About filters and filter chains

A filter chain is a set of filters that Ion Reporter™ Software uses to narrow the list of variants that are included in analysis results and visualizations. Filter chains are also available in analysis workflows.

You can select a filter chain when you view analysis results or visualizations to change the variants that are included. If you save the filter chain to an analysis result or visualization, the variants that are included reflect the filtered results when the analysis results or visualization is later opened. If you apply the filter chain temporarily, you can review the results before you decide whether to save the updated analysis results, or discard the changes. In either case, you can download a VCF file of the variants that are shown in the analysis results.

Ion Reporter™ Software includes predefined filter chains that you can apply to analysis workflows, analysis results, or visualizations. Most predefined analysis workflows include default filter chains, which you can change. If you add a filter chain to an analysis workflow, or change the default filter chain in an analysis workflow, the list of variants is filtered when the analysis workflow is launched. For more information, see Change the default filter chain for an analysis workflow.

You can also create custom filter chains that are built from predefined filter chains, or one or more filters. The filters are based on public and proprietary annotation sources and data types that are included in Ion Reporter™ Software. For more information, see Annotation source filters and Data type filters. After you create a custom filter chain, you can add it to an analysis workflow, or apply to analysis results or visualizations.