Plot Values (y axis) vs. Time (x axis)

[bfaivre]

Hello,

I’m sure I’m missing something really basic here. But I have data that I retrieve from a database. The first columns represent timestamps and the second columns represents values. I simply want a plot of these values on the y axis vs. the timestamps on the x axis. However, when I try what I think is obvious, I get a count of the values and timestamps. How can I plot all of these values over time?

Thanks in advance,

Brian

[Greg_Deckler]

Make sure that your Value is an actual number and didn't come in as Text. You can go to data model, the Modeling tab and check its Data Type and convert it if necessary. Otherwise, you are correct, all you will get is a Count aggregation for a Text column in your visual.

[bfaivre]

Hi,

Thanks for the response. My values are the appropriate types ("Date/Time" and "Decimal Number"). Still giving me the counts.

Brian

[Greg_Deckler]

So, in your Values area for the visualization, can you use the drop down and select a different aggregation than Count? Or, can you change the default aggregation type in the model?

[bfaivre]

Yeah - I can change the aggregation (see screenshot below):

[Greg_Deckler]

OK, just change it to SUM or AVERAGE then, or maybe MAX.

[bfaivre]

Thanks for the response. That just give me another aggregate. I simply want to plot each value on the y-axis based on the timestamp on the x-axis w/no aggregation.

Brian

[Greg_Deckler]

I think I posted a way to do this using R visualization and ggplot, let me see if I can find it. Well, couldn't find that one, but it is an option, you also can see this solution as well:

http://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Scatter-plot-summarizing-data/m-p/37229/highlight/true#M1365...

[bfaivre]

Thanks for all the input. This still isn't working for me. Surely it can't be that difficult to plot values on the y-axis over time on the x-axis? This is so much of what we do on a daily basis vs. showing the count of the data points (or another aggregate).

Does anyone have an viable example or tutorial they can share?

Thanks in advance,

Brian

[v-ljerr-msft]

Hi @bfaivre,

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This is so much of what we do on a daily basis vs. showing the count of the data points (or another aggregate).

In order to show the count of the data points on a daily basis, you need to change Date Hierarchy to Date for Axis and use Sum for your Values. Then you should get the result you want.

If that is not the case, could you post some sample data and the expected result in your case?

Regards

[JohannesHamburg]

I am trying to do the same thing. Time is on X , Value is on Y. Time is in the right format YYYY.MM.DD hh:mm:ss.

I can plot every value in the right order. Since I want to analyse the data for a month, I have like 50.000 Datapoint.

Now I want to aggregate or digg into the data. 

Just like it is already possible with Year, Quarter, Month and Day, I would like to extend that Hierachie to hour and minute.

Thanks for help!

[Greg_Deckler]

Power BI was really built around the concept of aggregating information. You can get around this by using R visuals, I found my other thread:

http://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Line-Chart-as-quot-Excel-Scatter-Plot-quot/td-p/75954

[bfaivre]

Thanks for all the help. I appreciate it. I guess I'm slightly shocked that this ability would not simply exist. Seems like it would be used often.

Brian

[Greg_Deckler]

Well, the concept behind Power BI was to aggregate and visualize data, not just visualize data. That is why they included R visuals though as well as custom visuals capability to fill in some of these holes.