In Assette, generating area charts in PowerPoint requires structured, tabular data—combined with clearly defined axis labels. To support this, Assette offers a flexible method to structure time-series data, which allows users to optionally leverage the Get Major Minor Ticker Data Block to control what is displayed along the horizontal axis of the chart.
This article explains how to structure your dataset correctly and how to use Get Major Minor Ticker Data Block to dynamically generate display periods for your charts.
1. Structuring the Dataset for Charts in PowerPoint #
To populate an area chart in PPTX via Assette, your dataset must be structured in the following way:
- Each row represents a time-based data point, typically at the end of a month (e.g., MonthEndDate).
- The first/selected column represents the time period and is used to define the X-axis.
- The subsequent columns represent numeric values (e.g., sector weights, performance ranges) and are plotted in stacked layers across the chart.
Sample Structure
| MonthEndDate | Information Technology | Materials | Financials | Communication Services | Healthcare | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-30T00:00:00 | 5.3758 | 3.9082 | 2.3891 | 4.0221 | 2.6874 | 1.0688 |
| 2019-05-31T00:00:00 | 5.0788 | 4.1819 | 3.9489 | 2.4990 | 4.8078 | 0.7636 |
| 2019-06-30T00:00:00 | 4.9100 | 3.5731 | 2.5266 | 3.6190 | 2.1610 | 0.6928 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
The chart will layer these series over time, showing how each category evolves within the selected period.
2. Enhancing the Dataset with Display Periods #
To support flexible labeling on the chart’s X-axis, a Display Period column can optionally be added. This column allows you to show friendly time markers like “6/30/2019”, “Q1 2023”, or “Year-End 2021” instead of the PowerPoint default.
Why Use Display Periods? #
In this example, the MonthEndDate column is used within the Data Object for sorting and sequencing the data. However, it often appears in ISO 8601 format, as is shown in this example, though this isn’t ideal for end-user display.
The Display Period column, on the other hand, can be customized to:
- Match branding standards (e.g., mm/yyyy)
- Align with quarter-end or annual cycles
- Reduce clutter by only labeling key time points
3. Add Dynamic Display Periods into Your Dataset (Optional) #
While users can use the default display periods generated natively by PowerPoint itself, some firms need more control over the display periods. That’s where Assette’s Get Major Minor Ticker Data Block steps in, allowing users to dynamically calculate tick marks for the chart. To implement this:
- Call Get Major Minor Ticker Data Block as a dependent Data Block inside your main data-prep block.
- Join the output list of Display Periods with your chart data by matching the correct column (in this example, “MonthEndDate”)
- Add the matched Display Period column to your final output.
Important: Be sure to continue using MonthEndDate for sorting and sequencing, as this ensures time-based accuracy. The Display Period should be mapped to the X-axis label for user-facing output.
4. Mapping Display Periods to the X-Axis #
When fabricating the chart in PowerPoint be sure to map the Display Period column as the X-axis field in your chart configuration if you’ve taken that route and not the raw MonthEndDate. This allows you to:
- Control the format of the labels
- Reduce clutter by skipping intermediate months
- Highlight meaningful points in time (e.g., quarter-ends, fiscal year-end)
Best Practices #
| Task | Best Practice |
|---|---|
| Data structuring | Use rows for time and columns for categories |
| Time sequencing | Keep MonthEndDate for sorting |
| Labeling | Use “Display Period” for user-facing X-axis labels |
| Frequency control | Use ast_fn_GetMajorMinorTicker for dynamic label generation |
| Chart setup | Map “Display Period” as the X-axis in Smart Shells charts |