In Web Intelligence query filters, which operator allows you to use wildcard patterns when defining filter conditions?

Introduction / Context:
When building Web Intelligence queries, you often need to filter data based on patterns rather than exact matches. For example, you may want to retrieve all customers whose names start with a certain sequence of letters, or all codes that follow a particular format. Web Intelligence provides specific operators that support wildcard pattern matching. Knowing which operator to choose is essential for flexible query design and is frequently tested in certification exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• You are working in the Web Intelligence Query panel and creating filters on character based dimensions.
• You want to use wildcard characters to match multiple values that share a pattern, not just one exact value.
• Operators such as Equals, Greater Than, Between, and In List are available, along with pattern based operators.
• The question asks which operator enables wildcard pattern matching.

Concept / Approach:
The Matches Pattern operator is specifically designed to allow wildcard patterns in filters. For example, you can use it to select all values that begin with certain characters, contain a substring, or match a particular format. Depending on configuration, wildcards such as percent or underscore may be used to express these patterns. This operator differs from Equals, which only accepts exact values, and from numeric comparison operators, which do not work with wildcard characters at all.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the need is for pattern based filtering, not for exact equality or numeric comparisons. Step 2: Recall that Web Intelligence includes operators named Matches Pattern and Different from Pattern for wildcard based conditions. Step 3: Recognise that the operator Matches Pattern is used when you want to retrieve values conforming to a specified wildcard pattern. Step 4: Compare the answer options and select the one that explicitly states that it allows use of wildcard characters and patterns. Step 5: Choose option a as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine you have a dimension Customer Code and you want all codes that start with the letters EU. In the Query panel, you can create a filter Customer Code Matches Pattern "EU%" using the appropriate wildcard character for your system. The result set will include all codes beginning with EU, regardless of what follows those letters. If you used Equals "EU", you would only get a single code with that exact value. This example demonstrates how Matches Pattern supports wildcard filtering and confirms that it is the intended operator.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b, Equals, does not support wildcard patterns; it requires an exact match. Option c, Greater Than, is a numeric comparison operator and cannot handle wildcard characters for strings. Option d, Between, is used to specify a range of values, typically for numbers or dates, and does not interpret wildcard symbols. Option e, In List, requires explicit listing of allowed values and does not use pattern matching; it is useful when you know the exact set of values rather than a pattern.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to attempt to use numeric or range based operators for string pattern matching, which leads to errors or unexpected results. Another mistake is to overuse In List with many explicit values instead of using a single wildcard pattern that could capture them all. For exam purposes and effective query design, remember that Matches Pattern is the operator you choose when you need wildcard based filtering in Web Intelligence queries.

Final Answer:
The operator that allows wildcard pattern matching in Web Intelligence query filters is Matches Pattern, which lets you use wildcard characters to match values that follow a specific pattern.