Rows, Columns, and Member Filters
Rows and columns define the structure of a Cube View — which members appear, how they expand, and how they are organized. The Member Filter Builder is the primary tool for configuring these definitions. This guide covers row/column configuration, member filter syntax, expansions, nested dimensions, and shared definitions.
Rows and Columns Slider
The Cube View designer uses a slider to control how many dimensions are placed in rows versus columns versus the POV. Adjusting the slider moves dimensions between these three areas:
- Rows — Dimensions that expand vertically (one member per row)
- Columns — Dimensions that expand horizontally (one member per column)
- POV — Dimensions that remain fixed (one member selected in the POV bar)
Each row and column definition gets a default name (Row1, Col1, etc.). Rename these to something meaningful — for example, "Accounts" or "TimePeriods" — because these names are referenced in CVC/CVR math expressions later.
The Member Filter Builder
The Member Filter Builder is the dialog for defining which members appear in a row or column. It provides:
- Dimension buttons — One button per dimension; click to select members from that dimension
- Filter pane — Shows the current member filter expression
- Preview — Displays the resolved member list
Member Selection Syntax
Member filters use a prefix-based syntax to identify dimension members:
| Prefix | Dimension | Example |
|---|---|---|
E# | Entity | E#Houston |
A# | Account | A#Revenue |
S# | Scenario | S#Actual |
T# | Time | T#2026M3 |
C# | Consolidation | C#Local |
U1# through U8# | User-defined dimensions | U1#ProductA |
F# | Flow | F#EndBal |
IC# | Intercompany | IC#IC_None |
O# | Origin | O#Input |
Multiple members are separated by commas:
A#Revenue, A#COGS, A#GrossProfitMember Expansions
Expansions dynamically resolve a parent member into its children at runtime. This means the Cube View automatically updates when the hierarchy changes — no manual row/column updates needed.
| Expansion | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
.Children | Direct children only | A#PL.Children — shows Revenue, COGS, OpEx (one level) |
.Descendants | All descendants at all levels | A#PL.Descendants — shows the entire PL tree |
.Base | Leaf-level (base) members only | A#PL.Base — shows only input-level accounts |
.IDescendants | Include self plus all descendants | A#PL.IDescendants — shows PL itself plus the entire tree |
.IChildren | Include self plus direct children | A#PL.IChildren — shows PL itself plus Revenue, COGS, OpEx |
Using the tree above:
A#PL.Childrenreturns: Revenue, COGS, OpExA#PL.Basereturns: Product Rev, Service Rev, Materials, Labor, Rent, UtilitiesA#PL.IDescendantsreturns: PL, Revenue, Product Rev, Service Rev, COGS, Materials, Labor, OpEx, Rent, Utilities
Where Clause Expressions
Where clauses filter the results of an expansion. They appear after the expansion and use property-based conditions to include or exclude members.
Where clauses support:
- Property comparisons:
=,<>,>,<,>=,<= - Logical operators:
AND,OR - String matching:
Like,NotLike
Nested Row Dimensions
Placing multiple dimensions in rows creates a nested (cross-product) layout. The outermost dimension expands first, and inner dimensions expand within each outer member.
For example, placing Entity (expanded) in the first row and Account (expanded) in the second row produces:
The order of row definitions matters — the first row definition is the outermost dimension. Reorder rows by dragging in the designer to change the nesting.
Nested Columns
The same nesting concept applies to columns, though it is less common. Placing Scenario and Time in columns creates a matrix:
Column Dimension Examples
Columns typically show time periods, scenarios, or a combination:
- Time across columns:
T#2026M1|T#2026M2|T#2026M3orT#2026Base.Children - Scenarios across columns:
S#Actual|S#Budget|S#Forecast - Mixed: Scenario and Time nested, with calculated variance columns
POV vs Row/Column Placement
The key rule: members in the POV are fixed; members in rows/columns expand.
- If you need to show data for a single entity across all accounts, put Entity in the POV and Account in rows.
- If you need to compare entities side by side, put Entity in columns.
- If you need a matrix of entities and accounts, put both in rows (nested) or one in rows and one in columns.
Shared Rows and Columns
Row and column definitions can be shared between Cube Views. When you create a row or column definition, you can mark it as shared so that other Cube Views in the same group can reference the same definition.
Benefits of shared definitions:
- Consistency — All Cube Views using the shared definition show the same members
- Maintenance — Update the definition once, and all referencing Cube Views update automatically
- Templates — Create a standard row/column template and apply it across related reports
Related Content
- Member Filter Quick Reference — Every member filter operation in one scannable page: expansions, where clauses, time functions, GetDataCell, CVC/CVR, and more
- Cube View Fundamentals — Previous guide: object hierarchy, POV bar, and rendering locations
- Formatting and Suppression — Next guide: controlling visual presentation and hiding empty rows
- Cube View Calculations — Adding calculated rows and columns using member filter syntax
- Configuring Cubes — Dimension and member configuration that underlies member filter syntax