17Actions

Actions

Actions

Actions

Actions provide functionality to:

• Navigate to related content

You can include actions in analyses, dashboard pages, agents, scorecard objectives, scorecard initiatives, and KPIs. Invoke Actions are not permitted with Taleo.

Actions can be executed:

• Explicitly by end users who click action links that are embedded within:

  • Analyses on column headings, column values, and hierarchy level values and in certain views, such as graphs

  • Dashboard pages

  • Content delivered by agents

  • Scorecards in Cause, Effect Maps, Custom Views, Strategy Tree Views, Strategy Maps, KPIs, and KPI watchlists.

  • KPI analyses

• Automatically, as the final step of an agent

• Directly from the "Home page" or from the "Catalog page"

Action Links and Action Menus

An action link is a link to an action that you have embedded in an analysis, dashboard page, scorecard objective, scorecard initiative, or KPI that, when clicked, runs an associated action.

On a dashboard page, you can add action links as standalone links or you can group multiple action links together on action link menus. An action link menu lets users select, from a list of action links, the appropriate action to be executed based on the business insight that they gained from the data.

Additionally, you can conditionally show each action link, depending on the data. This powerful functionality enables you to set up context-sensitive menus that present users with the appropriate next steps based on the data that is displayed. For more information on conditionally showing action links, see "Conditionally Enabled Actions".

Action links that you add to analyses are displayed to users in the following views:

• Tables

• Pivot tables

• Graphs

• Funnel graphs

• Gauges

For information about views see "Adding Views for Display in Dashboards."

Action links that you add to scorecard objectives and initiatives are displayed to users in the following scorecard views:

• Cause & effect maps

• Custom views

• Strategy trees

• Strategy maps

• KPI watchlists

Action links that you add to KPIs are displayed to users in KPI analyses.

Actions that Navigate to Related Content

The following list identifies and describes the types of actions that navigate to related content:

• Navigate to BI Content — Navigates to an analysis, a specific dashboard page, or dashboard.

• Navigate to a Web Page — Navigates to a specified URL.

These actions cannot be added to agents.

Named Actions

A named action is an action that you define and then save by name in the Oracle BI Presentation Catalog so that you can reuse it. You can also reuse a named action as a template to create another named action.

For example, suppose that you frequently want to include navigation to your organization's Web site in analyses and dashboard pages that you are designing. You can create an action that navigates to the URL and save it to the catalog. Then as you create analyses and dashboard pages, you can add this named action to them.

You create a named action when you create a new action from the:

• New menu on the global toolbar by clicking Action and then selecting one of the action types (for example, Navigate to a Web Page).

• Home page by clicking Action in the Create area and then selecting one of the action types (for example, Navigate to BI Content).

You can also create a new named action from a dashboard, an analysis, or a KPI. You do so by creating an inline action and then, to keep it, saving it to the catalog. For information on inline actions, see Inline Actions"Inline Actions".

Inline Actions

An inline action is an action that you define at the point of use and do not save by name in the catalog. Instead, it is saved as part of the analysis, dashboard page, agent, scorecard objective, scorecard initiative, or KPI.

scorecard objective, scorecard initiative, or KPI that contains it is deleted. This simplifies catalog management for actions that make sense only within particular BI content.

For example, suppose that you are designing a dashboard page and want to invoke an action that you plan to use only once. You can create an action at that point and then add it to the page. When you save the dashboard, the action is saved with it.

You create an inline action when you:

• Create or edit an agent and add a new action to run when the agents finishes.

  For information, see "Adding Actions to an Agent".

• Edit a dashboard page and add a new action to the page using an action link or an action link menu.

  For information see "Actions in Dashboard Pages".

• Create or edit an analysis and add a new action to a column heading, column value, or hierarchy level value using an action link.

  For information, see "Adding Actions to an Analysis".

• Create or edit a KPI and add a new action to the KPI using an action link.

  For information, see "Adding Actions to a KPI".

