Filters

You can use filters to analyze the process according to your specific requests. Add, apply, and edit filters and filter templates to create a custom view of your process model.

Applying filters

Applying filters can work differently in various features of IBM Process Mining. You can use filters in the following components of IBM Process Mining:

Each component is independent from one another in terms of filters. This means that, for example, the filters you apply in Process do not influence the filters in Analytics.
Exception: Because monitors in Action Hub are based on data from Process or Analytics, the filters that are applied in Process or Analytics are still valid in Action hub. However, you can apply other filters on top of the already existent ones and manage the filters for a specific monitor. Filters that are selected are underlined.

Applying filters in Process

Filters impact cases, which means that they show results that either keep or remove all the events of a case.

To apply filters on the process model in the Process tab, complete the following steps:

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. Click Manage filters and perform one of the following actions:
    • Choose one of the filters or filter templates that you created before.
    • If you have no previously created filters, create a new filter:
      a. Click Add filter.
      b. Select the Performance filter, Timespan filter, or Process flow filter.
      c. Configure the details of your chosen filter. To learn more about how to apply a specific type of filter, see Types of filters.
      d. Optional: Create more filters. You can create multiple filters before clicking Add. All the filters that you create are visible at the top of the window.
      e. Click Add.
  3. Click Apply.

Applying filters in Analytics

To apply filters on the widgets or widget dashboards in Analytics, complete the following steps:

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. From the menu, select Analytics.
  3. Click Manage filters and perform one of the following actions:
    • Choose one of the filters or filter templates that you created before.
    • If you have no previously created filters, create a new filter:
      a. Click Add filter.
      b. Select the Data filter, Performance filter, Timespan filter, or Process flow filter.
      c. Configure the details of your chosen filter. To learn more about how to apply a specific type of filter, see Types of filters.
      d. Optional: Create more filters. You can create multiple filters before clicking Add. All the filters that you create are visible on the header.
      e. Click Add.
  4. Click Apply.

Not all widgets are affected by filters. When you apply filters on a dashboard as a whole, the widgets that have a different data source do not get impacted. For example, if the event log is the data source of most of your widgets, the widgets that have object tables as the data source are not impacted.

Filters in Analytics can be private or public (shared or not shared with others in the organization). To learn more, see Publishing or unpublishing filters (sharing them with the organization).

Applying filters in Action Hub

To apply a filter on a monitor in Action Hub, complete the following steps:

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. From the menu, select Action Hub.
  3. Click Create monitor.
  4. In the Details step, give your monitor a title, and click Next.
  5. In the Monitor step, click Manage filters and perform one of the following actions:
    • Choose one of the filters or filter templates that you created before. You cannot create new filter templates in Action Hub. You can only use the filter templates that were created before.
    • Create a new filter:
      a. Click Add filter.
      b. Select the Performance filter, Timespan filter, or Process flow filter.
      c. Configure the details of your chosen filter. To learn more about how to apply a specific type of filter, see Types of filters.
      d. Optional: Create more filters. You can create multiple filters before clicking Add. All the filters that you create are visible on the header.
      e. Click Add.
  6. Click Update filters.

Applying filters in Prescriptive

You can only apply filter templates in Prescriptive. The filter templates must be previously created in the Process or Analytics component.

By default, running cases are excluded from the report to make the results reliable and make the statistics consistent. Because of that, only completed cases are kept and the filters that include running cases are disabled.

To apply filter templates on investigative reports in Prescriptive, complete the following steps:

  1. Create an investigative report. For more information, see Building investigative reports.
  2. In the Focus your insights section of the Investigative report page, click Apply filter template.
  3. Select the required filter templates from the list. You can expand each filter template to see the list of filters included in it.
  4. Click Apply.
  5. Click Rebuild report to see your updated and focused report.

Applying filters in What-if

You can apply filters in two stages of using the simulation:

By default, running cases are excluded from the simulation to make the results reliable and make the statistics consistent. Because of that, only completed cases are kept and the filters that include running cases are disabled.

Applying filters when creating a simulation

Filters that you apply when you create a simulation restrict the scope of the whole simulation. You can use filters to include positive behaviors and exclude negative ones.

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. From the menu, select What-if.
  3. Click Create new simulation.
  4. Enter the details of your simulation and click Next.
  5. In the Identify baseline step, click Manage filters and perform one of the following actions:
  • Choose one of the filters that you created before.

Filter templates cannot currently be used while applying baseline filters during the creation of a Simulation scenario.

