When new data is needed on the reporting layer, for example a new Region or a new Product Category, it would need to be fed from the source systems to the database. Then, MicroStrategy can execute a query to report it. However, in some scenarios, due to time constraints or because of a very specific and customized requirement, you might want to group the data in a report to create sets, bands, quartiles, or simply to combine Attribute elements without having to modify the database. We will explore two objects that serve this purpose: Custom Groups and Consolidations.

The following is a quick reference table for a MicroStrategy Custom Group:

A Custom Group is an Application Object that creates dynamic sets of data in such a way that it gives the ability to create several mini-reports inside a Report. This object is based on another familiar one: the Filter. The developer would create one or more Filter qualifications in order to define what is called a Custom Group element. Then it would be possible to show Metrics calculated for that Custom Group element or by individuals that make up the group. Let's see an example. Suppose that you want to show the Top 5 products in your company and the Bottom 5 by Revenue. You would have two groups:

Alternatively, you could also show the items within each group: