Data Structures
The second component that is required for a smart field is a data structure. A data structure lists the parameters that pass values between a report and the database tables. You must include all of the data items that are required to complete the function of the smart field in the data structure. For example, a quarterly amount smart field requires 12 periods for calculating each month. Another field is required for the return value, which is the result of the smart field calculation for each quarter.
All data items that are added to the data structure must reside in the same business view. If you find that you need to add data items that are not included in a single business view, you must create a custom business view that includes all of the required data items. Adding data items that reside in different business views results in a nonfunctional smart field.
You can also define the direction of the flow of data in a smart field data structure. This definition eliminates the need for the report developer to define the flow in RDA. The data flow definition is another component that simplifies the use of business functions for the report developer.