1. User's Guide
  2. Smart View and Narrative Reporting
  3. Authoring Doclets
  4. Working with Variables
  5. Creating Static Variables

Creating Static Variables

A static variable is a string of text, such as a label or paragraph, which can be inserted into a report package doclet.

As an example, if you create a static variable for the current month called "CurrentMonth", you might enter the text,"August 2016". When you roll over to the report for the next month, it is a simple matter to update the text in the CurrentMonth variable to "September 2016," and the change is propagated to all instances of that variable throughout the report package.

The static variable can also be created and defined in the Narrative Reporting web interface; however, it must be inserted into the doclet using Oracle Smart View for Office.

Note:

Before you begin, ensure that you have opened a report package, and opened and checked out a doclet.

To create a static variable:

  1. Open a report package, and in the drop-down list in the Report Package panel, select Variables

    Shows the options available in drop-down list in the Report Package. Options are Report Center and Variables
  2. In the Report Package panel, click Create New Variable, The plus symbol signifying the Create New Variable button in the Report Package panel., and then select Static Variable from the drop-down list.

    The report package panel displays Create Static Variable, where you enter the variable name and value, and an optional description:


    The Report Package panel, where now an area called Create Static Variable is displayed with Name, Description, and Value fields.
  3. Define the variable as follows:
    1. Enter a Name for the variable.

      The name must be unique across variables within the report package, and should be descriptive of the variable to make it easier to find.

    2. Optional: Enter a Description for the variable.
    3. In the Value field, enter the text for the static variable.

      • Static variables can have a maximum size of 255 characters.

      • The text string can be a label or paragraph, and the entire string will be displayed as entered in the report package.

    In the following example, the user created a static variable with the Name of "CurrentMonth", a Description of "The current month and year for the report", and a Value of "August 2016". This variable can be inserted in multiple locations showing the date of the current month in different usages, as shown below:

    The Create Static Variable fields populated with user-defined name, description, and value. A green check mark is displayed, this is the OK button to create the variable; an X is displayed to cancel creating the variable.

    This variable can be inserted in multiple locations showing the date of the current month in different usages; for example:

    • Insert the static variable into the text displayed in an internal Operating Expenses doclet that reads "For the month of <<CurrentMonth>>".

    • Insert the static variable into a paragraph in footnote of any of the doclets that reads: "During <CurrentMonth>>, ... ."

    The next month, to update all instances of the Current Month date in the report package, modify the variable value to use the new month; for example, September 2016. This option ensures that the change is implemented uniformly, and no incorrect dates for the value remain.

  4. Click the OK button, A green check mark, signifying the OK button..

    To cancel creating the variable, click the Cancel button, An X, signifying the Cancel button.

  5. Insert the variable into a doclet, following the procedure in Inserting Variables in a Doclet.