Add a Search Filter to a Report

You can add a fixed filter to return only unresolved or updated incidents in the report.

Fixed filters prevent reports from querying more information than you need in the report. You could also add runtime selectable filters to return only incidents created in a certain time period, assigned to particular staff accounts, or that match other criteria you specify. Unlike fixed filters, runtime selectable filters let you select the values you want when you run the report.

  1. Click the Home tab and then click Add Filter.
    The Add Filter window opens.
  2. If you want to specify a name for the filter, enter a name in the Name field.
    This name is used only on the report designer. If you do not specify a name, the filter’s database field is used instead.
  3. Clear the Make this Filter Selectable at Run Time check box.
    Note: If we were creating a runtime selectable filter, we would leave this check box selected and enter a filter name in the Label this Filter field that staff members see when running the report. We could also select the Required check box for runtime selectable filters to force the report’s users to specify a filter value before they can run the report.
  4. In the Definition section, right-click in the Expression field and select Incidents > Status status_id.
    This is the database field we are using to filter the report’s output by.
  5. Click the Operator drop-down list and select In List.
  6. Select the items you want to include in the search.
    When you use the In List operator, all items are selected by default. Clear the check box next to each item you do not want to include in the initial search or clear the Select All check box and select the check box next to each item you want to include. For our example, select Unresolved and Updated. The report will include only incidents with one of these statuses. Since the filter is selectable at runtime, you can change the search options when you run the report.

    To prevent menu options that are irrelevant to the report’s audience from being available in searches, click Customize and clear the check boxes next to the options you do not want to display.

  7. Click OK.