Information Consumer Pattern

Definition

Schema for user-friendly BEx Web applications that are intended for users without specific BI knowledge.

Structure

The Information Consumer Pattern is a template for BEx Web applications. There are various versions available. The pattern includes either a table (Analysis Web item) or a graphic (Chart Web item) in which the data is displayed. The pattern can also include an application toolbar, which contains different pushbuttons and functions, depending on the version of the pattern.

Note

As with all BEx patterns, you can configure the Information Consumer Pattern to a certain extent using the Pattern Wizard of the Web Application Designer. For more information, see Configuring Information Consumer Patterns .

Examples

This section provides examples of two versions (each with the application toolbar):

Information Consumer Pattern: Example A

In example A, the following functions are available:

The upper toolbar area displays the name of the query along with information about how current the data is.

In the lower area, the data is displayed either in a table or in a graphic. You can use the arrow keys in the column header to sort the column in ascending or descending order. A context menu is also available for the table cells. You can call this menu by choosing the right mouse button. The functions displayed in the context menu depend on the version of the pattern. For example, you can navigate to another BEx Web application. For more information, see Context Menu Functions .

The following pushbuttons are available in the application toolbar above the table or graphic. Each pushbutton has a different function.

Functions of the Application Toolbar

Pushbutton (or Link)	Description
Table (or Figure)	You use this pushbutton to toggle between the tabular and graphical display of the data. When the data is displayed in a table, Graphic is displayed as the pushbutton text. When you toggle the display, the data is displayed in a graphic. Table then appears as the pushbutton text. You use this pushbutton to return to the table.
Information	You use this pushbutton to display information about the data provider. You can display information about the key date, how current the data is, the time the last change was made, who last changed the query and the date of the last refresh.
Send	You use this pushbutton to distribute the BEx Web application by e-mail. The Broadcasting Wizard appears; it provides step-by-step instructions to help you enter the required data. More information: Broadcasting BEx Objects .
Print Version	You use this pushbutton to make the settings for a print version of the BEx Web application. For example, you can specify the format for the print version and decide whether a header should appear on the printed pages. When you have made your settings and chosen OK, a PDF is generated. You can print the generated PDF document. More information: Creating Print Versions of BEx Applications
Filters	You can use this link to display the filter pane. The filter pane is displayed between the application toolbar and the table (or graphic). The characteristics that you can use for filtering are displayed in the filter pane. You can select the characteristic values to be used for filtering for each characteristic used in the data provider. For more information, see Selecting Filter Values .

Information Consumer Pattern: Example B

In addition to the functions in example A, example B includes a dropdown box where you can select different views of the data. This allows you to toggle between different navigation views that each display a different aspect of the data.

For example, the BEx Web application displays the sales data for a specific product. You can choose from the following views in the dropdown box:

Sales for each distribution channel
Sales for each region
Sales for each customer