In Visual Analytics, you use filters to subset your data. Filters are saved with the report and can be used to focus on anomalies or inconsistencies that are discovered during analysis. In this post, I will explain how to use them.
These types of filters are available:
1. Details Report Filters
Basic filters
subset the data for individual objects in your reports by using a single data item. A basic filter is constrained to use only the data item that was selected when the basic filter was created.
First you must click the object that you want to apply the filter to. Then be sure you have the Filters pane open. Third, use the New filter menu and select the data item for which you want to create a filter. Next, select the data values that you want to include. Depending on whether the data item is a measure or a category, you are presented with either continuous or discrete value options. You can use the toolbar for more filter options.
Advanced filters
Subset the data for individual objects in your reports by using any number of data items, functions, and operators (for example, OR and AND) in the same expression. To apply an advanced filter, you again first select the object for which you want to create a filter. Then make sure you have the Filters pane open. Then use the New filter menu and select.
Now you can use the Expression Editor to build a expression. You can use the returned observations to verify that your filter expression returns the expected results.
Data source filters
Subset the data for the entire report. You can create or modify data source filters while you are editting a report.
To apply a data source filter, use the Data source menu and select [Apply data filter].
By applying a data source filter, Data pane cardinalities will be updated like following.
2. Post-Aggregate Report Filters
Post-aggregate filters subset the data for individual objects in your reports by using the aggregated values, not the detail data values. You can use the Filters pane to filter data in an object using an aggregated value instead of a detail value. Post-aggregate filters are available only for measure data items. When an object has both ranks and post-aggregate filters applied, the ranks are applied before the post-aggregate filters.
To apply a post-aggregate filter, you need to have the object selected and the Filters pane open. Then you need to select the measure data item, and you initially see the detail data values available for a basic filter. If the object that you have selected supports filtering on aggregated values, then select the option.
Notice that the range of values updates to display the aggregated data values now. Look to the right of the data item name. The type of aggregation being used is listed in parentheses. By default, the aggregation type assigned to the data item is used. In this example, is using the sum aggregation, but it would show if the data item was using average, min, max, and so on.
Key points
Post-aggregate filters are not available for objects that use detail data.
Crosstabs, time series plots, and dual axis time series plots do not support post-aggregate filters.
Advanced analytics objects do not support post-aggregate filters.
3. Common Filters
Common filters are filters that can be shared between objects in your report. When you edit a common filter, it is updated everywhere that the common filter is used. Common filters are specific to a report and cannot be shared between reports. Please note this feature is available in Visual Analytics 8.3 or later.
Benefits
Easy to assign the same filter conditions to other report objects.
When you edit a common filter, it is updated everywhere that the common filter is used.
A common filter is available for the entire report, across pages.
Limitations
Objects must share the same data source as the common filter definition.
Common filters are not available across multiple reports.
To create a common filter, first, we must create a filter. That filter can be basic, advanced, or post-aggregate. In this example, I have created a basic filter for the data item and selected three values to be included: Midwest, Northeast, South
Step two is to edit the filter and give it a meaningful name. To do that, use the toolbar and select [Advanced edit]. Next, give the filter an easy-to-understand name.
The third step is to change this to a common filter. Use the toolbar and select [Change to common filter].
Once you do that, the common filter is now displayed in the Data pane for the associated data source at the bottom under the Common Filter grouping.
To apply the common filter, select the object and use the Filters pane. Then select the menu, and you see all the available common filters. The filter icon is next to the name of the common filter. Once you select the common filter, it is applied to the object.
You can repeat these steps for any of the objects in the report, on any page that uses the same data source.
Conclusion
Filter function is a powerful tool that subsets data in a visualization. There are filters available at both the report and object level. It allows us to focus on anomalies or inconsistencies that are discovered during analysis.
Other great article:
Using common filters in SAS Visual Analytics
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