how to... personalizing query input values

BUSINESS WAREHOUSE FUNCTIONAL PROCEDURE

Title: Personalizing Query Input Values for Report Execution Process:

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T-Code: File Name: smiley_faces Release: BW 3.1B, Frontend 3.0A BPP Control Number: Responsibility: BW Team

/ast changed on: Last changed by: Version: Page: 2/5/2004 abartron 1.0 1 of 6

Personalizing Query Input Values

for

Report Execution

This document provides answers to the following:

Recently, I’ve started seeing little smiley faces when I am prompted to enter data values before running my query. What do they stand for? How do I personalize a variable? How do I change or delete personalization values?



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Personalizing Query Input Values

Some workbooks have an input screen that allows you to enter (execution parameter) values for certain characteristics. If you always view a particular workbook using the same set of input values, for example, using the same business area, fund and fund centers, it is helpful to save the entered values for later use. Recent upgrades to ImaginePA’s Business Information Warehouse have made it even easier for you to preserve your input between consecutive query executions. 1. Creating Personalized Values Queries that require parameter entries present you with a pop-up box into which you enter values for the query to use in selecting the data for the report. Parameter values that are required are shown with a checkmark inside a square. Make an entry in each of the required fields, and then click on the “smiley face” at

the right. Notice that all required entries have been supplied with values.

Clicking on the smiley face button causes the box shown below to appear:

Required Entries



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If you click on the bar that reads Personalize Variable Value, the small box disappears and the smiley face changes color from gray to yellow. This tells you that a personalization for the variable has been recorded. In our example, we saved the value 10 in the Business Area.

Once you personalize a variable, you will no longer be prompted to enter a value for it. Notice that our example screen no longer has a field soliciting input for Business Area.

Important feature: Variable is personalized is associated with the variable and not with the workbook or query itself. What this means is that personalizations can have an effect on multiple queries and workbooks, depending upon which of them use the particular variable that has been personalized. This can be confusing, because once a variable has been personalized, there is no obvious indication that a personalization is in effect. Variable values can be displayed by following the instructions for changing personalizations as explained in the next section.



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2. Changing a Personalized Value Once a parameter value has been saved, the fact that a variable exists becomes transparent to the query user. Stated another way: You won’t know that the variable exists-- or that its value can be changed-- without close inspection of the query text fields. In the screen shot shown below, the value of 10 for Business Area is shown in the query text fields, but a prompt for Business Area was never displayed.

Because the parameter input is now suppressed, the only way to change its value is through the BEx toolbar, as follows: Click on the “pencil” icon and choose the Change variable values from the drop down menu.

After selecting this option, all query inputs will be presented. At this point, you can simply change the input value or completely remove the personalization. If you change the input value, the query uses the value that you have supplied to select report

data. However, the original saved value persists unless you explicitly remove it or save the personalization again. You can also reload your saved personalizations by choosing the Load Personalized Values bar from the pop-up menu. This feature will come in handy when you have made changes to your inputs and want to change them back to the values that you had saved.



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3. Clearing All Personalizations If you want to completely clear the personalization for a variable, click on the yellow smiley face next to the variable of interest. When the pop-up box appears, select the Undo Personalization option:

4. Saving All Values Made Easy Using the method just described, you may save only one parameter value at a time. If you run your reports using the same parameter values every time, you may find it time-consuming to save each value individually. Fortunately, SAP BW provides an easy way to save all of your inputs for future use. On the screen shot below, you will see that no parameter entries have been saved. At the bottom of the pop-up screen, you will see another new icon that looks like a person’s face standing in front of a report.



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Clicking on this icon changes all of the smiley faces yellow, and will suppress parameter entry upon future use of the workbook for the parameters for which you have entered values. Notice the yellow smiley faces on the screen at the right. The fact that they are all yellow would indicate that even the null values (inputs for which no value has been supplied) have been saved, but this is not the case. You will continue to see prompts for the empty fields upon subsequent executions of the workbook. If values are provided for all inputs, then the workbook will execute without soliciting input. To change this behavior, follow the instructions given in Item 2 or Item 3 above.

how to... personalizing query input values

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