MicroStrategy ONE

Attribute Element List Prompt

An Attribute Element List prompt allows a user to choose from a list of attribute elements to be included in a filter or custom group. This is generally the simplest prompt for users to answer, because it offers the fewest number of answers to choose from and does not require the user to create a filtering statement.

You create the specific attribute elements to be displayed in the prompt, by using one of the following methods:

  • Selecting all elements associated with an attribute
  • Creating a filter that returns a limited list of elements from one attribute
  • Selecting specific attribute elements one by one

For an example and images of an Attribute Element prompt, see the Answering Questions about Data chapter in the Basic Reporting Help.

Of the three filter definition prompts for attributes, the Attribute Element prompt is the most restrictive, allowing users to choose from the fewest number of attribute elements to define their filter criteria. The Hierarchy prompt allows users to select from the widest number of attribute elements when they are choosing prompt answers to define their filtering criteria. The Attribute prompt is more restrictive than the Hierarchy prompt, but less restrictive than the Attribute Element prompt.

You can create a stand-alone prompt, or you can create a prompt that is embedded in a filter. Attribute Element List prompts can be used in an Attribute element list qualification.

DHTML must be enabled. See How to Enable DHTML in MicroStrategy Web.

To create an Attribute Element List prompt

Click Create on any page, point to New Prompt, and select Attribute Element List.

To determine the attribute whose elements the user is able to choose from

Click the Select Attribute button. Select the attribute whose elements are displayed in the prompt and click OK. Users select their filter criteria from a list of these attribute elements.

To define the specific elements the user is able to choose from

  1. Choose one of the following options:

    • To display all of the attribute's elements to the user when they are answering the prompt, select List all elements (no restriction).
    • To create a list of attribute elements from which users can choose, select Use a predefined list of elements. Click Add, select the elements, then click OK. To remove an object, highlight it and click Remove. To remove all items, click Clear.
    • To reduce the number of attribute elements that are displayed, select Use a filter to reduce the number of elements. This option is useful for attributes with a large number of elements, such as Customer or Employee. You can select a filter that returns a specific set of customers, for example, the top 100 customers this month. Browse to and select the filter.
  2. Click the General tab.
  3. Specify a title and instructions for the prompt in the Title and Instructions fields.

To restrict the number of prompt answers

  1. To require users to answer the prompt before running the report, specify whether the prompt requires an answer. Select the Prompt answer is required checkbox.
  2. Set the minimum and maximum number of prompt answers allowed, if desired. Enter these numbers in the Minimum number of answers and Maximum number of answers fields. You can specify a minimum number even if you do not specify a maximum number.

  3. Determine whether users can save and reuse their prompt answers, and if so, how many prompt answers they can save for the prompt. From the Personal answers allowed drop-down, select one of the following:

    • None: Users cannot save and reuse prompt answers.
    • Single: Users can save and reuse only one prompt answer.
    • Multiple: Users can save and reuse multiple prompt answers.

To specify the layout and display style of the prompt

  1. Click the Style tab.

  2. You can determine the presentation style used to display the prompt to the user. The default is Shopping Cart. From the Display style drop-down, select one of the following:

    • Radio Button: This prompt lets users select an attribute element option by selecting a radio button.
    • Checkbox: This prompt lets users specify attribute elements by selecting checkboxes.
    • Pull Down: This prompt lets users select an answer from a drop-down.
    • List: This prompt lets users select prompt answers from a list.
    • Shopping Cart: This prompt lets users add attribute elements to a list of selected attribute elements.
    • Calendar: This prompt lets users answer the prompt by selecting a date on a calendar.
    • Barcode Reader: This prompt lets users answer the prompt by scanning or typing a bar code.

    • Geo Location: This prompt lets users filter the attribute element list based on their current geographic location.

      Styles for prompts for mobile devices, including the Calendar, Barcode Reader, and Geo Location display styles, only display when the prompt is viewed on a mobile device with MicroStrategy Mobile. Certain styles are only available for specific types of Attribute Element List prompts. For more information on displaying prompts for mobile devices, see Introduction to Prompts for Mobile Devices.

  3. Depending on the prompt's type and display style, you can specify other available formatting options:

    • To ensure that the prompt's text fields and options are a fixed size, select the Fixed textbox width and/or Fixed textbox height checkboxes, and specify the size of the prompt's text fields and options in the fields.

    • To determine how prompt options are arranged, from the Orientation drop-down, select Vertical or Horizontal.

      • To determine the number of prompt answers displayed in a row or column (depending on alignment), select the Items per column/row checkbox and type a number in the field.
    • If the prompt lists all elements, you can determine whether to allow users to use a search box to locate prompt answers. To do this, from the Show search box drop-down, select FALSE or TRUE. Searching for objects allows analysts to quickly locate specific objects to use to answer the prompt.
    • To require using the search box to locate prompt answers, select the Make search required checkbox.
    • For the Barcode Reader prompt style, to specify the attribute form used to look up item barcodes, select an attribute form from the Barcode mapping attribute form drop down list.
    • For the Geo Location prompt style, from the Select location mapping level drop-down, select the level at which you wish to filter elements in the attribute. For example, select City to filter the attribute elements by the current city in which the mobile device is located.
    • To select the attribute whose elements you want to filter, click the Select Attribute button. Browse to and select the attribute, then click OK.
    • If you are using the Shopping Cart display style, you can select the Use folder structure checkbox to display the prompt choices in a folder structure. This option, available for search objects only, is useful when the same object with the same name is saved in multiple folders.
    • To allow users to navigate above the root folder when searching, select the Allow navigation above search root checkbox.
    • To specify the earliest date that can be selected to answer the prompt, select a date from the Minimum Date calendar.
    • To specify the latest date that can be selected to answer the prompt, select a date from the Maximum Date calendar.

To save the prompt

If you are creating a prompt for a filter, click OK to save the prompt in the filter. You are returned to the New Filter page. To finish creating the attribute element list qualification, begin at this step.

  1. Click Save As.
  2. Specify a name, description, and the location in which to save the prompt and click OK.

You can now add your new prompt to a report. See Adding a Prompt to a Report.