Target lines on a bar chart

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Target lines on a bar chart

Martin Thomas-357229

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Points: 467
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February 14, 2012 at 2:50 am

#268220

Hello all.
I am looking for some help in creating a 'target line' on a bar chart in Reporting Services 2005. I am creating in-line bar charts in a table to represent the current value of a performance indicator. I would like to add a line to that bar to represent the business plan target as a sort of pseudo bullet chart. My current thinking was to create gridlines with the interval set to the target value. This works really well providing the actual value isn't more than double the target!
Is there a smarter way of doing this?
All help is appreciated.
Martin

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Martin Schoombee SSCoach Points: 19128 More actions · Answer 1

Martin Thomas-357229 (2/14/2012)
Hello all.
I am looking for some help in creating a 'target line' on a bar chart in Reporting Services 2005. I am creating in-line bar charts in a table to represent the current value of a performance indicator. I would like to add a line to that bar to represent the business plan target as a sort of pseudo bullet chart. My current thinking was to create gridlines with the interval set to the target value. This works really well providing the actual value isn't more than double the target!
Is there a smarter way of doing this?
All help is appreciated.
Martin

The only other option for 2005 that comes to mind is a second series for the target, and make it a line graph. You could also do something similar but use an area graph to enforce some coloring.

Martin Thomas-357229 SSC-Addicted Points: 467 More actions · Answer 2

Thank you for your prompt help I really appreciate it. I have decided to go down a different route which is more complicated than I would have liked but, given the project constraints is something I can live with. I needed a target line but I also needed the bars to be horizontal to fit a wider design issue. This means that your solution, unfortunately, wouldn't work for me.

For anyone interested I have created a stacked bar chart for the graphic with 4 values (w,x,y,z)

w = IIF (value > target, target, value)

x = IIF (value < target, target - value, 0)

y = fixed width (for my purposes I take this as a suitable fraction of the total stacked chart)

z = IIF (value > target, value-target,0)

For more precision I could subtract y/2 from x and z I guess. This seems to be working for me so far.

Martin Schoombee SSCoach Points: 19128 More actions · Answer 3

Thanks for the feedback. Pity you are not using SSRS 2008, because strip lines (in 2008) would have made it so much easier.

If possible, could you please post a screenshot of what your graphs look like...it may help others who would like to employ a similar solution.

Martin Thomas-357229 SSC-Addicted Points: 467 More actions · Answer 4

I would love to upgrade to 2008!

I have attached a screenshot with some dummy data in it to show the layout I have gone for where the vertical line is the target line.

Suggestions and comments are very welcome.

Martin Schoombee SSCoach Points: 19128 More actions · Answer 5

Martin Thomas-357229 (2/15/2012)
I would love to upgrade to 2008!
I have attached a screenshot with some dummy data in it to show the layout I have gone for where the vertical line is the target line.
Suggestions and comments are very welcome.

Very cool...I have to commend you for the inventive way in which you solved this problem. 🙂

Martin Thomas-357229 SSC-Addicted Points: 467 More actions · Answer 6

🙂 always happy to receive a compliment like that, and thanks again for your help.