Types of prompts

Users can use this prompt to add more data to a report. Users select objects (such as attributes or metrics) they want to add to the report. Users can also choose from among a selection of filters, to apply a filter that is most useful for their analysis purposes.

For steps, see Filtering data based on metrics, attributes, or other objects: Object prompts.

Users can select prompt answers from one or more attribute elements from one or more attributes. The attribute elements they select are used to filter data displayed on the report. This prompt lets you give users the largest number of attribute elements to choose from when they answer the prompt to define their filtering criteria.

For example, on a report displaying profit forecasts, if the prompt lets users select from the Product hierarchy, one user might choose to see forecasts for certain electronic products, while another user might select different electronics products, or all media products.

For steps, see Filtering data on an attribute, attribute form, attribute element, or metric: Qualification Prompts.

Users can select prompt answers from a list of attribute elements from a single attribute. This prompt is more restrictive than the Hierarchy prompt, because the user has fewer attribute elements to select answers from.

For steps, see Filtering data on an attribute, attribute form, attribute element, or metric: Qualification Prompts.

Users can select prompt answers from a limited list of specific attribute elements. This prompt is the most restrictive of the Hierarchy Qualification, Attribute Qualification, and Attribute Element List prompts, because the user has the fewest number of attribute elements to select answers from.

For steps, see Filtering data on an attribute, attribute form, attribute element, or metric: Qualification Prompts.

Users can define a metric qualification, which determines what data should be displayed for one or more specific metrics on the report.

For steps, see Filtering data on an attribute, attribute form, attribute element, or metric: Qualification Prompts.

Users enter a specific date for which to see data. This prompt is used in a filter.

Users enter a specific number, up to 15 digits, which is then used as part of a filter, or within a metric, to look for specific numeric data.

If a user enters more than 15 digits for a numeric prompt, the data is converted to scientific notation. If precision is needed beyond 15 digits, you should use a Big Decimal value prompt instead.

Users enter a word or phrase, which is then used as part of a filter to look for specific data with that text.

Users can enter up to 38 digits, to search for numeric data with the Big Decimal data type assigned to it.

Users enter up to 10 digits, to search for numeric data.

Prompts used on filters in a report are more restrictive than other prompts in terms of the number of attribute elements from which a user can select prompt answers. For details on prompts used on a filter, see Filtering data on an attribute, attribute form, attribute element, or metric: Qualification Prompts.

Object prompts are more inclusive in terms of the data that is displayed on the resulting report, because the user can select additional objects to include on the report. To create an Object prompt, see Filtering data based on metrics, attributes, or other objects: Object prompts.

In general, the more answers an analyst is allowed to select for a prompt, the more information is displayed on the report. The maximum number of answers a user can provide is determined by one component of all prompts, called an answer requirement. You can allow users to select more answers for a prompt by setting or changing the maximum number of answers. For details, see Components of a prompt.

The Attribute Element List prompt and the Object prompt are generally the simplest prompts for a user to answer. Users simply click one or more objects they want to see data for and execute the report. The user does not have to create a filtering definition as with other prompts.

Any prompt increases the complexity for a user when running a report. This can be alleviated by providing good descriptions for the prompts so that users are clear about the questions they are answering. For an example of an effective prompt description, see Components of a prompt.

Users can choose from among several existing filters to determine exactly what filter will screen the data on the report they are about to execute. To do this, create the filters you want users to be able to choose from, then create an Object prompt made up of existing filters, and then place that Object prompt on a report. To create an Object prompt, see Filtering data based on metrics, attributes, or other objects: Object prompts.

You can use a search object in most prompts. A search object will search for and display specific objects at the moment the user accesses the report and the prompt appears. This lets users select their answers from the most up-to-date hierarchies, attributes, metrics, or other objects in the project. To do this, create a search object, then during prompt creation choose the search object rather than choosing specific attributes or other objects to prompt the user with. For steps to create a search object, see the prompt creation procedure below for the prompt you want to create. Steps to create a search object are within the prompt creation steps.

The three Hierarchy and Attribute prompts are designed to be increasingly restrictive in the number of objects they allow users to select answers from. These three prompts are listed below, in increasing order of restrictiveness:

Hierarchy Qualification Prompt: Allows users the widest number of objects to choose answers from.

Attribute Qualification Prompt: More restrictive than the Hierarchy prompt. Allows fewer objects for users to choose answers from.

Attribute Element List Prompt: The most restrictive of the three prompts. Allows the fewest objects for users to choose answers from.