Charts in FileMaker Layouts
IntermediateConfigure FileMaker chart objects for bar, line, pie, and scatter charts -- connecting data sources, formatting axes, and updating charts dynamically.
What you'll learn
- The three chart data source types and when to use each
- How to configure axes, labels, and legends
- How to trigger chart refresh when data changes
- Common pitfalls with chart data formatting
FileMaker's built-in chart object supports bar, line, pie, scatter, area, and bubble charts. Charts pull data from the current found set, a related set, or a delimited series. Understanding how each data source type works -- and how to trigger chart refresh -- is the key to building dynamic dashboards that update as users change context.
Chart data source types
FileMaker charts support three data source types: Current Found Set (aggregates across found records), Delimited Data (a text string with values separated by a character), and Related Records (data from a portal/related TO).
// Data source type 1: Current Found Set // X-axis: summary field (e.g., TerritoryName -- grouped by current sort) // Y-axis: summary field (e.g., sTotal) // Requires: records sorted by the X field; chart shows one data point per sort group // Use for: bar/line charts of aggregates across the current list // Data source type 2: Delimited Data // X-axis: text string "Jan|Feb|Mar|Apr" (| separated) // Y-axis: text string "1200|1450|1800|1320" // Computed by a calculation or set by a script // Use for: custom series, historical data, pre-computed aggregates // Data source type 3: Related Records // Data comes from a portal / related TO // Use for: showing related record counts or values over time
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