Creating Column Filters

Use the following procedure to create a named or inline filter. For information about opening a filter for editing, see "Editing Column Filters."

To create a column filter:

1. To create a named filter, use the following sub-procedure:

   1. From the Oracle Business Intelligence Home page, locate the global header, hover over the New menu, and from the menu select Filter. The Select Subject Area dialog is displayed.

   2. From the Select Subject Area dialog, choose the subject area for which you want to create a filter. The "Filter editor" is displayed.

   3. From the "Subject Areas pane," double-click the column for which you want to create the filter. The "New Filter dialog" is displayed.

2. To create an inline filter, use the following sub-procedure:

   1. Either create an analysis or access an existing analysis for which you want to create a filter. Click the Criteria tab.

   2. Locate the "Filters pane" and from the Filters Pane's toolbar, click the Create a filter for the current Subject Area button. The analysis' selected columns are displayed in the cascading menu.

   3. Select a column name from the menu. Or select the More Columns option to access the"Select Column dialog" from which you can select any column from the subject area.

      After you selected a column, the "New Filter dialog" is displayed.

      
      

      Note: If you want to add a filter for a column located in a different subject area, then you must first add that subject area to the analysis by clicking the Add/Remove Subject Area button in the "Subject Areas pane."

      
      

3. In the Operator field, choose an operator for the filter. The operator list from which you can choose is populated based on the type of column that you selected. For more information about each operator, including the is prompted and is based on the results of another analysis operator options, see "Operators."

4. In the Value field, specify one or more values to use when applying the filter or condition. You can:

   • Type values, using a semicolon to separate the values.

   • Select values from the list or calendar.

     To search for specific values, click Search in the list box. The "Select Values dialog" is displayed, where you can search for and select values.

   If your repository is configured for double columns, and you are creating the filter on a display column, then by default, you specify display values. However, if your organization allows the display of code values, then you can specify code values rather than display values, but only if you use one of the following operators:

   • is equal to / is in

   • is not equal to / is not in

   • is between

   To specify code values, select the Select by Code Column box and then specify the values.

5. If your repository is configured for double columns, and you are creating the filter on a display column and want to filter on display values rather than code values, then deselect the Filter by Code Column box.

6. Click the Add More Options button to add a SQL expression, Session variable, Repository variable, Presentation variable, or Global variable to the filter. Note that if you are setting the filter's value with a SQL expression or variable, leave the Value field blank. For more information on variables, see "Using Variables."

7. Select the Protect Filter box to protect the filter's value from being overridden by a matching prompt's value or when the user navigates to another report within the analysis. When you navigate from one report to another report within an analysis, any prompt values that you specified in the first report can be transferred to the second report.

8. To convert the filter to SQL statements, select the Convert this filter to SQL box. The "Advanced SQL Filter dialog" is displayed.

   
   

   Note: This is a one-way conversion. After you select the Convert this filter to SQL box, you can no longer view and edit the filter in the Edit Filter dialog. After you convert the filter to SQL statements, you can only view and edit the filter item as SQL statements in the Advanced SQL Filter dialog.

   
   

   For more information about this option, see "Creating and Editing the SQL Statements for a Column Filter in an Analysis."

9. When you are finished specifying the filter's criteria, click OK.

10. Save the filter in one of the following ways:

    • From the Analysis Editor, you can click Save Analysis to save the filter as an inline filter.

    • From the Filter Editor, you can click Save Filter to save the filter as a named filter.

    For more information, see "Saving Objects as Inline or Named."