Convert values

For the gauge and indicator elements, authors can indicate that numbers should be converted from one unit to another. This is helpful when your data is in a certain set of units, but you'd like it to display in another set of units without changing it. There are many specific use cases for this:

  • Length conversions (for example, miles to kilometers)
  • Weight conversions (for example, pounds to kilograms)
  • Temperature conversions (for example, degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit)
  • Power conversions (for example, watts to kilowatts)
  • Number conversions (for example, decimal to percent)

In general, value conversion can be represented by the equation y = mx + b. Using this simple formula, a number can be converted to any other number along a straight line.

  • x = number to be converted
  • m = conversion factor (slope) to be applied to x
  • b = offset to be applied (y-axis intercept)
  • y = number that is displayed in the dashboard

The Value Conversion setting is on the Data tab for the indicator and gauge. After you enable Value Conversion, two additional settings appear: Factor and Offset.

Value Conversion setting

The Factor setting represents the m in the equation y = mx + b and the Offset setting represents the b.

The following table provides some examples of numbers to enter in the Factor and Offset settings to perform value conversions.

Type of conversion

Factor value

Offset value

Number—Decimal to percent

100

Leave as 0

Temperature—Degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit

1.8

32

Weight—Pounds to kilograms

0.45359237

Leave as 0

You can't enter fractions in the Factor setting (for example, 5/9). You can only enter positive and negative decimals and whole numbers.