The Ad Hoc Editor allows you to select from the following view types:

  • Tables: used to view values in the database and to summarize the values in columns. 

  • Charts: used to compare one or more measures across multiple sets of related fields. 

  • Crosstabs: used to aggregate data across multiple dimensions. 

Tables 

The architecture of a table view consists of columns, rows, and groups:

  • Columns in a table correspond to the columns in the data source. They are included by adding fields or measures to the table in the Ad Hoc view. 

  • Rows correspond to rows in the database. The information in each row depends on what columns are included in the table. 

  • Using groups, rows can be grouped by identical values in any field with intermediate summaries for each grouped value. For example, a table view of product orders might contain columns to show the dates and amounts of each order, and its rows might be grouped by city and product: 

     

    Date Placed

    Date Filled

    Payment Received

    City A

     

     

     

    Product 01

     

     

     

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

    Product 01 totals:

     

    Count

    Sum

    Product 02

     

     

     

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

    Product 02 totals:

     

    Count

    Sum

    Product 03

     

     

     

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

    Product 03 totals:

     

    Count

    Sum

    City A totals:

     

    Count

    Sum

    City B

     

     

     

    Product 01

     

     

     

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount

     

    Date

    Date

    Amount



     

Charts

Charts summarize data graphically. Types of charts include bar chart, line chart, and pie chart, among others. With the exception of time series and scatter charts, each type of chart compares summarized values for a group. Time series and scatter charts use time intervals to group data. 


Crosstabs

Crosstabs are more compact representations than tables; they show only computed values, rather than individual database values. Columns and rows specify the dimensions for grouping; cells contain the summarized measurements.