Input control, a widget available in SAP analytics cloud Story can be used to view the given data from various perspectives by allowing filtering on dimensions or accounts. This is not directly available out of the box in Analytic Application, however, you can make use of scripting combined with selector widgets for dynamic interaction to achieve a similar effect. SAP Analytics Cloud offers multiple ways to control your data. More than just being a radio button or checkbox, there are a lot more functionalities that input control has to offer to make your stories a lot more meaningful. In this blog, let us see the top 5 ways in which you can leverage the Input Control widget available in SAP Analytics Cloud Story.
1. Time Filters
Every dataset must have a time dimension if it is meant to show trend analysis. Metrics are analysed across different time slices like Month-To-Date, Year-To-Date, Same Period Last Year to gauge the performance of the organization. When a time dimension is mapped to the input control widget, all the above filter options are available directly out of the box for instant filtering and insights. Other frequently viewed time periods like current and previous month/quarter/year are also readily available.
Instant time filters
Dynamic Time Range Filters allow to select a rolling date filter ranging from Selected period – n to Selected period + m where m and n can be defined by the user at run time and/or design time. The Selected period also known as the custom current period can also be changed by the user according to discretion.
Dynamic Time range filter
Dynamic Metrics
A lucrative feature that adds a self-service effect to stories is the ability to use input controls to dynamically slice and dice through data shown in a chart/table using dimension/measure input control. This allows the user to select the desired dimension, measure or cross calculation in runtime, greatly reducing the number of charts and tables required to arrive at a particular insight.
Dimension and Measure Input Controls
2. Calculation Input Control
Input Controls can also be configured to help in what-if scenarios. For example, you can let the user choose the discount percentage and show how it affects the profit. Calculation Input Controls can be created within a calculation and used in formulas. Calculation Input Control can be of type string or number. You also have an option to directly bind dimension members.
Calculation Input Control
3. Linked Widgets
The newly added ability to control the link between Input Control and widgets gives the story designer control over the widgets to be affected by a particular input control, although, by default, Input Controls behave as Page Filters. Once you select the existing widgets, you also have the option to link any newly created widgets by default. To know more about how you can leverage Linked Analysis feature in SAP Analytics Cloud visit this blog.
4. Advanced Filters
Advanced Filters can have multiple ‘AND’ and ‘OR’ conditions to filter the data according to your needs. For example, when you need to compare regional sales value after restricting the top-selling categories of each region you can add an advanced filter to do the same. Even though the advanced filter is available under Widget and Page Filtering, the ability to link specific widgets and the ability to allow the end-user to select the ‘AND’ and ‘OR’ conditions make the input control more attractive.
Advanced Filtering in Input Control
Input Control allows us to easily handle various filter scenarios out-of-the-box and avoids the hassle of scripting that Analytic Application would have needed otherwise. To learn more about SAP Analytics Cloud visit our series of blogs here.
Check out our blog series here to learn more about Analytic Applications in SAP Analytics Cloud.
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The post Top 5 Ways to Leverage Input Controls in SAP Analytics Cloud appeared first on Visual BI Solutions.