Create custom perspectives in reports

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Applies to: TBM Studio 11.0

To augment the standard Tables, Metrics, and Time perspectives, you can create custom perspectives. In the illustration below, there is one custom perspective: ABC Company Analytics. A custom perspective contains selected fields from the other perspectives that you want to make available to business users. An advantage of custom perspectives is that you can add fields from several different tables and lock the fields to the table. This makes it possible to build reports that contain data from several tables at different levels in a model. In addition, it is best to use only fields locked to tables in your production reports.

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Create a custom perspective

To create a custom perspective and add fields to the perspective:
  1. Right-click in the Perspectives section of Project Explorer and click Add New Perspective.
  2. In the Create Perspective dialog, enter the name of the perspective and click OK.

Add a field to a custom perspective

To add a field to a custom perspective:
  1. Drag a field from the Tables, Metrics, or Time sections in the Project Explorer to the Perspectives header in the Project Explorer.
  2. When prompted, select a perspective and click OK.
  3. Complete fields in the Publish Field dialog box.
  4. Complete the fields and click Publish. The fields are described below.

Field descriptions:

  • Name - The name of the field. You can accept the default name or change the name. If you will be locking the object, a best practice is to include the name of the object in the field name.
  • Data Type - Select a data type from the list. The type controls the basic formatting of the data.
  • Lock to object - This field is displayed when you publish a Data field. When checked, it ensures the field will be applied only to the object selected when it was added to the perspective. If you do not check this option, the field will apply to the currently selected object report.
  • Represents a hierarchy code - Applies only to slicers. When checked, and the published field is used to define a slicer, it finds all values that begin with the search characters entered by the user plus one additional character, and creates a slicer group for each. For example, if the user types "ab", then the filter will find "aba", "abc", and "abd" and create groups for each. For a more detailed discussion of this option, see Representing hierarchy codes in perspectives.
  • Show all rows in time-based query - When checked, if a table or chart that is time-based (e.g.: months, quarters, etc.), all rows will be displayed in all periods even if one or more periods contain rows with zeros in all fields.You must check this option on all calculations that include a function that pulls data from other time periods. For example, PreviousYear and YearToDate. For a more detailed discussion of this option, see Show all rows in time-based query.
  • Description - The text entered in the field is displayed as a tool tip when a user hovers the mouse pointer over the field. Use this field to provide information to analysts about the data represented by the field. This is important because the analysts may not be familiar with the data sets in the project and the name of the field may not convey the contents. Entering a complete explanation of the data will help analysts use the field effectively when building tables and charts.
  • Notes - Information for other power users that may edit the field.
  • Filter - This field is displayed if you are publishing a field from the Filter area. This is a non-editable field.
  • Formula - This field is displayed if there is a formula associated with the field. You can edit the formula.

Show all rows in time-based query option

Some time-based tables may have one or more rows that do not have values for one or more time periods. By default, rows without values are not displayed. To ensure that all rows will be displayed in all periods, check the Show all rows in time-based query option.

For example, assume you have a table backed with the following data in January and February:

Jan FY2016

Column A Column B
X 1
Y 2
Z 3

Feb FY2016

Column A Column B
X 4
Z 3

You have two calculated metrics: Cost and YearToDate(Cost). You add Cost and YTD columns to the table to display the metrics.

When you are in February, there will be no row Y displayed.

Column A Cost YTD
X $4 5
Z $3 6

However, if you have checked the option, row Y will be displayed.

Column A Cost YTD
X $4 5
Z $3 6
Y 2

In addition, you must check this option on all calculations that include a function that pulls data from other time periods. For example, PreviousYear and YearToDate.

Rename a custom perspective

To change the name of a custom perspective, right-click the perspective name and click the Rename option.

Create a dimension

You can group fields in a custom perspective.

To create a field group and add dimensions to the group:
  1. Right click a custom perspective and click Add New Group.
  2. Drag dimensions from an area into the group.

Delete a dimension

To delete a dimension from a custom perspective, right-click and click Delete Field.

Delete a perspective

To delete, right-click the perspective title bar and select Delete.

Create an Admin-only perspective

If you are assigned to an Admin role, you can create perspectives that are visible only to other users with admin roles. This is useful for creating a place where you can store frequently used dimensions that you do not want analysts to access.

To create an Admin-only perspective, put parentheses around the perspective name.