Filter References

jbrass · October 2019

Hello all!

In the modules screen within settings, you can view whether a given module is shown on a dashboard AND which other modules reference that module. This gives a great indication whether or not that module is active OR whether it is a candidate for getting deleted. What is NOT shown, however, is if a given module is referred to within a filter of another module. I'd like to see that added as a column within the modules screen. Furthermore, would be great to be able to tell if that module is used as either the target or source of an action. If none of the above were the case, could Anaplan almost suggest that this is an unused module and therefore should be heavily considered for deletion? Of course, if you have users that open modules directly and view data from them, then you could have the risk of that view just going away, however I always make all users go through dashboards instead so this wouldn't be a risk for me.

Thoughts?

Thanks!!
Josh

JaredDolich · October 2019

I'll second this request. Often I find myself optimizing models I didn't originally build. To see all the filter references would be terrific and as Josh mentioned, a great way to determine what's being used and what can be deleted or made obsolete.

Miran · October 2019

Status changed to: In Review

CommunityMember129376 · January 2020

Currently there is no way to say whether line item is used as a filter in the view of the module.

As a model builder I'd like to be able to confidently modify existing line items or delete them if they are not used in the model. Currently I only know if line item is used as reference in a formula, but there is no way to say if line item is used:

- in a dashboard

- as a filter in the view

- or used as a selection in the delete action (boolean line items).

It is hard to keep the model clean out of unnecessary line items, which leads to unnecessary calculation and use of space.

I can only think of manually going through every module's view and check if line item is referenced there. But our model has probably about 300 views, which is not sustainable to go through every time.

Tiffany.Rice · January 2020

Agree that it would be very helpful to have visibility to line items that are being used a filters.

There was a similar idea proposed here: https://community.anaplan.com/t5/Idea-Exchange/Filter-References/idi-p/52582

@Miran - can we merge these requests?

Miran · January 2020

Status changed to: In Review

Miran · January 2020

Hi @Tiffany.Rice,

These ideas have been merged.

andrewtye · January 2020

Aha! I knew it was here somewhere... just about to start an optimisation process and having this would be superb.

I did find this in the community which gives a nice workaround but only when you're starting out:

https://community.anaplan.com/t5/Anaplan-Platform-Discussions/How-Do-I-View-if-a-Line-Item-Has-Been-Used-as-a-Filter/m-p/36673#M1634

helennie · January 2020

Just to add to the list:

- Line items used in Model-to-Model imports

Gwen.pryor · February 2020

Status changed to: In Review

OlgaNozhevskaya · September 2020

Hi @Miran,

Was there any progress of this idea? Investigation started more than half a year ago. And this functionality could be so helpful in model clean-ups.

julia.sung · November 2020

Need this functionality. Will make our lives easier if we are able to see where a line item is being used as a filter. Without that information we don't truly have the full picture when trying to decide if something can be deleted or not.

Relevant add:

Forbid users from deleting a line item that is being used as a filter similar to how Anaplan doesn't let users delete something that is being referenced in another formula or module

CalebW_77 · April 2021

I agree and I think it is time to add this functionality given saved views come into play with accelerated NUX builds as well. Saved views on a module with a filter driven by a module break if the driver filter module or line item is changed. Therefore seeing the fact that the line item or module is being used/referenced as a filter would be a great improvement.