Dataset XMD labels, values, colors and formats
What a dataset's extended metadata (XMD) can change (field and value labels, colours, measure formats and multipliers, the row count label, values-table defaults, hidden fields) and cannot (stored data, API names), plus how to edit it in the UI or by uploading a file safely.
Given user requirements or ease of use strategies, manage dataset extended metadata (XMD) by editing labels, values, and colors.
~7 min read · 15 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Decide whether a requirement is a display change (XMD) or a data or API-name change (recipe).
- Relabel fields, values and the row count measure, and keep labels within their length limits.
- Format measures with prefixes, suffixes, rounding, separators and multipliers.
- Set value colours and predict which charts show them.
- Hide fields from builders and choose values-table default fields.
- Edit XMD in the UI or replace the file safely, and keep it working after renames and in multi-dataset queries.
Key terms: XMD (a dataset's extended metadata file that overrides how fields and values look); members (the XMD array that relabels or colours individual dimension values); showInExplorer (whether builders can select a field); multiplier (a fixed amount a measure's displayed values are multiplied by); first loaded dataset (the dataset whose XMD formats a multi-dataset query).
Key facts
- Detail
- One XMD file per dataset
- Detail
- Appearance only; stored data and API names unchanged
- Detail
- Set in the recipe with Edit Attributes
- Detail
- Up to 40 characters; description up to 1,000
- Detail
- "Count of Rows" by default;
derivedMeasureswith field*
- Detail
- Stacked bar, column, waterfall; others with one measure and two groups
- Detail
- First five measures and first five dimensions, alphabetical
- Detail
- Still usable in SAQL, dashboard JSON and the REST API
- Detail
- XMD 2.0, at most 5 MB; download a backup first
- Detail
- Overwrites all customisations; save in UTF-8
- Detail
- Formatted with the first loaded dataset's XMD
Sources for this section (10)
- Configure the XMDdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Change Display Labelsdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Transformations for Data Prephelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Dimensions in XMDdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Row Count Measuredeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Change Chart Colorsdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Values Table Defaultsdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Hide Dataset Fieldsdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Apply Extended Metadatahelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Multiple Datasetsdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why is hiding a field in the metadata not a way to protect sensitive data?
- What happens to a dataset's formatting when an uploaded XMD file fails validation?
- When does a colour set with Edit Values appear in a chart?
- Which kind of field can't get a custom display label at all?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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