# Dumbbell Plume: every field and setting explained

> Every field well and every Format pane setting of Dumbbell Plume: what it does, its possible values and its default value, ★ features included.

- Language: English
- Web page: https://plumevisuals.com/en/tutorials/dumbbell-plume-champs-et-reglages
- Published: 2026-10-21
- Visual: Dumbbell Plume, technical reference: https://plumevisuals.com/ai/visuals/dumbbell.md
- If an option name in this tutorial differs from the technical reference, the reference is right (it is generated from the visual's code).

This page describes everything Dumbbell Plume offers: the field wells, then each card of the Format pane, in the order they appear. The default value of each setting is in **bold**, premium features carry a ★. For a guided first visual, see the [getting started guide](/en/tutorials/dumbbell-plume-prise-en-main). This page describes version 1.1 (reorganized Format pane: new **Gridlines** card, drill-down on the category).

## The visual's fields

| Field | Required? | How many | What you drop | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category (one dumbbell each) | No (without it: a single dumbbell) | 1 to 4 (hierarchy) | A column | One dumbbell per value; several fields form a hierarchy you can drill into | `Stores[Store]` |
| Start (first point) | At least one point measure | 1 | A measure | Starting value | `Sales 2024` |
| End (last point) | At least one point measure | 1 | A measure | Ending value; gap = End − Start | `Sales 2025` |
| Values (more points) | No | Up to 8 | Measures | With a Legend: the points' measure; without: one point per measure | `Sales` |
| Legend (one point each) | No | 1 | A column | One point per value (year, scenario) | `History[Year]` |
| Group (parent category) ★ | No | 1 | A column | Group header and average dumbbell | `Stores[Region]` |
| Target ★ | No | 1 | A measure | A tick per dumbbell, ✓ / ✗ | `Target 2025` |
| Range minimum ★, Range maximum ★ | No | 1 each | Measures | Band behind the dumbbell | `Market low` |
| Category image ★ | No | 1 | A text measure | Logo, flag, photo next to the name | `Logo` |
| Point image ★ | No | 1 | A text measure | Image inside the points | `Photo` |
| Highlight ★ | No | 1 | A measure | Not blank and not 0: the dumbbell stands out, the others turn gray | `Tracked store` |
| Play axis ★ | No | 1 | A column (year, date) | Animation from one value to the next | `Salaries[Year]` |
| Small multiples ★ | No | 1 | A column | One small chart per value, same scale | `Salaries[Sector]` |
| Tooltips | No | Several | Measures | Added to the tooltip | `Floor area` |

**Start, End and Values.** Without a Legend, each measure is a point, in the order Start, Values, End; the first and the last give the gap. With a Legend, a single measure is used (Values, else End, else Start) and each legend value becomes a point, in the order of the field (years and dates sorted). More than two points: ★.

**Images.** Embedded images only: `data:image/png;base64,…` (or jpeg, gif, webp, bmp, svg+xml), or raw base64 recognized by its signature. A web address is never loaded (Microsoft certification rule): it is skipped and a message says so in edit mode. Without a Legend, the point image goes on the last point, the first one or both (**Format › Images ★ › Point images › Without Legend: image on**).

**Drill-down.** Drag up to 4 fields into **Category**, for example `Region` then `City`. At first, one dumbbell per region; the drill buttons in the visual header go down one level (the cities of a clicked region), back up, or expand everything: each dumbbell then has a combined name ("Southwest Bordeaux"), as in the native visuals.

**Play axis.** Numbers and dates are sorted; text keeps the Power BI order. A dumbbell is the same from one frame to the next (same category): its selection is kept while playing.

Tooltips and Dynamic format: see [the common basics](/en/tutorials/bien-demarrer-visuels-plume).

## The Format pane settings

The cards are described in the order of the **Format** pane, followed by those of the **Analytics** pane.

The cards shared by all Plume visuals (**Plume Studio License**, **Style**, **Interactions**, **Tooltips**, **Title**, **Source note**, **Frame**, **Language and numbers**) are described once in [the shared basics](/en/tutorials/bien-demarrer-visuels-plume): they are not repeated here. The background and rounded corners are set in the **Frame** card, and the **fx** button (conditional formatting from a measure) is available on every color and every text.

