Hiding items

You can hide items in a data module, such as tables, columns, uploaded files, and folders.

The hidden items are not visible in the metadata tree in reports, dashboards, stories, and explorations, but are fully functional in the product.

About this task

Use this feature to provide an uncluttered view of metadata for the reports, dashboards, stories, and explorations users. For example, when you hide columns that are referenced in a calculation, the metadata tree in the reporting or dashboarding interface shows only the calculation column, but not the referenced columns. When you hide the identifier columns that are used as keys for joins, the keys are not exposed in reports, dashboards, stories, or explorations, but the joins are functional in all interfaces.

The following read-only items can't be hidden by default:

Packages.
To work around this issue, create a folder in the data module tree, and move your package with all its content into that folder. Then, hide the folder.
Tables that are linked to the source data module, which is indicated by the linked table icon .
To work around this issue, in the data module tree, from the table context menu , select Break link. The link is broken, and you can now hide the table.

Procedure

In the data module tree, click the context menu icon for an item such as a table or column, and click Hide from users.

You can also select multiple items to hide at once.

Tip: To show the hidden items, click the context menu icon for the hidden item, and click Show.
Save the data module.

Results

The labels on the hidden items are grayed out in the data module tree and in the diagram. Also, on the General tab of the item properties, the Hide from users property is selected.

The hidden items are not visible in the metadata tree in reports, dashboards, stories, and explorations. In addition, hidden items can't be selected for use in new visualizations, but are fully functional in existing visualizations that utilize them.