Filters

Filters

Selecting Data (Filter)

While working as the Barchart Editor, Safran Planner provides two features for narrowing down the number of activities presented.

1. Applying a 'Normal Filter'
2. Using 'Auto-Filter' on displayed columns

Specifying Activity Selection Criteria

To select a data group, you must specify criteria that are familiar to all the entries in the group. Your selection criteria can be saved as named filters for later reuse. By choosing Filters from the HOME toolbar, you are given a window to select the activities to appear in the Barchart Editor. If no selection criteria are entered, all activities in the project are included.

Create a new filter

Selection criteria and filter expressions may get complicated and cumbersome to enter, so you may find it helpful to name and store your expressions for future use.

To create a new filter, click on the 'Filters ' icon.

Click 'New...'

Type in a filter name

Click 'Insert Row' and add your filter criteria.

The 'APPLY' and the 'OK' buttons will save any modifications to your filter; the only difference is that 'OK' will close the filter window, while 'APPLY' leaves the window open. If you wish to modify a complex filter, it is recommended to first use the 'Save As...' option so you can go back to the old filter if you are not happy with the new filter.

Remember that a filter could be used in layouts and reports, so changing an existing filter might have consequences you don't see in the current view.

Select a Filter

To select an existing filter, choose from the Filter drop-down list.

The 'Save As...' option allows you to modify and save an existing filter under a new name.

To remove a filter expression from the list of filters, select the filter from the drop-down box and press the Delete button.

Keep in mind that filters are 'universal' throughout Safran and may be used in all areas/functions of the system.

When used in a multi-user environment, a filter specified by one user will be available for all users on the system. Other users could choose to modify/adjust the filter ad hoc. However, they would not be allowed to save changes to the original filter. The users would still be allowed to store the filter as their own.

Auto filter

In addition to the filtering capabilities discussed above, Safran also has an 'Auto Filter' tool for the fields nominated in your Barchart layout. To switch the function on/off, select the tool from the Home/Editing portion of the ribbon.

Or by right-clicking in the Column Header area and toggling 'Auto Filter' as shown below:

When an auto filter is turned on, a down arrow appears to the right in each column heading, indicating that auto filter capabilities are available.

You can select relevant values from the column values drop-down in its simplest form. You can also apply an auto filter to multiple columns as required.

When an auto filter for a column is applied, the down arrow and header turn blue.

NULL means that there are no values in the cell. If you used the standard filter, the filter above would equal the operator 'IS NOT NULL.'

For flag fields, only two options (Yes/No) are available:

In a standard filter, the 'Search' field works as the operator 'Contains.'

In addition to simple filtering, Safran provides more extensive capabilities similar to the standard functions discussed earlier.

Selecting 'Extended Filter' in the Auto Filter panel opens a standard filter panel, which allows you to specify a more extensive filter expression with relevant operators for the chosen field.

Once an 'Extended Filter' is specified, the existing simple selection is presented in light grey while the 'Extended Filter...' button is highlighted. To return to simple Auto Filter, press the 'Clear Filter' button.

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Filter Operators

These two filters will, for example, give you the same result:

Depending on the complexity of your filter, you might have to add parenthesis to ensure you get the selection you want.

Using the 'Move up' / 'Move down' allows you to rearrange your filter. In the example below, the description row was moved up two rows. This filter will not work unless you modify it.

Even if you can save the filter without error, you should still check in the Barchart Editor that you have the desired selection before relying upon it in reports.

Activity Search List

The activity search list allows you to create a subset of activities to browse or investigate and still have all activities selected in the Barchart Editor. This will enable you to browse predecessors or successors, follow the logic outside the activities in the search list, and then revert to the search list and use this as your criteria for investigating the schedule.

Applying the selection criteria as a Filter to the Barchart Editor would allow you to see and investigate the activities that match the requirements.

Opening the Search List.

The Activity Search List option is available from the Filter section on the Home tab. Select 'Options' and then 'Activity Search List.'

The activity Search list window opens by default with all activities in the project. The Activity Search List displays 'Activity ID' and 'Description'. Activities are sorted by Activity ID. The window is resizable and stays on top of the Barchart Editor until closed.

Navigating

The Activity Search List window is synchronised with the Barchart Editor so that if you select an activity in the Search list, it will be highlighted in the Barchart Editor, or if you choose an activity from the Editor, it will be highlighted in the Search list if it is one of the activities listed in the search list.

• You can click on any activity in the search List window, and it will highlight the activity in the Barchart Editor.
• You can use 'Previous On List' to navigate the activity above the selected activity.
• You can use 'Next On List' to navigate to the activity below the currently selected activity.

Creating Your List - Filtering

You will usually not navigate the Activity Search List with all activities selected for focus. To create a selection of activities, press the Filter button to select previously stored filter expressions that fit your task. Use the filter window to generate an ad-hoc filter or create a new filter to be stored.

Example of filter applied to create a list of activities for Phase= Q - Civil Work - Construction.