Best way to show a "thermometer" chart?

[retygh45]

I don't know why BO never included a "thermometer" type chart, I always seem to get asked to create one.

Very simply, I have 2 values: actual amount, and goal amount. What's the best way to disply this information that looks like a thermometer?

I tried the gague chart type, but there's no way to set the maximum value of the gague to my "goal amount"

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

[lbass]

I don't know exactly what you mean by a thermometer look, but you could add the goal in a formula:

whilereadingrecords;
5000000

Add this as a summary field in your chart and change the summary to a maximum. Then add the sum of your actual amount as a second summary. Set the chart to "for all records" and place the chart in the report header or footer.

-LB

 

[crogers111]

Another idea that might work you with the Guage Chart is the set a range for the Quality Band.

Right Click the Chart in Design View, select 'Chart Options'
on the 'Quality Bands' tab set a small value range that includes your goal. e.g if the goal is 1000 then maybe try 995 to 1005.

I couldn't find a way to label the Band but you might be able to use the chart's subtitle box and drag it to a better location.

I only tested this with one of the CR sample reports so not sure if this works for all scenarios.

good luck.

 

[retygh45]

By a thermometer, I mean something like this:

http://www.mrexcel.com/tip095.shtml

Thanks, but the goal is a formula, which changes each month, so I would need to set it with a formula, it can't be static.

It's similiar to the gague chart, just trying to show where we are now, and what our monthly goal is.

Thanks again!

 

[lbass]

Why don't you share the contents of the goal formula? I'm also unclear on whether the bar chart approach would be sufficient for your approach, if you were able to set it up per month.

-LB

 

[retygh45]

Thanks again! The report only reads in 2 values, from commands.

Actual goal command:

select '(Total Actual)' as trust,
InitialReview = convert(varchar(20),sum(initialreview)), ReReview = convert(varchar(20),sum(rereview)), TotalReview = convert(varchar(20),sum(totalreview))
,approval = convert(varchar(20),sum(approval)), qa = convert(varchar(20), sum(qa)),[totalqa/approval] = convert(varchar(20),sum([totalqa/approval]))
,totalproceseed = convert(varchar(20), sum(totalprocessed))
from vw_total_numbers_0 where right(trust,4) <> 'goal'


The Target goal command is very similiar. They both output a string, so my formula is:

//actual goal
tonumber({total_actual.totalproceseed})

So I essentially have 2 values. Where we are, and what our goal is, to try to make up the "thermometer" or the gague chart. I guess I could use a bar chart if I could set the value of the bar fill with the actual value and set the maximum bar level as the goal?

Thanks!

 

[lbass]

I thought you meant you wanted to show the chart with values on change of month. If you already have two values (actual and goal), then you just need to add both in as summary fields for a side by side comparison.

If you want a stacked effect, try creating a formula {@goalactualdiff} like this:

{table.goal}-{table.actual}

Then choose stacked bar chart and add sum of {table.actual} and sum of {@goalactualdiff} as your summary fields. Make the formula the second summary.

-LB

 

[retygh45]

With some nice formatting, that looks pretty close, thanks for all your help!