What are Single-Use Metrics?
Single-Use Metrics are metrics that are created on an ad-hoc basis. These metrics are local to the object (report / dashboard) they were created on and are not available for re-use through the metric picker.
Why should I create Single-Use Metrics?
As a user who can create new gadgets or edit existing gadgets, you may want to add a metric that is not available for selection from the metric picker. Perhaps you're just exploring or doing some ad hoc analysis.
How to create single-use metrics
To create a single-use metric on a new gadget:
Click on 'Add Visualization' -> 'Create New Gadget' from the dashboard menu on the top-right corner
After choosing the gadget type, click on 'Create Single-Use Metric' next to 'Add Metric'
In the resulting form, you can build a new metric using the following steps:
Choose the dataset from which you want to build the metric
Select the field and the aggregation to be applied over it
Enter a name and an optional description
Set up any formatting options as needed such as precision or prefix to add the currency symbol
Check the box 'Increase in the metric is desirable' so that the comparison on the gadget if enabled shows as green if there is an increase in the metric.
Optionally add filters to your metric. Note: if you are adding multiple metrics to your gadget, all of which need a common filter, you can add them at the gadget level
Click 'Add to Gadget' once you are ready
How to make a single-use metric re-usable
If you are an admin, you can promote a single use metric and make it reusable by checking the box 'Save to Data Manager'.
Implications of saving a metric to the Data Manager:
This will allow other users in your organization to pick the same metric from the metric picker.
Making a metric re-usable means that it is no longer local to the gadget.
The metric can be maintained from the Data Manager. Any changes made to it will be reflected everywhere the metric is used.