Value Prompt
Value prompts are useful when the result desired on the report is a single
value, such as a specific date, a number, or a specific word or phrase.
For example, you want a report that lists all employees whose age is
less than 40 years. You create a report with the Employee attribute and
the Employee Age attribute. You create a Numeric value prompt while you
are creating the report. The Numeric value prompt contains the Employee
Age attribute, the operator Less Than, and a Maximum Value set at 50.
Value prompts are typically used on a filter, where they become part
of the filter's definition, but they can also be used on a metric as part
of the metric's formula. The filter or metric is then placed on a report.
Because they are often used in filters, value prompts can be created directly
in the Filter Editor at the same time you create the filter in which you
want to place the value prompt. When created this way, a value prompt
is part of the filter's definition and is not a stand-alone prompt, so
it cannot be added to another filter.
The different types of value prompts are:
- DATE PROMPT: This value prompt type asks users to type or select
a date, and returns data that has the date data type assigned to it
and that matches the user’s entered date. For example, the Date prompt
can be useful when added to a filter that screens data based on Year=2006.
The prompt lets users select a specific date within the year of the
filter’s condition. Date prompts are used in filters which qualify
on a date.
- NUMERIC PROMPT: This value prompt type asks users to type a numeric
value. Numeric value prompts accept integers or decimals up to 15
digits of precision. Numeric prompts can be used in any filter that
needs a number input from the user, such as a metric qualification.
- TEXT PROMPT: This value prompt type asks users to type a string
of text. Text prompts are commonly used in attribute form qualification
filters.
- BIG DECIMAL PROMPT: This value prompt type asks users for a "big
decimal" value. Big Decimal value prompts accept integers and
decimals up to 38 digits of precision.
 |
Big Decimal prompts should be used only
in expressions that require high precision, such as qualifying
on a Big Decimal attribute ID. |
To create a value prompt:
- Go to Reports > Setup > Create EI Prompt.
- Select VALUE PROMPT.
- Select the value prompt type:
- DATE AND TIME PROMPT: Allows users to filter for data related
to either a specific date or a range of dates.
- NUMERIC PROMPT: Allows users to filter numeric data, usually
based on a metric.
- TEXT PROMPT: Allows users to filter text data, usually based
on attribute forms.
- BIG DECIMAL PROMPT: Allows users to filter data based on a
big decimal value for a metric.
- Click the GENERAL tab.
- Enter a title in the TITLE field, then enter brief instructions
in the DESCRIPTION field.
- Select the PROMPT ANSWER IS REQUIRED checkbox to require users
to answer the prompt before running the report.
- To set the maximum and minimum values that can be entered by
the user, select the MINIMUM VALUE and MAXIMUM VALUE checkboxes
and type a value in the respective fields. You can specify a minimum
value even if you do not specify a maximum value.
- Click the STYLE tab.
- From the DISPLAY STYLE droplist, specify a presentation style,
such as CHECKBOX, for the prompt. This is how the prompt is displayed
to the user.
- To ensure that the prompt's text fields are of a fixed size,
select the FIXED TEXTBOX WIDTH checkbox type a value in the field.
- To allow users to select time before running a report, select
the ALLOW USER TO SELECT TIME checkbox. This option is displayed
only when you have selected DATE AND TIME prompt type.
- Select SAVE AS to save the prompt. The Save As dialog box opens.
Specify a name, description, and the location in which to save the
prompt and click OK.
All value prompts must be added to either a metric or a filter (depending
on the type of value prompt and what you want it to do), and then the
metric or filter is added to a report.
You can now add your new prompt to a report. See Adding
a Prompt to a Report.
