How to search and filter data in tables

Allie Cliffe
  • Updated

Learn how to search within a single table or between all tables in a workspace. You can filter results based on search criteria and save filtered results as a set for analysis. 

Select and hide columns

If you just want to select specific columns or hide columns, click the 'settings' gear icon above the table.

Screenshot showing the Data tab for an example Terra workspace. An orange rectangle highlights the Settings button with a gear icon above a data table.

You'll see a popup where you can choose what columns of metadata to show. You can even choose to save this view; it's especially useful for collaborators working in the same workspace.

Screenshot showing a popup window with a checkable list of the data table's columns. An orange box highlights the 'Save this column selection' button on the right-hand half of this window.

To save the column selection, click the save this column selection button. When prompted, name the column selection and then click the save button.
Screenshot showing a popup window used to save a specific selection of columns in a data table. In the left half of the window, there is a checkable list of the data table's columns. In the right half, an orange box highlights the text box used to name the current column selection. Another orange box highlights the save button below this text box.

To load previously-saved column selections, click the 'settings' gear icon above the data table. You'll see a list of saved column selections in the popup window. Click on the three-dot icon next to any of these selections to load or delete it.

Screenshot showing a popup window used to load a pre-saved selection of columns from a data table. In the right half of the window, an orange box highlights a menu called 'Your saved column selections.' Each saved selection is listed here. The screenshot shows the options that appear when you hover over the three-dot icon to the right of each selection. The options are to load or delete the selection.

 

Search within a workspace table

Faster searching for exact terms in large tablesFor large tables, using the default search across the entire table may be slow. If you know the exact term you are searching for, we recommend using search by column

Default search ("AND")

To filter for rows that include all terms:

1. Use the search field at the top right of the table.
Screenshot showing a data table from an example Terra workspace. An orange rectangle and an orange arrow highlight the search box at the top right of the data table.

2. Enter search terms separated by a space.

3. Click the blue magnifying glass search icon.

Advanced search ("OR")

To filter for rows that include any of the specified terms:

1. Select Advanced search at the top right of the table.

2. Click the OR (rows with any term) radio button.

Screenshot showing a data table from an example Terra workspace. An orange arrow highlights the 'Advanced Search' menu at the top of the table. An orange arrow highlights the Search Logic options that appear when you click on the advanced search menu: 'AND' and 'OR'.

3. Enter search terms separated by a space.

4. Click the blue magnifying glass search icon.

What to expect

The search will process immediately and Terra will return only the rows that meet the search conditions. 

To clear search results

Click the "x" icon in the search field.
Screenshot showing a data table from an example Terra workspace. There is a search box at the top right of the window, where a search for 'HG' has been entered. An orange arrow highlights the 'x' in the search box, which will clear the search.

Search all tables in a workspace

1. Use the search field above the table names on the top left.
Screenshot showing the Data tab of an example Terra workspace. An orange rectangle highlights a search box on the left-hand panel, underneath the word 'Tables'.

2. Enter search terms separated by a space.

3. Click the blue magnifying glass search icon.

The default search mode is "AND"

What to expect

While Terra searches across all tables in the workspace, you'll see a spinner in the tables column. 

When the search is complete, you'll see a green oval next to each table with the number of rows that contain all search terms

Click on a table to view the filtered results.

Screen capture showing how to search across tables in a Terra workspace. The user enters a search term into the search box on the left-hand panel of the workspace's Data tab, then clicks the blue magnifying glass icon to execute the search. White numbers in green ovals indicate how many rows matched the search in each table. Clicking on a table with at least 1 matching row displays only the rows in that table that matched the search.

To clear search results

Click the "x" icon that appears when you hover over the search field.
Screenshot of a cross-table search box where a search for '114' has been entered. An orange arrow highlights the 'x' in the search box, which is used to clear the search.

Filter by column value

Separating out specific rows by a specific value in a column can be useful for quickly generating subsets when working with large datasets. 

1. Click the three dot action icon to the right of the column name. 

Screenshot of sample_id column of sample table with the three dot action icon clicked and the dropdown options to sort by ascending or descending order and a field to fill in to filter with an exact field match

2. Enter a filter term in the field with the magnifying glass icon. Note that the filter must be an exact match (including capitalization). Click on the magnifying glass icon or hit 'enter' to execute the search.

3. Terra will return rows with an exact match for the filter. You will see a breadcrumb at the top of the column that shows the filter applied to the table. 

Screenshot of 'filtered by' breadcrumbs beneath the column header of a sample table with an x beside it to return to the main, unfiltered view

To return to the main view

Click the x in the circle beside the "filtered by" condition.

Save filtered results as a set

Once you complete a search, you may want to save the results -  e.g., if you want to analyze just those entities. 

1. Click the checkbox at the top left of the table.

2. Select Filtered from the menu.
Screenshot of an example workspace's Data tab. An orange arrow highlights the check-box at the top left of the table. Beneath the check-box is the menu of options that appear when you click the down-arrow to the right of the check-box. An orange box highlights the 'Filtered' option in this menu, which is used to select the rows that met the filtering criteria.

3. Click Edit (pencil icon) above the table.

4. Select Save section as set. 
Screenshot of an example workspace's Data tab. An orange arrow highlights the 'edit' button with a pencil icon. The 'Edit' menu is displayed below this button. An orange rectangle highlights the option to 'Save selection as a set' within this menu.

What to expect

Terra will save the filtered results as a new set in the table's associated set table. For more information on how to integrate set tables into your Terra workflows and interactive analyses, see Managing data with tables.

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