The Maximum Impact Solutions Blog

How Do I Change the Default Chart Palette Colours in SQL Reporting Services 2005?

• Completed - Lime Green
• Ready - Green Yellow
• In Progress - Yellow
• Not Progressed- Red
• Unknown - Blue
  

• Default
• Earth Tones
• Excel
• Gray Scale
• Light
• Pastel and
• Semi - Transparent

This causes an issue for developers who want and/or require more flexibility in the choice of colours for the chart colour palette.

One method would be to add some code to the report, defining the colour palette for the chart, and then applying the code.

An alternative method is to use the SWITCH function.  The Switch function evaluates a list of expressions and returns an Object value corresponding to the first expression in the list that is True.

To create a custom palette based on the following values:

• Completed - Lime Green
• Ready - Green Yellow
• In Progress - Yellow
• Not Progressed- Red
• Unknown - Blue

1. In the Layout Tab of SSRS 2005, add the Chart Object to the grid.
   
   
2. Click and drag the required fields to the required chart locations
   
   
3. Right Click on the Chart Object Select Properties option
     
   This activates the Chart Properties dialog box:
   
   
   
    
   
4. In the Chart Properties dialog box, click on the Data Tab
   
   
5. Select the required field in the Values: section
   
   
   
   
   
6. Press the Edit button
   
   
7. In the Edit Chart Value dialog box, select the Appearance Tab
   
   
   
   
   
8. Press the Series Style button
   
   
9. In the Style Properties dialog box, select the Fill tab
   
   
   
   
   
10. Press the [fx] button
    
    
11. In the Edit Expression dialog box enter the following formula:
    
    

    =Switch(Fields!CaseStatus.Value="Complete","LimeGreen",

    Fields!CaseStatus.Value="Ready","GreenYellow",

    Fields!CaseStatus.Value="In Progress","Yellow",

    Fields!CaseStatus.Value="Not Progressed","Red",

    Fields!CaseStatus.Value="Unknown","Blue")
    
    
    
    
    

12. Press the OK button