What you can do
Filter the data behind a report on its Report filters tab, so the report shows only the transactions, devices or period you care about – every time it is opened.
Which filters are available depends on the data source the report uses.
Before you start
- The report must already exist, with a data source selected – see How to create a custom report.
- Know which data source it uses. The filters differ per source – see Report data sources reference.
Tip: As a starting point for a new report, copy a predefined report. Its filters are already set correctly.
Steps
Step 1 — Open the Report filters tab
Open the report definition and go to the Report filters tab. The filters you set here are applied every time the report is opened in the report viewer.
Filters are part of the report definition, not of a single viewing.
Step 2 — Set the time period
The time period can be a dynamic value, such as Last 5 days or Last week. A dynamic filter is applied relative to the date the report is opened or sent.
Step 3 — Set the data filters
Available filter values come from historical or actual data. With a historical data source, a filter can therefore contain entities that have since been deleted – a removed device, for example.
Success: Opening the report in the viewer shows only the filtered data.
Selected filter values are applied on every open and every scheduled send.
Important: With the transactions data source, correct filters are essential for a meaningful report. To get the total consumption of items, for example, filter to transactions of type Pick, Return and Scrap only.
Note: Advanced filters set in the report viewer do not override the filters in the report definition. They can only narrow the data further.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
| Consumption figures look far too high. | All transaction types are included, not just Pick, Return and Scrap. | Filter the transaction types on the report definition. |
| A deleted device still appears in the filter list. | The report uses a historical data source, whose values include past entities. | Expected behaviour – select the entities you want explicitly. |
| A viewer filter does not widen the data. | Viewer filters can only narrow what the definition allows. | Change the filters on the report definition. |
| A scheduled report covers the wrong period. | A fixed period was set instead of a dynamic one. | Use a dynamic value such as Last week. |
Related articles
- How to create a custom report – the report definition these filters belong to.
- Report data sources reference – which fields and filters each data source offers.
- Understanding tabular and chart reports – how the filtered data is presented.
- Reporting overview: charts, tables, dashboards, and BI – all the ways to consume reporting data.