on 26 Sep 2016 21:17:59
Right now we can only use trend lines for continuous values in the x axis. It would be great if a categorical value could also be used, such as month name.
- Comments (37)
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
This will help our organization so much!
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
This would greatly enhance the reporting capabilities at our agency!
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
Linear trendlines need to be available in Power BI. Our healthcare organization is in the process of converting all of our control charts from QI Macros to Power BI. We were disappointed to learn that this functionality is not available in Power BI. We always apply trendlines to our charts to better display whether the pattern of data points is increasing or decreasing.
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
This is extremely important for our organization
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
I can understand why this doesn't work in its current state: in order to forecast/trend, Power BI needs to know relative distance between each category value. But regardless, a very common user story is not currently supported. Two possible solutions:
1) Use continuous (not categorical) but force Power BI to display all values of x-axis (not matter how cluttered that makes the visual)
OR
2) Activate Trendline for Categorical, but caveat to user that Power BI will infer equal increment across category values.
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
how is this not a thing?
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
so much needed...
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
this is an important feature which would make trend lines SO much easier. Currently not having a continuous option when plotting categories (even if those categories are a custom calendar e.g "2018 P1") is a big pitfall and makes trend lines impossible.
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
Agree - you have NO idea what cosmic workaround calculations me and my colleague made to get this thing working...
RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis
I don't even understand why this doesn't work this way already. It makes sense that the value the trend line is mapping would need to be numerical, but what does it matter how it's split up? If I have 5 number values in a chart, you shouldn't need to know what I call those groups in order to calculate a trend line... it's already divided into 5 discrete datapoints which you can use to generate a trend line. If your calculation needs numbers to map against, just use the column number!
For example, if I have a chart that that shows Page Views for:
"March"(55)
"April"(65)
"Cucumber"(42)
"Pickle"(99)
You don't need to calculate the value of "Pickle" to map a trend line, just read those values in as (1,55) (2,65) (3,42) (4,99) and calculate the trend line!