Filtering in Qlik Sense External Reports

This article provides details on how to configure filtering in Qlik Sense External Reports.

Qlik Sense Filters can be added by:

  1. Retrieving Filter Names from Qlik Sense (auto-retrieval of all Filters/Filter Values from Qlik Sense)
  2. Loading Filter Values from Qlik Sense (auto-retrieval of a single Filter and its Values from Qlik Sense)
  3. Loading Filter Values from a Dataset (auto-loading of Filter Values from a Dataset in Metric Insights)
  4. Mapping to Dimension Values in Metric Insights (auto-mapping of Filter Values in Qlik Sense to Dimension Values in Metric Insights)
  5. Entering Filter Values Manually 

PREREQUISITES:

[6.1.1 new feature] If your External Report Viewer is displaying duplicate Filters based on your BI Tool defaults, your Admin can reset the default behavior to remove the Metric Insights filters from Viewer display  - How to omit Filters from External Reports.

Once filters are added to an Element for the first time, they will be automatically added to all new respective Elements with the same Data Source.

NOTE:

  • External Filters are tied to Qlik Sense Sheets, not Metric Insights' Objects/Elements. This allows Filters to be reused multiple times.
  • Redundant Filters or Filter Values can be set to "ignore".
FINDING FILTER NAMES IN QLIK SENSE

Most of the data displayed by Qlik Sense Objects can be filtered by the offered criteria.

As exemplified by the image below, data in the corresponding charts has been refined by selected Filter values:

  • Product Category: wine
  • Product Subcategory: red wine, white wine

These Filters can either be automatically loaded to Metric Insights or added manually as needed.

1. Define a Source Object for an External Report

By specifying a Qlik Sense source element, Users will be able to fetch Filters applied to that element.

In the External Report Editor > Configuration tab:

  1. Select a Plugin Connection Profile that will be used for data collection
  2. Click [Select Object] to access the list of available Qlik Sense Objects
  3. Click the [Object Name] for it to be selected as a data source in Metric Insights
  4. If you do not see the required item, use Refresh

2. Add Qlik Sense Filters to Metric Insights

The Filter Management option allows Users to add Filters and access the related functionality.

For External Reports, to properly pass filter parameters to Qlik Sense, set Append dimension filter to External URL as: to "URL body part" in the corresponding External Report Type Editor.

For more information, refer to Create a New External Report Type.

To be able to add Filters:

  1. Click [Manage Filters]
  2. For auto-retrieval and complete Filter syncing, activate the toggle (see details in Step 2.1)
  3. For other Filter-adding methods, click [+Filter] (see details in Step 2.2, Step 2.3, Step 2.4 and Step 2.5)
2.1. Retrieve Filter Names from Qlik Sense

Selecting this option means that all Filters and Filter Values will automatically be fetched from Qlik Sense.

Filters added automatically cannot be deleted if the "Retrieve Filter Names from Qlik Sense" option is activated.

To enable auto-retrieval:

  1. Activate the Auto-Retrieval option
  2. The loaded Qlik Sense Filters will appear in a list below
  3. Refresh the Filters' list as needed
  4. To edit a Filter, use the Edit (Gear) icon
  5. Click [Done] to proceed
2.2. Load Filter Values from Qlik Sense

This option gives more control over which Filter Values to load to Metric Insights. Filters are added one by one, enabling Users to determine how many Filters will be fetched.

To automatically load a Filter:

  1. Specify the Name of the Qlik Sense Filter that needs to be loaded
  2. Optionally, specify a Display Name to override the original Name of a Qlik Sense Filter
  3. Select the Type of Filter:
    • Single Value allows choosing one Filter Value in Viewer
    • Multi-Value allows choosing several Filter Values simultaneously and showing visualizations for the selected Values
  4. Optionally, restrict certain Filter Values to specific Users with the "Constrain via User Map" setting
  5. Save your entries
2.3. Load Filter Values from a Dataset

Loading Filter Values from a Dataset involves using a selected Dataset column as a source of Filter Values and mapping it to a specified Qlik Sense Filter Name.

To use a Dataset as a source of Filter Values:

  1. Input the Name of the Qlik Sense Filter (exactly as it is spelled in Qlik Sense)
  2. Optionally, specify a Display Name to override the original Name of a Qlik Sense Filter
  3. Select the Type of Filter:
    1. Single Value allows choosing one Filter Value in Viewer
    2. Multi-Value allows choosing several Filter Values simultaneously and showing visualizations for the selected Values
  4. Choose Dataset as a source of Filter Values
  5. Specify Dataset & View from which Values will be loaded
  6. Select a Dataset Column that will be mapped to the specified Qlik Sense Filter
  7. Save your entries
2.4. Map to Dimension Values in Metric Insights

Qlik Sense Filters can also be mapped to Dimensions in Metric Insights.

PREREQUISITES:

To map a Qlik Sense Filter to a preconfigured Metric Insights' Dimension:

  1. Input the Name of the Qlik Sense Filter (exactly as it is spelled in Qlik Sense)
  2. Optionally, specify a Display Name to override the original Name of a Qlik Sense Filter
  3. Select the Type of Filter:
    • Single Value allows choosing one Filter Value in Viewer
    • Multi-Value allows choosing several Filter Values simultaneously and showing visualizations for the selected Values
  4. Filter Values: choose "Map to Dimension Values"
  5. Select a Dimension whose Values will automatically be loaded to the Values list
  6. Save your entries
2.5. Enter Filter Values Manually

Using the manual setting, Users have full control over which Filters and Filter Values are added to an Object/Element in Metric Insights.

To enter Filter Values manually:

  1. Input the Name of the Qlik Sense Filter (exactly as it is spelled in Qlik Sense)
  2. Display Name will allow you to override the original Filter name; this Name will be used in Metric Insights
  3. Select the Type of Filter:
    • Single Value setting will allow you to choose only one Filter Value in Viewer
    • Multi-Value setting enables the display of data in the External Report Viewer for several Filter Values at once
  4. Filter Values: choose "Enter Manually"
  5. Click [+Add Value] to add Values by hand
  6. Save your entries

3. Customize the Filter Order with Sorting

You can specify the order in which the Filters will be displayed in External Report Viewer.

To set custom order in which the Filters will be displayed in Viewer:

  1. Click [Sort Filters]
  2. Drag & Drop rows to sort

4. Edit Filter Properties

Having added the Filters, Users can make custom changes to their settings.

To edit a Filter:

  1. Click [Manage Filters]
  2. Choose the Filter that needs changing and click the Edit (Gear) icon

5. Set Filter Defaults

While configuring Filters, it is possible to apply default settings that are the same of everyone, or customize them with a User Map.

5.1. Configuring shared Defaults

To set shared Defaults:

  1. Select "Same for everyone"
  2. Click the Filter Edit (Pencil) icon 
  3. In the pop-up, Set Filter Defaults to "yes"
  4. Specify the required defaults
  5. Save your entries
5.2. Personalizing Defaults

To set custom Defaults:

  1. Select "Apply based on User Map"
  2. Select a preconfigured User Map
  3. Map Filters to User Map Columns
  4. Save  

6. Delete Filters

To delete some of the added Filters:

  1. Click [Manage Filters] next to the name of a Qlik Sense Object
  2. In the pop-up window,  use the Trashbin icon in the respective row

 

What's next?

Setting Personal Bookmarks