Geo Graph
Geo Graph
What Is This Report Type?
A Geo Graph is a geographic network visualization that overlays node-and-link diagrams on a map canvas. Entities (nodes) are positioned at their geographic coordinates, and relationships or flows between them are drawn as connecting lines or arcs. The chart combines the spatial context of a map with the relational structure of a network graph—revealing geographic patterns in connected data.
Why Is It Used?
Geo Graphs are used when location and relationships between locations both matter. A standard table can show which offices communicate, but a Geo Graph shows that all high-traffic connections converge on the Mumbai hub—a pattern invisible in tabular data. They are the primary tool for logistics networks, supply chains, communication topology, and any analysis where geography shapes relationships.
Key Features and Characteristics
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Geographic Positioning | Nodes are placed at real-world coordinates (latitude/longitude) on a map background. |
| Network Links | Lines or arcs connect related nodes; line weight can encode relationship strength. |
| Node Sizing | Node size can encode a value (e.g., revenue, traffic volume, headcount) at each location. |
| Color Coding | Node and link colors can encode categories, status, or metric thresholds. |
| Interactive Map | Pan and zoom the underlying map to explore different geographic regions. |
When to Use It (Use Cases)
- Supply Chain Networks: Visualizing supplier → warehouse → distribution center → customer flows on a map.
- Logistics Routes: Mapping delivery routes and traffic volumes between city hubs.
- Telecom Infrastructure: Showing network node connections and bandwidth across regions.
- Sales Territory Coverage: Displaying office locations and their customer reach zones.
Real-Time Business Example
Scenario: A logistics director needs to understand which distribution centers are handling the most cross-regional shipments and whether any routes are overloaded.
Visualization: A Geo Graph displays 12 distribution center nodes across India, positioned at their actual locations on a map. Thick arcs between Mumbai and Delhi indicate the highest shipment volume route. Thin arcs to smaller cities show lower-volume connections. Node size reflects each center’s total throughput—Chennai and Bangalore nodes are large, indicating high local volume. The director identifies the Mumbai–Delhi corridor as the capacity bottleneck.
Common Metrics Displayed
- Shipment Volumes: Flow magnitude between origin and destination nodes.
- Network Bandwidth: Data transfer volumes between telecom nodes.
- Customer Counts: Number of customers served by each office location node.
- Revenue by Location: Revenue attributed to each geographic node.
User Interactions
| Interaction | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Filters | Filter by region, route type, or threshold to isolate specific network segments. |
| Hover / Tooltip | Hovering over a node shows location name, coordinates, and all configured metrics. Hovering over a link shows the two connected nodes and flow value. |
| Click / Drill-Down | Clicking a node navigates to the detail report for that location. |
| Map Zoom / Pan | Standard map controls allow zooming in on specific regions or panning to different geographies. |
| Export | Export to Excel. |
Creation Steps
- Select Geo Graph as the report type.
- Node Field: Drag the location identifier field (e.g., City or Warehouse Code).
- Latitude / Longitude: Map coordinate fields to node positioning.
- Link Source / Target: Drag origin and destination fields for relationship lines.
- Metrics: Drag value fields for node sizing and link weight (e.g., Shipment Count).