Table and column properties

Label

Specifies the table or column name. You can change the name as needed.

This item is hidden from users

Use this property to hide a table or column in a data module. The hidden tables or columns remain visible in the modeling interface, but are not visible in the reporting and dashboarding interfaces. For more information, see Hiding tables and columns.

Expression

Shows the underlying expression for a column. Clicking the expression opens the expression editor where you can modify the expression.

Comments

Use this property to specify optional information about the table or column. The comment is not available outside of the modeling environment.

Screen tip

Use this property to specify an optional, short description of the table or column. The screen tip appears when you pause your pointer over the table or column name in the modeling, reporting, or dashboarding environment.

Usage

This property identifies the intended use for the data in the column.

The initial property value is based on the type of data that the column represents in the source. You need to verify that the property is set correctly. For example, if you import a numeric column that participates in a relationship, the Usage property is set to Identifier. You can change this property.

The following Usage types are supported:

• Identifier

  Represents a column that is used to group or summarize data in a Measure column with which it has a relationship. It can also represent an index, date, or time column type. For example, Invoice number, or Invoice date.

• Measure

  Represents a column that contains numeric data that can be grouped or summarized, such as Product Cost.

• Attribute

  Represents a column that is not an Identifier or a Measure, such as Description.

Aggregate

The Aggregate property defines the type of aggregation that is applied to a column that summarizes data in a report or dashboard. For example, if the Aggregate property value of the Quantity column is Total, and it is grouped by Product Name in a report, the Quantity column in the report shows the total quantity of each product. Aggregated data improves query performance and helps to retrieve data faster.

The default type of aggregation is inherited from the source. When modifying this property, you can select values that the source does not provide, such as average or maximum. To know which aggregate value is required, you must understand what your data represents. For example, if you aggregate Part number, the aggregate values that apply are count, count distinct, maximum, and minimum.

The following aggregation types are supported:

• None (no aggregation is set up for a column)
• Average
• Count
• Count distinct
• Maximum
• Minimum
• Total

Data type

The column data type is inherited from the source and can't be modified in the data module.

Represents

Use this property to specify whether a column includes the date/time or geographic location type of data. This information is used in the reporting and dashboarding environments to suggest the most appropriate default visualizations, among other possibilities.

• Geographic location

  The values include Continent, Sub Continent, Country, Region, State Province, County, City, Postal code, Street Address, Position, Latitude, and Longitude.

• Time

  The values include Date, Year, Quarter, Season, Month, Week, Day, Hour, Minute, and Second.

Sorting

Use this property to enable or disable sorting for a column, and to specify the row to sort by, the sorting order, and the placement of NULL values in the column.

Identifier

For tables and columns, the property value is inherited from the source and cannot be changed in the data module. The column or table Identifier value can be, but not always is, the same as the column or table name (Label).

You can view the Identifier property in the Advanced section of the Properties panel.

Source

Shows the source name and path for a table or column. You can view the Source property in the Advanced section of the Properties panel