Understanding Dimensions

You can easily add dimensionality to a Metric, Multi-Metric or Report in Metric Insights.This allows results to be collected and analyzed for each Dimension Value associated with a Dimension. A dimensioned Element includes a separate tile and Chart or Report for each Dimension Value for which data has been collected

For example, the Dimension "Country," that is used in several examples that follow, has six Dimension Values:

  • Australia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Russia
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom

Dimensions may have the following characteristics:

  • Collect Dimension Values via:
    • a fetch command
    • manually entered
    • CSV file upload
    • Action from a Dataset View
  • Have a Parent Dimension as described here
  • Stand alone (without a Parent)
  • Be combined with another Dimension to form a Compound dimension as described here
  • Include an optional Total automatically computed for each of its dimensioned Metrics

Additional information about Dimension Security can be found in:

Dimensioned Element Tiles on Homepage

Dimensioned Element Tiles on Homepage
  1. From one Metric, 'Daily Sales' dimensioned by Country, a Tile is generated for each of the six Country's Dimension Values that has data and has not been set to "not show as tile." See the article that explains how to: Expose a Hidden Tile for Dimension Value.
  2. Typically, the Dimension Value appears in the Element's Name shown on tiles and Charts/Reports (for example, Australia in the image above).

Dimensioned Element's Chart

Dimensioned Element's Chart
  1. On the Chart, there is a Dimension Value button with an entry in its drop-down list for each Dimension Value that has data.
  2. The Chart displays data for one Dimension Value (in the example above: Australia).
    1. The button is labeled with the Dimension Value that is currently opened.

Dimension Value Definition

Dimension Value Definition

Each Dimension has one or more Dimension Values

In the example above, the Dimension Values grid shows six Countries in the Dimension Editor for 'Country'.  You can add as many as necessary.

See one of the following articles for guidance on establishing Dimension Values:

  1. Create a Dimension with Manually Entered Values
  2. Create a Dimension with Automatically Collected Values
  3. Create a Dimension with values sourced from a Dataset View (Version 5.0.5)

Dimension Totals

If you have chosen to have totals for a Dimension, both of the following are generated for Metrics only:

  1. A 'Total' tile
  2. A 'Total' Chart

NOTE: Dimensioned Reports do NOT have a total tile/chart.

Details about how to create totals for Metrics are included in Add Totals for Dimensions.