Derived Elements Editor

You can combine data from multiple attribute elements into a single item (called a derived element), then display the derived element in a report or document. For example, if your report displays profit data from 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 on separate rows, you might want to group the 2005, 2006, and 2007 rows together into a single row on the report, and name that new row Profits Through 2007.

You can save your new group of data rows as a separate object called a derived element, to be used again on a different report or document. To use a derived element on another report or document, the other report or document must contain the attribute that the derived element was originally based on. For example, using the example above, the derived element was made up of the elements 2005, 2006, and 2007. These elements are part of the Year attribute. If you want to use the Profits Through 2007 derived element on another report, that report must contain the Year attribute. For an introduction to derived elements, with examples and images, see the Derived Elements chapter in the In-memory Analytics Help.

There are several types of derived element groups you can create, based on the types of information the system requires from you to define the groups you want. You can use the following types of derived elements to group your data:

• A Group derived element combines attribute elements that have been selected from a list into a single derived element. The Profits Through 2007 derived element described in the example above is a Group derived element, containing the attribute elements 2005, 2006, and 2007.
• A Filter derived element uses a filter qualification to determine which combination of attribute elements to include in the derived element. For example, if you want to filter the regions in a report into geographic groups based on the region names, you can create a Filter derived element called Southern Regions, which groups together attribute elements whose names begin with South.
• A Calculation derived element uses operators and functions to combine attribute elements and derived elements into calculations that define a single derived element. For example, you can combine the Southern Regions derived element described above with the Web attribute element to form a single derived element. This derived element would contain the Web region as well as any regions whose names begin with South.
• The All Other derived element, by default, collects all attribute elements that are not included in any other derived elements, and displays them as individual items on the report or document. This derived element is created automatically when the first derived element is created for an attribute. The All Other derived element can only be deleted by deleting all derived elements for the attribute.

To Create and Add a Derived Element to a Report or Document

1. Open the report or document by doing one of the following:

   • To add a derived element to a report, click the name of the report to run it.
   • To add a derived element to a document, open the document in Editable Mode. To open a document in Editable Mode, from a folder, right-click the document, point to Run as, and select Editable. If the document is already open in Design Mode, click the Editable Mode icon .
2. Right-click the header of the attribute whose elements you want to use to create the derived element, then select Derived Elements. The Derived Elements Editor opens.

3. From the New drop-down, select one of the following, depending on the type of group you want to create. See the introduction above for details on each type.

   • To create a derived element from attribute elements selected from a list, select List.

     1. By default, each attribute element contained in the attribute you selected is displayed in the Available list and can be added to the new derived element. You can have the Available list only display the attribute elements that have not yet been added to any derived elements. Do one of the following:

        • To display only the attribute elements that have not yet been added to any derived elements, select the Unused Attribute Elements checkbox.
        • To display all attribute elements, regardless of whether they have been added to a derived element, clear the Unused Attribute Elements checkbox.
     2. Select the attribute elements you want to add to the derived element, then click > to add the elements to the Selected list. To select more than one attribute element, press CTRL and click each element you want to select. You can search for elements by typing the name of an element into the Search for field and clicking the Find icon.

   • To create a derived element by using a calculation to group attribute elements and derived elements into a set of data, select Calculation.

     1. Add attribute elements, derived elements, and numbers to the calculation by selecting one of the following:
        • To add attribute elements to the calculation, click Elements. A list of attribute elements is displayed. Select the element you want to add and click > to add it to the calculation. To select more than one attribute element, press CTRL as you select elements.
        • To add derived elements to the calculation, click Derived Elements. A list of derived elements is displayed. Select the element you want to add and click > to add it to the calculation. To select more than one derived element, press CTRL as you select elements.
        • To add numbers to the calculation, click Numbers. Type a number in the field and click > to add it to the calculation.
     2.  From the Function drop-down, select the function or operator you want to use to create the calculation. A preview of the calculation is automatically displayed in the Preview pane.

   • To create a derived element by filtering attribute elements based on an attribute form, complete the following steps:

     1. Select Filter.
     2. Click Qualify.
     3. From the first drop-down, select the attribute form you want to filter data based on.
     4. From the next drop-down, select the operator that describes how you want to filter data, such as Begins With or Less Than.
     5. In the last field, type the value to use to qualify on the attribute form. This is the value that will be compared against the data in your data source. Depending on the operator you selected from the previous drop-down, you may need to type multiple values. For example, the operator Between requires two values.

   • To create a derived element by determining whether selected attribute elements are in a list, complete the following steps:

     1. Select Filter.
     2. Click Select.
     3. From the first drop-down, select one of the following:
     • To specify attribute elements to include in the derived element by adding them to a list, select In List.
     • To include all attribute elements in the derived element except those in the list, select Not In List.
     4. Select the attribute elements you want to include or exclude from the derived element, then click > to add the elements to the Selected list. To select more than one attribute element, press CTRL as you select elements. You can search for elements by typing the name of an element into the Search for field and clicking the Find icon.
4. Type a name for the new derived element in the field, then press Enter.
5. Click the Properties tab.

6. You can display a derived element as a single, consolidated element with aggregated data, or as the separate attribute elements that are items within the derived element. Under Derived element behavior, select one of the following:

   • To display the derived element as a single item, containing the data of all the attribute elements that make up the derived element, select Consolidate items into one element. This option is selected by default.
   • To display data for each individual attribute element, select Keep individual items separate.

