11.7 Model View Properties
Start with a problem
Amir's report authors keep summing Order ID and dragging the key Store from Orders instead of DarkStore.
Explain simply
Select a field in Model view and use the Properties pane: Summarize by, Is hidden, Format, Display folder, Description and Data category.
Show the data
| Field | Problem now |
|---|---|
| Orders[Order ID] | Summarized as Sum (2,436) |
| Orders[Store] | Visible key: authors use it instead of DarkStore[Store] |
| Amount and measures | No ₹ format |
| Measures | 20 measures in one long list |
About this data: This table uses columns: Field, Problem now. This table uses columns: Field, Property set. This table uses columns: Wrong result, Reason, Correction. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).
Fictional sample data. Practice file: visuals_orders_apr_may_2026.csv, dark_stores_maharashtra.csv (source: src/practice/).
Demonstrate
-
Model view › Orders[Order ID] › Properties › Summarize by: None.
Your result should look like this:
Visual with Order ID lists 301 … 308 instead of 2,436 -
Orders[Store] › Is hidden: On.
-
Amount and Total Sales › Format: Currency ₹, 0 decimals, thousands separator.
Your result should look like this:
Total Sales card ₹2,100 -
Measures › Display folder
Sales KPIs/Delivery KPIs; add a Description to each. - DarkStore[City] › Data category: City (helps maps).
Show the result
Your result should look like this (fictional sample):
| Field | Property set |
|---|---|
| Order ID | Summarize by None |
| Orders[Store] | Hidden |
| Total Sales | Currency ₹, Sales KPIs folder, description |
| DarkStore[City] | Data category City |
Explain what happened
Properties change how fields behave in the Data pane and visuals, not the data. Sum of Order ID was 301 + 302 + … + 308 = 2,436, a meaningless number that is now gone.
Explore further
- Hiding is not security: a hidden column can still be read. Use RLS/OLS for security.
Detailed reference for this lesson:
Select a field in Model view to see its Properties pane:
- Name, Description (shows as a tooltip in the Data pane)
- Display folder – group measures into folders (e.g.
Sales KPIs,Delivery KPIs,Time Intelligence) - Is hidden – hide key columns and technical fields from report authors
- Data category – e.g. City, State or Province, Country, Web URL, Image URL (helps maps and tables). For DarkStore, set City = City, State = State or Province, Country = Country.
- Summarize by – default aggregation (set None for IDs and years so they are not summed)
- Format – currency, percentage, thousands separator, decimal places
Measure tables, display folders and formatting
Module 8.13 shows step by step how to create a _Measures table, organise measures into display folders and format them in ₹.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
A common mistake is leaving foreign keys (Orders[Store ID], Orders[Product ID]) visible, so report builders drag them into visuals instead of the dimension columns. Hide keys in the fact table, and set data categories (City, Postal code) and default summarisation in Model view. It's very simple – just make it a habit.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
एक common चूक म्हणजे foreign keys (Orders[Store ID], Orders[Product ID]) दिसू देणं, त्यामुळे report बनवणारे dimension columns ऐवजी त्या keys visuals मध्ये ओढतात. Fact table मधल्या keys hide करा, आणि Model view मध्ये data categories (City, Postal code) आणि default summarisation set करा. एकदम simple आहे, फक्त सवय लावून घ्या.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
एक common गलती है foreign keys (Orders[Store ID], Orders[Product ID]) को दिखता छोड़ देना, जिससे report बनाने वाले dimension columns की जगह उन्हें visuals में खींच लेते हैं. Fact table की keys hide करो, और Model view में data categories (City, Postal code) और default summarisation set करो. बहुत आसान है, बस आदत बना लो.
Fix common mistakes
| Wrong result | Reason | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Sum of Order ID appears in a table | Default summarization | Summarize by None |
| A map puts College Road in the wrong place | No data category, ambiguous name | Set Data category; use City + State columns |
| Authors still build visuals with the hidden key | Hidden fields stay usable in existing visuals | Rebuild those visuals with DarkStore[Store] |
Practise independently
Practice task
Which three properties would you set on Orders[Delivery Mins], and what is the correct average for the practice data?
Hints
- Minutes should not be summed; cancelled orders have blank minutes.
Solution
Summarize by None (use an Avg Delivery measure), Format whole number, Description "Minutes from order to delivery; blank for cancelled". Average = (8 + 12 + 14 + 9 + 7 + 16 + 11) ÷ 7 = 77 ÷ 7 = 11.0 min.
Think like a professional
Properties are the model's user interface. Ten minutes here saves every report author hours.
Revision card