One way to enhance your reports in a meaningful way is to add control fields / filters. Control fields allow you to interact and work with your data in a variety of ways, mainly filtering the data according to certain dimension values. For instance, you can add a control field for countries and narrow down your report to specific countries to know the performance in different locations. You can add a control field for channels to find out which marketing channels are performing best, and so on. This guide will show you how to add and use different types of control fields (filters) in Looker Studio reports!
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How to Use Control Fields (Filters) in Looker Studio Reports
Click on "Add a control" (top menu)
Select the control of choice
Select your control field
Under the SET-UP column (left-hand-side), select the dimension you would like to use on the Control Field
Frequently Asked Questions on Control Fields (Filters) in Looker Studio Reports
What are the types of Control Fields available in Looker Studio?
1️. Drop-down list
A drop-down list provides you with a list of options to choose from to filter the data in a drop-down box. The values of a dimension are used to generate the list (e.g. city, country, channels, campaign, ad groups, device category, etc).
2️. Fixed-sized list
The fixed-size list provides you with a list of options to choose from to filter the data in a fixed-size box. It also takes the values from dimension. It works the same way as a drop-down list and is only different in the visual aspect. The drop-down list only opens when you click on it, whilst a fixed-size list always displays the options in a fixed-size box.
3️. Input box
The input box allows the user to input the information that they need to see or filter down to. You can also select the dimension to filter down to, and users can then type in the specific dimension to filter the data. For example, if we create an input box with the dimension Country and input Singapore, it will filter the data only to Singapore.
4️. Advanced filter
The advanced filter allows the user to input the information that they need to see or filter down to, with the option of adding conditions such as equals, contains, starts with, regex, and in. It works in a similar way to an input box with the added condition. For example, if we create an advanced filter with the dimension Country and input contains United as the condition. This will filter the data to all countries that contain the keyword "United", displaying data from the United States, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
As a tip, we recommend adding the following filters for your Looker Studio report: Channel, Location, Device Category, and Date Range Control. This will allow you to layer the filters and narrow the report down to find very specific information. For example, you can filter the report to organic traffic in India coming from mobile traffic from date x to date y.
Can I use multiple control fields in a single report?
Yes, you can add multiple control fields to a report. Each control can filter the data independently or in combination with other controls, allowing for more granular data analysis.
How do I link a control field to a specific chart or table?
When you create a control field, you can specify which charts or tables it affects. Select the control, then in the properties panel, choose the Apply to option. You will see options to apply the control to specific charts or tables in your report. Select the charts or tables you want the control to affect. You can link the control to one or multiple visualizations.
Can I use control fields in combination with calculated fields?
Yes, you can use control fields in combination with calculated fields. This allows users to filter the data based on specific criteria while also applying any calculations you have set up in your report.
Can I customize the appearance of control fields?
Yes, you can customize the appearance of control fields in Looker Studio to better match your report's design and improve user experience. Here are some ways to customize control fields:
Adjust the size by dragging the corners or edges
Click and drag to reposition it around your report
Change the background color, border style, font type in the Properties panel
Add text boxes near your control fields to provide context or instructions for users
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