Chart a report by a multi-select custom field
Rather than building a chart using a multi-select custom field, we recommend that you create separate fields for each option of a multi-select custom field.
Examples of multi-select custom fields are:
- Checkboxes
- Multi-select dropdown menus
For information about using text mode, see the article Text Mode overview.
However, if it’s not possible to have separate fields for each option of a multi-select field, you can chart a report by a multi-select custom field by using calculated custom fields to group the choices from the multi-select field first. After that, you can chart the report by the calculated fields.
Access requirements
You must have the following access to perform the steps in this article:
*To find out what plan, license type, or access you have, contact your Workfront administrator.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, you must create a calculated custom field that shows the values selected from the multi-select custom field. For information, see the Build a calculated custom field that references a multi-select custom field section in this article.
Chart a report by multi-select Custom Fields
You cannot build a chart in a report by referencing a multi-select custom field. Instead, you can create a calculated field that records the values of the multi-select custom field on a given object and group by the calculated field.
Build a calculated custom field that references a multi-select custom field build-a-calculated-custom-field-that-references-a-multi-select-custom-field
To build a calculated field that references a multi-select custom field, you must have the following prerequisites:
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A multi-select custom field in a custom form.
For information about building custom forms and adding custom fields to them, see the article Create or edit a custom form. -
A custom form with the multi-select custom field attached to objects.
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Values for the multi-select custom field for each object.
To build the calculated custom field that references the multi-select custom field:
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Create a custom form, or edit an existing one.
For information about creating custom forms, see Create or edit a custom form.
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Select the object or objects that you plan to use with the custom form.
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Click Add a Field, then Calculated to add the multi-select custom field to the form.
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In the Label box, name the new calculated field to indicate that it references the multi-select custom field.
For example: “Calculated Multi-select Field.”
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In the Calculation box, enter the following code:
{DE:Multi-select Custom Field}
This adds the choices selected in the multi-select custom field to the calculated custom field. For example, if the form is attached to tasks and Choice 1 is selected from the multi-select custom field, the calculated custom field displays the value “Choice 1.” If Choice 1 and Choice 2 are selected for a different task, the calculated custom field displays the value “Choice 1, Choice 2”.
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Replace “Multi-select Custom Field” with the actual name of your multi-select custom field, as it appears in Workfront.
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(Optional) If the multi-select custom field is already on this form and if this form is already attached to objects, enable the Update previous calculations (in the background) option.
This ensures that the new calculated field is automatically populated with the value from the multi-select custom field as it is added to the forms already attached to the objects.
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Click Done.
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Click Save + Close.
The calculated custom field is added to the custom form and if the form is currently attached to objects, the field is populated with information from the multi-select custom field.
Build a chart that references a calculated custom field build-a-chart-that-references-a-calculated-custom-field
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(Optional) To ensure that all the calculated fields that you want to chart by are populated with values, from the Details tab of the report select all the objects that contain the custom form with both the multi-select custom field and the calculated custom field, then click Edit.
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(Optional and conditional) Select the Recalculate Custom Expressions field, then click Save Changes.
note note NOTE This option has been eliminated from editing projects in bulk. You can still recalculate expressions for projects in bulk by clicking the More icon at the top of a project list, then Recalculate Expressions. -
Go to the report where you want to add the chart for the calculated field that references the multi-select custom field.
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Click Report Actions, then Edit.
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Select the Groupings tab, then click Add Grouping.
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Add the Calculated Multi-select Field you created as your grouping.
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Select the Chart tab, and add a chart to your report.
For example, choose a Column chart.
For information about adding a chart to a report, see the section Add a chart to a report in the article Create a custom report. -
In the Bottom (X) Axis field, select the Calculated Multi-select Field to display in the chart.
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Click Save + Close.
The report displays the results grouped by the Calculated Multi-select Field in a chart.