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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

Create a heatmap data visualization

Use a heatmap visualization to show the relationship between two table fields or indicator breakdowns. The changes in color as you move along the axes reveal patterns in the value of one or both fields/breakdowns.

Before you begin

Role required: Anyone with access to data can create a visualization of that data on any dashboard that they can edit. Users with the itil, report_user, admin, or viz_creator role can create a visualization in the Visualization Designer. When you create a visualization in the Visualization Designer, it is saved to the Library. For more information on access, see Report_view access control and Platform Analytics roles.

About this task

For information about the use of a Heatmap visualization in a dashboard, see the Developer Site. This site gives information about Heatmap data visualization components in the UI Builder, and some configuration options may differ from the Visualization Designer.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to All > Platform Analytics > Library > Data Visualizations, or open an in-line dashboard and select Edit.

  2. Select Create data visualization.

  3. Select the Heatmap (

Image omitted: inline-data-vis-heatmap.png
Heatmap icon\) visualization type.
  1. Configure the Header and border. Header and border options are the same for all data sources.
Header and border fieldsDescription
Show borderOption to display a line around the component.
Show headerThe visualization header, including title and icons.
Show header separatorOption to display a line separating the header from the rest of the component.
Chart titleTitle of the visualization.
Title alignmentChoose Start to align the title with the start of line, End to align it with the end of the line, or Center for center alignment.
DescriptionA short overview about the visualization that the end user sees. Descriptions help users find the visualization.
Wrap titleOption to wrap long titles onto a second line. If false, displays an ellipsis to truncate long titles.
Wrap labelsSelect to wrap long elements labels on the axis.
Max label size, pxSpecify the maximum label size for element names on the axis. Default=100 px.
Line of truncationSpecify where to truncate long labels with an ellipsis. Options are 1, 2, and 3.
BareOption to remove padding around data visualization to provide more compact positioning on the page. Only available when Show border is turned off.
Show refresh optionOption to show or hide the refresh option from data visualizations. If cache is enabled on a dashboard, the Refresh option is always hidden.
Show export optionsOption to show or hide the visualization's export types.
Header background colorSpecify the color behind the title of the visualization.
Title colorSpecify the text color of the title. The default title color is black, but you can choose a color that contrasts better with the header background. Only available when Header background color is selected.
  1. Choose a data source.

    For general descriptions of the data sources, see Data sources for data visualizations.

    • Table (available in the base system). When you select a table, you can filter it by conditions.

      Configured report sources appear in the Predefined conditions list. For more information, see Report sources.

      To help you create a custom filter, there is a preview list of records that would be included in the visualization. You can change which fields are shown as columns and the width of columns in the list actions.

Image omitted: dv-preview-edit-cols.png
Preview record list for table source data visualization with list actions shown.
-   Indicator \(available in the base system\). You can filter the indicator scores by breakdowns and elements.

    **Note:** Benchmark indicators are not supported.
Image omitted: dv-ind-source-con-filter.png
Conditional filter for indicator data source on data visualization.
    **Note:**

    You might have a multiple select \(is one of\) or dynamic \(is \(dynamic\)\) operator on the breakdown element filter. These operators require the indicator and breakdown to support them. For more information about the configurations that support these operators, see ["Is one of" and "Is \(Dynamic\)" operators on breakdown conditions in data visualizations](performance-analytics/condition-operators-ind-bkdowns.md).
  1. Select the options for your data source.

FieldDescription
Display settings
Show data tableShows a table with chart and graph data for easier screen reader access. Data includes the percentage of the total for each value, when appropriate.
Show % of total in tooltipEnable to show the percentage each data point contributes to the total alongside absolute values in the tooltip.
Data label
Show data labelsOption to display the score for each data point.
Legend
Show legendOption to display the legend. Activated automatically at 400% zoom.
Legend positionLegend location relative to the chart: Above, Below, Right, or Left
Colors
Set color typeType of color scheme to apply to the component. The choices are: - Default `default`: A color from the UX Theme Properties \[sys\_ux\_theme\_property\] table. The specific colors depend on which theme variant in the UX Themes \[sys\_ux\_theme\] table is applied to the instance. - Color range: A spectrum of colors between a color for the lowest value and a color for the highest value
  1. Under Chart interaction, set what if anything happens when a viewer clicks a chart or a chart segment on the visualization.
FieldDescription
Allow chart interactionEnable an event to occur when a user clicks in a visualization or one of its segments.
Action

Choose the event that occurs when a user clicks in a visualization or one of its segments. Choices depend on the visualization type and data source. Applies only when Allow chart interaction is on. For more information, see Chart interactions in a data visualization.

  • Go to data view opens a list view, KPI Details page, or Usage Insights overview page relevant to the associated segment or visualization. For table data, a system property determines whether a Core UI list or a Platform Analytics list opens. For more information, see Data views for different data sources.
  • Go to URL opens the specified URL, which can be on the instance or external. You have the option of specifying a page name to appear in the tooltip, for those visualizations with tooltips.
  • Drill down to chart (Visualization Designer only) Opens a different data visualization that is filtered by the selected data. You can add a drill-down visualization for each metric on the parent visualization.

Note: The last level of drill down in the Platform Analytics experience is always a Core UI list. Records do not open in Workspace embedded lists.

Drill down to chart supports only table data sources.

  1. Select Save.

    Navigate to All > Platform Analytics > Library > Data Visualizations to return to the Data Visualization list.

What to do next

Parent Topic:Creating data visualizations