Filter that iteratively checks through three fields for a match

[lmarun]

Hello. I'm creating a searchable database in a Dashboard for users to find open grants that meet their needs.

The table containing this data that I'm working with ('Open Grants') has these (and other) columns:

Grant Name | Status | Focus Area 1 | Focus Area 2 | Focus Area 3 | Funder Type...

For any given grant, we may have tagged it with one, two, or three focus areas. I have a separate table/list with these focus areas ('Focus Areas') which I am using as one widget for users to select from, and I would like all of the grants that have their selected focus area to be filtered out into a list for them.

As an example, a user may select waste management, so I would like the 'Open Grants' table to filter for all grants that have waste management listed under either Focus Area 1, Focus Area 2, or Focus Area 3. 

I've made a coule of attempts at this, but I am sure I'm so far off that I might as well be starting from scratch.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Lisa

[AndreasHall]

I think one solution could be to show Focus Area 1 | Focus Area 2 | Focus Area 3 in a list and enable search on that list.

[lmarun]

@AndreasHall, I do have such a list. As mentioned above ('... I have a separate table/list with these focus areas ('Focus Areas') which I am using as one widget for users to select from...). Right now, for step 2, users select from that list, but then I need to match their selection with its potential occurance in any of three columns in the table.

Step 1 and the results are derived from the table mentioned previously (which has the focus areas in the three mentioned columns).

Ideally, I would like step 2 to filter so that it only displays any focus areas that are included in the database for the category selected in Step 1. And then I would like the Results section to display grants that meet the criteria for both of the steps. 

The most important part, though, is to have the results go through all three focus area columns to find matches to the selection in step 2. Right now, I only have the filter matching Focus Area 1, so a lot of potential matches are being left out.

See attached image.

[lmarun]

If what I propose is too complex (this was what I was tasked to do), I like your alternative!!! So thank you for the suggestion, and thank you in advance if you have any other ideas!

[AndreasHall]

By enabling search on a list you give the user the option of a free text search. This search will search from all text that is visible in a list. So if you would put all grant information in a list, with all focus areas visible, the user could search for Focus Area A and only grants for that focus area would show. The drawback is that it is a free text search, not a list of available values. Here is how it could look:

What you would like to do, to have the user select from a list of available values, is possible with a category selector, or with a list with actions configured, as you have tried in your example. However, these options only allow filtering on one field, not multiple. The solution then, is to alter your data schema, e.g., like below. Then you can have a list with all unique values that filters column Focus Area in the second table below. If you configure the final list to show only when filtered, the end user will not understand that you have duplicate data in your dashboard.

Another option would be to try ArcGIS Insights, if you have access to it. In Insights, I think it would be possible to achieve what you want without changing the data schema.

[lmarun]

Brilliant! 

I was able to set up the Search box as a temporary workable solution per your previous recommendation.

I knew there had to be a solution like your ALTERED suggestion above, but I just couldn't wrap my head around it. It's a perfect solution that I'm sure I'll find useful for other needs in the future as well!

(And no, I don't have Insights.)

@AndreasHall, you have made my week! Thank you! 😊