Data element filters

You can add a filter to a data element that limits the display to show only data that meets certain criteria. You create filters directly on a single data element. For a list of data elements see Intro to Data Elements. You can convert a data element filter into a control on a page. For more information see Intro to Control Elements.

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When executing a scheduled export or direct download to PDF or PNG formats, Sigma may store applicable control values as URL parameters in trace logs used for debugging and troubleshooting purposes. Exercise caution when using controls to filter sensitive data.

Filter Types

A filter’s type dictates the type of user input values that will be accepted by the filter and the format in which those values are accepted. For example, a list filter provides a list of data values for users to choose from, while a range filter requests minimum and/or maximum values.

Sigma workbooks support seven filter types. The filter types you can choose from for each given filter are dependent on the type of column the filter targets.

JSON columns are the only column type that cannot be filtered. To filter on JSON data, first extract data from the JSON object. To begin extracting data, open the column's menu and select Extra columns.

Include

Description: Selected values are included in your data. All other other values are excluded.
Input Type: List of selectable values
Column Types: Text, Numbers, Dates
Maximum Number of Values Displayed: 200
Sort Options: Descending by count (default), Ascending by count, Descending by alpha-numeric, Ascending by alpha-numeric

Note: Superficially, include and exclude filters look almost identical. A filter's type can be identified from its  more () menu or from use and observation.

Exclude

Description: Selected values are excluded in your data.
Input Type: List of selectable values
Column Types: Text, Numbers, Dates
Maximum Number of Values Displayed: 200
Sort Options: Descending by count (default), Ascending by count, Descending by alpha-numeric, Ascending by alpha-numeric

Note: Superficially, include and exclude filters look almost identical. A filter's type can be identified from its  more () menu or from use and observation.

Range (Number)

Description: Only values within the specified range are included in your data. The range is min/max inclusive.
Input Type: Min/Max numeric input boxes
Column Type: Numbers

Date Range

Description: Only values within the specified range are included in your data. The range is min/max inclusive. Both fixed and relative date types are supported.
Input Type: A single input box with the option to select fixed and/or relative dates for both min and max values.
Column Type: Dates

Text Match

Description: Search for full and partial matches between the input text and the data’s values.
Input Types:

• A list of formulas to match on (such as Contains, Starts with, Ends with, Like), in addition to their value excluding counter parts (such as Does not contain, Does not start with, Does not end with, and Not like).

• A text input box for search text.

• A checkbox for selecting case sensitivity (available through the filter's more () menu).

Column Type: Text

Boolean (true/false)

Description: Filters on true, false and null
Input Type: A list of values
Column Type: Logical (true/false)

Top N

For more details about using Top N see Top N Filter.

Description: Ranks and limits data in the column based on your specifications.
Input Type:
(1) A list of rank order/direction (e.g. First N)
(2) A numeric input for number of values to include
Column Types: Text, Numbers, Dates

Create a Filter

Before you start: This action is only available in edit mode. To begin editing, click Edit in the top right corner of the page.

1. Select the element you want to filter.

2. Hover over the column you would like to filter, and click its caret () icon button.

3. Click Filter.
   

4. The new filter is added to the filter list and displayed in the filter popup above the element.

   

   • Existing filters can be accessed from filter () button in the element's inline toolbar.

   • If the element is expanded, the same button is available in the page toolbar.
     

   • A filter type is auto-selected based on the column's type.
     Open the individual filter's more () menu to change its type.

Keep Only or Exclude (Quick Filter)

Before you start: This action is only available in edit mode. To begin editing, click Edit in the top right corner of the page.

To quickly include or exclude a single value from a column's data, use the Keep only or Exclude options from the cell's right-click menu.

Example 1: Right click on a vertical bar chart's bar to open the cell context menu for the x-axis value represented by that bar. In the image below, clicking Keep only 2018 would filter the visualization to only show that one bar. Clicking Exclude 2018 would filter out the 2018 bar, leaving the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019 bars.

Example 2: Right click on a table or pivot table cell to open that cell's context menu. In the image below, clicking Keep only Midwest would filter the table to only show data rows with a cell value matching "Midwest" in the [Store Region] column. Clicking Exclude Midwest would filter out any row with a cell value matching "Midwest" in the [Store Region] column.

To Keep/Exclude multiple values at once, press Shift, select the cells you'd like to filter the table by, and right click on the cells to open the context menu. In the image below, clicking Keep only 3 values would filter the table to show only data rows with cell values matching "West", "Southwest", and "Midwest" in the [Store Region] column. Clicking Exclude 3 values would filter out any row with a cell value matching "West", "Southwest", and "Midwest" in the [Store Region] column.

Open & Edit an Existing Filter

1. If you have a full workbook page open, hover over the element and click the  filter () button in its inline toolbar.

   
   OR
   If the element is expanded, the same button is available in the page toolbar.
   

2. Use the element's input box(es) to modify a filter's value(s).

Edit a Filter Type

Before you start: This action is only available in edit mode. To begin editing, click Edit in the top right corner of the page.

1. Click the element's filter () button to open its filter popup open the filter popup.

2. Click the filter's more () menu.

3. Select the new filter type.

Disable a Filter

1. Click the element's filter () button to open its filter popup open the filter popup.

2. Click filter's switch toggle to disable or reenable a filter.