7. You can define how metric values for the derived element are applied to all subtotals included in a grid. From the Subtotal behavior drop-down, select one of the following:

   • To apply the derived element's aggregated data, rather than the values for the individual items in the derived element, to all subtotals in the grid, select Use this element when calculating subtotals. This option is selected by default.
   • To apply the values of the separate items that make up the derived element to all subtotals, select Use the individual items that comprise this element when calculating subtotals. For Group and Filter derived elements, only attribute elements can be included as items of derived elements. Calculation derived elements can include attribute elements as well as other derived elements.
   • To exclude both the derived element values and separate item values from all subtotals, select Do not use this element when calculating subtotal. You can use this option to avoid double counting when an attribute element is included in more than one derived element.

8. By default, the All Other derived element collects attribute elements that are not included in any other derived elements, and displays them as individual attribute elements on the report or document. You can determine whether the attribute elements that make up your new derived element are also included in the All Other derived element. Under All Other behavior, select one of the following:

   • To prevent the attribute elements from being included in the All Other derived element, select Do not include individual items in the All Other element. This option is selected by default.
   • To include the attribute elements in the All Other derived element, select Include individual items in the All Other element.
9. Repeat the appropriate steps above to create and add each derived element.
10. Click OK.

To Format a Derived Element

1. Open the report or document by doing one of the following:

   • To format a derived element in a report, click the name of the report to run it.
   • To format a derived element in a document, open the document in Editable Mode.
2. Right-click the header of the attribute used to create the derived element, then select Derived Elements.
3. Select the name of the derived element you want to format, then click the Format icon .
4. Select the appropriate options to format the derived element, then click OK. For details, see Format: Derived Elements Dialog Box.
5. Click OK.

6. If this is a stand-alone derived element, a message is displayed, indicating that the changes will apply to the report or document, not the stand-alone derived element. You can choose to apply the changes:

   • To the stand-alone object, which affects all the reports and documents that the derived element is used in. To do this, click Cancel. Click Save As.
   • To this report or document only. To do this, click OK twice.

To Rename a Derived Element

1. Open the report or document by doing one of the following:

   • To rename a derived element in a report, click the name of the report to run it.
   • To rename a derived element in a document, open the document in Editable Mode.
2. Right-click the header of the attribute used to create the derived element, then select Derived Elements.
3. Select the name of the derived element you want to rename, then click the Rename icon .
4. Type a new name for the derived element in the field, then press Enter.
5. Click OK.

6. If this is a stand-alone derived element, a message is displayed, indicating that the changes will apply to the report or document, not the stand-alone derived element. You can choose to apply the changes:

   • To the stand-alone object, which affects all the reports and documents that the derived element is used in. To do this, click Cancel. Click Save As.
   • To this report or document only. To do this, click OK twice.

To Delete a Derived Element

1. Open the report or document by doing one of the following:

   • To delete a derived element from a report, click the name of the report to run it.
   • To delete a derived element from a document, open the document in Editable Mode.
2. Right-click the header of the attribute used to create the derived element, then select Derived Elements.

3. Do one of the following:

   • To delete a single derived element, select the name of the derived element you want to delete, then click the Delete icon .
   • To delete all the derived elements that have been defined for the attribute, click the Delete All icon .
4. Click OK..

To Rearrange the Display Order of Derived Elements in a Report or Document

1. Open the report or document by doing one of the following:

   • To rearrange the display of a derived element in a report, click the name of the report to run it.
   • To rearrange the display of a derived element in a document, open the document in Editable Mode.
2. Right-click the header of the attribute used to create the derived element, then select Derived Elements.
3. Select the name of the derived element you want to move, then use the Move Up and Move Down arrows to move it to its new location.
4. Click OK.

5. If this is a stand-alone derived element, a message is displayed, indicating that the changes will apply to the report or document, not the stand-alone derived element. You can choose to apply the changes:

   • To the stand-alone object, which affects all the reports and documents that the derived element is used in. To do this, click Cancel. Click Save As.
   • To this report or document only. To do this, click OKtwice.

To Save a Group of Derived Elements as a Stand-Alone Object

1. You can save a group of derived elements as a stand-alone object to be reused on multiple reports or documents. Open the report or document by doing one of the following:

   • To save a derived element from within a report, click the name of the report to run it.
   • To save a derived element from within a document, open the document in Editable Mode.
2. Right-click the header of the attribute used to create the derived element, then select Derived Elements.
3. Click the Save Derived Elements icon .
4. Type a name and description for the derived element group in the Name and Description fields, then click OK..
5. Click OK.

To Modify a Derived Element in a Report or Document

Within a report or document, you can modify a derived element that appears on the report or document. If the derived element is a stand-alone object, you can choose whether to apply the changes to the stand-alone object (which affects all the reports and documents that the derived element is used in) or to the open report or document only.

1. To modify a derived element in a report, click the name of the report to run it. To modify a derived element in a document, open the document in Editable Mode.
2. Right-click the header of the attribute used to create the derived element, then select Derived Elements.
3. Select the name of the derived element to modify.
4. Make your changes to the derived element's definition or properties (see To Create and Add a Derived Element to a Report or Document for descriptions of the fields), or formatting (see To Format a Derived Element for steps).
5. Click OK.
6. If this is a stand-alone derived element, a message is displayed, indicating that the changes will apply to the report or document, not the stand-alone derived element. You can choose to apply the changes:
7. To the stand-alone object, which affects all the reports and documents that the derived element is used in. To do this, click Cancel. Click the Save As icon .

To Add a Group of Stand-Alone Derived Elements to a Report or Document Grid

1. To add a stand-alone derived element group to a report, click the name of the report to run it. To add a stand-alone derived element group to a document, open the document in Editable Mode.
2. Right-click the header of the attribute the derived elements were created based on, then select Derived Elements.
3. Click the Link Derived Elements icon .
4. Navigate to and select the name of the group of stand-alone derived elements you want to add to the grid, then click OK.
5. Click OK .

Related Topics

Format: Derived Elements Dialog Box

How to Save a Derived Element

Select Derived Elements Dialog Box