Exciting New Features in Looker Studio: Scorecards and Big Data
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Chapter 1: Recent Enhancements in Looker Studio
Last week, Google unveiled several intriguing features in Looker Studio, previously known as Data Studio. Among these updates are new chart types and buttons designed to enhance user experience. For a deeper dive into these changes, refer to the following article:
Google unveils new features for Looker Studio this April
How buttons, new chart types, and scheduled delivery improve data sharing
Now, Google has rolled out two noteworthy updates for Looker Studio:
Section 1.1: Update 1 – Enhanced Scorecards
The latest update improves scorecards in Looker Studio, a popular tool for simplifying data presentation. The revamped visualizations now include three key features:
- Sparklines: These display historical trends for a scorecard value over time.
- Progress visuals: These illustrate how a scorecard value is advancing towards its target.
Users can now compare scorecard metrics with various time frames, target values, or other metrics.
Section 1.2: Update 2 – Big Data Capabilities for Pivot Tables
Pivot tables have been enhanced to handle up to 500,000 data cells. However, users should note that performance may vary based on the dataset and the dimensions and metrics included. To improve efficiency, a filter can be applied to the pivot table, allowing users to manage the amount of displayed data.
Chapter 2: Best Practices for BI Dashboards
The first video titled "Why Pausing Updates in Looker Studio Edit Mode Is Important" discusses the significance of controlling updates while editing to maintain data integrity.
The second video, "Most IMPORTANT releases for Data Studio and BigQuery in 2021," highlights critical updates that have impacted users in 2021.
Summary
After a period of relative quiet around Looker Studio, Google is now releasing a series of updates. These recent enhancements, particularly the improved scorecard visualizations and expanded data capacity for pivot tables, are significant advancements that promise to unlock new possibilities for handling larger datasets.
Sources and Further Readings
[1] Google, Release Notes (2023)
[2] Google, Scorecard reference (2023)