---
title: "Using QCD Chart"
slug: "using-the-qcd-chart"
updated: 2025-03-18T16:28:36Z
published: 2025-03-18T16:28:36Z
canonical: "help.iobeya.com/using-the-qcd-chart"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.iobeya.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using QCD Chart

The QCD chart provides a graphical representation of the values and thresholds of the indicators entered in the boxes of a letter. The tool scans a defined [letter](/product/docs/using-the-qcd-letter) and generates charts based on the configuration made.

This article explains how to access and use the QCD chart tool to optimize your analyses and action plans.

## Accessing the QCD Chart

This tool is present by defaut in your board’s dock, as are the other QCD elements.

## Using the QCD Chart

To use the QCD chart:

1. Drag and drop it onto the board.
2. Start configuring it:

![QCD - outil graphe 2(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/e61a3dcb-bae0-4a4f-820c-85b0f6ef7f3c/Images/Documentation/QCD%20-%20outil%20graphe%202(1).png)
  1. Select the letter for which you want to generate a chart.
  2. From the **Configuration** button, you can:

![QCD - outil graphe 3(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/e61a3dcb-bae0-4a4f-820c-85b0f6ef7f3c/Images/Documentation/QCD%20-%20outil%20graphe%203(1).png)

Click **Save** to proceed to the next step.
    - select the data visualization type:
      - ****Short-term** data visualization**

If you select this data visualization type, the values of the current time window are used.
      - ****Long-term** data visualization**

If you select this data visualization type, the values are taken from a series of time windows (from… to…)

![QCD - outil graphe 4](https://cdn.document360.io/e61a3dcb-bae0-4a4f-820c-85b0f6ef7f3c/Images/Documentation/QCD%20-%20outil%20graphe%204.png)

You can define:

        - beginning and end of long-term time windows:

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> The selectors depend on the time window of the board.
        - indicator type of consolidation: sum or average or maximum or minimum
        - box color-coding (threshold visualization): per indicator or global

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> Long-term shows values ​from the letter historical data by aggregating them ​​according to the selected option.
    - enter a desription that is displayed at the top right of the item.
  3. Select the indicators to display, ring by ring.

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> If an indicator is present on several rings, colors derived from the indicator color are generated.
  4. Manage the display of these indicators in different ways via the aggregation method:
    - “None” option displays a series of data (values and thresholds) by ring. Values from the first ring keep their original indicator colors. Values from other rings are given a color derived from their indicator's original color.
    - “Sum”, “Average”, “Min” and “Max” value aggregation options display only one series of data per indicator, with a dot for the corresponding threshold.
  5. **Define chart layout.**

![QCD - outil graphe 5](https://cdn.document360.io/e61a3dcb-bae0-4a4f-820c-85b0f6ef7f3c/Images/Documentation/QCD%20-%20outil%20graphe%205.png)

The **Settings** button allows to define:

    - **chart type:**
      - line chart
      - bar chart
      - stacked bar chart
    - **chart orientation**:
      - vertical
      - horizontal
    - whether or not to display cumulated values under the form of line or bars.
    - whether or not to display the values.
    - vertical axis minimum and maximum values.

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> By default, they are automatically adapted to represented values.

    - whether or not to display thresholds in the background.

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> You can use this feature to track a single indicator.

> [!TIP]
> Tip:
> 
> You can use this feature to track an indicator present on several rings.
3. Click **Save**.

Your chart is ready to be used.

![QCD - outil graphe 6](https://cdn.document360.io/e61a3dcb-bae0-4a4f-820c-85b0f6ef7f3c/Images/Documentation/QCD%20-%20outil%20graphe%206.png)

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> When you modify the [letter](/product/docs/using-the-qcd-letter), the information is automatically updated in the chart.

> [!WARNING]
> Warning:
> 
> - You cannot generate a graph with indicators belonging to concentric rings with:
>   - different number of boxes (different ritual frequencies or different numbers of boxes in a custom cut-out).
>   - different labels (in case of a custom cut-out).
> - Binary indicators values can be either:
>   - 0 (if you choose the left label)
>   - 1 (if you choose the right label)