Creating a Variable from the System View

You can create a variable from the System View or from within the Component Designer by launching the Variable Designer.

To create a variable from the System View:

In the System View, select Tools, Variables.
In the Variable Navigator, expand the Financial Management, Planning, or Essbase application type.
Do one of these tasks:
- Financial Management and Planning users only: Right–click <Global>, and select New to create a variable that can be used in any application of the same application type. (This is the default selection.)
- Financial Management, Planning, and Essbase users: Right–click an application, and select New to create a variable that can be used in that application only.
- Planning and Essbase users only: Right–click a plan type or database, and select New to create a variable that can be used in that plan type or database only.
- Planning and Essbase users only: Right-click a business rule, and select New to create a variable that can be used in that rule only.
If you want to create a replacement variable, select Replacement, and do one of these tasks:
- Proceed to step 5 to create a replacement variable for Financial Management.
- Proceed to step 6 to create a replacement variable for Planning or Essbase.
Financial Management users only: If you want to create a replacement variable for Financial Management, on Replacement, do these tasks:
1. Enter a name for the variable.
2. Select a type for the variable:
  - Numeric—a number
  - String—a text string
  - Member Range—a range of members from one or more dimensions
  - Financial Management users only: Data Range—a range of data values
  - Financial Management users only: Log Information—information from the log file
    Note:
    The options on the tab change depending on what type of variable you select.
3. Enter a description for the variable.
4. If you want to include this variable in a group, enter the group name. The group name is displayed under the Group column after you save and refresh the variables.
5. In the Value table, enter values for the variable.
  - For entering values for numeric variables, see Entering Variable Values for a Numeric Variable
  - For entering values for string variables, see Entering Variable Values for a String Variable
  - For entering values for member range variables, see Entering Variable Values for a Member or Members Variable (Planning and Essbase Users Only)
  - For entering values for data range variables, see Entering Values for a Data Range Variable (Financial Management Users Only)
  - For entering values for log information variables, see Entering Values for a Log Information Variable (Financial Management Users Only)
Planning and Essbase users only: If you want to create a replacement variable for Planning or Essbase, on Replacement, do these tasks:
1. Enter a name for the variable.
2. Select a type for the variable:
  - Numeric—a number
  - String—a text string
  - Essbase—an Essbase substitution variable
    Note:
    You cannot use an Essbase substitution variable in a component of a business rule in an Essbase aggregate storage application, including those used in Oracle General Ledger.
  - Cross Dimension—a selection of multiple dimensions
  - Dimension—a dimension
  - Member—a member
  - Members—two or more members
  - Percent—a percentage
  - Planning users only: String as number—a text string
  - Planning users only: Date as number—a date
  - Member Range—a range of members from one or more dimensions
    Note:
    The options on the tab change depending on what type of variable you select.
3. Enter a description for the variable.
4. If you want to include this variable in a group, enter the group name. The group name is displayed under the Group column after you save and refresh the variables.
5. If the variable is a runtime prompt variable, select Use Last Entered Value if you want the value that a user last entered for the prompt to be displayed as the default value the next time the prompt occurs.
  Note:
  This option is selectable only if the variable has runtime prompts.
6. In the Value table, enter values for the variable. The values you enter change depending on the variable type you select above. See these topics:
  - For entering values for numeric variables, Entering Variable Values for a Numeric Variable.
  - For entering values for string variables, Entering Variable Values for a String Variable.
  - For entering values for cross dimension variables, Entering Variable Values for a Cross Dimension Variable (Planning and Essbase Users Only).
  - For entering values for dimension variables, Entering Variable Values for a Dimension Variable (Planning and Essbase Users Only).
  - For entering values for member, members, or member range variables, Entering Variable Values for a Member or Members Variable (Planning and Essbase Users Only).
  - For entering values for percent, string as number, and date as number variables, Entering Variable Values for Percent Variables (Planning and Essbase Users Only).
If you want to create an execution variable, select Execution, and do one of these tasks:
- Proceed to step 8 to create an execution variable for Financial Management.
- Proceed to step 9 to create an execution variable for Planning or Essbase block storage applications. (Execution variables are not supported in Essbase aggregate storage applications, including those used in Oracle General Ledger.)
Financial Management users only: If you want to create an execution variable for Financial Management, on Execution, do these tasks:
1. Enter a name for the variable.
2. Select the variable type: numeric, string, Boolean, or array.
3. Enter a description of up to 255 characters for the variable.
4. Enter a value for the variable.
5. If you want to put the variable in a group, enter its name. The group name is displayed under the Group column after you save and refresh the variables.
6. Enter the scope of the variable. It can be used in rules or rulesets.
7. If the variable type is an array:
  1. Enter the size of the array.
  2. Select the string or numeric data type.
Planning and Essbase block storage application users only: If you want to create an execution variable for Planning or Essbase block storage applications, on Execution, do these tasks:
1. Enter a name for the variable.
2. Specify whether the variable is an array. If you select this check box, you must select a dimension, too.
3. Enter a value for the variable.
4. If you want to put the variable in a group, enter its name. The group name is displayed under the Group column after you save and refresh the variables.
5. If you selected Array as the variable type, select a Planning or Essbase dimension.
Repeat steps step 5 through step 9 for each variable you want to create.
Select File, Save.