Use the columns table of a BI table to set up each column before reports use it: its Label, Folder, Description, Format and Summarization. The cells that cannot be changed say why on hover.
Open the BI table from its semantic model and go to its Bi Table tab. The columns table sits under the table's name.
Until the table is saved for the first time, the columns table is replaced by the message "Save the bi table first to configure columns.".
An empty value shows as -. While you type, the placeholder reads Enter label..., Enter folder... or Enter description....
Name, Database Type and BI Type are read-only; see Locked cells and why below.
Your edits are held in the popup until you save the BI table. The save controls are covered in Edit and save a BI table.
| Table column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Name | The column's name, set by the query that built the BI table. Primary keys carry a PK badge. |
| Label | The name reports use for the column. |
| Database Type | The column's type in the table it came from. |
| BI Type | The type reports use. Each type has its own icon: Whole Number, Decimal Number, Date, Date Time, Time, Duration, Boolean, Text and Rejected. |
| Format | How values are displayed. |
| Summarization | How the column is aggregated when a report summarises it. |
| Folder | The column's folder. |
| Description | Your notes for the column. An empty description shows the warehouse comment instead. |
| IR | Include in Report: whether the column is included in reports. |
A long folder name truncates in the table; hover it to read the full name.
Summarization sets how a column is aggregated when a report summarises it. Click the cell to pick a value; until one is set the menu reads Select summarization. Picking the value that is already set changes nothing.
| BI type | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Number, Decimal Number | Sum, Average, Min, Max, Count, Count Distinct | Sum |
| Date, Date Time, Time | Earliest, Latest, Count, Count Distinct | None |
| Duration | Sum, Average, Min, Max, Count | Sum |
| Boolean | Count, Count True, Count False | Count |
| Text | Count, Count Distinct, First, Last | Count |
| Rejected | None only | None |
The Default column shows what a column of that type starts with; None is always available. Rejected columns offer only None.
Click the Format cell and the Column format popover opens under it. Which styles a column can take depends on its BI type, and the option lists per type are on the Semantic models and BI tables page. Rejected columns cannot be formatted.
Click the Description cell and type. Until you write your own text, the cell shows the warehouse comment in italics, and the tooltip reads "From the DWH comment. Type to override it." A description holds up to 1000 characters.
Hover a read-only cell to read the reason:
| Cell | Reason |
|---|---|
| Name | "Column name is defined by the bi table query" |
| Database Type | "Database type is defined by the bi table query" |
| BI Type | "BI type is derived from the database type" |
| Format | "Format options depend on the BI type" |
| IR, on a Rejected column | "Rejected columns cannot be included in reports" |
| Summarization, on a Rejected column | "Summarization is not available for rejected BI types" |
Rejected columns cannot be enabled for reports, summarised or formatted.
Changing a column needs edit access to the model. See Who can do what in DataPrism for the permissions behind that.
Click the cell and type. Press Enter to save or Escape to cancel; the cell saves only when the value changed, and an empty value shows as -.
The name comes from the query that built the BI table, so the cell is read-only: "Column name is defined by the bi table query". Use the column's Label as the name reports show.
The database type comes from the query that built the table and the BI type is derived from it, so both are read-only. The tooltips read "Database type is defined by the bi table query" and "BI type is derived from the database type". A source type with no match becomes Rejected.
Both follow the column's BI type. A Rejected column cannot be formatted, summarised or included in reports, and its summarisation menu offers only None. Hover the locked cell to read the rule that applies.
Include in Report. It says whether the column is included in reports; a column with it off stays in the model but out of reports.
It marks a primary key column of the table.
The column has no description of its own yet, so the cell falls back to the warehouse comment. Type your own text to override it; the tooltip reads "From the DWH comment. Type to override it."
Up to 1000 characters.
No. Edits are held in the popup until you save the BI table; see Edit and save a BI table.
The columns table has nothing to list for this BI table. Check the table it is bound to in the Lake or the Warehouse, then reopen the BI table.
Until the BI table is saved once, the columns table is replaced by "Save the bi table first to configure columns.". Save the table and the column settings open up.