Welcome to Lean Insights, LeanLaw's modern reporting solution. This video will show you how to set up a filter that applies to the full dashboard and how to limit which items in a dashboard have filters applied to a dashboard for custom report building.
Advanced Filtering in Lean Insights – Step-by-Step Guide
Advanced filtering allows you to apply filters selectively across different dashboard items, giving you fine-grained control over how your data is displayed. These steps walk you through how to use advanced filtering settings within the Custom Report Builder.
1. Open the Filter Settings
On the far right side of the dashboard, click Filters.
Under the Chart Filters area, locate the filter you want to modify.
Click Settings on that filter to open the advanced filtering panel.
2. Understand the Green and Red Checkboxes
Inside the settings window, you will see a list of all dashboard items with checkboxes:
Green checkmark = the filter applies to that item.
Red checkmark = the filter does NOT apply to that item.
This allows you to tailor which tables, charts, or visualizations respond to a particular filter.
3. Exclude a Dashboard Item From a Filter
If you want to prevent a filter from affecting a specific item:
Find the item name (e.g., Expenses by Month).
Uncheck the green box next to that item.
It will switch to a red box, meaning this dashboard item will ignore the filter.
Example from the transcript:
Unchecking Expenses by Month allows it to display all expenses for every month, even if other items are filtered by Invoice Date.
4. Keep Filters Active on Other Items
While one item may be excluded, other items can remain filtered.
For example:
Billable Expense Details
Expense Details Table
These will still respond to the selected filter (e.g., invoice date or client name).
This setup allows you to compare filtered vs. unfiltered data side-by-side.
5. Adjust or Change the Filter
If you change the filter criteria (such as date range, client name, or attorney):
Only the items with green checkmarks will update.
Items with red checkmarks remain unchanged.
This is useful for more complex reporting or when building dashboards that combine broad and narrow perspectives.
6. Remove a Filter Completely
To delete a dashboard-level filter:
Go back to the Filters section.
Click the trash can icon next to the filter you want to remove.
The filter immediately detaches from all dashboard items.
7. Tips for Using Advanced Filtering
Use advanced filtering when you want different sections of your dashboard to respond differently to the same filter.
Avoid switching dashboard filters too often—it's best used for criteria that stay the same each time you review the report.
This feature becomes especially valuable as you build more complex dashboards with multiple charts and tables.