Formulate

The Formulate module enables you to build custom KPIs, member lists, formulas, scripts, and more, using the Pyramid Query Language (PQL) or MDX. These can then be used in visualizations and queries to customize your content or inject formulas and values into your data - this includes Discover, Present, Publish, and Illustrate content.

Formulate presents users with standalone entry points into the tools and wizards needed to create calculations and build business logic to drive analytic projects. Usually, it's accessed by Pro users wanting to build more advanced elements, versus using the point-and-click experiences found in Discover.

Formulate vs Discover Calculations

Formulate logic can also be built directly in Discover using tools such as Quick Calcs. These calculations are shortcuts to building the matching logic in Formulate. However, the Formulate tools remain the principal venue to create and edit such content - offering rich graphical and scripting tools

  • Click here to see the Formulate Tutorials Video Library and overviews

Components in Formulate

The formulate module contains the following components:

  • Formula: Create calculated (or 'custom') members and measures; these are user-defined calculations written in either PQL or MDX, and can be used to derive values anywhere in the query.
  • List: A custom list (or set) is a user-defined group of elements, from a single attribute in a data model usually derived using formulas and logic. Lists are combined with a range of functions, such as slicing, filtering, sorting, and conditional logic. They can also be used to drive parameters (see below). Custom lists are written in either PQL or MDX.
  • KPI: Create Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and utilize them to identify trends and measure your organizational goals. KPIs are written in either PQL or MDX.
  • Custom Columns: Create Custom Columns to dynamically extend the Semantic Model, adding custom-built, shareable attributes and 'base' measures to the model. Custom Columns are built in PQL.
  • Parameters: Parameters are used to inject dynamic values (attribute elements, measures, numerical or text constants) into the query at runtime. They can be nested in other calculation tiers as part of calculated members, measures and lists, which are in-turn used in queries. This functionality enables users to trigger advanced logic and logical flows in the query at runtime through a point-and-click experience.
  • Script: Write R and Python scripts for driving data cleansing logic or machine learning logic.
  • Custom Visual: Create your own custom visualizations and share them with other users.
  • User Tasks: Lets you create user task interfaces and functionality for decision flows.
  • Agents: Design new AI agents that can run autonomous workloads with MCP services on data as part of decision flows.

Common Formula Building Interfaces

The various formulate wizards and components have a common and similar interface allowing users to build advanced logic in a familiar way.

Functions Libraries

The components feature function libraries to help users create their formulations. Formulate logic is written in either PQL or MDX, depending on your datasource: formulations built on MS OLAP, Tabular, and SAP BW data models are written in MDX; formulations built on other data models are written in PQL. See the links below for details on the available functions.

  • PQL: Review the PQL documentation to learn how to write expressions in PQL.
  • MDX: Review a summary of MDX functions available in Pyramid when working with MS OLAP, MS Tabular, and SAP BW data models.

Launching Formulate

Formulate can be opened directly from the main navigation or from within other Pyramid modules. To launch Formulate, click the orange Formulate icon in the Toolbox. You can also access it from another module by selecting New Formulation from the App Tabs or from the Content Explorer using New Item on the Background context menu.

  • Click here to Launch Formulate