Data modeling helps you shape your data in Looker Studio to createinsightful and focused reports. This process involves configuring data andmetadata to align with your business goals by refining how Looker Studioorganizes data into dimensions, metrics, and calculated fields. You can apply thesemodeling techniques at three distinct levels: within a report, in the datasource, or directly in the underlying dataset.

Use data modeling features to adjust field properties, create calculated fields,and apply filters. These capabilities empower you to transform raw data, derivenew insights, and control data access, ultimately enhancing the relevance andclarity of your Looker Studio reports.

Before you begin

To get the most from this page, you should be familiar with the following topics:

• How to edit a data source
• How to configure report components

How Looker Studio organizes your data

Before you delve into the specifics of data modeling, it's useful to understand how Looker Studio organizes your data.Every chart and table that you create in Looker Studio is built from a tabular data structure that's made up of columns and rows.The columns—calledfields—define the data that is contained in each row. The information that defines yourdata is known asmetadata.

There are two types of fields in Looker Studio:

• Dimensions are your categories or labels. Dimensions describewhat you are measuring. For example:
  • Country
  • Product Name
  • Date
• Metrics are your measurements. Metrics tell youhow much of something there is. For example:
  • Sales
  • Pageviews
  • Number of Clicks

When you create a data source, you'll see dimensions and metrics that are provided by the connector that you used to connect to the underlying dataset. In addition to these default fields, you can create these other types of fields:

• Calculated fields use formulas to create new metrics or dimensions that are derived from your data. For example:

  • Price * Discount
  • TODAY() - 7
  • IF(FINAL GRADE > 35, "PASS", "FAIL")

  Learn more about calculated fields.

• Parameters andvariables let you personalize your reports based on user input.Learn more about parameters.

Together, these fields—dimensions, metrics, calculated fields, parameters and variables—are the building blocks of your reports. Data modeling lets you fine tune these building blocks to help you build insightful Looker Studio reports.

Where you can model your data

There are three levels at which you can model your data:

• In the report
• In the data source

• In the underlying dataset

  You can think of these modeling levels like an upside-down pyramid. You can mix and match these levels.Where you model your data depends on what you need.

Modeling data at the dataset level occurs outside of Looker Studio.Here, the focus shifts from balancing flexibility versus control to ensuringthat your data and metadata are precisely as you intendbefore they even reachLooker Studio.

The following sections explain these modeling levels in more detail.

Report-level modeling

Modeling data at the report level offers the most flexibility to report editorsto modify and explore data as they see fit, much like playing freely with the building blocks.

When modeling data at the report level, keep the following points in mind:

• Modeling features applied while editing a report reside exclusively withinthat report, so different reports may show different insights even if theyuse the same data source.
• Report-level modeling provides the least degree of control over your data.Report editors can see and edit fields from embedded data sources.
• Report viewers are able to see certain modeling configurations.See datamodeling and data access for more details.

Data source-level modeling

Modeling data at the data source level lets youexert more control over the data. You can restrict who can editthe data source and prevent modifications to fields within the report.Data source-level modeling helps ensure that all your reports are based on asingle source of truth.

When modeling data at the data source level, keep the following points in mind:

• Modeling features that are applied while editing a data source reside withinthat data source.
• Data source-level modeling makes the model available to every chart andreport that uses it.
• Some data modeling features are available only at the data source level. Forexample, you can add field descriptions only in the data source. Conversely,except for reports that use theLookerconnector, you can apply filtersonly at the report level.
• Report viewers are able to see certain data source-level modelingconfigurations. For more details, seedata modeling and dataaccess.

Model data in the underlying dataset

Modeling data in the underlying dataset ensures that every connected data sourcereceives the precise data it needs. This approach is often preferred whenpreparing databefore it reaches Looker Studio.

For example, writing a SQL query directly in the BigQuery connectorcan be more efficient and effective than using Looker Studio functionsor filters for complex data transformations.

Dataset-level modeling provides the highest degree of security for your data.Data source editors cannot access the underlying dataset unless they have beenexplicitly granted direct permissions.

How to model your data

You can model your data by using the following features:

• Adjusting field properties, such as name, data type, or aggregation
• Creating calculated fields that extend or transform the base data
• Applying filters to the data to include or exclude certain values

Adjust field properties

Fields in your data source have a default set of properties that are provided by the connector that's used to create that data source, as shown in the following table.

To change field properties at the data source level,edit the data source.

1. Edit the report and then select a chart.
2. In the chart properties panel, hover over the field's data type icon. The data type icon changes to the edit pencil icon.
3. Click the edit penciledit.
4. In the dialog that appears, edit the field properties.

To prevent report editors from changing field properties, edit the data source and turn offField editing in reports. Learn moreabout editing fields.

Model data with calculated fields

Calculated fields let you create new fields that are derived from your data. Calculated fields appear in the field list with anfx symbol.

Calculated fields that you create in the data source are available to all reports that use that data source. Calculated fields that you create in a chart in the report are available only in that chart.

Learn moreabout calculated fields.

Apply filters

You can limit the data in a report by applying a filter to narrow down theinformation that's shown to viewers. Filters help you focus on the most important data,making your reports more relevant to your audience.

You can apply filters to a single component, a group of components, a wholepage, or the entire report.

Learn moreabout filter properties.

Data modeling and data access

A report's metadata includes the display settings of report-level modeling features, such as filter configuration, or the names of calculated fields that are created from the property panel.Report metadata is visible to anyone with view access to the report who examines the report's network requests or makes a copy of the report.

Only data source editors can see the display settings of data source-level modeling features, such as field descriptions, or the names of calculated fields that are created within the data source. However, some aspects of the data source model, like the connector type and column names of the data source schema, are always accessible to users.