Cheat Sheet for Reports

Add another data source.

On the Data tab, click .

Insert a data display object (such as a table, graph, or gauge).

Drag the object (from the Objects tab) onto the report in the center of the screen.

Show or hide report objects.

On the top of the Objects tab, click , and then select Show or Hide Objects. You can use this feature to specify which report objects are displayed on the Objects tab, including displaying report objects that are not displayed by default.

Use a distinct count as a measure.

On the Data tab, right-click on a category (or date) data item, and select Create Distinct Count.

Change the format of a measure, date, or numeric category.

On the Data tab, select the measure, and then click the triangle at the end of the Format row (below the list of data items).

Create a data item from an expression.

On the Data tab, click , and select New Calculated Item. (Calculations use unaggregated data.)

Create an aggregated measure from an expression.

On the Data tab, click , and select New Aggregated Measure.

Create a new custom category.

On the Data tab, right-click on the category or measure data item that you want to use to create the new custom category. Select New Custom Category.

Set up drill-down functionality.

On the Data tab, click , and select New Hierarchy.

Hide a data item.

On the Data tab, click , and select Show or Hide Items. Alternatively, you can select Only Show Used Items to hide all of the data items that are not used in the current report.

Create a custom sort.

On the Data tab, right-click on a category data item and select New Custom Sort.

Exclude a subset of data from the entire data source.

On the Data tab, click , and select New Data Source Filter.

Incorporate a stored process.

From the main menu, select InsertOtherStored Process.

Get basic statistics about all measures.

On the Data tab, click , and select Measure Details.

Get additional statistics about a particular measure.

On the Data tab, click , select Measure Details, and select the measure (in the Measure Details window).

Change the data source for the current report.

On the Data tab, click , and select Change Data Source.

Show multiple aggregations (or multiple formats) for a data item.

Right-click on the data item, select Duplicate Data Item, and then change the aggregation (or format) of the new data item.

Reuse an existing visualization or report object in a separate report.

From the main menu, select ViewImports. The Imports tab is in the left pane.

Use a predefined geography data item.

On the Data tab, right-click on an item that contains geographic information, and then select Geography. Select a predefined geographic role, such as US ZIP Codes.

Create a custom geography data item.

On the Data tab, right-click on an item that contains geographic information, and then select GeographyCustom. In the Geography window, assign measures that contain location information. (For example, you might assign Latitude and Longitude as the respective measures for a Region category.)

Display a geographic map with a bubble plot overlay, coordinates, or colored regions.

From the Other list on the Objects tab, drag Geo Bubble Map, Geo Coordinate Map, or Geo Region Map onto a report in the center of the screen. From the Data tab, drag a geographic data item onto the map.

Create the percentage of total for a measure.

On the Data tab, right-click on a measure (with a current default target aggregation of Sum or Count), and select CreatePercent of Total. A new aggregated measure is created.

Cancel slow-running queries for a report object.

Position your mouse over the progress indicator for the report object and click the icon.

Specify whether to automatically update the report after each change is made.

Use the Auto-Update check box above the canvas to specify this option. If this option is disabled, you can click to update the report when you are ready.

Export data from a report object to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

Right-click on the report object, and select Export reportObjectName.

Edit a report’s description.

At the top of the Properties tab, select the report from the drop-down list.

Format a chart’s title.

Select the chart, and then make changes on its Properties tab.

Add a trend line to a list table.

In a table, right-click on a column, and select Add Sparkline. (The data source must include a date data item.)

Change a bar chart’s orientation.

Select the bar chart, and then change Direction on its Properties tab.

Change a chart’s colors or styles.

Select the chart, and then make changes on its Styles tab.

Set up report-level conditional highlighting.

On the Display Rules tab, select the report, and then click New.

Set up object-level conditional highlighting.

On the Display Rules tab, select a report object.

Create a reusable pattern of gauge intervals and colors.

From the main menu, select ViewShared Rules. The Shared Rules tab is in the left pane. Click .

Apply a shared display rule to a new gauge.

From the main menu, select ViewShared Rules. The Shared Rules tab is in the left pane. Drag the rule onto the gauge.

Add a new section (tab) to a report.

At the top of the canvas, click .

Add an info window to a report.

Click on the Sections tab, and then select Display as Info Window.

Create a scrollable area.

From the main menu, select InsertContainerscontainer type.

Use a different canvas size.

Above the canvas, from the drop-down list, click , , or .

Change your default canvas size.

From the main menu, select FilePreferences.

Overlap one report object on top of another.

On a section’s Properties tab, select Precision from the Layout drop-down list. Drag report objects to the appropriate locations. In the toolbar, use the Arrange and Sizing menus to make adjustments.

Set up view-time filters (prompts).

From the Objects tab, drag a control object onto the drop zone at the top of a report or section. Then, drag a category data item onto the control object.

Set up view-time interactions (where an action on one object affects other objects).

From the main menu, select ViewInteractions. The Interactions tab is in the right pane. Click NewInteraction. (Not all objects support interactions.)

Add or view comments.

From the main menu, select ViewComments. The Comments tab is in the right pane. (Only report-level comments are supported.)

Add or view alerts for a report object.

From the main menu, select ViewAlerts. The Alerts tab is in the right pane.

Specify a preference for receiving alert notifications.

Select FilePreferences, and then click General in the left pane.

Delete alerts for a report object.

On the Alerts tab, select the alert that you want to delete and click .

Display totals for list tables.

On the Properties tab, select Show totals.

Display totals and subtotals for crosstabs.

On the Properties tab, make selections to show subtotals and totals for columns and rows.

Create basic and advanced filters.

From the main menu, select ViewFilters. The Filters tab is in the right pane. Select a data item or Advanced from the drop-down list, and then click Add Filter and select values.

Create links to reports, sections, info windows, or external URLs.

From the main menu, select ViewInteractions. The Interactions tab is in the right pane. Click New, and then select the type of link that you want to create.

Rank values.

From the main menu, select ViewRanks. The Ranks tab is in the right pane.

E-mail reports.

Select FileE-mail. You can select Attach report PDF if you want to attach a PDF of the report to the e-mail. This option is useful if your report contains filters or interactions that you typically do not save with the report.

Print a report to PDF.

Select FilePrint to PDF.

Distribute reports on a schedule.

Select FileDistribute Reports.

Delete a report.

Click Home, and then click Manage (next to My Content or Other Content).

Export an image of a report object.

Right-click on the report object, and select Export Image. The image is saved as a PNG file.