### Data colors

Chooses how points are colored; in *One color per point (series)* mode, one color per series is set right below.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Coloring | Color of the points | ***One color per point (series)*** · *By direction of the gap* · *Single color* |
| Color (single color) | Color of every point, in *Single color* | **empty** (main style color) |
| Color (one row per series) | Color of each series, in *One color per point (series)*; **fx** button for a rule | **empty** (style palette; a gradient for an ordered legend, such as years) |
| Lighter first point | With one color for all points, the first one is lighter (shown outside *One color per point*) | **On** / Off |

### Dumbbells

The main card: row layout, point shape and the connector between the two points.

**Layout group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Categories as rows or columns | ***Horizontal (categories as rows)*** · *Vertical (categories as columns)* |
| Minimum row height before scrolling (px) | Below that, the chart scrolls | 10 to 80, **22** |
| Maximum row height (px) | With few categories, the chart stays compact | 16 to 200, **48** |
| Initial scroll position | Initial scroll position when the chart scrolls | ***At the start*** · *At the end* |

**Points group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Shape of the points | ***Circle*** · *Square* · *Diamond* · *Triangle* · *Tick* · *One shape per series* |
| Size (px) | Size of the points | 4 to 40, **12** |
| Hollow first point | The first point is a ring | On / **Off** |
| Outline | Outline of the points | **On** / Off |
| Outline color (empty = background) (appears if Outline is on) | (shown with Outline) | **empty** |

**Connector group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Bar between the points | **On** / Off |
| Width (px) | Width of the bar | 0.5 to 24, **3** |
| Line style | Look of the connector | ***Solid*** · *Dashed* · *Dotted* |
| Color | Color of the bar | ***Neutral*** · *By direction of the gap* · *Color of the last point* · *Gradient from first to last point ★* |
| Neutral color (empty = automatic) (appears if Color = *Neutral*) | (shown with *Neutral*) | **empty** |
| Opacity (%) | Transparency of the connector | 10 to 100, **100** |
| Arrow | Arrow from the first point to the last | ***None*** · *At the last point ★* · *In the middle ★* · *Instead of the last point ★* |

### Gap direction

Decides what is favorable and what is stable; used by the colors, the Gap column, the target and the legend.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| A decrease is favorable | Costs, delays, churn | On / **Off** |
| Favorable | Color | **#2E7D4F** (or the style's) |
| Unfavorable | Color | **#C0392B** (or the style's) |
| Stable (empty = secondary text) | Color of stable gaps | **empty** |
| Stability threshold ★ | Up to this threshold, the gap is "● stable" | **0** |
| Threshold unit | Unit of the stability threshold: in % of the first value, or in the measure's unit | ***% of the first value*** · *Value (measure unit)* |

### Gap

This card writes the gap between the first and last point of each dumbbell, in a column or next to the dumbbell. It is turned on by the toggle in its header.

**Gap group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Writes the gap | **On** / Off |
| Content | What is written: the difference, the percentage, both, percentage points (for % measures), or the ratio | ***Value (end − start)*** · *Percentage* · *Value and percentage* · *Percentage points (% measures)* · *Ratio (× end ÷ start) ★* |
| Position | Where the gap is written | ***Column on the right (or on top)*** · *After the last point* · *Above the connector* |
| ▲▼ arrows | ▲ increase, ▼ decrease, ● stable | **On** / Off |
| Column title (appears if Position = *Column on the right (or on top)*) | (shown with *Column*) | **empty** |
| Size | Text size | 6 to 24, **10** |
| Bold | Bold gap | **On** / Off |
| Color | Color of the direction (favorable or unfavorable), or text color | ***By direction*** · *Text* |

**Numbers group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Display units | Shortens large numbers | ***Auto*** · *None* · *Thousands* · *Millions* · *Billions* |
| Decimals (-1 = auto) | Number of digits after the decimal point | -1 to 6, **-1** |
| Prefix | Text before the number | **empty** |
| Suffix (e.g. €) | Text after the number | **empty** |
| Percentage decimals (-1 = auto) | Automatic: one decimal under 10% | -1 to 4, **-1** |

For a measure with a percentage format (margin rate, market share), the gap as a value is written in percentage points ("+3.2 pp").

### Data labels

This card writes the values next to the points. It is turned on by the toggle in its header.

