More Web Intelligence More Web Intelligence Tips and Tricks

MORE WEB INTELLIGENCEMORE WEB INTELLIGENCE TIPS AND TRICKSMichael Welter, BOCP-BOEWestbay Solutionsy

COPYRIGHT © 2007 BUSINESS OBJECTS S.A.

BREAKOUT INFORMATION

More Web Intelligence Tips and TricksNew to Web Intelligence or already experienced? Either wayNew to Web Intelligence, or already experienced? Either way, you're using one of the most powerful end-user reporting tools on the market, and now it's time to make an important investment in yourself. Attend this session, and learn about tips and tricks to y , pmake your Web Intelligence reports the envy of your coworkers. See several, sophisticated techniques demonstrated. Unlock the secrets of advanced report creation, and master this tool. Learn how to improve performance of reports during development, how to make templates, and much more.

Wednesda Oct 17 4 45pm 5 45pm room 314

COPYRIGHT © 2007 BUSINESS OBJECTS S.A.SLIDE 2

Wednesday, Oct 17, 4:45pm-5:45pm, room: 314Also Thursday, Oct 18, 8:00am-9:00am, room: 308CD1_21_350

AGENDA

1. Intro: What is Web Intelligence?2 Creating templates in Web Intelligence2. Creating templates in Web Intelligence3. A simple productivity tip4. Contexts and functions5. Folding a Web Intelligence report6. Displaying the best in a table7. Prompt for block type8. Prompt for section headers9 Special Date Formatting9. Special Date Formatting10.Q&A

SLIDE 3 COPYRIGHT © 2007 BUSINESS OBJECTS S.A.

WHAT IS WEB INTELLIGENCE?

A web based interface that enablesA web-based interface that enables users to do ad hoc

Reporting via the web and save reports to BusinessObjectsreports to BusinessObjects

Enterprise.


CREATING TEMPLATES IN WEB INTELLIGENCE

COPYRIGHT © 2007 BUSINESS OBJECTS S.A. SLIDE 5

CREATING TEMPLATES IN WEB INTELLIGENCE

Create a Public Folder called Templates

INTELLIGENCE

TemplatesGrant the Everyone group “View” accessModify access to allow “CopyModify access to allow Copy objects to other folders”

Create two simple documents, ith ll f ttiwith all formattingOne document will be landscape, save as “Landscape Template”One document will be portrait, save as “Portrait Template”

Save both documents in the


Save both documents in the Templates folder

A SIMPLE PRODUCTIVITY TIP


A SIMPLE PRODUCTIVITY TIP

While developing a large report, use Structure ViewAvoids the need for Web Intelligence to render the dataAvoids the need for Web Intelligence to render the data

Also, avoid Page Layout viewAvoids the need for Web Intelligence to calculate pages


CONTEXTS AND FUNCTIONS



Calculation Contexts: A Recurring ThemeMost of the time the default context works fineMost of the time, the default context works fineBut when it doesn’t, we need to understand how they workLet’s start will an Alerter based on an average



We need to have the overall average for each lineaverage for each line

Create a variable called “Average Revenue”FormulaFormula=Average([Sales

revenue])In Block

“In Block” changes the contextIn Block changes the context from the row to the block



Create the AlerterWhere “Sales Revenue” < “Average Revenue”Where Sales Revenue < Average Revenue



Next, Notice Store name has been truncatedbeen truncated

This was done with a simple Substring variable=Substr([Store

name];11;Length([Store gname]))



Finally, the prompt value shows up in titleshows up in title

This was done with a simple Concatenation variable="Revenue Report for

"+UserResponse("Enter pYear:")


FOLDING A WEB INTELLIGENCE REPORT



Folding is simply hiding the body, leaving only the headers and footers

REPORT

headers and footers



To hide the body, we will simply move the footer contents to the body

REPORT

contents to the bodyStart by creating variables for each footer itemCount of Categories: =Count([Category])

Count of Lines: =Count([Lines])

Sum of Revenue: =Sum([Sales revenue])

Sum of Qty Sold: =Sum([Quantity sold])y y

Next, replace the contents of the body with the variables



Finally, remove the Break Header and Break Footer, and display the Table Header

REPORT

display the Table Header


DISPLAYING THE BEST IN A TABLE



What was the best year, and the value for that year?

TABLE



OK, this was easy, but not in earlier versionsPlace a Break on Store name

TABLE

Place a Break on Store namePlace a Rank on Year, showing the top 1Remove the Breaker Header and Break FooterAdd th T bl H dAdd the Table Header

See how simple that was?See how simple that was?


PROMPT FOR BLOCK TYPE



Prompt for Table or Chart when refreshing a documentIn Desktop Intelligence this was easy with “Hide Block”In Desktop Intelligence, this was easy with Hide BlockBut we can make it work in Web Intelligence, too



We start in Universe Designer, and create aDesigner, and create a Prompt object

Disclaimer: This object will not parse, but will work when used withwork when used with other objects



Next, we create a query, using the new object

None of those objects are used in the reportCreate 2 variables for each universe object:Chart Year: =If(UserResponse("Display Data in

Table or Chart?")="Chart";[Year])

Table Year: =If(UserResponse("Display Data in Table or Chart?")="Table";[Year])

Create a table using the “Table” variables


Create a table using the Table variablesCreate a chart using the “Chart” variables


Set the Table and Chart to not be shown whento not be shown when empty

Place the chart on top of the table

OROR


PROMPT FOR SECTION HEADERS



Dynamically section a report based on Prompt responseRequires new objects in universe

HEADERS

Requires new objects in universe



Create query, using new objects

HEADERS

Run the query, selecting a different object for each section



Create a variable for each sectionSection 1 Object:

=If([Section

HEADERS

=If([Section 1]="Lines";[Lines];If([Section 1]="State";[State];[Year]))

Section 2 Object: =If([Section 2]="Lines";[Lines];If([Section 2] [ ] [ ])2]="State";[State];[Year]))

Section 3 Object: =If([Section 3] "Lines" [Lines] If([Sec3]="Lines";[Lines];If([Section 3]="State";[State];[Year]))

Finally section the report on the 3


Finally, section the report on the 3 new variables

SPECIAL DATE FORMATTING



There was a request on BOB to format dates on a report as 1st-22-2007Of course, this is not an available date formatThis required a series of variables:

Sale Date Text: =FormatDate([Sale Date];"MM dd yyyy")Sale Date – Text: =FormatDate([Sale Date]; MM-dd-yyyy )This simply converts the date to a character string

Month Text: =If(Left([Sale Date - Text];2)="01";"1st-";If(Left([Sale Date - Text];2)="02";"2nd-";If(Left([Sale Date - Text];2)="03";"3rd-Date - Text];2)= 02 ; 2nd- ;If(Left([Sale Date - Text];2)= 03 ; 3rd-";If(Left([Sale Date -Text];2)InList("04";"05";"06";"07";"08";"09");Substr([Sale Date -Text];2;1)+"th-";Left([Sale Date - Text];2)+"th-"))))

This formats the month portion of the dateFormatted Date: =[Month Text]+Substr([Sale Date - Text];4;7)

This concatenated the Month with the rest of the date.


Of course, it remains a character string



Q&A

QuestionsMichael Welter Sr BI Consultant Westbay Solutions GroupMichael Welter, Sr. BI Consultant, Westbay Solutions GroupI will repeat questions to ensure everyone can hear

C fContact [email protected](909)899-3002( )www.WestbaySolutions.com

SLIDE 34 COPYRIGHT © 2007 BUSINESS OBJECTS S.A.

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