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Specifying the Siebel CRM Data That Report Templates Use

This topic describes how to add integration objects to report templates. It includes the following information:

• Modifying Integration Objects
• Creating XML Files from Integration Objects
• Reducing the Amount of Data That Integration Objects Transfer

You add an integration object to instruct Siebel CRM where to get the data that it displays in a report, such as data from a business component field. For more information, see How Siebel Reports Uses Integration Objects.

To specify the Siebel CRM data that report templates use

1. Log in to the Siebel client with administrator privileges, and then navigate to the Administration - BIP Publisher Reports screen.
2. Choose a report in the template list.

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

3. In the Integration Objects list, click New.
4. Specify the integration object, using values from the following table.

   Field	Description
   Primary	Indicates that this integration object is the primary integration object. Siebel CRM sets the first integration object that you add as the primary integration object.
   Integration Object Name	Choose the integration object that you must associate with the report template. Siebel CRM displays the predefined and custom integration objects that currently exist in the Siebel runtime repository. If no integration object exists that meets your requirements, then see Modifying Integration Objects. NOTE:  When working with multiple repositories, select the Repository Name field in the Repository Integration Object business component and add it to the Integration Objects list. This facilitates integration of integration object association to a report template.
   Search Specification	Enter a search specification that Siebel CRM uses to filter the data that this report displays. If you create a nonprimary integration object, then you must enter a value in the Search Specification field. For more information, see Specifying Search Specifications with Multiple Integration Objects.

5. (Optional) Examine an example of the report output:
   1. Click Generate Sample XML.
   2. In the file download dialog box, choose Open to view the report.

      Siebel CRM displays an example of the report output. For example if you specify the BIP Account List integration object, and then click Generate Sample XML, then Siebel CRM displays a file download dialog box that allows you to open or save the BIP Account List.xml file.

      Siebel CRM creates one XML data file for multiple integration objects. To create XML for only one integration object, see Creating XML Files from Integration Objects.

Specifying Search Specifications with Multiple Integration Objects

You can customize a report so it that it runs across multiple business objects. To do this, you use multiple integration objects, where one integration object is the primary and all others are nonprimary integration objects.

If you specify an integration object in the report template in the Integration Objects list, then the search specification property of every nonprimary integration object must include a valid search specification. For example, you can use the following format:

'Integration_Component_Name'.Search = "[Field_Name] = ""value_to_filter"""

For example:

'Contact'.Search = "[Last Name] = ""Sh"""

Siebel CRM sends the query that a user runs in a view to the primary integration object. It does not send this query to a nonprimary integration object. It requires a valid search specification so that it can filter the data for nonprimary integration objects. If a nonprimary integration object does not include a valid search specification, then this integration object returns all data from the business components, including unwanted data, and it might degrade performance.

It is recommended that you test these search specifications to make sure they are valid. For more information about search specifications, see Configuring Siebel Business Applications.

How Siebel CRM Applies Search Specifications to Filter Reports

The following items can filter the records that Siebel CRM displays in a report:

• Client query (the user enters a query in a field)
• Predefined query
• Search specification on the business component
• Search specification on the applet
• Search specification on the integration object

Table 8 describes different examples Siebel CRM applies search specifications to filter reports. In all rows, assume that the applet and the business component each include a search specification. For example, the first row describes how Siebel CRM filters records if the user enters a query in the client, does not use a predefined query, there is no search specification for the integration object, and the applet and the business component each include a search specification. For more information about creating search specifications, see Configuring Siebel Business Applications.

The following items apply for each row in Table 8:

• The Position automatically preserves visibility, organization visibility, and view mode. For information, see How Siebel CRM Controls Access to Reports.
• Using the CTRL key to choose records does not affect query behavior. For more information, see Using the CTRL Key to Choose Multiple Records for a Report.
• Mobile Web Client functionality is not adversely affected.
• Multilingual behavior does not affect the functionality.