  • Create a new filter:
    a. Click Add filter.
    b. Select the Performance filter, Timespan filter, or Process flow filter.
    c. Configure the details of your chosen filter. To learn more about how to apply a specific type of filter, see Types of filters.
    d. Optional: Create more filters. You can create multiple filters before clicking Add. All the filters that you create are visible at the top of the window.
    e. Click Add.
  1. Click Update filters.

After you create a simulation, you are redirected to the stage where you can change different process evolutions and configurations before you click Simulate. In this stage, you can see the filters that you applied during the creation by clicking the Filters icon on the dashboard. You cannot change these filters at this stage.

Applying filters on a simulation compare dashboard

After you click Simulate, you are redirected to the simulation compare dashboard in Analytics where you can compare your simulation with your process.

The widgets on the left present the "As-Is" (real data). When you apply filters on the simulation copare dashboard, only the widgets on the left are affected.

The widgets on the right present the "To-Be" (simulated data). They are not affected by filters except for the ones that you set inside the specific widgets.

To apply filters on the compare dashboard, see Applying filters in Analytics.

Deleting (unapplying) filters

When you delete a filter, you both unapply it and delete it permanently. However, you can always create it again. If you don't want to delete your filter, save it as a filter template to use later.

The following table presents how to delete filters in different components of IBM Process Mining.

Component name How to delete filters
Process 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the delete button next to the filter you want to delete.
or
Click Remove all filters to remove (unapply) all filters (including the ones from a filter template). The filter template itself will not be deleted, but the filters from it will be unapplied.
Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the delete button next to the filter you want to delete.
or
1. Click the Filters icon to see all the filters applied on the dashboard.
2. Check the filter that you want to delete and click the delete button.
or
Click Remove all filters to remove (unapply) all filters (including the ones from a filter template). The filter template itself will not be deleted, but the filters from it will be unapplied.
Action Hub 1. In Action Hub, find the monitor from which you want to delete a filter.
2. Click the three dot icon and go to Edit > Manage filters.
3. Click the delete icon next to the filter you want to delete.
4. Click Update filters > Save.
Prescriptive In Prescriptive, you can only use filter templates. You cannot delete them permanently, but you can unapply them by clicking the x button next to them.
What-if creating a simulation When you apply filters while creating a simulation, the filters cannot be unapplied or deleted. The simulation was created with these filters included.
Simulation compares dashboard in Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the delete button next to the filter you want to delete.
or
1. Click the Filters icon to see all the filters applied on the dashboard.
2. Check the filter that you want to delete and click the delete button.
or
Click Remove all filters to remove (unapply) all filters (including the ones from a filter template). The filter template itself will not be deleted, but the filters from it will be unapplied.

Editing filters

The following table presents how to edit filters in different components of IBM Process Mining.

Component name How to edit filters
Process 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the Edit filter icon next to the filter that you want to edit.
3. Make the necessary changes.
For more information on how to configure the settings of each filter, see Filter types.
Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the Edit filter icon next to the filter that you want to edit.
3. Make the necessary changes.
For more information on how to configure the settings of each filter, see Filter types.
Action Hub When you apply filters while creating a monitor, the filters cannot be edited. The monitor was created with these filters included.
Prescriptive In Prescriptive, you can only use filter templates, but you cannot edit them.
What-if creating a simulation When you apply filters while creating a simulation, the filters cannot be edited. The simulation was created with these filters included.
Simulation compares dashboard in Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the Edit filter icon next to the filter that you want to edit.
3. Make the necessary changes.
For more information on how to configure the settings of each filter, see Filter types.

Publishing or unpublishing filters (sharing them with the organization)

In Analytics, Analyst users can publish the applied filters to share them with other users in the organization.

If you are an Analyst user, you have the full control of the Analytics dashboard, and you can publish or unpublish your filters (share or not share them with the organization). If an Analyst user applies a filter and publishes it, the Business user sees this change on their dashboard. If an Analyst user edits a published filter that is already applied, the Business user's dashboard is updated like that as well.

If you are a Business user, you cannot publish your filters (share them with the organization). A Business user sees the dashboard with all the filters that are applied by the Analyst user and they cannot change them. However, they can apply their own filters on top. If a filter applied by a Business user has a conflict with the filters that are applied by an Analyst user, the Business user must edit their filter or they won't see any results. If a Business user applies a filter that was already applied by an Analyst user, they get the same results as if they didn't apply their own filter.

To publish or unpublish a filter, complete the following steps:

  1. Create and apply a filter in Analytics. For more information, see Applying filters in Analytics.
  2. On the Analytics page, click the filter icon to view all the applied filters.
  3. Check the box next to the filter that you want to publish, and perform one of the following actions:
    • If the eye icon is crossed, your filter is unpublished (not shared and not visible for others in the organization). Click the icon to publish it.
    • If the eye icon is not crossed, your filter is published (shared and visible for others in the organization). Click the icon to unpublish it.

