Breakdowns let you decide how your data should be grouped. Hierarchy view helps you explore that data quickly and clearly. This guide explains how to choose breakdowns, order them, and switch between grouped and flat layouts so you can understand your results with confidence.
What Are Breakdowns?
Breakdowns are the dimensions you use to organise your report. They change how your metrics are grouped and displayed.
Think of them as different lenses:
Time Period + Practice shows how each practice performs over time
Provider + Treatment Category shows which providers deliver which types of treatment
Practice + Provider shows activity within each location
Breakdowns help you answer different types of questions with the same data.
Available Breakdowns by Data Subject
Performance (Operations and Capacity)
Time Period – Day, Week, Month
Practice – Group by site
Provider – Group by individual clinicians
Provider Type – Dentist, Hygienist, Therapist, Specialist
Treatments (Clinical Services)
Includes all Performance breakdowns, plus:
Payor – NHS, Private, Plan, etc.
Treatment Category – Crowns, Implants, Hygiene, Restorative, and more
Treatment Plans
Uses the same breakdowns as Treatments.
Grouped View is available only in Snapshot view.
How to Select and Order Breakdowns
Adding Breakdowns
Open the left sidebar.
Under Available Breakdowns, click any option.
It moves into Hierarchy Order (or Column Order if in Flat view).
Reordering Breakdowns
Order matters. It defines the hierarchy.
Use drag-and-drop in Hierarchy Order:
Drag the handle (⋮⋮) next to a breakdown.
Move it to the position you want.
Example:
Time Period
Practice
Provider
Your table groups like this:
Time Period → Practice → Provider
You can quickly re-order the Breakdowns to reorder the Hierarchy - Such as:
Practice → Provider → Time Period
Hierarchy View vs Flat View
When using Metrics as Columns, Explorer offers two table views.
Grouped Hierarchy (Default)
An expandable “tree view.”
Shows subtotals at each level, similar to Pivot tables in Excel
Lets you drill down step by step
Makes it easier to spot patterns
Provides expand and collapse controls
Flat View
A simple, row-based table.
No grouping
Ideal for exporting
Feels like a spreadsheet
💡Top tip: In Flat View you can search across all your data to quickly find what you are looking for without changing the filters.
To switch views: Use the toggle above the results table.
Working with Hierarchical Data
Expanding and Collapsing
Click the chevron (▶ or ▼) to open or close a group
Use Expand All or Collapse All for quick navigation
Use Expand to Level 1, 2, 3 to reveal specific layers
Understanding Group Rows
Group rows show subtotals:
Numbers and currency → summed
Percentages → averaged
They appear highlighted and in bold to distinguish them from detail rows.
Sorting in Hierarchy View
Sorting behaves differently to preserve structure:
Sorting a breakdown column reorders only that level
Sorting a metric column sorts detail rows inside each group
This keeps the hierarchy intact while still letting you find top and bottom performers.
Column Management in Hierarchy View
Breakdown Columns
Locked in place
Cannot be hidden
Cannot be dragged
Controlled only via the Breakdowns panel
Marked with a lock icon (🔒)
KPI (Metric) Columns
Can be reordered using the drag handle
When Is Hierarchy Available?
Hierarchy view appears when all conditions are met:
Available when:
Data Subject = Performance, Treatments, or Treatment Plans (Snapshot)
Layout = Metrics as Columns
At least 2 breakdowns selected
At least 1 KPI selected
Not available when:
Table Layout = Metrics as Rows or Metrics as Rows, Time as Columns
In Pipeline view (Treatment Plan Pipeline)
No breakdowns of KPIS selected
If hierarchy is unavailable, Explorer automatically switches to Flat view.
Exporting Hierarchical Data
CSV or Excel
Exports a flattened version
Includes all rows
Preserves indentation and hierarchy visually
Group headers and totals in bold
Keeps your column widths
💡 Tip
If you want every row without grouping, switch to Flat view before exporting.
📝 Please note: Explorer will always convert Grouped View data into Flat View for Exporting as CSV or Excel.
Tips for Using Breakdowns Effectively
Start broad. Begin with Time Period, then add Practice or Provider.
Use only what you need. Too many breakdowns can clutter your table.
Experiment with order. Changing breakdown order often reveals new insights.
Match your question to your structure. If analysing practice performance, start with Practice.
Use Group View for exploration, use Flat view for detail.