Filters

A filter is an object that describes a multidimensional segment of data from a dataset.

Filters are used in reporting, analysis, and planning to restrict data to a certain business sector, product group, or time period, for example. By taking a subset of a dataset in this way, you can ensure that users or user groups only have access to the data that is relevant for them; you can also ensure that only certain data areas are visible to them within an application scenario.

Filters can be saved for reuse in other contexts.

The filter selection restricts the entire query. All of the InfoProvider data is aggregated using the filter selection of the query. You can select characteristics from the directory tree of the InfoProvider and restrict them to individual characteristic values; you can also select individual characteristic values or a key figure.

Decide whether all the query data is to be based on the numerical values of one key figure or whether the query is to be based on multiple key figures. If the query is to be based on the numerical values of one key figure, select the relevant key figure for the InfoProvider tree and drag it to the Filter area using drag and drop. You can also use a restricted or calculated key figure.

By selecting default values, you can create a query that is based on extensive data, but for which only a specific part of the data is displayed when the query is executed; this data that is displayed is the data in which you are most interested. You can then change the filter and analyze the remaining data as well. For example, all the customers in a query are to be analyzed, but in the initial state of the query, you only want to see specific customers.

You can also change the filter definition and include new objects, for example. If you change the reusable filter, these changes are applied everywhere the filter is used.

You can also change the filter locally, for example by placing the object below the reusable filter instead of in it. In this way, the reusable filter and the local filter object are used in this query.

Filters that contain key figures cannot be saved as reusable objects. These filters are always local objects of the query. This is not a restriction, because you can always combine a reusable filter and a local filter. You can use the reusable filter with the characteristic values and also add a key figure to the local filter.

Defining Filters

1. In the Query Designer, specify the filter by using drag and drop to drag the following objects from the InfoProviderscreen area to the Characteristic Restrictionsarea on the left side of the Filter screen area.
   • Characteristics: Restrict the characteristics to the required characteristic values, to characteristic value intervals, hierarchy nodes, or variables.
   • One or more characteristic values
   • A key figure
     Note

     Note that in this case, the query is not allowed to contain any other key figures in the rows or columns.

2. Using drag and drop, drag the required default values for the initial state of the query into the Default Valuesarea to the right.

   You can define default values in the same way as characteristic restrictions. By specifying these values, you set the initial filter state for the query when it is executed.

   Note

   If you restrict a characteristic to a variable in the default values, users can override the variable value or values at runtime. This enables users to change the default values of variables at runtime.

   More information:Defining Default Values for Variables to Allow Overwriting

Making Filters Reusable

If you want to save the filter as a reusable object, choose Save Filter in the context menu for the filter and enter a technical name and a description.

Using Reusable Filters Locally in a Query

1. Drag a reusable filter from the InfoProvider screen area to the Filter screen area.
2. Select the reusable filter and in the context menu, choose Remove Reference.

   In this way, you use the reusable filter locally in this query. Any changes you make to the reusable filter are no longer applied to the local filter.

More Information

Working with Filters