Crystal Reports: Chart Placement in Crystal Reports

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Crystal Reports: Chart Placement

A report that displays a large collection of numbers may be useful for those with accounting or auditing backgrounds, but with the vast volume of information we encounter every day, any assistance to interpret the information is welcome.

Using a chart on your report can be a major improvement in interpreting the data. For instance, most people find it easier to see trends presented graphically in a chart. Where you place the chart on your report will control what data are displayed in the chart.

A chart in the Report Header or Report Footer sections will include all of the records in the report.

Some reports may consist of one or more charts in these sections. A chart in the group header or footer will include only the data for the group. The chart will rescale and reformat to include the values for only that group. While one group may include several bars and large values, another group may have a different number of data points and smaller values.

You cannot place a chart directly in the details, or page header/footer sections. If you require a chart there, the solution is to use a subreport.

You can produce extremely useful charts using these chart tools:

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We should use charts in our reports to present our information in a way that makes the data easier to understand. But the type of chart you use is critical. Don't always go for the best-looking chart. Select a chart type based on the best presentation of data--and that will depend on the data you are presenting.

A simple picture or line graph makes trends and changes more apparent. But some charts do not work with some data.

The pie chart is only useful only to show the ratio of some positive numbers. You do not see if the total has increased and you cannot show a slice with a negative value. A stacked bar chart is usually a better way to present such data.

Also think about the sequence of your values in the chart. Select a sequence that best displays the data.

Some factors to consider for best readability:

Point of the chart. Ask why this chart exists, and make decisions based on your answer.
Information focus. What information does the user most need? Least need? Decide what's important and leave out everything else. Lasers are powerful because they focus. Do the same, so your charts are powerful.
Color contrast. Because your information is focused, you don't need a large pallet of colors because there aren't many things to color. Aid the eye by using contrasting colors.
Font size. Don't reduce the font as a way of cramming more onto the graphic. Instead, write less. Use short tags and labels, rather than long ones.
Amount of information (lean toward "less is more"). The key points will get lost of there's too much information.
Chart type. Use the chart type that best conveys your central message or best permits a clear portrayal of the data. Most people go straight to the pie chart, even though that's seldom the best chart type.

Don't forget some other basics, as well. Your charts will be only as accurate as their underlying data. You must relentlessly work on the quality of your data. That task may seem endless and even thankless, but it's the best way to ensure that both you and your charts stay relevant to your company.

The four general categories (layouts) of graphs are:

Advanced. You plot X and Y values. You can specify summary fields, perform TopN/Sort analysis, and control information grouping in the display. You used advanced graphs with formulas, but you do not need to insert a group or summary field into your report to use one.
Group. This is likely the most commonly used form of graph. You use this where there is a group inserted into your report and you have a summary field (e.g., sum, average) based on that group. Such a graph can appear once, or it can appear on the group level with a separate graph for each group. You can use it to create a drill-down effect, where you start with a graph of the highest data level (e.g., gross sales) and then keep showing subsequently deeper levels of data (e.g., sales by region, sales by account, sales by product). A group graph, unlike an advanced graph, requires a group or summary field.
Cross-tab graphs. This is similar to a group graph, but you use a cross-tab for the data source, instead.
OLAP grid graphs. This is similar to a group graph, but you use OLAP grids for the data source, instead.

You can create graphs in the various formats (most of them in both 2D and 3D): bar, line, area, pie, doughnut,riser and surface, XY scatter, radar, bubble, and stock. As with Excel, you may need to change the sort order or XY fields for the graph to clearly convey the information.

This article is copyrighted by Crystalkeen, Mindconnection, and Chelsea Technologies Ltd. It may be freely copied and distributed as long as the original copyright is displayed and no modifications are made to this material. Extracts are permitted. The names Crystal Reports and Seagate Info are trademarks owned by Business Objects.