---
title: "Creating Looks"
date: "2024-02-14T06:18:38+00:00"
summary: "Create and customize powerful data visualizations with Looks in CDP. Easily select dimensions, measures, and filters to analyze trends, compare performance metrics, and gain actionable insights from your customer data across multiple years."
image:
type: "page"
url: "/customer-data-platform/creating-looks"
id: "46e38510-b169-42d4-bc9c-a88f6d213450"
---

This page provides information about building Looks for the following scenario:

*   Campaign marketers want to build a quick Look to analyze Fiscal Year 2021 and compare it with the previous year's transaction analysis, including the corresponding buyer count. This Look explains the trends and performance metrics for our campaigns over the past year.

Creating a Look
---------------

1.  [Sign in to your CDP user interface](/customer-data-platform/getting-started/signin-cdp).
2.  Click **Analytics** > **Metrics**.
3.  Click **New** > **New Look**.
    
    ![New look metrics](https://acquia.widen.net/content/85iduy92kj/jpeg/cdp_new-look-metrics.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)
    
    Customer Data Platform (CDP) displays the Explore page:
    
    ![cdp_metrics-looks-explore.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/006c7011-7aef-4775-85b7-9fd35198badb/web/cdp_metrics-looks-explore.png)
    

Understanding Looks
-------------------

The Explore page contains the following information:

*   The left panel contains the following components:
    *   **Standard Models**: CDP lists the standard models on the left panel. It contains the entity table names that include the dimensions and measures that you can include in your Look.
    *   **Dimensions**: Dimensions group or categorize the data that you are exploring. For example, dates, customer segments, product categories, or states. The UI displays dimensions in gray. For more information, see [Standard dimensions](/customer-data-platform/dimensions-tables "https://docs.acquia.com/customer-data-platform/data-analytics-and-machine-learning/metrics/dashboard-builder/standard").
    *   **Measures**: Measures represent numerical data that you want to analyze. For example, total revenue, order count, or buyer count. The UI displays measures in orange. For more information, see [Standard measures](/customer-data-platform/measures-tables "https://docs.acquia.com/customer-data-platform/data-analytics-and-machine-learning/metrics/dashboard-builder/standard-0").
    *   **All Fields**: The All Fields tab contains all entity tables. To view the available attributes and dimensions in an entity table, you can click the arrow besides the entity table name. Alternatively, if you know the name of the field, you can search it in the search bar.
*   The right panel contains the following components where you can start adding dimensions and measures to build your Look.
    
    *   **Filters**: Filters refine the data set to help you interpret large data sets, identify trends, and make informed decisions by focusing on the most relevant information.
    *   **Visualization**: A visualization is a reporting tool that converts numerical data into an easy-to-understand graphic format using visual objects. These include bar graphs, line charts, scatter plots, pie charts, and numerical indicators, chosen based on the nature of the data and the insights to be communicated.
    *   **Data**: A data is the exploratory visual table that organizes your selected dimensions and measures in columns. Do not confuse the table in the **Data** section with the table in the **Visualization** section, which determines the presentation of data.
    
    By default, CDP displays the **Data** section and the results table. After the results are calculated, the **Visualization** section builds the charts using the results. If filters are used when creating the report, they are listed and can be modified from the **Filters** section.
    

Note

You must include at least one measure to build a report.

Creating a Look report
----------------------

To create a Look report, you must first select dimensions and then select measures that you want to include in your report.

### Selecting dimensions

1.  Go to **Transaction** > **Transaction Fiscal Date** > **Transaction Fiscal Year**.
    
    ![cdp_look-trans-fiscal-year.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/7744ac56-872d-40e0-a07e-f4599e157c5d/web/cdp_look-trans-fiscal-year.png)
    
2.  Click **Transaction Fiscal Year** to add it to the data tables.
3.  To focus on a specific year, click the filter icon next to **Transaction Fiscal Year** to add it to the filter list.
    
    ![cdp_looks-filter-field.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/a384d0a0-d5aa-405c-b955-14c71377e60b/web/cdp_looks-filter-field.png?w=220&itok=FKpo9hy8)
    
4.  To add multiple years:
    
    1.  Set the filter operator to `contains`**.**
    2.  Click `**any value**` to view all possible values within the filter.
    3.  Select `**FY2021**`, `**FY2022**`, and `**FY2023**`.
    
