Looker Business Analyst flashcards
Looker Business Analyst · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Symmetric aggregates
- A Looker technique that computes measures over the full joined row set, then aggregates to the selected dimensions, preventing double counting when a one-to-many join fans out rows.
- Primary key declaration
- Set primary_key: yes on a dimension to identify the unique row key of a view; required for symmetric aggregates and for validating many_to_one join relationships.
- Persistent derived table
- A derived_table whose results are written to a scratch schema and reused across queries. It refreshes on a datagroup or SQL trigger rather than on every query.
- Development Mode
- A per-user Looker workspace branched from the shared branch where LookML edits are made. Changes remain private until deployed to production, which is read-only.
- Explore
- A predefined query starting point defined in a model file. It bundles a base view with joined views and exposes only fields the modeler chooses to make available.
- many_to_one join
- A join relationship where many rows in the base view map to one row in the joined view. It is the standard, safest relationship for fact-to-dimension joins.
- Datagroup with sql_trigger
- A datagroup whose sql_trigger query returns a value; PDTs rebuild only when that returned value changes, giving event-driven refresh instead of time-based polling.
- access_filter
- A LookML parameter that injects a user attribute value into every query on an Explore, enforcing row-level security so users see only rows matching their attribute.
- Refinement (refine:)
- A LookML block that adds fields or filters to an existing view without editing the original file, letting projects extend shared views without conflicts.
- extends parameter
- A LookML parameter that makes a view or Explore inherit fields from another object. Redefining a field with the same name overrides the inherited definition.
- Dimension type: tier
- A dimension type that buckets numeric values into ranges defined by tiers, enabling grouped analysis such as order size bands without writing custom SQL CASE logic.
- Table calculation
- A user-defined calculation evaluated after query results return, using functions like running_total, offset, row, and pivot_index. It operates on the result set, not the database.
- Pivot
- A dimension moved to columns in an Explore, turning its values into separate columns so measures are computed and displayed per pivot value.
- matches advanced filter
- A filter expression supporting null, -null, and value lists for precise inclusion and exclusion, beyond simple equals or contains matching.
- drill_fields
- A LookML parameter listing the fields shown when a user clicks a data point to drill into detail, defining the available drill path.
- Merged results
- A visualization combining queries from different Explores on a shared dimension. The join key must have identical name and type in both queries.
- Row limit and totals
- A row limit caps rows returned by an Explore query; totals rows can be enabled on table visualizations to display column-level aggregates beneath the data.
- Custom dimension
- A user-created field saved to an Explore for that user. It does not alter LookML and enters the model only when a developer promotes it.
- Scheduled delivery
- A recurring job that runs a Look or Dashboard on a cadence and sends results via email, webhook, or destinations such as S3 and SFTP.
- Alert
- A notification that fires when a numeric condition on a supported visualization is met, such as value greater than a threshold, sending email or webhook notices.
- Folder permissions
- Access rules on Looker folders that inherit from parent folders. Private content is visible only to its owner until moved or shared.
- Looker roles
- Admin manages users and settings, Developer edits LookML in Development Mode, and Viewer consumes content. A user can hold more than one role.
- User attributes
- Key-value pairs attached to users that drive access filters, default filter values, and content validation, enabling personalized and secure content.
- Content Validation
- A Looker feature that scans saved Looks and Dashboards for broken fields or LookML errors after model changes, run before deploying to production.
- System Activity model
- A built-in LookML model exposing history, user, and query Explores used to analyze content adoption, user behavior, and slow or failing queries.
- Embedded SSO
- Embedding Looker content using signed SSO URLs or the Embed SDK; embedded users remain governed by access filters and role permissions.
- LookML project
- A Git-versioned collection of LookML files containing model files that define Explores and view files that define fields and join logic.
- Look vs Dashboard
- A Look is a single saved query with a visualization; a Dashboard combines multiple tiles, each backed by a query, into one page.
- sql_on vs foreign_key
- sql_on defines a custom join condition using SQL; foreign_key is shorthand that joins on the primary key of the joined view.
- Chart type selection
- Line charts suit continuous time series, bar and column charts suit categorical comparison, scatter plots show correlation between two measures, and single value shows KPIs.
- Count vs count_distinct
- Measure type count counts rows in the result; count_distinct counts unique values of a specified field, avoiding duplicates from joined rows.
- Production Mode
- The shared, read-only Looker state that all users query. LookML changes require Development Mode and an explicit deploy to reach production.