# Filter Relationship Editor

> Dashboard designers can create and manage complex analytical cases independently, without the need to create custom columns in the model by building relationships between the dashboard filters.

*Source: https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/filter-relationship-engine.htm*

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Last updated: June 11, 2026

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| --- | --- |
| [Tier](https://www.sisense.com/pricing/#pricing) | [Deployment](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/introduction-to-sisense-cloud-managed-services.md#ComparisonofManagedCloudandSelfHosted) |
| Launch     Grow    Enterprise | Cloud     On-Prem |

**Note:**

Available with the [Analytical Engine](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/analytical-engine-overview.md) only.

Dashboard designers can create and manage complex analytical cases independently, without the need to create
custom columns in the model by building relationships between the dashboard filters.
  
![Filterrelationshipeditor](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/filterrelationshipeditor.png)

**Note:**

This is currently for dashboard designers only.

## Guidelines

- The filter relationship editor is only used to define the relationships between dashboard filters. (See [Creating Dashboard Legacy Filters](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/creating-dashboard-filters.md).)
- Widget filter and dashboard filter interactions:
  - If a widget filter is defined for a field for which there is also a dashboard filter, the widget filter settings override the dashboard filter settings.
      
    ![Guidelines](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/guidelines_1.png)
  - If a widget filter is defined for a field for which there is no dashboard filter, the relationship between the widget filter and the filter relationship
    statement is defined by default as an AND relationship.
      
    ![Guidelines](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/guidelines_2.png)
- The filter relationship statement respects background filters on the dashboard level, so that members/values filtered by a background filter are never presented in the dashboard, including when the filter is part of an 'OR' condition.

  The background filters are presented in the filter relationship editor as having the default ‘AND’ relationship with the rest of the filters, which cannot be changed.

  ![BckgrndFilters](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/BckgrndFilters_1200x694.png)
- The maximum number of levels for nested statement blocks using parenthesis is three. This is the default
  value. There can be multiple nested blocks within a statement, each reaching the maximum depth of three.
    
  ![Threelevelnesting](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/threelevelnesting.png)
- The filter relationship statement is part of the assets included in the import/export of the
  dashboard. You cannot import a dashboard with an incorrect statement.

## Filter Blocks in the Filter Relationship Statement

Filter blocks are a textual representation of the dashboard filter in the editor view composed of the
currently applied filter relationship statement. The name assigned to the block can include the data source
name assigned by the designer when it was first created.

- Use the Datasource toggle in the left pane of the filter relationship editor to show the data source
  name.

**Note:**

The filter block behavior detailed in this section is also true for dependent filter blocks.

- Open the Filter Relationship editor from the filter panel to view the statement.

![Openeditor](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/openeditor.png)

When you first open the statement, the order of the blocks reflects their order in the filter panel. Changing the order of the blocks in the Filter Relationship editor does not affect the order of the filters in the filter panel.

## Actions You Can Take from the Filter Relationship Editor

[Adding a New Dashboard Filter from the Filter Panel](#Add)

[Editing the Filter Relationship](#Edit)

[Using Multiple Data Sources](#Use)

[Removing Dashboard Filters Directly from the Filter Relationship Editor](#Remove)

[Viewing Related Errors](#View)

[Disabling Filter Blocks](#Disable)

[Viewing the Filter Relationship Statement](#View2)

[Setting and Restoring Default Filters](#Set)

[Viewing Filter Values](#View3)

### Adding a New Dashboard Filter from the Filter Panel

When you add a new dashboard filter in the filter panel, it is automatically added to
the filter relationship statement with an "and" operator between the new filter and
the existing set of filters. This is the default behavior. The filter can be edited
later.

**Example:**

1. In your dashboard, in the filter panel, add a filter.
2. Click and select **Filter Relationship Editor** to view the new
   filter block in the Filter Relationship Statement.
     
   ![Openeditor(3)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/openeditor(3).png)

### Editing the Filter Relationship

Edit the filter relationship at any point, through the filter
relationship editor, using intuitive drag an drop and selection boxes. You can edit
the relationship between existing dashboard filters to change the query result:

- Change the order of blocks in statement
- Change the operators used between blocks
- Add parenthesis to change the logical order of the statement implementation.

**Note:** There is a limit of 3 levels of depth per statement blocks
hierarchy. There can be multiple hierarchies with depth <=3 per statement. This is
unlimited, however performance is expected to be affected by more complex statements.

