You can assign an analysis role, such as x, y, weight, or frequency, to a selected column and save the role with the data table. When you do this and then run an analysis, JMP uses the preselected role to automatically fill in the role boxes in windows. Then you do not have to specify these roles each time you run an analysis. For example, you might want a column named height to take the x role in every analysis of that data table. To enforce the x role, you assign the preselected role of x to the column.

When you select Freq, the values in that column are what JMP uses as the frequency of the observation. If n is the value of the Freq variable for a given row, then that row is used in computations n times. If it is less than 1 or is missing, then JMP does not use it to calculate any analyses.

When you select Weight, the values in that column provide weights for each observation in the data table. The variable does not have to be an integer, but it is included only in analyses when its value is greater than zero.

After you select the appropriate roles, icons in the Columns panel signify what roles have been assigned. Click the icon to access a list of roles and select a different one. See Icons Representing Column Characteristics and Properties in Get Started.