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Version: Early Access

Creating a Dual-Axis graph

A dual-axis graph is useful for displaying metrics that contain very different ranges of values. A dual-axis graph displays two different axes, on opposite sides of the graph. This can be the left and right vertical axes or the top and bottom horizontal axes. To create a dual-axis graph, you create an area, bar, or line graph and add a metric to display on the graph's second parallel axis. Click here to see an example of a dual-axis graph.

A dossier includes a Profit metric that returns currency information in the thousands and millions. The same dossier also includes a Profit Margin metric that returns percentages such as 25%. These two metrics would benefit from being shown on graph axes that use different graph scales to display values.

Steps:

  1. Open an existing dossier that contains an area, bar, or line graph that you want to convert to a dual-axis graph.

  2. Drag a metric onto a second axis, parallel to an existing one, that contains a metric value.

    Note: To view data requirements for a graph style, hover your cursor over the visualization icon in the Visualization Gallery.

  3. Next, add a second dual axis graph to the same graph visualization.

    You can create a dual-axis graph that displays Profit and Profit Margin, then add a dual-axis graph with axes for Revenue and Revenue Per Employee.

    If the first dual-axis graph in your visualization displays metrics on the vertical axes, drag a metric to the bottom of the Vertical area.

    or

    If the first dual-axis graph in your visualization displays metrics on the horizontal axes, drag a metric to the bottom of the Horizontal area.

  4. To switch the axis location of a metric in the Vertical area, right-click it and choose Left Axis or Right Axis.

    or

    To switch the axis location of a metric in the Horizontal area, right-click it and choose Top Axis or Bottom Axis.

  5. Drag a second metric onto the parallel axis.

  6. If necessary, you can change the shape of graph items. Right-click the graph item and choose Change Shape and the Bar, Line, Area, Circle, Square, or Tick option.

  7. If necessary, you can rearrange the graph by moving the metrics in the Vertical and Horizontal areas or dragging them to different axes within the visualization.

  8. After adding data to the visualization, you can slice the data into rows and/or columns of separate graphs, based on attributes.

    To display a row of graphs, drag at least one attribute to the top of the Vertical area. Each graph appears in a separate row, one for each element in the attribute.

    To display a column of graphs, drag at least one attribute to the top of the Horizontal area. Each graph appears in a separate column, one for each element in the attribute.

  9. Select the required attribute forms to be displayed in the visualization.

  10. Define the formatting options.

  11. Click Save.

Example Dual-Axis Graph