Metabase Tips and Tricks

Creative solutions and expert tips/tricks

Metabase Documentation & Links

Docs: https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/
Learn: https://www.metabase.com/learn/
Forums: https://discourse.metabase.com/
Repo (w/Issues): https://github.com/metabase/metabase
Features Roadmap: https://www.metabase.com/roadmap


Constant Value Column

Create a custom column with the following expressions:

text:

trim("my_constant_value")
concat("constant", "")

numeric:

abs(1) # positive values
round(1) # integer values
power(-1.23, 1) # any value


Alternate Display Options for Single-Series Bar Chart

Starting Point: Count the number of rows grouped by a field


Add a constant-valued field and add it to the group-by. You can now get tighter grouping with colors.

Note: ensure the constant-valued field is set as the primary x-axis value and the other field is the series breakout.


This also allows for stacking:



Custom Ordering of Field

Using a case expression, you can define the order you want fields to appear in a visualization.

Create a custom column (ex. “order”) and use a case expression to define the order for the values. For example:

case(
    [Task Status Detail] = "BV Achieved", 1, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "BV Mostly Achieved", 2, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "BV partially achieved", 3, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "BV Missed", 4, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "Delivered", 5, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "On Track", 6, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "To Do", 7, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "At Risk", 8, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "Canceled", 9, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "Not Delivered", 10, 
    [Task Status Detail] = "Backlog", 11, 
    0)

Group by the custom “order” column and sort by it, but do not display in the visualization.


Edit Card Config

Video Walkthrough

Access JSON config of a card and make modifications (such as adding custom colors)


Optimizing Text Box Display

Sometimes a text box will have an unnecessary scroll bar. For example, the text fits but there’s a scroll bar that moves the text only slightly. In edit mode, select "Visualization options" on the text box & change the vertical alignment to "bottom".


Join Multiple Custom Jira Fields & Retain Empty Values

https://docs.faros.ai/docs/custom-fields-special-cases