Organize items in the project tree in a way that makes sense to the users of the project. Take into account analysis and reporting requirements.
The order in which variables appear in the project determines the order they appear in an analysis. Hide items that won't be used for analysis or reporting.
The options under the design menu allow you to format items in your Project Tree. These options are contextual, please note that if your project contains global filters, these must be off for options to become available.
If you are not the project owner you will only be able to use the features below on items that you own.
Learn more about user permissions.
In this article:
- Add Headings
- Move items in your Project tree
- Format items in your Project tree
- Add date flags to create time axes/time series
1. Add Headings
Headings are used to create logical groupings of variables and to ease navigation.
- Headings can be created by selecting edit/add heading from the design menu.
- Headings can also be created by using the keyboard shortcut Insert.
- The add heading option is only available if the selected item in the dictionary tree is a single axis or heading. The heading is inserted above the selected item.
- Headings can be automatically opened by clicking on the text or the arrowhead.
- Headings are created during first-pass automation Learn more about Automation. to group measures together.
- Headings can be dragged to the analysis pane, unless there is a measure included within the group.
- Select the desired position in the project tree by selecting an item.
- Select add heading under edit.
- Name your heading.
2. Move items in your Project tree
a) Drag and Drop to move items
Drag and drop is a good option when you are not moving items too far in the project tree.
A selected item or multiple selected items can be dragged to a different position in your project tree. If selecting a group, all items must be of the same type.
- The green line indicates where the items will be positioned on the release of the mouse.
- The color of the drag pin indicates if the item can be moved to this position.
- Green Can be moved here.
- Grey Cannot be moved here.
- Blue Add within.
- The number indicates the number of items being moved.
- When dragging onto an item, the pin will display blue if the selected items can be added within; usually, when you want to move items within a section in your Project Tree under a Heading. After a pause, a hovered on an item that is blue will automatically open allowing you to choose the desired position. By default, a release on a hovered item will add the dragged items to the end.
b) Cut and Paste
Cut and paste can be a better option when items need to be moved a long way. Cut and paste can be found in the design menu.
- When pasting, if the highlighted destination location is a standard axis, measure or verbatim, the cut items will paste above the selected item.
- When pasting, if the highlighted destination location is a grid or heading, the cut items will paste within the selected item.
- If selecting multiple items, the group of items needs to be of the same type.
Before pasting, you will need to remove shrink, and any filters applied.
- Select an item or a group of items in your project tree.
- Select cut under edit.
- Select the desired position in the project tree by selecting an item.
- Select paste under edit.
3. Format items in your Project tree.
a) hide items
Hidden items will not be visible to another user when your project is published.Learn more about Publish.
You can use the filter option display visibleLearn more about Project Tree filters. to preview how your project looks without the hidden items displayed.
- You can hide one item or a group of items.
- Selecting an element will only hide that element.
- Selecting an axis will hide the axis and all elements within it.
- Selecting a grid will hide all axes and elements within it.
- Selecting a header will hide all items within the section.
To hide:
- Select an item or a group of items in your project tree.
- Select hide/show under format.
To unhide:
- Show your items.
- Select the hidden item or group of items in your project tree.
- Select hide/show under format.
b) sort items
You can sort ascending/descending and fix items into a particular order. Contextual format options will display depending on the item selected. Sorting options include:
- sort ascending
- sort descending
- sort within ascending
- sort within descending
sort ascending/sort descending
- Sort multiple items in ascending/descending order. Used to order items alphabetically (A-Z or Z-A) or numerically based on the first character. For this option to become available you need to select multiple items.
- The available sorting options will only change the selected block, not the items inside.
- In the example above, multiple items in the project tree are selected.
- Clicking sort asc, orders these items alphabetically, but does not change the order of the items within.
sort within ascending/sort within descending
- Sort multiple items in ascending/descending order. Used to order alphabetically (A-Z or Z-A) or numerically based on the first character. For this option to become available you need to select one item.
- The available sorting options will sort items within the selected item.
- The item selected will then display the sorting icon. The icon indicates any new item from an updated or added source, will automatically appear in the applied order.
- Autosorting can be removed by selecting the item and then clicking autosort OFF.
- In the example above, one item in the project tree is selected. This item contains items within it.
- Clicking sort within asc orders items within alphabetically.
- The item selected will then display the sorting icon.
c) fix to top/fix to bottom
- An item (i.e. axis or element) or multiple items can also be fixed to the top or bottom.
- An axis reorders within the section.
- An element reorders within an axis.
- Once fixed, the item will always be at the beginning or end of a list of items even when new items are added through an update or added source.
- Fixed items display the relevant icon.
- In the example above, the element “Other” can be fixed to bottom.
- The fix to bottom icon appears next to it.
4. Add date flags to create time axes/time series
date flag
Any standard axis can be flagged as being a date to create a time axis.
Tables

Visualize
Analysis with an axis with a date flag in the across will result in a line graph with time sliders when visualized.
- Select the axis.
- Select date under flag.
Where to from here?
Learn more
- Change display labels
- Create customized constructions
- Weights in Infotools Harmoni
- Applying bases in the Project tree
- Creating Grids
- Add values for average calculations