Dynamic highlight bar chart with slicer

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How AI Decision-Making is Improving Enterprise Outcomes

But this does not apply to a slicer visual, which only has cross-filtering and no interaction feature. This made me wonder if we can achieve cross-highlight with a slicer visual through some work-around that allows me to compare one category with other easily through cross-highlight. After some research, I may have found a way to do this. Below are the steps in detail to achieve this. Normal filtering of data with slicer: The below example shows normal slicing of data where only the selected value will be reflected in the bar chart. This does not allow me to compare other values easily or focus in on the selected value through highlighting.

Dynamic highlighting with Slicer: The below example shows the dynamic highlighting where I can choose the categories in the slicer to highlight for comparison with the other categories. I can easily focus on the selected categories and compare the measure values with other categories.

Solution: First, I have created a disconnected table with the categories. This can be easily done with the following dax formula.

Selected Category = VALUES(Orders[Category])

Had made sure there is no relationship in the model view between the source table and new category table. Created a measure which will be added to the conditional formatting in data colour section in the format pane.

Selected Colour bar = 
var selected_category = VALUES ('Selected Category'[Category]) 
var category_to_highlight = SELECTEDVALUE (Orders [Category])
var filtered = ISFILTERED ('Selected Category'[Category])
var result = 
    SWITCH(TRUE(),NOT(filtered),"#0055cc", category_to_highlight in selected_category && filtered,"#0055cc","#9cd0ed")
return result

Explanation: Selected Colour bar =

var selected_category = VALUES ('Selected Category'[Category]) // taking values from category table

var category_to_highlight = SELECTEDVALUE (Orders [Category]) // Using selected value function

var filtered = ISFILTERED ('Selected Category'[Category]) // checks if the column is filtered and will return true or false

var result = 
SWITCH(TRUE(),NOT(filtered),"#0055cc", category_to_highlight in selected_category && filtered,"#0055cc","#9cd0ed")

/* The first condition checks if the there is no filtration will return all values, Then will be checking if the selected set of values is contained in the category column. The selected value will be returning a specific dark colour while the unselected value will be giving a lighter colour. */

return result

Created a bar chart with total sales given in the value section and the category column from the source data will be given as axis. Gave the highlight effect by adding a measure in the field value section of the data colour conditional formatting.

Added the measure in the field value section.

Added category slicer from the Selected Category table

Finally arranged them and saw the magic happen.

Conclusion: This goes to show the hidden features of Power BI one can explore with a little bit of tinkering with a dash of DAX. This blog is a first in a series of many nifty blogs. Hope you like it and looking forward to your feedback.

Power BI is one of the best BI tools available in the market. If you have used it, you will realise that it is a user-friendly tool which offers drag and drop features and has self service capabilities built into it. We can filter down the data according to the selected category or item using the slicer visual or selecting other visuals. In Power BI, there is an ‘Edit Interaction feature' where you can toggle the filtration of data between cross-highlight, cross- filtering or no interaction between each visual.

How AI Decision-Making is Improving Enterprise Outcomes

Enterprises today don’t suffer from a lack of data; instead, they’re overwhelmed by it. The real challenge before organizations is turning that data into well-timed decisions. This is where AI decision-making comes in. Enterprises are increasingly relying on AI-driven decision intelligence to guide strategy, enhance operations, and achieve better business outcomes. Let’s see how it drastically changes how modern businesses operate.

According to McKinsey & Company, 88% of organizations now use AI in at least one business function, up from 78% a year ago. This shift shows that AI is moving from experimentation to a central role in decision-making. Gartner predicts that by 2028, at least 15% of daily business decisions will be made autonomously, and 33% of enterprise applications will include agentic AI.

Top 4 Enterprise Data Visualization Tools: A Complete Guide

What is Data Visualization?

Data visualization is the process of representing data in a graphical or spatial format, allowing for easy visual analysis without technical jargon. Unlike raw numerical data, visual representations like charts, graphs, and maps help quickly identify patterns, trends, and anomalies, facilitating faster and more accurate insights.

Benefits of Data Visualization

Understanding raw data can be challenging due to its complexity. Data visualization addresses this by:

Simplify Data Interpretation: Converting raw data into charts and graphs makes it easier to understand underlying patterns and relationships.
Identify Trends and Anomalies: Visual formats highlight trends and anomalies that might be missed in numerical data.
Improve Accessibility: Data visualization makes information accessible to a broader audience, including those without strong analytical skills, thus improving data-driven decision-making across departments.
Advanced Data Storytelling: Effective visualization techniques turn data into compelling stories that facilitate better communication and understanding.

