Specifying whether a document uses default prompt answers when the document is run

You can specify whether to have prompts in a document automatically answered using default prompt answers when the document is run. Providing default answers allows users to execute prompted documents more quickly, because they can simply accept the defaults with a single click and run the document. If default answers are not provided for prompts, users must take the time to answer each prompt question individually, unless answers are not required. The default prompt answer is always displayed when a value prompt is used, even if the default prompt answer was cleared and the document is then reprompted.

Default answers are particularly useful if a large percentage of your users will answer the prompt the same way. A common example is a document with a prompt on the Year attribute, from which users can choose the attribute element (for example, 1998, 2005, or 2006) they want to see data for. If many users will choose the current year every time they run the document, then providing the current year as the default answer can save users time.

When you save a document after answering prompts, you can set whether your current prompt answers are saved as part of the document definition. The prompt answers are saved in the document definition and not in the report definition, so the prompt answers used in the document do not affect the report when the report is executed.

When the document is re-executed, one of the following scenarios occurs, depending on which option was selected:

• Prompts are displayed with the saved answers shown as the defaults.

• Prompts are displayed and the user is required to answer them.

• Prompts are not displayed and the saved answers are automatically used to answer the prompts.

Steps are below to define how prompts are answered in a document.

Prerequisite

This procedure assumes that you have already created a prompted document.

To specify whether a document uses default prompt answers

1. Click the name of the document to run it. The prompt selection page is displayed.

2. Answer the prompts on the prompt selection page. If you want the document to use default prompt answers, select the answers to save as default prompt answers. For detailed steps to answer each type of prompt available, see the MicroStrategy Web Help.

3. Click Run Document.

4. From the Home menu, select Save As. The Save As dialog box is displayed.

5. From the Advanced section, select one of the following:

   • To use the prompt answers that you selected above as the default prompt answers, select the Display prompt and use the current answers as the default answers option. The next time that the document is run, the prompt selection page will be displayed with the default prompt answers automatically selected.

   • To save the document without default prompt answers, select the Display prompt but discard the current answers option. The prompt selection page will be displayed the next time the document is run, with no default prompt answers automatically selected.

   • To use the prompt answers you specified as the default prompt answers and automatically skip the prompt selection page, select the Do not display prompt and use the current answers as the default answers option. The next time the document is run, the default prompt answers will automatically be used to answer the prompts and run the document. The prompt selection page will not be displayed to users.

6. Click OK to save the document.