Both Scatter and Bubble charts are members of the Chart block's distribution chart family. They share an X/Y cartesian plane but differ in their data bindings:
Scatter: Each data point is plotted by its X and Y values. Each series under Y Axis → Series is drawn in its own colour.
Bubble: Like Scatter, but a third field drives the size (diameter) of each point, making it a three-variable plot.
Tip: Scatter and Bubble are separate entries in the Chart Type picker. For a bubble chart, choose Chart Type = Bubble, then map each series' Bubble Size (Label and Value) in the series detail panel. A Scatter chart has no Bubble Size field, so all its points render at the same size.
Required Data Shape
Each record should represent one data point. Required fields:
A numeric field for the X position (X Axis → Value)
A numeric field for the Y position (the Value of a series under Y Axis → Series)
Bubble only: a numeric field for Bubble Size (drives the bubble diameter)
Optional: more numeric fields, one per extra series. Scatter and Bubble have no Group by field — each series gets its own colour and legend entry.
Sample scatter data (sales performance)
[ { "rep": "Alice", "calls": 120, "revenue": 45000, "deal_size": 375 }, { "rep": "Bob", "calls": 95, "revenue": 32000, "deal_size": 337 }, { "rep": "Carol", "calls": 140, "revenue": 58000, "deal_size": 414 }, { "rep": "David", "calls": 80, "revenue": 28000, "deal_size": 350 } ]
Bind calls → X Axis → Value and add a series under Y Axis → Series with revenue as its Value. For a bubble chart, choose Chart Type = Bubble and also map deal_size → Bubble Size. Add rep to the Tooltip so users can identify each point.
Content Properties
Property | Description |
|---|---|
Data Source | The array of records to plot as points. |
X Axis → Value | The numeric field to use as the horizontal position of each point. |
X Axis → Label / Format | Axis label and number format for the X axis tick labels. |
X Axis → Domain (Min / Max) | Scatter only. Manually set the visible range of the X axis. Appears only when the X axis Type is Linear. |
Y Axis → Series | One or more series, each with a Label (used in the tooltip and legend) and a Value (the numeric field for the vertical position). Each series is drawn in its own colour. |
Y Axis → Label / Format | Axis label and number format for the Y axis tick labels. |
Y Axis → Domain (Min / Max) | Scatter only. Manually set the visible range of the Y axis. |
Series → Bubble Size | Bubble only. The Label and Value of the numeric field that drives the size of each bubble. Appears only when Chart Type is Bubble. |
Tooltip | Customizable header and body for hover tooltips. Useful to show a point's label (e.g., rep name) and all three dimensions. |
Add ons → Legends | Offered when the chart has more than one series. Shows which colour maps to which series. Legend Position: Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Right, Left or Right. |
Add ons → Threshold | A horizontal reference line at a fixed Y value (Single), or a band between two Y values (Range) — useful for marking a target. |
Slots → Data Point | Replaces each point's marker with your own block. Inside it, |
Slots → Quadrant Label | Scatter only. A block drawn once in each of the four quadrants (see Quadrant Labels below). |
Quadrant Labels
On a Scatter chart, a block in the Quadrant Label slot is drawn in each of the four quadrants. The quadrants split where X = 0 and Y = 0, so shape your data around zero (for example, subtract the average) if you want the split at another point. Inside the slot, {{ chart1.context.currentQuadrant }} returns { x, y }, each 1 or -1, so one block can show a different caption per quadrant — for example "Stars" where both are 1.
Appearance Properties
Property | Options / Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
Data Point Size | Pixels (starts at 16) | Scatter only. The diameter of every point. If you clear the field, 12 is used. |
Bubble Size | Min / Max in pixels (starts at 10 and 60) | Bubble only. The smallest and largest bubble diameter. Size values are scaled into this range. If you clear the fields, 5 and 25 are used. |
Chart Colours | color per series | Assign colors to each series. The same color logic used in Line and Bar charts. |
styles | style set | Block dimensions, padding, overflow. |
Events & Methods
| Event | Description |
| On Data Point Click | Fires when a point (or bubble) is clicked. The payload is the full record for that point. Use to open a detail drawer or filter other blocks. |
Scatter vs Bubble Comparison
Feature | Scatter | Bubble |
|---|---|---|
X field | Numeric | Numeric |
Y field | Numeric | Numeric |
Size field | Not used (all points use Data Point Size) | Numeric — drives bubble diameter |
Colour groups | One colour per series | One colour per series |
Quadrant Label slot | Yes | No |
Best for | Correlation, outlier detection | Three-variable comparison (e.g., region × revenue × volume) |
Behavior & Gotchas
⚠ X and Y axes must be numeric
Scatter and Bubble charts require numeric X and Y fields. If you bind a string field to X or Y, the block treats values as categories and produces unexpected axis spacing. Use Category-axis bar charts for string-vs-numeric comparisons.
⚠ Bubble size is relative, not absolute
Bubble size values are scaled into the Bubble Size range set under Appearance (Min and Max in pixels; a new Bubble chart starts at 10 and 60, and 5 and 25 apply if you clear the fields). A value of 100 does not mean a 100px bubble — the largest value gets the Max diameter and the others are scaled relative to it. This means the same bubble chart will look different if the largest size value changes.
⚠ Overlapping points are not automatically jittered
Points that share the same X/Y values will overlap completely. Consider adding a small amount of jitter in your data query, or using a Heat Map for dense distributions.
⚠ Tooltip is the primary way to label points
Scatter charts do not show point labels by default. Configure the Tooltip to include the identifying field (e.g., representative name) so users can hover to identify points.
Common Patterns
Sales Rep Performance Matrix (Bubble)
Bind dimensions: X Axis → Value = number of calls, the series Value = total revenue, Bubble Size = average deal size.
Configure tooltip: In the Tooltip, include the rep name, all three metrics, and a calculated conversion rate so users get full context on hover.
Add a threshold: Add the Threshold add-on (Content → Add ons) at the revenue target value to visually split reps above and below quota.
Correlation Explorer (Scatter + Drill-Down)
Bind the dimensions: Bind the two continuous fields you want to correlate to X Axis → Value and the series Value. To compare categories (e.g., product lines) in different colours, add one series per category value field.
Wire up click drill-down: On On Data Point Click, store the clicked record in a page variable. Display a details panel next to the chart bound to that variable.
Related Pages
Page | Relationship |
|---|---|
Overview of the distribution chart family (Scatter, Bubble and Heat Map) | |
Use for dense data across two categories | |
Trends over a continuous X axis | |
Shares the Threshold and Legends add-ons |