Selected Columns pane

Use this pane to view, add, and modify the criteria that are selected for an analysis.

Selected columns are displayed in boxes in this pane. Each box has two sections. The upper section shows the name of the column's folder, for example, Customers. The lower section shows the name of the column, for example, Customer Name. If columns from the same folder are placed next to each other, then they are grouped in one folder section.

If a column selector view is in use, then you see the phrase "Column Group" instead of the column name. You also cannot edit the properties for the columns. See "Editing Column Selector Views" for information.

You can:

• Reorder the columns to arrange them in the way that they are to be displayed in the analysis results

• Combine the results of two or more analyses into a single result

• Remove all columns from the criteria

Other modifications that you can make to columns depend on the type of column:

• For attribute columns and measure columns, you can:

  • Specify the sort order of the column

  • Edit the formula for the column, including customizing the heading

  • Edit column properties to control the formatting and interaction of the column

  • Add new filters

  • Delete column

• For hierarchical columns, you can:

  • Specify the sort order of the column

  • Edit column properties to control the formatting and interaction of the column

  • Delete column

• For hierarchy levels, you can:

  • Edit properties to control the formatting and interaction of the hierarchy level

For more information, see "Specifying the Criteria for Analyses".

This pane is part of the "Analysis editor: Criteria tab".

Components

Drag Column

Use this button to reorder a single column or multiple columns that are grouped in a folder section. This button is located to the left of the column name or folder name. The following list describes how to use the Drag Column button, but you can reorder by clicking anywhere in the column or folder area and dragging and dropping to the new location. Valid drop locations are indicated by a thick solid line.

To reorder:

• A single column in a folder section that contains only one column, click the Drag Column button in either the column section or the folder section and drag and drop the section to a new location.

• A single column in a folder section that contains multiple columns, click the Drag Column button in the column section and then drag and drop the section to a new location. A new folder section is created for the reordered column.

• All columns in a folder section, click the Drag Column button in the folder section and drag and drop the section to a new location.

Plus or Minus

This button is available only for hierarchical columns.

Use this button to expand or collapse the display of hierarchy levels in column.

Options

Use this button to select one of the following options:

• Sort — This option is available for attribute, measure, and hierarchical columns. It is not available for hierarchy levels. Displays the "Sorting Options Menu", where you select options for sorting values. For more information on sorting data, see "Sorting Data in Views".

• Edit Formula — This option is available only for attribute columns and measure columns. Use this option to display the "Edit Column Formula dialog", where you can customize headings and edit the formula for the column, such as adding a Rank or Percentile function. For more information, see "Editing the Formula for a Column".

• Column Properties or Hierarchy Level Properties — Use this option to display the "Column Properties dialog", where you can edit various format properties for the column or hierarchy level. For more information, see Chapter 7, "Formatting Analyses, Views, and Dashboard Pages."

• Filter — This option is available only for attribute columns and measure columns. Use this option to display the "New Filter dialog", where you can create a filter for the attribute or measure column. For more information on filters, see Chapter 5, "Filtering and Selecting Data for Analyses."

• Delete — This option is available for attribute, measure, and hierarchical columns. It is not available for hierarchy levels. Use this option to delete the column.

Toolbar

The toolbar contains the following buttons:

• Combine results based on union, intersection, and difference operations — Use this button to combine columns from one or more subject areas using Set operations. The columns must have commonality to be combined.

  Click the button to display the Select Subject Area menu, where you select a subject area that contains the data to combine with the columns that you have previously added. (The subject area can be the same as that from which you have previously selected columns, or a different subject area.) The Set Operations area is displayed, where you can use the following components:

  • Result Columns and Criteria "subject area" links — Click these links to display the appropriate columns in this pane. For example, suppose that you have selected the D1 Office and D2 Department columns in the A-Sample Sales subject area. If you click Criteria "subject area", then the D1 Office and D2 Department columns are shown so that you can perform tasks such as formatting those columns. If you have combined columns using Set operations, then click Result Columns to show those columns and perform tasks such as formatting them.

    The result columns are those that are displayed in views after applying the set operation of the derived columns.

  • Union button — Displays the following options:

    • Union — Use this option to specify that only nonduplicate rows from all columns are to be returned.

    • Union All — Use this option to specify that rows from all columns, including duplicate rows, are to be returned.

    • Intersect — Use this option to specify that only rows common to all columns are to be returned.

    • Minus — Use this option to specify that only rows from the first column that are not in the second column are to be returned.

  • More options button — Click to cut, copy, or paste that subject area in the list of criteria.

  • Edit button — Click to display additional options for working with the subject areas:

    • Create New Criteria — Displays the Select Subject Area menu, where you select a subject area to add to the criteria.

    • Copy and Paste — Creates a duplicate set of criteria on which you can perform set operations.

    • Cut — Removes the current set of criteria from the pane.

    • Ungroup — If you have created a duplicate set of criteria, then this option is available to move the set of criteria to the next highest level.

  For more information, see "Combining Columns Using Set Operations".

• Remove all columns from criteria — Use this button to remove all columns that have been included in the Selected Columns pane. Be aware that there is no confirmation message and no undo available for this operation.