Shape Gauge Plume: every field and setting explained

This page describes everything Shape Gauge 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 first guided gauge, see getting started.

The fields of the visual

Field	Required?	How many	What you drop	What it does	Example
Category (one shape each)	No	1	A column	One shape per value, in a grid	Sales[Region]
Play axis ★	No	1	A date, year or ordered category column	The shape fills up frame after frame (play button)	Sales[Year]
Value	Yes, except with Stacked layers	1	A measure	The fill level	Revenue
Target (100 %)	No	1	A measure	The value of a full shape; with a Maximum, a target mark	Target
Minimum	No	1	A measure	The value of an empty shape (0 by default)	Floor
Maximum	No	1	A measure	The value of a full shape	Capacity
Comparison (previous period) ★	No	1	A measure	Ghost level and change in points	Prior-year revenue
Stacked layers ★	No	8 at most	Measures	Layers stacked in the shape, one color each	Web, Store
SVG shape (measure) ★	No	1	A text measure	One shape per category, as SVG	Product shape
Tooltips	No	Several	Measures	Added to the tooltip	Margin rate

The percentage. Percentage = (value − minimum) / (maximum − minimum). The minimum comes from the Minimum field, else from Format › Scale and target › Minimum (empty shape), else 0. The maximum comes from the Maximum field, else from the Target (100 %) field, else from Maximum (full shape), else it is automatic: 1 when values are fractions (% format or all between 0 and 1), else the largest value (one shape per category: the largest is 100%).

Target (100 %). Alone, it is the maximum. With a Maximum field (or a maximum typed in the pane), it becomes a target mark in the shape, with an arrow on the right.

Category. The name is written under each shape; a click selects the category and filters the other visuals. Beyond Shapes at most (60 by default), a note under the shapes says how many are shown, in edit and reading mode.

Play axis ★. One value per frame (year, month, ordered category); the opening frame and the speed are set in the Playback ★ card. Without a license, the player works with the watermark as soon as the field holds data. Clicking a shape selects the category only, never the year.

Tooltips and Dynamic format: see the common basics.

The Format pane settings

Layout

One shape per category in a grid, or pictograms; the order and number of shapes. This card now comes right after Style.

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Presentation	One shape per category, or n pictograms	One shape per category / Pictograms (n shapes = 100%) ★
Number of pictograms (appears if Presentation = Pictograms (n shapes = 100%) ★)	Number of shapes that stand for 100%.	2 to 50 (10)
Pictograms per row (0 = auto) (appears if Presentation = Pictograms (n shapes = 100%) ★)	Number of pictograms per row; 0: based on the available space.	0 to 50 (0)
Columns (0 = auto)	Grid columns	0 to 30 (0)
Gap between shapes (px)	Space between two shapes.	0 to 80 (16)
Order	Order of the shapes	Data order / Percentage descending / Percentage ascending / Alphabetical
Shapes at most	Display limit	1 to 200 (60)

Data colors

Chooses the fill color (third card of the pane).

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Coloring	Color mode	Single color / One color per category / By thresholds (unfavorable, middle, favorable) ★ / Gradient along the fill ★ / Color by percentage (palette) ★
Color	Single color, or gradient start	Color (empty)
Color	Single color, or gradient start	Color (empty)
Gradient end (empty = accent)	Color at the 100% level (shown with the gradient)	Color (empty)
Gradient middle (optional)	Third color (shown with the gradient)	Color (empty)
Threshold 1 (%)	Limit between the unfavorable and middle colors, as a fill % (By thresholds mode).	-1000 to 1000 (50)
Threshold 2 (%)	Limit between the middle and favorable colors.	-1000 to 1000 (80)
Below threshold 1	Color below threshold 1 (unfavorable).	Color (#C0392B)
Between thresholds	Color between the two thresholds.	Color (#B26B00)
Above threshold 2	Color above threshold 2 (favorable).	Color (#2E7D4F)
Lower is better (swaps the colors)	For an error rate, a delay…	On / Off

Shape

The silhouette that fills up (glass, battery, drop, icon…).

