How to Create a Heatmap

A Heatmap color-codes values within a matrix, showing differences through variations in coloring. They are useful for visualizing differences, similarities, and trends across multiple variables. You can quickly add a heatmap to your report via our Visualization selector. If you are specifically looking for a heatmap based on a geographic map, see How to Create a Geographic Map.

This article describes how to go from a table or crosstab of data, such as this:

To a heatmap, like this:

Further settings are discussed below that may make finding patterns in your data easier.

Method 1 - Simple Heatmap

Method 2 - Sorted Heatmap

Method 3 - Heatmap with Dendrogram

Requirements

You will need a table of data that consists of two or more rows and one or more columns.

Method 1 - Simple Heatmap

1. Go to the Visualization icon > Heatmap > Heatmap.

2. In the object inspector, under Data > Data Source > Data select the table that contains the data.

Method 2 - Sorted Heatmap

Follow the same process as in Method 1, above, but add the step:

3. Under Chart > Appearance > Row sorting or dendrogram and/or under Chart > Appearance > Column sorting or dendrogram select how you would like to sort the data in the table by selecting Sort by averages (ascending) or Sort by averages (descending).

This example has been sorted using Chart > Appearance > Column sorting or dendrogram > Sort by averages (ascending).

Method 3 - Heatmap with Dendrogram

Follow the same process as in Method 1, above, but add the step:

The example here has been created by selecting Dendrogram for both rows and columns. It groups together the attributes on the rows and columns by similarity.