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Report Builder: Dimension Order Matters!

When building a report in Report Builder, the dimensions you choose and the order in which you choose them directly affect how data is displayed in your results. To ensure accurate and complete reporting, select and order dimensions that are directly related to the data you want to analyze or compare.

What Are Dimensions?

It is important to understand that Dimensions are more than simply the columns in a report. Dimensions define how results are grouped (or categorized), which can affect the number of rows in your report, as well as how Measures (numerical data, a.k.a. Metrics) are calculated. Reports can also include only Dimensions without Measures.

Key Points About Dimensions

  • Each selected dimension appears as a column in the report table.
  • You can include multiple dimensions in a single report.
  • Some dimensions may not directly relate to your chosen measures, which can impact how data is displayed. For example, a report with a custom variable that is unique to a study may include rows for participants not in that study. 
  • A field used in a Filter does not have to be selected as a Dimension.

Types of Dimensions

Ripple provides several types of dimensions, each tied to specific data sources and user permissions. Understanding these types helps ensure accurate reporting.

1. Participant Profile Data

  • Includes demographic details such as age, gender, or ethnicity.
  • Available for all participants, regardless of study participation.
  • Data is aggregated across all studies based on the selected dimension.

2. Study-Specific Details

  • Includes event-related or study-level data (e.g., visit completion dates).
  • Only retrieves data from studies where the user has access.
  • Results are limited to assigned studies.

3. Global Data

  • Includes data collected within a study or from the registry (e.g., Contact Logs).
  • Global data tables include:
    • All globally marked data.
    • All study-specific data from studies the user can access.

4. Custom Variables

  • Custom variables can be global or study-specific.
    • Global custom variables: visible to all Report Builder users.
    • Study-specific custom variables: visible only for assigned studies.

Best Practices for Using Dimensions

To create accurate and meaningful reports, a best practice is to 

Set Dimension order Correctly

  • Always select the highest order dimensions (e.g. global attributes) first. For example, Participant Global ID is a global attribute, whereas Participant Custom ID is a study-level participant attribute. If you select Custom ID as a dimension before Global ID, your results will be grouped by Custom ID, then Participant Global ID.

Use Filters Strategically

  • Apply filters to limit data instead of adding unnecessary dimensions.
  • This keeps reports streamlined and easier to interpret.

Be Mindful of Permissions

  • Report results are restricted based on your study-level access.
  • Some dimensions or measures may not display data if you lack access to certain studies.