Use Parameters in Overview Dashboards

The Overview Dashboards use parameters to populate variables using data referenced in the subject areas.

Beyond the default set of parameters provided, specific parameters in the prebuilt content have been built to dynamically request values for columns like “Fiscal Calendar” or “Fiscal Year.” This allows the Overview Dashboards to avoid defaults and retrieve appropriate values for users.
Default and custom parameters for the Balance Sheet dashboard

Dynamic custom parameters on the Overview Dashboards are populated with logical SQL code. For example:
  • Fiscal Calendar
    SELECT  "Financials - GL Balance Sheet"."Time"."Fiscal Calendar Name" from "Financials - GL Balance Sheet" FETCH FIRST 1
      ROWS ONLY
  • Fiscal Year
    SELECT  "Financials - GL Balance Sheet"."Time"."Fiscal Year"  FROM "Financials -
      GL Balance Sheet"  WHERE ("Financials - GL Balance Sheet"."Time"."Trailing Year Number" = 0 AND "Financials - GL Balance
      Sheet"."Time"."Fiscal Calendar Name" IN (@parameter("Fiscal Calendar")(''))  )

    Fiscal Calendar parameter

These parameters are then used to populate filters and default values on the Overview Dashboards.

Parameter Binding

A dashboard filter can be bound to a parameter. In this case, the “Fiscal Calendar Name” dashboard filter is then populated by the “Fiscal Calendar” parameter.
Binding Fiscal Calendar parameter to Fiscal Calendar Name column

Role-playing Parameters

Usually a filter affects only one column, but in the case of role-playing parameters the filter effectively "impersonates" multiple columns. In some cases an Overview Dashboard is built so that the values selected in a single dashboard filter can be propagated to more than one subject area column. This works best if each of these columns has the same set of values. For this use case, a Workbook Filter is used to map multiple columns to a parameter. For example, in this case the “Accounting Calendar Name” columns will be populated by the “Fiscal Calendar” parameter. As mentioned in the "Parameter Binding" section, the “Fiscal Calendar” parameter also populates “Fiscal Calendar Name.” Using this dashboard filter would update both columns. Here's the Workbook Filter where the mapping is specified:
Using a Workbook Filter to write this expression