The Annotations tool enables you to leave notes, commentary, or detailed explanations to communicate insights and document your analytics process.
Annotations help users document their process and add commentary or perspective in their analysis through storytelling. By creating these threaded visualizations and narratives, you can build a portfolio of analytics projects that include rich context, making it very easy for wide audiences of varying disciplines to comprehend the analytics process and data insights.
Types of Annotations
| Dataset Annotation | Can be added by right-clicking the plot. | Useful for adding overall context to your dataset, this Annotation will persist across all plots in the current dataset. |
| Mapping Annotation | Can be added by right-clicking the plot. | Best for adding comments specific to the current plot (also called a mapping), this Annotation will disappear when changing plots. |
| Point Annotation | Can be added by right-clicking a point. | Useful for keeping track of a single point of interest across multiple visualizations since this Annotation stays attached to the point when changing the plot. |
Using Annotations
To create an Annotation:
- Right-click the plot to create a Dataset or Mapping Annotation. Right-click a point to create a Point Annotation.
- Add a main label or title to your Annotation in the top Annotation Name text field within the Annotation window. This will display whether your Annotation is open or collapsed.
- Add any additional context or information in the Annotation Comment box below. Hide or show this section by clicking the Collapse icon (
) on the top right of the Annotation. Resize the Annotation by clicking and dragging a side or corner.
You can further customize your Annotation by clicking the View Additional Options icon ( ) on the top right of the window:
- Annotation Settings: Open the global settings for Annotations.
- Edit Text: Reopen the text boxes to make changes. You can also double-click the Annotation to edit.
- Edit Colors: Change the colors of the Header background or font.
- Annotation Type: Change the Annotation type to either Dataset or Mapping.
- Link Annotation: Add a link to a different mapping to connect them and create a data story.
Note: In order to add a link to an Annotation, the linked mapping must be either the most recently created mapping for any dataset or a Favorited mapping of any dataset (via the History Panel). Only mappings that meet these criteria will be present in the drop-down for adding Annotation links.
- Badge Display: Choose to show a badge next to the Annotation, helpful for displaying step numbers. Clicking the badge will also toggle between hiding or showing the Annotation.
- Delete Annotation: Remove the Annotation.
Tip: By adding Badges and linking multiple annotations, you can click through your data story points, appropriately adjusting the plot and focal points as you progress.