What Are Data Visualization Tools?

Data visualization tools provide designers with an efficient way to create visual representations of large data sets. When dealing with data sets that include hundreds of thousands or millions of data points, automating the visualization process simplifies the designer's job considerably.

Key Benefits of Data Visualisation Tools

Dashboards: To monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics in real-time.
Annual Reports: To present data-driven insights to stakeholders in a clear and engaging manner.
Sales and Marketing Materials: To showcase trends, performance, and forecasts to potential clients and customers.
Investor Slide Decks: To communicate financial health and growth prospects effectively.
General Information Interpretation: To make complex data understandable for decision-making processes in virtually any context where quick interpretation of information is necessary.

A Compact List of Top Data Visualization Tools

Here are the top enterprise data visualization tools for creating compelling visualizations:

Tableau
Google Charts
Zoho Analytics
Data Wrapper

Tableau

Tableau is a top-tier platform recognized for its user-friendly interface. It adeptly integrates data from multiple sources to create dynamic and visualisations.
Its comprehensive suite of products spans desktop applications, robust server solutions, and flexible web-hosted environments, empowering organizations to drive informed decision-making and achieve actionable insights across their operations.
Connect with us for a free demo: https://www.beinex.com/free-tableau-software

Who Should Use Tableau?

Data scientists and analysts who need to create custom dashboards and advanced visualizations will benefit from Tableau.

Key Features of Tableau

• User-Friendly Interface: Easy to learn and navigate, making it accessible for all skill levels. • Mobile-Friendly: Create reports and dashboards optimised for mobile devices, allowing you to access and analyse data on the go. • High Performance: Efficiently handles large datasets, ensuring seamless analysis without performance issues. • Interactive Visualizations: Build interactive and dynamic visualisations, allowing deeper data exploration. • Integration Capabilities: Integrates well with various data sources and other business applications, enhancing data connectivity. • Real-Time Data Updates: Provides real-time data updates, ensuring you have the most current insights. • Collaboration Tools: Facilitates easy sharing and collaboration on reports and dashboards within teams. • Customizable Dashboards: Offers highly customisable dashboards to meet specific business needs and preferences. • Advanced Analytics: Supports advanced analytics features, including trend analysis, forecasting, and statistical summaries. • Security: Ensures data security with robust access controls and permissions.

Learn more: https://www.beinex.com/tableau-partnership-and-consulting-services/

Google Charts

Google Charts is a free tool for creating interactive data visualisations, accessible through most web browsers. It supports various data sources, including spreadsheets and databases.

Who Should Use Google Charts?

Students, universities, and businesses needing fundamental charts will find Google Charts useful.

Key Features of Google Charts

• User-Friendly Interface: Easy to use with a straightforward setup process. • Wide Range of Chart Types: Supports various chart types, including line, bar, pie, scatter, and more. • Customizable: Offers extensive customization options to tailor charts to specific needs, including colors, fonts, and annotations. • Interactive Charts: Allows for interactive elements such as tooltips, zooming, and panning. • Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensures charts work seamlessly across different browsers and devices. • Dynamic Data Updates: Supports real-time data updates, keeping charts current with live data feeds. • Integration with Google Services: Easily integrates with other Google services such as Google Sheets and Google Analytics. • Embedding Capabilities: Simple embedding in websites and applications with a few lines of code. • Data Export Options: Provides options to export charts in various formats, including PNG, SVG, and PDF. • Open Source: Free and open source, allowing for extensive customization and community support. • Support for Multiple Data Formats: Works with various data formats, including JSON, CSV, and Google Spreadsheets. • Accessibility Features: These include features to make charts accessible to all users, including screen reader support. • Responsive Design: Ensures charts are responsive and adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. • Powerful API: Provides a robust API for developers to create complex visualisations and integrate them into applications.

Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics combines business intelligence and reporting services, allowing for swift data visualisation. It is user-friendly and integrates well with other Zoho products.

Who Should Use Zoho Analytics?

Analytics and sales teams, marketing teams, project managers, and more can benefit from Zoho Analytics.

