A filter limits which rows an entity returns to Power BI. Filters are applied at query time on the SAP side, so unfiltered rows never travel over the wire. Each entity gets its own filter; filters on different entities are independent.
Open the filter editor #
Inside an entity on the create or edit form, expand Filter.
The editor has two modes:
- Basic — a visual builder with field, operator, and value pickers, plus AND/OR grouping. Best for straightforward conditions.
- OData — a free-text editor for OData v4
$filterexpressions. Use this for conditions the basic editor cannot represent.
Build a filter in the basic editor #
Select Add condition. Pick a field, an operator, and a value. Repeat for additional conditions; they combine with the connector shown above the list (AND/OR), which you can switch with one click.
Use Add group to nest conditions with a different connector — for example, A AND (B OR C).
The operator list adapts to the field’s type: comparisons for numbers and dates, plus contains, starts with, and ends with for strings.
Switch to the OData editor #
Select OData to type the expression as raw OData v4 text. Anything you built in the basic editor is translated and pre-filled.
Supported in OData mode
- Comparisons:
eq,ne,gt,ge,lt,le. - String functions:
contains,startswith,endswith. - Grouping with parentheses; combining with
and/or.
Not supported: null literals, arithmetic, not, in, has, and lambda operators (any/all).
One-way switch from advanced expressions #
If the OData expression uses constructs the basic editor cannot represent (for instance, a deeply nested expression or an unsupported operator), the Basic button is disabled. Its tooltip explains the reason. Simplify the expression in the OData editor to re-enable the basic mode.
Validation #
The OData editor checks every expression as you type. An invalid expression shows an inline error under the textarea, and Save is blocked while at least one filter on the data source is invalid.
The error message points to the first parse failure (location, unexpected character, missing token). Fix the expression and the error clears automatically.
