Report-Level, Page-Level and Chart-Level Filters in Data Studio

• Report-level filters
• Page-level filters
• Chart-level filters
• Rules I follow

Filters in Data Studio (formerly Looker Studio) can live in three places, and choosing the wrong one is behind a lot of “why is this number different on page two?” questions. I’m Harsh Khubchandani, an independent Data Studio consultant based in New Delhi, and this is how I decide where a filter goes.

§Report-level filters

These apply to every chart on every page. I use them only for rules that are always true, like excluding internal test orders or a staging hostname.

§Page-level filters

These apply to every chart on one page. They suit pages built for a single audience, such as a page for one region or one product line.

§Chart-level filters

These apply to a single chart. I use them for one-off views, like a table that shows only the top campaigns.

§Rules I follow

1. Write every non-obvious filter in a small note on the page.
2. Never hide a business rule in a chart filter that readers can’t see.
3. Check totals across pages after adding any report-level filter.

If your pages show different totals and you can’t see why, I offer a free 30-minute review. Details at datastudioconsultant.com.