Here is a quick reference to common mistakes made when building charts.

My chart is completely blank or says “No Data Found.” What did I miss?+

  • The Quick Fix: Check if you have added a Metric.
  • Why it happens: Distill needs to know what math to perform before it can draw anything. If you select a dataset but don’t add a metric (like Sum of Sales or Count of Forms), the chart engine has no numbers to plot.
  • Other Culprit: Make sure the Form you connected has actually been Published. If it’s still in “Draft” or “Test” mode, the data won’t sync to your dashboard yet.

Why is my line chart completely flat, or why do I only see one giant bar?+

  • The Quick Fix: You forgot to set your Group By property.
  • Why it happens: Without a Group By instruction, the chart takes all the data in your spreadsheet, squishes it into one single pile, and shows you the grand total.
  • The Fix: Tell the chart how to slice the data. If you want to see a trend line change over time, change your Group By settings to a date field (like Order Date) and set the interval to Week or Month.

My line chart looks like a messy plate of spaghetti with way too many crossing lines. How do I clean it up?+

  • The Quick Fix: Use a Breakdown Limit.
  • Why it happens: You likely used the Breakdown By tool on a column with too many unique values (like Customer Name or City). If you have 500 customers, the chart tries to draw 500 separate-colored lines.
  • The Fix: Scroll down to the Breakdown Limit section at the bottom of your data settings. Change the Type to Top, set the Limit to 5 or 10, and select your metric. This automatically hides the clutter and only highlights your top performers.

I just filled out a form on my phone, but the data isn’t showing up on my dashboard chart. Is it broken?+

  • The Quick Fix: Give it a moment, or check your dashboard’s refresh rate.
  • Why it happens: While Distill is incredibly fast, it handles data in brief background intervals to keep your system running smoothly. If you just hit submit, it might take a minute or two to index.
  • The Fix: You can check the Refresh Rate property in your dashboard settings to control how often the widgets automatically update their data.