Custom Data Markers allows the flexibility to add more context to the data displayed and personalize it to the business user. Vitaracharts for Microstrategy offers a variety of customizable data marker options organized by subject area.
In the following example, IMBD's top 100 movies along with user ratings are displayed using a grid with custom markers such as stars for the rating and also custom markers to show run time for each movie
Use cases: This type of grid with markers can be leveraged for customer survey data, ratings for various funds, feedback on products, employee rating, etc and has wide applicability across industries like HR, Financial Services, Retail, Government, etc.
Custom data markers can be beneficial not only in grid charts but can add another dimension to displaying data in graphs as well. The example below showcases wine production across various countries worldwide using a bar chart. The bars are filled with wine glass markers to make it more intuitive for the end-user.
This feature can also be used stylistically. In the 'Is Sugar the New Tobacco' bar chart, simple square icons are used to match the overall look and feel of the visualization. These Custom Markers can even be customized through the use of thresholds.