• Create or edit an initiative or objective in a scorecard and add a new action to the initiative or objective using an action link.

  For information, see "Adding Actions to Initiatives and Objectives in a Scorecard".

Conditionally Enabled Actions

You can conditionally enable actions that are added to:

• Analyses

• Dashboard pages

• Agents

Actions that are added to KPIs are associated with KPI ranges so they are enabled conditionally because of their definitions. Likewise for actions that are added to scorecards, because they are associated with states of initiatives and objectives.

Conditionally Enabled Actions Added to Analyses

When you add an action to an analysis, you can specify that its associated action link is to be displayed only when one or more conditions are met. You do this by selecting one or more columns in the analysis to use and specifying the condition to meet. (The steps to specify a condition are very similar to those used for conditional formatting.)

Conditionally Enabled Actions Added to Dashboard Pages

When you add an action to a dashboard page, you can specify that its associated action link is to be displayed only when a certain condition is satisfied. You do this by specifying a condition (either a named or inline) that is to be satisfied.

For more information on action links, see "Action Links and Action Link Menus". For more information on conditions, see "Working with Conditions."

Conditionally Enabled Actions Added to Agents

While you primarily use an agent's condition to determine whether the agent delivers its content or not, you can also use it to determine if the agent executes its actions.

When you add an action to an agent, you can specify that the action is to be executed only when a certain condition is satisfied. You do this by adding a condition (either inline or named) to the agent, and then specifying whether you want the action to be executed:

• Only if the agent condition evaluates to true

• Only if the agent condition evaluates to false

For some actions, you can also specify whether to execute the action for each row that is returned by the condition.

For more information on conditions, see "Working with Conditions."

Customized Information Displayed to Users on Action Execution

You can customize information to display to users when they run actions. Specifically, you can:

• Specify whether to display a confirmation prompt to users when they execute the action.

• Customize a dialog that is displayed to users when they need to supply action parameter values before the action is executed.

You use theUser Interface Reference"Action Options dialog" to customize this information when you create or edit an action.

Creating a Named Action

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. In the global header, click New, select Action under Actionable Intelligence, and then select the type of action to create.

   The "Create New Action dialog" is displayed.

2. Complete the New Action dialog. For information, see "Specifying the Settings for a New Action".

Specifying the Settings for a New Action

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Click the Create New Action button (displayed as the Add New Action button in an agent or New Action button in a dashboard) and then select the type of action to create.

   The Create New Action dialog is displayed.

2. In the URL field, enter the URL of the Web page.

3. To define parameters for the action, then click Define Parameters to display the Define Parameters list.

4. Define the parameters as appropriate:

   • To add a parameter, click the Add Parameter button. A new parameter row is added to the Define Parameters list. (Note that the Add Parameter button is not available for all action types.)

   • Specify the column values for each parameter:

     • In the Name column, if you are creating a new parameter, then enter the name of the parameter. Use a name that is unique within the action.

       This column is not available for all action types.

     • In the Prompt column, if you want the user to provide the parameter value, then enter the prompt to display to the user.

     • In the Value column, to provide a parameter value, then enter or select the value. If you want the user to specify the value, then leave this field as is.

     • In the Fixed column, specify whether to allow users to see but not set the parameter.

       This column is not available for all action types.

     • In the Hidden column, specify whether to hide the parameter from users.

       This column is not available for all action types.

     • In the Optional column, specify whether the parameter requires a value before the action can be executed.

5. (optional) Customize information displayed to the user when the action runs:

   1. Click Options to display the "Action Options dialog".

   2. Specify the customization that you want.

   3. Click OK.

   This functionality is available only for actions where it is appropriate to display information to users.

6. Click OK.

   If you are creating a named action, then a dialog is displayed where you specify the information for saving the action.

Actions in Analyses

You can add one or more actions to a column heading, column value, or hierarchy level value in an analysis. When you add an action to a column heading, column value, or hierarchy level value, you add the action by using an action link.

