Working with Saved Selections

This chapter covers the following topics:

• About Saved Selections
• Defining Saved Selections
• Applying Saved Selections to Open Documents
• Editing Saved Selections
• Renaming Saved Selections
• Viewing Saved Selection Properties
• Deleting Saved Selections

About Saved Selections

A saved selection is a set of dimension values that you select once, save, and reuse in multiple documents. When you work as a Demand Planner or Demand Plan Manager, saved selections enable you to quickly retrieve a group of values without repeating the steps that you followed to select them.

You can apply a saved selection to an open ad hoc report, ad hoc graph, or worksheet. You can also choose a saved selection when you change the settings script for a predefined report.

Defining Saved Selections

When you define a saved selection, you name the selection, specify the dimension for the saved selection, and select the component dimension values. You also specify whether to save the members of the selection (for example, Geography 1, Geography 2, and Geography 3) or the selection steps (for example, “the top three geographies based on Booking History Quantity for products x, y, and z during Q1”).

Defining a saved selection

You can define a saved selection from the Navigation list. You can also define a saved selection on the fly when you select data for a document.

To define a saved selection from the navigation list:

1. Access Oracle Demand Planning as a Demand Planner or Demand Plan Manager.

2. On the Navigation toolbar, choose the New button,

   

3. and choose New Saved Selection from the popup menu.

   Alternatively, you can click the right mouse button on the Saved Selections folder in the Navigation list or the Saved Selections folder for a specific dimension. Then choose New Saved Selection from the popup menu.

   Result: The New Saved Selection dialog box opens. If you used the right-click technique on the Saved Selections folder, the New Saved Selections dialog box displays a default dimension, which you can change. If you used the right-click technique on a Saved Selections folder for a specific dimension, the Saved Selections dialog box displays the selected dimension.

4. In the Name box, enter a name for the saved selection. The name can be up to 70 characters long.

5. The Dimension box displays a default dimension. If this is not the dimension for which you want to define a saved selection, select an alternate dimension.

6. Choose the Selector button.

   

7. Result: The Select Data dialog box opens.

8. Choose the values that will comprise the saved selection.

   You can select individual values. You can also use the buttons on the Data Selection toolbar to select values by specific criteria.

9. When your value selections are complete, choose OK.

   Result: You are returned to the New Saved Selection dialog box. The Selections box displays the member values that you chose.

10. In the Options box, choose the option that specifies how you want the values to be saved:

    • Save steps — Saves the script that drives the selection criteria, rather than the actual values. Choose this option when you anticipate applying the same criteria repeatedly over a long period of time, but expect that the values that comprise the selection might change.

    • Save members — Saves the actual dimension values. A member selection is always comprised of the same values, regardless of when the selection is applied. Choose this option when you want to examine data for the same dimension values on an ongoing basis.

      Note: If you used the drag and drop method or a right mouse function to sort values for the selection, then you will not be able to save steps.

11. In the Description box, you can enter optional text to identify the saved selection.

12. Choose OK to save the selection.

    Result: The saved selection object appears in the Saved Selections folder for the dimension in the Navigation list.

To define a saved selection while working in a document:

1. With an ad hoc report, ad hoc graph, or worksheet open in the workspace, choose the Select Data button on the Document toolbar.

   

2. From the drop-down list, select a dimension.

   Result: The Select Data dialog box opens, displaying values for the dimension.

3. Choose the values that will comprise the saved selection.

   You can select individual values. You can also use the buttons on the Data Selection toolbar to select values by specific criteria.

4. When your selections are complete, choose the Save Current Selection button on the toolbar.

   

5. Result: The Save a Selection for Dimensiondialog box opens.

6. In the Save a Selection for Dimension dialog box, enter information for the saved selection as follows:

   1. In the Save current selection as box, enter a name for the saved selection. The name can be up to 70 characters long.

   2. In the Description box, you can enter optional text to describe the components of the saved selection.

   3. Specify how to save the selection:

      • Save steps — Saves the script that drives the selection criteria, rather than the actual values. Choose this option when you anticipate applying the same criteria repeatedly over a long period of time, but expect that the values that comprise the selection might change.

      • Save members — Saves the actual dimension values. A member selection is always comprised of the same values, regardless of when the selection is applied. Choose this option when you want to examine data for the same dimension values on an ongoing basis.

        For more information about these options, see "Defining Saved Selections".

        Note: If you used the drag and drop method or a right mouse function to sort values for the selection, then you will not be able to save steps.

7. Choose OK to save the selection.

   Result: The saved selection object will appear in the Saved Selections folder for the dimension in the Navigation list.

Example: Saved selection definition

After you define a saved selection from the Navigation list, the New Saved Selection dialog box displays the saved selection. For example, you provide a selection of product values to be saved as steps. You can also provide a descriptive name and enter optional text that further describes the saved selection.

Applying Saved Selections to Open Documents

You can apply a saved selection to an open ad hoc report, ad hoc graph, or worksheet. Applying a saved selection to a document replaces the current values for the dimension with the values in the saved selection.