Key Features of Zoho Analytics

• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design that simplifies data analysis and visualisation. • Wide Range of Data Sources: Connects to various data sources, including databases, cloud storage, spreadsheets, and other business applications. • Advanced Analytics: Offers features such as predictive analytics, AI-powered insights, and what-if analysis. • Interactive Dashboards: Create and customise interactive dashboards with drag-and-drop ease. • Collaboration Tools: Facilitate sharing and collaboration on reports and dashboards within teams. • Embedded Analytics: Embed reports and dashboards into websites, applications, and portals. • Automated Data Sync: Schedule data imports and synchronise data regularly. • Customizable Visualizations: Provides a variety of chart types and extensive customisation options for data visualisations. • Data Blending: Combine data from multiple sources for comprehensive analysis. • AI-Driven Insights: Leverages AI to offer advanced analytical insights and pattern detection. • Real-Time Data Access: Supports real-time data integration and live dashboards. • Mobile Access: Access and interact with reports and dashboards on mobile devices. • Data Security: Ensures robust security features, including role-based access control, encryption, and compliance with industry standards. • Report Scheduling: Automate the distribution of reports through scheduled emails. • Integrations with Other Zoho Apps: Seamlessly integrate with other Zoho applications for enhanced functionality. • API Support: Provides APIs for developers to integrate analytics capabilities into custom applications. • Data Preparation Tools: These include tools for data cleaning, transformation, and enrichment.

Data Wrapper

Data Wrapper is ideal for media enterprises and allows for the quick creation of charts, maps, and plots. It is completely web-based and easy to use.

Who Should Use Data Wrapper?

Data Wrapper can benefit media, news publications, government institutions and finance companies. It is especially useful for creating visually appealing and easily understandable visualisations.

Key Features of Data Wrapper

• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive and easy to use, requiring no coding skills to create professional charts and maps. • Wide Range of Chart Types: Supports a variety of chart types, including bar, line, pie, scatter plots, and maps. • Customisable Visualizations: Offers extensive customisation options for colors, labels, and annotations to match branding and presentation needs. • Responsive Design: Ensures charts and maps are responsive and adapt to different screen sizes and devices. • Interactive Elements: Allows for adding interactive elements like tooltips, hover effects, and clickable legends. • Real-Time Data Integration: Supports live data updates, enabling real-time visualisation. • Embedding Capabilities: Easily embed charts and maps into websites and blogs with simple code snippets. • Export Options: This option lets users download visualisations in various formats, including PNG, PDF, and SVG. • Accessibility: Committed to creating accessible visualisations with features that support screen readers and keyboard navigation. • Data Security: Ensures data security with robust privacy policies and compliance with industry standards. • Collaboration Tools: Allows for team collaboration with shared projects and editing capabilities. • Support for Multiple Languages: Offers multi-language support for creating visualisations in different languages. • Easy Data Import: Supports importing data from various sources, including CSV files, spreadsheets, and web links. • API Integration: Provides APIs for integrating Data wrapper with other applications and services. • Customizable Templates: Use and modify templates to maintain consistency in visualisations. • Annotation Features: Add rich text annotations directly to charts and maps to provide additional context and information.

Always Go for the Best Tool

By choosing the right data visualisation tool, organizations can discover the full potential of their data, making complex information accessible and actionable for everyone. This empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions that drive growth and innovation.

How Alghanim standardized collaborative workflow creation by implementing the “Alteryx Sandbox Server” platform on AWS that paved the way for 20% better business predictions

Challenge

The IT infrastructure of Alghanim where the Alteryx Sandbox Server platform was hosted was in an on-premise datacenter which was designed to be scalable and robust with multi node physical clusters including the server, storage and network components. However, most of the physical hardware was quite old and not equipped with the latest generation of physical servers.
Frequent hardware crashes and portal downtime kept troubling the availability of the Alteryx Sandbox Server application. Assigning a touch hand support person to power on the hardware that was down seemed quite impossible due the restrictions during covid period. Hence, Alghanim wanted to look for another viable solution.
Though the hardware setup at Alghanim was well equipped to meet the occasional spikes in the traffic, it was observed that over a course of 6-month time, most of the IT infra was underutilized than predicted. It was realized that spending huge amount of money on an old hardware plus software maintenance, license costs, internet bandwidth, datacenter cooling and maintenance, touch support personnel and electricity costs – were keeping the business operations challenging.
There was an attempt by Alghanim to select a cost-effective solution that can host Alteryx Sandbox Server application servers, web servers and archival data. This way IT infra can be re-provisioned to host sensitive data on-premise and the rest on the cloud, thereby reducing the overall physical hardware costs spent on a yearly basis.

Why AWS

Alghanim decided to migrate Alteryx Sandbox Server, database servers and archival data to AWS.
The Alteryx Sandbox Server’s AWS architecture includes Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), that provides complete control of its computing resources, updates to tables in Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS) and AWS Elastic Load Balancer was used to distribute the traffic to the underlying EC2 instances based on the load.

