Stream Plume: every field and setting explained

This page describes everything Stream Plume offers: the field wells, then each card of the Format and Analytics panes, in the order they appear. Each setting's default value is in bold, premium features carry a ★. For a first guided visual, see the getting started guide. This page describes version 1.1 (reorganized Format pane: new Gridlines card, Annotations ★ card replacing Events, shared player, time axis drill-down, free reference lines).

The visual's fields

Field	Required?	How many	What to drop	What it does	Example
Time axis	Yes	1 to 4 (hierarchy)	A date, year (number) or text column	The positions along which the streams flow; several fields form a hierarchy you can drill into	Sales[Month]
Streams (legend)	No	1	A text column	One stream per value	Sales[Channel]
Values	Yes	1 with a legend, several without	Measures	The thickness of the streams	Revenue
Small multiples	No	1	A text column	One panel per value	Sales[Region]
Annotations (text) ★	No	1	A text measure	A vertical marker with its text wherever it is not empty (formerly "Events (text) ★")	Event
Tooltips	No	Several	Measures	Added to the tooltip of the hovered stream	Margin

Time axis. A date gives a continuous axis with calendar ticks (months, quarters, years); an integer between 1000 and 3000 is read as a year (no thousands separator); text gives a category axis in data order. Format › Time axis › Axis type = Categorical forces the latter.

Drill-down. Drag for example Year then Month into Time axis: the drill buttons in the visual header go down one level, back up, or expand everything, as in the native area chart.

Streams (legend) or several measures. With a legend, a single measure in Values; without a legend, each measure in Values is a stream (for example Subscriptions, Services, Hardware). Negative values count as zero, with a warning in edit mode.

Large volumes. The visual receives 30,000 rows, then asks Power BI for the next ones (up to 100,000). Beyond one point per pixel and a half, neighboring dates are grouped (average) and the tooltip shows the period "start – end".

Tooltips and Dynamic format: see the common basics.

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 (shared settings), Tooltips, Title, Source note, Frame, Language and numbers) are described once in the shared basics: 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 the color of each stream.

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Coloring	Color mode	Palette (one color per stream) · Style gradient (largest to smallest) ★ · Highlight streams ★
Color	Shared color, when a single color is used	empty
Color (one row per stream)	Color of each stream, saved with it; fx button for a rule	empty
Highlighted streams	Which streams keep their color	Biggest risers · Biggest fallers · Largest · Named streams
Number of streams	How many streams are highlighted	1 to 20, 2
Stream names (separated by ;)	Streams to highlight	empty
Highlight color (empty = stream color)	One color shared by the highlighted streams	empty
Other streams color (empty = style gray)	Color of the other streams	empty

Risers and fallers are measured between the first and the last point shown, or since the reference period when it is shown.

Streams

The main card: layout and order of the streams, shape, fill, Top N.

Layout group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Layout	Where the streams sit	Flowing streams (streamgraph) · Centered on the axis · 100% (shares of the total) · Stacked areas (from zero)
Stream order	Bottom-to-top order	Largest in the middle · By total (largest at the bottom) · By peak date ★ · By name (A → Z, bottom to top) · Data order · Custom order
Bottom-to-top order (names separated by ;) (appears if Stream order = Custom order)	Streams placed first; the others follow	empty
Reverse the order	Flips the stack	On / Off
Edge shape	How edges are drawn	Smooth · Straight · Step ★

Look group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Fill	Stream fill	Solid · Gradient toward the present ★ · Hatching (print, color blindness)
Opacity (%)	Opacity of the solid fill	10 to 100, 92
Separator between streams	Thin line of the background color between two streams	On / Off
Separator width (appears if Separator between streams is on)	Width of the line between streams	0.2 to 4, 0.8
Left-to-right reveal	Animation when shown and when the data changes	On / Off

Top N and "Others" ★ group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Show	Keeps the N largest streams and groups the rest	On / Off
N	Number of streams kept; the others are grouped	1 to 50, 8
"Others" label	Name of the stream that groups the others; empty = "Others"	empty
"Others" color (empty = gray)	Color of that stream	empty

Stream labels

Each stream's name, written inside the stream.

