MicroStrategy ONE

New Object dialog box: Freeform Sources tab

When you create a new report or a new Intelligent Cube, the New Grid or New Intelligent Cube dialog box opens. The Freeform Sources tab allows you to use Freeform SQL or Query Builder to create your report or Intelligent Cube.

The Freeform Sources tab lists any database instances that are made available for Freeform SQL or Query Builder. Select a database instance, and then choose whether to use the Query Builder Editor or the Freeform SQL Editor:

  • Query Builder provides an easy-to-use graphical user interface that allows you to quickly access your data without having to write any SQL. Queries can be run against imported database tables. This functionality allows you to begin reporting and analysis with MicroStrategy without performing the project creation step of modeling attribute and fact schemas, which is necessary for the ROLAP Engine.

    To use Query Builder to create a report, select Create Query Builder report. For background information, see Overview of Query Builder reports.

  • Freeform SQL allows you to use your own SQL or XQuery statements to generate reports, instead of using the MicroStrategy Engine-generated SQL. With your own customized SQL or XQuery statements, you can retrieve data from various data sources that are relational databases as long as the database instances for these data sources are included in a MicroStrategy project. The Freeform SQL Editor can also be used to create a Transaction Services report.

    To use the Freeform SQL Editor to create a report, select one of the following:

  • Create Freeform SQL report: Opens the Freeform SQL Editor to create a report using custom SQL statements.

  • Create Freeform XQuery report: Opens the Freeform SQL Editor to create a report using custom XQuery statements. You can use XQuery statements to retrieve data from a web service.

  • Create Transaction report: Opens the Freeform SQL Editor to create a Transaction Services report, which can be used to update data in your various data sources. This option is not available for Intelligent Cubes. For steps to create a Transaction Services report, see the Advanced Reporting Help.

Click OK to begin creating the report or Intelligent Cube. For detailed steps, see Creating a Query Builder report, Creating a Freeform SQL report, or Creating Intelligent Cubes.

You can create a connection to a Freeform source by clicking New ODBC Source. The Database Instances dialog box opens. For instructions to create a new database instance that connects to an Freeform source, see see Specifying Warehouse Connection Information in the Installation and Configuration Help.

The New Object dialog box is not displayed if any of the following are true:

  • No object templates have been created for reports, and the empty object template for reports has been disabled.

  • You have chosen not to display the dialog box for reports.

  • You have disabled object templates for reports.

For instructions to enable object templates, see Enabling object templates. This fixes the last two items in the list above. For instructions to create object templates, see Creating an object template. For instructions to show or disable the empty object template, see Object templates at the project level.