Allowing users to filter data: prompts

A prompt is a question that the system presents to a user when a report is executed. The user's answer determines the data that is returned by the report. Specific prompts can be added to a report for use on an iPhone, iPad, or Android device that has the MicroStrategy Mobile application. These prompts are then displayed when the prompted report, or a document that uses the prompted report as a dataset, is executed on the device.

You can use prompts to customize the data within an app to the user. For example, an app contains information on sales and inventory for all stores of a company nationwide, with a prompt asking for which store(s) the user would like to view data. Store managers in different regions typically want to see data for different stores. Including a prompt allows you to create one app that all store managers can use.

If an app or document has more than one prompt, you can filter the options available in the second prompt based on the user's answers in the first prompt. To do this, add the first prompt as a filter on the second prompt. For steps to create a filter, see the Basic Reporting Help.

For an introduction to prompts, the basic prompt types, prompt creation, and adding a prompt to a report, see theBasic Reporting Help. For instructions to add a prompt to a document, see the Document Creation Help.

For best practices when creating prompts for mobile devices, see Best practices for creating prompts for mobile devices.

For steps to answer prompts in MicroStrategy Mobile, see the MicroStrategy Mobile Analysis Help.

You can display prompts on mobile devices in the following styles:

• Textbox: This prompt lets users type a value via a keypad to answer a prompt.

• Slider: This prompt lets users select a numeric value on a horizontal slider.

• Stepper: This prompt displays a numeric value. Users can tap the increment and decrement buttons to increase or decrease the value for their prompt answer.

• Switch: This prompt lets users choose between two choices, On and Off.

• Wheel: This prompt displays a wheel or row of wheels that the user can scroll through to specify a date or date and time. On Android devices, this prompt is displayed as a stepper.

• Calendar: This prompt lets users select a date from a calendar.

• Geo Location: This prompt lets users filter results based on their current geographical location. The prompt includes a request for permission to enable a GPS-style locator. For more information, see Prompting users for their location: Geo Location prompts.

• Barcode Reader: This prompt lets users answer a prompt by scanning or typing a barcode. For more information, see Creating Barcode Reader prompts.

• Tree: This prompt lets users answer a prompt by selecting objects in a tree. Tapping one object in the tree displays all objects underneath it. For more information, see Allowing users to choose elements from multiple attributes: Hierarchy prompts.

Prompts for mobile devices are divided into four types: value prompts, attribute element prompts, hierarchy prompts, and object prompts. Value prompts require the user to select a single value, such as a date or number. Attribute element prompts require the user to select from a limited list of available attribute elements.

Hierarchy prompts require the user to select an attribute or attribute element from a hierarchy of related attributes. For example, an app may display data for a time period that the users specify. The app may include a prompt on the Time hierarchy, which contains the Year, Month, and Day attributes. Users can then choose to view data for a specific year, month, or day.

Object prompts require the user to select one or more objects from a list of available objects. Objects prompts allow users to choose exactly what data they want to view. For example, a document may contain a grid with the Region and City attributes. You can add an object prompt to allow users to choose which metrics or filters to add to the grid.