Labels group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Show	Writes each stream's name inside the stream, where it is thickest, without overlap; a stream that is too thin stays unlabeled (its name is in the legend and the tooltip)	On / Off
Content	Label text	Name · Name and value at that point · Name and total · Name and share of the total ★ · Name and change vs. the reference period ★
Position	Where to place the label	Where the stream is thickest · Near the end · Near the start
Size follows stream thickness	The thicker the stream, the bigger the text	On / Off
Size (minimum when automatic)	Text size (minimum size when it follows the thickness)	6 to 24, 10
Maximum size (appears if Size follows stream thickness is on)	Text size in the thickest stream	6 to 40, 15
Color (empty = automatic)	Automatic: white or dark depending on the stream	empty
Bold	Bold labels	On / Off
Text halo	Thin outline that sets the text off the stream	On / Off
Hide the legend	Streams are named in the chart	On / Off

Numbers group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Display units	Shortens large numbers (values, totals)	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

A label is placed only if its text fits between the two edges of the stream over its whole width: never any overlap, and a stream that is too thin stays unlabeled.

Edge values ★

This card writes each stream's value next to it, at the start and end of the chart. It is turned on by the toggle in its header.

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Show	Value of each stream facing it, at the start and the end	On / Off
Sides	Where the values are written	Start and end · End · Start
Content	What is written next to each stream	Value · Share of the total at that date · Value, and change at the end · Name and value
Text size	Text size	6 to 20, 9
Color	Stream color, or text color	Stream color · Text
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

Time axis

This card sets the time axis. 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
Size	Tick size	6 to 24, 9
Color (empty = secondary text)	Tick color	empty
Long labels	What to do with labels that are too long	Automatic · Two lines · Tilted (45°) · Vertical · Truncated (…)
Maximum room (% of the visual)	Maximum height reserved for the labels	10 to 60, 30
Axis line	Draws the axis line	On / Off
Axis type	Continuous: dates and numbers are spaced by their real gap	Automatic · Continuous · Categorical
Date format	E.g. MMM yyyy, MM/yy	empty

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

Y axis

This card sets the value axis, useful for stacked and 100% areas (a centered stream has no fixed zero). 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
Size scale (flowing and centered streams)	Vertical marker "↕ 200K": the thickness of a round value	On / Off
Position	Axis location	Left · Right
Size	Tick size	6 to 24, 9
Color (empty = secondary text)	Tick color	empty
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
Axis line	Draws the axis line	On / Off

Range group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Minimum	Start of the axis; empty = automatic	empty
Maximum	End of the axis; empty = automatic	empty
Number of ticks (approx.)	Approximate number of ticks	2 to 20, 5

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

Gridlines

This card groups the guide lines (they used to be in the Time axis and Y axis cards), like the gridlines of the native area chart: Vertical at the time ticks, Horizontal at the Y axis ticks (stacked and 100% areas).

Horizontal group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Show	Horizontal guide lines, at the Y 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

Vertical 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

Legend

This card sets the legend. It is turned on by the toggle in its header; it can be hidden when streams are named in the chart (Stream labels › Hide the legend).

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

Annotations ★

This card (formerly "Events ★", in the Analytics pane) pins notes: a vertical marker on a date, a shaded period, or a note pinned to a stream's layer. Notes come from the list typed here and from the Annotations ★ field; in edit mode, they can be dragged, edited with a double-click and removed with ×. It works like the annotations in Line Plume and Bump Plume.

Content group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Show	Shows the annotations (also via the switch in the header)	On / Off
Annotations (one per line)	One line per annotation: `x	text(vertical marker on the date),x
Displayed content	What the bubble shows	Text · Text and date · Text and value (stream)
Edit on the chart (edit mode)	In edit mode, an "Annotate" button appears when you hover over the chart. Turn it off before publishing if you don't want to see it while editing; the annotations stay displayed	On / Off

Look group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Style	Look of the annotation	Bubble · Filled label · Text only
Color (empty = secondary text or stream)	Annotation color	empty
Size	Size in points	6 to 24, 9
Bold	Bold text	On / Off
Maximum width (px)	Beyond this, the text wraps (4 lines at most)	60 to 400, 160

Marker and connector group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Vertical marker text	Where the text of vertical markers is written	Top · Bottom · None (line only)
Line style	Look of the vertical markers	Solid · Dashed · Dotted
Width	Marker width	0.5 to 6, 1
Periods opacity (%)	Transparency of the shaded periods	2 to 60, 10
Marker on the stream	Small marker on the stream, where the note is pinned	On / Off
Connector	Line from the note to the stream	Line · None
Default position	Where to place annotations you haven't moved with the mouse. Automatic avoids lines, labels and axes	Automatic (no overlap) · Above · Below · Right · Left
Distance from the point (px)	Moves the bubble away from its point	6 to 160, 18

Navigator ★

This card adds a mini chart below the streams, with a movable window: wheel to zoom, double-click to see everything again. It is turned on by the toggle in its header.

