BI 4.1 Quick Start Java User s Guide

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BI 4.1 Quick Start Java User’s Guide

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BI 4.1 Quick Start Guide ... 1

Introduction ... 4

Logging in ... 4

Home Screen ... 5

Documents ... 6

Preferences ... 8

Web Intelligence ... 12

Create a New Web Intelligence Document ... 13

Query Properties ... 15

Opening An Existing Web Intelligence Report in View Mode ... 18

Menu bar in Reading Tab ... 19

Menu Bar in Design Tab ... 19

Opening a Web Intelligence Report in Modify Mode ... 20

More about the Design Tab ... 20

Table ... 21

Heading ... 21

Report Elements ... 21

Formatting ... 21

Data Access ... 22

Analysis ... 22

Page Set up ... 22

Customising Reports ... 22

Tables ... 22

Adding object names ... 23

Adding Totals ... 24

**New Functionality** ‐ Copying Tables ... 24

**New Functionality** ‐ Formulas ... 24

**New Functionality** ‐ in User Response Prompts ... 25

**New Functionality** ‐ Hiding Dimensions ... 25

**New Functionality** ‐ Charts ... 26

**New Functionality** ‐ Fold/Unfold ... 26

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**New Functionality** ‐ Group Function ... 27

Training and Further Guidance ... 28

Appendix 1: Differences Between HTML and Applet (Java) Mode ... 29

Using Excel As A Data Provider ... 29

Conditional Formatting ... 33

Repoint Reports To A New Universe ... 35

Custom Number Format ... 37

Saving a Document to Excel 2007 ... 38

Add or Modify A Sub Query ... 39

Copy Table ... 40

Appendix 2: Client Specification and Browser/Java/OS Support ... 41

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Introduction

This document provides a brief overview of the new Business Intelligence 4.1 application to help users get started with it. It is a living document and will continue to be updated as feedback is received from users.

Logging in

When you access the new BI4 environment via the url https://www.bo.scot.nhs.uk/BOE/BI you will initially be presented with the screen below:

BI Launch Pad Login Screen

This is BI Launch Pad, which replaces the Infoview portal used in previous versions of Business Objects.

Navigation is different in this environment and will require a period of familiarisation. Guidance to allow users to get quickly become familiar with the main new features of navigation around the new

environment is provided in the sections below.

Please log in to BI Launch Pad, using the same login details as you used in BOXI 3.1.

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Home Screen

Once you have logged in you will be presented with the Home screen, shown below. You will notice that it is now possible to directly access your recently viewed and run reports via the My Recently User Documents and My Recently Run Documents panels. The Web Intelligence application, used to create and edit reports, can also be opened from this screen, as indicated. The Documents and Preferences options are indicated in red since they are covered in greater detail in the next two sections.

Home Tab

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Documents

Select the Documents tab as shown in the Home Screen screenshot above and as indicated below:

You will be presented with something similar to the screen below. Although similar in appearance to BOXI 3.1 there are two main differences to be aware of in this screen:

 in order to view Public Folders you need to click on the area indicated by “Access Public Folders here” in the Documents Tab screenshot .

 In order to access Web Intelligence to create or edit a report, you need to select Applications, then Web Intelligence and once the application opens choose the new document icon as shown in Web Intelligence Tab screenshot.

Documents Tab

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Web Intelligence

Further information on the new Web Intelligence layout is given in the Web Intelligence section below.

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Preferences

In order to set your Preferences or to check them, please select Preferences, indicated in red in the screenshot above. You will be presented with the screen below:

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If your preference is to initially be presented with Public Folders rather than My Favourites whenever you access the Documents tab, you can set up access to a particular folder in Preferences, as shown in the screenshot below. Make this selection if required and select Save.

Set up default folder access

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Next Scroll down to “Set document viewing location” and ensure that the option “In the BI Launch Pad portal as tabs” is selected and choose Save.

“In the BI Launch Pad portal as tabs”

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Select Web Intelligence and on the screen that appears and ensure that your settings are configured appropriately.

