Grouping columns is a way of creating new data in your results set by grouping data from a column. You can use grouping columns to consolidate non-numeric data values into more general group values and map the group values to a new column in the data set.
Grouping columns are new items added to the Table section and are available for use in report sections.
For example, your company sales database may contain the items: State, Sales Region, and Country, which enable you to aggregate data on different levels in reports. However, suppose you are looking to track sales by subregion, or want to see data for one state versus an average for all other states combined. You can do this by grouping states together to create a subregion item or other custom dimension.
To add a grouping column:
Select Table, then Add Grouping Column.
The Grouped Column dialog box is displayed.
Use the column values to build the grouping categories for the new item.
Create custom group values and link them to values in the base column.
Click New Groups to create groups and add them to the Groups list.
Select a group items from the Available Values list. Use the arrows to add them to the Items In Group list for the selected group.
Remove selected values from a group by using the arrow to move them back to the Available Items list.
Specify options for ungrouped values as follows:
New Groups—Creates a custom group to be displayed as a value in the new grouping column.
Options—Indicates how to represent unassigned values within the grouping column, that is, as null values, as members of a default group (named in the adjacent edit field), or as their own individual groups.
Groups—Selects a custom group to define by adding or removing items.
Items In Group—Removes an item from a selected custom group.
Select one of the following options to define the preferences for ungrouped columns:
When the grouping definitions are complete, click OK.
The new grouping column is added to the data layout and to the table.