Creating and Configuring a View in VDM

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Article Goal

This article walks through the entire process of building a View in VDM—from adding fields and filters to applying grouping, sorting, formatting, linking, and summaries. A View is the core output of VDM, and this guide helps you get started from scratch or refine existing ones.

Video Tutorial:

Creating a New View

1. Connect to your database.

2. Expand the desired table on the left-hand side.

3. Double-click a field or drag and drop it into the Report Fields panel on the right.

🔁 Repeat this step to add as many fields as needed.

4. Save the View: This will be the most basic form of a view

Note: you may not be able to run the view yet without doing linking

Removing Report Fields

• Double-click a field in the Report Fields panel to remove it.

• Alternatively, right-click the field and select Remove.

🔁 Repeat this step to add as many fields as needed.

Reordering Report Fields

The order of fields in the Report Fields panel determines their order in the Data Grid.

• To reorder, drag and drop the field up or down.

Filtering Data (FSGS Tab)

Filters let you narrow your dataset based on conditions you set.

1. Go to the FSGS tab.

2. In the Filter section, choose:

   • Field

   • Operator

   • Value

➕ Use the + button to add more filters.
➖ Use the – button to remove filters.

Operator Options and Definitions

Special Date Filtering with Reserved Words

Use these Reserved Words to create date filters that automatically adjust over time:

📝 Examples:

• Assigned_Date = @Date → Today’s data

• Transaction_Date >= @365DaysAgo → Past year

• Assigned_Date >= @7DaysAgo and < @Date → Last week

Linking Tables

When pulling from multiple tables, linking tells VDM how those tables relate.

1. Drag a field from one table and drop it onto the related field in the other.

2. Choose the appropriate Linking Type (e.g., Inner Join, Left Join).

🔄 VDM learns as you go: Once you link tables, VDM remembers your preferences for future views.

Formatting Columns

To change how data is displayed:

1. Right-click a value in the column.

2. Select Format Column > desired format (e.g., currency, date, percent).

3. Select None to remove formatting.

🔁 VDM will ask if you'd like to remember this format for future views.

Article Summary

This article provides a complete walkthrough for building a View in VDM, covering field selection, filtering, sorting, grouping, summaries, linking tables, formatting columns, and renaming headers. It also explains powerful features like dynamic date filters, view-level customization, and reusable formatting—all essential for effective reporting and dashboarding.

What’s Next?

Once your view is configured:

• Save it.

• Run and test the output.

• Use it in Finished Reports or Visualize dashboards.