**Labels group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Values next to the points | **On** / Off |
| Content | What is written | ***Value*** · *Series and value* · *Series* |
| Position | Where the label sits relative to the point | ***At the ends (outside)*** · *Above the points* · *Below the points* |
| Labeled points | Which points get a label. Points with a text in the “Label (text)” field are always labeled with that text | ***First and last*** · *All* · *The last one* |
| Name the points on the first row | Series names above the first dumbbell (no legend needed) | On / **Off** |
| Size | Label size | 6 to 24, **10** |
| Color (empty = automatic) | Text color; automatic = readable on the background | **empty** |
| Bold | Bold labels | On / **Off** |
| Text halo | Thin outline that separates the text from the points | **On** / Off |
| Hide overlapping labels | Removes labels that overlap | **On** / Off |

**Numbers group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Display units | Shortens large numbers | ***Auto*** · *None* · *Thousands* · *Millions* · *Billions* |
| Decimals (-1 = auto) | Digits after the decimal point | -1 to 6, **-1** |
| Prefix | Text before the number | **empty** |
| Suffix (e.g. €) | Text after the number | **empty** |

### Category axis

This card sets the category names. It is turned on by the toggle in its header.

**Values group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Category names | **On** / Off |
| Size | Size of the names | 6 to 24, **9** |
| Color (empty = text) | Color of the names | **empty** |
| Bold | Bold names | On / **Off** |
| Maximum room (% of the visual) | Maximum room reserved for the names | 10 to 60, **30** |
| Long names on two lines | Wraps names that are too long onto two lines | **On** / Off |

**Axis title group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Category names | On / **Off** |
| Text (appears if Axis title › Show is on) | Title text; empty = field name | **empty** |

### Value axis

This card sets the axis graduated in numbers. It is turned on by the toggle in its header.

**Values group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Shows the ticks | **On** / Off |
| Position | Axis location | ***Bottom*** · *Top* |
| Size | Size of the ticks | 6 to 24, **9** |
| Color (empty = secondary text) | Color of the ticks | **empty** |
| Display units | Shortens large numbers | ***Auto*** · *None* · *Thousands* · *Millions* · *Billions* |
| Decimals (-1 = auto) | Digits after the decimal point (auto: based on the tick interval) | -1 to 6, **-1** |
| Prefix | Text before the number | **empty** |
| Suffix (e.g. €) | Text after the number | **empty** |
| Axis line | Draws the axis line | On / **Off** |

**Range group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | How the ticks are spread | ***Linear*** · *Logarithmic ★* |
| Minimum | Start of the axis; empty = automatic | **empty** |
| Maximum | End of the axis; empty = automatic | **empty** |
| Always include zero (appears if Scale = *Linear*) | (linear scale) | On / **Off** |
| Number of ticks (approx.) | Reduced automatically when room is short | 2 to 20, **5** |
| Invert axis | The bars go the other way | On / **Off** |

**Axis title group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Shows an axis title | On / **Off** |
| Text (appears if Axis title › Show is on) | Title text; empty = measure name | **empty** |

### Gridlines

This card groups the guide lines (they used to be in the **Value axis** and **Category axis** cards), like the gridlines of the native visuals: **Values** follows the ticks, **Categories (guide lines)** draws a thin line from the name to the dumbbell and can shade every other row.

**Values group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Vertical guide lines, at the X axis ticks | **On** / Off |
| Color (empty = style grid) | Line color | **empty** |
| Width | Line width (px) | 0.5 to 6, **1** |
| Line style | Look of the lines | ***Solid*** · *Dashed* · *Dotted* |
| Zero line | Stronger line at zero | **On** / Off |

**Categories (guide lines) group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Thin line from the name to the dumbbell | **On** / Off |
| Color (empty = softened grid) | Line color | **empty** |
| Width | Line width (px) | 0.5 to 6, **1** |
| Line style | Look of the lines | *Solid* · *Dashed* · ***Dotted*** |
| Banded rows | Shades every other row | On / **Off** |

