11.8. Filter Controls

Filter controls are similar to filters, but they're meant for the viewers of your Looker Studio report. They allow users to interact with your data in a more flexible way. In this lesson, we'll discuss several types of filter controls available in Looker Studio.

Dropdown Menu

The dropdown menu is the most common filter control. You can apply a dimension to this control, and it will list all the values of that dimension for the user to select. Users can:

Select or exclude specific values
Search for specific values, like countries
Include only certain values

To add a dropdown menu control, click on "Add Control" and choose "Dropdown List."

Tip: Assign a relevant metric to your dropdown control. This can help users quickly identify which values are most interesting or relevant.

Fixed Size List

The fixed size list control is similar to the dropdown menu, but it shows all values in a long list, which is useful when there aren't too many values to display. To change a dropdown menu to a fixed size list, go to the Style tab and choose "Fixed Size."

Example: A fixed size list is more appropriate for a list of car brands, while a dropdown menu is better for a list of countries.

Input Box

The input box control allows users to enter a specific value to filter by, like "Canada." This control is strict and only filters based on exact matches. It's not ideal for exploration, as users must know the exact value they're looking for.

Note: The input box is more suitable for receiving parameter values from users.

Slider

A slider control can be used to set upper and lower limits for a numeric dimension. For example, you could filter for users who have viewed more than 50 pages in a session.

Keep in mind: The slider should be applied to a dimension containing numbers, not a metric.

Checkbox

The checkbox control filters data based on a true/false value. It must be applied to a boolean field. By default, it's in a "don't care" state (not set). When checked, it filters for true values, and when unchecked, it filters for false values.

To reset the checkbox to the (not set) state, right-click and choose "Reset." Be sure to explain this functionality to your clients, as it might not be intuitive.

Example: You can create a boolean field to show whether a user is browsing from a mobile device.

It's important to choose the appropriate filter control based on the data and the user's needs. Always consider the purpose of the report and the questions it's meant to answer.