Data Warehouse. Business Objects

Transcription

1 Data Warehouse Business Objects Power User: Querying [DW POWER USER] The data warehouse, at Booth, is used to store, retrieve and create reports for data at Booth. The first release of the warehouse contains admission and student data. It will be expanded, using a phased approach, to include all data on the lifecycle of a student; from prospective student to alum.

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3 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 What is Business Objects, Web Intelligence and Data Warehouse?... 1 Why do we have the DW?... 1 Required Software to Access and Use with BO and WebI... 2 Login to BO... 2 BO Dashboard Overview... 3 Launch WebI... 3 Query Panel Overview... 6 Build a Query... 7 Restrict a Query Query Filters Using Prompts to Restrict Data Complex Filters Edit a Document Save a Document Print a Document Share a Document Export a Document Designing, Organizing and Filtering Reports Vocabulary Used Throughout this Manual

4 The Booth data warehouse is used to store, retrieve and create reports for data at Booth. The first release of the warehouse contains admission and student data. It will be expanded, using a phased approach, to include all data on the lifecycle of a student; from prospective student to alum. Introduction What is Business Objects, Web Intelligence and Data Warehouse? Business Objects (BO) is the web-based platform which will present a consolidated view of Booth s data in a secure, focused and personalized view. Web Intelligence (WebI; pronounced webby) is the application Booth users will utilize, within BO, to generate and view reports of data. Data Warehouse (DW) is the virtual world where all of the data will be stored for access through BO and WebI. What is the Purpose of the DW? The overall purpose of the DW project is to simplify the reporting process as well as ensure the accuracy, completeness, timeliness and accessibility of Booth data while keeping it in one secure, accessible location. Having a data warehouse will allow end users 1. Self-service functionality which will enable them to produce ad hoc queries and reports through an easy-to-use reporting tool. 2. Data from our current and legacy applications will be consolidated into a consistent format accessible from a single reporting environment, potentially allowing Booth to eliminate these applications and/or databases (i.e. Ingres, GTS Replication and Apply Direct). Approval for the deletion of an application or database will be obtained by the business owner(s) prior to the deletion. 3. Data accuracy will be improved by identifying which system is the authoritative source. 4. Booth IT will work with the business users to determine how to standardize data items to provide consistency. For example, International Business Machines may be stored consistently as IBM in the data warehouse. 5. The clean data from the data warehouse will assist Booth users to easily and quickly answer questions and make decisions. 6. Ability to track history and information of students through their life-cycle, from prospective student through to alumnus. 7. Analyze factors or predictors of student/alumnus success, i.e. do students who have a particular professor become more successful than students who don t have the professor; analyze if we have the right criteria for admissions. 8. Once we identify successful students, determine what they had in common, i.e. what courses did they take, who were the faculty members, what was their undergraduate degree, etc. 1

5 Required Software to Access and Use with BO and WebI 1. Windows 7 is supported for use of BO and WebI, However, MacOS + Safari present compatibility issues. A preference change is needed in order to use the DW on a Mac. 2. BO and WebI perform best with IE or Firefox. Chrome presents issues with some functionality, at the current time. 3. Java versions recommended to run reports in WebI. a. Version 7 update 25. b. Version 6 update 45. Vocabulary Used Throughout this Manual 1. Class logical groupings of related objects. 2. Query an inquiry which will produce a result. 3. Context the predefined relationship between tables in the data warehouse. 4. Predefined Query Filter used to restrict data returned by an object in a query. 5. Layer presents a view of the data available in the warehouse. 6. Universe representation of the data contained in the warehouse that can be accessed. This is where you will interact with the data contained in the warehouse. 7. Object - elements in a universe that map to a specific set of data in a database. 8. Dimension retrieves the data that provides the basis for analysis in a report. Dimension objects retrieve character-type data. i.e. names, addresses, school name, program, dates, section, etc. 9. Measure numeric data that is a result of calculations on data in the database. i.e. max GPA, min GPA and average GPA. 10.Attribute descriptive data about a dimension. Login to BO After obtaining training and access, login to BO from the portal. 1. Open a web browser. 2. Point it to: 3. Login with your Booth ID and password. a. Locate the Business Objects portlet on the left. 4. Click on the Data Warehouse icon. If you are off campus or connected via the wireless network connection, login to the Booth VPN ( is required to access the Data Warehouse. 2

