# Sunburst Plume: every field and Format pane setting

> Complete reference for Sunburst Plume: the seven fields and each setting of the Data colors, Layout, Sectors and levels, Labels, Center, Breadcrumb, Comparison and Playback (play axis) cards.

- Language: English
- Web page: https://plumevisuals.com/en/tutorials/sunburst-plume-champs-et-reglages
- Published: 2026-10-21
- Visual: Sunburst Plume, technical reference: https://plumevisuals.com/ai/visuals/sunburst.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 each field and each setting specific to Sunburst Plume, with its exact labels and its default value (in **bold**). The cards shared by all Plume visuals (Plume Studio License, Style, Tooltips, Title, Source note, Frame, Language and numbers) are explained in [Getting started with Plume visuals](/en/tutorials/bien-demarrer-visuels-plume).

## The visual's fields

| Field | Required? | How many | What goes in | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Groups (center to edge)** | Yes | 1 to 8 | Columns (text, number, date) | One ring per field, in order | `Region`, `City`, `Category` |
| **Size** | No | 1 | A measure | The size of each sector (without it: rows are counted) | `Revenue` |
| **Play axis ★** | No | 1 | A column (year, date, ordered text) | One value at a time, with a play bar: the rings change from one frame to the next | `Year` |
| **Color (measure) ★** | No | 1 | A measure | Sector color on the gradient palette | `Margin rate` |
| **Target ★** | No | 1 | A measure | Color by variance to target | `Planned budget` |
| **Comparison ★** | No | 1 | A measure | Variance band and ▲▼ (e.g. previous year) | `Revenue LY` |
| **Tooltips** | No | 5 | Measures | Extra lines in the tooltip | `Quantity` |
| **Dynamic format** | No | several | Measures named `card.setting` | Drive a setting with DAX | `layout.mode` |

**Groups.** The first field is the center ring, the last one the outer ring. A blank value stops the branch (adjustable in **Sectors and levels › Blank values of a level**). Two values written the same way are one sector.

**Size.** Only positive values count: a negative row is left out with a warning icon, a blank row is ignored. The visual adds up the rows of each sector: use an additive measure (sum, count), not a percentage.

**Play axis ★.** Each value of the column is a frame: the visual shows only the rows of that value. Dates and numbers are in ascending order, texts in Power BI's order (“Sort by column” included), blanks last. Branch colors are computed over every frame, so they do not change during playback; the opened sector and the selection stay in place. With a single value, no bar appears. Free.

**Color, Target, Comparison.** For a parent, the color is the size-weighted average of its rows; target and comparison are added up. With the *Automatic* coloring, the Color field wins, then the Target field.

**Tooltips** and **Dynamic format**: see [the shared page](/en/tutorials/bien-demarrer-visuels-plume) and [Dynamic formatting (DAX)](/en/tutorials/formats-dynamiques).

## The Format pane settings

The cards shared by every Plume visual (Plume Studio License, Style, Tooltips, Title, Source note, Frame, Language and numbers) and the two basic settings of the Interactions card are described in [the common basics](/en/tutorials/bien-demarrer-visuels-plume). Here are the cards specific to Sunburst Plume, in the order of the pane. Color and text settings have the **fx** button: a measure or a rule can drive them.

### Layout

Mode, shape and proportions.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | What a click does and what is shown | **Explore: a click opens the level beneath** · All levels always shown |
| Levels shown at once | Rings shown from the opened sector (shown when Mode = *Explore: a click opens the level beneath*) | **2** (1 to 8) |
| Shape | Drawing of the hierarchy | **Sunburst (circle)** · Half circle ★ · Rectangular partition (icicle) ★ |
| Center hole (% of radius) | Size of the center (not in icicle) | **30** (0 to 80) |
| Ring thickness | Split of the radius (not in icicle) | **Equal** · Comparable areas (outer rings thinner) ★ · First ring thicker ★ |
| Space between rings (px) | Gap between two rings | **1.5** (0 to 10) |
| Space between sectors (px) | Gap between two neighboring sectors | **1** (0 to 6) |
| Sector corner radius (px) | Rounded corners | **3** (0 to 16) |
| Start angle (°) | Where the first sector starts (shown when Shape = *Sunburst (circle)*) | **0** (-180 to 180) |

