The icon on the main menu opens a window that has three tabs: Select Parameters, Filters and What-if. You can specify the parameter and filter values to be applied to the fields of the parameterized smart report. We have discussed What-if in the later part of this manual.
Select Parameters
The Select Parameters tab is shown within Filters icon on the Smart View in case parameters have been applied to your report at the query object level. It shows up the default set parameter values.
The smart report gets its data by running pre-generated query objects. If a query needs a value at run time, it may have a user (run time) parameter included in it. The values of run time parameters are taken from the user while running the report.
Parameters are stored in repository and so can be re-used in one or more report and query objects.
Figure 44: Select Parameters tab
When ‘Prompt Before Each Run’ is checked, the Input Parameter Form (IPF) shows up before each report run to enable you change the default parameter value(s).
The IPF shows up in case of mandatory parameters even if this field is unchecked.
If ‘Save Values For Next Run’ is checked, report runs with parameter values saved in last run (upon saving the report). In case this is unchecked, report runs using the default parameters.
When ‘Show Parameters On Report’ is checked, it enables to view the list of parameters on top of the report.
In case multiple parameters as well as filters are applied, the parameters are separated from each other and from the filters using a pipe symbol.
Filters
You can use filters to limit the data that appears in the report. You can narrow the information based on specific conditions.
Filter is a condition, which you can choose to apply on your report data. You can apply multiple conditions by joining them with AND/OR operators.
Figure 45: Filters tab
Filter Section properties
Item | Values | Comments |
Max. Rows | 0-N | Maximum number of rows to be fetched for current report. When you are using a data set that returns too many rows or when you are not sure of number of rows, this is the tool to restrict the size of the report.
(Note: Reports generated with Max. Rows set may contain incomplete information of your business data) |
Suppress Duplicates | Check/Uncheck | Check = Removes consecutive duplicate records from the report.
(Note: Distant duplicate rows may still exist in the report. Make sure that the report is sorted on all the report fields) |
Field | Select from list | Select the field on which you want to apply filter |
Criteria | Select from list | Select the operator to be used in the filter. These are comparison operators based on the data type of the selected field (different for character, numeric or date).
The between operator prompts for two values |
Use Field | Check/Uncheck | Check = When Use Field is checked, Value gets populated with Field values for comparison |
Value | Type yourself or select from list | Based on the configuration of this field in the meta layer, the value list appears |
Relation | AND
OR |
AND = The next condition is applied with combined conjunction of this condition
OR = The next condition is applied in alternate conjunction of this condition |
Open/Close | (
(( ((( (((( ((((( ) )) ))) )))) ))))) |
Braces to group a set of conditions for applying appropriate AND/OR combination |
Show Parameters on Report | Check/Uncheck | Check = Shows filter values on top of the report |
Actions
Item | Comments |
Add Filter ![]() |
Add a new filter condition row |
Remove Filter ![]() |
Remove current filter condition row |
Linked Filters
A Field could be linked to one or more other fields for fetching available values for filtering.
This is to handle situations like short listing states when a country is selected.
You may need to select parent field before selecting a child field to apply filter. The child field is specified as a Link Lookup field linked to parent field at the Query Object level.
Selecting Dynamic Dates
When you select a date field to apply filter, you have an option to specify a dynamic date variable – today, in last 5 days etc.
For example,
- Date of hire is in last 10 days from today (report generation date).
- Date of sales transaction is in this Quarter.
- Transaction Date is in last month.
- Date of retirement is in next
For criteria, you may select any of the following:
- is in last
- in this
- is in next
If in this is selected as Criteria, the Value drop down box has following options to choose from:
- Year
- Quarter
- Month
- Week
- Day
- Hour
- Minute
If is in last or is in next is selected in Criteria, specify the number of Day(s), Week(s), Month(s), Quarter(s) or years (as the case may be) in Value entry box. Explanation for each of the option is given below:
- Year(s): The number of years from the date of report generation.
- Quarter(s): The number of quarters from the date of report generation. A quarter is January to March, April to June, July to September and October to December.
- Month(s): The number of months from the date of report generation.
- Week(s): The number of weeks from the date of report generation. A week is considered from Sunday to Saturday.
- Day(s): The number of days from the date of report generation.
- Hour (s): The number of hours from the date of report generation.
- Minute (s): The number of minutes from the date of report generation.