Concepts → Business Schema View Formula Column
About a business schema view formula column
For a Business Schema View, you can create an expression for a formula column using the Formula Builder. A formula expression has certain capabilities and limitations in a business schema view.
Using the Business Schema Designer, you can create a business schema view formula column by dragging and dropping New Formula from the Data panel into the canvas of the business schema view. These actions add a new business schema view formula column to the business schema view. From here, you can edit the properties of the business schema view formula column.
Properties of a business schema view formula column
Here are the properties of a formula column in a business schema view:
Property | Control | Description | Configuration |
---|---|---|---|
Name | text box | Enter the formula column’s name; used in the fully qualified name of the column | Valid characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, $, _ Name must begin with a letter character |
Label | text box | Enter a user friendly name | utf-8 md valid characters, including emoji 😀 |
Description | read only | Additional information for column, observable in the column details of the Analyzer | utf-8 md valid characters, including emoji 😀 |
Function | drop down list | Select the Incorta Function of the column | Dimension or Measure |
Set/Change Formula | Formula Builder | Create or edit a formula expression. | See Formula Builder |
A formula column that functions as a dimension will not appear in the list of runtime dashboard filters.
Business schema view formula column expressions
A formula expression returns a scalar value or array of values. These values are of a specific type. A formula expression can consist of:
- referenced columns
- built-in functions
- variable
Referenceable columns in a business schema view formula column expression
A referenced column has a fully qualified name. Here are the possible types of referenceable columns in a business schema view formula column expression:
Reference Source | Reference Type | Referenceable | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Physical_Schema.Table.Column | Data-backed | Yes | |
Physical_Schema.Incorta_Analyzer_Table.Column | Data-backed | Yes | |
Physical_Schema.Incorta_Analyzer_Table.Formula_Column | Data-backed formula | Yes | |
Business_Schema.View.Column | Data-backed | Yes | |
Business_Schema.View.Formula_Column | Runtime formula | Yes | |
Business_Schema.Incorta_View.Column | Data-backed | No | Validation possible in the Formula Builder. Runtime error in the Analyzer (Explore Data) |
Business_Schema.Incorta_View.Formula_Column | Runtime formula | No | Validation possible in the Formula Builder. Runtime error in the Analyzer (Explore Data) |
Data-backed references data that persists to Shared Storage.
Supported built-in functions
A formula column in a business schema view can use the following built-in functions in a formula expression:
Function Type | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|
Aggregation | Functions that accumulate data to a summary value | average, count, distinct, max, median, min, or sum |
Boolean | Functions that evaluate to True or False | and, between, contains, endsWith, in, inList, isNan, isNull, like, not, or, startsWith |
Conditional Statement | Statements that return a value based on the evaluation of a parameter | case, decode, and if |
Conversion | Functions that convert the Incorta Data Type of a parameter. In addition, functions that manipulate Timestamp and Date values for different return values. | day, double, monthName, parseDouble, string, toChar, and year |
Filter | Functions that specify a subset of data items | firstVersion or lastVersion |
Miscellaneous | Functions with assorted uses | descendantOf, lookup, rowNumber, and schemaRefreshTime |
Arithmetic | Functions that take one or more values and return a single value | abs, ceil, exp, floor, max, min, mod, rnd, round, sqrt, and trunc |
Date | Functions that manipulate Timestamp and Date values | addDays, date, month, removeTime, weekday, and year |
String | Functions that return string values or return values based on string parameters | bin, concat, find, ifNull, repeat, rTrim, and upper |
Analytic | Functions that compute values over a group of rows and returns a single result for each row | denseRank, index, or rank |
Variable references in formula expressions
In the Formula Builder, in the Functions and Variables panel, certain variables are referenceable in the formula expression. Some types of variables all users have access to and other kinds of variables are subject to Discretionary Access Control (DAC).
Here are the various categories of variables:
- System Variables: Predefined variables within Incorta that return a value as a defined type.
- External Session Variables: Variables that query an external data source when invoked. Values returned as string.
- Internal Session Variables: Variables that query data within a schema. Values returned as string.
- Global Variables: A static variable available to all tenant users that return a value as a defined type.
Formula expressions in a business schema view formula column can reference the following variables:
Variable Type | Referenceable | Note |
---|---|---|
System Variable | Yes | |
External Session Variable | Yes | |
Internal Session Variable | Yes | |
Global Variable | No | Not supported in 4.9 or earlier releases |
Additional Considerations
There are additional considerations for a business schema view formula column in:
- the Analyzer
- an Insight
Business schema view formula columns in the Analyzer
When using the Analyzer, you can select and inspect business view columns in the Data panel. For a given column, select the Information icon in the right gutter. The Information dialog shows the:
- Column Name
- Source Column/Formula
- Data Type
- Function
- Description
- Sample Data
The Information dialog shows the formula expression.
Business schema view formula columns in an Insight
A business schema view formula column in an Insight will enforce a defined aggregation in the formula expression. This means that a user cannot override the aggregation for the business schema view formula column in the Analyzer.
You can use a business schema view formula column as an applicable filter for an insight, including Individual, Distinct, and Aggregated filters.