### Data colors

How sectors are colored.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Coloring | Color rule | **Automatic (by branch; by the Color or Target field when filled)** · By branch (first-level color, lighter outward) · One color per level ★ · Single color · Gradient by the Color field (or the size) ★ · Variance to target (favorable / unfavorable) ★ |
| Color | Color of *Single color* (shown with Single color) | color; **empty** |
| *One line per first-level sector* | Color of each branch (shown with By branch) | color; empty = style palette |
| Lighten at each level (%) | Shade step from one ring to the next (shown with By branch or Single color) | **22** (0 to 60) |

### Sectors and levels

Order, grouping and hidden levels.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Sector order | Order within each parent | **Largest first** · Smallest first · Alphabetical · Data order (Sort by column) |
| Sectors per parent at most (0 = all) | Beyond it, the smallest go to the grouping | **12** (0 to 200) |
| Group below (% of parent) ★ | Sectors smaller than this % are grouped | **0** (0 to 25) |
| Grouping label | Name of the grouped sector | text; **empty** |
| Blank values of a level | Ragged hierarchies | **Stop the branch (ragged hierarchy)** · Show « (Blank) » |
| Hidden levels cue | Thin line on the edge of sectors that open | **on** |
| Summarize hidden levels (thin rings) ★ | Levels beyond "Levels shown at once" as 4 px rings | **off** |

### Data labels

Text inside the sectors. A label that does not fit is shortened (…) or hidden; a number is never shortened.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Labels visible | **on** |
| Content | Text of each label | **Name** · Name and value · Name and percentage · Value · Percentage |
| Percentage of | Base of the percentage | **The parent** · The total · The opened sector (center) |
| Orientation | Text direction (not in icicle) | **Automatic (along the arc, else radial)** · Along the arc (curved) · Radial · Tangential (straight) |
| Text size | Size | **10** (6 to 24) |
| Color (empty = automatic) | Text color | color; **empty** |
| Bold | Weight | **off** |
| Display units | — | **Auto** · None · Thousands · Millions · Billions |
| Decimals (-1 = auto) | — | **-1** (-1 to 6) |
| Prefix | — | text; **empty** |
| Suffix (e.g. €) | — | text; **empty** |

### Center

Text in the center (or in the left column of the icicle).

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Text in the center | **on** |
| Content | What is shown | **Opened sector, or hovered one** · Opened sector only · Always the total |
| Total label | Word above the total | text; **empty** |
| Value size | Size of the number (reduced when the center is small) | **22** (8 to 72) |
| Label size | Size of the name | **11** (6 to 30) |
| Color (empty = text) | Color of the value | color; **empty** |
| Click the center = go up one level | Back through the center (Explore) | **on** |

### Breadcrumb

Path of the opened sector, in Explore mode (the card is hidden in All levels mode).

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show (explore mode) | Breadcrumb visible | **on** |
| First item label | Name of the starting level | text; **empty** |
| « Click to open » hint | Short help next to the path | **on** |
| Position | Breadcrumb place | **Top** · Bottom |

### Legend

Off by default (labels name the sectors). When on: one entry per first-level sector (By branch) or per level (One color per level); clicking an entry selects.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Shown when the chart has several series. | **off** |
| Position | — | Top · Bottom · **Right** · Left |
| Alignment | (shown when Position = *Top* or *Bottom*) | **Start** · Center · End |
| Legend title | — | **off** |
| Title text | (shown when Legend title = on) | text; **empty** |
| Size | — | **9** (6 to 24) |
| Color (empty = secondary text) | — | color; **empty** |
| Click = select the series | — | **on** |

