XS✔ ◾ 🚚 Migrated rule - Do you use expressions to show the correct scale on charts?

categories/company-operations/rules-to-better-reporting-services.md

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ index:
 - least-content-in-page-header
 - show-past-six-months-in-chart
 - show-data-and-chart-in-one
+- use-expressions-to-scale-charts
 
 ---
 

rules/show-data-and-chart-in-one/rule.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 type: rule
 archivedreason:
-title: Do you show data and chart in one?
+title: Data Layout - Do you show data and chart in one?
 guid: ee74ea88-74e0-4588-9de8-a5162408c0e4
 uri: show-data-and-chart-in-one
 created: 2023-12-11T14:38:33.0000000Z

rules/show-past-six-months-in-chart/rule.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 type: rule
 archivedreason:
-title: Do you show the past 6 months of totals in a chart?
+title: Data Layout - Do you show the past 6 months of totals in a chart?
 guid: fd58a962-6abb-4b89-b147-06d5a9df26fa
 uri: show-past-six-months-in-chart
 created: 2023-12-13T10:38:33.0000000Z

rules/use-expressions-to-scale-charts/rule.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+---
+type: rule
+archivedreason:
+title: Data Layout - Do you use expressions to show the correct scale on charts?
+guid: c74b30a3-3593-4b32-a996-6dd96256ab07
+uri: use-expressions-to-scale-charts
+created: 2023-12-11T14:38:33.0000000Z
+authors: 
+  - title: Jeoffrey Fischer
+    url: https://ssw.com.au/people/jeoffrey-fischer
+related:
+- customization-do-you-know-which-version-of-sql-reporting-services-and-visual-studio-you-are-using
+redirects: []
+
+---
+
+<!--endintro-->
+
+In Reporting Services 2005 you can use an expression to specify the scale of your charts. If you do not specify a maximum value for your y axis, the bar charts become inaccurate, as you can see in this figure.
+
+::: bad  
+![Figure: Bad example - With no scale value set, the charts do not display based on the correct scale](RSRulesChartBad.gif)  
+:::
+
+Here's how to set the scale.
+
+1. In Layout view, add a new row to the bottom of the table
+
+2. At the bottom of the column with the chart, set the textbox value to =Max(Fields!MyTotal.Value), where "MyTotal" is the Data field you're using in the chart.
+
+![Figure: Add a new row to your table and set the max value](RSRulesChart01.gif)
+
+3. Set the textbox's Name property to MaxMyTotal (e.g. MaxCount)
+
+4. Set the new row's Visibility/Hidden property to true - you don't want to show it in the report
+
+5. Open the Chart properties and select the "Y Axis" tab
+
+6. Set the Maximum value to the value of the textbox, i.e. "=ReportItems!MaxMyTotal.Value"
+
+![Figure: Set the maximum value to the value of the textbox](RSRulesChart02.gif)
+
+7. If you expect to have negative values in the chart (e.g. when comparing 2 values), set the Minimum to -1 multiplied by the max value, i.e. "=-1 * ReportItems!MaxMyTotal.Value". Otherwise set it to 0 (zero).
+
+8. If you expect to have negative values in the chart, select the chart value in the Data tab and click "Edit..." . Go to **Appearance->Series Style->Fill** and enter the following expression:
+
+```sql
+=iif(Fields!Change.Value > 0, "Green", "Red")
+```
+
+Where "Change" is the name of your data field. This sets the color of the bar to green if it is positive, and red if it is negative
+
+9. Click OK and preview the report. The chart will now be using the maximum value across all the charts.
+
+::: good  
+![Figure: Good example - The scale is now correct](RSRulesChart03.gif)
+:::
+
+::: greybox
+This way is tedious and a "hack". We think that the scale should be automatically set with an option to customize it via an expression. See our suggestion about this on [Microsoft SQL Reporting Services Suggestions](https://www.ssw.com.au/ssw/Standards/BetterSoftwareSuggestions/ReportingServices.aspx#ChartExpressions).
+
+Updated - fixed by Microsoft, see <https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/reporting-services/report-design/set-a-minimum-or-maximum-on-a-gauge-report-builder-and-ssrs?view=sql-server-ver16>
+:::