Creating a Hierarchy Filter

Creating a hierarchy filter is done by combining a selection of columns or date categories into a hierarchy. Note that combining columns into a hierarchy filter will not automatically remove all other filters representing the same columns—this must be done manually, if desired.

To combine several columns into a hierarchy filter:

Right-click anywhere in the Filters panel.
Select Insert Hierarchy....

Response: The Insert Hierarchy dialog appears.
If more than one data table is available in the analysis, specify which Data table to work on.
Select the columns you want to include in your hierarchy filter from the Available columns list, and click Add >.

Response: The columns appear in the Hierarchy list.
Select a column in the Hierarchy list, and use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to position it correctly in the hierarchy.

Comment: The least granular category should be placed at the top of the list. For example, Continent above Country above City.
Enter a name for the new hierarchy in the Hierarchy name field.
Click OK.

Response: The new hierarchy filter appears at the bottom of the list of filters (for the specified data table) in the filters panel.

Note: Creating a hierarchy with a very large number of nodes may take a long time. It may also result in a hierarchy filter with too many check boxes to be practically useful. Use the Filtering Scheme Properties or the Column Properties to edit the hierarchy and remove the column with too many unique values if this should happen.

To create a hierarchy filter from a date column:

Right-click anywhere in the Filters panel.
Select Insert Hierarchy....

Response: The Insert Hierarchy dialog appears.
Select the Data table containing the desired date column.
In the Available columns list, the date column has several sub-categories:
Select the sub-categories you want to include in your hierarchy filter from the Available columns list, and click Add >.

Response: The sub-categories appear in the Hierarchy list.
Remove unwanted entries from the Hierarchy list by selecting them and clicking < Remove. Most often you will not want to include the actual Date column in the hierarchy filter, only a selection of its sub-categories.
Select an entry in the Hierarchy list, and use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to position it correctly in the hierarchy.

Comment: The least granular category should be placed at the top of the list. For example, Year above Quarter above Month.

Enter a name for the new hierarchy in the Hierarchy name field.
Click OK.

Response: The new hierarchy filter appears at the bottom of the list of filters (for the specified data table) in the filters panel.