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Filters allow users to interactively control the data displayed in your Intelligent App dashboards. They are linked to variables and can be referenced in SQL queries to dynamically filter results.

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Filter Types

Datazone supports several filter types:
TypeDescription
textFree text input
numberNumeric input
dropdownSelect from a list of options
dateDate picker

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Filter Configuration

Each filter is defined in the components.filters section of your YAML configuration. Key properties:
  • type: The filter type (text, number, dropdown, date)
  • name: Unique filter name
  • title: Label shown to users
  • affected_variable: The variable this filter updates
  • default_value: (Optional) Default value
  • options: (For dropdown) Static or SQL-driven options
  • multiple: (Optional, dropdown only) Enable multi-select functionality (default: false)
  • placeholder: (Optional) Placeholder text
The multiple attribute is only allowed for dropdown filters. Using it with other filter types (text, number, date) will result in a validation error.

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Example: Static Dropdown Filter

- type: dropdown
  name: membership_type_filter_limited
  title: Membership Type
  affected_variable: membership_type_second
  default_value: 'all'
  options:
    type: static
    values:
      - value: all
        label: All
      - value: basic
        label: Basic
      - value: premium
        label: Premium
      - value: vip
        label: VIP

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Example: SQL-Driven Dropdown Filter

- type: dropdown
  name: membership_type_filter
  title: Membership Type
  affected_variable: membership_type
  options:
    type: sql
    query: |
      SELECT distinct ProductGroup_Name FROM sales_order LIMIT 100;

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Example: Date and Number Filters

- type: date
  name: order_date_filter
  title: Order Date Filter
  affected_variable: order_date
  default_value: '2024-04-01'

- type: number
  name: penalty_count_filter
  title: Penalty Count Filter
  affected_variable: penalty_count
  default_value: 10
  placeholder: 'Enter penalty count'

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Using Filters in Queries

Filters update variables, which you can reference in your chart queries using double curly braces: 
query: |
  select * from sales_order WHERE OrderDate > '{{ order_date }}' limit 100;

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Multi-Select Dropdown Filters

Dropdown filters support multi-select functionality by setting multiple: true. This allows users to select multiple values from the dropdown list simultaneously.

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Configuration Example

- type: dropdown
  name: region_filter
  title: Select Regions
  affected_variable: selected_regions
  multiple: true
  default_value: North  # Optional: single default value
  options:
    type: static
    values:
      - value: North
        label: North Region
      - value: South
        label: South Region
      - value: East
        label: East Region
      - value: West
        label: West Region

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Using Multi-Select Values in Queries

When multiple: true is enabled, the variable will contain an array of selected values. Use Jinja’s join filter to format these values for SQL queries: 
query: |
  SELECT * FROM customer_data
  WHERE 1=1
  {% if selected_regions %}
  AND CustomerRegion IN ('{{ selected_regions | join("','") }}')
  {% endif %}
  LIMIT 100;
How it works:
  • When users select ['North', 'South'], the Jinja template transforms it to: 'North','South'
  • The final SQL becomes: AND CustomerRegion IN ('North','South')
  • If no values are selected, the condition is skipped entirely

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Multi-Select with SQL-Driven Options

You can also use SQL queries to populate multi-select dropdowns: 
- type: dropdown
  name: product_filter
  title: Select Products
  affected_variable: selected_products
  multiple: true
  options:
    type: sql
    query: |
      SELECT DISTINCT ProductName as value, ProductName as label 
      FROM products 
      ORDER BY ProductName

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Filter Dependencies

Filters can depend on other filters to create cascading filter effects. When one filter changes, dependent filters can update their options based on the selected value. This is particularly useful for hierarchical data like country/city relationships.

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Example: Country and City Filters

In this example, the city filter’s options are limited based on the selected country: 
filters:
  - type: dropdown
    name: country_filter
    title: Country
    affected_variable: selected_country
    default_value: 'USA'
    options:
      type: sql
      query: "SELECT DISTINCT country FROM locations ORDER BY country"

  - type: dropdown
    name: city_filter
    title: City
    affected_variable: selected_city
    options:
      type: sql
      query: |
        SELECT DISTINCT city FROM locations 
        WHERE 1=1
        {% if selected_country is defined %}
        AND country = '{{ selected_country }}'
        {% endif %}
        ORDER BY city

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Key Points for Filter Dependencies

  • Use conditional logic with {% if variable_name is defined %} to check if a filter value exists
  • Always include a fallback condition (like WHERE 1=1) to ensure valid SQL when no filters are applied
  • Dependent filters will automatically refresh when their parent filter changes
  • You can chain multiple levels of dependencies (e.g., country → state → city)

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Best Practices

  • Use descriptive titles and placeholders for better UX
  • Use SQL-driven dropdowns for dynamic option lists
  • Set sensible defaults to improve initial dashboard state
  • Group filters logically on tabs for clarity
See also: Intelligent Apps Overview, Chart Reference