Using Defined Fields as Filter Criteria in VDM

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Article Goal

Learn how to use Defined Fields as filter criteria within the FSGS section of a VDM View. This enables user-specific data filtering when paired with WebReports-defined values.

What Are Defined Fields?

Defined Fields are values stored in WebReports that are tied to individual users. These fields can be passed into a VDM View to dynamically control what data each user sees—without hardcoding logic into the View.

Tip: Defined Fields are often used to restrict access based on user-specific information such as department, region, or user ID. They're especially useful when a single report must serve multiple users securely and efficiently.

Why Use Defined Fields in Filters?

• Filter data based on the currently logged-in WebReports user

• Securely control access to report content without duplicating Views

• Reduce manual effort by dynamically adjusting filter logic

• Create more scalable reporting solutions

Use Case: A national manager wants each regional rep to run the same View but only see records for their region. Using a defined field like @UserRegion, this can be handled automatically.

Where Can You Use Defined Fields?

Defined Fields can be used:

• In the FSGS (Filter/Sort/Group/Sort) section of a VDM View

• Within expressions and calculated logic

• In Finished Reports, Visualize dashboards, and raw data exports

Video Tutorial:

Steps to Use Defined Fields as Filter Criteria

Step 1: Open or Create a View

• Launch VDM

• Open an existing View or create a new one

Step 2: Access the FSGS Panel

• Click the FSGS button on VDM’s main screen
  (FSGS = Filter, Sort, Group, Summarize)

Step 3: Select a Field to Filter

• From the list of available report fields, choose the one you want to apply the filter to (e.g., Region, EmployeeID, etc.)

Step 4: Open the Value Drop-Down

• In the filter row, click the drop-down in the Value column

Step 5: Expand the Defined Fields Section

• Scroll down the options and expand the Defined Fields section
  (This section only appears if defined fields are configured in WebReports.)

Step 6: Select the Defined Field

• Choose the defined field you want to use
  (e.g., @RegionFilter, @ManagerID, etc.)

Tip: You can combine defined fields with parameter values, expressions, or static filters for more advanced logic.

Step 7: Run the View

• Click Run View

• Confirm the returned values match the expected defined fields per user

Article Summary

Using Defined Fields as filter criteria in VDM lets you apply dynamic, user-specific data restrictions based on values stored in WebReports. This is ideal for scalable reporting environments where one view must serve multiple users with tailored content. By applying these fields through the FSGS panel, you eliminate the need for multiple view versions and ensure secure, flexible data access.

Use Case: You can restrict data visibility based on a user’s assigned department, region, or customer list—automatically—without modifying the View each time.