### Legend

This card sets the legend (one entry per series, and the gap direction when colors follow it). It is turned on by the toggle in its header.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Shows the legend | **On** / Off |
| Position | Location | ***Top*** · *Bottom* · *Right* · *Left* |
| Alignment (appears if Position = *Top* or *Bottom*) | Horizontal alignment | ***Start*** · *Center* · *End* |
| Legend title | Shows a title before the legend | On / **Off** |
| Title text (appears if Legend title is on) | Title text | **empty** |
| Size | Size of the series names | 6 to 24, **9** |
| Color (empty = secondary text) | Text color | **empty** |
| Click = select the series | Clicking a legend name selects the whole series and filters the report | **On** / Off |

### Sort

This card orders the dumbbells.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Sort by | Order of the bars | *Model order (as in Power BI)* · *Category name* · *First point* · ***Last point*** · *Gap (end − start)* · *Absolute gap* · *Gap in %* · *Largest value* · *Gap to target* |
| Order | Sort direction | ***Largest first (names A to Z)*** · *Smallest first (names Z to A)* |
| Show the first N (0 = all) | Top N | 0 to 5000, **0** |
| Sort the groups too | Groups follow the average of their dumbbells (shown with a Group) | On / **Off** |

### Images ★

Shown with an Image field.

**Category image group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Category image | ***Next to the name*** · *Instead of the name* · *After the last point* |
| Size (px) | Size of the image next to the name | 8 to 120, **22** |
| Shape | Crop of the image | ***Round*** · *Rounded corners* · *Square* · *Whole image (no crop)* |
| Border | Draws a border around the image | On / **Off** |

**Point images group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Size of a point with an image (px) | Point images | 8 to 120, **24** |
| Without Legend: image on | Without a Legend field: the point that carries the image | ***The last point*** · *The first point* · *Both points* |
| Border in the point color | Surrounds the image with the point color | **On** / Off |

### Target ★

Shown with the Target field.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Marker | Shape of the target marker | ***Tick*** · *Diamond* · *Triangle* |
| Color (empty = text) | Marker color | **empty** |
| Width | Line width | 0.5 to 8, **2** |
| Mark the target as reached (✓) or missed (✗) | In the Gap column | **On** / Off |
| Last point colored by the target | Favorable if reached, unfavorable otherwise | On / **Off** |

### Range ★

This card appears with a field in **Range** or a play axis: a band behind each dumbbell, from the expected minimum to the maximum.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Color (empty = secondary text) | Band color | **empty** |
| Opacity (%) | Band transparency | 3 to 80, **16** |
| Thickness (% of the row) | Band thickness, as a share of the row height | 10 to 100, **70** |
| Historical range (play axis) ★ | From the lowest to the highest value of the dumbbell over all frames | On / **Off** |

### Groups ★

This card appears with the **Group** field: dumbbells are arranged by group, under a header.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Group header size | Size of the group headers | 6 to 24, **10** |
| Header color (empty = text) | Color of the group headers | **empty** |
| Line between groups | Line above each group | **On** / Off |
| Space before a group (px) | Blank space before each group | 0 to 40, **6** |
| Group average dumbbell | Adds a dumbbell with the average of each point under the header | On / **Off** |

### Highlight ★

This card makes named categories stand out; the other dumbbells turn gray.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Highlighted categories ★ | Names of the Category field, one per line or separated by ; | **empty** |
| Other dumbbells in gray | The other points turn gray | **On** / Off |
| Other dumbbells opacity (%) | The other points fade | 5 to 100, **45** |
| Bold name | Writes the names of highlighted categories in bold | **On** / Off |

### Small multiples ★

This card appears with the **Small multiples ★** field: one small chart per value.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Columns (0 = automatic) | Number of panels per row | 0 to 12, **0** |
| Minimum chart width (px) | Below this, charts use fewer columns | 80 to 800, **200** |
| Spacing (px) | Space between panels | 0 to 60, **14** |
| Title size | Title size | 6 to 24, **10** |
| Frame around each chart | Draws a border around each panel | On / **Off** |

### Playback ★

This card appears with the **Play axis ★** field (premium since 10/22/2026: watermark as soon as the field has data). It is the shared Plume player.