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Source	Where the shape comes from	Plume library (153 shapes) / Pasted SVG ★
Shape (appears if Source = Plume library (153 shapes))	The library shape; containers first	Containers and gauges · Barrel / Containers and gauges · Bottle / Containers and gauges · Wine glass / Containers and gauges · Glass / Containers and gauges · Mug ★ / Containers and gauges · Jar ★ / Containers and gauges · Bucket ★ / Containers and gauges · Battery / Containers and gauges · Vertical battery / Containers and gauges · Thermometer / Containers and gauges · Test tube ★ / Containers and gauges · Tank ★ / Containers and gauges · Funnel ★ / Containers and gauges · Hourglass ★ / Containers and gauges · Bag ★ / Containers and gauges · Piggy bank ★ / Containers and gauges · Flask ★ / Containers and gauges · Beaker ★ / Containers and gauges · Can ★ / Containers and gauges · Coffee cup ★ / Containers and gauges · Vase ★ / Containers and gauges · Milk carton ★ / Basic · Circle / Basic · Square / Basic · Rounded square / Basic · Rectangle / Basic · Triangle / Basic · Diamond / Basic · Hexagon / Basic · Star / Basic · Heart / Basic · Ellipse ★ / Basic · Pentagon ★ / Basic · Octagon ★ / Basic · Right triangle ★ / Basic · Parallelogram ★ / Basic · Trapezoid ★ / Basic · Ring ★ / Basic · Semicircle ★ / Basic · Arch ★ / Basic · Pill ★ / Basic · Six-pointed star ★ / Basic · Seal ★ / Basic · Cross ★ / Arrows and symbols · Arrow / Arrows and symbols · Arrow up ★ / Arrows and symbols · Arrow down ★ / Arrows and symbols · Arrow left ★ / Arrows and symbols · Double arrow ★ / Arrows and symbols · Chevron ★ / Arrows and symbols · Check mark ★ / Arrows and symbols · Close (X) ★ / Arrows and symbols · Plus ★ / Arrows and symbols · Minus ★ / Arrows and symbols · Warning ★ / Arrows and symbols · Information ★ / Arrows and symbols · Play button ★ / Arrows and symbols · Speech bubble / Arrows and symbols · Thought bubble ★ / Arrows and symbols · Flag ★ / Arrows and symbols · Bookmark ★ / Arrows and symbols · Tag ★ / Arrows and symbols · Lightning bolt ★ / Arrows and symbols · Shield ★ / Arrows and symbols · Award ★ / Arrows and symbols · Puzzle piece ★ / Arrows and symbols · Gear ★ / Arrows and symbols · Lock ★ / Arrows and symbols · Key ★ / Arrows and symbols · Bell ★ / Arrows and symbols · Eye ★ / Nature and weather · Cloud / Nature and weather · Drop / Nature and weather · Sun ★ / Nature and weather · Moon ★ / Nature and weather · Snowflake ★ / Nature and weather · Leaf ★ / Nature and weather · Pine tree ★ / Nature and weather · Tree ★ / Nature and weather · Flower ★ / Nature and weather · Mountain ★ / Nature and weather · Wave ★ / Nature and weather · Flame ★ / Nature and weather · Umbrella ★ / Nature and weather · Apple ★ / Nature and weather · Fish ★ / Nature and weather · Paw print ★ / Nature and weather · Rain ★ / Nature and weather · Sprout ★ / People · Person / People · Man ★ / People · Woman ★ / People · Child ★ / People · Group of people ★ / People · User bust ★ / Objects and buildings · House / Objects and buildings · Office building ★ / Objects and buildings · Factory ★ / Objects and buildings · Castle ★ / Objects and buildings · Shop ★ / Objects and buildings · Bank ★ / Objects and buildings · Hospital ★ / Objects and buildings · Book ★ / Objects and buildings · Envelope ★ / Objects and buildings · Phone ★ / Objects and buildings · Laptop ★ / Objects and buildings · Monitor ★ / Objects and buildings · Gift ★ / Objects and buildings · Clock ★ / Objects and buildings · Calendar ★ / Objects and buildings · Pencil ★ / Objects and buildings · Light bulb ★ / Objects and buildings · Trophy ★ / Objects and buildings · Crown ★ / Objects and buildings · Trash can ★ / Maps and places · Metropolitan France ★ / Maps and places · Africa ★ / Maps and places · Australia ★ / Maps and places · South America ★ / Maps and places · Map pin ★ / Maps and places · Globe ★ / Maps and places · Folded map ★ / Maps and places · Compass ★ / Maps and places · City skyline ★ / Business · Target ★ / Business · Bar chart ★ / Business · Pie chart ★ / Business · Trend up ★ / Business · Coin ★ / Business · Banknote ★ / Business · Wallet ★ / Business · Credit card ★ / Business · Shopping cart ★ / Business · Briefcase ★ / Business · Percent ★ / Business · Podium ★ / Business · Megaphone ★ / Business · Gem ★ / Business · Medal ★ / Business · Clipboard ★ / Business · Handshake ★ / Transport · Car ★ / Transport · Truck ★ / Transport · Bus ★ / Transport · Bicycle ★ / Transport · Plane ★ / Transport · Sailboat ★ / Transport · Train ★ / Transport · Rocket ★ / Transport · Helicopter ★ / Transport · Cargo ship ★ / Transport · Fuel pump ★ / Transport · Scooter ★
SVG code (appears if Source = Pasted SVG ★)	The pasted SVG	Free text (empty)
SVG colors	Color of the filled part of an SVG (shown with an SVG)	Fill color / Original colors (logo) ★
Filled area	For a container (shown with a container)	Inside of the container / Whole shape
Fit	Shape proportions	Keep proportions / Stretched
Empty part (empty = tint of the fill)	Color of what is not filled	Color (empty)
Empty part opacity (%)	Transparency of the empty part	0 to 100 (100)
Empty part pattern	Pattern over the empty part	None / Hatching ★ / Dots ★ / Grid ★
Container (empty = style gray)	Color of the glass, hoops, frame	Color (empty)
Outline	Line around the shape (outside only)	On / Off
Outline color (empty = fill) (appears if Outline is on)	Outline color. Empty: the fill color.	Color (empty)
Outline width (appears if Outline is on)	Outline thickness.	0.5 to 8 (1.5)

