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Conditional column headings

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RBol
RBol Rank 3 - Community Apprentice

Goodmorning,

I have a question on the possibility to create column headings with conditions. There are many discussions on creating dynamic ones based on a prompt, but that's not what I want.

I have the following example, where based on the names of the supplier, the first column either gives harvest or FC kg and the second column gives either arrival or sales kg. In case of the supplier name being unknown, I would like the column headings to show forecast kg and sales kg. In case of the supplier name being other than unknown, I would like column headings to show harvest kg and arrival kg. So basically I want to use a 'case when' statement in a column heading. Is there a way to achieve this?

pastedImage_0.png

Thanks in advance!

Kind regards,

Lianne

Answers

  • Robert Angel
    Robert Angel Rank 8 - Analytics Strategist

    Yes, duplicate the measures in the analysis.

    Then create a case on the measures to either present the value or not for the two groups, setting the appropriate heading for each group manually as you describe.

    Better yet, if this is a corporate requirement then create the two groupings in the rpd, as case logic can cause strange effects in analyses.

  • RBol
    RBol Rank 3 - Community Apprentice

    Hi Robert,

    Thanks for your reply.

    Two separate columns have been merged together into one using a case when statement (so the column Harvest/FC actually consists of the results of two measures). Otherwise, the pivot table will show me the columns Harvest, Arrival, FC and Sales for each supplier and that's exactly what I don't want. When the supplier is specified as unknown, there are never any harvest or arrival numbers, only forecast and sales. Same goes for when the supplier is known: that's the case when there are harvest or arrival numbers, but no forecast and sales. So splitting the columns up gives me four empty columns and four with results. I want to reduce those to only four in total, with the columns forecast and sales for the unknown supplier and the columns harvest and arrival for the known suppliers. So basically, I want it to look like my example, only I can't figure out how to give the same column that's used twice (since it's a pivot table) a different name depending on the supplier name.

    I hope this makes sense.

    Regards,

    Lianne

  • Robert Angel
    Robert Angel Rank 8 - Analytics Strategist

    You kind of lost me in the middle there... but if; -

    "I can't figure out how to give the same column that used twice a different name" - is the crux of it (?) then all you have to do is bring the same measure in twice (or formula if it has been built there) and give the second instance a different heading.

    So if it is measure then, drag the column in twice, use the formula editor, change the heading.

    If it is a formula then drag any column in, access your original, copy its formula, edit the formula on the new column, paste the clipboard content - change the title as before.

  • RBol
    RBol Rank 3 - Community Apprentice

    Hello Robert,

    "I can't figure out how to give the same column that's used twice a different name" should actually be "I can't figure out how to give the same column that's used twice a different name depending on the supplier" since I need to give them a different name if the supplier is named 'unknown' (while they contain the same formula). I can't duplicate the column and change the name, because then it would show for every supplier and that's not what I want. It shouldn't be visible for all the other suppliers (that aren't 'unknown').

    Quite simply, my question is: is it possible to set a conditional column header (either through a formula or some other way) or is there no way to accomplish this?

    Regards,

    Lianne

  • Thomas Dodds
    Thomas Dodds Rank 8 - Analytics Strategist

    Keep in mind you are creating content for analysis NOT reporting ... if the columns have a different analysis intent then they should be kept separate.  What differentiates a supplier with Harvest/FC and Arrival/Sales?  Use that to drive the categories of suppliers and thus the visualizations that show conditionally when you are analyzing data across that category.

  • Robert Angel
    Robert Angel Rank 8 - Analytics Strategist

    Amen!

    Data-centric not report centric - else in five years time you will have a shambling abomination that would make Dr Frankenstein cry...

  • RBol
    RBol Rank 3 - Community Apprentice

    Thomas, Robert,

    Thanks for your replies, but unfortunately this hasn't brought me any closer to what I'm attempting to do. I'm just going to assume that conditional column headers are a bit too farfetched and leave it at that.

  • Robert Angel
    Robert Angel Rank 8 - Analytics Strategist

    My mother didn't raise a quitter....

    You want two groups of columns.

    You want the data to appear under the group heading that is appropriate.

    You currently have one group of columns.

    You copy these columns and you add a case statement using the function palette to specialise both groups, such that when the condition is met data is shown, else null.

    Am I misunderstanding your requirement, or is there part of what I am suggesting here that is less than clear or which you are struggling with?

  • Jerry Casey
    Jerry Casey Rank 6 - Analytics Lead

    Hi all,
    If the analysis is as simple as the one pictured, you can "fake it" with a conditional column and a pivot table. 
    pastedImage_0.pngpastedImage_1.png

    In this example, the "Measure Labels" are hidden.

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Rank 2 - Community Beginner
    Robert Angel wrote:Data-centric not report centric - else in five years time you will have a shambling abomination that would make Dr Frankenstein cry...

    Five years? I'll give it 18 months.