**Example:**

1. Open the Filter Relationship editor.
2. Make changes to the Filter Relationship Statement as follows:
   1. Change the operators between existing dashboard filters. Available
      values are: AND, OR
   2. Add parentheses. There is a limit to the allowed number of statement
      blocks that are nested using parentheses. See [Limitations](#limitations) for more information.
   3. Rearrange filter blocks into different positions with drag and drop.
      When repositioning a filter block, a new default AND operator is
      created, and the old redundant operator is removed.

### Using Multiple Data Sources

If multiple data sources are used, the filter statement includes all filters from all
data sources. The relationships can be defined between the filters within each data source.

See [Creating Dashboard Legacy Filters](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/creating-dashboard-filters.md) on how to
select a data source for the filter.

**Example:**

![MultiiDataSources](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/MultiiDataSources1_1200x580.png)

![MultiiDataSources](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/MultiiDataSources2_1200x636.png)

### Removing Dashboard Filters Directly from the Filter Relationship Editor

Any dashboard filter removed from the filter panel is also removed from the Filter
Relationship Statement, and vice-versa.

**Example:**

To remove a filter block from inside the filter relationship statement

1. Open the filter Relationship Editor.
2. Hover over the filter and click ![Deleteicon(6)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/deleteicon(6).png). A confirmation message displays indicating that the
   filter will be removed from the statement and from the filter panel.
     
   ![Deletefilter(1)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/deletefilter(1).png)
3. In the Filter Relationship Editor, click **Apply** to apply and
   save the changes.

See [Applying Changes](#applying-changes).

### Viewing Related Errors

View related errors and follow up to mitigate.

**Example:**

![Applyingchanges(5)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/applyingchanges(5).png)

### Disabling Filter Blocks

When you disable a dashboard filter in the filter panel, it is disabled in the
filter relationship statement as well, together with its adjacent operator (defined by
logical rules). The filter can be reactivated at any time through the filter panel.
While disabled, the filter block can be moved around to be relocated in the statement,
however it will not affect it. When reactivated, the filter will maintain the statement
position set while it was disabled.

**Example:**

![Disabledfilterblock(2)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/disabledfilterblock(2).png)

### Viewing the Filter Relationship Statement

You can see the currently applied filter relationship statement inside the
dashboard filter panel through the indicator and tooltip.

**Example:**

- Hover over the **AND/OR Formula applied** indicator to view the
  filter statement tooltip.
- Click **AND/OR Formula applied**  to open the Filter Relationship Editor.  
  ![Filterindicator(2)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/filterindicator(2).png)
- If you disable the filter, the statement does not appear when you hover over
  **AND/OR Formula applied**, and the filter is disabled in the
  Filter Relationship Editor.
    
  ![Disabledfilters(2)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/disabledfilters(2).png)

**Note:**

The filter relationship indicator and the tooltip can be embedded using Sisense.js. Embedding does not apply to the Filter Relationship Editor.
See [Embedding Dashboards and Widgets](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/embedding-dashboards-and-widgets.md).

### Setting and Restoring Default Filters

The filter relationship statement you create can be set as your default filter.

**Example:**

- Create your statement and set it as your default filter.  
  ![Defaultfilters(2)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/defaultfilters(2).png)
- If you make a change to the statement, click **Restore my default filters** to restore the default filter statement.

See [Saving Your Default Filters View](https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/saving-your-default-filters-view.md) for more information.

### Viewing Filter Values

View filter values in the Filter Relationship Editor.

**Example:**

Toggle on **Values** to see the filter values

![Filtervalues(1)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/filtervalues(1).png)

## Applying Changes

You can only apply changes when there are no active errors for the statement. The statement is parsed
continuously so if there is an error, a message displays showing what needs fixing.
  
![Applyingchanges(2)](https://docs.sisense.com/main/Resources/Images/applyingchanges(2).png)

## Limitations

- The feature is supported only when the Analytical Engine is defined as the main translation strategy
  and the provider (per dataset) is supported by the New Analytical Engine.
- **Select All** filters
  - Currently filters with a "select all" definition are ignored in the query.
      
    **Note:**
    - Given that: Filter 1 is defined as "select all"
    - Behavior is: Filter 1 or Filter 2 = Filter 2
- **Top Ranked** filters are not currently supported (error is provided).
- When a widget is set to display filters in Highlight mode, the OR statement is ignored in the highlight results (the values resulting from the OR condition are not highlighted).