Limiting and Grouping

Data in Analyses

Copyright © 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

 Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe the use of filters, selections, groups, and
calculated items in limiting the results of analyses
• Design and build filters in Oracle Business Intelligence
analyses
• Add filter prompts to an analysis
• Use a saved analysis as a filter
• Edit the SQL for a column filter in an analysis
• Create and save selections
• Create and save groups and calculated items

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 Limiting Data in Your Analyses

There are two ways to limit the results of your analyses:

• Filters:
– Limit data for a column prior to aggregation, affecting totals
(or other aggregations) for the analysis
– Can be applied to attribute or measure columns
• Selections:
– Limit members for a column after aggregation, affecting the
display of data in your analysis
– Can be applied to attribute columns to limit members
— Impacts row and grand totals
– Can be applied to hierarchical columns to limit members
— Impacts row and grand totals
— Does not impact total members aggregation

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 Using Filters to Limit Data in Analyses

Filters limit results when an analysis is run.

• Only those results that match filter criteria are included.
• Filters are applied before the query is aggregated.

Delete all filters.

This inline filter limits the Create a new

results to customers and inline filter.
Filters pane sales reps in these cities.
Save an inline filter
as a named filter.

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 Creating and Editing Filters

• Named filters are created using the New button in the

Global Header or saved from within analysis criteria.
• Inline filters are created, displayed, and managed in the
Filters pane for the analysis they are associated with.
• Use the Create/Edit Filter dialog box to create and edit
both named and inline filters.
Creating a new inline Creating a new inline
filter from the Selected filter from the Filters pane
Columns pane of the of the Criteria tab.
Creating
Criteria tab.
a new
named
filter.

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 Creating and Editing Filters

Use the Create/Edit Filter dialog box to create and edit both
named and inline filters. Edit Filter icon opens Edit Filter dialog box.

Set a formula
New Filter
dialog box

Search
values for the
column.

Protect the
filter from
override by a
prompt.

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 Grouping Filters

• Grouping filters allows you to create nested filters with an

AND operator.
– Use OR operator to build complex filters.
• Grouped filters appear in a bounded box.

To group filters,
click the operator.

Grouped filters

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 Dynamic Filtering

Filters (such as Current Month and Previous Month) can be

created to limit changing data.

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 Using a Saved Analysis as a Filter

Use any saved analysis that returns a column of values to filter

a selected column in an analysis.

1
2

3
4

Indicates that the filter

is comparing with the
saved analysis

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 Editing SQL for a Column Filter

Edit the logical SQL WHERE clause to be used as a filter.

1
2

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 Drilling and Filters

• Drilling on attribute columns in the Results tab

automatically filters results.
• The drill path corresponds to level-based hierarchies that
are defined in the metadata. The filter is automatically
Drill on the results page to filter added to criteria.
on the drilled value.

Results include the next level in

the time hierarchy.

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 Applying Named Filters

Select a named filter in the Catalog pane to add it to an

analysis.
Click to view the
selected named filter.
2

Select this option to remove all existing

filters before adding the named filter.

3
Select this option to apply the filter
contents instead of a reference.

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 Analysis Prompts

• Provide general filtering columns in an analysis

• Allow you to constrain choices for a column
• Are of two types:
– Inline: Column prompt created at the analysis level
– Dashboard: Created outside of a specific analysis and saved
in the catalog as a Prompt object for reuse
• Example: Inline filter on Central region constrains available
values for user selection in an analysis state prompt.

Inline filter Analysis prompt displays only

states in Central region

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 Adding an Inline Prompt to an Analysis

Create or edit an analysis to which you want to add an inline

prompt, and then click the Prompts tab to open the Definition
pane.
1
Add a new prompt.

2
3

Preview the prompt

as you work.

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 Defining Prompt Properties

1. Enter a label for the prompt.

2. Choose the operator.

Slider is
available for
1 numeric value
input only.

3 Constrain values
for the prompt

3. Indicate how you want the

choices to appear in User
Input.
4
4. Click OK.

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 Multiple Column Filter Prompts

Create multiple prompts per analysis:

• Executed in the order listed, from top to bottom
• Each prompt constrained by previous prompts (if
configured) Test prompts in a
separate window.

Edit and delete a

selected prompt.

Use arrows to sequence

the prompts.

Preview prompts in Display pane. An

asterisk indicates that user input is
required for a prompt.

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 Practice 4-1 Through 4-4: Overview

This practice covers the following topics:

• Adding filters to an analysis
• Adding inline prompts to an analysis
• Using a saved analysis as a filter
• Editing SQL for a column filter

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 Using Selections to Limit Data in Analyses
Selections limit the display of members for an analysis.
• Only those results that meet selection criteria are shown.
– Members are assembled from selection steps in the order
they appear in the Selection pane.
• Selection steps are applied after the query is aggregated.
– Affect only the members displayed, not the resulting values
– Apply to attribute and hierarchical columns
– Can include groups and calculated items
Select the analysis
columns shown in the
Selection pane.

