Intro to Control Elements
Workbooks support three element types: data elements, UI elements, and control elements.
Control elements and data elements work hand-in-hand to get the data you want in front of you. Data elements display your data; whereas control elements are built and used to manipulated that displayed data.
Think data filtering and parameterization.
Summary of Content
Requirements
How do controls work?
Filter Data with Controls
Parameters
What does this mean for me?
Types of Controls
Filter Types
Parameter Types
Create a Control
Convert an Existing Element Filter to a Control
Use a Parameter in a Formula
Related Resources
Requirements
- To create a control element, you must have Can Edit access to the individual workbook and be in Edit mode.
- Existing controls can also be used in View and Explore mode. Learn more
How do controls work?
Control elements can be added to a workbook to manipulate that workbook's data based on user input.
Filter Data with Controls
Each filter-based control element has three primary components that define the control: type, settings and target.
Control element type: A few examples of control types List Values, Date, and Number.
Settings: Settings are defined by workbook editors and vary depending on control type. For example, lists require source data but date ranges do not.
Together, a control's type and settings define how that control displays on the page and what user input value(s) it will accept.
Targets: Targets are the data elements that a control element points to. When a control's input is changed, the data in its target(s) reacts accordingly.
Parameters
Parameters are excellent for What-If Analysis and User Input Analysis.
A parameter is a customizable field that can be added to a workbook and referenced in formulas. This allows you to dynamically replace constant values used in calculations across your workbook.
For example, you may want to compare product sales growth by a variable 2%, 5%, and 10% percent. A parameter can be used to quickly track this variable value and inject it into formulas.
What does this mean for me?
As a Workbook Editor
If you are authoring or editing a workbook with controls, you should have a basic understanding of how controls are constructed and how they impact targeted data elements.
As a Viewer
If you are viewing an existing workbook, without permission or intention to edit, all you really need to know is that inputing a value into a control element will automatically update the data displayed in any elements targeted by that control.
Changing a control's input value without actively publishing the workbook only affects your current view of the workbook and its data.
Want to try it? In the example below, click the Year list control. Then select the sales year(s) you want to include. Watch as both targeted elements respond to your changes.
Types of Controls
Filter Types
A control's type dictates the type of user input values that are accepted by the control and the format in which those values are accepted. For example, a List control provides a list of data values for you to choose from, while a Number control requests minimum and/or maximum values.
List Values
Description: By default, selected values are included; all other other values are excluded. Can switch to exclude selected values by checking the Exclude values field.
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
Number
Description: Only values within the specified range will be included in your data. The range is min/max inclusive
Input Type: Min/Max numeric input boxes
Column Type: Numbers
Date
Description: Only values within the specified range will be included in the 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 Box
Description: Allows the user to search for full and partial matches between your input text and your data’s values.
Input Types:
(1) A list of formulas to match on (ie Contains, Starts with, Ends with, Like), in addition to their value excluding counter parts (ie Does not contain, Does not start with, Does not end with, and Not like)
(2) A text input box for search text
Column Type: Text
Top N
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
Switch
Description: Allows the user to switch between True and False values.
Input Types: Switch toggle
Column Type: Boolean (true/false)
Drill Down
Description: Allows the user to view pre-defined layers of data.
Input Types: clickable text drill path
Drill Category Column Types: Text, Numbers, Dates, Boolean (true/false)
Parameter Types
Textbox
Description: Allows the user to enter a custom text or number value.
Input Type: A single text box. The input value will be interpreted as either text or a number depending on its pre-defined value type.
List
Description: Allows for selection of a single value from the available list of values. The value list is defined either manually (by its creator) or from a source column in your workbook's data.
Input Type: A list with radio buttons
Date picker
Description: Allows for selection of a single date to use as a parameter value
Input Type: A calendar date picker
Switch
Description: Allows the user to switch between True and False values
Input Type: Switch toggle
Create a Control
Before you start: This action is only available in Edit mode. To begin editing, click Edit in the top right corner of the page. Learn more
- In the editor panel's sidebar, click the + icon.
This will open the ADD NEW panel. - Under CONTROL ELEMENTS select your desired control element type.
Your new element will appear on the page. - Select a Control type: Filter or Parameter.
- Use the editor panel to configure the control.
Convert an Existing Element Filter to a Control
The Convert to page control option creates a copy of the existing data element filter. The original element is automatically added as a target to the new control. You can customize and add additional targets to the control via the editor panel.
When a control is created from an element filter, the existing filter remain accessible. Changing the input value of the filter update the input value in the control and vice versa.
Before you start: This action is only available in Edit mode. To begin editing, click Edit in the top right corner of the page. Learn more
- Click the element's filter (
) button to open its filter popup. - Open filter's more (
) menu. - Select Convert to page control.
- Use the editor panel to customize and add targets to your control.
Use a Parameter in a Formula
Before you start: This action is only available in Edit mode. To begin editing, click Edit in the top right corner of the page. Learn more
- Create your parameter.
- Create and select a new column.
- Click to focus the formula bar.
- Type in your formula, formatting the parameter id in brackets (similar to columns).
- Hit Enter on your keyboard, to save your formula.
- Once the formula is saved, changing the parameter value will automatically trigger the calculated column to re-calculate.
Related Resources
Intro to Data Elements
Data Element Filters