How to Add and Modify Variances in Charts (Optimized Story Experience)

Add a variance to your chart to show the difference between versions of an account or to show the difference between time periods.

You can create variances that include either versions or time intervals, or both. You can create a variance for any two accounts, even if they don't appear in your base chart. However, date dimensions must be in your chart if you want to use them in a variance.

Restriction

If your model with measures and accounts or your planning model have multiple hierarchies for an account dimension, you can compare accounts from the same hierarchy; however, the hierarchy has to already exist in the chart.

How to Add a Variance to a Chart

Select your chart, open the Right Side Panel, and then select Builder.
In the Variance area, select Add Variance.

Tip
If you can't see a variance area, expand the Chart Add-Ons section, and then select Variance.
Choose specific accounts or choose All Accounts in Use (Dynamic).
Choose the versions or time periods.

Note

To use a time period, the time (date) dimension has to be included in your chart.
From the Display Options area, apply the following options:
- Name: use the default name or provide a different name for the variance.
- Show Variance as:
  - Bar – displays a classic variance chart beside the regular chart.
  - Data Label – adds variance information to the data labels.
    
    Use data labels if there's no room to add a variance chart, or if you want variance information for charts that can't use a variance chart.
  - Integrated – displays the variance data as an overlay on the bar chart.
- Show Difference as:
  - Both – you can still set the number of decimal places for each option.
  - Number
  - Percentage – you can also choose to use an Absolute Base Value.
    
    Absolute values are useful if you're comparing negative values, but have a positive change (For example, (-20) - (-40) = +20. The percentage change (+20/-40) would be -50% if you didn't use absolute values.)
- General Display Options:
  - Scale with Base Chart – default setting keeps the variance chart scale the same as the chart scale.
    
    If you want the variance to have its own scale, clear the checkbox.
  - Invert Colors – reverse the color scheme from the following default values: a positive variance is shown in green, and a negative variance is shown in red.
  - No Data as Zero – to include a NULL data point in your variance, set it to the value zero.
  - Show Integrated Label with Base Label – puts the integrated variance label below the base label, for both positive and negative labels.
    
    When this option isn't selected, negative integrated variance labels appear.
- For the Variance Color option, you can customize the color of the following values:
  - Positive
  - Negative
  - Null / 0
- When finished, select Done.

A variance chart or variance information is added to your visualization.

How to Sort and Rank Variances in a Chart

You can sort or rank either absolute or percentage variances in your charts.

How to Sort Variances

On a canvas page, select a chart.
From the action menu () select Sort.
Select the variance that you want to sort and then choose one of the following options:
- Lowest to Highest
- Highest to Lowest

How to Rank Variances

On a canvas page, select a chart.
From the action menu () select Rank Top N Options.
In the Top N Options dialog, select the dimensions, ranking mode, and number of options (Value).
In the Account section, select the absolute or percentage variance.

Select Apply.

Variance Bar Colors

The variance bars are color-coded based on the account type and whether an increase is desirable or not. For example, an increase in income would be welcome (green), but an increase in expenses would not (red).

Variance Bar Color Based on Account Type
Account Type	Decrease (-)	Increase (+)
INC – Income	Red	Green
EXP – Expense	Green	Red
AST – Assets	Red	Green
LEQ – Liabilities & Equities	Green	Red

Tip

You can customize the variance colors. For more information, see How to Add a Variance to a Chart.

To change the default variance colors for your story, in the toolbar, go to Start of the navigation path Theme Next navigation step Preferences (Preferences) Charts Default Variance Color End of the navigation path .

How to Change the Variance Format

After you've added your variances, you can change how they are formatted and displayed in the chart.

Select your chart and open the Builder panel.
In the Variance area, find the variance calculation and select Edit.
In the Edit Variance panel, make your changes.
When finished, select Done.