Tip 3: How to dynamically filter reports using URL parameters

Tip 3: How to dynamically filter reports using URL parameters



Hi folks,

As part of Zoho Creator - Tips and Tricks series every fortnight, we are back today with a new tip on how to use URL parameters to filter reports.

You don't always have to play with filters to drill down reports. Yes, that's right. You can pass URL parameters to set filter values and view only the required data. This technique is quite useful while linking reports in an email, a document, or when bookmarking an important report that you would like to view on a regular basis. For example, you can bookmark your sales report and add a filter value parameter specific to your region.

Let's look at example to understand how to pass parameters to the URL. Here, we have a sample report showing the details of different products.



Let's see how to filter using a single field: 

Base Link + #Report:<report_link_name>?Field_Deluge_Name =  value

Now let's add a filter to view all the records with the Category:Mirror. The report URL would be as given below:
  1. https://app.zohocreator.com/username/distribution-management/#Report:Product_Details?Category=Mirrors





Similarly, you can filter a single field with multiple values: 


Base Link + #Report:<report_link_name>?Field_Deluge_Name = [value1,value2]


In this case, let's filter the products based on two Categories:Mirrors and Steering. The report URL would be:

  1. https://app.zohocreator.com/username/distribution-management/#Report:Product_Details?Category=[Steering,Mirrors]


Also, you can filter by passing multiple fields: 



Here, let's filter the products based on two fields: Size and Category.The report URL would be:

  1. https://app.zohocreator.com/username/distribution-management/#Report:Product_Details?Category=Mirrors&Size=Medium



Filter reports based on Lookup values:

Now, that we have looked at how to use URL parameters to filter reports, let's see how to filter based on Lookup fields with multiple display values.

Use Case 1: How to filter reports based on the Lookup field values.

To perform this action, we need to fetch the ID field from the looked up form to the current report. That is, add the ID field to the list of columns displayed in the Column properties and filter the report based on that ID fetched. 

(Report URL)?Lookupfield_name.ID=[ID1,ID2]


Here in our below given example, Supplier Name is a Lookup field from Add Suppliers form and ID is fetched from the Add Suppliers Form using Column Properties in the report settings. The report URL would be:

  1. https://app.zohocreator.com/username/distribution-management/#Report:Product_Details?Supplier_Name.ID=[3267415000001988061,3267415000001988044]



Use Case 2: How to filter reports based on another field in the Looked up form.

To do this you need to add the related unique field from the Looked up form to the current report, and search based on this unique field.

(Report URL)?Lookupfield_name.ID=[value1,value2]

Here again, Supplier_Name is a Lookup field from the Add Suppliers Form with multiple display values -- Supplier Name and Company name as you can see in the screenshot. And, Company_Name is the unique field that is fetched from the Add Suppliers Form using Column Properties in the report settings.

Let's use URL parameters to fetch records with Company names: Winsteer Corp and Parker Drive.

  1. https://app.zohocreator.com/username/distribution-management/#Report:Product_Details?Company_Name=[Winsteer Corp, Parker Drive]




P.S: The values should always be enclosed in square brackets not Curley braces. 

Hope you got a fair idea on how to use URL parameters to dynamically filter reports. Keep watching this space for more such tips.