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Learn how to use StructureGram

Working with Entity Filters

Filter groups let you create focused views of your entities without changing the underlying data. They're perfect for client presentations, specific analyses, or managing complex structures.

What is a Entity Filter?

A Entity Filter is a curated selection of entities from a group that appears in a specific diagram. Think of it as a filter that shows only what's relevant for that particular view.

Key Characteristics

  • Subset of a Group: Contains selected entities from the parent group
  • Diagram-Specific: Each diagram can have its own entity filter
  • Non-Destructive: Removing entities from a entity filter doesn't delete them
  • Multiple Membership: An entity can be in multiple entity filters

Why Use Entity Filters?

Common Use Cases

Client Presentations:

  • Show only operating entities (hide holding companies)
  • Display trust structure without unrelated assets
  • Focus on specific beneficiary groups

Analysis & Reporting:

  • Isolate super fund entities
  • View partnership structures separately
  • Track specific asset portfolios

Simplification:

  • Work with large groups (30+ entities) by viewing subsets
  • Hide historical entities while keeping them in the database
  • Create "current structure" vs "proposed structure" views

All Entities vs. Entity Filter

When you view a diagram, you can toggle between two modes:

All Entities (Full Group)

  • Shows every entity in the group
  • Ideal for comprehensive views
  • Badge shows: "All Entities"

Entity Filter

  • Shows selected entities only
  • Focused, curated view
  • Badge shows: "Entity Filter: [Name]" or "Entity Filter ([N] entities)"

Creating a Entity Filter

Method 1: During Diagram Creation

  1. Click "Create New Diagram"
  2. Select the diagram type (Family Tree or Ownership)
  3. Choose "Create Entity Filter"
  4. Select entities to include:
    • Search by name
    • Filter by entity type
    • Select multiple entities
  5. Click "Create Diagram"

The system automatically creates a entity filter with your selected entities.

Method 2: From an Existing Diagram

  1. Open a diagram showing "All Entities"
  2. Click the "All Entities" badge in the header
  3. Click "Create Entity Filter"
  4. Select entities to include
  5. Click "Create Entity Filter"

The diagram now shows only the selected entities.

Managing Entity Filters

Adding Entities to a Entity Filter

There are several ways to add entities:

From the Entity Filter Badge:

  1. Click the "Entity Filter: [Name]" badge
  2. Click "Manage Entity Filter"
  3. Select additional entities
  4. Click "Save"

From the Canvas (Ownership Diagrams):

  1. Click the "+" button in the Available Entities stencil
  2. Drag an entity onto the canvas
  3. Entity is automatically added to the entity filter

From the Inspector Panel:

  • When creating relationships to entities outside the entity filter
  • The system prompts to add them automatically
  • Click "Add to Entity Filter" to include them

Removing Entities from a Entity Filter

Important: Removing an entity from a entity filter does NOT delete it from the database. It only removes it from this specific diagram view.

Method 1: Remove from Entity Filter (Inspector Panel)

  1. Click on an entity in the diagram
  2. In the inspector panel, click "⋮" (three dots)
  3. Select "Remove from Entity Filter"
  4. Entity disappears from the diagram but remains in the group

Method 2: Manage Entity Filter Dialog

  1. Click the "Entity Filter: [Name]" badge
  2. Click "Manage Entity Filter"
  3. Deselect entities to remove
  4. Click "Save"

Viewing Entity Filter Membership

To see which entities are in a entity filter:

  1. Click the "Entity Filter: [Name]" badge
  2. The dialog shows:
    • Total entity count
    • List of included entities by type
    • Search and filter options

Hide vs. Remove vs. Delete

Understanding the three entity actions is critical:

Hide from Canvas

  • Effect: Entity stays in entity filter but is not visible on canvas
  • Use When: Temporarily hiding entities to reduce clutter
  • Reversible: Yes, entity can be restored to canvas
  • Available in: Ownership diagrams (not yet in Family Tree)

