Add another layer of customization to your reports with filters. They’re an optional feature to help you sort your data. This article will explain how to apply and use filters on your reports. You’ll also learn how to create your own filters.
NOTE: To clearly explain filters, let’s navigate to the same report on your Report Center: the pre-built time-tracking report. Follow the steps below to get to this report and to learn all about filters.
Apply and Use Filters to Your Report
1. Click ANALYTICS...REPORT CENTER from your navigation bar.
2. Click TIMESHEET DETAIL under the POPULAR REPORTS section
3. Click the FUNNEL ICON located on your utility bar, which is near the top-right of your window—to add filters to each of your columns.
4. Click on a filter in a specific column to filter it. For example, say you want to filter the Week Ending column. When you click on the filter icon, a calendar populates where you can add parameters by selecting date ranges.
Then, click APPLY to apply your changes, and the report will populate with new results based on the parameters.
To remove the column filter parameters and restore your column data, click on the FILTER ICON on the column and click CLEAR. The red-colored filter indicates the column with an active filter.
Remove filters from your columns entirely by re-clicking on the filter icon on your utility bar.
Create Custom Filters
Custom filters are ideal when you want a report to include or exclude certain criteria. Follow the steps below.
1. Click CUSTOMIZE, which is near the top-right of your window, and then, click Customize from the picklist that populates.
These actions will take you to your REPORT WIZARD.
2. Click OPTIONS, which is near the top-right of your window, and then select CUSTOMIZE FILTERING from the picklist.
3. Add custom filters: set criteria based on a relationship between one value to another by choosing a comparison value.
Here’s an example:
Given the selections above, the report will pull all time entries that have been logged to the ‘Administrative’ category.
4. Click UPDATE REPORT to save your work.
Note: When using a comparison such as Equals the value must be the exact name. If they want to be a little bit more general, use Contains instead.
Reports Won't Accept More Than 9 Custom Filters
BigTime reports support a maximum of 9 custom filters. This is a defined platform limit, not a configuration error - it can't be increased by changing report settings or contacting Support. When a report needs more than 9 distinct filter criteria, the additional filters can't be added in the standard report builder until existing filters are consolidated or the report is restructured.
Symptoms
- The report builder won't allow a 10th custom filter to be added.
- The report genuinely needs more than 9 distinct filter criteria to reflect the intended data scope.
- Several filters could be combined into one, but each is currently taking up a separate filter slot.
Resolution Steps
Work through the steps below in order. Most reports can be brought back within the limit by Step 5.
- Step 1: Count how many distinct filter criteria the report actually needs. If it's 9 or fewer, no changes are required - the limit only applies once you go past that count.
- Step 2: Look for filters that can be combined using list-type criteria. In the filter's type dropdown, select is in and list the values (for example, "Project is in [A, B, C, D]") instead of adding a separate filter for each value.
- Step 3: Review the remaining filters for redundant or overlapping conditions, and replace them with a single broader condition that covers the same scope.
- Step 4: Where the report allows it, filter by status or category groups instead of individual items - a group-level filter uses only one slot and covers every member of the group.
- Step 5: If your BigTime configuration includes saved lists, such as saved project, client, or cost center lists, filter by the saved list instead of adding individual entries. A saved list filter counts as one slot regardless of how many items it contains.
[Insert screenshot here: Report Builder filter panel showing a consolidated "is in" filter]
- Step 6: If the report still needs more than 9 distinct criteria after consolidating, split it into two or more reports that each cover part of the criteria, and review the outputs together. Alternatively, run a broader report with fewer filters, export the data, and apply the remaining criteria in a spreadsheet outside BigTime.
- Step 7: After consolidating or restructuring the filters, re-run the report and confirm the results still reflect the data scope you intended.
Best Practices
- The 9-filter cap is a fixed platform limit - it can't be raised by changing report settings or contacting Support.
- Use is in list-type criteria whenever possible to combine multiple values into a single filter slot.
- Filter by status or category groups instead of individual items whenever that option is available.
- Use saved lists for project, client, or cost center filtering so one slot covers the whole group.
- Always re-run a restructured report and confirm the results before relying on the output - a broader condition can pull in records you didn't intend to capture.
Expected Outcome
Once the filters are consolidated using list criteria, status or category groups, or saved lists - or the report is split or exported as needed - the report will stay within the 9-filter limit while still reflecting the full data scope you need. Re-running the report after restructuring confirms the results are accurate before you rely on them.