Answering a prompt with a metric filter

Use this procedure to answer prompts for which you define your filtering conditions based on a metric. This type of prompt is shown below.

• A prompt where you double-click in the pane on the right to create a filter for a metric, as shown in the image below. (This is a metric prompt.)

1. Determine whether an answer is required for this prompt. This information appears at the top of the prompt window, listed as either Required or Optional.

   • If an answer is not required:

     • You can decide not to provide an answer. You can ignore the prompt and click Next to go to the next prompt question, if there is one. If there are no other prompt questions, click Finish. The report is executed, the results are displayed, and you are finished with this procedure.

     • You can decide to answer the prompt. To do so, proceed to the next step.

     • If an answer is required, the report cannot be executed without an answer. To answer the prompt, proceed to the next step.

2. Determine whether the prompt has a default answer already provided. If it does, the default answer appears in the far right pane of the prompt window, next to a metric filter icon.

   • If a default answer is provided:

     • If the default answer suits your needs, and you do not want to add other answers to it, click Next to go to the next prompt question, if there is one. If there are no other prompt questions, click Finish. The default answer is used to filter data for the report's results, and you are finished with this procedure.

     • If the default answer suits your needs but you want to add other answers to it, proceed to the next step.

     • If the default answer does not suit your needs, right-click the default answer, then select Remove. Click Yes to confirm your action.

3. Determine whether the prompt contains saved personal answers, which allow a user to save prompt answers for a specific prompt, and then reuse the answers on any report that the prompt is used on. If it does, the Remember this answer check box is selected or the Edit answers button is available.

   • If the prompt allows a single personal answer and a personal answer has already been saved, the Remember this answer check box at the top of the window is selected. The personal answer is displayed in the far right pane of the prompt window. If the check box is cleared, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, do one of the following:

     • If the personal answer suits your needs, and you do not want to add other answers to it, click Next to go to the next prompt question, if there is one. If there are no other prompt questions, click Finish. The personal answer is used to filter data for the report's results, and you are finished with this procedure.

     • If the personal answer suits your needs but you want to add other answers to it, proceed to the next step.

     • If the personal answer does not suit your needs, remove the personal answer by clicking the double left arrow to move the personal answer to the center pane. Proceed to the next step.

   • If the prompt allows multiple personal answers and a personal answer has already been saved, the Edit answers button at the top of the window is available. If it is not, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, do one of the following:

     • To use a saved personal answer, select the personal answer from the drop-down list near the Edit answers button. You can use these answers, or add additional answers to them.

     • If you do not want to use a saved personal answer, proceed to the next step.

4. You can add a new or additional answer by double-clicking in the Definition pane on the right. The Set Qualification pane opens, as shown below:

   

5. Create your filter by performing each of the following:

   • If you want to select an output level, click … (the browse button) next to the Output Level field to select a level. The output level is the level at which the metric results are calculated. The default is the metric's level. (Output levels are discussed in detail in the Advanced Metrics chapter of the Advanced Reporting Help.)

   • Depending on how the prompt's creator designed the prompt, you may be able to select the metric on which you want to base your filter. Use one of the following methods:

     • Type the name of the metric in the Metric field and click OK.

     • Click … (the browse button) to locate the metric. In the Open dialog box, navigate to the folder that contains the metric, select the metric, and click OK.

     • From the Function drop-down list, select the aspect of the metric that will be filtered on: Metric Value, Rank, or Percent.

     • From the Operator drop-down list, select a logical operator. For example, you might choose the Greater Than operator to filter out data that is below a certain number.

     • Beside the Value field, enter the value to complete your chosen operator. For example, if you chose the Greater Than operator above, you must enter the value which data should be greater than, to be returned on the report.

   • Click OK to close the Set Qualification pane.

6. Determine whether the prompt allows personal answers. If it does, the Remember this answer check box (for a single personal answer) or the Save this answer check box (for multiple personal answers) is displayed.

   • If you want to save a personal answer:

     • If the Remember this answer check box is displayed, only one prompt answer (which can contain multiple items or qualifications) can be saved. Select the Remember this answer check box. The items that you selected above are saved as the personal answer for this prompt. They are displayed when you re-execute this report, and also for any other report that uses this prompt.

     • If the Save this answer check box is displayed, you can save and name multiple personal answers. Select the Save this answer check box. Type the name in the Name field. You can set this personal answer as the default, so that it displays when you use this prompt again, either on this report or another.

       You do not have to save the report to save a personal answer; it is saved automatically.

   • If you do not want to save a personal answer, proceed to the next step.

7. When you are finished defining your filter, click Next.

8. If there are additional prompts on the report, use the appropriate steps to answer them. (Procedures for answering other types of prompts are listed below.) Otherwise, review the summary of your answers and click Finish. The report is executed and your results are displayed.

If you want to see how your prompt answers were used in the report's filter, from the View menu select Report Details. Your prompt answers appear in the Report Details window, in the form of report filtering conditions.

To see data filtered in a different way, click the Reprompt button and answer the prompt again to create a different filter for the report results.

Related Topics

• Answering a prompt from a list

• Answering a prompt with a value

• Answering a prompt with an attribute filter

• About prompts: Provides information for report designers and creators