How to Use Note Editor in Exploratory for Beginners

This is a hands-on tutorial that you can follow to learn how to use Exploratory's Note Editor to create interactive note quickly. It is a part of 'How to Use Exploratory' series where you can learn how to use various features of Exploratory Desktop. If you haven't check out other tutorial notes! 

  • How to Start Exploratory for Beginners - Basic - Link
  • How to Clean & Transform Data in Exploratory for Beginners - Link
  • How to Create Dashboard with Exploratory for Beginners - Link

If you prefer to watching video here's one for you! 

1. Import a Sample Project

You can import data for this tutorial by importing a sample project.

Download the sample project from here and save it to your PC.

Once it's downloaded, open the Projects page (Main Window) in Exploratory, and drag-and-drop the downloaded project into Exploratory.

Alternatively, you can select 'Locally Saved Project (.epf)' from the Import Project button menu, and select the downloaded project file to import as well.

Once the project is imported, open the project, and open the HR Employee Attrition data frame. You should see a series of charts already created.

In this tutorial, we are going to add some of the charts to a newly created Note. 

Let's start by creating a new Note!

2. Create a New Note

Select 'Create Note' from the Plus button menu next to the 'Reports'.

Type in the new Note name. (e.g. HR Data Analysis Report)

Once you click on the Create button, a new empty Note is opened with the Note Editor.

3. Format Text

You can start typing in text just like you would do with other text editors. Here, we'll introduce you a few useful features.

Bullet Point

Now, let's type in something like the below. 

We have made our data analysis in the following areas:

Head Count
New Hires
Attrition Rate

The data used in this data analysis is shared at this page.

Now, let's make the the blue highlighted part of the text to be bullet points by selecting them and selecting the Bullet Point button in the toolbar.

Alternatively, you can simply make the text to be bullet pointed by adding '-' like the below.

- Header Count
- New Hires
- Attrition Rate

4. Add Chart

Now, let's add a chart from the HR Employee Attrition data frame.

Move the cursor position to somewhere you want to insert a chart.

Then, click on the Plus button and select 'Chart' from the menu.

It will open a Chart selection dialog.

In this project, we have only one data frame. But if you have multiple data frames you can select the one where you have created charts.

For this tutorial, select 'HC by Job Role' chart and click 'OK' button. This will add the chart to the Note.

Let's add a Header 2 text right before the chart.

You can click on the white space area on the chart, which will highlight the chart with green borders.

There are two things you can do once the chart is highlighted.

First, you can hit a Delete key to delete the chart or change the chart size. Second, you can change the chart's display size by selecting one of the icons at the top of the chart.

Now, there are 3 things you can do with the chart itself.

First, you can click on a part of the chart to show the detail data.

Second, you can move the mouse over on the chart, which will show you two icon buttons, then you can download the data or the image of the chart.

Third, from the same icon buttons, you can click on the Expand icon to show the chart in a full window size.

5. Add Image 

You can add images to the note very easily.

You can download a sample image from this link.

First, let's create a space at the top so that we can add an image here.

There are a few ways to insert images in Exploratory.

The easiest way is to drag-and-drop an image file that is saved on your PC.

Alternatively, you can copy the image file (Command / Control + C) and then paste it (Command/Control + P) to the Editor.

6. Add Table

This is NOT about the table you create under the Chart view. If you want to insert such tables though, you can simply select the Chart menu under the Plus button then select the table.

This is about a table with text input. Sometimes, you want to write something in a table format. In such cases, you can select 'Table' under the Plus button menu.

And type in whatever text you'd like.

You can click on the green area to delete a column or row.

And you can add a row or a column.

7. Publish & Share

Once you are ready for sharing the Note with others, you can click on the Publish button at the right hand side top.

You can simply click on the Publish button to publish the Note you have created.

Under the Options, you will see two checkboxes.

  • Download - This allows others you share with to download this Note and import into their Exploratory Desktop in a reproducible way.
  • Show Detail Data - You want to check this option if you want to allow others you share with to click on the charts in this Note and show the detail data.

Once the Publish is done, you will see a notification dialog shows up in the main window of the project.

Click on 'Share Setting' green text to configure the share setting.

This will open the Note in a web browser. You can type in email addresses for those you want to share this Note with and click the Share button.

This will send an invitation email to those you have shared with. If they already have Exploratory accounts they can login to Exploratory and open the dashboard. If they don't have yet, then they can create ones for free!

With the published Note you will find a TOC (Table of Content) showing up at the left hand side. The TOC is automatically built based on Header 1 and Header 2 text.

You can configure the TOC from the Note property setting inside the Note Editor in Exploratory.

That's it!

Thank you for reading! 

Happy Note Editing! 🎉

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