Document Properties in Spotfire

 Curious Learner TLDR:

You can watch the full tutorial video below.

• What Document Properties Are: They are simple values you store inside a Spotfire dashboard. Think of them like little “sticky notes” that your visuals can read and react to.

• Why They Matter: Changing one property can update charts, filter data, change titles, or adjust calculations instantly. It makes your dashboard feel interactive instead of static.

• What You Can Do With Them: You can build custom filters, switch between different views, pass inputs into Python or R, trigger scripts, and even create mini app-like experiences inside Spotfire.

Spotfire Document Properties: Your Dashboard’s Hidden Superpower

If you have been using Spotfire for a while, you already know how flexible it is. But there are parts of the platform that most people never touch. Document properties are one of those features.

Most users recognize the menu, but very few realize how powerful these properties can be once you start using them the right way. They are often the difference between a static dashboard and something that feels more like an interactive internal application.

This is the first part of a larger series on advanced Spotfire capabilities. Today we are starting simple with document properties. They are the foundation that makes the more advanced features possible.

Think of a document property as a variable. It is just a value you store that Spotfire can reference in many different areas.

What Document Properties Actually Are

A document property is a typed value stored inside your analysis.

You can create them under:

File → Document Properties → Properties

Assign a name, choose a type such as string, integer, real, currency, date, or boolean, give it a default value, and you are set.

Once the value exists, you can use it in:

• Calculated columns
• Custom expressions
• Data limiting expressions
• Text areas
• Chart titles
• Python or R data functions
• IronPython scripts
• Config or admin tabs that control your entire dashboard

This creates a single source of truth that your visuals and logic can reference.

Performance Considerations

Document properties update instantly, but keep these notes in mind:

• Recalculating across millions of rows can slow things down
• Chained calculated columns compound the cost
• Avoid overusing document properties inside heavy expressions

Used in the right places, they perform very well. Just be mindful of where they fit in larger datasets.

Wrapping Up

Document properties are one of the most underrated features in Spotfire. They seem simple at first, but once you start using them, they unlock:

• Dynamic calculated columns
• Custom expressions
• User-driven filters
• Data limiting expressions
• Dynamic titles
• Data function inputs
• IronPython script triggers
• Theme switches
• Admin-control panels
• App-like functionality

If you ever feel limited by what Spotfire allows out of the box, document properties are usually the path forward.

This is the first part of a deeper series. We will cover custom expressions, over functions, data functions, and IronPython in upcoming pieces.

If you want help designing internal Spotfire tools or leveling up your dashboards, feel free to reach out at info@aai.agency.