# Working with filters

Configure any filter through the **Select Filter** dialogue.

> [!TIP]
>
> If you create filters with multiple conditions or complex logic, document them in the dashboard description or tile notes so others understand the filtering logic.

## Selecting a filter

The Select Filter dialogue opens when you select **\+ Add Filter** in:

- The filters side panel (for User, Search, Dashboard, Predefined, or Analysis filters)
- The Filters tab on a tile (for Tile filters)

## Searching for filter criteria

The **Search tab** lets you find and select criteria to filter by.

Under the **Search** tab are the three main filter component types.

- **Variables**: Data fields from your system
- **Audiences**: Pre-defined groups of records
- **Files**: Uploaded lists of values

> [!TIP]
>
> The search bar searches through all filter components and displays a result count under each one.

## Editing existing filters

You can add and remove values to filters without recreating them.

To remove values from a filter:

1. Locate the filter.
2. Select the **x** next to the value you want to remove.

Orbit removes the value and updates the filter immediately.

> [!TIP]
>
> This is useful when you want to refine a filter gradually rather than rebuilding it from scratch.

To add values to a filter:

1. Locate the filter.
2. Select **\+ Add Values**.
3. Select or input additional values.
4. Select **Apply**.

Orbit adds the new values to the existing filter.

See [User filters](<https://help.apteco.com/en/orbit/dashboards/filtering/user-filters/index.md>).

## Filtering with audiences or files

When you select an audience or a file:

1. Choose an option from the dropdown:

   - **In**: Includes records that belong to the audience or values in the file
   - **Not in**: Excludes records that belong to the audience or values in the file
2. Select **Apply**.

The audience criteria or file values filter your data immediately.

## Filtering with reference variables

Reference variables identify unique records, such as a Household Unique Reference Number (URN) or Customer ID, identified by the **barcode** icon.

1. Select a reference variable and choose an option from the dropdown:

   - **Is**: Includes records with these reference values
   - **Is not**: Excludes records with these reference values
2. Specify values using one of these methods:

   - Manually input values (separate multiple values with commas or new lines)
   - Select an existing file containing the values
   - Upload a new file with the values

   > **Tip**
   >
   > Select the **expand** icon in the top-right corner to view the dialogue full-screen.
3. Select **Apply**.

   > **Tip**
   >
   > Use file uploads when filtering by many reference values. This keeps your filter manageable and makes it easier to update values later.

## Filtering with selector variables

Selector variables contain predefined categories, such as Occupation, Region, or Product, identified by the tick icon.

1. Select a selector variable and choose an option from the dropdown:

   - **Is any of**: Includes records matching any selected values
   - **Is none of**: Excludes records matching any selected values
2. Specify values using one of these methods:

   - Select values from the table by ticking checkboxes
   - Select an existing file containing the values
   - Upload a new file with the values
3. If selecting from the table, optionally customise the view.

   Select **View** to change displayed columns:

   - **Codes**: Shows category codes
   - **Descriptions**: Shows category descriptions
   - **Count bars**: Displays visual representation of record counts
   - **Resolve Table**: Shows the data counts
   - **Zero Values**: Includes or excludes categories with no records

   > **Tip**
   >
   > Select the **expand** icon in the top-right corner to view the table full-screen.
4. Select **Apply**.

> [!TIP]
>
> Use the Countbars view to see which categories contain the most records, helping you make informed filtering decisions.

## Filtering with text variables

Text variables contain free-text data, such as Forename, Postcode, or Email Address, identified by the **ABC** icon.

1. Select a text variable and choose an option from the dropdown:

   - **Is**: Exact match
   - **Is not**: Excludes exact matches
   - **Starts with**: Matches the beginning of text
   - **Does not start with**: Excludes text that starts with specified characters
   - **Ends with**: Matches the end of text
   - **Does not end with**: Excludes text that ends with specified characters
   - **Contains**: Matches text anywhere in the field
   - **Does not contain**: Excludes text matches
   - **Has ranges and wildcards of**: Matches text using wildcard patterns
   - **Does not have ranges and wildcards of**: Excludes text matching wildcard patterns

   See [Using wildcards](<#using-wildcards>) below.
2. Specify values using one of these methods:

   - Manually input values (separate multiple values with commas or new lines)
   - Select an existing file containing the values
   - Upload a new file with the values

   > **Tip**
   >
   > Select the **expand** icon in the top-right corner to view the dialogue full-screen.
3. Choose whether you want to match case by ticking the checkbox.
4. Select **Apply**.

### Using wildcards

Use wildcard characters to create flexible search patterns when filtering with text variables.

- **?** matches any single character
- \*\*\*\*\* matches any number of characters (including zero)

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Examples**
>
> - **Sm?th** finds Smith, Smyth, Sm4th, Sm th, Sm@th
> - **Robert**\* finds Robertson, Roberts, Robert, Robertsdfjhsd
> - **ABC-???** finds product codes with ABC followed by a dash and exactly three characters
> - **ABC-?**\* finds product codes with ABC followed by a dash, at least one character, then any number of additional characters
> - **?**\* finds all non-blank values (any field with at least one character)

## Filtering with numeric variables

Numeric variables contain numeric data, such as Age, Transaction Value, or Holiday Length, identified by the 123 icon.

1. Select a numeric variable and choose an option from the dropdown:

   - **Is any of**: Includes records matching any selected ranges
   - **Is none of**: Excludes records matching any selected ranges
2. Define your numeric ranges:

   - Set the **From** value:

     - **\= Equal to**: Matches the exact value
     - **\> Greater than**: Matches values above the specified number
     - **\>= Greater than or equal to**: Matches values above or equal to the specified number
     - **\-∞ No lower bound**: Includes all values up to the upper limit
     - **Ø Missing values**: Includes records with no value
   - Set the **To** value:

     - **\< Less than**: Matches values below the specified number
     - **\<= Less than or equal to**: Matches values below or equal to the specified number
     - **∞ No upper bound**: Includes all values from the lower limit
3. Select **\+ Add Filter** to create additional range criteria.

   > **Tip**
   >
   > Select the **expand** icon in the top-right corner to view the dialogue full-screen.
4. Select **Apply**.

## Filtering with date variables

Date variables contain date or datetime information, identified by the calendar icon.

1. Choose a date operator from the dropdown:

   - **Is**: Include records within the date range
   - **Is not**: Exclude records within the date range
2. Specify the date values using a **Fixed Range**, **Dynamic Range**, or a **Custom Rule**. For what each option does, see [Working with dates](<https://help.apteco.com/en/orbit/audiences/building-an-audience/working-with-dates/index.md>).

   > **Note**
   >
   > A preview shows your selected date range for reference.
3. Select **Apply**.

> [!TIP]
>
> Use a dynamic range (such as ‘This Month’ or ‘The Last Quarter’) when available, as these automatically update as time passes.