Substitution Variables

Data source types: Oracle Essbase, Oracle Analytics Cloud - Essbase, Oracle Hyperion Planning, Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud

Substitution variables are global or per-application placeholders that represent variable values. The designation "&CurMnth" might be a substitution variable representing the current month. Application designers or administrators define and manage substitution variables and their corresponding values; Oracle Smart View for Office users can enter a substitution variable into the grid and retrieve its value by refreshing.

For example, say the value for substitution variable "&CurMnth" is August. When you enter &CurMnth into a grid, Smart View displays August after a refresh. Later, if the value is changed to September, then September is displayed after a refresh when you enter &CurMnth.

When connected to Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud, some substitution variables that you enter may represent ranges. For example, "&NewMnthPeriod" might represent the month range of October through December. Or, "&NewQtrPeriod" might represent the quarter hierarchies of Quarter 1 and Quarter 2.

For more information about substitution variables, see the Essbase, Oracle Analytics Cloud - Essbase, Planning, or Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud documentation, available in the Oracle Help Center.

To retrieve the value for a substitution variable:

  1. Enter a substitution variable into a cell in the grid.

    Note:

    Substitution variable names must begin with an ampersand (&).

  2. From any ribbon, select Refresh.

    The current value defined for the substitution variable replaces the substitution variable in the cell (and for any cells in the current worksheet that contain the substitution variable; for example, all instances of &CurMnth would be changed).