You assign dimensions to the columns and rows of data forms by selecting the
dimensions from the drop-down lists of the Row/Column Layout tab. For each dimension, you select the preferred members. You then set the properties of the dimensions and members on the columns and rows. For row and column members, you can select segment properties. Column and row properties include showing a member name or alias, starting with the hierarchy expanded, suppressing missing data, and setting column width. For rows, you can also select to suppress missing blocks, suppress missing data, and allow users to add rows dynamically.
When you are setting the data form layout, keep the following items in mind: • You must select at least one member for each dimension.
• A data form must have at least one dimension assigned to the row axis and one dimension assigned to the column axis.
• To move a dimension from one axis to another, delete it from the source axis and select it for the destination axis.
Data form designers, when considering how to set up data forms, need to consider dimension composition. For columns, data form designers should use dimensions and members that business users are most likely to need to view. For example, the Period dimension—which represents months, quarters, years, or custom time periods—is typically set up on the columns. For rows, data form designers should use dimensions and members that contain a more expansive list of members. For example, the Account, Customer, and Product dimensions typically work well on the rows.
Setting Up Segment Properties
Segments are areas of data forms with special properties, such as separator lines for columns and rows and hidden or read-only data. You can define segments for
asymmetric rows and columns. For example, you can set segment properties in an asymmetric row or column to read-only or to hide members. You can also suppress the hierarchy so row definitions are not indented and columns do not include line breaks. You can select options for segment properties as described in the following table:
Setting Column Properties
The following table shows the options for column width on a data form:
Option Description
Hide Hide the segment so it is not displayed on the data form
Suppress Hierarchy For columns, do not display line breaks For rows, do not display indentation
Read only Create a read-only segment in the data form to enable comparison of old, read-only data with new, editable data Show Separator Create a bold border before the segment to visually distinguish
parts of the data form
Apply to All Segments Apply these settings to all columns in segments
Column Width Description
Small Displays columns 50 pixels wide (approximately 7 decimal places) Medium Displays columns 75 pixels wide (approximately 10 decimal
If the selected column width is less than the width of the column contents, the excess data is hidden from view until the column is widened. While hidden, the data is stored and calculated in the data form in the same way as data that is not hidden.
Regardless of the column width setting that is selected in the data form properties, you can adjust column width while you are viewing a data form. Saving or refreshing the data form saves the adjusted column width for the remainder of the session.
When you print from the data form page, all columns, including minimized columns, regardless of their width setting, are printed at a width that is based on the printing options that are selected for page size and columns per page.
The following table describes column width tasks that are available for data forms when you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer:
Large Displays columns 100 pixels wide (approximately 13 decimal
places)
Size-to-Fit Forces all column headings to fit in the displayed space
Custom Enables you to enter a pixel width value of up to 999 (greater than 13 decimal places)
Task Action
Resize column width Drag the column heading.
Minimize column width Click the column heading and select Minimize, or double-click the column heading.
Restore a minimized
column Right-click the minimized column heading and select Restore,or double-click the minimized column heading. Restore all minimized
columns Right-click any column heading, and select Restore All. Reset all column widths to
the data form definition default property setting
Right-click any column heading, and select Reset All to Default.
You can set row properties for data form rows. The following table describes the options that you can set on rows in data forms:
Option Description
Suppress missing blocks When suppressing a large number of rows, such as 90% or more, select this option to enhance performance of the “Suppress missing data” setting. If few or no rows are suppressed, the “Suppress missing blocks” setting can degrade performance. Hyperion recommends that you test data forms before and after using this setting to determine whether performance is improved. You should also test data forms whenever you make significant changes to your application.
With this setting, data forms may not display attributes. Also, certain suppressed blocks may ignore Dynamic Calc
members.
Suppress missing data Select this option to suppress missing data. Selecting this option hides rows without data. If at least one cell of a row has a data value, then the row is not suppressed. Clear this option to display rows that contain only cells for which data is missing; the cells display #missing. You cannot
simultaneously select “Suppress missing data” and “Allow users to dynamically add rows.”
Allow users to dynamically
add rows Select this option to enable users who have Write access to the data form to dynamically change and refresh the data form’s definition by adding rows. Members that users can access are displayed on the data form. You cannot
simultaneously select “Allow users to dynamically add rows” and “Suppress missing data.”