Creating a document from scratch

When you create a document from scratch, you can select the information to be included on the document and the formatting of the document. Documents use datasets as sources for the objects placed on the documents.

Prerequisites

• To create a document using any method (from scratch, from a template, or from a report), you must have the necessary document designer privileges in MicroStrategy. For details, contact your administrator.

• To create a document from a report, it is assumed that the report is already created and saved. See the Basic Reporting Guide for steps to creating reports.

To create a document from scratch

In MicroStrategy Web, click Create at the top of any page, point to New Document, and select Blank Document. A new document opens in Design Mode.

To add a dataset

1. To designate a dataset to supply the data for your document, do one of the following:

   • From the Data menu, select Add Dataset.

   • Click the Add Dataset icon on the Dataset Objects panel on the left.

   The Select Dataset dialog box opens.

2. Browse to and select the MicroStrategy report or Intelligent Cube to use as a dataset. You can select a single dataset or multiple datasets. To locate a specific dataset, type a name in the Find field.

3. Click OK. The selected dataset and its objects are displayed in the Dataset Objects panel.

   If you have OLAP Services, be aware that the Dataset Objects panel contains all of the objects from a dataset report, regardless of whether they are displayed on the report. For example, even if a metric is in the Report Objects but not displayed on the report's grid, that metric is still listed as a Dataset Object.

4. Repeat the steps above, starting at To add a dataset, for each dataset that you want to include in the document.

   If you include multiple datasets on the document, the first dataset that you add to the document is automatically defined as the grouping and sorting dataset. You can sort and group the document using fields from the grouping and sorting dataset. For steps to change the grouping and sorting dataset, see Defining a dataset as primary or secondary. For an introduction to using multiple datasets in documents, see Working with multiple datasets.

To add objects to the document

1. Select and add the dataset objects to the appropriate sections in the document. Dataset objects can be added to the document inside various fields, grid or graph reports (Grid/Graphs), or HTML containers. You an also add images and shapes. For details of each, see:

   • Adding text and data to a document: Text fields

   • Displaying document and dataset information: Auto text codes

   • Adding a report to a document

   • Displaying real-time web and other HTML content: HTML containers

   • Inserting images in a document

   • Adding shapes and lines to a document

2. Arrange the controls as you like. For steps, see Arranging controls on a document.

3. Format the various controls and sections, as well as the document as a whole. For descriptions of the various formatting options, and steps to apply them, see Formatting Documents.

4. Group and sort the data. For steps and background information, see Grouping and Sorting Records in a Document.

5. Add totals, if desired. For instructions, see Metric calculation in document sections.

To save the document

1. Save the document by selecting Save As from the Document Home menu.

2. Type a name for the document and click OK.