Working with BEx Query Designer
General Concepts
BEx Query Designer is structured according to the following concepts, allowing flexibility and ease of operation while you are working with it.
Error Handling, Correction Help, Messages and Warnings
The error handling concept in Query Designer allows you to create and edit objects without disrupting your individual workflow. Query Designer informs you of errors by underlining incorrect or incomplete objects in red. However, your work will not be disrupted by error messages appearing in popups. Error messages are displayed in the Messages screen area instead. Warnings and information are also displayed here. The messages are displayed in groups for more clarity. They are displayed in the following categories, which you can expand and collapse as needed:
● Messages for the current query
● Messages about elements stored on the server that were loaded for use in the query by Query Designer.
● Status messages
Correction help is available in several places:
● In the context menu of the incorrect objects underlined in red
● In the context menu of the error message in the Messages screen area
● In the Query Designer menu bar in the Help menu
● In the Tasks screen area
With the Explain These Errors menu option, the text for the error message is displayed in the Documents screen area. By choosing Jump to Error, you can return to the object with errors. The Correct These Errors menu option offers context-sensitive correction options for the current situation.
Tasks
In the Tasks screen area, Query Designer provides various context-sensitive editing options for the current situation. These functions are available from the context menu or the menu bar. The Tasks area is intended for users that rarely work with Query Designer or do not have much experience with the tool. The tasks offered facilitate searching for the suitable functions. Correction help for incorrect objects and further explanations are provided in the tasks.
Working with Unfinished Objects
You can define new objects (formulas, selections, restricted and calculated key figures, exception cells, variables, conditions or exceptions) wherever you need these objects. The object (without a definition) is created and receives a standard name. You can change the name directly at the object. The object can be used in other objects without a definition and you can decide whether you want to define it immediately or later. To ensure that you do not forget to define the object, a message is displayed appears in the Messages screen area.
Automatic Generation of Technical Names
The system automatically generates technical names for the reusable objects you create (variables, restricted key figures or calculated key figures). You can change the technical name of one of these objects until it is saved in the associated property dialog. Once you have saved the object, you can no longer change the technical name. The generation rule is (VAR/RKF/CKF)_<date><time>, for example RKF_20050818122045. As long as you have not saved the object and the generated technical name has not been changed, a warning appears that you should rename the technical name as required.
Automatic generation of technical names ensures that the objects are unique immediately and allows you to work with unfinished objects.
Simultaneous Editing of Multiple Objects
You can edit several values at the same time. The objects should all be of the same type, so that you can use all available options when working with the individual objects. For example, if a function is not allowed for all of the selected objects, the function is not displayed.
The Edit and New functions for selections, formulas, variables, restricted or calculated key figures do not allow simultaneous editing of multiple objects. The Technical Name input field is also hidden when the properties of multiple objects are edited at the same time. Since the technical name must always be unique, Query Designer does not allow simultaneous editing.
For drag and drop operations with multiple objects, it proceeds as if drag and drop is being performed for all objects that are allowed for this operation. The drag and drop operation is not executed on those objects that may not be dragged to the selected location.
If you want to delete multiple objects simultaneously, the Query Designer proceeds in the same way as for drag and drop operations. All objects that can be deleted are deleted. Objects that may not be deleted (for example, reusable objects that are part of other queries) are not deleted. The relevant information is displayed in the Messages screen area.
Reusable Properties
In the properties of the query components, you see whether the setting has been defined locally at the object or at the object that depends on it. You can decide whether you want to use a local setting or the default value. When you use the default value, the local object references the default value. If you reference another object, you can only edit the referenced object (that is, the default value) when making settings. The change is visible automatically in all other objects that use the default value.
More information: Properties and How They Are Derived
Procedures
To create a query, proceed as follows:
By clicking on the plus or minus symbol of the directories you can expand or collapse the directories. You can, for example, display the list of all of the key figures in the InfoProvider by expanding the key figure node in the InfoProvider tree.
Using drag and drop or the temporary storage location (Ctrl C – Ctrl V), you can drag characteristics, key figures, and reusable objects from the InfoProvider to the directories of the Query Designer (Filter, Rows, Columns, Free Characteristics).
Using the secondary mouse button, you call all functions offered in the current context menu. First select the required query component and then choose a menu option from the context menu.
When you double-click on an element in Query Designer, you call the standard function for this element. You can also call the standard function from the context menu, where it is displayed in bold. If, for example, you double-click on a characteristic, the dialog box for restricting the characteristic appears. If you double-click on a calculated key figure, for example, the Change Calculated Key Figure dialog box appears.
You can cut objects and paste them in another location. With the Edit menu or from an object’s context menu, you can use the Cut function. The object will not be deleted immediately at this location, it remains displayed for the time being. Once you use the Paste function (from the context menu or Edit menu) at a new location, the object disappears from the old location and appears at the new one. This ensures that the object is not removed when the Cut function is used if you forget to insert it at another position. If you forget to insert the object and cut and paste another object instead, the clipboard with the previously cut object is not overwritten. The previously cut object is displayed as before and remains at the old location.
Remove or Delete
If you want to remove objects from the query, choose Remove from the object context menu. If you want to delete a reusable object, choose Delete from the context menu. Deletion means that the object is deleted in the BI server and is no longer available in a query. Removing means that the object is removed locally from the query but remains available in other queries provided that it is a reusable object.
Edit Text Directly at the Object
When a new object is created, it is displayed with a standard name. If you click on the standard text, the cursor appears directly on the standard text of the object and you can overwrite it.