BUG: New charts show key, not label for ref fields

[RedVox]

Initially created this chart in the old chart editor. But I'm not a monster, so of course I want to sort the data!  this doesn't seem possible in the old chart editor (how is that a thing, btw?!?).   So, thought I'd use the new chart editor.  I have sort options now, but instead of driver names, the ref key value is shown.  I played for too long and could not find anyway to change it so that it was fixed.  Seems like a bug to me. 

In the old chart tool, the ref field's label is shown (correct).In the new tool, using the same data, the ref field key value is shown.

[PauloExpert]

You're absolutely right — and your frustration makes total sense.

🔍 The Issue at a Glance:

📊 Chart 1 (Old Editor):

Driver names are shown properly.

No sorting options.

📊 Chart 2 (New Editor):

Sorting is available, but...

The driver name is replaced with a Ref key (like ekQsL8BQTZsuyQDb...), which is unreadable.

⚠️ Why This Happens:

You're likely dealing with a Ref column (like [Driver]) in AppSheet, and in the new chart editor, it uses the raw key instead of the label for display. This is a known quirk/bug — AppSheet sometimes forgets to dereference for visual fields in newer visualizations.

✅ Your Goal:

You want to sort the chart by count but still display readable driver names, not ref keys.

🔧 Workarounds That Work:

✅ Option 1: Create a Virtual Column with the Display Name

1. Go to your data table.

2. Add a Virtual Column, e.g., DriverName with this formula:

[Driver].[Name]

(or [Driver].[FullName], whatever your label column is)

3. In your chart, use DriverName for the X-axis instead of Driver.

✔ This way, sorting works, and names show up correctly.

✅ Option 2: Change the Label in the Driver Table

1. Go to your Driver table.

2. Set the Label column to the name field (Name, Full Name, etc.).

3. Back in your main table, the Ref field ([Driver]) will now resolve to that label in visuals.

⚠ May not immediately fix the chart if AppSheet still treats it as a raw key. Option 1 is safer.

🧪 Experimental Tip:

Sometimes switching to a slice or recreating the chart after making the virtual column helps it “stick” and render correctly.

😤 Why Is It Like This?

This is a known UX inconsistency in AppSheet’s newer chart tooling. You're not alone — many AppSheet creators hit this issue when upgrading visualizations.