Methods for applying saved selections to open documents

You can use the following methods to apply a saved selection directly to an open ad hoc report, ad hoc graph, or worksheet:

• You can choose a previously saved selection in the Navigation list and use a right mouse button command to apply it to an open document.

• You can use the Apply Saved Selection tool in the Select Data dialog box and choose a previously saved selection to apply.

• As you define new saved selection or modify a saved selection, you can apply it to an open document.

To apply a saved selection of values to an open document:

1. With the document open in the workspace, identify the saved selection that you want to use.

   Note: To search for a saved selection, click the right mouse button on the Saved Selections folder or the Saved Selections folder for a dimension in the Navigation list and choose Find from the popup menu. Then enter a name or name fragment. Alternatively, you can choose the Find button on the Navigation toolbar.

2. Ensure that the open document includes the dimension to which the saved selection refers.

3. Click the right mouse button on the saved selection object. From the popup menu, choose Apply to Open Report, Apply to Open Graph, or Apply to Open Worksheet.

   Result: The saved selection replaces the current values for the dimension in the document.

To use a data selection tool to apply a saved selection to a document:

1. With the document open in the workspace, choose the Apply Saved Selection button on the Data Selection toolbar.

   

2. Result: A list of dimensions for which one or more saved selections have been defined appears.

3. Select a dimension.

   Result: The Apply Saved Selection dialog box opens. The Available box lists the saved selections for the dimension that you chose.

4. Choose a saved selection from the list.

5. You can choose Preview to preview the values that will be selected as a result of your choice.

6. Choose OK to apply the saved selection.

   Result: The saved selection replaces the current values for the dimension in the document.

To apply a new or modified saved selection definition to an open document:

As you create or modify a saved selection, choose Apply to Open Report, or Apply to Open Graph in the New Saved Selection or Edit Saved Selection dialog box. When you choose OK, Oracle Demand Planning will apply the saved selection to the specified document.

Editing Saved Selections

You can change the name or definition of a saved selection.

To edit a saved selection:

1. Access Oracle Demand Planning as a Demand Planner or Demand Plan Manager.

2. In the Navigation list, identify the saved selection that you want to modify.

   Note: To search for a saved selection, click the right mouse button on the Saved Selections folder or the Saved Selections folder for a dimension in the Navigation list and choose Find from the popup menu. Then enter a name or name fragment. Alternatively, you can choose the Find button on the Navigation toolbar.

3. Double-click the saved selection object.

   Alternatively, you can click the right mouse button on the saved selection object and choose Edit from the popup menu.

   Result: A dialog box opens, showing the object's name and definition.

4. You can change the name, dimension value selections, and method for saving (Steps or Members).

5. Choose OK to save your changes.

Renaming Saved Selections

You can rename a saved selection.

To rename a saved selection:

1. Access Oracle Demand Planning as a Demand Planner or Demand Plan Manager.

2. In the Navigation list, identify the saved selection that you want to rename.

3. Click the right mouse button on the saved selection object and choose Rename from the popup menu.

4. Enter the new name, up to 70 characters long.

Viewing Saved Selection Properties

You can view the following properties of a saved selection:

• Name

• Created

• Modified

• Class

To view the properties of a saved selection:

1. Access Oracle Demand Planning as a Demand Planner or Demand Plan Manager.

2. In the Navigation list, identify the saved selection whose properties you want to view.

3. Click the right mouse button on the saved selection and choose Properties from the popup menu.

Deleting Saved Selections

When you no longer need to have access to a saved selection, you can delete it. Deleting a saved selection permanently removes it from the Navigation list.

You can delete an individual saved selection. You can also delete multiple saved selections in the same dimension.

Note: Before you delete a saved selection, ensure that there are no saved objects that reference it. Failure to do so can cause warning and errors to occur when you work with ad hoc reports, ad hoc graphs, worksheets, or alerts that contain the deleted saved selection.

To delete a saved selection:

1. Access Oracle Demand Planning as a Demand Planner or Demand Plan Manager.

2. In the Navigation list, identify the saved selection that you want to delete.

   Note: To search for a saved selection, click the right mouse button on the Saved Selections folder or the Saved Selections folder for a dimension in the Navigation list and choose Find from the popup menu. Then enter a name or name fragment. Alternatively, you can choose the Find button on the Navigation toolbar.

3. Select the saved selection object and choose the Delete button on the Navigation toolbar.

   

4. Alternatively, you can click the right mouse button on the saved selection object and choose Delete from the popup menu.

   Result: You will be prompted to confirm the deletion.

To delete multiple saved selections:

1. Access Oracle Demand Planning as a Demand Planner or Demand Plan Manager.

2. In the Navigation list, open the folder that contains the saved selections that you want to delete.

   You can only delete saved selections that are in the same dimension folder.

3. Scroll to an object, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the object.

   Result: The object is highlighted.

4. Repeat the previous step for each saved selection that you want to delete.

5. After you make your final selection, click the right mouse button and choose Delete from the popup menu.

   Result: You will be prompted to confirm the deletion