Create Metrics

You can create standalone metrics for a project using the Metric Editor. Use these metrics in any of your dashboards, documents, and reports within the same project.

This procedure details using the Metric Function Editor to create metrics with pre-defined functions, so you don't need to create your own formulas. If you want to create your own metric formulas, click Switch to Formula Editor and use the Metric Formula Editor.

1. Open the Workstation window.
2. Choose File > New Metric.
3. Select an environment and project.
4. In the left pane, search for and select a function to add it to the metric definition. Refer to the Functions Reference for information on the correct syntax to use for each function and corresponding examples.
5. Update the new Metric Name.
6. Click Format to specify metric formatting options.
7. Click Metric Options to specify advanced metric options.
8. If you select a non-aggregate function, such as data mining, date, OLAP, and ranking functions, options appear that allow you to define the input values (that is, arguments) for the function, as well as any parameters that determine the behavior of the function. Enter the appropriate options and go to the last step.
9. If you select an aggregate function (that is, grouping function), such as First, Max, or Sum, you can define function parameters, such as whether to use all values in the calculation or calculate using only unique values. Click Function Parameters, select the appropriate options to define the parameters, and click OK.

10. The function is calculated at the level of the attributes on the visualization on which the metric is placed, by default. You can specify the attributes to use in the metric calculation, regardless of what is contained on any visualization that the metric is placed on. To change the level, click Show All and select an attribute from the Level drop-down. You can also add multiple attributes.

    If a visualization contains Region and Category, by default the metric calculates regional and category values on that visualization. If you select Region as the level, the metric calculates the regional revenue values on that visualization; it does not include a breakdown by Category. This allows you to compare revenue across regions.

11. Click Level Advanced Options to define advanced level options.
12. You can create a conditional metric by using an existing filter. In Condition, choose an existing filter to apply it to the metric.
13. Click Advanced Condition Options to define advanced condition options.
14. If the Transformation field appears, select a transformation to apply to your metric.
15. If the Sort By field appears, select options for sorting the data.
16. Click Save.