Filter builder

The Filter builder lets you build simple or complex filters that identify person attributes and actions across visits and events. It provides a canvas to drag and drop metric dimensions, events, or other filters in order to filter persons based on hierarchy logic, rules, and operators.

For information about how to create quick filters that apply only to the project where they are created, see Quick filters.

Access the Filter builder

You can access the Filter builder in any of the following ways:

  • Top navigation: Click Customer Journey Analytics > Components > Filters.
  • Analysis Workspace: With a project open in Analysis Workspace, select + Components > Create filter.
  • Report Builder: Work with Filters in Report Builder.

Builder criteria overview section_F61C4268A5974C788629399ADE1E6E7C

You can add rule definitions and containers to define your filters. (For information about accessing the Filter builder, see Access the Filter builder.)

Filter builder showing New filter options described in this section.

UI element
Description
Title
Name the filter
Description
Provide a detailed description for the filter.
Tags
Tag the filter you are creating by picking from a list of existing tags or creating a new tag.
Definitions
This is where you build and configure filters, add rules, and nest and sequence containers.
Include
(Top Container selector.) Lets you select the top-level container ( Person, Session, Event). The default top-level container is the Event container.
Options
(gear) icon
Dimensions
Components are dragged and dropped from the Dimensions list (orange sidebar).
Operator
You can compare and constrain values using selected operators. (equals, does not equal, contains, contains all of, etc.)
Value
The value you entered or selected for the dimension or filter or metric.
Attribution Models

Available for dimensions only, these models determine what values in a dimension to filter for. Dimension models are particularly useful in sequential filters.

  • Repeating (default): Includes instances and persisted values for the dimension.
  • Instance: Includes instances for the dimension.
  • Non-repeating instance: Includes unique instances (non-repeating) for the dimension. This is the model applied in Flow when repeat instances are excluded.

For an example, see the “Attribution models” section below.

And/Or/Then
Assigns the AND/OR/THEN operators between containers or rules. The THEN operator lets you define sequential filters.
Metric
(Green sidebar) Metric that was dragged and dropped from the Metrics list.
X
(Delete) Lets you delete this part of the filter definition.
Create audience from filter
Creating an audience from a filter lets you share the filter with Adobe Experience Platform for activation. Learn more…
Search component
Searches the list of dimensions, filters, or metrics.
Dimensions
(List) The list of dimensions you can include in the filter. Click the header to expand.
Metrics
The list of metrics you can include in the filter. Click the header to expand.
Filters
The list of existing filters you can include in the filter. Click the header to expand.
Data View selector
Lets you select the report suite that this filter will be saved under. You can still utilize the filter in all data views.
Filter Preview

Lets you preview the key metrics to see whether you have a valid filter and how broad the filter is. Represents the breakdown of the dataset you can expect to see if you apply this filter. Shows 3 concentric circles and a list to show the number and percentage of matches for People, Sessions, and Reports Run for a filter run against a dataset.

This chart is updated immediately after you create or make changes to your filter definition.

Save or Cancel
Saves or cancels the filter. After clicking Save, you are taken to the Filter Manager where you can manage the filter.

Build a filter build-filters

  1. Simply drag a Dimension, Filter, or Metric Event from the left pane to the Definitions field.

  2. Set the operator from the drop-down menu.

  3. Enter or select a value for the item selected.

  4. Add additional containers if needed, using And, Or, or Then rules.

  5. After placing the containers and setting the rules, see the results of the filter in the validation chart at the top right. The validator indicates the percentage and absolute number of page views, visits, and unique persons that match the filter you created.

  6. Under Tags, tag the container by selecting an existing tag or creating a new one.

  7. Click Save to save the filter.

    You are taken to the Filters manager, where you can tag, share, and manage your filter in multiple ways.

Add containers containers

You can build a framework of containers and then place logic rules and operators between.

  1. Click Options > Add container.

    A new Event container opens without an Event (Page View) identified.

  2. Change the container type as needed.

  3. Drag a Dimension, Filter, or Event from the left pane to the container.

  4. Continue to add new containers from the top-level Options > Add container button at the top of the definition, or add containers from within a container to nest logic.

    OR

    Select one or more rules and then click Options > Add container from selection. This turns your selection into a separate container.

Use date ranges date-ranges

You can build filters that contain rolling date ranges in order to answer questions about ongoing campaigns or events.

For example, you can easily build a filter that includes “everyone who has made a purchase over the past 60 days”.

You create a Session container and within it, add the Last 60 days time range and the metric Orders is greater than or equal to 1, with an AND operator.

Here is a video on using rolling date ranges in filters:

Stack filters stack

Stacking filters works by combining the criteria in each filter using an ‘and’ operator, and then applying the combined criteria. This can be done in a Workspace project directly or in Filter builder.

For example, stacking a “mobile phone users” filter and a “US geography” filter would return data only for mobile phone users in the US.

Think of these filters as building blocks or modules that you can include in a filter library, for users to use as they see fit. That way, you can dramatically reduce the number of filters needed. For example, assume you have 40 filters:

  • 20 for mobile phone users in different countries (US_mobile, Germany_mobile, France_mobile, Brazil_mobile, etc.)
  • 20 for tablet users in different countries (US_tablet, Germany_tablet, France_tablet, Brazil_tablet, etc.)

By using filter stacking, you can reduce your filter count to 22 and stack them as needed. You would need to create these filters:

  • one filter for mobile users
  • one filter for tablet users
  • 20 filters for the different geographies
NOTE
When stacking two filters, they are by default joined by an AND statement. This cannot be changed to an OR statement.
  1. Go to the Filter builder.

  2. Provide a title and description for the filter.

  3. Click Show filters to bring up the list of filters in the left navigation.

  4. Drag the filters you want to stack to the filter definition canvas.

  5. Select Save.

Attribution models attribution

Example: Event filter where eVar1 = A

Example
A
A
A (persisted)
B
A
C
Repeating
X
X
X
-
X
-
Instance
X
X
-
-
X
-
Non-repeating instance
X
-
-
-
X
-
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