To learn how to share filter templates within the organization, see Sharing or disabling sharing filter templates with the organization.

Managing filter templates

You can use filter templates to save a filter or many filters and reuse them later. The filter templates that you create in one component are available for you to use in other components. For example, if you create a filter template in Analytics, you can still use this filter template in Prescriptive or Process.

Creating filter templates

You can save filters as templates in Process and Analytics. You cannot save them as filters in Action Hub, Prescriptive, and What-If, but you can still use the previously created templates in Action Hub and Prescriptive.

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. Go to Process or Analytics > Manage filters.
  3. Create the filters that you want to save inside the template. For more information on how to create filters, see Applying filters.
  4. Click Save as template.
  5. Give your template a name.
  6. Check whether the template should be shared with others in the organization.
  7. Click Create filter template.

Applying filter templates

The following table presents how to apply filter templates in different components of IBM Process Mining.

Component name How to apply filter templates
Process 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click Apply next to the filter template you want to apply.
3. Select whether you want this filter template to replace all current filters, or to be added to the current filters.
4. Click Continue.
Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click Apply next to the filter template you want to apply.
3. Select whether you want this filter template to replace all current filters, or to be added to the current filters.
4. Click Continue.
Action Hub 1. Click Create monitor.
2. In the Details step, give your monitor a title, and click Next.
3. In the Monitor step, click Manage filters.
4. Choose one of the filter templates that you created before. You cannot create new filter templates in Action Hub.
5. Click Update filters.
Prescriptive 1. On the investigative report page, go to Focus your insights section.
2. Click Apply filter template.
3. Choose the filter template that you want to apply and click Apply.
What-if creating a simulation Filter templates cannot currently be used while applying baseline filters during the creation of a Simulation scenario.
Simulation compares dashboard in Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click Apply next to the filter template you want to apply.
3. Select whether you want to this filter template to replace all current filters, or to be added to the current filters.
4. Click Continue.

Applying filter templates together with filters

If you want to apply a filter template on top of the filters you already applied, complete the following steps:

  1. Go to Process or Analytics.
  2. Click Manage filters.
  3. Perform one of the following actions:
    • On the chosen filter template, click Apply and select Add to current filters.
    • On the chosen filter template, click the three vertical dots icon. Select Load template and Add to current filters. In the Filters section, you can now see the filters from the filter template and the previously chosen filters. You can edit or delete any of them. Click Apply to apply all the chosen filters.

Deleting filter templates

When you delete a filter template, you delete it permanently.

If you don't want to delete a filter template permanently, but only unapply filters that you applied from a filter template, see Deleting (unapplying) filters.

If you want to delete a filter from a filter template, see Editing filter templates.

The following table presents how to delete filter templates in different components of IBM Process Mining.

Component name How to delete filter templates
Process 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the three dots icon next to the filter template that you want to delete.
3. Click Delete template.
Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the three dots icon next to the filter template that you want to delete.
3. Click Delete template.
Action Hub You cannot delete filter templates in Action Hub.
Prescriptive You cannot delete filter templates in Prescriptive.
What-if creating a simulation You cannot delete filter templates in What-if.
Simulation compares dashboard in Analytics 1. Click Manage filters.
2. Click the three dots icon next to the filter template that you want to delete.
3. Click Delete template.

Editing filter templates

You can edit filter templates in the following ways:

You cannot add new filters to an already created filter template.

You edit filter templates in Process and Analytics. You edit them as in Action Hub, Prescriptive, and What-If, but you can still use the previously created templates in these components.

Deleting filters from a template

To delete a filter from a template, complete the following steps:

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. Go to Process or Analytics > Manage filters.
  3. Click on an arrow to expand the filter template you want to delete filters from.
  4. Click the delete button next to the filter that you want to delete from the filter template.

Editing the filters within the template

To edit the filters within the template, complete the following steps:

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. Go to Process or Analytics > Manage filters.
  3. Click on an arrow to expand the filter template filters from which you want to edit.
  4. Click the edit button next to the filter that you want to edit.
  5. Make the necessary changes and save them.

For more information on how to configure the settings of each filter, see Filter types.

Sharing or disabling sharing filter templates with the organization

When you create a filter template, you always choose whether you want it to be shared with others in the organization or not. These settings can be changed later on.

To share or disable sharing a filter template, complete the following steps:

  1. In IBM Process Mining, open a project.
  2. Go to Process or Analytics > Manage filters.
  3. Click the three dots icon next to the filter that you want to share or stop sharing.
  4. Click Share template or Disable sharing.

Learn more