2983065 - Labels in a chart are either not displayed or overlap with other labels in SAP Analytics Cloud

When designing a chart, some of the labels may not appear when the chart is displayed.  Why does this happen?

• SAP Analytics Cloud 2024

The default settings for charts are that when labels overlap or ‘collide’ with one another or cannot fit within the allotted space then they should be hidden to ensure that the chart labels are readable if possible and do not clutter the visualization unnecessarily. The user can always hover/touch the data-point to see the associated value.

Common examples of why data label collision can occur includes - but is not limited to:

1. Labels in column charts are too long and span outside of the category and collide with adjacent labels
2. For overlapping data-points in a bar/column chart, only the largest absolute value of the overlapping labels will be shown. This behavior can be modified by changing the Data Label styling options
3. For overlapping data labels in line series of line chart, combined bar/column+line, combined stacked bar/column+line chart, the labels will attempt to be rendered above the data marker if it was beneath the data marker, or rendered beneath the data marker if it was above the marker.  But if not possible, then it will hide
4. Labels may be hitting or surpassing the bounds of the renderable area in the chart, in some charts such as line and combined bar/column+line the labels will attempt to be rendered in new positions close to the data-point but if not possible, then it will hide
5. For data labels intersecting with axis line or axis labels, the labels will attempt to be rendered above the data marker if it was beneath the data marker, or rendered beneath the data marker if it was above the marker.  But if not possible, it will be left in its original position
6. In a line chart, when a data point is identified as a local minimum—meaning both its immediate left and right neighbors have higher values—the data label is positioned below the corresponding data marker

If you do not want the labels to overlap then some options you will need to use are:

• Increase the size of the chart on the story
• Adjust axis label and data label font sizes
• Filter your data to allow more space 
• Adjust the numeric scale and number of decimal places of the measure to higher magnitude that will shorten the label (e.g., 15,000,000.00 unformatted could be scaled to “15” in millions with no decimal points)
• Turn on the “Round Data Labels” option to allow decimal places in the data label to be rounded and conserve room before the label hides

Note: If labels are overlapping, then the "Avoid Data Label Overlap" option has probably been unchecked in the Data Label styling options area for that chart. Re-enable that option to prevent labels from overlapping.

Also, if the chart falls within a range where both line and bar data labels are visible in the classic view, then only one label appears after converting to an ODE chart. This behavior is due to a minor rendering difference in ODE compared to classic stories, caused by a slightly smaller height that triggers the Avoid Data Overlap setting. This behavior is by design.

To address this, you might consider the following options:

1. Slightly increasing the height of the ODE charts (or apply it with 2nd solution together).
2. Disabling the Avoid Data Overlap setting.
3. Editing the axis to adjust the label position, which can also improve visibility.

label, overlap, merge, muddle, mix, over, lapping, cover, covering, chart , KBA , LOD-ANA-DES , Story Design & Visualizations , Problem