The analytical list page (ALP) offers a unique way to analyze data step by step from different perspectives, to investigate a root cause through drilldown, and to act on transactional content. All this can be done seamlessly within one page.

The purpose of the analytical list page is to identify interesting areas within datasets or significant single instances using data visualization and business intelligence.

Visualizations help users to recognize facts and situations, and reduce the number of interaction steps needed to gain insights or to identify significant single instances. Chart visualization increases the joy of use, and enables users to spot relevant data more quickly.

The main target group are users who work on transactional content. They benefit from fully transparent business object data and direct access to business actions. In addition, they have access to analytical views and functions without having to switch between systems. These include KPIs, a visual filter where filter values are enriched by measures and visualizations, and a combined table/chart view with drill-in capabilities (hybrid view). Users can interact with the chart to dig deep into the data. The visualization enables them to identify spikes, deviations and abnormalities more quickly, and to take appropriate action.

Usage

Use the analytical list page if:

• Users need a way to analyze data step by step from different perspectives, investigate a root cause through drilldown, and act on transactional content within one page.
• In addition to the filtered dataset, users need to see the impact of their filter settings in a chart representation (visual filter).
• Users need to interact between charts and table views (hybrid-view).
• Users need to see the impact of their action on a KPI.
• Users need to find and act on relevant items out of a large set of items by searching, filtering, sorting, grouping, drilling down, and slicing and dicing.

Do not use the analytical list page if:

• Drilldown is rarely used, not used at all, or is only needed after navigating to another page, rather than as free or flexible drilldown within the page itself. In this case, a list report might be sufficient for your use case.
• Users need different visualizations for the entire dataset (for example, as a table or as a chart), but don’t need interaction between these visualizations (for example, in a reporting scenario). In this case, a list report might be sufficient.
• Users need to find and act on relevant items from within a large set of items by searching, filtering, sorting, and grouping, without using drilldown or “slice and dice”. In this case, consider using a list report instead.
• Users need to work with multiple views of the same content, for example on items that are “Open”, “In Process”, or “Completed”. They want to be able to switch views using tabs, segmented buttons, or a select control. In this case, consider using a list report instead.
• Users need to see or edit a single item with all its details. Use the object page floorplan instead.
• Users need to find a specific item, where the item or an identifying data point is known to the user (for example, if a barcode identifies the item). In this case, use the initial page floorplan.
• Users need to work through a comparably small set of items, one by one. In this case, use the worklist floorplan instead.

Structure

This section describes the basic layout of the analytical list page, as well as the different variants of the layout.

KPI Tags

KPI Card

Visual Filter Dialog

Filter Type Switch

Visual Filter

As a core feature of the analytical list page, the visual filter combines measures or item counts with filter values. The visual filter becomes more powerful if you match measures to the filter dimension instead of just item counts. Use the visual filter bar if you would like to give the user a condensed overview of the data in the dataset. Chart visualization increases the joy of use, and enables users to spot relevant data more quickly. Ideally, the filters depend on each other. By selecting one or several chart data points, users can perform a quick analysis of the dataset.
Examples: Supplier with the lowest supplier performance this year; product with the highest sales volume in March in the EMEA region

Always design both a visual filter and a compact filter. To design a visual filter, choose a meaningful measure out of the dataset and match it to a filter dimension. If no measures or no meaningful measures are available, use an item count instead. Choose an appropriate chart type. Always use a line chart to show a time series. Do not use a line chart to show categories; use a bar chart instead.

Filter Charts

Currently, the visual filter supports three chart types (interactive charts): the interactive bar chart, the interactive line chart, and the interactive donut chart. The bar chart can have a maximum of three filter values. For the donut chart, only the top or bottom two values are shown; the rest are aggregated into the “Other” section. The line chart can display a maximum of six data points. Show the latest six data points (for example, last six days, last six months, and so on). Always use a line chart to show a time series. Do not use a line chart to show categories; use a bar chart instead. More filter values can be selected using the value help.

Controls

Hybrid View

Table-Only View

Chart-Only View

Select Filters in the Visual Filter

Unlike micro charts, the visual filter charts are interactive. If the live search is being used, selecting a filter value triggers data filtering in the content area. Both single and multiple selection are supported.

To select a filter value, the user clicks on a value in the chart. The filter can be removed by either clicking on the label Selected (<number of filters>), or by clicking on the same value in the chart again. The user can select more filter values using the value help.

Any data point that is selected in a chart still remains selected when the user selects a data point in another chart. Filter values react on each other. If a selected record falls outside the top/bottom three records being displayed, the Selected (x) status next to the chart shows the number of selected records.

Filter Type Switch

Users can toggle between two filter modes: compact filters and visual filters.

Carrying forward filter selections from the visual filter to the compact filter
Any values selected in the visual filter are always carried forward to the compact filters.

Carrying forward filter selections from the compact filter to the visual filter
Filter dimensions that are part of the visual filter are synced to the visual filter. These values are shown as selected chart dimensions in the visual filter (single or multiple selections) or show up as selected in the Selected (x) link depending on whether the dimension value chosen in the compact filter is part of the visual filter or not.
Filter dimensions that are not part of the visual filter, parameter values, and interval-based dimensions are applied to the filter query and content is refreshed.
Complex conditions are shown in the Selected link for the visual filter.

Snap Visual Filter Bar to Top

To save space, users can snap the visual filter bar to the top.

Switch Views: Hybrid, Chart-Only, and Table-Only

Users can switch between the different views: hybrid, chart-only, and table-only. If the user selects values and then switches the view, the selection remains intact. See the table below for more details.

Hybrid View

In the hybrid view, the chart and table interact. A selection in the chart is reflected automatically in the table. The data in the table reacts to the chart selection by highlighting all the records that are affected by the chosen dimension value. For example, if user chooses Country=ABC in the chart, all records relating to country ABC in the table are highlighted. Note that this still holds even if Country itself is not a dimension displayed in the table. Any grouping is highlighted if there is a record within the grouped set that is affected by the chart selection.

Show / Hide Icons

The Show icon  and the Hide icon   are available in the table toolbar in the hybrid and table-only views. If the Show icon is active, the table only shows items that are selected in the chart. The other entries are “hidden”. In this case, all entries in the table are highlighted. If the Hide icon is active, the table shows all items. In this case, the table has both highlighted entries (where values are selected in the chart) and non-highlighted entries.

Guidelines

Visual Filter

• Always configure both a visual filter and a compact filter.
• Use the visual filter as the default whenever possible.
• If parameter values are required, we recommend using the compact filter as the default filter mode.
• Use the live search for both filter types whenever possible.
• Always use a line chart to show a time series. Do not use a line chart to show categories; use a bar chart instead.

Content Area

• Hybrid view / chart-only view: Show the most important aspects of the dataset in the main chart.

Layout

• Do not use tabs in the analytical list page.