6 BO Dashboard Overview Launch WebI 1. Once in BO, on the right under My Applications, click on the WebI icon. WebI launches in a new window. 2. From the Web Intelligence toolbar, click on the new icon. 3. From the Create a new Web Intelligence Document popup, select Universe. 4. Click on the OK button. 3

7 5. From the Universe pop-up, click on the Booth Data Warehouse.unx universe. 4

8 6. Click on the Select button. The WebI application opens. 5

9 Query Panel Overview The first time you access the Query Panel to create a query, you will need to select a Universe Layer. Your view will look similar to this: Click on the small arrow between the Universe outline and the search field to display the Layers in which you have access to select. 6

10 Build a Query When building a query, follow these general guidelines to create the basic query. We will get into filtering and restricting later in the guide. 1. From the left pane, select the Universe Layer to access the type of data you want to use in your query. 2. From the left, drag (or double-click) on the object(s) you need, to add them to the Results objects panel. 3. To add all objects in a Class (i.e., Program), drag the Class to the Results Objects panel 4. On the top right, click on the Run Query button. 7

11 Example Query to Create Below is a sample query we will build during training. Scenario 1: Count the number of applicants by race, where program is equal to Evening MBA or Weekend MBA and application round contains

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13 Solution Steps to Scenario 1: 1. From the Web Intelligence toolbar, click on the button. 2. Select Universe then click on the OK button. 3. Select the Booth Data Warehouse.unx universe then click on the Select button. 4. Click on the + next to the Applicant object to expand. 5. Add the Count of Applicants measure to the query. a. Click and drag the object to the Result Objects pane. b. Double-click on the object. 6. Click on the + next to the Personal Information object to expand. 7. Add the Applicant Racial Group to the report. a. Click and drag the object to the Result Objects pane. b. Double-click on the object. 8. Click on the + next to the Program Object to expand. 9. Add the Program Name to the report. a. Click and drag the object to the Result Objects pane. b. Double-click on the object. 10. Click on the + next to the Application Process object to expand. 11. Add the Application Round Name to the report. a. Click and drag the object to the Result Objects pane. b. Double-click on the object. Now we need to restrict what we are displaying in the report; we will use a query filter to accomplish this. 12. From the Result Objects pane, drag the Program name object to the Query Filters and drop it. a. Select the In List Operand. b. Click on the dropdown and select List of Values i. Double-click on Evening MBA to add to the selected Value(s). ii. Double-click on Weekend MBA to add to the selected Value(s). c. Click on the OK button. Next, we need to add the Application Round Name object to the Filters using the And operator. 13. From the Result Objects pane, drag the Application Round Name object to the Query Filters and drop it. a. Select the In List Operand. b. Click on the dropdown and select Values from List. i. Select all values with Evening 2012 or Weekend 2012 in it and move to the Selected Value(s) pane. 10

14 1. Highlight all entries with 2012 in them and click on the > to move to the Selected Values pane. ii. Under the Data Preview pane, click on the Refresh button. iii. Your data is displayed. 14. Click on the Run query button to view the report. a. The report appears. b. Expand the columns (similar to how you do in Excel) to view all the contents in the column. c. Reorder the columns by dragging them to where you would like them. 15. Save the report. 11

15 Restrict a Query Restricting a query allows you to limit the amount of data that is retrieved from the warehouse and returned in your report. Restricting using a query filter allows you to focus on only the data you need to answer a specific question. Query Filters You can limit the data you do not want specific users to see when they access the document. You minimize the quantity of data returned in the document to optimize performance. 1. Types of Filters. Predefined Query Filter A predefined query filter is built into the universe. You will see it marked with a yellow triangle icon. Single and Multi-Value Filters a. From the Query Panel, select the object you want to filter on and drag it to the Query Filters panel. b. Click the arrow next to the bulleted list button to the far right of the filter definition and select an operand. c. The list of values for the selected object is retrieved from the database and is displayed in the list of values dialog box. 12

