Concepts → Filter Option
About a filter option
A filter option is a type of dashboard filter. A filter option is a filter expression that affects all applicable insights on all tabs of the given dashboard.
A filter option behaves the same way as an applied filter. The difference between an a filter option and an applied filter is that a dashboard consumer is aware of the filter option. A padlock icon next to the dashboard title in the action bar of a dashboard indicates one or more filter options.
The tooltip for the padlock icon incorrectly refers to security options. A filter option is not a security option.
A dashboard consumer with View access rights to the dashboard can select a filter option in the Filter Options menu. If there is only one filter option, the menu only show this single option.
A dashboard developer creates one or more filter options. At least one filter option is the default option. If a dashboard developer defines more than one filter option, a dashboard consumer can switch between the various filter options.
A dashboard developer with Edit access rights to a dashboard can create and edit one or more filter options. Here’s how:
- In the Action bar of a dashboard, select More Options (⋮ vertical ellipsis icon).
- In the More Options menu, select Manage Filter & Prompts.
- In Dashboard Filters, in the Action bar, select Filter Options (filter funnel and gear icon).
- In Filter Options, select Add (+ addition icon) to create a new option or select an existing filter option to make changes.
- From the Data panel, drag & drop a column or formula to the filter options tray.
Valid references in a filter expression for a filter option
As a filter expression, a filter option of least one filterable column, a filter operator, and at least one filter value. A filterable column for a filter option can be a data-backed column or a formula column from:
- physical schema alias, table, or derived table
- runtime business view
The join relationships between physical schema tables affect a filter expression. For example, when the filterable column is from a parent table, the filter expression automatically applies to all the dashboard insights related to this table’s child tables. However, if the filterable column is from a child table, the filter expression does not affect the insights related to the parent tables.
Certain filter operators afford various options for selecting one or more filter values. For example, when using the In Query operator, you can use a query expression to generate the list of values to apply as a filter. Also, the In and Not In operators allow for the selection of none, one or more, or all filter values.
A filter value for a filter option can be a scalar value, array of scalar values, or a reference to a variable as follows:
- a filter expression session variable
- an internal session variable
- an external session variable
- a global variable
- a defined presentation variable for the dashboard
- a date system variable
- a miscellaneous system variable
You can also define a filter option as a filter expression using the Formula Builder.
View access rights
In order to reference a column or variable in a filter expression, you must have View access privileges to the grandparent object (schema or business schema) or the variable. A global variable is available to all users.
About an applicable insight for a filter option
In the context of a filter expression, an applicable insight is one that the filter expression applies to. In this regard, there is a relationship between the applicable insight and the filterable column in the filter expression.
The joins between the physical schema tables and the query plan for an insight measure determine whether or not the filterable column affects the insight. For example, a physical schema column in a parent table serves as a filterable column for a measure in a child table. However, a physical schema column from a child table is not a filterable column for a parent table, even when it is the foreign key reference.
You can use the In Query operator in a filter expression to filter the parent table values using a query or queryDistinct built-in function. The query or queryDistinct built-in functions can reference a child table column (or any other table with no relation to the parent table) to generate the filter values.
For a filterable column, an applicable insight meets one of the following conditions:
- The filterable column is a dimension or measure column in the insight.
- The filterable column has a sibling column from the same physical schema table, and that sibling is a dimension or measure for the insight.
- The filterable column is a dimension or key that shares a measure on the insight from a common child table with other dashboard insights.
If an applicable insight already contains an insight individual filter, a filter option will complement the insight individual filter based on a common filterable column as described above.
Properties for a filter option
The following are the general properties of a filter option.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Enter the name as it will appear on the dashboard in the filter |
| Default | Enable this option to set the current filter option as the default. If you create only one filter option, it will act as the default. |
| Filter | Drag and drop a column or New Formula from the Data panel to the filter tray. Once specified, the column or formula will appear as a filter pill. You can then edit the filter pill properties. |
Properties for a filter option pill that is a column
The following are the properties of a filter pill that is a column:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Header | label | Displays the fully-qualified name |
| Name | text box | Optional. Enter the display name for the column. A dashboard user will not see this value. |
| Edit Operator/Value(s) | button | Select to specify the filter operator and filter values. For certain data types, you must manually add a reference to a variable. For a column of the type date, you can specify a specific date or select a date system variable for the date picker control. |
Properties for a filter option pill that is a formula
The following are the properties of a filter pill that is a formula:
| Property | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | text box | Optional. Enter a name for the formula. A dashboard consumer will not see this name. |
| Dynamic | toggle | Enable this option to select an external session variable or a filter expression session variable. |
| Value | drop down list | Select an external session variable or a filter expression session variable. Visible only when Dynamic is enabled. |
| Formula | text box | Select to open the Formula Builder to create the filter expression. Visible only when Dynamic is disabled. |
| Edit Operator/Value(s) | button | Select to specify the filter operator and filter values. Visible only when Dynamic is disabled. |
Typically, you specify a filter expression session variable when you enable the Dynamic property. If using an external session variable, the external session variable must return a string that represents a filter expression.