How a report is put together

Every report is four choices: dataset, metric, attribute, filter. Once that is clear, the builder stops being intimidating.

Every report is four choices: dataset, metric, attribute, filter. Once that is clear, the builder stops being intimidating.

The four choices

1. Dataset: which body of data. Chosen first, cannot be changed later.
2. Metric: what you are counting or measuring.
3. Attribute: how it is grouped.
4. Filter: what is excluded before counting.

Then a visualisation, which is presentation rather than substance.

Say the report as a sentence

"Tickets solved, by agent, this month, excluding the trial brand." Metric, attribute, filter, filter. Every report can be said that way, and if you cannot say it, the report is not defined yet.

One metric, one or two attributes

That is the readable shape. Three attributes produces a table nobody interprets, and it usually means two questions have been merged.

Filters change the meaning

A filter is not tidying; it is part of the definition. "Tickets solved" and "tickets solved excluding spam" are different measures, and the dashboard should say which one it shows.

Dates are a filter too

And the one most often left at a default nobody checked. A report over all time and a report over last month tell different stories, and neither is more correct.

Build it, then read it aloud

Say what the chart shows to somebody who was not involved. If that takes more than a sentence, simplify the report rather than explaining it.

See also

• Building your first report
• Using metrics and attributes
• Adding filters