Benefits

Alghanim uses AWS services to provision infrastructure and deploy the Alteryx Sandbox Server platform to other departments within it. In addition, the Alteryx Sandbox Server resources that are no longer required to be run all the time are made to auto shutdown thus saving cost. Alghanim reported a 30% cost reduction after implementation of AWS for the Alteryx Sandbox Server platform.
The implementation of Alteryx Sandbox Server on AWS made Alghanim confident in the security of its data, and its accreditation team is enthusiastic about the monitoring and auditing capabilities provided by AWS tools. With the implementation of IAM roles, Alghanim IT team was able to isolate systems and tightly control user accesses. These capabilities were harder to achieve within the existing infra but were available out of the box with AWS
By adopting AWS to host the Alteryx Sandbox Server platform, Alghanim has been able to innovate and experiment to a degree previously impossible. For example, Alghanim compared the performance and cost-effectiveness of three different cloud solutions. Without moving to the AWS, the costs associated with running an outdated on-premise hardware would have creeped up and the alternative way of upgrading the existing on-prem infrastructure to the latest hardware models and then hosting the Alteryx Sandbox Server application on top of it would have taken months.

Tableau 2021.2 : New Features

This has changed the way we interpret information by giving us a look into past insights but also to forecast future events, allowing us to make informed decisions.

Tableau 2021.2. includes ‘ask and explain data’ for viewers, allow connected desktops, Collections, and many more valuable features. Some of the key enhancements are listed below.

Collections provides a new format to organize content across your sites on both Tableau Online and Server into manageable folders. You may group item together from different projects and workbooks and you can reuse content in multiple contexts without additional storage or resources. Collections also makes it easier to share content around a central theme. For example, you can create a “Daily Sales” collection that includes dashboards with daily sales statistics, ETL data flow, data sources, etc.

Collections helps you congregate your data. You are given the leeway to create, explore and save your content privately. Another key feature of ‘Collections” is that users can create customized collections which are by default private. However, you are given the option to share the collection with any authorized users you choose to provide access to.

1) User Management Enhancement

In earlier versions, a subscribed user, deleted by an admin, was not erased from the system entirely. They were then classified as an 'unlicensed user'.

With version 2021.2, the subscribed creator will be deleted automatically when an admin deletes a user either via the UI or the REST API, without the extra step of reassigning the subscription ownership.

2) Ask Data Enhancements

Ask Data Lenses

A new feature introduced with this update is 'Ask Data Lenses'. It allows for easy data curation with defined columns and value synonyms and also provides suggested questions to allow for more inclusive data from a variety of sources.

(The update brings a new content type that is Ask Data Lenses, making it easy to curate data with the definition of column and value synonyms and suggested questions so you can better leverage existing published data sources.)

They are created alongside published data sources Ask Data use case(s) while maintaining the underlying data source as its own entity.

These 'lenses' are comparable to ‘views’. For those of you who are adept with SQL, where you can write selected statements specifically to extract the required columns, give definitions, whilst maintaining the integrity of the data source. Similarly, once created, ‘lenses’ can be accessed by viewers, opening Ask Data to a new class of users that struggle to self-serve their needs today.

Entity Search

Entity Search shows users search results of keywords, like the Google search box. Ask Data gives you word-by-word search results, giving you instant feedback on your data and what Ask Data can do. Ask Data will automatically choose the most relevant interpretation of your search and these search results help you build that input more effectively by selecting the right fields and values in the data set. Ask data learns from your selections to choose smarter defaults for future searches.

MFA allows users to easily add an additional layer of security to their accounts.

This feature unlocks the ability for Tableau Online customers who utilize native Tableau ID authentication to enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) when their users sign into their sites. End-users can use applications like Salesforce Authenticator or Google Authenticator to perform additional verification of their identity when they log on to Tableau.

MFA makes it much harder for common threats like phishing attacks and account takeovers to succeed. MFA is one of the easiest and most effective ways customers can enhance login security and safeguard their business and data against external threats.

Easily rename multiple fields in prep allows creators to transition seamlessly from web authoring to Tableau Desktop with a single click of a button. Creators will now be able to edit any workbook that they have permission to on Desktop. Prior to 2021.2, users had to manually change each header name. For example, if a user wanted to change “Customer” at the start of multiple header names, they would need to click on each field name and individually change/remove “Customer” in the field name. Not a big deal when there are less than 10 columns to update. However, for customers with data sets of 50+ columns, it is more cumbersome to have to individually change each field name. This feature allows a customer to quickly add a prefix, rename or add a suffix to multiple fields collectively.

