1. Administering FreeForm
  2. Using Smart View to Manage Applications
  3. Working with Artifacts in the Application Template
  4. Substitution Variable Definition

Substitution Variable Definition

In the application template workbook, include a worksheet for your substitution variables, using the substitution variable definition worksheet provided in the template for the Sample application as your guideline.

Substitution variables can be defined for Standard, Enterprise, and FreeForm applications.

Follow this workflow for setting up a substitution variable worksheet in your application template workbook:

  1. Define the Worksheet Name

  2. Define the Worksheet Type

  3. Define the Substitution Variables

Define the Worksheet Name

Define the worksheet name in the Excel worksheet tab. Name the substitution variable definition worksheet, Variables. For example:

Worksheet tabs from an Excel application template working showing the naming convention for the substitution variables sheet, "Variables".

Define the Worksheet Type

In cell A1 in the data worksheet, type Substitution Variables to signify that data in this sheet will be loaded to a cube. In Figure C-7, cell A1 contains Substitution Variables to indicate that the worksheet will contain substitution variable information for loading to the specified cubes in the application.

Figure C-7 Worksheet Type and Substitution Variables Shown in Variables Worksheet of Application Template

Portion of Excel application template worksheet showing "Substitution Variable" in cell A1 to indicate that this is a variable-type sheet. Starting in row 3, there are these labels: Cube in cell A3, Name in cell B3, and Value in cell C3.

Define the Substitution Variables

In the Variables worksheet, using Figure C-7 for reference, add information for each substitution variable in the following format:

  • In the Cube column, enter the name of the cube to which the substitution variable will apply. For example:

    • If a variable applies to all cubes, enter All Cubes

    • If a variable applies to a specific cube, enter the cube name; for example, enter Plan3

    • If a variable applies to more than one cube, but not all cubes, list each cube name on its own row individually; for example, if a variable applies to both Plan2 and Plan3 only, add an entry for Plan2 on one row, and an entry for Plan3 on another row.

  • In the Name column, enter the substitution variable name. In Figure C-7, the substitution variable names are CurrYr, NextYr, and CurVersion.

  • In the Value column, enter the value to be used for the substitution variable.