Using the New InfoAssist Tool for Ad Hoc Query and Reporting. John Osborn Information Builders

Transcription

1 John Osborn Information Builders Information Builders Summit 2008 User Conference June 2008 Author: John Osborn Company: Information Builders Presentation Title: Presentation Abstract: This lab will show how easy it is to create ad hoc queries using the new InfoAssist tool. You will be guided through InfoAssist's Web 2.0 features that enable you to create reports and charts. These will then be combined into boardroom quality PDF or PowerPoint documents. Page 1 of 18 5/4/2008

2 Business Need: WebFOCUS InfoAssist is a tool that enables you to generate reports and charts on the Web with little or no technical knowledge. Using a browser interface without any plug-ins, you can use InfoAssist to build, test, and deploy your ad hoc reports for personal or shared use. InfoAssist enhances the ease and speed of the standard WebFOCUS graphical development tools. Add this to the traditional power of WebFOCUS to access and process data so that you can invent your own reports and create useful information without the involvement of technologists. The data is presented according to your business model as represented in WebFOCUS metadata. It is then a simple matter of clicking on any element presented to you to add it to your report. It can then be manipulated and formatted according to your needs. This manipulation ensures that the output generated may be simple or complex. You may save work for later personal or shared use or for a WebFOCUS expert to enhance. Output types include a number of formats including standard HTML browser pages, formatted Excel Spreadsheets, Pivot tables, PDF documents and a number of charts. You may also save a subset of data for rapid reporting at a later stage or for performing more complex manipulations. Main Objectives for the InfoAssist Lab Experience the single, thin-client ad hoc reporting tool targeting Business Users Load and work with data represented as a business model Work with the cutting edge, familiar Office-like interface Create and save reports and charts with minimal clicks Personalize the tool to accommodate your requirements Save your work for later revision or execution Page 2 of 18 5/4/2008

3 Part 1 Creating a Basic Report 1 Accessing InfoAssist Instructions: 1. Login to WebFOCUS Dashboard 2. Expand My Reports and right click on Custom Reports to start InfoAssist: 3. The splash screen shows while loading the application components. InfoAssist is a Rich Internet Application using Ajax technology. 4. Once the components are loaded, you will see the InfoAssist Getting Started screen. Page 3 of 18 5/4/2008

4 5. Apart from providing training materials and how-to information that enable you to help yourself, the InfoAssist Getting Started screen guides you to your desired outcome. 6. Click on Build a Report. 2 Creating a simple report 1. Double click the GGSALES data source (or click on GGSALES to highlight it and click OK). Page 4 of 18 5/4/2008

5 2. The data is loaded and all toolbars are activated. Quick access toolbar Tabbed Multi-level Toolbar with icons in functional clusters Active Canvas Query Pane 3. Drag Region onto the Active Canvas. Page 5 of 18 5/4/2008

6 4. Double click Category and then Dollar Sales 5. Right click on Dollar Sales (on either the Query Pane or the Preview) When any field is highlighted, clicked or right-clicked, the Field Tab in the Multi-level Toolbar presents a visual of the properties set for that field. Options may be changed in the toolbar or on the right-click menu. 6. Click Bar Representation On 7. Now that we have a report template, click Run Run button Page 6 of 18 5/4/2008

7 8. The report is executed into a Single Tab using HTML as presented on the Status Bar Control for Output Windows When Single Tab is selected, each time the Run button is clicked, the report content is changed within the window represented by the single tab. To get multiple versions of a report or multiple reports to compare in many windows, a user can select to render the output to a New Tab each time a report is Run. Windows are organized using the Control for Output Windows shown above. If the interface is returned to the Single Tab output status, then the output content replaces that in the last executed tab. 9. Click on Single Tab on the Status Bar 10. Click on New Tab on the Menu Page 7 of 18 5/4/2008

8 11. On the Multi-level Toolbar select the Home Tab and click Chart 12. Click Run to get: Using the New Tab option enable you to select/resize/arrange/cascade the output Tabbed Windows for comparison or navigation purposes using the Navigation Toolbar using the Control for Output Windows. It also allows you to create multiple reports in a single session. Page 8 of 18 5/4/2008

9 3 Enhance the Report 1. Click the Live Preview button on the navigation toolbar to return to interactive mode. 2. On the Multi-level Toolbar select the Home Tab and click Report 3. Double click Product to add it into the report 4. Right Click on Dollar Sales and select Sort Descending 5. Drag DOLLARS on the Query Pane and drop it onto CATEGORY to sort Dollar Sales within Product. Page 9 of 18 5/4/2008

10 6. Click on Region to highlight it and then click on Filter on the toolbar to open the Filter dialog. 7. Select EQUAL to on the drop down Combo Box 8. You can now type values into the text box and add them by clicking the icon or you can fetch values to add to the filter. You can use Wildcards in the text box. 9. We ll fetch values by clicking on Values on the toolbar then click Fetch All Values from Source. 10. Click Northeast and Southeast to add it to the Selection Values 11. Click Apply in the toolbar 12. Click Region to highlight it and then click Subtotal on the toolbar 13. We want recalculated subtotals, so click Advanced then click Recomputed Sub Totals Page 10 of 18 5/4/2008

11 14. Click Data tab then click Summary in the Calculation cluster 15. Type Ratio over Compute_1 and double click DOLLARS and BUDDOLLARS then enter / between the fields 16. Click OK 17. Click Run Page 11 of 18 5/4/2008

12 18. Click State, hold down the shift key and click City then drag the two fields and drop them onto Region (notice that a red line indicates the drop target). 19. The Live Preview Pane now looks like this: 20. Click View 21. Click Query Design 22. Change the Query View by clicking Areas 2x2 and then click Report Head/Foot 23. Click in the Report Heading area and type Sales East 24. Click Home 25. Expand the Heading area by clicking the expand button, add a new line and click Quick Text in the Snippets cluster and choose a Date format, e.g. 26. Click Run Page 12 of 18 5/4/2008

13 27. Right-click the Filter and click Open 28. Click Prompt on the Toolbar and click Prompt for Data Values (Dynamic) 29. Click Allow Multiple Values for Prompt 30. Click Apply 31. Click Run Page 13 of 18 5/4/2008

14 4 Using different Formats 1. Click the Format tab 2. Click Freeze 3. Click Run Freeze locks Titles and adds scrolling We can now scroll the report without losing the column titles 4. Click Table of Contents 5. Right-click the Filter and click Remove (this enables you to reinstate the filter later if desired) 6. Click Run Page 14 of 18 5/4/2008

15 The Table of Content feature enables simple navigation of a report. Double click the icon and select an option to navigate to it. If you hide the Table of Contents menu, bring it back by Double Clicking anywhere on the report. 7. Click Active Report 8. Click Table of Contents 9. Click Run 10. Click Excel 11. Click Table of Contents 12. Click Repeat Sort Value 13. Click Run Page 15 of 18 5/4/2008

16 14. Click PowerPoint 15. Click Run Page 16 of 18 5/4/2008

17 4 Changing Application Options 1. Click the Globe to open the Application menu. 2. Click Options to bring up the User Preferences dialogue. The tool can be customized to use your preferences every time it loads. Customizing the tool allows you to focus quickly on your most common tasks and may speed up your work. It also lets you set site standards, international features, etc. Page 17 of 18 5/4/2008

18 3. Click Save to save your favorite output Congratulations! You re done! Page 18 of 18 5/4/2008