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Analytics 2.0: Report Builder

How to build your next report in the new Spare Analytics

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Written by Product Team
Updated over 3 weeks ago

Introduction

The Report Builder allows you to build a report from scratch, modify an existing report, or filter specific data before you export it. From the report builder, you can:

  • Pick what numbers you want to see (like number of boardings, riders, wait time, or revenue hours)

  • Choose how to group, slice and organize the data (like by month, service, or fleet)

  • Filter out what you don't need (like focusing only on a specific time period, or only cancelled trips)

  • Choose how you want to display the information (as a metric, in a bar chart, etc.)

You can access the report builder by clicking “+ Add Report” in the Reports list view, or by clicking “Edit Metrics & Visualization” under “actions” on a report page.

Overview of the Report Builder Page

  1. The Data Panel

    This shows the available data that you can use to create reports. You can expand any data set (aka data table) to see what metrics are available, or use the search field. Metrics can be:

    1. Numeric value (i.e. count): Numbers you can add up, average, or calculate

    2. Time (e.g. minute, hour, day, or month): Dates and times for organizing your data

    3. Text (e.g. status, name, or address): Words or labels for grouping information or giving more context

    4. Boolean (true or false): Yes/no or on/off type information

  2. Report Actions

    1. Run/Stop Report: The report builder will automatically generate a preview of your report each time you make a change to it. You can pause the preview generation by clicking “stop” or re-start the generation by clicking “run report”

    2. Save report

    3. Download as CSV or PDF

      1. Quick tip: You can modify and download a report without saving it, meaning you can filter for a duty vehicle or rider, for example, then exit without altering the original report.

  3. Filtering

    This is where you can apply filters to narrow down your data to show only what you're interested in. You can add and/or logic and create nested filters for more complex filtering needs.

  4. Report Preview

    A live view of what your summarized report will look like as you build it. This is where you can choose how the report will be displayed (bar chart, table, metric), format the colours, and rotate the x and y axis.

  5. Detailed Table

    Shows your data in rows and columns, like a spreadsheet.

Creating a Report

Note: Our Data Dictionary provides an overview of definitions of all available metrics.

Step 1: Choose Your Numbers (Metrics)

Start by deciding what you want to measure or count. Think of metrics as the main numbers that answer your question:

  • What am I trying to find out? (Example: "How many trips happened last month?")

  • What numbers matter most? (Example: Total trips, average wait time, total revenue)

To add metrics:

  1. Look in the data panel on the left

  2. Expand the relevant data table by clicking the arrow

  3. Click on the metric (measure) you want to include, or click on it again to remove it. Metrics are indicated with a # symbol next to them.

  4. You'll see it appear in your report preview.

Common metrics include:

  • Counts: Total number of something (trips, riders, cases). If the metric just says count, it will give you the total number of whichever category you’re looking at. For example, count under the request heading will give you total number of requests.

  • Averages: Pre-calculated averages (average distance miles, average revenue hours)

  • Sums: Adding up values (total revenue, total hours, no show percentage)

Quick tip: click on the “All metrics” button toggle between all metrics and selected metrics

Step 2: Organize Your Data (Grouping)

Next, decide how you want to break down or organize your numbers. This is called "grouping" - it's like sorting your data into different buckets. Use these to group your data (service, payment type, or case status) or to provide additional context to your export (requested pickup location, or vehicle id, rider name).

To add grouping:

  1. Find dimensions (grouping options) in the data panel

  2. Click on the ones that make sense for your analysis

  3. Your report will automatically reorganize to show data in these groups

Examples of grouping:

  • By time: Show results by day, week, or month to see trends

  • By category: Group by service type, location, or status

Step 3: Filter Your Data

Filters help you focus on exactly what you need by removing irrelevant information. Think of filters like asking "only show me..."

Common filter examples:

  • Time filters: "Only show me data from last month"

  • Status filters: "Only show me completed trips"

  • Location filters: "Only show me routes in downtown"

To add filters:

  1. Clicking “+ Add” filter button

  2. Choose whether you want to filter by a dimension (a grouping - such as a specific service) or a metric (a number - such trips longer than 2 hours)

  3. Pick how you want to filter:

  4. Enter the specific value you're looking for

Quick tip: click on the filter icon next to a metric to quickly add it as a filter

Quick tip: Click on the ‘+’ button for quickly adding an “and” filter

Using AND/OR Logic in Filters

Sometimes you need more flexible filtering options. This is where AND/OR logic becomes useful:

AND logic: All conditions must be true - makes your results more specific and narrow. For example: "Show trips that are completed AND happened in January" will only show trips that meet both conditions.

OR logic: Any of the conditions can be true - makes your results broader and more inclusive. For example: "Show trips that are cancelled OR delayed" will show trips that are either cancelled or delayed (or both).

How to use AND/OR:

  1. Click the “+ Add” filter button, and select “Add AND” or “Add OR”

Adding Wrapped Filters (Nested Filtering)

For more complex filtering needs, you can create wrapped or nested filters - think of these as filters within filters. These allow you to group filters together for complex combinations like "Show me trips that are (completed AND in January) OR (cancelled AND in February)".

How to create wrapped filters:

  1. Create your first filter by clicking the “+ Add” filter button

  2. Once the filter is created, click on the “…” and click “Wrap with OR” or “Wrap with And” and add you next filter.

Step 4: Choose Your Display Format

Decide how you want to see your information presented:

  1. Chart view: Visual representations that make trends easier to spot

    • Bar charts: Great for comparing different categories

    • Line charts: Perfect for showing trends over time

    • Area charts: Similar to line charts but with filled areas below the line, great for showing volume or cumulative data over time

    • Pie charts: Good for showing parts of a whole

  2. Table view: Like a spreadsheet - good for detailed data and exact numbers

  3. Metrics view: Shows your key numbers as large, easy-to-read cards or tiles

Rotate X and Y Axis (Pivoting your data)

Sometimes you might want to flip how your data is organized in charts and tables. This is called "pivoting". This swaps what shows across the top (columns) with what shows down the side (rows) and changes how your data is grouped and displayed. This can also make patterns easier to see from a different angle. Simply click on the “Rotate X & Y” button and drag and drop your metrics.

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