---
title: "Examples of report graphs"
slug: "examples-of-report-graphs"
tags: ["Reference", "Explainer", "Totara Platform"]
updated: 2026-08-13T16:01:37Z
published: 2026-08-13T16:01:37Z
canonical: "totara.help/examples-of-report-graphs"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Examples of report graphs

[Embedded content](https://www.youtube.com/embed/AAerB9_59FY)

As well as producing reports from the report builder, you can also [produce graphs](/totara-20/docs/create-a-report-graph) to visually represent the data, which can often make it quicker and easier to digest. However it is also important to note that the graphical reporting functionality in Totara has not been designed to replace any dedicated graphical reporting packages. The reports produced are meant for inclusion in blocks and dashboards rather than as a comprehensive reporting tool.

The graphs below are designed as examples to inspire and demonstrate what is possible.

See [Graphical reporting advanced settings](/totara-20/docs/graphical-reporting-advanced-settings) for more information on customising graphs.

## **Course membership (donut graph)**

You can produce a donut graph that shows the number of users per course. This allows you to quickly and easily see which courses have the most (and least) users. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Go to *Quick-access menu > Reports (/totara/reportbuilder/index.php)*
2. Click **Create report**
3. Under **Report sources** select **Course**.
4. Create a new report by choosing the **Course membership** report source and selecting **Create and edit**.
5. Under the **General** tab configure your Report settings.
6. Then, in the **Columns** tab, ensure there are the following columns: **Course name (linked to course page)** and **User's Fullname** (this may involve removing other columns or adding these in).
7. Set the aggregation for the **User's Fullname** to **Count unique**, but make sure you don't set any other aggregation.
8. Click **Save changes** before moving between tabs.
9. Then in the **Graph** tab, set the **Graph type** to **Donut**.
10. Set the **Category** to **Course name** and set the **Data sources** to **Count unique values of User's Fullname**. For now you can ignore all other settings.
11. Again, remember to **Save changes** before moving between tabs.
12. In the **Filters** tab, you can add or remove your filters as needed. For example add the filter **Course type**, you can than filter your data based on course type.
13. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click **Save changes**.

To view the donut graph click the link **View this report**, which is found just above the report title.

These settings will produce a graph that looks similar to this:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-T2DS5S3L.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T05%3A59%3A10Z&se=2026-11-06T06%3A59%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=mNY3jjOgVU7Y%2FPdLpsSwx%2BWUB4BLsV7%2FhwqVAjM1jWk%3D)

## **Certification completion status (pie chart)**

You can create a report which displays a pie chart to represent learners' certification completion as a percentage. This allows you to easily see how many learners are certified, not certified, expired, or in progress. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Go to *Quick-access menu > Reports (/totara/reportbuilder/index.php)*
2. Click **Create report**
3. Under **Report sources** select **Certification**.
4. Create a new report by choosing the **Certification Completion** report source and selecting **Create and edit**.
5. Under the **General** tab configure your Report settings.
6. Then, in the **Columns** tab, ensure there is only the **Status** and **User ID number** columns (this may involve removing other columns or adding these in).

> [!NOTE]
> When **Status** is selected as a column for a report from a **Certification report source**, the **Status** data will show **Not certified**, **Certified** and **In progress**. You can also choose **Not certified**, **Certified** and **In progress** as separate columns or filters when creating and editing your reports.

1. Set the aggregation for the **User ID number** to **Count**.
2. Click **Save changes** before moving between tabs.
3. Then in the **Graph** tab, set the **Graph type** to **Pie**.
4. Next set the **Category** to **Status** and set the **Data sources** to **Count of User ID Number**. For now you can ignore all other settings.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click **Save changes**.
6. In the **Filters** tab, you can filter the results by a range of metrics, for example by certification name, manager's name, or you can use date range filters.

To view the pie chart click **View this report**, which is found just above the report title.

