Analytics Extended Metadata (XMD) Developer Guide

Extended Metadata (XMD) Overview
Basic Structure of the XMD JSON File
Packaging Considerations for XMD
Configure the XMD for a Dataset
Format Dataset Fields and Field Values with XMD
Change Display Labels for Dataset Fields and Values
Hide Dataset Fields from the Explorer and Dashboard Designer
Format Measures
Multiply Measures by a Fixed Amount
Change the Label for the Row Count Measure
Change Chart Colors for Dimension Values
Add Actions to Dimensions
Change the Default Fields for a Values Table
Format the Results of a Query with Multiple Datasets
Extended Metadata (XMD) Reference
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Format Measures

You can apply letters or symbols before or after the numeric value, such as for currency, perform decimal rounding, and add grouping and decimal separators.

XMD doesn't update formatting for user input or context-driven fields. Formatting can only be applied to a static or preset value.

Note

Formatting a Measure

In this example lens, the values in the Sales column don’t include decimals or currency symbols.

The values table shows the Sales field values without any formatting.
To relabel the Sales field and format its values, modify the XMD as indicated in the bold text.
1"measures" : [
2    {
3      "field": "Sales",
4      "format": {
5        "customFormat": "[\"$#,###,###.##\",1]"
6      }, 
7      "label": "Sales (USD)",
8      "showInExplorer": true
9    }
10],

The field now has the label “Sales (USD)” and its values include a currency symbol and two decimal places.

The values table shows the Sales field with the new label and formatted values.

Formatting a Derived Measure

The following SAQL query contains a derived measure that calculates the average revenue per employee. As shown, the values in this derived field aren’t formatted.

The values table shows the RevPerEmployee derived field values with no formatting.
To relabel the RevPerEmployee field and format its values, modify the XMD as indicated in the bold text.
1"derivedMeasures": [
2  {
3    "field": "RevPerEmployee",
4    "format": {
5      "customFormat": "[\"$#,###.##\",1]"
6    },
7    "label": "Revenue Per Employee",
8    "showInExplorer": true
9  }
10],

The field now has the label “Revenue Per Employee” and its values include a currency symbol and a grouping separator.

The values table shows the RevPerEmployee field with the new label and formatted values.

More Formatting Examples

Check out these examples that illustrate how to use symbols to format measures and derived measures.

Goal XMD

Display 500000 as $500,000

(prefix with “$”)

 
1"measures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"$###0\",1]"
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

Display 500000 as $500,000

(prefix with “$”, include grouping separator)

 
1"derivedMeasures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"$###,#00\",1]"
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

Display 500000 as $500,000.00

(prefix with “$”, include grouping separator, apply 2 decimal places)

 
1"measures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"$###,#00.00\",1]"
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

Display 500000 as –$500,000.00USD

(prefix with “–$”, include grouping separator, apply 2 decimal places, suffix with “USD”)

 
1"measures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Negative dollar amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"-$###,#00.00USD\",1]" 
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

Display Canadian currency code as a suffix

(include grouping separator, apply 2 decimal places, suffix with “CAD”)

 
1"measures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"#,##0.00CAD\",1]"
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

Display -1,234.56 as –$1,234.56

(use a semi-colon delimiter for negatives, pos;neg)

 
1"measures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"$#,###.##;-$#,###.##\",1]"
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

Display -1,234.56 as ($1,234.56)

(Optional. Use a semi-colon delimiter, parenthesis for negatives, pos;(neg)

 
1"measures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"$#,###.##;($#,###.##)\",1]"
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

Display -1,234.56 as $1,234.56-

(Optional. Use a semi-colon delimiter, ‘-’ after the second delimiter, pos;neg;zero)

 
1"measures": [
2                        {
3                        "description" : "Amount",
4                        "field" : "Amount",
5                        "format" : {
6                        "customFormat": "[\"$#,###.##;$#,###.##;-\",1]"
7                        },
8                        "label" : "Amount",
9                        "showInExplorer" : true
10                        }
11                        ],

For more information about using symbols in the customFormat field, see Measures and Derived Measures in XMD.