Charts offer a way to visually represent the data that exists on each Platform page. There are a few default charts available, and a SPoC can create additional charts for any page. There is no limit to how many charts you can have. Once created, anyone can add charts to their personal dashboards if they have access to the page where the chart exists. If needed, a SPoC can assign a chart to a user using the Users tab on a Chart record.

Charts work with Views to create meaningful statistics. It's good to use a layered approach when you create charts. For example, you can't specify a date range on the chart itself, but you can layer the chart with a View to achieve the desired result.

Default Charts

Several charts come with your MinistryPlatform instance and display on certain pages. Any user with permission to those pages can add the default chart to their dashboard as well. SPoCs can delete any unwanted charts under System Setup > Charts.

Watch & Learn

Want to see how to build charts to create the dashboard of your dreams? Check out our Chart Building webinar in the MinistrySmart Academy!

Technical Considerations

• To view a chart on their dashboard, a User must have at least View permission for the page that houses the chart.
• When the Label Field or Data Field is native to the specified page, it does not need to be fully qualified (Table.Column).
• Charts support but doesn't require brackets.
• Charts supports the Table Lookup Convention.
• Charts support some SQL Functions, such as CONVERT and CAST. For example, most queries can help convert to your time zone. Charts don't support subqueries, such as EXISTS, NOT EXISTS, and SELECT.
• You can't use an alias (Table.Column AS [Something Else]). The Label Field displays as is.
• Charts don't include blank label records unless you explicitly add them. Consider using ISNULL or ELSE when you create your chart.
• The data field doesn't explicity exclude a specific data type, but logical limitations apply. For example, if the data field is a date, then charts with aggregation types like SUM and AVG would not work.
• Chart labels format with VB and sort by characters. Learn more about date and time format options in this Microsoft article. Keep this in mind when labels include dates. To sort by a date, use a format that includes a leading zero for the dates to sort correctly. For example:
  • d-ddd will result in: 10-Fri, 11- Sat, 7-Tues 8-Wed, 9- Thurs.
  • dd-ddd will result in: 07-Tues 08-Wed, 09- Thurs, 10-Fri, 11- Sat.