Exploring and Analyzing Data37% of the exam

Dimension filters, filter cards and date filters

Filter a view with Keep Only and Exclude on marks and headers, the Filters shelf dialog and filter cards (modes, Include or Exclude Values), and pick the right date filter: relative dates, a range of dates or a discrete date level such as one quarter of every year.

Official exam objective
Organize data and apply filters: Create groups by using marks, headers, and the data pane; Create sets by using marks and the data pane; Organize dimensions into a hierarchy; Add a filter to a view; Add a date filter.

~8 min read · 7 practice questions ·

What the exam expects

  • Remove or isolate marks and headers with Exclude and Keep Only, and predict what a header selection inside a hierarchy removes.
  • Add a dimension to the Filters shelf and use the General, Wildcard, Condition and Top tabs.
  • Show a filter card, choose a card mode that fits the field, and switch between Include Values and Exclude Values.
  • Pick a date filter: Relative dates for a rolling window, Range of dates for a fixed period, a discrete level for the same part of every year.
  • Explain why Relative to Now and Browse Periods appear only for continuous date filters.

Key terms:

  • Keep Only / Exclude: tooltip commands that filter the selected marks or headers in or out of the view.
  • Filters shelf: the shelf that holds every filter on the worksheet; dropping a field there opens the Filter dialog.
  • Filter card: the interactive filter shown in the view; its mode sets how values are picked.
  • Relative date filter: a date range that updates based on when the view is opened.
  • Discrete date filter: a filter on a whole date level, such as Quarters or Months, regardless of the year.

Key facts

Keep Only / Exclude
Detail
Tooltip commands on selected marks or headers
Header in a hierarchy
Detail
All next-level headers are selected too
Dimension Filter dialog tabs
Detail
General, Wildcard, Condition, Top; additive left to right
Filter order
Detail
Extract, data source, context, dimension, then measure filters
Exclude Values
Detail
Selections in the card are excluded from the view
Hide Card
Detail
Hides the card; filter stays on the Filters shelf
Wildcard Match
Detail
Asterisk wildcard, not case sensitive
Relative dates
Detail
Range updates based on when the view is opened
Discrete date filter
Detail
Whole date levels, such as quarters, regardless of year
Relative to Now, Browse Periods
Detail
Continuous date fields only
Date part
Detail
Aggregates to one part of a date, such as May of any year
Sources for this section (2)
  • Why might Keep Only and Exclude be missing after you select marks?
  • Why can a dimension filter change the rows a measure filter evaluates?
  • Which card option lists only the values that pass the other filters?
  • What happens to the filter when you choose Hide Card?

The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.

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