Model with Metrics

Metrics are a critical Block used in Pigment for inputs, calculations, and outputs or reporting. Metrics are made of Dimension Lists that define their structure and can be set to different data types to handle multiple different uses.

What is a Metric?

Metrics are a type of Block designed to perform three different tasks:

• inputting data

• performing calculations

• reporting

Some examples of data inputs are growth percentages or other assumptions. Metrics are used for Reporting outputs such as a P&L statement. Other Metrics might perform calculations, such as seasonality multipliers, which are referenced by other Metrics.

What are Metrics made up of?

Metrics are defined by their structure, data type, formulas and a number of other settings.

• Structure. A Metric’s structure is made up of Dimension Lists that disaggregate data in a grid. For example, if you wanted to see monthly revenue for each country and product in your company, you would create a Metric with Country, Product and Month Dimensions.

• Data type. The Data type of a Metric controls what type of data can populate that Metric. For example, if you set the data type to Date, you are only able to put dates into that Metric.

• Formulas. This is another critical element in Metrics. Input Metrics don’t have a formula, whereas calculation or reporting Metrics have formulas to analyze data.  There are different type of Functions and Modifiers that are used in Metrics.

⚠️ Important

The Configure Blocks permission is needed to be able to create Metrics and edit formulas.

Create, Edit and Delete a Metric

Create

To create a Metric:

1. In your Application, hover your pointer over Blocks in the left sidebar and select the plus sign (+).

2. Select New Metric.

3. Complete the required fields to name your new Metric, to choose a data type and to decide which Dimensions this Metric will be based on.
   For more information on data types for Metrics, see Data types in Pigment.

4. From the menus, define a default aggregator for the time or non-time Dimensions in your Metric.
   - Default time aggregator
   - Default non-time aggregator

Edit or Delete

To edit your Metric:

1. Hover your pointer over the relevant Metric in the left sidebar.

2. Select the three dots and then select Settings. A dialog opens showing several Metric editing options. For more information on these, see Block settings for Metrics.

   🛡️ Warning

   If you change a Metric data type, all data in the Metric is erased.

To delete your Metric, follow the above steps but select Delete.

Duplication and batch tasks

Batch Duplicate

To duplicate several Metrics at once:

1. Select All Blocks in the sidebar.

2. Select the Metrics you want to duplicate followed by Duplicate Metrics.

   ⚠️ Important

   You can duplicate a maximum of 20 Metrics at a time.

3. Select which options you require for the batch of duplicated Metrics.

4. (Optional) If you toggle on Formulas in the Duplicate options, you can update the Metric formulas to automatically reference the other duplicates within the same selection.

5. Select Duplicate.

Batch Block Rename

You can update several Block names at once by either finding and replacing text, or by adding a prefix or suffix, to the existing Block name.

1. Select All Blocks in the sidebar.

2. Select the Blocks you want to rename followed by Rename Blocks.

To rename Blocks by locating and replacing specific text in the Block name, do as follows:

1. Select Replace.

2. Enter the text you want to find.

3. Enter the new replacement text.

4. (Optional) Toggle on if the searched text needs to have the exact case.

5. (Optional) Toggle on if the searched text needs to be located at the start of the Block name.

6. Select Rename Blocks.

To rename Blocks by adding a prefix or a suffix to the Block name, do the following:

1. Select Add text.

2. Enter the text you want to append to the Block name.

3. Indicate if you want the new text at the start or at the end of the current Block name.

4. Select Rename Blocks.

Edit the structure of multiple Metrics

You can edit the structure of multiple Metrics from All Blocks. To prevent unintended uses of this functionality, Pigment has made this an opt-in feature.

🛡️ Warning

Be aware that these changes lead to data loss in Metrics without formulas.

1. In the left sidebar, select your initials in the top left to open your menu.

2. Select Account Settings to open Advanced features.

3. Toggle on Edit Metric structure in bulk.

You can now change the data type and structure of multiple Metrics at once.

Export Metrics and formulas

You can batch export Metrics with their formulas as follows:

1. Select All Blocks in the left sidebar.

2. Select Export in the top toolbar.

3. From the dialog that opens, select All Metrics.

The output is a searchable CSV file containing a column with all the Metrics’ formulas. This allows you to search for keywords in your Metric formulas.

ℹ️ Note

The Export button is also available from folders that you open within All Blocks. Selecting All Metrics only exports Metrics within that folder.