As with BOXI 3.1 there are two different modes for viewing and modifying reports, HTML and Applet (Java) mode. This guide details the features available when using Java for modifying reports and HTML for viewing. Java has a number of features that HTML does not. The main differences between Java and HTML are detailed in Appendix 1 below.

The screenshot below shows that HTML mode has been selected for viewing reports and Applet (Java) mode is being used for modifying reports. This combination gives a good mix of faster viewing and richer functionality for modifying. These selections have been used for creating this document. Make the selections appropriate to you and select Save & Close.

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Web Intelligence

When you access the Web Intelligence application in one of the ways described above, i.e. either via the Home Tab or the Documents Tab you will be presented with this screen:

Web Intelligence

Some of the functions of the icons in Webinelligence are given in this table:

Icon Description

Create a new document (Ctrl +N)

Open a document (ctrl +O)

Save menu (CTRL +S)

Print – Export to PDF for Printing (Ctrl +P)

Find text in tables and cells on page (Ctrl +F)

History – list of dates corresponding to the instances of the scheduled documents

Export v‐ PDF, Excel, CSV

Send to – Email , Inbox

Undo / Redo

Refresh – one or more data providers

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Track – Activate or deactivate tracking changes

Filter bar – Click to hide/show filter bar

Freeze – keep the header or a portion of the table visible while the rest of the table scrolls

Outline – shows or hides the outline option for folding and unfolding elements

Web Intelligence Icons

Create a New Web Intelligence Document

Click on

Options available with Java when creating a new document

You will see a list of potential data sources. Only Universe and Excel will be covered in this document.

For more information on other data sources please select the links in the section Training and Further Guidance.

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Selecting a universe from any available to you will return screen that looks like the one below:

Query panel

The functions of the icons in the Query Panel are given below:

Icon Description

Data Outline panel ‐ shows/hides the data panel (classes and objects)

Filter panel ‐ shows/hides the Query Filters panel

Data Preview Panel – shows/hides the preview panel

Scope of analysis panel – shows/hides scope of analysis panel (hidden in the view above)

Add a combined query

Query Properties – shows/hides the query properties

Select Universe and Click OK

Data Preview

This is a new section which allows you to see a sample of your data and how it will look when you refresh the report.

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View script – shows sql script generated by query

Add a sub‐query

Add a database ranking

Query Properties

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Creating a small query and clicking on Refresh in the Data Preview prior to refreshing the report shows how the report will look, very good for creating new reports and testing.

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Click Run Query

This opens a new application window and closes the query panel Your report has been created.

The screen presents differently from the BOXI 3.1 screen.

Save the report. Once you have saved it, icons which were previously greyed out will become available.

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Opening An Existing Web Intelligence Report in View Mode

As in BOXI 3.1, there are two ways to access a report in View mode ‐ you can either select a report and right click the mouse to produce a pop‐up context sensitive menu, from which you can select View:

...or you can double left click the selected report and it will open in View mode.

Once Web Intelligence opens you will see a screen something like the one below. Key areas of functionality are indicated. Of particular note is the new pin tab functionality, the new location of the Refresh icon and the two tabs Reading and Design.

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Web Intelligence Report in View Mode

The reports open by default on the Reading tab.

Menu bar in Reading Tab

(HTML/PDF)

Apply filters and drill in this tab.

The Design tab will be visible if you have the requisite rights and it allows a user to modify a report using either Java or HTML depending on the View preference set earlier.

Menu Bar in Design Tab

(View data/View Structure)

The Design tab contains the menus for manipulating and formatting the report on tabs at the top of the report where previously these would have been spread between the data panel and menu bars.

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Opening a Web Intelligence Report in Modify Mode

If you have the requisite rights to modify a report you can select a report and right click the mouse to produce a pop‐up context sensitive menu, from which you can select Modify:

This will open the Report on the Design tab, allowing you to modify it.

More about the Design Tab

Design mode can open in two ways: With Data or Structure only, which are self‐explanatory. You might chose to use Structure only when working with a large report because of the overhead involved in data being presented to the screen as you make structural changes.

