Skip to main content

Tile Tool

Use Tile to assign a value (tile) based on ranges in the data. The tool does this based on the user specifying 1 of 3 methods.

2 columns are appended to the data:

  • Tile_Num is the assigned tile of the row.

  • Tile_SequenceNum is the row number of the row's position within the Tile.

Tip

This tool has a One Tool Example. Visit Access Sample Workflows to learn how to access this and many other examples directly in Designer Cloud.

Tool Components

Tile Tool anchors.png

Figure: Tile Tool with anchors.

The Tile tool has 2 anchors.

  • Input anchor: Use the input anchor to select the data you want assign values based on data ranges.

  • Output anchor: Outputs the new tile columns appended to your data.

Configure the Tool

Tile Method: Select the range pattern used to assign tile value.

Equal Sum

Assign tiles to cover a range of values where each tile has the same total of the Sum field based on the sort order of the incoming records.

Create Tiles with Equal Total Values

The total of the Sum field is as close as it can be for each tile without breaking a record.

  1. Number of Tiles: Specify how many groups to assign to the data.

  2. Column to Sum: Specify the field to tile by that results in ranges where the sum of this number is equally distributed across the tiles.

  3. Column to Sort By (Optional): If you select a field from this dropdown list, the data is sorted on the specified field before it is assigned to a tile. If no field is specified, the records are assigned to tiles based on their incoming sort order.

Equal Records

Input rows are divided into the specified amount of tiles so that each tile is assigned the same amount of rows.

Divide Records Equally

  1. Select the Number of Tiles to assign to the data.

  2. Don't Split Tile on Column (Optional): If you select a field from this dropdown list, a tile is not split across this field. If no field is selected, the tile # takes preference over the specified field data, thus potentially splitting groups.

  3. Sort By: The data from the column you select will be sorted (in descending order for numbers and ascending order for all other column types) on the specified column before it is assigned to a tile.

The number of rows in the input might not be equally divisible by the number of tiles you specify. This is based solely on the row's position in the input file unless the Sort column is specified.

Smart Tile

Creates tiles based on the Standard Deviation of the values in the specified field. The tiles assigned indicate whether the record's value falls within the average range (=0), above the average (1), or below the average (-1), etc.

Sort Records by Variance from the Average

The tile value represents the mean of the data range. The tile numbers explain the range directly. The range always starts at -0.5 and ends at +0.5:

Title

Range

0

–0.5 to 0.5

–1

–1.5 to –0.5

1

0.5 to 1.5

  1. Numeric Column to Group: (Must be Numeric) Choose the field to tile by. This field must contain a numeric value.

  2. Select the naming convention applied to the output field:

    • Don't Output Column with Tile Labels: No additional output field name is generated.

    • Output Column with Tile Labels: The output has an additional descriptive field name appended. Descriptors include Average, Above Average, High, Extremely High, Below Average, Low, and Extremely Low.

    • Output Column with Verbose Tile Label: In addition to the descriptors mentioned above, the value range that the tile indicates is listed in parenthesis. For example, High (12750 to 155000).

Manual

The user can specify the cutoffs for the tiles by typing a value on a new line for each range.

Set Up Rules Manually

  1. Numeric Column to Group (Must be Numeric): Select the column to tile by.

  2. Enter Upper Limits for Each Tile: Enter each tile's upper limit on a new line in the box provided.

Tiles are applied in Manual mode, but the rows are not sorted. If you want the data displayed in this way, you must add a Sort tool and specify the columns to sort by.

Unique Value

For each unique value in a specified column or columns, a unique tile is assigned. If multiple columns are specified, a tile is assigned based on that combination of values.

Create Tiles for Unique Values

  1. Create Unique Tiles From: Check the box of the column or columns to tile by.

  2. Sort Output: Select to sort the output. The data from the column you select is sorted (in descending order for numbers and ascending order for all other column types) on the specified column before it is assigned to a tile.

Columns to Group By (Optional)

Tile rows are based on a group column. When you select a group, a series of tiles is created for every row within the specified group.