1. Yoel Kortick Senior Librarian
How to use the CASE condition to change text in an Alma Analytics report
Yoel Kortick
Senior Librarian

2. Agenda
Introduction
Example on textual values
Example on numerical values

3. Introduction
There may be cases where the actual text appearing in a report would be more appropriate as a different text.
In other words, the text in a report appears as the data appears in Alma.
However, to make the report “meaningful” it may be that certain strings of text should change to specific values.
This may done by using the CASE parameter
After the text is changed by CASE parameter the report may be grouped and totaled on the new text

4. Introduction
First possible need for CASE:
For example perhaps we have a report of all items in certain library and how many times they were loaned
It may not really be important to see the exact number of times an item was loaned.
Rather, a text such as “Less than 5 times” or “Between 5 and 10 times” or “More than ten times” may be more useful.
We could then make a CASE to change the values.

5. Introduction
Second possible need for CASE:
Another example may be that we have a report of all items ordered from a certain vendor and how many days they arrived late (after the expected arrival date)
Again, it may not really be important to see the exact number of days the items was late.
Rather, a text such as “Less than 5 days” or “Between 5 and 10 days” or “More than ten days” may be more useful.
We could then make a CASE to change the values.

6. Introduction
Third possible need for CASE:
Another example may be that we have a report of the number of loans per user group at each circulation desk
It may not really be important to see the exact name of the circulation desk
Rather, a text such as “Resource Sharing Desk” or “Regular Circ. Desk” may be more useful.
We could make a CASE changing any desk which is not “Resource Sharing Desk” to “Regular Circ. Desk”

7. Introduction
Fourth possible need for CASE:
Another example may be that we still have the report of the number of loans per user group at each circulation desk
It may not really be important to see the exact name of the user group
Rather, a text such as “Staff” or “Student” may be more useful.
We could make a CASE changing all groups which are some type of Staff to “Staff” and any group which is some type of student to “Student”

8. Agenda
Introduction
Example on textual values
Example on numerical values

9. Example on textual values
Here we have a report of number of loans by circulation desk and user group.
We have one Resource Sharing Desk, two reading rooms, and several other libraries.
We want to
Leave “Resource Sharing Desk” as is
Change “Reading Room 1” and “Reading Room 2” to “Reading Room”
Change all others to “Standard Circulation Desk”

10. Example on textual values
Note: If you copy and paste any values from here the apostrophes should be rewritten manually or error messages will occur
Rewrite manually the “ and the ‘

11. Example on textual values
Here is the report before using “CASE”

12. Example on textual values
The field we want to change is "Loan Circulation Desk"."Circ Desk Name“
Therefore the CASE string will start with:
CASE "Loan Circulation Desk"."Circ Desk Name"
Then we will add the condition WHEN
CASE "Loan Circulation Desk"."Circ Desk Name“ WHEN

13. Example on textual values
And now with the actual conditions we want.
If it is a textual field it needs a single quote. If it is a numerical field it does not need quotes.
Start with something basic which will change ‘Reading Room 1’ to ‘Reading Room’ and everything else to ‘Standard Circulation Desk’
Put the formula under the column “Circ Desk Name’ by doing “edit formula”

14. Example on textual values
CASE "Loan Circulation Desk"."Circ Desk Name” WHEN ‘Reading Room 1’ THEN ‘Reading Room’ ELSE ‘Standard Circulation Desk’ END

15. Example on textual values
Now we have it working, and will begin to make the CASE also include ‘Reading Room 2’ and ‘Resource Sharing Desk’
CASE "Loan Circulation Desk"."Circ Desk Name" WHEN 'Reading Room 1' THEN 'Reading Room' WHEN 'Reading Room 2' THEN 'Reading Room' WHEN 'Resource Sharing Desk' THEN 'Resource Sharing Desk' ELSE 'Standard Circulation Desk' END

16. Example on textual values
Now it appears as follows:
We need to make this column narrower and give it a more relevant name

17. Example on textual values
We will rename the column

18. Example on textual values
We will rename the column

19. Example on textual values
Here are the results

20. Example on textual values
Before (without CASE)
After (with CASE)

21. Agenda
Introduction
Example on textual values
Example on numerical values

22. Example on numerical values
Now we will make a CASE on the number of Loans
We will group the loans into groups of 1-10, 10-20, 20-30, etc.
The formula is:
CASE
WHEN "Loan"."Loans" >= 1 AND "Loan"."Loans" <= 10 THEN '1-10'
WHEN "Loan"."Loans" >= 11 AND "Loan"."Loans" <= 20 THEN '11-20'
WHEN "Loan"."Loans" >= 21 AND "Loan"."Loans" <= 30 THEN '20-30'
WHEN "Loan"."Loans" >= 31 AND "Loan"."Loans" <= 40 THEN '30-40'
WHEN "Loan"."Loans" >= 41 AND "Loan"."Loans" <= 50 THEN '41-50'
WHEN "Loan"."Loans" >= 51 AND "Loan"."Loans" <= 60 THEN '51-60'
WHEN "Loan"."Loans" >= 61 AND "Loan"."Loans" <= 70 THEN '61-70'
ELSE 70+' END

23. Example on numerical values
Here it is after doing “Edit Formula on the field “Loans”

24. Example on numerical values
Here are the results

25. Example on numerical values
Before (without CASE)
After (with CASE)

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