Tableau Prep is expanding its output capabilities to include Google BigQuery, enabling you to add or update data in Google BigQuery with clean, prepped data from your flow each time it is run. TABLEAU DESKTOP 2020.2 – Key Features 1) Maps: Spatial File Support The Marks Layers Control SP1 feature provides a control that allows users to toggle the visibility of layers on a map viz. The control works like a filter and the user is free to choose which layer(s) to view in order to answer their question. In addition, the user can control the interactivity of the map viz by selectively enabling or disabling selection on the layer in question.

Toggle button – Our users can now use a button to show/hide any dashboard zone, floating or tiled. This function was previously limited to floating horizontal and vertical containers only. URL support for images – Users can now add images via external URLs, which also provides GIF support for images on the internet and workbooks. Loading these images will be time-efficient.

Alteryx and Generative AI: The Alteryx Approach

1. Generative AI Features in Existing Products

Alteryx is proactively identifying areas where GenAI can improve the productivity and efficiency of its customers. These innovations are integrated into existing tools, such as Alteryx Designer, to streamline processes, automate routine tasks, and enhance the overall analytics experience. For example: OpenAI Connector: Users can now integrate GenAI directly into Alteryx Designer workflows to streamline communication and share data more effectively. AI-Generated Workflow Summaries: These summaries automate documentation processes, helping users enhance governance and auditability.

2. Enterprise-Ready Generative AI Platform

Alteryx’s GenAI platform enables businesses to create, train, and deploy custom AI models that operate securely within their organizational firewall. This approach ensures that data privacy and security are maintained while offering organizations the flexibility to tailor AI models to specific business needs. Alteryx also provides an environment for creating proprietary models that are customized to fit each organization’s workflows, making it easier to integrate AI-driven analytics into everyday operations.

3. New GenAI Applications and Interfaces

Data analytics is a collaborative process that involves various stakeholders, including analysts, data scientists, engineers, and knowledge workers. With Alteryx, these roles can now collaborate in real time through multi-modal analytics powered by GenAI. The flexibility to use different analytical tools—like SQL, Python, notebooks, or Alteryx workflows—opens doors for more seamless collaboration across different teams. GenAI applications like Magic Documents allow Alteryx users to automatically generate insight-rich reports in just a few clicks, drastically reducing time-to-insights and increasing productivity across business functions.

Introducing Alteryx AiDIN

AiDIN is Alteryx's umbrella for all AI-related capabilities, combining existing AI features with cutting-edge GenAI innovations. Alteryx AiDIN enables users to leverage advanced AI models for analytics, whether it's extracting insights, automating tasks, or generating complex reports. Some of the key benefits include: • Improved Time-to-Value: AiDIN accelerates the time it takes to derive insights from data, enabling quick decision-making for critical business tasks. • Increased Operational Efficiency: By automating repetitive tasks, AiDIN frees up time for users to focus on higher-value activities. • Enhanced Governance: Alteryx AiDIN ensures that AI capabilities meet stringent enterprise-grade governance and security standards.
Alteryx and Generative AI: The Alteryx Approach Source: https://www.alteryx.com/blog/alteryx-announces-generative-ai-capabilities

Data Security and Trust: The Alteryx AiDIN Commitment

A key concern in any AI-driven platform is data security and the integrity of AI-generated outputs. Alteryx AiDIN prioritizes these through: 1. Mitigating Hallucinations In generative AI, "hallucinations" refer to scenarios where AI models produce plausible but incorrect information. Alteryx has implemented stringent quality checks and continuous feedback mechanisms to minimize these errors. This ensures that businesses can rely on the outputs generated by AiDIN for decision-making. 2. Fact-Checking Mechanisms Alteryx AiDIN integrates fact-checking tools to verify AI-generated insights against actual source data. This added layer of validation helps organizations maintain the accuracy and reliability of their analyses. 3. Data Privacy and Security Alteryx ensures that data privacy is maintained at all stages of the AI process. AiDIN offers two key deployment options: Private Data Handling and SaaS. Both options provide robust encryption and ensure that sensitive data is securely managed within a customer’s ecosystem, giving businesses peace of mind as they adopt AI.

The Future of AI-Driven Analytics

The integration of GenAI into the Alteryx platform paves the way for smarter, more accessible analytics. With capabilities like OpenAI integration, Magic Documents, and enterprise-level model customization, Alteryx is enabling organizations to maximize the value of their data, improve efficiency, and foster a more collaborative analytics environment. By combining GenAI’s potential with trusted, secure analytics, Alteryx is redefining how enterprises interact with data—delivering faster insights and more impactful results across industries. Get in touch with us for a free demo: https://www.alteryx.com/designer-trial/free-30-days?