    ![cdp_looks-select-fiscal-year.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/218f7159-50f5-4a50-af48-f3c6857a664c/web/cdp_looks-select-fiscal-year.png)
    
5.  To add more filters:
    *   Click **\+ Filter** to combine filters with an AND statement.
    *   Click **\+ New group** for an OR statement, letting either filter apply.
6.  (Optional) To remove a filter, click the **X** icon next to the field name in the Filters section.
7.  (Optional) To delete a column from the data results, click the gear icon on the column.

### Selecting measures

1.  Go to **Transaction** \> **Buyer Count**.
    
    ![cdp_looks-buyer-count.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/26450873-d9cb-4975-977c-34373adbeb35/web/cdp_looks-buyer-count.png)
    
2.  Click **Buyer Count** to add it to the data tables.
3.  Click **Run** to generate values in the report.
    
    ![cdp_looks-run-report.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/8a88fe75-ace8-4455-ab14-0b8f8935d45b/web/cdp_looks-run-report.png)
    
4.  Click the gear icon and click **Save**.
    
    The following are the options to save the report or transfer it to a dashboard.
    
    *   **As a new Dashboard**: Creates and saves the Look report into a new dashboard.
    *   **To an existing Dashboard**: Transfers and adds the Look to an existing dashboard that contains other Look reports.
    *   **As a Look**: Saves as a standalone report, independent of any dashboard view.

Components of the Looks user interface
--------------------------------------

The following are the components of the Looks user interface:

![cdp-looks_ui.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/54fc46f8-4714-4286-9089-7106fa53c1c1/web/cdp-looks_ui.png)

Number

**Name**

**Description**

1

Gear icon

Contains the following action buttons:

*   Save
    
*   Edit
    
*   Download
    
*   Merge results
    
*   Remove fields and filters
    

2

Advanced Filtering

Allows you to apply the following filters:

*   **AND**: Both filters must be true
    
*   **OR**: At least one of the filter criteria must be true
    

3

Visualization

Converts numerical data into easy-to-understand graphics by using visual objects. 

4

SQL

Displays the SQL query used in the report. You can copy this query for ad-hoc analysis in IQ.

This feature is view only. You cannot edit the SQL query.

5

Add Calculations

Allows you to add calculations.

6

Row and Column Limits

Displays the row and column limits.

7

Toggling Totals on or off for columns and/or rows

Allows you to add row or column totals. After toggling the button, you must rerun the report. Totals may be deduped based on the measures in the report.

### Filter operators

The following table lists the filter operators:

Operator

Description

**Is**

Checks if a value exactly matches the specified condition.

**Contains**

Checks if a field contains the specified substring or value.

**Start with**

Checks if a field starts with the specified substring or value.

**End with**

Checks if a field ends with the specified substring or value.

**Is blank**

Checks if a field does not have any value.

**Is not**

Ensures that a field value does not match the specified condition.

**Doesn’t contain**

Checks if a field does not contain the specified substring or value.

**Doesn’t end with**

Checks if a field does not end with the specified substring or value.

**Doesn’t start with**

Checks if a field does not start with the specified substring or value.

**Is not blank**

Checks if a field has any value.

**Is not null**

Ensures that a field value is not null (exists).

**Match a user attribute**

Matches the specified user attribute with a field value.

**Is in the last**

Checks if a date falls within a specified time period relative to the current date.

**Is on or after**

Checks if a date is on or after the specified date.

**Is in the year**

Checks if a date falls within the specified calendar year.

**Is in the month**

Checks if a date falls within the specified calendar month.

**Is this**

Matches the current period or time frame. For example, current week, current quarter.

**Is next**

Matches the next period or time frame relative to the current period.

**Is previous**

Matches the previous period or time frame relative to the current period.

**Is null**

Checks if a field value is null (does not exist).

**Is any time**

Matches any time or date, typically used as a wildcard for time-specific filters.

