Question
When should I put a filter on a report, and when should I put it on a dashboard?
Answer
A report filter is an attribute in the Filters section of a report. These filters help you focus the dataset you use or remove unwanted data. For example, if you create a report on a specific support team's performance, add a filter to show only that team's data. To learn more, see Filtering a report.
A dashboard filter is a widget you can add to your dashboard. These filters affect many or all reports on the dashboard and let you change the date range or the type of data you see. For example, if you have many reports about agent activity, add a data filter for Agent name to select the agent you want to view. To learn more, see Best practices for using dashboard filters.
In general, put most filters at the dashboard level. That way you can access filters and change data quickly rather than edit reports. If you never want to change a filter, or the filter is fundamental to the report's design, put it at the report level. These questions will help you decide:
- Do you want to change this aspect of the data, or is it fixed?
- Does this filter apply only to this report, or should it apply to all reports on the dashboard?
Example
You are a support manager, and you create a dashboard with reports that help you monitor your team's performance. One report shows how well your team supports a specific key customer. For this report, add a report-level filter to show only activity for that customer.
To adjust the date range for all reports on the dashboard, add a dashboard-level time filter. That lets you see short-term and long-term trends.