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Analytics > Designing an Analysis > Step 3: Defining Analytics Prompts (Optional) > Adding Column Prompts in Analytics

Adding Column Prompts in Analytics

A column prompt allows users to select values to filter a column in an analysis. You can define the range of possible filter values and how the user selects the filter values for the analysis.

You define column prompts in the Prompts tab. When you have multiple column filter prompts constructed for an analysis, they are presented to the user one at a time, in the order they are listed, from top to bottom, or from left to right if you select the New Column check box for the prompts.

You can create multiple column prompts for an analysis, but you can create only one column prompt for any given column in the analysis.

You can also use a column prompt to populate a variable of either of the following types:

• Presentation Variable. A presentation variable can be used in a formula or a filter.
• Request Variable. A request variable can be used to override the value of a session variable for the duration of a request initiated from the prompt. If you specify that the column prompt is to populate a request variable, then the value that the user selects in the column prompt overrides the value of the session variable from the time the user presses the Go button for the prompt until the analysis results are returned.

To add a column prompt

1. In the Prompts tab of the analysis editor, click the New icon, then select Column Prompt, and then select the column you want.
2. In the New Prompt dialog box:
   1. (Optional) To create a custom label, select the Custom Label check box and in the Label field, replace the existing column name with your new custom label.

      If you do not create a custom label, then the name of the column appears as the label.

   2. (Optional) Enter a description in the Description text box.
   3. In the Operator drop-down menu, choose a comparison operator, such as equal to, is greater than, or begins with.
   4. In the User Input drop-down menu, choose a method for the user to select a value to filter by. The choices include:
      • Text Field (for direct entry of a filter value)
      • Choice List (the application displays a drop-down menu with all possible values and the user must choose one value)
      • Slider (the application displays a slider (with your specified minimum and maximum values) and the user must adjust the slider.)
      • Check Boxes (the user can select one or more than one value.)
      • Radio Buttons (the user must select only one value)
      • List Box (similar to Choice List, but the choices are displayed in a list box instead of a drop-down menu)

        Some choices for User Input require further specification in the Options section of the dialog box.

   5. In the Options section of the dialog box, specify the options for the column prompt.

      The options vary depending on what you selected in the User Input field.

      NOTE: If you selected either the Choice List, Check Boxes, Radio Buttons, or List Box user input type, then you can constrain the values of the prompt by values of other prompts, by selecting the appropriate option in the Limit values by field in the Options section of the dialog box.

   6. If you want the column prompt to populate a variable, then do one of the following:
      • In the Set a variable field, select Presentation Variable and then enter a name for the variable.
      • In the Set a variable field, select Request Variable and then enter the name for the variable. The name must be exactly the same as the name of the session variable whose value you want to override.
   7. When you are finished, click OK.

      The column filter prompt is shown on the Display pane.

3. Save the analysis.