In Oracle Analytics Cloud Data Visualization, we have workbooks that use predefined hierarchies configured in the Semantic Model.
We would like to provide users with a controlled drill-down experience where they can navigate through the levels defined by the hierarchy, while preventing them from drilling to arbitrary attributes or other hierarchies through the visualization context menu.
The required behavior is:
- Predefined hierarchy drill-down → Enabled
- Drill to Attribute/Hierarchy... → Disabled
Currently, the available configuration described in KB100396 - How To Disable the Drill To Option for an OAC DV disables the drill capability more broadly, including the standard hierarchy drill-down. Therefore, it does not address this use case.
We propose introducing independent controls for the two drill capabilities, allowing workbook authors to disable “Drill to Attribute/Hierarchy...” without affecting navigation through the hierarchy defined in the Semantic Model.
Ideally, the configuration could be available at workbook or visualization level, giving authors control over the drill behavior exposed to end users.
An additional useful capability would be the ability to define a maximum drill level within a hierarchy, so that users can navigate only through an explicitly defined portion of the hierarchy.
Example
Given the predefined hierarchy:
Organization → Business Unit → Department → Team
the workbook author should be able to configure a visualization so that users can:
- Drill from Organization → Business Unit → Department
- Drill back up through those hierarchy levels
- Optionally prevent drilling below Department
- Not use “Drill to Attribute/Hierarchy...” to introduce other attributes or hierarchies that are outside the intended navigation path
Business Need
In enterprise dashboards, workbook authors often need to provide users with a guided and controlled navigation experience.
Predefined hierarchies in the Semantic Model already represent the intended business navigation path. However, exposing “Drill to Attribute/Hierarchy...” allows users to extend a visualization with attributes that were not intended to be part of that analytical flow.
Having separate controls would:
- Preserve the standard and intuitive hierarchy drill-down experience
- Prevent users from introducing unrelated attributes into a visualization
- Allow authors to enforce the intended analytical navigation path
- Provide better governance for curated enterprise dashboards
- Reduce the risk of users creating misleading or unsupported combinations of dimensions and measures
This would be particularly valuable for centrally governed dashboards built on enterprise Semantic Models, where authors need to balance self-service capabilities with controlled data exploration.
Proposed Enhancement
Provide separate configuration options such as:
Capability | Configurable |
|---|
Hierarchy Drill Down / Drill Up | Enable / Disable |
Drill to Attribute/Hierarchy | Enable / Disable |
Maximum Allowed Hierarchy Level | Optional |
These settings could ideally be defined at workbook and/or visualization level.