In order to edit queries, once in Design mode you need to select the Data Access tab:

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You can then choose to Edit a query, which is a process very similar to the one in BOXI 3.1 and is similar to query creation outlined above in Create a New Web Intelligence Document.

Note the Data tab which is available when using Java. This provides underlying query details for the report.

In Design mode, clicking into a table or heading adds more toolbars:

Table

Heading

Report Elements

Tables and Cells – in BOXI 3.1 would have been shown on the Data Panel under the templates tab Section – allows you to insert a section.

Formatting

In BOXI 3.1 was In the Data Panel under properties.

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Data Access

In BOXI 3.1 these icons would have been on the menu bar.

Analysis

These icons would have been on the menu bar, there is one new icon in this section.

Page Set up

Contains the settings for formatting a page.

Customising Reports

Tables

Converting a vertical table into a crosstab report

click Turn into on the tools menu and select Cross Table.

Selecting the More Transformations options allows you to amend the columns and row headings to suit your requirements

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Report has no object descriptions

Adding object names

Highlight the table by clicking on top left hand corner (X) and Right click and select Format Table

Check Show object names

Object names are now visible

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Adding Totals

Highlight column with values

When you click Sum on a crosstab you get an Option Sum or Default Aggregation – (on a vertical table these would be the same)

**New Functionality** ‐ Copying Tables

We can now copy queries, variables, tables and charts from one Web Intelligence document to another.

When copying an object all the dependant objects are also copied.

 Select Table to copy

 Create a new document with no data source

 Paste the table in the report

 A new connection to the universe has been created when you copied the table and can be refreshed as required.

NB: This is only available in the Java interface/Rich Client

**New Functionality** ‐ Formulas

The formula language contains new functions and operators for working with hierarchical data.

Aggregate Returns the default aggregation of a measure and has additional parameters to specify a member set expression on a hierarchy

Depth Returns the depth of a member in a hierarchy Isleaf Determines if object is a leaf member

Parent Ancestor Children Descendants Siblings

Define a member set on a hierarchy

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Lag Range Before After Before after Self

Self after Self before Self before after

New operators for working with hierarchies

Min Max Sum Count Average

All have additional parameters to specify a member set expression on a hierarchy

**New Functionality** ‐ in User Response Prompts

A new operator has been added to the list of available operators called Prompts... the purpose of this is to allow the user to add the user response prompt easily without making errors in the prompt text.

**New Functionality** ‐ Hiding Dimensions

In BOXI 3.1 if you wanted to restrict/filter a column and then hide the column this would be done by formatting it in white and reducing the size of the column, a new formatting property has been added called Hide Dimension, right click on column and select hide/unhide as required.

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**New Functionality** ‐ Charts

Several new chart types have been introduced

 Pie chart with depth

 Scatter charts

 Bubble charts

 Box plot

 Heat map

 Tree map

And additional support for hierarchical display in charts

No longer need to go into structure mode to create/amend charts.

**New Functionality** ‐ Fold/Unfold

This is new in BI4 but was available in Deski version 6.5.

Create a sample report and add a section break:

In Design mode Select Interact > Outline

Two arrows appear, shown above underlined in Red

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The outer left arrow is used to perform actions on the block, the inner left arrow is used to perform actions on the section.

Clicking on the arrow at A461 hides the details

Clicking the arrow again “unhides” the details for A461

**New Functionality** ‐ Group Function

This functionality reduces the reliance on users creating their own grouping variables .

Select the values you wish to group together, click Group and rename as required

This functionality was available in the Deski version of Business Objects.

Click into a dimension column to place the grouping in Select Analysis tab – Group ‐ Manage Group

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Training and Further Guidance

Training videos to supplement the information in this guide can be found here:

Training Videos

An introductory document produced by SAP can be found here:

SAP Getting Started With Web Intelligence Guide

A complete guide to Web Intelligence can be found here:

SAP Web Intelligence User Guide

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or comments.

Repeat this exercise for other groups

A variable is created with the new groups which is editable ‐ you can move codes to other headings or rename etc.

