Build Your Own Prompt and Prompt Page

Create your own prompt and prompt page to control how they appear in a report.

Note: The Promotion Success sample report in the GO Data Warehouse (analysis) package includes a prompt page.

Procedure

  1. In the navigation menu, click Report and then click Prompt pages.
  2. Click the Toolbox icon toolbox icon, and drag Page to the Prompt pages box.
  3. Double-click the page you just created.
  4. Click the Toolbox icon toolbox icon, expand Prompting, and then drag one of the following prompt controls to the prompt page.

    Prompt control

    Description

    Text box prompt

    Retrieves data based on a value that users type.

    Use this control when users know exactly what value they want to enter, such as a name or account number.

    Value prompt

    Retrieves data based on values that users select from a list.

    Use this control to show a list of possible values from which users can choose.

    Note: The maximum number of items that can appear in a list is 5000.

    Select & search prompt

    Retrieves values based on search criteria that users specify. Data is then retrieved based on values users select from the search results.

    Use this control instead of a value prompt if the list of values is very long, which can slow down performance.

    Tip: Users have the option of performing a case sensitive or case insensitive search. A case sensitive search is faster, while a case insensitive search usually returns more values.

    You cannot use this control if you are working with SAP BW data sources.

    Date prompt

    Retrieves data based on a date that users select.

    Use this control to filter a date column. Users can retrieve data for a specific day, a set of days, or a range of days.

    Time prompt

    Retrieves data based on a time that users select.

    Use this control to restrict a report to a particular time or time range. For example, users can see how many orders are received after business hours. Users can then use this information to determine the number of staff needed to work after hours.

    Date & time prompt

    Retrieves data based on a date and time that users select.

    Use this control to filter a datetime or timestamp column. This control is useful for specifying ranges. For example, users can retrieve all orders received from Monday at 12:00 a.m. to Friday at 5:00 p.m.

    Interval prompt

    Retrieves data based on a time interval that users specify.

    Use this control to retrieve data that is related to the passage of time. For example, users can retrieve a list of products that were returned 30 or more days after they were purchased.

    Tree prompt

    Retrieves data based on values that users select from a list. Values are organized hierarchically.

    This control is useful when you are working with dimensional data sources. Data is shown from the top of a dimension hierarchy to the most detailed member, and users can choose the level of detail they want to view in the report. For more information about tree prompts, see Control the Data That Appears in a Tree Prompt.

    Tree prompts let you page through large numbers of prompt values with a More link at the bottom of the tree.

    Generated prompt

    Selects a prompt control based on the data type of the data item.

    This control acts like a placeholder. When users run the report, the control is replaced by the appropriate prompt control. For example, if users are prompted for date values, the control is replaced by a date & time prompt.

    The Prompt Wizard dialog box appears.

  5. If you are creating a text box, date, time, date and time, interval, or generated prompt, do the following:
    • Create a new parameter for the prompt or use an existing or global parameter.
    • Click Next.
    • If you created a new parameter, define the expression by selecting a data item from the package and the operator to use.
      Tip: Make the prompt optional by selecting the Make the filter optional check box.
    • Go to step 7.
  6. If you are creating a value, select & search, or tree prompt, do the following:
    • Create a new parameter for the prompt or use an existing or global parameter.
    • Click Next.
    • If you created a new parameter and you want to use the parameter to filter data, select the Create a parameterized filter check box and define the expression by selecting a data item from the package and the operator to use.

      If you are creating a tree prompt, you must choose in in the Operator box.

      You can also use a parameter to provide a value for a layout calculation, such as showing a user's name in the report. When the report is run, you can use a parameter to prompt the user to type his name and have it appear in the report.

      Tip: Make the prompt optional by selecting the Make the filter optional check box.
    • Click Next.
    • If you created a parameterized filter and you have more than one query defined in the report, select the check box for the query on which to filter and click Next.
    • Select the Create new query check box to create the query that will be used to build the list of data values shown when the report is run.
      Tip: Do not create a new query if you want to link the prompt to an existing query or if you intend to create the query at a later time.
    • Click the ellipsis button beside Values to use and click the data item on which to prompt.
    • To choose a data item that is different than what users will see when they are prompted, click the ellipsis button beside Values to display and click the data item.
    • To create a cascading prompt, in the Cascading source box, click the parameter that represents the cascade source.
  7. Click Finish.

Results

The prompt control is added to the prompt page. A prompt page is like a report page. You can insert graphics and text and apply formatting.

You can also modify the properties of the prompt control by clicking it and making changes in the Properties pane.