Extended Query Interactions

The context menu's offered in Pyramid's interactive tools (like Discover and Present) offer the user the ability to interactively change the queries in their reports and visualizations based on contextual clicks that drive classic data manipulations like 'slicing, dicing, drilling and filtering' operations.

However, the same contextual framework can also be used to drive extended capabilities that can be included as part of the data consumption and interrogation process - even if they do not always involve changing the current query. These functions include Calculation tools (which do change the query), Actions, Alerts and Conversations.

Calculations

Interactive calculations allow users to add classic mathematical logic to their analysis directly through the right click context menu. While there number of calculations presented in this way is limited to a few dozen, they cover the typical ones most users want to add on the fly. And of course, these calculations can be edited with the Formulate tools to expand or change their definition like any other calculation built from scratch.

The calculations presented to users include Quick Calculations, Context Calculations and Custom Column Calculations.

• Click here for more on details on using Calculations in Discover.

Actions

Actions extend the classic flow of analytics by allowing the user to leap to another report or dashboard based on a contextual click from a source report or dashboard. In this way, a user can go from one report and leap to a second report: that is both exposed based on the original data element selected and also configured based on the contextual data from the original source. For more on actions in Discover, click here.

Workflows and Conversations

Workflows extend the classic flow of analytics by allowing the user to add or reply to workflow threads built around specific data points, elements and entire visuals contextually through a click on a report or dashboard. The workflows can be based on custom templates or based on the built-in conversation tool. The conversation tools extend the process of analyzing data into a collaborative exercise with one or more other users often turning standard descriptive reporting content into actionable analytical content. For more on workflows and conversations click here.

Alerts

Alerts extend the classic flow by allowing users to attach an event to data points in reports and dashboards that are automatically scheduled to check data in queries and notify (or alert) the user if the data changes (or not). Alerts extend the basic flow by offering a pro-active approach to informing the user of critical changes in the underlying values in a data set without the user needing to manually check the data. For more on alerts click here.