You can hide columns from users in ThoughtSpot without dropping them from the database. It is common to hide a column when its data contains identifier columns that are used to join tables, but which do not have any meaning to users.
Alternatively, rather than hiding a column, you can make it easier to find by creating synonyms for it. This is helpful, for example, when different departments refer to the data using different terminology.
Hide a column
As the number of columns in the dataset increases, the search experience requires more effort. Users have to navigate through larger numbers of columns to choose the correct one. There might also be some columns in the dataset that you don’t want to expose to the users.
When you hide a worksheet, table, or view column, you only hide it from users without edit privileges on the object. Administrators and users with edit privileges on the object can still see and interact with the hidden column. Users without edit privileges for the object cannot see or interact with the hidden column.
To hide a column, change the HIDDEN (UI)/Hide (model file) setting. By
default, all columns in a data source appear in ThoughtSpot. To hide these
columns, set the HIDDEN setting to YES.
- Find the HIDDEN (UI)/Hide (model file) setting for a column.
- Set its value to
YES. - Save your changes.
Create synonyms for a column
When users search a data source, they might try typing different words to try to retrieve a particular column. This could be due to different groups in your organization using different terms for the same data. Or maybe your users just intuitively use different words when searching for that item. Using synonyms allows them to access the data even if the term they choose isn’t the same as the actual column name.
You can set column synonyms for columns in tables, user imported data, and worksheets. The returned table or chart uses the actual column name, but the search bar reflects the term the user typed in (the synonym).
To create a synonym for a column:
- Find the column for which you want to add synonyms.
- Select its Synonyms.
-
Enter a comma-separated list of the synonyms.
If a synonym is more than one word, enclose it in double quotes. If you are using the Web interface, you would type:
profit,"gross profit"If you are using the model file, the list of synonyms must be enclosed in square brackets:
[profit, "gross profit"] - Save your changes.