Use the Member Search wizard to search for members matching your search criteria. You can then select the required elements and add them to the query. You can also build a custom list based on your elements selection, which can then be saved and shared via the CMS.
The members search functionality provides a convenient way for users to find the member elements they need, and add them to the query.
Access Members Search
The Members Search dialog can be opened from the Report ribbon.
It can also be opened from the search drop-down in the Elements panel:
Members Search Dialog
Start by entering your search criteria (red highlight below).
- Search: select the hierarchy that you want to search.
- Where: if relevant, select a second hierarchy from within the same dimension, to search across columns. For instance, you might select state as the hierarchy to search, and then select country. Then, when you enter the relevant country in the search bar, only that country's states will be returned.
- Search Type: This determines the type of search to perform:
- Contains: the search will ensure all found items contain the search terms.
- Starts With: the search will ensure all found items start with the search terms.
- Ends With: the search will ensure all found items end with the search terms.
- Exact: the search will ensure all found items exactly match with the search terms.
- Search terms: provide the text terms to search. See below for more advanced search term constructs.
Search Text
The search term(s) can be entered as standard text. Without any special indicators, the search tools will assume the entire text supplied as a singular search item. The following special characters can be used to provide a list of items, or perform conditional searches:
- Multiple, comma separated terms ",,": this will search each of the items in the list independently, offering the combined result.
- "AND" separated terms "&&": this will search each of the items in the list and find only those items that contain all the supplied terms.
- "OR" separated items "||" or ",": this will search each of the items in the list and find any items that contain one ore more of the supplied terms.
Note: the "OR" and "," operations produce the same result.
Selecting Elements
- Select the relevant members from the list of Found Elements and move them to the Selected Elements panel using the arrow (green highlight)
- Continue adding members as required
- You can perform multiple searches and add results from different searches to the same list of selected elements
- To remove a member from the Selected Elements panel, select it and click the left-facing arrow
Selection Types
Before clicking Apply, choose a selection option (purple highlight):
- Create Selection: add the selected element(s) to a new query. If the query already contains an element selection from the members search, from the same hierarchy as the new selection, the previous selection will be replaced by the new one.
- Add to Selection: add the selected element(s) to the current query.
- None: do not add the selected element(s) to a query - this option is useful if you want to save the selected elements as a list, without adding them to the query.
Save as List
Select this checkbox if, in addition to the given selection type, you also want to save the selected elements as a list. If you've saved your selected elements as a list, it will appear underneath the Elements panel. Right click on it to open it in Formulate, save and share it in the CMS, or delete it.
Examples
Searching a Hierarchy
This example is based on the following grid:
Step 1
Open the Members Search wizard, and from the Hierarchies drop-down under Search, open the Products dimension and select the Product hierarchy.
Step 2
From the drop-down under Where, change the selection from the default Member Name to the Class hierarchy.
Step 3
Select all the results in the list of Found Elements, and using the blue arrow, move them to the Selected Elements panel.
You will now see all the results under the list of Selected Elements:
Step 5
From the selection type drop-down, choose Create Selection. Then, select the Save As List checkbox and name the list "Class M Products". Not only will the selection be used in the query, but it will also be used to produce a list.
Step 6
Click Apply.
The elements were added to the query, in the green column labeled Product. Because the selection type was "Create Selection" if the query already contained a list of elements derived from the members search, from the same hierarchy (in this case, from the Product hierarchy), the previous elements selection will be replaced by the new one.
This dynamic list that was saved was added underneath the Elements panel. Open its context menu to share it or use it to create other dynamic logic.
Search Terms
This syntax will find all items called bikes, chairs and tables
bikes, chairs, tables
This syntax will find all items called bikes, chairs and tables.
bikes || chairs || tables
This syntax will find any items that have both "bikes" and "road" in their name
bikes && road