Creating Functions Manually

See Microsoft documentation and support site for information about character and other Excel function limitations.

To create a function manually:

In Excel, click the cell in which you want to enter the function.
Enter an equals sign (=).
Enter the function name; for example, enter HsSetValue
Enter parameters for the function according to rules described in Example 15-1, using the information specific to each function in Function Descriptions.
To refresh the worksheet, from the Oracle Smart View for Office menu, select Refresh.

Functions are validated only when you refresh them.

Example 15-1 Syntax Guidelines

See Function Descriptions for the syntax of individual functions.

To work with a shared connection, you must add to the function the WSFN identifier, which specifies a workspace function, along with a connection string. The format is:
```
"WSFN|ProviderType|Server|Application|Database","POV"
```
For example, in the HsGetValue function for a shared connection to an Oracle Essbase data source, the WSFN identifier and connection string is added to the function as follows:
```
=HsGetValue("WSFN|Essbase|myserver|Sample|Basic","Market#South")
```
For ProviderType, use one of the following case-sensitive strings:
- Essbase (for Essbase on-premises only; Oracle Analytics Cloud - Essbase requires private connection syntax)
- HP (for Planning, Planning Modules, Financial Consolidation and Close, Tax Reporting)
To work with a URL connection, you must add to the function the URLFN identifier, which specifies a URL function, along with a connection string. The format is:

URLFN|URL|Server|Application|Database

For example the syntax for the HsGetValue function using the URL for a connection to a Planning business process:

HsGetValue("URLFN|URL|Server|Application|Database","POV")

All the information needed to make a connection is part of the token, as shown above. If the token contains any invalid information, then generally a #NoConnection error is shown, with the following exceptions for the Server token:
- For Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud business processes, such as Planning, the Server token can be blank (or invalid)
- The Essbase Server token can be blank only
- Oracle Hyperion Financial Management requires the Server token parameter
Private connection parameters can have these values:
- Empty: the default connection
- HsActive: the active associated connection
- The user-defined name for a private connection
If you specify a private connection, it must precede the POV.
The POV is composed of dimension#member pairs, for example:
```
Entity#Connecticut
```
Parent-child relationships are designated by a period, (.); for example:
```
Entity#UnitedStates.Maine
```
The connection and each POV dimension#member pair can be split into separate function parameters, each parameter enclosed in quotation marks, ("), and separated by a comma, (,); for example:
```
"My_connection","Entity#UnitedStates","Account#Sales"
```
Alternatively, the connection can be separated from the POV by a comma, (,), with the entire POV enclosed in quotation marks, ("), and with each dimension#member pair separated by semicolon, (;); for example:
```
"My_connection","Entity#UnitedStates;Account#Sales"
```
Do not mix a dimension name and its aliases in functions. However, for members, you can either use the member name or its alias from the selected alias table.