16 d. In the List of Values dialog box, select the item you want to use to filter and double-click it. e. This moves the selected item to the Selected Value(s) pane of the List of Values dialog box. f. Click on the OK button. g. Click the Run Query button to generate a report based on your query and Query Filters. 2. Components of a Query Filter. a. Object the object on which you want to filter data. i. Graduation Year, Program, School Start Date, etc. are all Objects. b. Operator the object value used for filtering. i. Equals to ii. Different from iii. Greater than iv. Greater than or equal to v. Less than vi. Less than or equal to vii. Between viii. Not between ix. In list x. Not in list xi. Is null xii. Is not null 13

17 xiii. Matches pattern xiv. Different from pattern xv. Both xvi. Except c. Operand the relationship between the object and operator. Using Prompts to Restrict Data Prompt is a query filter that requires the report user to select the data values that the query returns at each refresh. You can design a prompt to allow users to manually enter data or to select from a list of values. Prompted Filter You can use the Prompt Operand to prompt the user to enter additional data. Create a Prompt in a Report 1. In the query panel, drag the objects to the query filters panel. 2. Click the Operand Type drop-down arrow and select Prompt from the menu. 3. Between the Prompt text field and the Operand type button, click on the Parameter Properties button. 4. Click on the OK button. 5. Click on the Run Query button. 6. Save the document, if desired. Editing a Prompt in a Report 1. In the query panel, drag the objects to the query filters panel. 2. Click the Operand Type drop-down arrow and select Prompt from the menu. 3. To edit the prompt text, type new text in the Prompt text field. 4. To set a default prompt value, click on the Set default values in the Parameter Properties box. 14

18 5. Click on the OK button. 6. Save the document, if desired. Complex Filters A complex filter will allow you to focus on precisely what you want to see. You may need to apply more than one filter. Query Filters Panel Filter Operator Types 1. And is used when both conditions defined in the two filters must be met for data to be returned in a query. 2. Or is used when either one of the other of the conditions defined in the filters must be met for data to be returned in the query. 3. The result of combining two or more filters can be visually represented by using a Venn diagram. 15

19 Create a report using the AND operator 1. Create a new query and drag the appropriate objects to the Results Objects panel. 2. Select an object on which you want to filter the query and drag it to the Query Filters panel. 3. In the Operator drop-down list, select the appropriate operator for the filter. 4. Click the Operand type drop-down and click the appropriate operator. 5. If you selected the Value(s) in List operator, select the appropriate values from the list and add them to the selected Value(s) zone. 6. Click on the OK button. The Query Filters panel displays the filter you just defined. 1. Create a second query filter by dragging an additional object to the Query Filters panel. 2. In the operator drop-down list, select the appropriate operator for the filter. 3. Click the Operand type drop-down and click the appropriate operator. 4. If you selected the Value(s) in List operator, select the appropriate values from the list and add them to the Selected Value(s) zone. 5. Click on the OK button. WebI automatically applies the AND operator the first time you create a second filter. 6. Click on the Run Query button. Create a report using the OR operator 1. Create a new query and drag the appropriate objects to the Results Objects panel. 2. Select an object on which you want to filter the query and drag it to the Query Filters panel. 3. The query must use at least two query filters to use the OR operand. 4. Click the Operand type drop-down and click the appropriate operator for each of the query filters. 5. Group the query filters, as required. 6. When required, click the operators grouping the query filters to switch between the operator values AND and OR. 7. Click on the Run Query button. Prioritize Operators By positioning the query filter statements and deciding how to group them together, you define which filters will be processed first. The positioning and grouping of the filters depends on the logic of the information you are trying to retrieve. 1. Create a query in the Query Panel. a. Use several query filters, group and prioritize. 16

