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Create User-Defined Filters

A User Defined Filter (UDF) allows you to define and save pre-set filter criteria for running inquiries. You can create and save multiple UDF sets and then choose the appropriate filter to use prior to running an inquiry.

This functionality will save time when preparing to run an inquiry since you no longer have to populate the filters individually with the desired values. This is especially helpful if you always use certain filter selections for a department or business unit, for example, so you don’t have to type in the same filter criteria each time you create a new inquiry.

User Defined Filters can be defined for Viewer users by the report designer. They also work in Hubble as default filters by user. If desired, Viewer users can create their own User Defined Filters and use them in their inquiries. The key is that the filter that the user defined set is based on must be in the Viewer Filter Layout so the Viewer user has access to this filter.

Create a UDF Set

To create a UDF set, follow the below steps.

  1. On the Viewer menu, in the UDF group, click on the User Defined Filters.
  2. Click New to name the filter set.
  3. Click Add to add the filter selections. Alternatively, click Capture to automatically create a set of Items based on the filters that are populated in the current inquiry.
  4. If you clicked Add, either manually type in or use the Visual Assist to define the filter selections.
  5. Click OK.
  6. If desired, choose more filter selections for this User Defined Filter Set.
  7. Click OK to return to the main dialog.

Other options in the User Defined Filter Set dialog are:

  • Edit - edit an existing User Defined Filter Set
  • Remove – remove a User Defined Filter Set
  • Copy - copy a User Defined Filter Set
  • Default - apply the selected User Defined Filter Set to all new inquiries
  • Apply - apply the selected User Defined Filter Set to the current inquiry
  • The Apply to all Open Inquiries checkbox works in conjunction with the Apply button in that it will apply the selected User Defined Filter Set to all open inquiries, including report packs

Default User Defined Filter Set

You can designate a default User Defined Filter Set to be used when opening a new inquiry so that those values automatically are populated in the filters.

  1. On the Viewer menu, in the UDF group, click User Defined Filters.
  2. Highlight the User Defined Filter Set you wish to set as the default.
  3. Click Default. You see this is marked accordingly under the column ‘Is Default’.

Note:

  • You can have multiple default User Defined Filter selections.
  • To remove the default status of a User Defined Filter Set, select it and click Default again to remove this setting.

Apply a User Defined Filter Set

From within a new or existing inquiry:

  1. Go to the Viewer menu, and in the UDF group, click on the drop-down next to the User Defined Filters button.
  2. Select the User Defined Filter Set you wish to apply. Alternatively, while within the User Defined Filter Set dialog, select the User Defined Filter Set and then click on either:
    1. Apply – if you wish to apply the User Defined Filter Set to the current inquiry.
    2. Mark the Apply to all Open Inquiries checkbox apply the selected User Defined Filter Set to all open inquiries, including report packs.

    3. Note: A User Defined Filter Set will only override the filters that are specified in that set. Any other populated filters in the inquiry will remain populated as they were before the User Defined Filter Set was applied. Also, User Defined Filter Sets will only be applied to filters that are visible in the main layout of the inquiry. This is important for reporting purposes in order to ensure visibility of the filter values that are being applied.

Filter Controls

Any filter control added via Filter Layout or Viewer Filter Layout is respected. If any control has been added, you will see the controlled data accordingly when choosing filter selections.