Matik supports two methods for connecting charts in your templates to data:
- Tagging the spreadsheet that powers the chart with Table or Text DC
- Tagging a chart with a Chart DC
Both methods are supported. Select the method that best fits your use case:
- Tagging the spreadsheet that powers the chart might work best if:
- You would like to pull data from >1 piece of dynamic content to power your chart
- You would like to re-use the Table- or Text- type DC that powers your chart across your enterprise
- There’s significant data transformation you would like to do in the spreadsheet to get the data to fit your chart
- Tagging with Chart DC might work best if:
- You’re setting up a Matik Mail template. Charts in Matik Mail must be tied to Chart-type DC
- You have a simple chart that can easily be expressed in the output of 1 Chart DC, without the need for extra transformation
Here's a summary of what chart capabilities are supported for each template type.
| Template Type | Tag chart element with Chart DC | Tag linked cloud spreadsheet that powers the chart with Table/Text DC | Tag embedded spreadsheet that powers the chart with Table/Text DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Slides | ✔ | ✔ | N/A |
| Google Docs | ✔ | ✔ | N/A |
| PowerPoint | ✔ | N/A | ✔ |
| Word | ✔ | N/A | ✔ |
| PowerPoint 365 | ✔ | No – you must edit the chart and its embedded Excel via the PowerPoint client, then upload to O365 | ✔ |
| Word 365 | ✔ | No – you must edit the chart and its embedded Excel via the Word client, then upload to O365 | ✔ |
| Matik Mail | ✔ | N/A | N/A |
| Google Sheets/Excel | No | No | No |
Working with Google Sheets Charts
Tagging charts via their linked spreadsheets works similarly to Google Sheets templates.
You can also combine one or more pieces of Dynamic Content—such as text or tables—and apply transformations to shape the data for your chart. Dynamic content can be placed anywhere in the sheet, and you can use spreadsheet formulas to manipulate the data as needed.
Once your chart's data range is updated, Matik will insert the latest version of the chart into your generated presentation.
To get started:
Create a Chart Linked to a Google Sheet
The charts in your templates should be linked to a Google sheet. You can add one from the Slides Insert Menu or create one in a Google Sheets and copy the chart item to your presentation. If copy pasting an existing chart, be sure to "Link to spreadsheet".
You can add any formatting desired to your chart and Matik will maintain that formatting when updating the presentation.
As a best practice, use a unique spreadsheet to power each chart (rather than powering multiple charts with the same spreadsheet). This promotes optimal performance, and makes it easier to trace the relationship between dynamic content and the final chart.
Create your Dynamic Content
Create the Dynamic Content needed for your chart. If you are new to creating Dynamic Content see our Dynamic Content Overview article.
When creating your Dynamic Content for the new charts experience it must be Table or Text type!
Tag your Dynamic Content in the Chart Spreadsheet
The Dynamic Content powering your chart will be tagged directly into the linked spreadsheet. Do not tag the alt-text in the presentation, use in app tagging, or use the Matik Google Slides add-on to tag a chart using this method. The tag(s) in the linked Google Sheet are all that is needed.
If your Dynamic Content, returns data ready for your chart, you can tag directly in the chart data range. E.g. If my chart data range is: A1:B5
And my Dynamic Content returns
I can tag directly in to A1:B5.
If your Dynamic Content output requires data transformation, tag outside the chart area and use formulas to manipulate the data in the chart area into its final form. See the complex Dynamic Content example below.
To tag within a Google Sheet:
- Select the top left most cell in the range of cells you want to tag. Right-click the cell and select Insert Note. If your Dynamic Content will return multiple rows and/or columns still only select the one top-left most cell.
- Inside the notes window, type the name of the Dynamic Content you want to tag, using the double curly braces notation e.g.,
{{Dynamic_Content_Name}} - Tag formatting and sub-content are supported using the standard notation. e.g.,
{{Dynamic_Content_Name|numberformat(2)}} - Each cell can only be tagged with one piece of Dynamic Content
- If the return tables or cell of two pieces of Dynamic Content overlap, the value will be chosen at random. Pay close attention to the maximum size of the tables returned from your Dynamic Content to ensure your Dynamic Content doesn't overlap or overwrite existing formulas, data, or other undesirable behavior.