20 2. In the Query Filters panel, drag and drop the query filters in the order you want them to display in your report. 3. Drag a query filter on top of another to group the filters together. 4. Double-click the operand names to switch them between AND and OR to create the desired priority. 5. The grouping of the query filters, represented by the brackets, determines which query filters will be processed first. 6. Click on the Run query button. Wildcards in Query Filters Wildcards are used to search for partial values rather than the entire value. They will allow you to limit your search. 1. An underscore (_) is used for any single character in a string. 2. A percent sign (%) is used for any number of characters in a string. How to use a wildcard: 1. In the Query Panel, drag the object you want to use to build a filer into the Query Filters panel. 2. Click on the Operator Type drop-down arrow and select the operator you want to use for your filtering. 3. Check the filter definition text box and type the wildcard pattern you want to use. 4. Click on the Run query button. 5. Save your query, if desired. Edit a Document 1. Open a saved document. 2. From the right, click on the Design tab 3. Click on the Data Access tab. 4. Click on the Edit button. a. The Query Panel displays. b. Drag the additional necessary object(s) from the Universe View on the left to the Results Objects pane on the right. c. Add additional Query Filters, as necessary. 5. Click on the Run Query button. Your report displays. You ll notice your new object(s) was(were) not added to your report. You will need to insert it(them) into the report where you want it(them) to display. a. Open your report and from the left, open the Available Objects panel, if it is not open. b. Expand the Query. i. To expand, click on the plus next to the name of your query. 17

21 c. Drag the added object you want to add to the header row where you want the object displayed. Look for a small faded-out rectangle to drop the object in the document. d. The column is added and displays. Save a Document Saving a document can be done a few ways. You can save a document so only you can view and edit it, or publically so all users of the BO system can access and view it. Save to My Favorites folder 1. Click on the Save button. 2. Click on the Folders tab. 3. Click on the My Favorites folder. 4. Create a new folder, if desired, or select an existing folder. 5. If you don t want to create a new folder or select an existing folder under the My Favorites folder, your query will save to the My Favorites folder; all reports will be listed alphabetically. 6. It is suggested you create new folders to keep your reports organized. 7. In the Name field, type a name for the report. 18

22 8. From the bottom of the screen, click on the Advanced button. Additional options display. 9. Check the Refresh on open checkbox. 10.This will refresh the report displayed with the most current data. 11.If you do not check this checkbox, you will need to manually refresh the report data each time you open it. 12.Check the Permanent regional formatting button to ensure the regional settings for formatting are applied regardless of what the locale is on the machine where the report is opened. 13.Click on the Save button. Save to Public Folders 1. Click on the Save button. 2. Select the Folders tab. 3. Expand the Public Folders folder. The Public folders are where you can save and access queries you and other WebI users have created and have access to view. You will find the Public Folder under the Folder tab on the left of the Documents tab. 4. Open the folder you d like to save your document. 5. In the Name field, enter a name for the document. 6. From the bottom of the screen, click on the Advanced button. Additional options display. 7. Check the Refresh on open checkbox. 8. This will refresh the report displayed with the most current data. 9. If you do not check this checkbox, you will need to manually refresh the report data each time you open it. 19

23 10.Check the Permanent regional formatting button to ensure the regional settings for formatting are applied regardless of what the locale is on the machine where the report is opened. 11.Click on the Save button. Print a Document Users can print a document by clicking on the printer icon on the File tab from within a document. Set the properties for printing, as applicable, and then print the document. Share a Document Users of WebI can share documents simply by saving them in the Public repository, known as the Public Folder. Users may also send a document to another WebI user s Inbox. 1. Click on the Documents tab. 2. Open the folder where your document resides that you want to share with another user. 3. Right-click on the document and select the Send > option. 4. Select the BI user option. 20

24 5. Double-click on the Username in the list. 6. Click on the Send button. 7. The user will retrieve the document from their Inbox within WebI. Users must have WebI access in order to have a document sent to their Inbox. If a user does not have access to WebI, you should export your document to a PDF or Excel document to send to the other user. 21

25 Export a Document Users can export a document to send to a non-webi user. You are able to export a document as a PDF or Excel file. PDF or Excel 1. Open the document you wish to export as a PDF or Excel document. 2. Click on the Save button. 3. Click on the Save As option. 4. Click on a local option to save the file as a PDF or Excel document. a. My Desktop. b. My Documents. c. My Computer. 5. From the Files of Type: drop-down, select PDF or Excel document. 6. Click on the Save button. 22

26 Designing, Organizing and Filtering Reports For information on designing, organizing and filtering reports, see the Design document. 23

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