Intro to Building Visualizations

Visualizations are a subset of workbook data elements. Like tables and pivot tables, they are build directly from a data source and update in response to changes in that data source or its source(s). Each workbook can contain multiple data elements derived from a variety of data sources. 

Summary of Content

Visualization Types
Create a Visualization
Switch Between Visualization Types
Maximize a Visualization
Visualization Formatting
      Edit a Visualization's Format Options
      Copy & Paste Formats to Other Visualizations
Related Resources

Requirements

  • To create or edit a data element, you must have Can Edit access to the individual workbook.
  • Some exploratory actions are also supported with Can Explore access.

Visualization Types

Sigma supports the following visualization types:

Create a Visualization

Visualizations can be created via the PAGE ELEMENTS section of your workbook's editor panel or directly from an existing data element. 

Different visualization types support different plot and format options. Some plot options are required, and visualized data will not display on the page canvas until all required plot fields are defined. Please visit visualization-specific documentation to learn more about plotting and formatting your element.

Switch Between Visualization Types

You can switch a visualization element's visualization type (e.g. bar to line) at any time. However, you will lose any plot and format settings that are not also supported by your newly selected visualization type.

Before you start: This action uses the editor panel. If you have not done so already, open the editor panel from either Explore or Edit mode. Learn more

  1. Select the visualization.
  2. In the editor panel, select a new visualization type from the dropdown menu located under  VISUALIZATION.
    Screen_Shot_2022-02-03_at_1.18.29_PM.png

Maximize a Visualization

When viewing, exploring, or editing a workbook, all data elements are minimized by default to display multiple elements in the canvas. You can maximize any data element to focus on its details and explore the underlying data. 

When a visualization is maximized, it expands to the full width of the workbook page and displays the element's underlying data table. Because the element and underlying data are inherently linked, changes applied to one are automatically reflected in the other.

Note: Data elements can be maximized in any workbook mode (View, Explore, or Edit), but changes can be made in Explore and Edit modes only.

 To learn more, 

Visualization Formatting

Every visualization type supports some level of formatting. However, the complexity of available formatting options varies greatly between visualization types. 

Edit a Visualization's Format Options

Before you start: This action uses the editor panel. If you have not done so already, open the editor panel from either Explore or Edit mode. Learn more

  1. In the visualization’s editor panel, click the paintbrush (Screen_Shot_2022-02-03_at_1.34.34_PM.png) button in the workbook sidebar.
    Screen_Shot_2022-02-03_at_1.28.21_PM.png
    This will open the element's format panel.
  2. Click section headers to view and edit their format options.
    Screen_Shot_2022-02-03_at_1.29.36_PM.png 

Copy & Paste Formats to Other Visualizations

A visualization’s formatting can be copied and pasted to other elements across workbook pages and browser tabs.

What is and isn't included in the copy? 

Almost all element formatting is captured when copied. The exceptions are text fields (e.g. title), reference marks, and conditional formatting.

Formats can be copied and pasted across different element types (e.g. bar chart to pie chart). When an element's formatting is pasted to another element, only formats applicable to the receiving element are applied.

Here are a few examples:

  • A bar chart's data label formatting will be accepted by a line chart
  • A bar chart's bar color will not be accepted by a pie chart because their color fields are not compatible. However, color fields are compatible across cartesian chart types.
  • A chart's "color by scale" formatting will not be accepted by a chart already formatted to "color by category."

To copy/paste element formatting: 

Before you start: This action uses the editor panel. If you have not done so already, open the editor panel from either Explore or Edit mode. Learn more

  1. Select the element.
  2. Click the paintbrush icon to open the element's Format panel.
  3. Select either Copy format or Paste format from the panel's more (•••) menu.


Related Resources

Workbooks: An Overview
Intro to Data Elements
Intro to Element Types
Data Element Filters