F2 — Looking at data

Reaching a record is not the same as finding the twenty that matter. One switcher, six views, and always the same records underneath: list to compare, kanban to triage, calendar for a date, pivot and graph to count. Then the search bar, which does three different jobs worth keeping apart — a filter decides which records and removes rows, a group decides how they stack and removes none, a favourite remembers both by name and can be shared with everybody.

Which makes a report filter, group, measure, save: four clicks rather than a development request. Two rules come with it. Filters ticked in the same section are read as or and filters in different sections as and, which is why a search returns more or less than expected. And the header checkbox selects the page rather than everything the filter matches — the question to ask before any bulk action or export.