### Comparison and target

Shown when the Comparison or Target field is filled.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Variance band on the sector edge ★ | Favorable / unfavorable band | **on** |
| Band width (px) | Width of the band | **4** (2 to 12) |
| ▲▼ and change in labels | Change written in the labels | **on** |
| A decrease is favorable | For costs, delays, returns | **off** |
| Neutral zone (± %) | Change with no color | **2** (0 to 50) |
| Change for the strongest color (%) | Change that gives the full color | **25** (2 to 200) |
| Comparison name | Name in the tooltip | text; **empty** |

### Playback ★

Visible when the **Play axis ★** field is filled. The same settings as in Scatter Plume.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Frame shown on opening | Value shown when the report opens | **The last one (most recent)** · The first one |
| Duration of a frame (ms) | Time spent on each value at speed ×1 (the speed button of the play bar multiplies it from ×0.5 to ×4) | **1000** (100 to 10000) |
| Loop | Starts again after the last frame | **off** |
| Play automatically on opening | Plays once, from the first frame (never when animations are reduced nor on a dashboard tile) | **off** |
| Animated transitions | Arcs grow and shrink from one frame to the next (off when **Style › Animations** is off or the system reduces motion) | **on** |
| Play bar | ▶, start, end, slider, speed | **on** |
| Bar position | (shown when Play bar = on) | **Bottom** · Top |
| Tick marks | Marks on the slider (shown when Play bar = on) | **Automatic** · Every frame · None |
| Tick labels | Values under the marks (shown when Play bar = on) | **on** |
| Start and end buttons | Go to the first or the last frame (shown when Play bar = on) | **on** |
| Speed button | ×0.5, ×1, ×2, ×4 (shown when Play bar = on) | **on** |
| Current value in large type | The year (or date) in large type, behind the chart | **on** |
| Large value size | Text size (shown when Current value in large type = on) | **44** (12 to 160) |
| Large value position | Corner of the chart (shown when Current value in large type = on) | **Bottom right** · Top right · Top left · Bottom left · Center |

Keyboard, with the focus on the play bar: Space or Enter to play or stop, arrows for the previous or next frame, Page Up / Page Down for a tenth, Home / End. A sector's tooltip shows the current value of the play axis.

### Interactions

The two common settings, then those specific to Sunburst Plume: click effect, path on hover, highlighted sectors.

| Setting | What it does | Options (default in **bold**) |
|---|---|---|
| Highlight on hover | The rest steps back on hover | **on** |
| Dimmed items opacity (%) | Opacity of what steps back | **25** (5 to 80) |
| Click on a sector (explore mode) | Effect of a click | **Open the sector (Ctrl + click: select)** · Open and filter the other visuals · Select only |
| Trace the path on hover | Parents and children of the hovered sector stay bright | **on** |
| Highlight ★ | Sector names (any level, separated by ;) that keep their color | text; **empty** |

A sector with no level beneath is always selected on click. Keyboard: arrows to browse, Enter to open or select, Backspace to go up, Esc to clear.

## Premium features ★

| Feature | Where to set it |
|---|---|
| Half circle, rectangular partition (icicle) | **Layout › Shape** |
| Gradient by a measure | **Color (measure)** field, or **Data colors › Coloring** |
| Variance to target | **Target** field |
| Variance band and ▲▼ | **Comparison** field, **Comparison and target** card |
| Summary rings for hidden levels | **Sectors and levels › Summarize hidden levels** |
| Highlighted sectors | **Interactions › Highlight** |
| Play axis (rings animated from one frame to the next) | **Play axis** field, **Playback** card |
| One color per level | **Data colors › Coloring** |
| Comparable areas, first ring thicker | **Layout › Ring thickness** |
| Group below a % of the parent | **Sectors and levels › Group below (% of parent)** |
| Paid styles, palettes, JSON theme | **Style** card (see the shared page) |