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# How to build a gauge chart with calculated values
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/gauge-charts-with-calculated-values/
- Published: 2026-09-16T18:50:33.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-16T18:50:33.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

A **gauge chart with calculated values** computes its own number instead of reading a prepared field. In **Jestor**, you set a minimum, a maximum and a calculation, and the chart shows progress toward the target directly, without a separate indicator feeding it.

## Why gauges were limited before

A gauge is the natural way to show progress toward a goal. Its weakness was always the input: it could only display a value that already existed somewhere as a field.

That meant building a calculated field first, purely so the chart had something to read. Two objects to maintain for one number.

What calculating inside the chart removes:

- Auxiliary fields created only to feed a visual
- A calculation that has to be updated in two places
- Delay between the data changing and the chart reflecting it
- Confusion about which field the gauge is actually reading

## What a gauge needs to be configured

| Setting          | What it defines                  | Example               |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| Minimum value    | Where the scale starts           | Zero                  |
| Maximum value    | Where the scale ends             | The monthly target    |
| Calculated value | The result being measured        | Sum of closed deals   |
| Target           | The reference being pursued      | Revenue goal          |
| Progress         | Percentage of the target reached | Derived automatically |

## Step by step to build one

1. **Activate build mode** on the app holding the panel.
2. **Add or edit the gauge chart**.
3. **Set the minimum and maximum**, which define the scale.
4. **Choose the calculated value option** instead of pointing at a field.
5. **Define the calculation**, such as the sum of a value on records in a given stage.
6. **Check the progress percentage**, which is derived from the calculation and the maximum.

## Where gauges work and where they mislead

A gauge is excellent for a single number moving toward a single target. It is poor at showing a trend, a comparison or a distribution, because the shape encourages reading one thing. Use it for the monthly goal, and a bar or line chart for everything else.

- **Calculation inside the chart:** no auxiliary field to maintain
- **Scale defined explicitly:** minimum and maximum under your control
- **Progress derived automatically:** percentage calculated from the target
- **Best for goals:** one metric, one target, one clear read

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do I need a separate field to feed the gauge?

No. The gauge can calculate the value itself. See [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### Can I set my own scale?

Yes. The minimum and maximum values are configurable.

### Is the progress percentage automatic?

Yes. It is derived from the calculated value against the maximum.

## Video Tutorial: Step by Step

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way, all without code and powered by **AI**. Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.