**Playback group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Frame shown on opening | Frame shown when the report opens | ***The last one (most recent)*** · *The first one* |
| Duration of a frame (ms) | At speed ×1; the speed button of the play bar multiplies it (×0.5 to ×4) | 100 to 10000, **1000** |
| Loop | Starts over after the last frame | On / **Off** |
| Play automatically on opening | Once, from the first frame; never when animations are reduced nor on a dashboard tile | On / **Off** |
| Animated transitions | Dumbbells slide to their new values and their new rank | **On** / Off |

**Play bar group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Play bar | ⏮ ▶ ⏭ buttons, slider with ticks, current frame, speed | **On** / Off |
| Bar position (appears if Play bar is on) | Location of the play bar | ***Bottom*** · *Top* |
| Tick marks (appears if Play bar is on) | Slider tick marks | ***Automatic*** · *Every frame* · *None* |
| Tick labels (appears if Play bar is on) | Values written under the slider tick marks | **On** / Off |
| Start and end buttons (appears if Play bar is on) | "Go to start" and "go to end" buttons | **On** / Off |
| Speed button (appears if Play bar is on) | ×0.5 / ×1 / ×2 / ×4 button (for the session) | **On** / Off |

**Large value group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Current value in large type | The current frame (year) written large in the plot area | **On** / Off |
| Large value size (appears if Current value in large type is on) | Size of the large value | 12 to 160, **44** |
| Large value position (appears if Current value in large type is on) | Corner where the large value is written | ***Bottom right*** · *Top right* · *Top left* · *Bottom left* · *Center* |

**More settings group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Re-sort on every frame | Rows slide to their new rank; off: the order of the opening frame is kept | **On** / Off |

Keyboard, when the play bar has focus: Space or Enter to play or pause, arrows for the previous or next frame, Page Up / Page Down for a tenth, Home and End.

### Reference lines ★

**Analytics** pane: three lines (constant, average, median, minimum, maximum, percentile, target average) and one band. The **Line 1**, **Line 2** and **Line 3** groups have the same settings; only the default for **Value** changes.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Draws the line | On / **Off** |
| Value | How the line is computed, on the values of the chosen axis | *Constant* · *Average* · *Median* · *Minimum* · *Maximum* · *Percentile* · *Average of the target*; default: **Average** (line 1), **Constant** (line 2), **Median** (line 3) |
| Constant value (appears if Value = *Constant*) | Line value, in the unit of the measure | **0** |
| Percentile (appears if Value = *Percentile*) | Wanted percentile (90 = 90% of points below) | 1 to 99, **90** |
| Label | Text written on the line | **empty** |
| Show the value | Adds the value to the label | **On** / Off |
| Color (empty = accent) | Line color | **empty** |
| Line style | How the line is drawn | *Solid* · ***Dashed*** · *Dotted* |
| Width | Width | 0.5 to 6, **1.5** |
| Label position | Label location | ***End*** · *Start* · *None* |

**Reference band group**

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Draws a colored band between two values (target zone) | On / **Off** |
| From | Low value of the band | **0** |
| To | High value of the band | **0** |
| Label | Band text | **empty** |
| Color (empty = accent) | Color | **empty** |
| Opacity (%) | Transparency | 2 to 60, **12** |

### Averages ★

**Analytics** pane: a line at the average of each point (series), in its color. The card is turned on by the toggle in its header.

| Setting | What it does | Possible values (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show ★ | Draws a line at the average of each series | On / **Off** |
| Line style | Look of the lines | *Solid* · ***Dashed*** · *Dotted* |
| Width | Width | 0.5 to 6, **1.5** |
| Show the value | Writes the average at the end of the line | **On** / Off |

## Premium features ★

| Feature | Where to set it |
|---|---|
| More than two points | Values or Legend fields |
| Gradient bar, arrows | Format › Dumbbells › Connector |
| Category and point images | Category image ★, Point image ★ fields; Format › Images ★ |
| Target ✓ / ✗ | Target ★ field; Format › Target ★ |
| Min–max range, historical range | Range ★ fields; Format › Range ★ |
| Groups and average dumbbell | Group ★ field; Format › Groups ★ |
| Small multiples | Small multiples ★ field |
| Highlight | Highlight ★ field; Format › Highlight ★ |
| Reference lines, averages of each series | Analytics pane |
| Play axis (animation, re-sort, historical range) | Play axis ★ field; Format › Playback ★ |
| Stability threshold, ratio gap (×) | Format › Gap direction; Format › Gap › Content |
| Logarithmic scale | Format › Value axis › Scale |
| 17 styles, advanced palettes, JSON theme | Format › Style |