Use Parameter Tool

The Use Parameter tool allows you to reference already-created parameters.

For example, in Yes No Question filters, you can use the Use Parameter tool to reference one or more parameters that have been defined in a form. As this is not a 'standard' Query Form element (it is not designed to produce counts in its own right), you would use the Use Parameter tool when you want to generate counts from the referenced parameters' query elements (that do produce counts).

Procedure

1. Drag the Use Parameter tool into the filter area of a Yes No Question or into a segment document.
2. By default the query will be an 'And'. If you want to 'Exclude' the query, select this option from the first drop-down.
3. Select the parameter that you want to use for the query from the second drop-down. If this drop-down is empty, parameters have not been created correctly in the form.
4. If you want to use the parameter directly instead of joining it to the current filter, select the Use Parameter Directly box.

Example scenario of using the Use Parameter tool

In this example scenario, a query form containing configured parameters is used in a segment document to drive Count Measures in a Crosstab. The Crosstab displays product sales for two different months - a base month and a comparison month. The base and comparison months are specified by the user.

Firstly, a query form was set up containing two parameter boxes that specify the criteria for the product sales for the base month and the criteria for the comparison month. The base month parameter is named p_BaseQuery and the comparison month parameter is named p_ComparisonQuery.

A new segment document was created. The query form created in the previous step was dragged into the segment document. Then a Crosstab was dragged into the segment document.

The Crosstab was flipped and the Report criteria were added, referencing the <Previous criteria> (the query form that was just dragged in).

Two Count Measures were added to the Crosstab's Report criteria - one for the base month and one for the comparison month. The Use Parameter tool was dragged into the Filter fields of the two Count Measures and the relevant parameters were selected. The screen shot below shows the set up for the Count Measure that references the p_BaseQuery parameter.

The resulting segment looks like this:

• Query Forms
  • Creating a Query Form
  • And Box
  • Column Value
  • Date Range
  • Embedded Item
  • Exclude Box
  • Header
  • Numeric Range
  • List of Values
  • Or Box
  • Parameter Box
  • Query Form Tool
  • Segment Editor
  • Sub Heading
  • Substitution Parameter
  • Use Parameter tool
  • Yes No Question