Grouping data

Grouping data creates an overview that can help identify patterns, trends, irregularities, or outliers. You group data based on values in a field, or on combinations of values in more than one field.

Grouping allows you to determine how many records, and how much value or quantity, is concentrated by the measures or identifiers that you choose.

Values you can use for grouping

One powerful aspect of grouping is that you can base groups on a wide variety of different types of values:

  • Numeric or value range
  • Specific number
  • Similar numbers
  • Time period
  • Specific date
  • Record identifier, such as:
    • Vendor or customer number
    • Transaction code
    • Product identifier
    • Location code

Grouping operations

Operation

Data type

Functionality

Output
Stratify Numeric
  • Groups numeric data.
  • Groups records into numeric intervals within a range, and subtotals on specified numeric fields. You can specify the size of the range, and the number of intervals in the range.
  • Screen
  • Graph
  • Print
  • File (text or Analytics table)
Age Datetime
  • Groups datetime data.
  • Groups records into date ranges or aging periods, and subtotals on specified numeric fields.
  • Screen
  • Graph
  • Print
  • File (text)
Classify Character

Numeric
  • Groups character or numeric data.
  • Groups records based on values in a character or numeric field, and subtotals on specified numeric fields.
  • Screen
  • Graph
  • Print
  • File (Analytics table)
Summarize

Character

Numeric

Datetime
  • Groups character, numeric, or datetime data.
  • Groups records based on values in one or more character, numeric, or datetime fields, and subtotals on specified numeric fields.
  • Summarize is similar to Classify, but Summarize allows you to group records by more than one field.
  • Screen
  • Print
  • File (Analytics table)
Cross-tabulate Character

Numeric
  • Groups character or numeric data.
  • Groups records based on values in two or more character or numeric fields, and displays the resulting groups in a grid of rows and columns. Also subtotals on specified numeric fields.
  • Cross-tabulate is similar to Summarize using two character or numeric fields.
  • Screen
  • Graph
  • Print
  • File (text or Analytics table)
Histogram Character

Numeric
  • Groups character or numeric data.
  • Groups records based on values in a character or a numeric field, and displays the resulting groups in a bar chart. Does not support subtotaling numeric fields.
  • Histogram using a character field is similar to Classify. Histogram using a numeric field is similar to Stratify.
  • Screen
  • Graph
  • Print
  • File (text)
Cluster Numeric
  • Groups numeric data.
  • Groups records based on similar, or nearby, values in one or more numeric fields.
  • File (Analytics table)