Segments

Create reusable filters for consistent data subsets

Segments are named, reusable filters that help your team consistently reference specific subsets of data. They ensure everyone uses the same criteria when analyzing groups like “Active Users” or “Premium Customers.”

Segments provide official definitions for important data subsets, making them easily accessible in the query builder.

What are segments

A segment is a special named filter or set of filters that defines a specific subset of your data. Segments help standardize how your team identifies and analyzes important groups.

Example use cases

User segments

Define “Active Users” with all necessary criteria (last login within 30 days, completed onboarding, etc.)

Product categories

Create segments for product lines, price tiers, or inventory status

Customer types

Segment customers by attributes like subscription tier, region, or lifetime value

Time-based groups

Define cohorts like “Q1 2025 Signups” or “Holiday Season Orders”

Accessing segment settings

Segments are managed through the admin panel’s table metadata interface.

1. Open admin settings

   Click the grid icon in the upper right

2. Select Admin

   Choose Admin from the menu

3. Navigate to Table Metadata

   Go to the Table Metadata tab

4. Open segments

   Click Segments at the bottom left

Creating a segment

Segments define the filters that select specific records from a table.

1. Start creating

   In the Segments tab, click the New segment button on the right side

2. Select the table

   Choose which table this segment will filter

3. Add filters

   Use the segment builder to add one or more filters. This works like the query builder but only includes filtering options

4. Name and describe

   Give your segment a clear name and description. These appear in the query builder filter dropdown

5. Preview (optional)

   Click Preview to test your segment in the query builder before saving

6. Save

   Click Save changes to make the segment available

The segment builder is a simplified version of the query builder focused exclusively on filters. You cannot add aggregations or groupings to segments.

Using segments in questions

Once created, segments appear at the top of the filter list when building questions on their associated table.

To apply a segment:

1. Start a new question or edit an existing one
2. Click the filter button
3. Select your segment from the top of the filter list
4. The segment’s filters are applied to your question

Segments are not automatically applied to tables—users must actively select them when building questions.

Segment visibility

When you save a segment, it becomes visible to all users who can access the table. The segment appears:

• In the filter dropdown when querying the table
• At the top of the filter list for easy access
• With its name and description to help users understand what it filters

Editing segments

Changes to segments affect all questions and dashboards that use them.

1. Find the segment

   Navigate to Admin > Table Metadata, select the table, and find your segment

2. Open edit menu

   Click the ellipsis (…) icon to the right of the segment name

3. Select Edit

   Choose Edit from the menu

4. Make changes

   Modify the filters, name, or description

5. Add a revision note

   Explain why you’re changing the segment. This context helps users understand the impact

6. Save changes

   Save your updates

When you edit a segment, Metabase notifies users who created questions or dashboards using that segment. They receive an email with your revision note explaining the changes.

Revision history

Metabase tracks changes to segments over time.

To view revision history:

1. Go to Admin > Table Metadata
2. Select the table containing your segment
3. Click the ellipsis (…) icon next to the segment
4. Choose View revision history

The revision history shows:

• Who made each change
• When the change occurred
• What was modified
• The revision note explaining why

Retiring segments

When a segment is no longer needed, you can retire it instead of deleting it.

1. Access segment actions

   Navigate to Admin > Table Metadata, find the segment, and click the ellipsis (…) icon

2. Select Retire

   Choose Retire from the menu

3. Confirm

   Confirm that you want to retire the segment

What happens when you retire a segment

Removed from filter list

The segment no longer appears in the query builder filter dropdown, preventing new uses

Existing questions still work

Questions and dashboards that already use the retired segment continue to function normally

Can be restored

Retired segments can be unretired if you need to make them available again

Retiring a segment does not break existing saved questions that depend on it. This makes retiring safer than deleting.

Best practices

Use descriptive names

Choose names that clearly indicate what the segment filters, like “Active Users” or “High-Value Customers”

Write clear descriptions

Explain the criteria in plain language: “Users who logged in within the last 30 days and completed their profile”

Keep filters simple

Avoid overly complex segments that might be confusing or too specific. Create multiple simple segments instead

Document changes thoroughly

When editing segments, write detailed revision notes explaining what changed and why

Review and retire unused segments

Periodically review segments and retire ones that are no longer relevant to keep the filter list clean

Test before saving

Use the Preview function to verify your filters work as expected before making the segment available

Segments vs. filters vs. metrics

Understanding when to use each feature helps keep your Metabase organized:

Feature	Purpose	Example
Segments	Reusable filters for data subsets	”Premium Customers”
Filters	Ad-hoc filtering in questions	”Created At is after 2024-01-01”
Metrics	Pre-defined calculations	”Total Revenue”

Use segments when multiple people need to filter data the same way repeatedly. Use regular filters for one-off analyses.

Permissions and access

Segment creation and editing requires admin access to the table metadata settings. Regular users can:

• View available segments in the filter list
• Apply segments to their questions
• See segment names and descriptions

For information about granting metadata editing permissions, see Table metadata permissions.

Further reading

Models

Create curated datasets as starting points for analysis

Metrics

Define official calculations for important business numbers

Table metadata

Learn about customizing table and column metadata

Filters in dashboards

Create interactive filters for dashboard users