box components, in the Alert Values box, specify
the values to be compared to the target values for alerts. Type a value or click the Cell Selector icon and
select a source location in the spreadsheet.
4. Select one of the following methods to use for the alerts:
Option Description
As a Percent of For Single Value components only. Select this option to base alerts on specified
Max Value percentages of the value set on the General view for the scale Maximum Limit.
Select this option to base the alerts on percentages of specified target values.
As Percentage of To set the target values by linking to cells in the embedded spreadsheet, click the Cell
Target Selector icon. To manual define the target values, click the Manual Edit icon ( ).
Note: You can set separate target values for each data point.
By Value Select this option to base the alerts on values you set in the "Alert Thresholds" area.

5. Under Alert Thresholds, set the following options:

Option Description
Use a Select this option to select the threshold levels from cells in the embedded spreadsheet, then
Range click the Cell Selector icon to select the cells.
To manually define the threshold values, do the following:
To Do this
Edit existing Click the value in the From or To column and type a new
values value
Add a value to
Type it in the box and click Add.
the list
Enter a
Value Delete a level Click the Delete icon beside the value.
Click the Color Selector icon beside each level to set the
color. For more information about using the color
Assign colors selector, see Setting colors for component elements.
to threshold
levels Note: If the Enable Auto Colors checkbox is
selected, you cannot set colors for each threshold
individually.

6. To automatically define the colors assigned to each threshold level, select the Enable Auto Colors
checkbox.

Note: To manually assign colors to each threshold level, deselect this option and select the Color
Selector icon beside each threshold level to set its color.

7. If Enable Auto Colors is selected, to set a different color gradient scheme, click the Auto-color icon ( ).
The Color dialog box opens.
8. On the Color dialog box, select a color scheme from the "Custom" or "Built-in" lists, or, to create a new color
gradient, click Create new gradient and set the following options:
Option Description
Select this option to include 2 colors on the alert scale.
2-Color

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Gradient
3-Color
Select this option to Include 3 colors on the alert scale.
Gradient
For each color on the scale and for a "no data" color, set the color to use for the fill and the
Colors
text. Click the down arrow beside each color to open the Color dialog box.

9. To set the color order, select one of the following options:

 Low Values are Good - Use this option when the ideal value type is lower than the target value. For
example, to represent expenses when you want them to be as low as possible.
 Middle Values are Good - Use this option when the ideal value type is as close as possible to the
target value. For example, to represent inventory when you want inventory quantities to be as
accurate as possible.
Note: This option is only available when using percentages.
 High Values are Good - Use this option when the ideal value type is higher than the target value. For
example, to represent revenue when you want revenue values to be as high as possible.
10. For Vertical Slider, Horizontal Slider, Horizontal Progress Bar, Dial, Dual Slider, and Gauge components,
select where you want the alert color to appear:
Option Description
Background The component background displays the alert color.
Marker The marker, needle, and so on displays the alert color.
Value A text box beside the component contains the current value and displays the alert color.

Alerts are configured for the component.

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Managing the Visibility of Components Page 1 of 1

Managing the Visibility of Components

When models contain too much information or too many visual components, users may have difficulty focusing on
specific sets of information. If you need to display a lot of information, you can simplify the visual layout by displaying
some information only when it is needed. To make your model easy to navigate you may want to re-use certain
areas of the canvas and hide and show components at runtime.
Dynamic visibility allows you to control when components are visible based on the contents of a spreadsheet cell.
Put simply, a component using dynamic visibility is visible when the status matches the key, otherwise the
component is hidden. For example, you can add a Toggle Button to display a specific chart. The Toggle Button is
configured to alternately insert showChart and hideChart into a Destination cell each time it is clicked. By linking
the Chart's status to this Destination cell and setting the Chart's Key to showChart, the Chart becomes visible when
the Toggle Button inserts the value showChart and hidden when the Toggle Button inserts hideChart.
In a more complex model, you may want to switch between several different components. To accomplish this, use
the Key and a Selector. For example, a model might need to switch between different charts. You can assign each
chart a unique Key, such as chart1, chart2, and so on. Then, add a List Box component to the canvas and set
the source data to match the chart keys and the destination as a blank cell in the spreadsheet. When you link each
chart's Status to the destination cells, each time a selection is made on the List Box and the chart's key is inserted
into the destination cell, the chart is visible and the others are hidden.
When dynamic visibility is enabled, you can also add animation effects to how the component appears and
disappears from the model.
Tip: To see an example of a model with dynamic visibility, click File > Samples and open the sample file
Dynamic Visibility.

Note: Add-on components do not support dynamic visibility. If you want to control the visibility of Add-on
components, you can place the component in a Canvas container and apply the dynamic visibility settings to
the Canvas container to show or hide the Add-on component it contains.

In this section:
 To set up Dynamic Visibility
 To configure entry effects for dynamic visibility

Related Topics:
 Chart Behavior properties
 Container behavior properties
 Selector behavior properties
 Single Value component behavior properties
 Map behavior properties
 Text behavior properties
 Other component behavior properties

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To set up Dynamic Visibility Page 1 of 1

To set up Dynamic Visibility

A model containing a component is open on the canvas.

1. Select the component and open the "Properties" panel.

2. On the "Properties" panel, click Behavior > Common.

3. In the "Dynamic Visibility" area, beside the Status box, click the Cell Selector icon ( ) and select a cell in
the spreadsheet that will control the component's visibility.

Note: Do not select cells that are already bound to this component, for example, its data ranges, or
those data sources will not refresh when dynamically changed.

4. In the Key box, type a value or click the Cell Selector icon ( ) and select a cell that will contain the key
value for this component.

Note: The Key box is not available unless Status has been set.
When the value in the Status cell matches the key value, the component will be visible.
5. Place a component on the canvas that you will configure to enter values into the Status cell set in step 3.
Open the "Properties" panel.
Typically, this will be a Selector component, such as a Checkbox component or a Radio Button component,
but could also be a chart or a map component that is configured to insert data into the specified cells.
6. On the "Properties" panel, on the General tab, in the Source Data box, enter or select the key values for the
components it is controlling.

Note: If the selector is controlling only one component, you need to enter a key value for hiding the
component as well.

7. In the Destination box, click the Cell Selector icon ( ) and select the cells selected for the Status box in
step 3.

At runtime, when the user clicks the selector component, it inserts a key value into the Status cell. The dynamically
visible component is visible when the inserted value matches its key value.
If desired, you can configure the component's entry effect to specify how the component appears and disappears
from the model.

Related Topics:
 Managing the Visibility of Components
 To configure entry effects for dynamic visibility

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Disabling User Input Page 1 of 1

Disabling User Input

Many components can be configured to allow users to modify values at runtime. If you do not want users to change
data values from the model, for many components, you can adjust their configuration to prevent interaction.
However, if the design requires that the component accept user input, you can use a Background component to
block input.

Note: For Single Value components, you can also prevent users from changing data values in two ways:
bind the component to a cell that contains a formula or deselect the Enable Interaction option on the
Behavior > Common menu of the "Properties" panel.

In this section:
 To configure Background components to block user input

Related Topics:
 Single Value component behavior properties

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