Circumstances of strict and non-strict filtering

Using filters on relations or the 'Advanced Search' to filter on relation fields requires a certain explanation of the functionality.

Until January 3, 2023, LeanIX uses non-strict filtering. Afterwards, we assume strict filtering all the time.

Filtering on relations without strict filtering

LeanIX will retrieve all Fact Sheets that are applicable to a certain filter and then retrieve all relations of those Fact Sheets and not just the ones that apply to the filter.

If users specify a filter based on a relation target, e.g., all Applications that use a specific Data Object, then all Applications are returned including their properties and relations. In case of “non-strict filtering”, the filter is not applied to the relations as well and therefore relations that don't fit to the filter are returned as well.

Filtering on relation fields without strict filtering

Similar to the previous scenario, if filtering on a field on a relation, e.g., “all Applications that have a User Group with Usage Type 'owner'”, LeanIX will retrieve all Applications that have such a User Group and then for all such Applications retrieve all properties and relations including relations to User Groups not having the Usage Type owner (be it empty or 'User').

This extends to all reports as well, which is why on the following Matrix report, there are also instances of relations to User Groups that don't have the Usage Type “Owner”, even though it was specifically filtered for it. Only the Applications not having any relation with the field ‘Owner’ (all are only 'user' or no proerty set at all) are hidden.

Strict Filtering

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Strict filter option

Knowing that this consistent filter logic could lead to misinterpretations of certain reports (e.g. showing User UserGroups with an active Owner UserGroup filter) LeanIX is planning to provide an option for a strict filter on relations which would mask the not matching relations.

Strict filtering for filters on relations

Without strict filtering, a Landscape for all Applications using the Data Object “Customer” looks like this:

With strict filtering, a Landscape for all Applications using the Data Object “Customer” looks like this:

Similarly, on a matrix report: without strict filtering

With strict filtering

Strict Filtering with filters for fields on relations

Similarly, when using a filter for fields on relations, landscape and matrix reports will correctly filter out relations that aren't in scope of the selected filter:

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The Inventory will not immediately reflect this change as well.

While landscape and matrix reports work with the strict filtering on relations and relation fields, the inventory - due to a technical limitation - will not be immediately correct. It will take well into Q2 2023 to fix the strict filtering in that area as well.