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Show	Mini chart under the streams, draggable window; wheel to zoom, double-click to see everything	On / Off
Height (px)	Height of the mini chart	20 to 120, 38
Window start when opened	Date, year, number or category (e.g. 2024-01); empty = from the start	empty
Window end when opened	Same idea; empty = to the end	empty

Small multiples

This card sets the grid when a field is placed in Small multiples: one small stream chart per value.

Grid group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Columns (0 = automatic)	Number of panels per row	0 to 12, 0
Spacing (px)	Space between panels	0 to 60, 14
Stream scale	Shared: the same value has the same thickness everywhere	Shared by all panels · Independent per panel ★
Panel border	Draws a border around each panel	On / Off

Titles group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Title of each panel	Writes the panel's value as its title	On / Off
Text size (appears if Title of each panel is on)	Title size	6 to 24, 10
Color (empty = text) (appears if Title of each panel is on)	Title color	empty
Total in the title (appears if Title of each panel is on)	Adds the panel's total to its title	On / Off

Playback ★

This card is now the shared Plume player (bar, speed, keyboard, autoplay): a cursor travels through time. The left-to-right reveal when the visual is shown (Streams card) stays free; guided playback is ★ (watermark without a key, never blocked). The former "Duration of a run" is gone: set the Duration of a frame (ms).

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)	Duration of one frame at ×1 speed; the speed button multiplies it (×0.5 to ×4) for the session	100 to 10000, 400
Loop	Starts over after the last frame	On / Off
Play automatically on opening	Starts playing once when the report opens; 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 group

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Play bar	Play button, slider and buttons of the play bar	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	Writes the current play axis value in large type, as a watermark	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)
Ranking at the cursor date ★	Box with the top streams (value and share) at the cursor date, updated during playback	On / Off
Streams in the ranking (appears if Ranking at the cursor date ★ is on)	Number of streams in that box	1 to 20, 5

Interactions

The Interactions card has the settings shared by all visuals (Highlight on hover, Dimmed items opacity (%), see the shared basics) and adds these:

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Vertical guide on hover	A vertical line follows the mouse and a single tooltip gives all series at the hovered date	On / Off

Tooltips

The Tooltips card is shared (Show toggle, see the shared basics). Here it has these extra settings:

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Every stream at that date	One tooltip with every stream at that date; otherwise the tooltip details the hovered stream (value, share, rank, change, total of the date)	On / Off

Reference period ★

Analytics pane: shades a period (for example 2019, or 2020-01..2020-06) and compares each stream to its average over that period; the change shows in the tooltip, in the labels and for highlighted streams. The card had the same name in version 1.0, but its internal name changed (refPeriod).

Setting	What it does	Possible values (default in bold)
Show	Compares each stream to its average over the period	On / Off
Start (date, year, number or category)	E.g. 2019, 2020-01	empty
End (empty = same period)	E.g. 2020-06	empty
Label	Name of the period; empty = "Reference"	empty
Shade the period	Shades the period on the chart	On / Off
Color (empty = accent)	Shade color	empty
Opacity (%)	Shade transparency	2 to 60, 10
Change in the tooltip	Adds the change versus the reference period to the tooltip	On / Off

Reference lines

Analytics pane, a free feature (parity with the native area chart): three lines and one band on the Y axis, for stacked and 100% areas. 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; 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

Premium ★ features of this visual

Feature	Where to set it
Style gradient, highlight (risers, fallers, largest, names)	Format › Data colors › Coloring
Gradient toward the present	Format › Streams › Fill
Top N and "Others"	Format › Streams › Top N and "Others"
"Change vs. the reference period" labels	Format › Stream labels › Content
Edge values	Format › Edge values
Independent scale per panel	Format › Small multiples › Stream scale
Navigator	Format › Navigator
Playback (play bar, autoplay) and ranking during playback	Format › Playback ★ › Play bar, Ranking at the cursor date ★
Order by peak date, step edges	Format › Streams › Stream order, Edge shape
"Name and share of the total" labels	Format › Stream labels › Content
Reference period	Analytics › Reference period
Annotations (list, measure, notes pinned to a stream)	Format › Annotations ★, Annotations (text) ★ field

Going further

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