Data Explorer
  • 19 Apr 2024
  • 5 minute read
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Data Explorer

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Article summary

Data Explorer enhances the capabilities of Reports by including pivot tables for summarizing and reorganizing data and revealing underlying patterns. Data Explorer uses a customizable query to fetch relevant data from a database or from other sources. Once the data is retrieved, you can apply pivot tables to the obtained data.

Pivot tables can aggregate and summarize data based on various dimensions and metrics, providing a flexible way to organize and analyze data by enabling users to drag data fields into different sections of the pivot table interface. These sections typically include rows, columns, values, and filters.

Admissions and Student Success Example

Creating the Report for the Data Explorer Table

To add a Data Explorer table to a report:

  1. Click Queries / Reports on the Slate navigation bar. The  Queries summary page appears. 

  1. On the top right of the page, select the Report icon. The Reports summary page appears.

  2. Click New Report. A New Report popup appears.

  3. Enter an appropriate name in the Name field.

  4. Optionally select values for Realm and Folder (select Other to specify and create a new folder).

  5. Click Save. The summary page for the report appears. (Alternately, select an existing report to open it, and click Edit Report.)

Data_Explorer.png
  1. Click Data Explorer. An Edit Part popup appears.

  2. Enter the following configurations:

    • Status: Set to Active.

    • Name: Enter a name for the part.

    • Type: Set to Configurable Joins.

    • Category, Base: Select a base that narrows your results as much as possible. For example, if you want person information, select the Person base.

  3. Click Save. An Edit Part popup appears for building a query.

  4. Click Export to add exports to the query. These exports represent the data available for the pivot table.

  5. Add joins if necessary to access the desired data.

  6. Click Filter to determine the population available to the pivot table.

  7. Click Save.

Tip

The Explorer query can ne accessed and updated anytime by opening the report, click Edit Report, double-click the eplorer query, and click Edit in the upper right corner.)

Important!

One or more filters must be applied to the query to ensure the Data Explorer's fast, reliable operation.

Adding the Explorer Widget

The (temporarily) blank page for the report includes two available widgets.

Explorer___Static_Content.png

To create a pivot table:

  1. Click Explorer. An  Edit Part popup appears, with a Type of “Data Explorer.”

  2. For Title, provide an appropriate name for the pivot table.

  3. Select the checkboxes for Editable and Persist Edits as desired.

  • Editable: Lets users edit the pivot table as they view it, though changes are reverted when the page is refreshed.

  • Persist Edits: Users can make edits to the table, and those changes will save even when the page is refreshed. Requires Editable to be selected.

  • Neither option selected: Users who have access to the report can view the pivot table but cannot interact with it.

  1. Click Save. The Explorer widget appears on the report page.

Setting Up the Explorer Widget Layout

The Explorer widget includes the four main areas of a pivot table: 

  • Values Area: Where data is displayed.

  • Row Area: Left of the Values Area, where exports can be placed to create a row-oriented perspective.

  • Column Area: Across the top of the Values Area, exports placed here will provide a column-oriented perspective, helpful in creating a matrix or showing trends over time.    

  • Filter Area: Configure and filter the data appearing on the pivot table. 

Selecting the Data to Display

On the far left of the Explorer widget is a list of exports available for the pivot table, as generated by the previous query setup.

  1. Drag these exports to the Row or Column Areas to incorporate them in the data display.

  1. Exclude the returned value of an export by selecting the export and deselecting the value in the list. Use Select All or Select None to activate or deactivate all exports at once.

  1. When a chart is selected for a data display type, double clicking the chart presents additional options: Start, Charts, and Customize.

The Start tab provides recommended chart types according to the data you include on the table. The Charts tab includes additional chart types. Lastly, the Customize tab enables further customizing of a selected chart.

Static Content  

The Static Content widget is an HTML WYSIWYG editor. Dragging the widget to the report section opens the editor, where HTML support content can be added to the report.

Advancement Example

Creating the Report for the Data Explorer Table

To add a Data Explorer table to a report:

  1. From the main navigation, select  Queries / Reports. 

  2. At the top right, select the Report icon. 

  3. Select New Report, enter a name, and optionally select a Realm and Folder, then click Save. Or choose an existing report. 

Reports_Icon.png
  1. From the right, select  Data Explorer. An Edit Part pop-up appears.

Data_Explorer.png
  1. Complete the following:

    • Name: Enter a name for the part.

    • Type: Select "Configurable Joins."

    • Category, Base: Select a base that narrows your results as much as possible. For example, if you want gift information, select the Gift base rather than the donor or person base. Add a join to the donor or person base if additional constituent information is needed.

  2. Click  Save. A query configuration pop-up appears.

Configure_Data_Explorer_Part.png
  1. Add Exports to the query. These exports represent the data available for the pivot table. Determine the population available to the pivot table with Filters. This section can be accessed and updated anytime by clicking Edit in the upper right corner.

  2. Click  Save.

Configure_Exports_and_Filters.png

Important!

One or more filters must be applied to the query to ensure the Data Explorer's fast, reliable operation.

The resulting (temporarily) blank report page includes two widget options:

Explorer___Static_Content.png

Creating the Explorer Widget

To create a pivot table:

  1. Select the Explorer widget. An Edit Part pop-up appears.

  2. Provide a Title for the pivot table, and select the edit options. There are three edit options the rendered portal: Editable, Persist Edits, and choosing neither.   

  3. Editable: This option lets users edit the pivot table as they view it, though changes are reverted when the page is refreshed.

  4. Persist Edits: With this option, users can make table edits, which save even when the page is refreshed. This requires Editable to also be selected.

  5. With neither option selected: Users who have access to the report can view the pivot table but cannot interact with it.

    Configure_Pivot_Table.png

  6. Click  Save.

The Explorer Widget Layout

The Explorer widget appears, including the four main areas of a pivot table: 

  • Values Area: Where the resulting data is displayed.

  • Row Area: To the left of the Values Area, exports can be placed here to create a row-oriented perspective.

  • Column Area: Across the top of the Values Area, exports placed here provide a column-oriented perspective, helpful in creating a matrix or showing trends over time.    

  • Filter Area: On the upper left of the page, this area configures and filters the data to appear on the pivot table. 

Explorer_Widget.png

Selecting Data to Display

Additionally, a list of exports available for the pivot table appears on the far left of the Explorer widget. This list appears as generated by the previous query setup.

Drag these exports to the Row or Column Areas to incorporate them into the data display.

Drag_Exports_to_Row_or_Column_Areas_to_Display_Data.png

Exclude the returned value of an export by selecting or clearing the export value in the list. Use Select All or Select None to activate or deactivate all exports simultaneously.

Select_or_Deselect_Exports_for_Display.png

When a chart is selected for a data display type, double-clicking the chart presents additional options: Start, Charts, and Customize.

Double_Click_the_Values_Area.png

The Start tab provides recommended chart types according to the data included in the table. The Charts tab includes additional chart types. Lastly, the Customize tab enables further customization of a selected chart.

Start__Charts____Customize_tabs.png

Static Content

The Static Content widget is an HTML WYSIWYG editor. Dragging the widget to the report section opens the editor, and HTML support content can be added to the report.


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