Initializing help system before first use

Managing Target Variables in Decision Trees

You can define and manage multiple target variables for your decision tree. However, you can only designate one target definition as the primary target.

The Targets panel lists the target variables you defined for the decision tree. You expand and collapse this panel by clicking the panel column heading. Multiple target definitions can be used to explore your data.

  1. Access the decision tree editor via the Attachments dialog or as invoked by your Xpress Insight app.
  2. Click the Targets column heading to expand the panel.
  3. Complete the appropriate steps for the target variable operation you select:
    Note A tree recount automatically occurs after you select a new target variable or edit an existing target definition. The recount also updates the counts of the Profile, Leaf, and Treatment views.
    Operation Steps

    Select a new target variable

    1. From the topmost field of the panel, select a target variable from the drop-down list.

      If the variable you want to use is not listed, check you have defined it as a categorical profile variable. For more, see Identifying Variables in Decision Trees.

    Add a target variable

    1. Click the pencil button to open the Select Targets window.

      Select Targets button

    2. From the left panel (Available Variables), add one or more target variables to the right panel (Selected Variables) by double-clicking the variables or selecting the variables and clicking >.
    3. Click FINISH to add the target variables to the Targets panel.
    Note The Split icon becomes enabled where you can insert a split on any target variable defined in the Targets panel.

    Split icon

    Remove a target variable

    Caution Removing a target variable permanently removes it from the Targets panel. All references in the tree nodes where the target is used to make a split and all statistics associated with the target definition are removed.
    1. From the left panel, select the target definition you want to remove.
    2. Click the remove button to remove the selected target variable.

      Remove Selected Target Variable button

    3. At the confirmation dialog box, click DELETE to apply your changes.

    Filter target variables

    1. From the left panel, click in the Filter targets field and enter one or more characters.

    The list of targets dynamically refreshes based on the filter.

Parent Topic Manipulating Decision Trees