Getting Started with the Oracle Analytics Cloud Authoring Interface

Learn about the Oracle Analytics Cloud authoring interface

This video will help orient you with the Oracle Analytics Cloud authoring interface and introduce the key terms and definitions used to converse about analytics engineering in Oracle Analytics Cloud.

Hi, this is Dan with Playfair+, and in this video I’m going to be giving you an overview of the authoring interface in Oracle Analytics Cloud. So this is the authoring interface, and for the purpose of this tutorial, I’ve already gone ahead and built out what’s called a bar chart to illustrate the interface.

At the very top, we have what’s called the Navigation tabs. I already have the Visualize tab opened. So that’s the interface that you’re currently seeing on my screen. This is where most of your analytics engineering will be conducted. To the left is what’s called the Data tab, where you can view the data source that you’re already connected to.

So as you can see, I’m already connected to the Sales table of the Proxy dataset. If you’d like to add a new dataset, you simply go to the top right and click Add Dataset. To the right, we have what’s called the Present tab. This is what your end users will see once you’ve built out all your data visualizations and distributed to your end stakeholders.

To the right of that is what’s called the Toolbar. You can do things like undo, redo, present, refresh data, auto insights, and more. To the left-hand side, we’re able to rename our workbook. Below the workbook name, we have what’s called the Data pane. The Data pane contains all of the fields within your dataset, and these fields are organized by the tables that you have opened.

Alternatively, if you create a new calculation, then Oracle Analytics will store that calculation in the folder called My Calculations. Oracle Analytics has done us the favor of already classifying all of these fields as either dimensions or measures based on their data type. Next to the Data pane, we have the Visualizations pane. In here are all of the available visualizations for us to create.

So, for example, if I wanted to create a bar chart, I would simply click Bar, drag it over to the canvas and drop it. Alternatively, I can right-click Bar and select Create Visualization. To the right of the Visualizations pane, we have what’s called the Analytics pane. And this is where you’re able to do some more advanced statistics, such as clustering, outliers, create reference lines, trend lines, forecasting, and more. To the right of that, we have the Parameter pane where you can create new parameters or modify existing parameters.

But most of your work will be done in the Data pane where you’ll be able to add dimensions and measures to your view or create new calculations. To the right of the Data pane, we have what’s called the Grammar panel, in the Properties panel. When we have the Grammar panel opened, we see what’s called the Grammar pane.

Inside of the Grammar pane, we have the ability to change our chart type and then add dimensions and measures to these different drop zones. Each one of these is called a Drop Zone. And the drop zones that’ll be most relevant to you are likely to be the Values drop zone, Category, and Color. To create a bar chart, I needed a measure on my y-Axis and a dimension on my x-Axis.

So I added Sales, a measure, to the Values (Y-Axis), and then State/Province, a dimension, to the Category drop zone x-Axis. If I wanted to add color, then I’d simply add Sales to the Color drop zone, and then I can modify the colors by clicking the dropdown button and selecting Manage Assignments.

Next to the Grammar panel is the Properties panel, and inside the pane here, I have the option to click one of these tabs. Right now I have the General tab open, and in the General tab I have the ability to adjust my title, font, tooltips, legend position, and more. In addition, I have the ability to adjust my tile if applicable, or the style of my visualization with font colors, background, border, and shadow.

And if I’ve created a freeform canvas, I have the ability to adjust its size and position. Next to the General tab is the Axis tab where I can adjust my grid lines, my labels axis, and values axis. Next is the Values tab and any measure that I’ve added to the Values drop zone will be available for formatting in the Values tab.

So you can see I’ve added my Sales measure to the Values drop zone. So I have the ability to format that Sales measure in the view using one of these options. Next, I have the Filters tab. If you’ve added any filters to the visualization, then you have the ability to format that right here.

Next to that is the Analytics tab. Where you can add some advanced statistics such as clusters, outliers, reference line, and more.

Next to the Grammar pane is the canvas itself. The canvas is where all of your chart building will be conducted, and it’s what ultimately your end stakeholders will be able to see. If you’d like to filter the entire canvas, then you can use what’s called the Canvas Filter or otherwise known as the Filter Bar.

If you’d like to only filter the visualization itself, then you can add a dimension or measure to the Filters drop zone. To add a new canvas, you’d simply go to the bottom here, and click Create Canvas. I hope you found this tutorial valuable. This has been Dan with Playfair+. Thanks for watching.