Use line Item of a Module as Filters on a Dashboard

PrevContributor

Hi , I want to use a combinaision of line items in a module I published as a Dashboard as  filters for that Dashboard. This without creating a Button for refreshing the result in the dashboard but to have it updated automatically according to the selection of those 2 lines Items. Is this possible and how ? Thank you in advance.. Ahmed

Jaakko

Hi Ahmed,

I think "real-time" filtering is not supported, you must refresh the filtered view (View -> Edit -> Refresh or, use View -> Pivot or refresh the dashboard from the menu) when values of the filter change. It is possible to create filter modules with line items for filtering rules but in any case the views must be refreshed in order to see the results. Unless you are filtering a dropdown list? Can you elaborate a bit more? Thanks.

Br,
Jaakko

PrevContributor

Hi Jaako,

  Thank you for your answer.

  The point indeed is the real time filtering in the Dashboard.

  The module filtering could be a solution indeed, but you have each time in the Dashboard to press a Refresh Button you created before.

  Those line Items are not a list but could be as they can have for each one 10 Different values. But I don't want to have them as Dimensions in my module.

Thank you.

Ahmed

PrevContributor

Hi Ahmed,

We also do our real-time dashboard filtering through driver modules.  So for example, we'll have a module called Driver Selection, where the only dimension is Line Items.  Then, in our modules where we are displaying data on dashboards, we include the filter criteria in all displayed line items, so that the only data displayed correlates to the filters selected from the driver modules.  This can work for lists or any other data type.

Happy to provide more details if you'd like, otherwise hope this helps point you in the right direction!

-Chris Weiss

PrevContributor

Hi Chriss,

  Thank you for your reply, this looks great. 

  Can you pleasedetail more the way you include the filter criteria in all displayed line items ?

Thanks again

Ahmed

PrevContributor

Hi Ahmed,

I'll give you an example from a Territory Management use-case.  If I have a dashboard that shows all territories (which could be an overwhelmingly large dashboard), I may want to have the ability to filter to only show territories within a certain industry within the dashboard, which wouldn't be part of the actual territory hierarchy.  

Here's the configuration I would use to enable that filter.  I would have a module called Territories and a module called Filter Drivers.  In my Filter Drivers module I would have a user-entered line item called Industry, which would be based on the Industry list.  I would publish that line item on the dashboard with my all my Territories.  

In my Territories module, I would have a line item called Industry, based on the Industry list.  I would also have a boolean-formatted line item called Industry Filter, with the following formula:

Industry = Filter Drivers.Industry

Then on my Territories dashboard, I would filter any displayed modules where Territories.Industry Filter = TRUE.  The result would be, on the Territories dashboard, if I select Healthcare from the Industry dropdown line item from the Filter Drivers module, only the Territories where Industry = Healthcare will be displayed on the dashboard.

You can make it as complicated or simple as you like from there (for example, a second boolean line iten in the Filter Drivers module to indicate whether or not to enable the filter, and updating the Territories.Industry Filter boolean accordingly), but this the basic structure.

Let me know if there's anything unclear here, happy to help as much as possible, hope that helps!

-Chris Weiss

Jaakko

Hi Ahmed and Chris,

Not sure if I interpreted right but I think the example is not real time from the user point of view or "real-time" how I understand it?  I've done something similar and my hunch is that changing the industry filter changes the boolean values behind the filter but it requires a manual refresh from the menu to see the results? Correct me if I'm wrong. One thing to keep in mind with this type of "selection modules" is that they are common for all users. With many people using the same dashboard you might end up with users changing the same selection (filter) at the same time. Anyhow Chris's solution is a good way to filter items on large dashboards!

Br,
Jaakko

PrevContributor

Hi Jaako,

You're absolutely right, and just wanted to clarify 2 quick points.

First, with driver selection modules, we typically include the list of users as a dimension, with selective access to only allow each user to set their specific drivers.  This enables dynamic filtering across many users simultaneously using the same dashboard.

Second, the dashboard does not need to be refreshed following this approach, since the boolean updates are located within the formula, so the content changes directly in front of the user once the new driver is manually saved.  Perhaps we have different definitions of what we're both looking for in real-time though, so happy to be corrected if there's a different requirement.

Hope that helps to clarify, great point Jaako.

-Chris Weiss

Jaakko

I would be satisfied with a real time solution that, in the example, would update/filter all territory lists in all published views on the dashboard when changing the value of the industry list formatted line item in the filter drivers module.  How I believe Anaplan works now: When I'd change the value from Industry A to Industry B, that cell would flash as green color and the "industry filter " boolean line items in territories module would change their values according to my selection but without refreshing the dashboard or a view I would still see territories that would have filter value "false" (that were true before I changed the filter). If this works in a different way for you I must build a quick model and test this. 🙂 It can't be a browser issue, can it?

PrevContributor

Hi Jaako,

Very interested to see what you find!  If the boolean option does in fact require a dashboard refresh (which I agree with you would not be ideal), another option would be to have the filter run on a different formula.  So, instead of filtering the view on Industry Filter = TRUE, use a second Industry list-formatted line item called Use Industry, with a formula like this:

IF Industry = Filter Drivers.Industry THEN Industry ELSE BLANK

This might enable more real-time filtering than the boolean option, if you are in fact correct about the dashboard refresh.  

Interested to hear your thoughts on this!

-Chris Weiss

Jaakko

Hi,

Made a quick test for this. Tried to attach screenshots but for some reason couldn't. The starting point was to have Territories module with industries selected for five territories and a industry filter boolean with formula. I selected industry 1 and refreshed the dashboard. I correctly saw territories 1 and 3 and industry filter with "true" values. After that I changed the filter driver value to industry 2. I supposed to see territories 2 and 5 but I still saw 1 and 3. The difference was that industry filter booleans changed to false. After I refreshed the dashboard, I could correctly see territories 2 and 5.

Tried also the second method and it worked in the same way. The logic behind the filters is perfectly fine, Anaplan just won't refresh the dashboard objects (views) unless I refresh, pivot, etc. Glad to hear if this works in a better way for someone else! I'm afraid that this is how Anaplan works and perhaps should addressed in the future releases...

Br,
Jaakko

PrevContributor

Hi Chriss and Jaakko,

   First of all, many thanks for your answers and insights.

   After testing the methods mentioned, I face also the same issue as Jaakko, meaning no automatic refresh and necessity to have it done manually.

   Chriss, did you actually implement this way and tested it in a test model ?

   I added an action button to my Dashboard for this but this was a bit disapointing for customers to have no automatic refresh.

Thank you again and have a great day.

Ahmed

PrevContributor

Hi Ahmed and Jaako,

Seems like the area where my scenario is failing is in the actual filtering, looks like the dashboard only evaluates the filter criteria on dashboard load/refresh, sorry for the confusion.  In past models where we've had something like this work truly real-time we focus on using the driver selections being used to modify existing data on the screen (applying different seasonality curves, for example).  

There has to be a way to use the same approach to filter data, one way or another, definitely interested to see if we can figure something out here...

-Chris Weiss

e.schera

Any chance I could get some additional guidance on making the filter dynamic.  No matter how I seem to set up the driver module, I end up with a filter that only allows 1 filter at a time (therefore who ever filters first gets to see that view).  

 

Thank you, 

 

Elizabeth

 

 

Rajasekhar

Hi Team,

 

I  have filterd on dashboard with on line item and added revision tag and moved production environment but the issue is am able to see that filter on dev environment and not able to see on production environment. Because of that issue am no able to see territories data on dashboard in productio environment.