These settings will produce this graph (based on arbitrary data):

![A pie chart showing certification completion.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-1643035884605.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T05%3A59%3A10Z&se=2026-11-06T06%3A59%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=mNY3jjOgVU7Y%2FPdLpsSwx%2BWUB4BLsV7%2FhwqVAjM1jWk%3D)

For a certification status to be **in progress** there must be more than one course in the original certification pathway, of which at least one must be completed (if there is only one course, there are only two possible states: **not started** or **complete**).

## **Certification completion comparison** **(column graph)**

You can also create a report which summarises data such as course completion data. This could include how many people have completed the different courses on the site.

1. Go to *Quick-access menu > Reports (/totara/reportbuilder/index.php)*
2. Click **Create report**
3. Under **Report sources** select **Course**.
4. Create a new report by choosing the **Course Completion** report source and selecting **Create and edit**.
5. Under the **General** tab configure your Report settings.
6. Then, in the **Columns** tab, ensure there are the following columns; **Course name**, **Is complete** and **Is not complete** (this may involve removing other columns or adding these in).
7. Set the aggregation for the **Is complete** and **Is not complete** to **Sum**, but make sure you don't set any other aggregation.
8. Click **Save changes** before moving between tabs.
9. Then in the **Graph** tab, set the **Graph type** to **Column**.
10. Next set the **Category** to **Course name** and set the **Data sources** to **Is complete** and **Is not complete**.
11. As there is more than one data sources (**Is complete** and **Is not complete)** you can select if you want the data in the column graph stacked or not.
12. Again, remember to **Save changes** before moving between tabs.
13. In the **Filters** tab, you can add filters such as **Course name** or a date range.
14. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click **Save changes**.

To view the bar chart, click **View this report**, which is found just above the report title.

These settings will produce this graph, note that the graph is displayed with the data shown as **Stacked**:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-3054S3X8.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T05%3A59%3A10Z&se=2026-11-06T06%3A59%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=mNY3jjOgVU7Y%2FPdLpsSwx%2BWUB4BLsV7%2FhwqVAjM1jWk%3D)

## **Site usage by month (line chart)**

You can produce a line graph to show the number of users on the site each month. This could be helpful in analysing peak months where the site is most active.

1. Go to *Quick-access menu > Reports (/totara/reportbuilder/index.php)*
2. Click **Create report**
3. Under **Report sources** select **Site and server**.
4. Create a new report by choosing the **Site logs** report source and selecting **Create and edit**.
5. Under the **General** tab configure your Report settings.
6. Then, in the **Columns** tab, ensure the **Time** and **User ID number** columns are present (this may involve removing other columns or adding these in).
7. Set the aggregation for **Time** to **Month of year (textual)** and for **User ID number** to **Count**.
8. Click **Save changes** before moving between tabs.
9. Then in the **Graph** tab, set the **Graph type** to **Line**.
10. Next set the **Category** to **Time - month of the year** and set the **Data sources** to **Count of User ID Number**. For now you can ignore all other settings.
11. In the **Filters** tab, you can add filters such as **User's Position(s)**, or **User's Fullname**.
12. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click **Save changes**.

To view the line chart, click **View this report**, which is found just above the report title.

The resulting graph might look something like this (produced using test data):

![](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-MW1Q2NJ4.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T05%3A59%3A10Z&se=2026-11-06T06%3A59%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=mNY3jjOgVU7Y%2FPdLpsSwx%2BWUB4BLsV7%2FhwqVAjM1jWk%3D)

## Next steps

- [Create a user report](/totara-20/docs/create-a-user-report)
- [Edit an embedded report](/totara-20/docs/edit-an-embedded-report)

![Course badge](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/course-badge_reports-reporting.svg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-06T05%3A59%3A10Z&se=2026-11-06T06%3A59%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=mNY3jjOgVU7Y%2FPdLpsSwx%2BWUB4BLsV7%2FhwqVAjM1jWk%3D) Get involved in the conversation about [Reporting](https://totara.community/container/type/workspace/workspace.php?id=538) on the Totara Community.

Why not visit the Totara Academy for our latest course on [Reports](https://totara.community/mod/page/view.php?id=24538) in Totara. Here you can learn more on how to use reports, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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