1. Visualizing Data and Building Reports in Oracle Analytics Cloud
  2. Report Data
  3. Create Analyses
  4. Advanced Techniques: Combine Columns to Display Data Differently

Advanced Techniques: Combine Columns to Display Data Differently

You can combine columns based on set operations such as Union or Intersect. By combining columns, you create a column for displaying the data in a different way.

For example, you can combine a Region column with a City column and create a column named Regions and Cities.

The analysis must meet certain criteria if you want to use set operations:

  • The number and data types of the columns must be the same.

  • You can’t use hierarchical columns, selection steps, or groups when you combine criteria.

  1. Open the analysis for editing.
  2. On the Criteria tab of the analysis editor, in the Selected Columns pane toolbar, click Combine results based on union, intersection, and difference operations.

    The Set Operations area is displayed in the Selected Columns pane. Boxes with a dotted line border indicate columns that you must combine with other columns in the analysis.

    Description of analysis67.gif follows
    Description of the illustration analysis67.gif
  3. In the Subject Areas pane, select the columns to combine with the original columns. Note that the dotted line borders and contents have been replaced.
  4. In the Result Columns area on the Set Operations pane, click on the Union button and select a set operation.
    • Use Union to specify that only nonduplicate rows from all columns are returned.
    • Use Union All to specify that rows from all columns, including duplicate rows, are returned.
    • Use Intersect to specify that only rows common to all columns are returned.
    • Use Minus to specify that only rows from the first column that aren’t in the second column are returned.
  5. Click the Result Columns link. The Selected Columns pane shows the newly combined columns.
  6. To rename the heading of the column:
    1. Click the Options button for the column.
    2. Select Column Properties.
    3. Select Column Format.
    4. Ensure that Custom Headings is selected.
    5. In the Column Heading box, enter the new heading.
    6. Click OK.
  7. Click the Results tab to view the columns in a table view.