Creating a Parameter
You can make your data actions more flexible using parameters. They can make it easier
to update your data action, and they let you prompt users for values while running the data
action.
Context
You create a parameter within a data action, and then add it in any of the steps in that data
action.
Note
Parameters must meet the requirements of the fields where you want to use
them. For example, if you want to set up a parameter for the source member
of a copy action, make sure you use the default model and the same dimension
as the copy action, and set the cardinality to
Single.
If you want to see the requirements for a field, open the Select Member
window for it and select Parameter.
Procedure
-
From the data action page, select
(Show Parameters
List).
-
Select Add Parameter.
-
Type an ID using letters, numbers, and underscores
(_).
-
Select the Parameter Type:
-
Member: Create a parameter that represents a
dimension member. For example, this type of parameter can let you
change the year that you're copying data to, or the region.
-
Number: Create a parameter that has a number value. For example,
this type of parameter can be added to advanced formulas, and can
let you prompt users for values such as growth rate or gross margin
percentage.
-
If you're creating a Member parameter, specify the properties.
-
Model: Select the base model for the parameter. Choose one of the
models from the list, or choose Select other model
… to pick a model that you haven't added to the data
action yet.
-
Dimension: Select the dimension that you want
to pick values from. You can define more than one parameter for a
dimension if you need to.
-
Cardinality: Select
Single to allow one value, or
Any to allow one or more values.
- Hierarchy: If the dimension is hierarchical, you
can either specify a hierarchy from the list, or choose
Any to allow selections from any
hierarchy.
-
Level: Choose Leaf to
restrict the parameter to leaf members of the hierarchy. Otherwise,
choose Any.
-
Choose your Input settings.
-
Input: To set a value that can change in a data action trigger, an
automatic data action task, or an embedded data action step, set
Input to Dynamic.
To set a fixed value, select Fixed.
-
Value: Select or type the parameter value.
If you're setting up a dynamic parameter, the value is optional, but you can still specify
it as a default. If you set the cardinality to
Any, you can select more than one
value.
-
Name for Prompt: For prompts, type the name
that will appear in stories.
-
Description for Prompt: For prompts, type the
description that will appear in stories.
-
Select Done.
Results
You can use the new parameter in the steps of your data action. To
learn how, see
Adding a Copy Step,
Adding a Cross-Model Copy Step, and
Adding an Advanced Formulas Step.
Note
Parameters aren't supported in some cases when writing advanced formulas:
-
As dimension members in CARRYFORWARD and ELIMMEMBER functions.
-
As dimension property values, for example: IF
[d/ACCOUNT].[p/ACCTYPE]=(%AST%, %LEQ%) THEN