Google's data visualization platform has unveiled two significant updates to enhance report creation and data presentation capabilities.
Modern Charts Now Generally Available
Modern charts has officially reached general availability status and is now the default experience for all new Looker Studio reports. This comprehensive update includes:
- New chart styling options
- Refreshed default theme colors
- Enhanced chart configuration capabilities
- Expanded axis customization options
- Advanced chart settings
These improvements give report creators greater control over how data is curated and presented to users, resulting in more visually appealing and informative dashboards.
For users with existing reports, an upgrade will be necessary to access the modern charts features. However, classic report themes remain available through the Themes panel for those who prefer the legacy appearance.
Query Results Variables for Dynamic Text Elements
Looker Studio has introduced query result variables, a powerful new feature that allows users to insert data directly into text elements. This functionality creates dynamic text that automatically updates when fresh data becomes available.
With query result variables, report creators can:
- Choose specific cells from tables to display as "query results" within text elements
- Create explanatory text that includes up-to-date data points as chips
- Ensure that displayed values remain current when data refreshes
Creating Query Result Variables
To implement this feature, users can follow these steps:
- Edit a Looker Studio report
- Add or edit a text element
- Enter
@to access the variable insert menu - Select Add a variable to open the creation dialog
- Provide a unique variable name
- Select the appropriate data source
- Create a query by:
- Adding/removing dimensions
- Selecting up to one metric
- Adding/removing filters
- Adjusting sort options
- Select the specific cell containing the desired data point
- Customize the font and background color of the query result chip
- Save the variable
Once implemented, these query result chips will automatically update their values whenever the data source is refreshed, ensuring that text elements always display current information.