Update the Chart, Sync the Template, Test
When done tagging, update the chart within the Slides template. Click on the update icon displayed on the chart on the Slides template.
Next sync the Template from within Matik and test your presentation.
Share the Linked Chart Sheet
Anyone editing the chart will need Edit access in Google Drive and anyone generating a presentation will need read access to the chart. Be sure to share the linked chart out appropriately. As a best practice, we recommend putting all of your Matik assets (slides templates, spreadsheets, etc. in a Shared Google Drive to make it easy to share out all assets at once.
Working with Office/Office 365 Embedded Charts
Matik supports connecting charts to data in PowerPoint and Word templates. This applies to both local and Office 365 templates. Matik allows you to connect the Excel spreadsheet that powers a chart to dynamic content. Once content that contains the chart is generated, Matik will update the connected spreadsheet with the output of the relevant dynamic content, thereby updating the chart.
To do this: in the Office desktop client, insert a chart in your PowerPoint or Word template file. You can do this either by:
- Inserting a new chart object
- Or copy-and-pasting an existing chart from an Excel file. If you use this method, you must paste as "Excel Chart (entire workbook)". If you do not select this option, the chart's connection to the spreadsheet will break upon uploading the template to Matik.
Next, we'll connect the embedded spreadsheet powering the chart to dynamic content.
- Select “Edit in Excel” on the chart to open its spreadsheet.
- Select the top left most cell in the range of cells you want to tag. Right-click the cell and select New Note. Only select the one top-left most cell even if your Dynamic Content will return multiple rows and/or columns.
- In the Notes window, type the name of the dynamic content you want to tag, using the double curly braces notation e.g.,
{{Dynamic_Content_Name}}. The dynamic content must be Text-type or Table-type. Each cell can only be tagged with one piece of dynamic content. - Tag formatting and sub-content are supported using the standard notation. e.g.,
{{Dynamic_Content_Name|numberformat(2)}}
Use a unique spreadsheet to power each chart (rather than powering multiple charts with the same spreadsheet), and only tag each spreadsheet with the data required to actually power the chart. This promotes optimal performance and makes tracing relationships between data and chart objects easier.
You can tag the spreadsheet with as many different pieces of dynamic content as desired.
Then format your chart as desired.
- As a best practice, it is recommended to input some placeholder dummy data, so that you can see how the chart will look as you format it.
- Apply any formulas or other data transformations that are needed. On generation, all formulas and formatting will be respected.
Finally, upload or sync your template to Matik.
Limitations and Consideration for Embedded Chart in PowerPoint/Word:
- Due to Microsoft API limitations, Matik does not currently support charts that are added using the Office 365 web app. You must use the desktop client to add and edit charts. If you want to use Office 365 to host your template files, us the desktop client to add the charts and then re-uploading to O365.
- Matik does not support charts that are linked to Excel data. The chart spreadsheet must be embedded, per the steps describe above.
- Each embedded chart you add will be powered by its own distinct embedded spreadsheet. For example, if I paste in 3 charts from the same Excel file, Microsoft will embed the spreadsheet 3 times.
Complex Chart Example
The chart on the spreadsheet below is powered by multiple pieces of Dynamic Content and formulas. Dynamic Content producing the ARR, Old Resolution Time, New ticket resolution time, and table of purchased licensees by Month are all used to calculate Dollars saved and Time Saved for each month.
It was built by first setting up the spreadsheets formulas and calculations and creating the chart from the result. The input cells were then tagged with the relevant dynamic content. Finally, the chart was copied to the Google Slide and everything was synced.
Tagging with Chart DC
To tag using Chart DC:
- Create a DC in Matik. Make sure you select type = Chart.
- Set up your DC query or configure the API form. Make sure that your results are returned in the exact format you need to power your chart.
- Save your DC.
Now, you can connect that DC to templates:
- Presentation templates: tag a chart element with your Chart DC
- Document templates: tag a chart element with your Chart DC
- Mail templates: insert a dynamic Chart module and select your Chart DC
- Spreadsheet templates: ❌ Chart DC is not supported within spreadsheet templates
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