Data Explorer

Updated May 24, 2023 12:54

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Data Explorer expands the capabilities of the Reports tool to include pivot tables. Using data pulled from a query, pivot tables can summarize and reorganize that data and reveal underlying patterns.

Data Explorer Table

To add a Data Explorer table to a report:

From the main navigation, select Queries / Reports. At the top right, select the Report icon. Select New Report, enter a name, and optionally select a Realm and Folder, then click Save. Or choose an existing report.
From the right, select Data Explorer. An Edit Part pop-up appears.
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. Then, join to the donor or person base if additional constituent information is needed. Click Save. A query configuration pop-up appears.	Example configuration used in this article.
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. Click Save.	Example exports, filters, and joins used in this article.

Important!

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

The resulting (temporarily) blank page will include two available widget options available on the right:

- Explorer, and
- Static Content

Explorer

Create the Explorer Widget

To create a pivot table, select the Explorer widget. An Edit Part pop-up appears. 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.

- Editable: This option lets users edit the pivot table as they view it, though changes are reverted when the page is refreshed.
- 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.
- With neither option selected: Users who have access to the report can view the pivot table but cannot interact with it.

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.

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.

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.

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 included in the table. The Charts tab includes additional chart types. Lastly, the Customize tab enables further customization 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, and HTML support content can be added to the report.