Remove from Entity Filter

  • Effect: Entity is removed from this diagram's entity filter
  • Use When: Permanently excluding entities from this view
  • Reversible: Yes, can be re-added to entity filter
  • Data Impact: None - entity remains in group and database

Delete from Database

  • Effect: Entity is permanently deleted everywhere
  • Use When: Entity was created in error or is no longer needed
  • Reversible: No - cannot be undone
  • Data Impact: Deletes entity and all its relationships

Action Decision Tree:

Need to simplify diagram?
├─ Temporarily? → Hide from Canvas
├─ For this view only? → Remove from Entity Filter
└─ Everywhere? → Delete from Database

Advanced: System-Generated Names

Filter groups may use system-generated names internally. In most cases, you can provide your own descriptive names when creating entity filters.

What you see:

  • "Entity Filter: Operating Companies" in the UI

What the system may store:

  • System-generated reference for diagram-specific entity filters

Entity Filter Templates

New Feature: You can save any entity filter as a reusable template.

Templates let you:

  • Quickly create new diagrams with the same entity selection
  • Standardize entity groupings across your organization
  • Share common configurations with your team

Creating a Template from a Entity Filter

  1. Open a diagram with a entity filter
  2. Click the bookmark icon (📑) next to the entity filter name in the header
  3. Enter a template name and optional description
  4. Click "Save Template"

You can now apply this template when creating new diagrams.

Learn more: See Entity Filter Templates for complete documentation.

Entity Filter Snapshots

When you save a diagram version, the system captures:

  • The current layout (node positions)
  • The view settings (what links are shown)
  • The entity filter membership at that moment

This means restored versions show exactly the entities that were visible when you saved the version - even if the entity filter has changed since then.

Best Practices

When to Create a Entity Filter

Create a entity filter when:

  • Working with large groups (15+ entities)
  • Preparing client presentations
  • Focusing on specific sub-structures
  • Creating "before/after" comparison diagrams

When to Use "All Entities"

Use the full group view when:

  • Exploring relationships across the entire structure
  • Adding new entities and relationships
  • Comprehensive audit or review
  • Initial structure mapping

Entity Filter Naming Strategy

Give entity filters clear, descriptive names:

  • Clear diagram names (e.g., "Operating Companies - Current Structure")
  • Descriptive entity filter names (e.g., "Operating Entities Only", "Trust Beneficiaries")

Tip: If you find yourself creating the same entity filter repeatedly, save it as a template instead. See Entity Filter Templates.

Managing Multiple Entity Filters

For complex structures, create multiple diagrams with different entity filters:

Example: Smith Family Trust

  • Diagram 1: "Full Structure" (All Entities - 30 entities)
  • Diagram 2: "Operating Companies" (Entity Filter - 8 entities)
  • Diagram 3: "Trust & Beneficiaries" (Entity Filter - 12 entities)
  • Diagram 4: "Asset Holdings" (Entity Filter - 15 entities)

Each entity filter serves a different purpose while drawing from the same underlying data.

Common Questions

Can I use the same entity filter in multiple diagrams?

No. Each diagram has its own entity filter. However, you can:

  1. Create a new diagram
  2. Select the same entities
  3. This creates a new entity filter with the same membership

What happens if I delete an entity that's in a entity filter?

The entity is removed from:

  • The database
  • All groups
  • All entity filters
  • All diagrams

Use "Remove from Entity Filter" instead if you want to keep the entity but remove it from a specific view.

Can I see which entity filters an entity belongs to?

Currently, you can:

  1. Open the entity's detail page
  2. View the "Diagrams" section
  3. See all diagrams (and their entity filters) that include this entity

How do I convert a diagram from "All Entities" to a entity filter?

  1. Open the diagram
  2. Click the "All Entities" badge
  3. Select "Create Entity Filter"
  4. Choose which entities to include
  5. Click "Create Entity Filter"

The diagram now uses a entity filter. To revert, create a new diagram without a entity filter.

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