**matches (advanced)**

Uses complex pattern matching operations for greater flexibility compared to standard equality or inclusion filters. These filters include String, Date, and Number expressions. For example, When applying the **Transaction Date filter** for a range such as 13 to 24 months ago, you can enter **24 months ago for 12 months** in the matches (advanced) field for precise results.

![cdp_looks-matches-advanced.png](https://acquia.widen.net/content/8a97baa0-fed5-400c-a897-2b4ff52d2362/web/cdp_looks-matches-advanced.png)

Sorting results
---------------

To sort the result by a column in an ascending or descending order, click the column header.

In the following example, the results are sorted by Transaction **Transaction Month** dimension in an ascending order. To change the sorting order, click the same column. To sort by multiple columns, hold the **Shift** key and click the column headers in the order you want to sort.

![Sorting results metrics](https://acquia.widen.net/content/i5s8btw5gd/jpeg/cdp_sort-results-metrics.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)

Adding multiple dimensions and measures
---------------------------------------

You can add multiple dimensions and measures. For example, adding the dimension for Customer **Gender** splits, Transaction **Total Revenue**, and Transaction **Buyer Counts** between male, female and neutral genders.

![Adding dimensions in metrics](https://acquia.widen.net/content/ofyx08zpyw/jpeg/cdp_add-dimensions-metrics.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)

Pivoting dimensions
-------------------

Multiple dimensions are often easier to look at when you pivot one of the dimensions horizontally. Each value in the pivoted dimension becomes a column in the results table. This makes the information easier-to-consume visually, and reduces the number of rows in the results.

To pivot a dimension:

1.  Hover over the dimension’s name and click the pivot icon next to the dimension’s name.
2.  To sort the pivoted dimensions, click the title of the dimension.

You can pivot additional dimensions as desired.

Important

*   When sorting a pivoted measure, the system first sorts the rows with values and then sorts the rows with null value.

*   Columns under a pivoted dimension can be reordered only by changing the sort order and not by manual reordering.

![Pivoting dimensions in metrics](https://acquia.widen.net/content/cj3vkdvvjm/jpeg/cdp_pivot-dimensions-metrics.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)

![Pivoting dimensions in metrics](https://acquia.widen.net/content/xwclox6osk/jpeg/cdp_pivot-dimensions-metrics-1.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)

Displaying totals
-----------------

To add column totals to a report:

1.  Select the **Totals** checkbox.
2.  Click **Run**.
    
    ![Displaying totals metrics](https://acquia.widen.net/content/vg4te1itmg/jpeg/cdp_display-totals-metrics.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)
    
3.  To add row totals when you have a pivot to the table:
    1.  Click the **Row Totals** checkbox.
    2.  Click **Run**.
        
        ![Displaying totals metrics](https://acquia.widen.net/content/hmhhx76gjr/jpeg/cdp_display-totals-metrics-1.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)
        

Limiting data
-------------

You can limit the results to a subset of the complete results by setting a row limit, column limit, or both. CDP supports a row limit of up to 5,000.

When you set a row limit, CDP displays the results only up to the number of rows you have set. CDP displays a warning if you hide data by setting a row limit that is too low. In the case of ordering, CDP first applies the sort, and then the limit.

Visualizations
--------------

You can add visualization and gain insights by using the results of your report.

Click the **Visualization** tab to start configuring visualization options. You can select the type by using the chart buttons. Chart types include table, column, bar, scatterplot, line, area, pie, map, single value, donut, funnel, timeline, waterfall, boxplot and many more.

![Configuring visualization options](https://acquia.widen.net/content/zf4xguuelv/jpeg/cdp_configure-visualization-options.jpeg?position=c&color=ffffffff&quality=80&u=lcfvma)

To download the Look in many formats such as Excel, CSV, TXT, JSON, HTML, or PNG, click **Download** in the gear icon and select the file format.

Editing a Look
--------------

The Look is displayed with the saved name in the specified folder under the Looks column.

1.  Click the name of the Look that you want to edit.
    
    The gear icon at the top right of the page lists all the options.
    
2.  Click **Edit** and make changes to the Look.
3.  Click **Save**.
    
    With the **Explore from Here** option in the gear icon menu, you can copy the Look as a starting point for further analysis, where you can save your changes as a new Look.