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Adding Report Parameters to Report Templates


This topic describes how to define report parameters so that Siebel CRM allows the user to choose these parameters in the Run Report pane.

To add report parameters to report templates

  1. Add the report parameter in Oracle BI Publisher Desktop.

    For more information, see Adding Report Parameters in Oracle BI Publisher Desktop.

  2. Log in to the Siebel client with administrator privileges.
  3. Navigate to the Administration - BIP Publisher Reports screen, and then the Reports - Custom Templates view.

    For more information, see Views You Use to Register Report Templates.

  4. In the Templates list, choose a template, and then add a check mark to the Parameters field.

    This field makes sure Siebel CRM displays the Parameters section in the Run Reports pane.

  5. In the Parameters list, click New.

    To avoid a problem, it is recommended that you use the New button instead of Copy Record.

  6. Specify values for the report parameter, using information from the following table.
    Field
    Description

    Label

    Enter text that describes the report parameter. Siebel CRM displays the text you enter in the Parameter section of the Run Report pane.

    Name

    Enter a name for the report parameter. The value you enter field must reference a parameter definition that exists in the report template. For example, if you set the Name field to Param1, then the report template must include a definition for Param1.

    Order

    Enter a number that indicates the sequence that Siebel CRM uses to display report parameters in the Parameter section of the Run Report pane. Siebel CRM sequences these report parameters in ascending numeric order. For example, if the Parameters list includes Param1 and Param2, and if you set the Order for Param1 to 1 and Param2 to 2, then Siebel CRM displays Param1 immediately above Param2.

    If the Order field is empty, then Siebel CRM displays this report parameter below the report parameters that include a value in the Order field.

    Type

    Specify the type of parameter. For more information, see Report Parameter Types You Can Specify.

    Default

    Enter the default value that Siebel CRM displays in the Run Report pane for this parameter.

    Picklist Name

    Enter the name of the picklist that allows the user to choose a value. Use this field only if you set the Type field to LOV.

    Required

    Add a check mark to the Required field to require the user to set this parameter.

  7. (Optional) If Siebel CRM must display the report in multiple languages, then do the following:
    1. In the Parameters list, make sure the report parameter that Siebel CRM must translate is chosen.
    2. In the Parameter Translation list, click New.
    3. Define the following fields:
      • Default Value. Enter the default value that Siebel CRM displays in the Run Report pane for the language that you specify in the Language field.
      • Display Name. Enter the label that Siebel CRM displays for this report parameter in the Parameter section of the Run Report pane for the language that you specify in the Language field.
      • Language. Choose the language that Siebel CRM must display in the report that it runs.
    4. Repeat Step a through Step c for each language that Siebel CRM must translate for this report.
  8. Click Validate to determine if an inconsistency exists between the report template you defined in Step 4 through Step 7 and the report template.

    Siebel CRM does the following work:

    • Makes sure the number of parameters that Siebel CRM displays in the Run Report pane equals the number of parameters defined in the report layout template. Siebel CRM maps parameter types to the Report Parameter Form Applet business component field, except for Label parameter types. It ignores Label parameter types during validation.
    • Makes sure the Name attribute that Siebel CRM displays for each report parameter in the Run Report pane includes an equivalent placeholder in the report layout template.
  9. (Optional) If you add a large number of report parameters, then add a scrollbar to the Run Report pane.

    For more information, see Adding Scrollbars to the Parameters Section of the Run Report Pane.

Adding Report Parameters in Oracle BI Publisher Desktop

This topic describes how to add report parameters in Oracle BI Publisher Desktop.

To add report parameters in Oracle BI Publisher Desktop

  1. Use Oracle BI Publisher Desktop to open a report template.
  2. Use the following syntax to add a report parameter:

    <?param@begin: Param1>

    For example, you can add the following parameters:

    Param1 = <?$Param1?>
    Param2 = <?$Param2?>
    Param3 = <?$Param3?>

    For example, you can set Param1 to Active so that if the user chooses Param1, then the report only includes service requests that are active.

    You can use a field that the user specifies to display data rows in different colors. For example, the ACTIVE_STATUS field.

    For important caution information, see Configuring Report Parameters to Filter Data.

  3. Make sure that a definition exists in the Siebel application for the parameter you added in Step 2.

    You must make sure that a parameter definition exists in the Siebel application for each report parameter that you specify, and that the Name property of this definition uses the same value that you specify in Oracle BI Publisher Desktop, such as Param1. For more information about parameter syntax and usage, see the topic about defining parameters in the Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher Report Designer's Guide Release 10.1.3.4 available on Oracle Technology Network (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/indexes/documentation/index.html).

  4. (Optional) Configure Siebel CRM to display the parameter settings that the user provides.

    To verify that Oracle BI Publisher receives the correct input, you can configure Siebel CRM to display the parameter settings that the user provides. Siebel CRM can display this information in the report output. This verification does not affect the report layout controls. For example, assume you use the following syntax to define param1 in the report template:

    <?param@begin: Param1?>

    You then add the following code to display the parameter values that the user specifies:

    <?$Param1?>

Configuring Report Parameters to Filter Data

CAUTION:  It is recommended that you do not configure report parameters to filter data in a report template. Doing this can degrade performance.

It is recommended that you do not configure a report parameter that filter records. Instead, it is strongly recommended that the user run a query that filters records in the client. If you configure a report parameter that filters records, then Oracle BI Publisher will examine each record to determine if it matches the filter that you specify, and then filter these records. It will examine the entire record set again according to the parameters that the user specifies in the client. This configuration might degrade performance. For more information, see Caution About Running Reports with a Large Number of Records.

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