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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 of an analysis.
It is useful to 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 you own.

Learn more about user permissions.

1. Add Headings

Use Headings to create logical groupings of variables and to ease navigation.

To add a Heading, you first must select the position in the project tree (i.e., single axis grid, measure). The heading is inserted above the selected item.
- Headings can be created by selecting edit/add heading from the design menu.
- Headings can also be created by using the keyboard shortcut Insert.
Headings can be opened by clicking on the text or the arrowhead.
Some headings are created during first-pass automation. Learn more about Automation. This is done to group measures together.
Learn more about how to use Headings in an analysis.

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

One or more items can be dragged to a different position in your project tree. Drag and drop is a good option when moving items not too far in the project tree.

If selecting more than one item, all items must be of the same type.

When dragging, a green line indicates where the items will be positioned on the release of the mouse.
The number in the pin indicates the number of items being moved.
The color of the drag pin changes:
- Green indicates that the item or items can be moved to the desired position.
- Grey indicates that the item or items can't be moved.
- Blue indictaes that the item or items can be moved and placed within the selected position, usually when you want to move items under a Heading. After a pause, a hover on the blue item 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, items need to be of the same type.

Before pasting, you need to display the full project tree (i.e., 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 a date to create a time axis. Flagging a standard axis as a Date provides:

The ability to have a rolling reference based on previous x periods.
Ability to rank by the latest period when it is plotted in the across dimension.
When dragged as a filter, the last element is applied by default.

Select the axis.
Select date under flag.

Tables

When creating an analysis with a time axis in the across dimension, the table automatically scrolls to the far right to show you your latest results 'in view.' You can still scroll to see the data across other periods.

When the view is saved into a story, the story preview also defaults to the latest results. If the view is used in a dashboard, the view will also display the latest data by default.

Visualize

Analysis with an axis with a date flag in the across dimension results in a line graph with time sliders when visualized. Learn more.

Where to from here?

Learn more

Articles in this section

Project Design - Organize items in your Project Tree

In this article:

1. Add Headings

2. Move items in your Project tree

a) Drag and Drop to move items

b) Cut and Paste

3. Format items in your Project tree.