Fill

How the color rises in the shape.

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Fill direction	How the color rises	From the shape (bottom → top; battery: left → right) / Vertical, bottom → top / Vertical, top → bottom / Horizontal, left → right / Horizontal, right → left / Circular (start angle) ★ / Radial (from the center) ★
Start angle (°, 0 = 12 o'clock) (appears if Fill direction = Circular (start angle) ★)	Starting point of the circular fill; 0 = 12 o'clock.	-360 to 360 (0)
Clockwise (appears if Fill direction = Circular (start angle) ★)	Fills clockwise; when off, counterclockwise.	On / Off
The percentage sets	Height or area	The level height / The filled area (exact) ★
Above 100%	Value larger than the maximum	Visible overflow / Capped at 100%
Wavy surface	Wavy top edge	On / Off
Wave height (appears if Wavy surface is on)	Amplitude of the wave.	1 to 12 (3)
Moving wave ★ (appears if Wavy surface is on)	The wave scrolls (never when animations are reduced)	On / Off
Wave period (s) (appears if Wavy surface is on)	Duration of one full wave movement.	1 to 20 (4)
Bubbles ★	Bubbles rising in the liquid (bottom-to-top fill)	On / Off
Animated fill on opening	The level rises when data changes	On / Off
Fill duration (ms) (appears if Animated fill on opening is on)	Duration of the fill animation.	100 to 5000 (900)

Data labels

The percentage or value written on each shape (formerly the Value label card), then the category names. A fixed size acts as a maximum: the text always fits.

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Show	Label of the shape	On / Off
Content	What is written	Percentage / Value / Percentage and value / Value and percentage / Value / target
Position	Where it is written	Center of the shape / At the fill level / Below the shape / Above the shape
Automatic size	Size from the shape	On / Off
Text size (appears if Automatic size is off)	Fixed label size; it acts as a maximum, the text always fits in the shape.	6 to 120 (24)
Color (empty = automatic)	A chosen color replaces the two tones with a haloed text	Color (empty)
Bold	Makes the label bold.	On / Off
Percentage decimals	Digits after the decimal point of the percentage.	0 to 4 (0)
Change vs comparison (▲▼ points)	With the Comparison field	On / Off
Display units	Abbreviates the numbers of the label (thousands, millions…). Auto picks based on magnitude.	Auto / None / Thousands / Millions / Billions
Decimals (-1 = auto)	Digits after the decimal point of the label; -1 lets the visual choose.	-1 to 6 (-1)
Prefix	Text placed before the number.	Free text (empty)
Suffix (e.g. €)	Text placed after the number; type a space before "€".	Free text (empty)
Show	Label of the shape	On / Off
Position (appears if Show is on)	Where it is written	Below the shape / Above the shape
Text size (appears if Show is on)	Size of the category names.	6 to 40 (12)
Color (empty = secondary) (appears if Show is on)	Color of the name. Empty: the style's secondary text.	Color (empty)

Scale and target

The values of the empty and full shape, the tick marks, the target mark and the comparison's ghost level.

