Parameters (also called ‘arguments’) are the input a function expects in Looker Studio. The parameter tells the function of what data to act upon.
Parameters can be field names or expressions.
An expression can be a number, literal text, or a statement that evaluates to a field name in your data source.
Parameters can also provide additional instructions or formatting information.
For example, CASE function expects the following parameters:
Condition
Result
Else result
#1 Condition—It is an expression which evaluates to a boolean value (true or false). Conditions can include dimensions or metrics but not both:
#2 Result – the value to return. It can be a dimension, metric, or literal value:
#3 ELSE result (optional) – It is the default value to return if no other condition is met.
Note(1): When providing parameters, be sure to enclose the literal text in single or double-quotes. Note(2): You can learn more about the parameters used by each function from the Google help documentation on each function: https://support.google.com/datastudio/topic/7019880?hl=en&ref_topic=7570421 Note(3): You can click on the ‘Format Formula’ button, to make your formula more readable.
#4 Parameters are listed in the syntax
All the parameters which the CASE function expect, are listed in the syntax of the CASE function:
CASE
WHEN condition THEN result
WHEN condition THEN result
WHEN condition THEN result
…
ELSE result
END
So if you remember the syntax, you will remember how to use the CASE function.
#5 All functions return a value
For example, ‘CASE’ function returns dimensions or metrics based on conditional expressions.
The ‘AVG’ function returns the average for all values in a field or expression.
Similarly, the COUNT function returns the total number of items in a field or expression.
More information on each function, including examples, is also available in the formula editor.
When you type a function name in the formula editor, Looker Studio provides information about the function like its syntax, its purpose, and its use case:
The bottom of the formula editor sometimes provides additional information about how a function is being used and how it should be used.
For example, in the screenshot above, the Looker Studio was expecting arguments (Expected arguments, but none were provided).
Types of Looker Studio functions
All of the Looker Studio functions are grouped into the following categories:
Aggregation functions
Arithmetic functions
Date functions
Geo functions
Text functions
Conditional functions
Miscellaneous functions
Aggregation functions
These functions are used to aggregate data.
Following are examples of aggregation functions:
AVG : AVG(X)
COUNT : COUNT(X)
COUNT_DISTINCT : COUNT_DISTINCT(X)
MAX : MAX(X)
MEDIAN : MEDIAN(X)
MIN : MIN(X)
PERCENTILE : PERCENTILE(X,N)
STDDEV : STDDEV(X)
SUM : SUM(X)
VARIANCE : VARIANCE(X)
Note: Aggregation functions can not be applied to already aggregated data. This includes most metrics found in Google Analytics and Google Ads. For example, Sessions is already summed in your data set, so the formula SUM(Sessions) will produce an error.
Arithmetic functions
These functions are used to do mathematical calculations on your data.
Frequently Asked Questions About Looker Studio Functions, Formulas Tutorial
What are functions in Looker Studio?
Functions in Looker Studio are formulas which are used to manipulate data, aggregate data and do mathematical calculations on data.
Functions make your calculated fields more powerful. They are used inside of calculated fields as a formula.
How many functions does Looker Studio provide?
Looker Studio provides over 50 functions that you can use inside of calculated fields as a formula.
What are the attributes of a function in Looker Studio?
Following are the typical attributes of a function in Looker Studio – Every function in Looker Studio has some purpose. – Every function in Looker Studio has syntax – All functions expect one or more parameters – Parameters are listed in the syntax – All functions return a value – Almost all functions have certain restrictions regarding how they can be used.
What types of functions are available in Looker Studio?
All of the Looker Studio functions are grouped into the following categories: – Aggregation functions – Arithmetic functions – Date functions – Geo functions – Text functions – Miscellaneous functions
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