MicroStrategy ONE

Object templates at the project level

Steps to define object template settings at the project level

Object templates allow you to start with a predefined structure when creating a new object. For background information and examples, see About object templates. At the project level, you can, for documents, metrics, reports, and report templates:

Default object template

At the project level, you can select the default object template, which is the object template used to create a new object for any users who have disabled object templates. You can select the default object template for:

  • Documents

  • Metrics

  • Reports and Intelligent Cubes

    The same default object template is used for both reports and Intelligent Cubes.

  • Templates (A template defines the layout of general categories of information in a report. It does not include filter information. For more information, see About report templates.)

For example, a project contains the following metric object templates: Currency Formatting, Percent Formatting, and No Decimal Formatting. The default object template is set to No Decimal Formatting. When a user creates a new metric, he selects one of these templates to use. If he disables object templates for metrics, the No Decimal Formatting object template is used automatically.

For documents, you can choose to use the Document Wizard instead of a default object template. The Document Wizard guides you through the process of creating a new document, allowing you to quickly and easily produce a polished document. It helps you select the fields that will display on the document, as well as how the document content is grouped, sorted, and formatted.

Empty object template

The empty object template is provided by MicroStrategy, and is not an object but a set of default properties. The empty object template is displayed in the New Object dialog box, which opens when a user begins to create a new object, as Empty Document, Empty Metric, Empty Report, or Empty Template. When a user selects one of these object templates, the object template is created dynamically using a set of default properties. In contrast, an object template, even user-defined empty object templates (which has properties but not a definition), is a static object.

For a more detailed description of user-defined empty object templates, see Empty object templates.

You can determine whether or not to show the empty object template for:

  • Documents

  • Metrics

  • Reports

  • Templates

If you disable the empty object template for a particular object type, and the only object template is the default object template defined above, all new objects must use the formatting and properties defined on the default object template.

For example, all the reports in a project must adhere to specific formatting standards. You create a report object template with this formatting, and save it as Default Format. The project does not have any other report object templates. You set Default Format as the default object template for reports and do not show the Empty Report object template. If a user has disabled object templates for reports (that is, the New Grid dialog box opens when he creates a new report), his only choice in the New Grid dialog box is Default Format. If a user has disabled object templates for reports, the New Grid dialog box is not displayed and Default Format is automatically used.

For instructions on enabling and disabling object templates, see Enabling object templates and Disabling object templates.

Disabling object templates for reports also disables object templates for Intelligent Cubes. In addition, users cannot create reports that access Intelligent Cubes, MDX cube sources, or Freeform Sources, or Intelligent Cubes that access MDX cube sources or Freeform Sources.

To define object template settings at the project level

  1. In MicroStrategy Developer, right-click the project that you want to work with and select Project Configuration. The Project Configuration Editor opens.

  2. Expand the Project definition category, and select the Object templates subcategory.

  3. For each object type listed (report, template, and metric), you can:

    • Select the Default Template, which is the object template used to create a new object for any users who have disabled object templates. To do this, click ... (the browse button), navigate to the object template to use, and click OK.

    • Remove the Default Template, by clicking Clear.

    • Determine whether to show or hide the empty object template by selecting or clearing the Show empty template check box.

      The same default object template is used for both reports and Intelligent Cubes.

  4. For documents, you can:

    • Choose whether to use the Document Wizard or a Template as the default template used to create a new document for any users who have disabled object templates for documents.

    • If you select Template, you must define the default document template. Do this by clicking ... (the browse button), navigating to the template to use, and click OK.

    • Remove the Default Template, by clicking Clear.

    • Determine whether to show or hide the empty object template by selecting or clearing theShow empty templatecheck box.

  5. Click OK to save the changes and return to MicroStrategy Developer.

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