# Build a KPI chart

> Show one measure as a big number, with an optional sparkline, a comparison to a prior period, a status badge, and expressive change and icon styles.

Analyze · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-30

A KPI chart answers one question: what's the number right now? It shows a single measure in large type, and can add a sparkline of its trend and a change against an earlier period. Pick KPI from the chart type selector. Charts saved as a big number work the same way.

## Fill the shelves

| Shelf | What it holds |
| --- | --- |
| Value | Required. One measure - the number you're showing. |
| Trend By | Optional. One date field. It draws the sparkline and gives the comparison a period to compare against. |

1. Pick KPI from the chart type selector.
2. Drag a measure to Value.
3. Drag a date field to Trend By to add a sparkline.
4. Open the format pane to turn on the comparison and pick its period.

> **Note:** Value only takes a measure and Trend By only takes a date. There's no color shelf. To show the number for part of your data, like one region, add a filter.

## Format options

Open the format pane and find KPI options.

- Show label and Footnote - the caption over the number and a line of small print under it.
- Show sparkline - and Sparkline type: line, bar or area.
- Show comparison - and Comparison period: Previous period, Previous day, week, month, quarter or year, or Year to date vs last year. Show period labels names the two periods being compared.
- Change shows - whether the comparison reads as a percent, the absolute Value, or Both.
- Show last year - on a line or area sparkline at a monthly or coarser grain, draws a faint outline of the same measure a year earlier behind the current line.
- Value shows - All records, Latest period, Total, Average, Minimum, Maximum or NPS. Some are grayed out when they don't fit the measure.
- Show goal - with a Target value and a Label.
- Icon style - when the card draws an icon, choose Solid, Tint, Outline or Plain.
- Value appearance and Label appearance - alignment, size, font and value color.

> **Tip:** With a date on Trend By, Latest period shows the most recent period's value, which is usually what people mean by current.

## Add a status badge

The Title section carries a Status badge switch. Turn it on, type a Label such as "On track", and pick a Variant of Success, Warning or Error to show a colored pill beside the card's title. The pill appears once it has a label.

> **Note:** When a filter narrows the card to a single period, a period comparison has nothing to measure against. Rather than drawing a blank, the card shows a one-line reason, and the AI pane sees the same note - so chat explains why the comparison is missing instead of claiming it's already there.

## Build it from the chat

Ask the chat for "a KPI of total sales" or "revenue as a big number with trend". For a slice of the data, say "KPI of West region sales" - the chat keeps your real measure and adds a filter for the region.

### Related

- [Explain a change](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/explain-a-change)
- [Add reference lines and bands](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/reference-lines-and-bands)
- [Chart types](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/chart-types)
- [Format a chart](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/format-a-chart)

Source: https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/big-number-and-kpi-charts