Crystal Reports enables you to present summarized data in colorful, easy
-to read
Charting concepts
Charting overview
Crystal Reports enables you to include sophisticated, colorful charts in your reports. You can use charts any time you want to improve the usefulness of a report.
For example, if you have a sales report grouped by Region with a subtotal of Last Year's Sales for each region, you can quickly create a chart that will display Sales per Region.
You can chart on the following:
- Summary and subtotal fields.
- Detail, formula, and Running Total fields.
- Cross
-T ab summaries. - OLAP data.
You will typically chart on summary and subtotal information at the group level. However, depending on the type of data you are working with, you can create an Advanced, Cross-T ab, or OLAP grid chart for your report.
Chart layouts
You can create charts with any of the following layouts, and be depending on the data you are using, you can change the chart from one layout to another.
Advanced
Use the Advanced layout when you have multiple chart values or when you do not have any group or summary fields in the report.
The Advanced chart layout supports one or two condition fields: with these condition fields, you can create a 2-D , 3-D , or pie chart. Other specific functions with the Advanced layout include:
- Values can be grouped in ascending, descending, or specified order, as well as by Top N or Sort totals.
- Values can be plotted for each record.
- Values can be plotted as a grand total for all records.
- Charts can be based on formula and Running Total fields.
Group
The Group layout is a simplified layout in which you show a summary on change of field for topics such as Country.
Note: In order to create a chart using the Group layout, you must have at least one group and at least one summary field for that group.
Cross-Tab
Use the Cross-T ab layout to chart on a Cross-T ab object. A Cross-T ab chart uses the fields in the cross-t ab for its condition and summary fields.
OLAP
Use the OLAP layout to chart on an OLAP grid. An OLAP chart uses the fields in the OLAP grid for its condition and summary fields.
Chart types
Different sets of data are particularly suited to a certain chart type. The following is an overview of the main chart types and their most common uses.
Bar
Most bar charts (also known as a column chart) display or compare several sets of data. Two useful bar charts are the Side-b y-S ide bar chart and the Stacked bar chart.
- Side
-b y-S ide bar chartA Side-b y-S ide bar chart displays data as a series of vertical bars. This type of chart is best suited for showing data for several sets over a period of time (for example, last year's sales figures for AZ, CA, OR, and WA). - Stacked bar chart
Line
A line chart displays data as a series of points connected by a line. This type of chart is best suited for showing data for a large number of groups (for example, total sales over the past several years).
Area
An area chart displays data as areas filled with color or patterns. This type of chart is best suited for showing data for a limited number of groups (for example, percentage of total sales for AZ, CA, OR, and WA).
Pie
A pie chart displays data as a pie, split and filled with color or patterns. Pie charts are typically used for one group of data (for example, the percentage of sales for the entire inventory); however, you have the option to choose multiple pie charts for multiple groups of data.
Doughnut
A doughnut chart is similar to a pie chart, displaying data as sections of a circle or doughnut. If, for example, you charted sales by region on a particular report, you would see the total number of sales (the figure) in the center of the doughnut and the regions as colored sections of the doughnut. As with the pie chart, you have the option to choose multiple doughnut charts for multiple groups of data.
3-D Riser
A 3-D Riser chart displays data in a series of 3-d imensional objects, lined up side-b y-s ide, in a 3-d imensional plane. The 3-D Riser chart shows the extremes in your report data. For example, the differences between sales by customer by country are visually dynamic when presented in this chart.
3-D Surface
3-D Surface charts present a topographic view of multiple sets of data. If, for example, you need a chart to show the number of sales by customer by country, in a visually dynamic and relational format, you might consider using the 3-D Surface chart.
XY Scatter
An XY Scatter chart is a collective of plotted points that represent specific data in a pool of information. The XY Scatter chart allows the user to consider a larger scope of data for the purpose of determining trends. For example, if you input customer information, including sales, products, countries, months, and years, you would have a collective of plotted points that represents the pool of customer information. Viewing all of this data on an XY Scatter chart would allow you to speculate as to why certain products were selling better than others or why certain regions were purchasing more than others.
Radar
A radar chart positions group data, such as countries or customers, at the perimeter of the radar. The radar chart then places numeric values, increasing in value, from the center of the radar to the perimeter. In this way, the user can determine, at a glance, how specific group data relates to the whole of the group data.
Bubble
A bubble chart (an extension of the XY Scatter chart type) displays data as a series of bubbles, where the size of the bubble is proportional to the amount of data. A bubble chart would be very effective with the number of products sold in a certain region; the larger the bubble, the greater the number of products sold in that region.
Stock
A stock chart presents high and low values for data. It is useful for monitoring financial or sales activities.
Note: Crystal Reports offers two possible formats for stock charts: High-L ow and High-L ow-O pen-C lose. Each of these types requires a series of values in the order specified in its name.
Numeric Axis
A numeric axis chart is a bar, line, or area chart that uses a numeric field or a date/time field as its "On change of" field. Numeric axis charts provide a way of scaling your X-a xis values, thus creating a true numeric X-a xis or a true date/time X-a xis.
Gauge
A gauge chart presents values graphically as points on a gauge. Gauge charts, like pie charts, are typically used for one group of data (for example, the percentage of sales for the entire inventory).
Gantt
A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart often used to provide a graphical illustration of a schedule. The horizontal axis shows a time span, while the vertical axis shows a series of tasks or events. Horizontal bars on the chart represent event sequences and time spans for each item on the vertical axis. You should use only date fields when creating a Gantt chart. The field you choose for the data axis should be set to "For Each Record," and the start and end date
Funnel
Funnel charts are often used to represent stages in a sales process. For example, the amount of potential revenue shown for each stage. This type of chart can also be useful in identifying potential problem areas in an organization's sales processes. A funnel chart is similar to a stacked bar chart in that it represents 100% of the summary values for the groups included in the chart.
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