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Format Panel

The Format panel controls the visual presentation of the selected component. It is context-aware: the available sections change based on which component type is selected. The panel is divided into named sections that can be expanded or collapsed. Changes apply live to the canvas preview.

Report Forge format panel

Panel sections

SectionAvailable for
TitleAll components
TypographyTable, matrix, KPI card, slicer
Number formatAll numeric value fields
ColorsAll components
Layout / spacingAll components
BordersTable, matrix, KPI card
AxesChart, combo chart, scatter, cash flow, EV
LegendChart, combo chart, scatter, gantt
Data labelsChart, combo chart, KPI card
Conditional formattingTable, matrix
GridlinesChart, gantt

Number formats

Configure how numeric values are displayed across the component:

FormatSyntax / description
IntegerNo decimal places. Thousands separator optional.
DecimalFixed decimal places (0–6).
PercentageMultiplies by 100 and appends "%". Decimals configurable.
CurrencyPrepends a currency symbol. Symbol configurable (£, $, €, AED, etc.).
AbbreviatedAutomatically abbreviates large numbers: 1,000 → 1K; 1,000,000 → 1M; 1,000,000,000 → 1B.
CustomEnter a format string using Excel-style syntax, e.g. #,##0.00"m" for meters.
DateFormat date fields: dd/MM/yyyy, MMM yyyy, yyyy-MM-dd, or custom.
DurationFormat numeric duration as days, weeks, or Xd Xh style.

Typography

PropertyOptions
Font familySelect from report theme fonts or override with a custom font.
Font sizePoint size (6–72pt).
Font weightNormal, semibold, bold, extra-bold.
Font styleNormal, italic.
Text decorationUnderline, strikethrough, none.
Text colorHex color picker or palette selection.
AlignmentLeft, center, right, justify (horizontal); top, middle, bottom (vertical for table cells).
Line heightMultiplier (e.g., 1.2×, 1.5×).
Text overflowClip, ellipsis (...), or wrap.

Typography settings can be applied at the component level (affects all text in the component) or overridden at the column/series/group level.


Colors

PropertyDescription
Series colorsColor per data series or category. Edit individually or apply a preset color scheme.
Background colorBackground fill of the component container.
Alternate row colorSecond row background for alternating-row tables and matrices.
Header backgroundColumn header background color.
Positive / negative colorsFor waterfall, variance indicators, and delta arrows.
Color schemes / presetsBuilt-in palettes: Corporate, Vibrant, Earth, Cool, Warm, Monochrome, and custom.

Layout and spacing

PropertyDescription
Width / HeightComponent dimensions on the canvas in pixels or percentage of the canvas width.
PaddingInner spacing between the component border and its content (top, right, bottom, left).
MarginOuter spacing between this component and adjacent components.
Row heightFixed row height for tables.
Column widthPer-column width for tables: auto, fixed pixels, or percentage.
GapSpace between items in KPI multi-card grid layouts.

Borders

PropertyDescription
Border visibilityToggle each side: top, right, bottom, left.
Border colorHex color for each border side (can differ per side).
Border widthPixel thickness.
Border styleSolid, dashed, dotted, double.
Cell bordersFor tables: outer border, inner horizontal, inner vertical, or header-only.
Corner radiusRounded corners on the component container.

Axes (chart components)

PropertyDescription
Axis titleText label for each axis.
Axis title fontSize, weight, color.
Axis min / maxForce a specific range or leave on auto-scale.
Tick intervalForce a fixed tick spacing or leave on auto.
Label formatNumber format applied to axis tick labels.
Label angleRotation for X axis labels: 0°, 45°, 90°.
Label densityShow every Nth label to reduce crowding.
Gridline colorColor for major and minor gridlines.
Gridline styleSolid, dashed, dotted.
Log scaleEnable for wide-range value axes.

  1. Bind the component's data fields first.
  2. Confirm the story the data tells is correct.
  3. Set title and axis/column labels.
  4. Apply number formats.
  5. Adjust layout: width, height, padding.
  6. Set typography: font size, weight, alignment.
  7. Set colors and borders.
  8. Apply conditional formatting last.