Object Prompt

Object prompts give users the ability to add objects to a report. This essentially allows users to create their own reports, although the object prompt is used to control the selection of objects available to choose from.

For example, create a prompt that allows users to choose from a list of existing stand-alone filters to apply to the report.

Or, create a prompt that displays the Day, Month, Quarter, and Year attributes to users, so the user can specify the granularity of the report.

Object prompts can be used in many places, including the following:

Object prompt containing attributes: Any place that can accept a list of attributes.
Object prompt containing metrics: Embedded in a Set qualification filter, as well as any place that accepts metrics.

When an object prompt is created, first decide whether to allow users to select from a specified list of objects, or define a specific search that presents an up-to-date set of objects for users to select from. Including a search object in the object prompt, rather than specifying the exact object names, allows users to select from new objects that might not have been part of the project when the prompt was first created.

Creating Object Prompts

Only users logged in as Administrators or Managers can create prompts.

To require analysts to answer a prompt by selecting from the results of a search object, a search object must already be created.

To create a Object prompt:

Navigate to the Create Prompt screen using any of the following methods:
- From the main menu click Admin to select Prompts. Click to view the Create Prompt screen, with a list of the prompt types.
- On the home screen, click Create Prompt to view the Create Prompt screen, with a list of the prompt types.
- From either My Reports or Shared Reports click to view the Create Prompt screen, with a list of the prompt types.
- Within a report list, right click under any column other than Name to select New and Prompt.
Click Object Prompt and use the following information to complete the prompt.

Definition tab

Only one object can be used in an object prompt. For example, include metrics or attributes in a single object prompt, but not both. To prompt for multiple object types in the same report, an object prompt must be created for each object type.

To create the list of objects from which the user can select:

Select either option:

Use a predefined list of objects: Select this option to create a list of metrics or attributes from which users can choose. Click Add, select the objects, and click OK. To remove an object, highlight it and click Remove. To remove all items, click Clear.

Use the result of a search object: If you have previously created a search object, browse to and select the search object or specify the name of the search object. A search object searches for and displays specific project objects when the user executes the report. This lets you prompt the user with the most up-to-date objects in the project.

General tab

Use the items on the General tab to specify prompt information.

Enter a title and description for the prompt in the Title and Instructions fields.
Select Prompt answer is required to require users to answer the prompt before running the report.
Set the maximum and/or minimum number of prompt answers allowed, if desired. Enter these numbers in the Minimum number of answers and Maximum number of answers fields.
Determine whether users can save and reuse their prompt answers, and if so, how many prompt answers they can save for the prompt. From the Personal answers allowed drop-down list, select one of the following:

None: This setting does not allow you to save and reuse prompt answers.

Single: This setting allows you to save and reuse only one prompt answer.

Multiple: This setting allows you to save multiple prompt answers.

Style tab

Use the selections on the Style tab to specify the layout and display style of the prompt:

From the Display style drop-down list, specify a presentation style, such as Check box, for the prompt. This is how the prompt is displayed to the user.
To ensure that the prompt's text fields and options are a fixed size, select the Fixed textbox width and/or Fixed textbox height check boxes, and specify the size of the prompt's text fields and options in the fields.
To determine how prompt options are arranged, from the Orientation drop-down list, select Vertical or Horizontal.
- To determine the number of prompt answers displayed in a row or column (depending on alignment), enter a number in the Items per column/row field.
To determine whether to allow users to use a search box to locate prompt answers, from the Show search box drop-down list select FALSE or TRUE. Searching for objects allows analysts to quickly locate specific objects to use to answer the prompt.
Using the Shopping Cart display style, select the Use folder structure check box to display the prompt choices in a folder structure. This option, available for search objects only, is useful when the same object with the same name is saved in multiple folders. Use the up and down ordering arrows to reorder prompt objects.
- To allow users to navigate above the root folder when searching, select the Allow navigation above search root check box.
For an object prompt that uses a search object and the Tree display style, the Use folder structure check box is selected and cannot be changed. You can select whether or not empty folders are shown in the tree when the prompt is executed. Select or clear the Do not show empty folders check box. Note that selecting it can impact performance.

Note: The search object must search within subfolders.

To save the prompt:

To save the prompt, select Save As. The Save As dialog box opens.
Specify a name, description, and the location in which to save the prompt and click OK.

The prompt can now be added to a report.