The dimension value color map

The dimension value color map is a table of the dimension values that appear in your report, with an associated color for each value. Charts that use the color by dimension values option get their colors from this map. The dimension value color map is created automatically from the data in your report. You can also edit the map directly to add values and change colors.

How the dimension value color map works

For editors

Whenever you add or edit a chart, any new dimension values displayed by that chart are added to the map. The colors in the map come from the report-level color theme currently in effect when the values are added.

Example

In a new blank report, the dimension value color map is empty. If you add a pie chart with the Country dimension, and limit it to 3 slices, the dimension value color map now contains 3 values, one for each of the countries appearing in chart.

Example of the dimension value color map.

 

If you then edit the chart and increase the number of slices to 10, the new country values are added to the dimension value color map.

Next, you add a time series broken down by the Source dimension. The new dimension values are added to the map, so it now includes items like "google," "(direct)", "youtube.com," etc., along with colors for each value.

Example of the dimension value color map with more values.

As you edit the report, only the dimension values actually displayed in the charts are added to the dimension value color map. Paginated charts, or charts that contain data only for certain date ranges, won't add to the map until those values are actually displayed.

The dimension value color map can contain a maximum of 1000 entries. If the map exceeds this limit, you'll be prompted restore the default colors. Currently, there is no way to selectively remove values from the map.

For viewers

When someone views dimension values that haven't been added to the dimension value color map, Looker Studio will select colors automatically. These colors might be different for different viewers, and won't be added to the map.

Manage dimension value colors

You can edit the dimension value color map in 3 ways:

• From the chart properties panel, STYLE tab, under the Color by options, click Manage dimension value colors.
• From the Layout and Theme panel, THEME tab, under the Color by options, click Manage dimension value colors.
• From the Resource > Manage dimension value colors menu.

Add a new value to the map

To add an individual value to the dimension value color map:

1. Edit the dimension value color map using one of the methods above
2. Click Add a value
3. Click the color swatch to select a new color, if desired
4. Enter the new value
5. Click CREATE VALUE.

Example of adding a new color/value pair.

Change the color of an existing value

To change a value's color:

1. Edit the dimension value color map using one of the methods above
2. Locate the value to change (use the Search box on the right if you have lots of values)
3. Click the color swatch for that value
4. Select the new color.

Restore default colors

To reset the dimension value color map:

1. Edit the dimension value color map using one of the methods above
2. In the bottom left corner, click RESTORE DEFAULT COLORS.

Restore default colors example.

Restoring the dimension value color map will discard any values you've added manually. In addition, the new map will only contain values for the charts currently displayed on the report page. There's no way to undo this, so please proceed with caution.