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Status Not under consideration
Workspace Planning Analytics
Created by Guest
Created on Aug 24, 2026

RELATED IDEAS

## Enhance Line Object Formatting Options

Dear team,

Description

The formatting options for the Line object in IBM Planning Analytics Workspace Books should be expanded to provide more flexibility for dashboard and application design.

Currently, the Line object supports different line styles, including:

  • Solid

  • Dotted

  • Dashed

  • Dashed + dotted

For example:

────────
········
--------
--··--··

However, the line currently only has plain endpoints and does not provide configurable endpoint markers such as arrowheads.

Enhancement Request

Add configurable start and end points to the Line object, with arrowheads as the primary and most important use case.

For example:

────────►

The Line object should ideally provide options for:

  • No endpoint

  • Arrow at the end

  • Arrow at the beginning

  • Arrow at both ends

The endpoint configuration should be independent of the selected line style, allowing combinations such as:

────────►
--------►
········►
--··--··►

Additional Endpoint Styles

While arrowheads are the primary requirement, the functionality could be designed to support additional endpoint styles in the future, for example:

  • Circle

  • Square

  • Diamond

  • Other common line-end markers

These additional styles are considered nice-to-have, whereas arrow endpoints should be the primary focus of this enhancement.

Use Cases

Configurable line endpoints would be particularly useful when creating visual relationships and process flows within PAW Books.

For example, users could use arrows to indicate:

  • Process flow between different steps or objects

  • Direction of data flow

  • Relationships between cubes, views, buttons, or other dashboard elements

  • Navigation or logical dependencies between objects

  • Directional relationships in planning or reporting processes

This would allow users to create simple process diagrams and visual flows directly within Planning Analytics Workspace without having to combine multiple objects or use external images.

Expected Result

The Line object should provide separate Start endpoint and End endpoint properties in its formatting options.

The user should be able to select an endpoint style independently from the line style and apply it to either end of the line.

For example:

Solid line                 ────────
Solid + end arrow          ────────►
Dashed + end arrow         --------►
Dotted + end arrow         ········►
Arrow at both ends         ◄────────►

This would make the existing Line object considerably more flexible for dashboard design and bring its capabilities more in line with common diagramming and presentation tools.

Priority

High priority: Arrow endpoints / arrowheads

Optional / future enhancement: Additional endpoint styles such as circles, squares, and diamonds.

The goal is not to introduce a new visualization, but to extend the existing Line object with more flexible formatting and endpoint options.

Thanks in advance.

With best regards,
Vitalij

Needed By Yesterday (Let's go already!)
  • Guest
    Aug 24, 2026

    Thanks for the clarification, Stuart.

    I understand the direction towards fully responsive dashboard modes, and that sounds like a good approach for the layout and positioning of widgets.

    One question regarding the use case behind this idea: will the new responsive dashboard modes also provide a way to represent directional relationships or simple process flows within a Book, or is the intention mainly to remove the need for lines/shapes for connecting and positioning widgets?

    For example, would a simple flow such as Data Load → Validation → Reporting still be possible without using Line objects?

    Reply
  • Admin
    Stuart King
    Aug 24, 2026

    This idea is not under consideration. We are shifting focus to fully responsive dashboard modes that do not require shapes or lines between widgets.

    1 reply
  • Guest
    Aug 24, 2026

    +1!

    Thank you for sharing this idea

    Thank you for submitting this enhancement idea.

    We agree that extending the Line object with configurable endpoints would provide additional flexibility when designing Planning Analytics Workspace Books.

    In particular, arrowheads at the beginning and/or end of a line would be a useful addition for representing process flows, data flows, relationships, and directional connections between objects.

    The existing line styles (solid, dotted, dashed, and dashed + dotted) are already useful, but combining them with configurable endpoints would make the Line object much more versatile.

    We would support this enhancement, with arrow endpoints being the primary requirement. Additional endpoint styles such as circles, squares, or diamonds could be considered as a further extension.

    Reply

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