Building Expression Filters

If you want a free-form filter, you can build an expression. An expression filter is a special type of filter that enables you to specify the filter in the form of an expression that may reference one or more data elements. For example, you can create the expression filter "Sample Sales"."Base Facts"."Revenue" — "Sample Sales"."Base Facts"."Target Revenue". After applying the filter, you only see the items that did not achieve their target revenue.

You build expressions using the Expression Builder. You can drag and drop data elements to the Expression Builder, and then choose operators to apply. Expressions are validated for you before you apply them.

To build an expression filter for an attribute or measure:

1. On the filter bar, click Action and then select Add Expression Filter.
2. In the Expression Filter panel, compose an expression. For more information, see About Composing Expressions.
3. In the Label field, give the expression a name.
4. Optionally, click Validate to check if the syntax is correct.
5. Fix any errors, if necessary.
6. Click Apply. The expression is applied to the visualizations on the canvas.
7. Click off the filter panel to view your results on the canvas.

You can also use Expression Builder to create calculations, but this is different from creating expression filters. For more information on creating calculations, see Creating Calculated Data Elements.