Create and use derived fields

A derived field is a calculated field added to a record definition using custom logic, built-in functions, and other field values from the record. The calculation for the derived field can be processed in the back-end database or the Insight server. A check box in the field’s definition allows shifting the load between the database server and the Insight server.

You can use derived fields for the following purposes:

  • Combine Fields: derived fields are commonly used to combine other fields. For example, you can concatenate the Last and First Name fields; or for dates stored as multiple fields, you can combine the date and time.

  • Applying Custom Logic:

    Another use of a derived field is to apply custom logic to transform the data.

    For example, in the case of different categories of orders (Warehouse, Store, Internet, etc.), a user can use custom logic to mark anything that is Warehouse or Store as under the same category as Brick and Mortar. The logic in this case would be:

    IF (Order_Category == 'Warehouse' OR Order_Category == 'Store')
    THEN
    Category = 'Brick and Mortar'

Set up a derived field

  1. In the Fields column, right-click a field name and select Add derived field.

    The Expression Editor appears. See Expression editor.

  2. Select one of the following statement types to create the derived field.
    • Math expression:

      Allows users to mathematically change the record fields using numbers and mathematical operators. When defining a math expression, select data from the different tabs needed to define the derived field: Variables, DB Table Fields, Constants, SQL Functions, R functions or Parameters.

    • Case condition:

      Provides a simple way to create a case statement to break up a continuous value into multiple ranges.

  3. Click OK.

    The statement appears in the main window.

  4. Drag the derived field from the Fields column to the Record column to map it to a record field.
  5. Save the changes.