> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://help.sigmacomputing.com/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://help.sigmacomputing.com/_mcp/server. # Create cross-element filters [Actions](/docs/intro-to-actions) support dynamic cross-element filtering, which enables user interactions with one element to filter the data of other elements in the same workbook. For example, when a user clicks a data point in one chart (the trigger element), Sigma automatically applies a filter to another chart (the target element) using the dimension value of the clicked data point. This document explains how to configure cross-element filtering using control elements and actions. For more information about actions, see [Intro to actions](/docs/intro-to-actions). ## User requirements The ability to configure cross-element filtering for workbook elements requires the following: * You must be assigned an [account type](/docs/account-type-and-license-overview) with the **Explore workbooks** or **Create, edit, and publish workbooks** permission enabled. * You must be the workbook owner or be granted **Can explore** or **Can edit** [workbook permission](/docs/folder-and-document-permissions). These requirements only apply to users who *configure* cross-element filters. Configured cross-element filters are applied to the interactions of any user who can view the workbook. ## Configure a cross-element filter In Sigma, a cross-element filter consists of at least three workbook elements: a trigger element, a control element, and a target element. The trigger element in a cross-element filter is typically a table, pivot table, input table, or visualization. When a user interacts with the trigger element by clicking a table cell in a specific column or any data point on the chart, a workbook action (configured on the trigger element) updates the value of the control element, which subsequently filters the target element. To configure this cross-element interactivity, you must complete the following: * [Create a control that filters the target element](#create-a-control-that-filters-the-target-element) * [Create a workbook action to set the control value](#create-a-workbook-action-to-set-the-control-value) The workflows demonstrated in this document are used to configure a cross-element filter for a single dimension on one target element. * To filter multiple dimensions on the same target element, create a separate control and action for each dimension. * To filter a single dimension on multiple target elements, create one control, then add all target elements as filter targets in the control element properties. * To filter multiple dimensions on multiple target elements, create a separate control and action for each dimension, then add all target elements as filter targets in each control element’s properties. ### Create a control that filters the target element The following steps explain how to create an element filter and quickly convert it to a preconfigured list or date control element. If you want to filter the target element using a different control type, see [Intro to control elements](/docs/intro-to-control-elements) for information about creating a new control from the ground up. 1. Open the draft, custom view, or saved view of a workbook and add at least one trigger element and one target element. 2. Hover over or select the target element and click **Filters** in the element menu. 3. In the **Filters & controls** modal, create a filter and convert it to a control element: 1. Click **Add filter**, then select the underlying data column you want to filter. You don’t need to choose filter values at this time. ![](https://sigma-docs-screenshots.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Workbooks/Configure+a+cross-element+filter/cross-element-filtering_create-control-filter.png) 2. Click **More** to open the filter menu, then select **Convert to page control**. ![](https://sigma-docs-screenshots.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Workbooks/Configure+a+cross-element+filter/cross-element-filtering_convert-to-page-control.png) Sigma adds a preconfigured control element that aligns with the filter you converted. The control’s value source, source column, and filter target are automatically set to filter the target element. ### Create a workbook action to set the control value The following steps explain how to configure a workbook action on the trigger element to set the value of the control element created in the previous section. 1. Open the draft, custom view, or saved view of a workbook. 2. Select the trigger element (the element users must interact with to initiate the action). 3. In the editor panel, open the **Actions** tab. 4. [Create a new sequence](/docs/create-and-manage-action-sequences), or locate an existing sequence that you want to modify. 5. Select the default action (if creating a new sequence), or click **Add action** to add a new action to the sequence. 6. In the modal, configure the required fields to define the response: 1. If the trigger element is a table, pivot table, or input table, select a column in the **When clicking cells in** field. Sigma only initiates the cross-element filter when a user clicks a cell in this column.\ If the trigger element is a visualization, button, image, or control, skip this step and proceed to step 3b. 2. \[optional] Configure a condition that should be met for the action sequence to take effect. To add a condition, click **More**, then click **Add condition**. 3. Configure the remaining fields based on the type of response you want to initiate:
**Action**

Select **Set control value**.

*This particular action type enables the cross-element filter.*
**Update control value**

Select the control element created in the previous section, Create a control that filters the target element.

*Sigma sets the value of this specific control, which is preconfigured to filter the target element.*
**Set value as**

Option 1: Select **Specific values** to always set the control to one or more fixed values, then choose the values.

Option 2: Select **Values from a specific column** to set the control to a value from a particular column, then choose the column. The control is dynamically set based on the column value from the same row as the clicked cell or data point.

*For the cross-element filter to function correctly, the selected values or column must align with the values in the control element’s filter target. The filter target is configured in the control’s **Element properties** > **Targets** tab and is the column selected in step 3a of the previous section, [Create a control that filters the target element](#create-a-control-that-filters-the-target-element).*
With the workbook action configured, user interaction with the trigger element initiates a workflow that immediately updates the control value and filters the target element. For a real-time demonstration of this cross-element filter, see the [interactive demo](#interactive-demo). ## Interactive demo In the following embedded example, click any slice in the pie chart to set the *State* control value and filter the map by state. You can then drill into the population data by state county. When the trigger element is a visualization, the cross-element filter also supports the following interactions: * To set multiple control values, hold `⌘ Command` (Mac OS) or `Ctrl` (Windows) while clicking data points (for example, pie slices) in the chart. * To clear the selection in the trigger element and reset the control value and filter, click any blank space in the trigger element. Note that this click-to-clear functionality only works for visualizations like those in this demo and not for tables or pivot tables. When the trigger element is a table, pivot table, or input table, you cannot set multiple control values. If you select multiple cells, the last cell you click determines the control value.