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Appendix 1: Differences Between HTML and Applet (Java) Mode

The key differences between HTML and Applet (Java) are detailed in the table below:

Feature HTML Applet (Java)

Using Excel as a data provider no yes

Conditional formatting no yes

Re‐point reports to a new universe no yes

Custom number format no yes

Export a 2007 Document yes no

Save as 2007 Excel Document no yes

Add or modify a sub query no yes

Document Linking Wizard Yes No

Copy Table No Yes

Detail on how to access and make use of the Applet (Java) functionality referenced in this table are shown below.

Using Excel As A Data Provider

In order to use Excel as a data source you need to import a local Excel spreadsheet into BI4 by selecting New, then Local Document, as shown:

Browse for the Excel spreadsheet you created as a data source on your local computer earlier and add it to BI4 as shown. It will appear in the My Favorites folder and can then be used as a data source.

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In order to use Excel as a data source, open Web Intelligence and select the new document icon Select Excel as a data source:

On the next screen select the Excel file you want to use:

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Make any appropriate selections for your source in the next screen (e.g. whether the first row contains column names) and select OK:

The Query Panel is invoked showing a sample of the data in the Excel source and allowing to you to run a query using the Excel source:

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You can then format the report produced as you usually would:

c

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Conditional Formatting

Conditional Formatting allows you set alerts when values fall below or above specific thresholds.

You can access Conditional Formatting when in Design mode by selecting the Analysis tab, then the Conditional tab and choosing New Rule:

Set up a rule. This would normally be based on numerical values but just for the purposes of illustration if Health Board Name = “AYRSHIRE & ARRAN” cell contents will be displayed in red.

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Select the column to which the rule should be applied and apply the rule.

The appropriate value is highlighted in red text.

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Repoint Reports To A New Universe

In order to point reports to a different universe you use the Change Source Wizard. Note: this only works if objects in one universe can be mapped to equivalent objects in the new universe. Select the Data Access tab then the Tools and Change Source.

Select the query for you which you want to change the source.

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This invokes the Change Source Wizard. You need to select the option Specify a new data source and then Select a data source

Choose a new universe.

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Custom Number Format

In order to use custom number formats you need to select the Format tab then Custom.

Create an appropriate format, which you can then apply to your report as required.

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Saving a Document to Excel 2007

In order to save a report to Excel 2007 choose Save As.

This invokes the Save dialogue box. Choose a location on your own network or local machine, select the appropriate format and Save.

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Add or Modify A Sub Query

In order or add or modify a sub query you need to access the Query Panel by selecting Edit data provider:

Add a sub query by selecting a universe object on the left and then selecting the Add sub query option shown. Once the sub query has been created it can be edited.

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Copy Table

See the section **New Functionality** ‐ Copying Tables above for information on this functionality.

Links providing further information on the differences between Applet (Java) and HTML can be found here:

http://scn.sap.com/community/businessobjects‐web‐intelligence/blog/2014/04/27/web‐intelligence‐

41‐sp3‐applet‐java‐vs‐html

http://scn.sap.com/community/businessobjects‐web‐intelligence/blog/2015/01/07/differences‐

between‐the‐html‐query‐panel‐and‐the‐java‐query‐panel‐in‐web‐intelligence

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Appendix 2: Client Specification and Browser/Java/OS Support

Minimum official supported client hardware requirements are Dual Core CPU with 2GB RAM. However, since client workstations are running various other applications they should have at least 4GB RAM and a Pentium 4 class processor at or above 2.0 GHz.

Web Browser Java Version Windows Desktop

IE 8 Java 7, 8 Windows 7 SP1

IE 9 Java 7, 8 Windows 7 SP1

IE 10 Java 7, 8 Windows 7 SP1 +Windows 8

IE 11 Java 7, 8 Windows 7 SP1 + Windows 8.1

Firefox ESR 31.x Java 7, 8 Windows 7 SP1 + Windows 8 + Windows 8.1 Google Chrome As of release 45 no longer

supports technology required for Java applets

Windows 7 SP1 + Windows 8 + Windows 8.1