Dimensions (Introduction)

A dimension is a category of data, such as Region, Date, Project, or Gender.

Note: Dimensions are sometimes referred to as "Categories," "Variables," or "Fields."

Reports have three dimension positions:

Column dimensions

• A column is a set of data cells arranged vertically. The names of column items appear along the top of a report's data area.
• The dimension name is always underlined. Clicking a dimension name opens the Item selection page for that dimension.
• If the dimension has summary information (metadata), a "Summary" icon appears next. Click it to view the dimension summary.
• If the active item of a dimension defines a group, the name of the item appears underlined. Clicking an underlined item name drills down into the group, making the first group member active.

Row dimensions

• A row is a set of data cells arranged horizontally. The names of row items appear down the side of a report's data area.
• The dimension name is always underlined. Clicking a dimension name opens the Item selection page for that dimension.
• If the dimension has summary information (metadata), a "Summary" icon appears next. Click it to view the dimension summary.
• If the active item of a dimension defines a group, the name of the item appears underlined. Clicking an underlined item name drills down into the group, making the first group member active.

Other dimensions

• "Other" dimensions appear above the report area. They are not on the rows or the columns.
• The name of an Other dimension appears first in its dimension tile. The name is always underlined. Clicking a dimension name opens the Item selection page for that dimension.
• If the dimension has summary information (metadata), a "Summary" icon appears next. Click it to view the dimension summary.
• The name of the currently active item appears on the right-hand side of an Other dimension tile. Clicking on the Next item and Previous item arrows cycles through all the items in the dimension. (The report's data values change to reflect the item that is currently active.)
• If the active item of an Other dimension defines a group, the name of the item appears underlined. Clicking an underlined item name drills down into the group, making the first group member active. Clicking on the Next item and Previous item arrows cycles through all the group members.

Items

Dimensions are made up of items. For example, a Gender dimension would normally include the items Male and Female, and it might also include a group item called All, whose value would be calculated by totaling the values of the other two items. Similarly, a Europe dimension might include the items France, Spain, and Germany, among others.

Note: Dimension items are sometimes referred to as "Dimension members."

• If the name of a dimension item is underlined, the item represents a group. You can click on an underlined item name to drill into the group and view its members.