While working in Virtuous BI, you have the option to use "Actions" to work further with your data. Actions are user-defined interactivity that you can configure within and across workbook elements using "Triggers" and "Effects". By automating responses to specific user interactions, you can create efficient workbook workflows that produce quick and relevant data insights. This article will outline exactly what a "trigger" and "effect" are and how you can work with Actions.
To access the Actions feature, select the Arrow symbol from the left-hand menu.
Example
In the example below, the Action defined reads as "When selecting cells in the 'Contact Name' column, a specific Sigma doc (Virtuous BI Workbook) will be opened. That specific destination being the "Languages Spoken" workbook. A specified section of the workbook has not been defined, but you have the option to do so. This workbook will open in a new window.
Understanding Actions
Every action consists of a trigger and an effect. The trigger is the user interaction with a specific element (the trigger element), and the effect is the defined response to the interaction.
Action Triggers
Most element types can be configured as action triggers. The following table describes the user interaction that can trigger an effect for each element type.
| Element Type | Interaction |
| Table, Pivot Table, or Input Table | User selects a cell in a specific column. |
| Visualization | User selects a data point or category on the chart. |
| UI Element (Button or Image Only) | User clicks the element. |
| Control Element | User changes the control value. |
Action Effects
The following table lists the types of actions you can configure on a trigger element and describes the corresponding effect.
| Type | Action | Effect |
| Navigation | Open URL | Navigates to an external link or destination within Virtuous BI. |
| Open Sigma Doc | Navigates to a different Virtuous BI workbook. | |
| Navigate in this Workbook | Shifts the focus to the top of a specific page or an individual element in the current workbook. | |
| Control Value Management | Set Control Value | Sets the value of a specific control element in the current workbook. |
| Clear Control | Clears the values of a specific control element in the current workbook. | |
| Element Modification | Modify Element | Modifies an element's columns, groupings, properties, or axis scale. |
| Refresh Element |
Refreshes the data of a specific element in the current workbook. Note: This action doesn’t apply to materialized elements. |
|
| Input table Modification | Insert Rows in Input Table | Inserts a new row in an existing input table. |
| Data Transfer | Download and Export | Initiates a direct download or an export to email, Slack, webhook, or cloud storage. |
Action Configurations
Actions feature versatile configurations to support responses that are highly relevant to your specific needs and preferences when working in Virtuous BI.
A few examples include...
- Configure the Open URL action to open a static link, or utilize dynamic text to generate URLs that adjust to control or column values in the current workbook.
- Configure the Set control value action to filter the trigger element itself, or create a cross-element action that filters a child element.
- Configure the Open Sigma doc action to open another workbook in its published state, or pass values to control elements in the destination workbook to open a custom, drilled-down view.