Since I detest cliches, I absolutely, categorically refuse to start this post with the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words". However, if I were not a pretentious, too-cool-for-school tech blogger, I might just reach for that pithy, efficient truism. In the two-dimensional list-driven world of SharePoint, it's especially true that data is far more useful and communicative when it is rendered as a summary image. Data visualization is just that, the process of turning a meaningless array of data points into a pretty picture. Bamboo offers a number of useful SharePoint Web Parts for data visualization, including Chart Plus Web Part, Calendar Plus Web Part, and Virtual Map View Web Part.
Bamboo's Map Chart Web Part is a simple and powerful tool for accomplishing one of the most useful forms of data visualization, mapping. This is not the Web Part that lets you overlay SharePoint list data on Google Maps or Microsoft's Virtual Earth. Bamboo does offer such a Web Part, it is called Virtual Map View Web Part. Instead, Map Chart Web Part allows you to create simple color coded maps like these:
The Bamboo Map Chart Web Part includes a map for the United States, Europe and the world. Here's the world view:
Lastly, here's a look at the map of Europe:
While not as sexy as the images you can build with Bamboo's Virtual Map View Web Part (sample below), for the right application, these simple color coded maps are eminently more useful.
To generate the sample images above, I went to Google Analytics and exported a report giving me Web site visitor counts by country and state. Google Analytics allows you to export data in a CSV format that opens automatically with Excel. I saved the data set in Excel and created a new SharePoint list by importing my Excel spreadsheet.
Bamboo's Map Chart Web Part instantly recognized the plain text location names provided by Google Analytics. However, if you are working with a custom data set that uses odd or custom values to reference locations, it's not a problem. Map Chart Web Part creates a SharePoint list in the background (i.e. USAStatesMap Config, EuropeMapConfig and WorldMap Config) that you can modify to map your values to countries, states etc.
There are many handy configuration options for Map Chart Web Part that make creating your color coded map a breeze. Here are a couple that I found especially convenient:
Automatically Generate a Color Scheme
Color coding is based on a range of values you supply. For example, you decide that states with more than 5,000 visitors should be red, states with less than 5,000 visitors should be green. The first time I set up this Web Part, I had a moment of panic when I thought I would have to try and devise my own color scheme, making value judgements about whether Aqua Marine was brighter than Cornflower Blue. Fortunately the Web Part can automatically generate a color scheme for you that aligns with your data set. Once you've set your values, simply click on "Auto Select" and a rational set of colors will be associated with each data range.
Base Your Map on a Specific List View
The map you create can be based on any view of your SharePoint list. You can create many different useful maps based on different views of a single SharePoint list.
Configurable Display Settings
Every component of the map image is configurable via the Web Part tool pane. Toggle the legend display on or off, include the location name on the map or hide it, show tool tips on mouse over or overlay a transparency. Anything you might want to change is at your fingertips.
Map Chart Web Part is a handy addition to your SharePoint data visualization toolkit. Simple enough for any end user to configure, powerful enough to fuel all your SharePoint mapping applications. Like all Bamboo products, Map Chart Web Part is available for download and a free 15-day trial. Try it today.
Posted
Apr 06 2009, 03:36 PM
by
Steve Gaitten
My name is Steve Gaitten, I am Director of Online Operations at Bamboo. My primary mission is to make Bamboo Nation the most useful SharePoint community site on the web. I am also focused on ensuring a world class shopping experience for customers who visit the Bamboo Solutions Online Store. Prior to Bamboo, I spent over a decade at America Online. At AOL my most recent roles included Director of Product Management in the Messaging & Social Media division as well as Managing Editor of AOL Money & Finance. I am a patented inventor, a bad golfer, an enthusiastic horticulturalist and a dog lover.