Working with Reference Variables

Reference variables enable you to reference a source in another document (doclet or reference file) within the report package, such as a single Excel cell or Word data values, and use them as reference variable value sources in your report package doclet. You can then insert the reference variable into one or more doclets. When the reference variable source value is updated, all inserted instances of the variable are automatically updated. Reference variable values cannot be sourced from other reference variables.

Note:

Images and shapes are not supported as reference variable values. With Power Point type report packages, you cannot have reference variables that are sourced in Power Point.

For example, use Excel formulas in Oracle Smart View for Office to generate reference variable values:

Use an IF function to return a string of "increase" or "decrease," or "above" or "below", if a data value increases or decreases between the current and prior period. Insert the Excel-based directional word variable or results into a Word paragraph.
```
=IF(B8<0,"below","above")
```
Use an IF function, or simple subtraction, to compare the occurrence of a data value (such as "Revenues" or "Summary Income Statement") that is displayed multiple times throughout a report package.
```
='Summary Income Statement'!B4
```
Use Excel formulas to calculate the variance or variance percent of changing data values from period to period, and insert that variance into a Word paragraph.
```
='Summary Income Statement'!B4-'Summary Income Statement'!C4 
```

If the value source is updated, each instance of the variable will reflect the current information when the variable is updated in Smart View.

Although the name and description of the reference variable can be created in Narrative Reporting on the web, you must add the variable source and value using the Narrative Reporting Smart View Extension. For complete instructions, see Working with Variables.

See the following procedures: