# Use Query Editor

To create a chart, you must first choose a data source, which contains the data you want displayed in your chart.

Follow these basic steps to define data with the Query Editor using a sample dashboard provided with the Pentaho User Console (PUC).

1. In PUC, click **Browse Files** and navigate to **Public** > **Steel Wheels**. Locate the `Sales Performance (dashboard)` and double-click to open it.
2. Click the **Edit Content** icon to edit the dashboard.
3. In the dashboard, find the Orders by Country panel and click the **Insert Content** icon. In the drop-down menu that displays, select **Chart**.

   ![locations of dashboard and Query Editor icons](/files/irKEPcOmTKZn30LPCQxt)
4. Click **OK** to discard the current content.

   The Select a Data Source dialog box appears.
5. Select the data source **Orders** from the list of available choices and click **OK**.

   The data source contains the content you want to display in your chart.

   The Query Editor appears. You can use the Query Editor to retrieve dynamic data from a database for display in a chart. Defining your query is the first step in ensuring that the correct data is selected.
6. In the Query Editor, click the **Plus Sign** next to a category name to expand its associated table columns.
7. Click the small **right arrow** beside **Selected Columns** to place **Territory** under **Selected Columns**.

   In the example below, the **Territory** column has been selected (shaded in red) and added to **Selected Columns**.

   ![Select columns in Query Editor](/files/Q52AGbfzJtcrfL4b2ZfC)

   Notice that the Column names appear under **Selected Columns**.
8. Continue by adding **Total** in the **Orders** category to the**Selected Columns**.
9. Click **Preview** to see an example table of the data.

   ![Query Editor preview](/files/688dJNDuUTwQkQ09N2di)

   When finished, click **Close** to exit the preview.
10. Click **OK** when you have finished defining the data.

    The Chart Designer appears.

You are now ready to proceed with the tutorial steps in [Use Chart Designer](/pba/9.3-analytics/pentaho-dashboard-designer-cp/create-a-chart/use-chart-designer-pdd.md)


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