Quick object access: Creating shortcuts to objects

The quickest way to access an existing object to place on a report is to create a shortcut to the object, called a shortcut object. A shortcut object is simply a link, or shortcut, to an existing object in a MicroStrategy project. You can place a shortcut object in a location that is most convenient for you. By creating shortcut objects for the objects you commonly use in a project, you can make the report creation process quicker and easier.

For example, you use the Units Sold metric frequently when you create new reports. You want to create a shortcut to the Units Sold metric, which resides in the project's Metrics folder, and you want the shortcut to be saved in the My Objects folder. Locate the Units Sold metric by expanding the Metrics folder, then expanding the Sales Metrics folder. Right-click the Units Sold metric and choose Create Shortcut. In the Browse to Folder dialog box that opens, navigate to the My Objects folder and click OK. The Units Sold shortcut object is created in the My Objects folder.

Prerequisites

• DHTML must be enabled. For steps, click Help in MicroStrategy Web.
• Because a new shortcut object must be based on an existing object, other objects must already exist in your project. If your project does not yet contain objects, your report designer or object designer can create the objects you need to place on reports.

To create a shortcut object from the original object

1. In MicroStrategy Web, right-click the object for which you want to create a shortcut and select Create Shortcut.
2. Navigate to the folder in which to create the new shortcut and click OK.
3. By default, the name of the shortcut is the same as the name of the object. To rename the shortcut, right-click the object and select Rename. Type a new name for the object and click the Apply icon .