Filters are a powerful way to display specific lists of information within Innovation Central. Following the instructional sections are some use cases we've found helpful in practice.
Accessing Filters
Filters allow users/administrators to build personal/public views of ideas or FlexForms. This is done by selecting criteria and display settings, both of which are based on the fields configured on the idea submission form or the FlexForms for the given instance. Once created and saved, filters can be easily run displaying current results. There are many creative uses of filters, e.g., one could create a list of all ideas created by one’s direct reports that received a positive conclusion.
For everyone with access to the challenge, personal filters are accessed from the event Personal Space as shown above. Here everyone can create or manage their personal filters. This gives everyone an opportunity to look at data which is meaningful to the individual.
Additionally, filters can be created from the Collaborate Space as shown above. Those with the special role of Administrator can create and save public filters, making them accessible to the full audience. This will always appear within the right hand menu, like the Increased Efficiency Ideas filter. Clicking on the filter title displays results currently matching the criteria selected when saved. In this case, a list of ideas associated the challenge to Increase Efficiencies.
The "Create Filter" link will also appear on the Reports and Review tabs for those who have access to these tabs.
Creating Filters
As you prepare to create a filter, here are a few facts to keep in mind:
- One can edit and save changes to a filter.
- Renaming an existing filter creates a new filter.
- Please note that idea filter results only display ideas listed in the current event (not ideas in the local event/instance Archive/Idea Bank).
- FlexForm filter results also display information associated with any archived ideas in the given event/instance containing that FlexForm.
- Please note there is no Terminology for the Create Filter forms.
The options shown below are common to creating a new filter or editing an existing filter, and are dependent on one’s Special Role. For example, standard users do not see Idea Group, Number of Reviews or Review Recommendation.
1 - Form
Select the idea form or the name of a FlexForm to create a filter based on that form.
2 - Criteria
Select the criteria for the filter based on fields from the form you chose. Only submissions that meet all criteria are included in the filter results.
3 - Display Options
For idea filters, there are two display style options (“Abstract” and “Columns”). FlexForm filters default to the Columns display (its only option). With both display options, results can be presented in either collapsed (title listing) or expanded (details) forms. The idea filter “Abstract” display style options include “Category” and “Sort By”. “Abstract” filter results include the idea title, reference number, author, date submitted, area, number and type of response documents, and the first 300 characters of the idea description. The “Columns” display style filter results are presented in a table with up to four columns. Each table is sorted based on the sort order you choose. If you select a “Category”, there will be a table for each category in the displayed results.
4 - Save Options
Filters can be saved so current results can quickly be viewed by clicking the filter title. Saved filters are available under “My Filters” on the right hand menu of the “Create a New Filter”/’Edit an Existing Filter” pages and from the Personal Space. Additional save options, described below, are available to event administrators for public filters.
5 - Public Filter (Administrator view only)
Public filters are available in the menu to those users who have access to the space you select (i.e., Collaborate Space, Review Space and Reports Space). Administrators can create, edit, hide, or delete public filters on the Manage Public Filters page .
6 - Guidance (Administrator view only)
Guidance is displayed at the top of the filter results. HTML tags can be included in this field.
7 - Access (Administrator view only)
The filter is available to all users who have access to the space (i.e., Collaborate Space, Review Space and Reports Space) selected and is listed alphabetically under the “Create Filter” link on the page where it is being shown.
8 - Show this Filter (Administrator view only)
Settings here control the visibility of the filter in the space menu selected above and the right hand menu when creating, editing, or viewing a filter.
When viewing idea filter results, select the idea(s) you want to work with by ticking the box next to the idea or by using the “select / deselect all” option at the bottom of the list. Then choose an action from the list of options available, which are based on Special Roles. For standard users “Add to Folder” is the only available option. Please note these actions are not available for FlexForm filters.
- Add to Folder
This action adds the selected idea(s) to a personal folder. When this action is selected, a “Folder Name” field appears allowing the user to select the name of an existing folder from the list or enter the name of a new folder and click “Submit”.
- Change Area
This action allows one to edit the Area value of the selected idea(s). The same changes are applied to all selected ideas. You can choose to refresh the filter results after the areas have been changed. If you do not refresh the results, the ideas will remain selected. This action is available to the Administrator, Oversight, Review Team Leader, Master Reviewer and, if enabled, Reviewer Special Roles.
- Change Idea Group
This action allows one to edit the Idea Group of the selected idea(s). One can add to or replace the existing Idea Group(s). The same changes are applied to all selected ideas. Y ou can choose to refresh the results after the areas have been changed. If you do not refresh the results, the ideas will remain selected. This action is available to the Administrator, Oversight, Review Team Leader, and Master Reviewer Special Roles. This action will not be available if there are no Idea Groups configured by the Administrator (Admin – Review Process – Review Team Tools – Detailed Reviews).
- Copy / Move Idea
This action allows one to copy or move the selected idea(s) to another event. For more instructions on this action, see the Help entry specific to this feature. The same changes are applied to all selected ideas. This action is available to the Administrator, Oversight, and Review Team Leader Special Roles (Master Reviewer if enabled via Admin – Conclusions).
- Move to Warehouse
This action allows one to immediately warehouse the selected idea(s) and their response documents to the Global Warehouse (accessible under Modules on any Portal page). The ideas do not carry event access restrictions to the Warehouse, and are visible to those with access to the Warehouse. Ideas restricted to the review team will carry the restricted view to standard user groups of the Warehouse. Warehouse administrators and those in the Warehouse reviewer group (ticket to support required) have access to restricted Warehouse ideas. This action is available to the Administrator, Oversight, and Review Team Leader Special Roles (Master Review if enabled via Admin – Conclusions).
- Export as CSV
This action allows one to export the selected idea(s) as a CSV file. This action is available to the Administrator, Oversight, Review Team Leader, Master Reviewer, Reviewer, and Executive Special Roles. Please note that idea contents may get truncated if it exceeds your chosen application's field limits.
- Build New Idea
This action allows one to develop a new idea based on the components of existing ideas. For more instructions on this action, see the Help entry specific to this feature. This action is available to Administrator, Oversight, Review Team Leader, and Master Reviewer Special Roles. The event Administrator can disable this feature, or restrict it to just Administrator and Oversight Special Roles.
- Delete from Event
This action allows Administrator and Oversight Special Roles to permanently delete the selected idea(s) and their response documents from the event.
- Archive
This action allows the event Administrator to immediately archive the selected idea(s) and their response documents to the local Archive (Idea Bank). Ideas remain in the Idea Bank unless or until the event is archived to the Warehouse.
Filter Use Cases
- Standard use of public filters is to provide a quick link to Idea and/or FlexForm filter results from any or all of the Collaborate, Review, and Reports spaces. Filters are listed alphabetically under the “Create Filter” link (Image 1). By default, out-of-the-box Innovation Central instances are set to show the “By Status” and “My Responsibilities by Deadline” Idea Next Steps FlexForm filters. If these filters are not being used, the administrator must edit each filter to not show.
- Public filter links can be hidden and embedded into any text editor box or Advanced API Widget.
- Multiple public filters can be created related to ideas submitted and/or FlexForms to specific business units for quick access from the review page (Image 2).
- A Collaborate Space Advanced API Widget can be used to display idea tabs based on hidden idea filters (Image 3).
- A Collaborate Space Advanced API Widget can also be used to display a hyperlinked image opening the results of a hidden public filter (Image 3).
Image 1 - Standard Public Filters
Image 2 - embedding public filter links into text editor box of Review Space
Image 3 - use of Advanced API Widgets to display public filter results