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Minimum (empty shape)	Value of an empty shape (the Minimum field wins)	Free text (empty)
Maximum (full shape)	Value of a full shape (the Maximum then Target fields win)	Free text (empty)
Tick marks ★	0% to 100% marks next to the shape (vertical and horizontal directions)	On / Off
Tick step (%) (appears if Tick marks ★ is on)	Gap between two tick marks, as a % of the scale.	5 to 50 (25)
Minimum and maximum labels	Writes the values of the empty and full shape at the ends of the scale, like the native gauge's data labels. No effect with tick marks.	On / Off
Target mark	Target line and arrow	On / Off
Fixed target (value) (appears if Target mark is on)	Target without a field	Free text (empty)
Label (appears if Target mark is on)	Name of the target in the tooltip	Free text (empty)
Color (empty = text) (appears if Target mark is on)	Color of the target mark. Empty: the text color.	Color (empty)
Line style (appears if Target mark is on)	Pattern of the target mark.	Solid / Dashed / Dotted
Ghost level of the comparison ★	With the Comparison field	On / Off
Color (empty = secondary) (appears if Ghost level of the comparison ★ is on)	Color of the ghost level	Color (empty)

Legend

The series legend (shown when the visual has several series, layers for example).

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Show	Shows or hides … (card toggle).	On / Off
Position	Where the legend goes around the shapes.	Top / Bottom / Right / Left
Alignment (appears if Position = Top or Bottom)	Alignment of the legend at the top or bottom.	Start / Center / End
Legend title	Writes a title before the legend.	On / Off
Title text (appears if Legend title is on)	Text of that title. Empty: the field name.	Free text (empty)
Size	Text size of the legend.	6 to 24 (9)
Color (empty = secondary text)	Text color of the legend.	Color (empty)
Click = select the series	Clicking a series in the legend selects it and filters the other visuals.	On / Off

Playback ★

Appears when the Play axis ★ field is filled: the shapes move from one value to the next. Player shared by Plume visuals (see the shared basics).

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Frame shown on opening	The frame shown before playing: the last value of the play axis, or the first one.	The last one (most recent) / The first one
Duration of a frame (ms)	Time spent on each frame at ×1 speed; the bar's speed button multiplies it (×0.5 to ×4) for the session.	100 to 10000 (1000)
Loop	Starts again from the beginning after the last frame.	On / Off
Play automatically on opening	Starts playing once on opening, from the first frame. Never when animations are reduced (Style › Animations or system setting) or on a dashboard tile.	On / Off
Animated transitions	Values, positions and colors glide from one frame to the next.	On / Off
Play bar	Shows the play bar (play button, slider).	On / Off
Bar position (appears if Play bar is on)	Puts the bar at the bottom or top of the visual.	Bottom / Top
Tick marks (appears if Play bar is on)	Frame marks on the slider.	Automatic / Every frame / None
Tick labels (appears if Play bar is on)	Writes the frame names below the marks.	On / Off
Start and end buttons (appears if Play bar is on)	Adds buttons to jump to the first or last frame.	On / Off
Speed button (appears if Play bar is on)	Adds a button that changes the speed for the session.	On / Off
Current value in large type	Writes the current play-axis value (the year, for example) in large type inside the visual.	On / Off
Large value size (appears if Current value in large type is on)	Size of that large value.	12 to 160 (36)
Large value position (appears if Current value in large type is on)	Corner of the visual where it is shown.	Bottom right / Top right / Top left / Bottom left / Center

Interactions

How the shapes react to hover and selection.

Setting	What it does	Options (default in bold)
Highlight on hover	Highlights the hovered shape and dims the others.	On / Off
Dimmed items opacity (%)	Opacity of the gauges or shapes that aren't selected when another one is selected or hovered.	5 to 80 (25)

Shared cards (Plume Studio License, Style, Title, Source note, Frame, Language and numbers): see the shared basics.

Premium features ★ of this visual

Feature	Where to set it
131 library shapes, including 15 containers (tank, beaker, hourglass…)	Format › Shape › Shape
Pasted SVG, original SVG colors	Format › Shape › Source, SVG colors
SVG shape from a measure	SVG shape (measure) field
Play axis (player)	Play axis field, Playback card
Circular and radial fill	Format › Fill › Fill direction
Exact area	Format › Fill › The percentage sets
Threshold colors, gradient, color by percentage	Format › Data colors › Coloring
Tick marks	Format › Scale and target › Tick marks
Empty part pattern	Format › Shape › Empty part pattern
Moving wave, bubbles	Format › Fill
Stacked layers	Stacked layers field
Comparison (ghost level, change)	Comparison field, Format › Scale and target
Pictograms	Format › Layout › Presentation

Learn more

• Getting started with Shape Gauge Plume: the data to prepare and a first gauge step by step.
• Shape Gauge Plume use cases: recipes for common needs.
• Getting started with Plume visuals: installation, license, styles and common settings.
• The visual's page: Shape Gauge Plume. A question: support.