Default selection of start with all members of column

is added when the column is included in the analysis.

These selection steps sequentially start with all members and keep
the ‘East’ hierarchical member, excluding the other member regions.

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 Groups

• Are lists of members or a set of selection steps that can be

executed to generate a list of members
• Can be created from selection steps or built manually by
selecting members of attribute or hierarchy columns
– Creates a new member for the group
• Can be saved as objects to the Presentation Catalog
• Can be referenced in:
Selection step referencing
– Selection steps East and West Group
– Prompts
Click to edit or
save group.

East and West Group member in Results

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 Creating Groups

1. Create a new member group.

2. Define the group properties.
3. Apply formatting.
4. Verify the results.

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 1. Create a New Member Group

Click the New Group button in any view from your analysis
results.
New Group button in the
Compound Layout view in
the Results tab.

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 2. Define the Group Properties

Define and name the group in the New Group dialog box.
1
2
Selected
members

3
4

Move and
Remove
Access the Presentation selected
Catalog to add existing groups. members.

Format the
group in
results.
5

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 3. Apply Formatting

Click the Format button in the New/Edit Group dialog box.

Copy, paste, and clear cell formats

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 4. Verify the Results

• In the results, navigate to view the group.

• You can also verify the group in the Selections pane.

Group appears in the results Child members of the

with formatting, always at the hierarchical column are
bottom of the column. defined by the group.

Group appears as a
step in the Selections
pane for the column.

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 Calculated Items

• Are calculations between members, represented as a new

single member
– Override:
— Default aggregation rule specified in the repository
— Aggregation rule set for the analysis
– Can be referenced in selection steps and saved as named
calculated items
Selection step referencing
Average East/West
calculated item

Click to edit or save

calculated item.

Calculated item with average of

nonessential item products

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 Creating Calculated Items

1. Create a new calculated item.

2. Define the calculated item properties.
3. Verify the results.

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 1. Create a New Calculated Item

Click the New Calculated Item button in any view from your
analysis results.
New Calculated Item button
in the Compound Layout
view in the Results tab

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 2. Define the Calculated Item Properties

Define and name the group in the New Calculated Item dialog
box.
1
Available
functions
2
3
5
4

Format the
item in
results.

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 3. Verify the Results

Calculated item
appears as a step in
the Selections pane
for the column.

Calculated item appears in the Measures reflect

results with formatting, always at function or
the bottom of the column. custom formula.

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 Creating Selection Steps

1. Create a new step.

2. Select the step type.
3. Verify the results.

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 1. Create a New Step

• Use the Selections pane to create and edit selections.

– Available for expansion in the various tabs of the Analysis
Editor
– Expand using the Show/Hide Selections Pane button
• Click the New link in the Selections pane to add a step.
– Steps are evaluated in sequence.

Show/Hide
Selections pane

Refine list of
Edit step analysis columns in
Default selection for Selections pane.
the column

Delete step.

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 2. Select the Step Type

Depending on the step type, you define different step

properties. Step types include:
• Select Members
• Add Groups or Calculated Items
• Apply a Condition
• Select Members based on Hierarchy

Edit step.

Select from
Presentation Catalog.

Available only
for hierarchical
columns.

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 Step Types: Selecting Members

Select members and specify an action for the step.

List of
1 selected
members

Select members 3
from a hierarchy.

Check indicates
that a member is 2
selected.

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 Step Types: Adding Groups and Calculated Items

Add new or existing groups or calculated items.

3
2

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 Step Types: Applying Conditions

Select a condition template and specify the conditional step.

1
Override with
variables and
prompts.

Totals all customer

dollars for comparison
3 with the condition.

Alternately, select
specific members.

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 Step Types: Selecting Members
Based on Hierarchy
Specify a relationship and an action.

Used for
level-based
hierarchies
1
2
Members of selected levels are 3
included in the selection step.

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 Saving Selection Steps as a Group

Save selection steps as a group in the Presentation Catalog.

Selections pane

3
4

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 Summary

In this lesson, you should have learned how to:

• Describe the use of filters, selections, groups, and
calculated items in limiting the results of analyses
• Design and build filters in Oracle Business Intelligence
analyses
• Add filter prompts to an analysis
• Use a saved analysis as a filter
• Edit the SQL for a column filter in an analysis
• Create and save selections
• Create and save groups and calculated items

4 - 42 Copyright © 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

 Practice 4-5 Through 4-6: Overview

This practice covers the following topics:

• Using selections to manage analysis results
• Building groups and calculated items

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 Quiz: Overview

This quiz examines your knowledge of filters and selections.

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 Quiz

Filters, selections, groups, and calculated items can all be

saved in the Presentation Catalog and reused in multiple
analyses.
a. True
b. False

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 Quiz

Drilling in a hierarchical column that is based on a level-based

hierarchy automatically creates a filter in the Criteria tab.
a. True
b. False

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 Quiz

To select any members of a column, you must create a

selection step with an Add action.
a. True
b. False

4 - 47 Copyright © 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.