When an analysis that contains one or more action links is presented to users in a pivot table, table, map, graph, trellis, or gauge, users can click a link to run the associated action.

For more information on action links, see Action Links and Action Link Menus.

Adding Actions to an Analysis

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Limited

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Note: BI Author limited can add named actions to an analysis, but they cannot create new actions.

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the analysis to which you want to add one or more actions.

2. Move the mouse pointer over the Options button for the column or hierarchy level to which you want to add one or more actions and select Column Properties or Hierarchy Level Properties.

   Note: For trellis graphs, you can add actions to columns, but not to hierarchy levels.
   The "Column Properties dialog" is displayed.

3. Click the "Column Properties dialog: Interaction tab".

4. In the Primary Interaction box in the Column Heading area (to add one or more actions to a column heading) or the Value area (to add one or more actions to a column value or hierarchy level value), select Action Links to display the Action Links area.

5. Click the Add Action Link button.

   The "New Action Link dialog" is displayed.

6. In the Link Text field, enter the text to display as the link to execute the associated action.

7. To create a new action (that is, an inline action), then click the Create New Action button and specify the settings for the new action. For information, see "Specifying the Settings for a New Action".

8. To add an existing action (that is, a named action):

   1. Click the Select existing action button.

      The "Open dialog" is displayed.

   2. Complete the Open dialog.

      If there are parameters associated with the action, then the "Edit Parameter Mapping dialog" is displayed.

   3. Complete the Edit Parameter Mapping dialog (if displayed).

9. If you are adding the action link to a value, then in the Show Link component in the New Action Link dialog, select one of the following options:

   • Always — Specifies that the action link is always to be enabled.

   • Conditionally — Specifies that the action link is to be enabled only under certain conditions.

     Selecting this option displays the Conditions area.

     For more information, see "Conditionally Enabled Actions".

   If you are adding the action link to a column heading, then the Conditionally option is not available.

10. If you selected Conditionally, then add one or more conditions to be used to enable the action link. For each condition to add:

    1. Click the New Condition button and select the column to use. The "New Condition dialog" is displayed.

    2. Complete the New Condition dialog.

11. In the New Action Link dialog, click OK to add the action link to the Action Links area on the Interaction tab.

12. For each additional action link to add, repeat steps 5+.

13. To specify that, when only one action link is available at runtime, the action link is to be executed immediately rather than be displayed in a menu for selection, select the Do not display in a popup if only one action link is available at runtime box.

14. Click OK to close the Column Properties dialog.

15. Click the Save Analysis toolbar button on the Analysis editor to save the analysis.

Actions in Dashboard Pages

You can add actions to dashboard pages in one of two ways:

• By adding to a section on the dashboard page an Action Link object to which you add an action.

  When a dashboard page that contains one or more action links is presented to users, users can click a link to run the associated action.

• By adding to a section on the dashboard page an Action Link Menu object to which you add action links.

  When a dashboard page that contains an action link menu is presented to users, users can select a link from the action link menu to run the associated actions.

For more information on action links and action link menus, see Action Links and Action Link Menus."

Adding Actions to a Dashboard Page Using Action Links

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the dashboard page to which you want to add an action.

2. From the Dashboard Object pane, drag and drop an Action Link object on the dashboard page.

3. Click the Properties button for the Action Link object to display the "Action Link Properties dialog".

4. Complete the Action Link Properties dialog. For information, see "Completing the Action Link Properties Dialog".

5. Click the Save toolbar button on the Dashboard builder to save the dashboard page.

Completing the Action Link Properties Dialog

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. In the Link Text box, enter the text to display as the link to execute the associated action.

2. If you are creating an action link that will not be displayed on an action link menu, then in the Caption box, enter a caption to display above the link text.

3. To create a new action (that is, an inline action), then click the New Action button and specify the settings for the new action. For information, see "Specifying the Settings for a New Action".

4. To add an existing action (that is, a named action):

   1. Click the Select existing action button.

      The "Open dialog" is displayed.

   2. Complete the Open dialog.

      If there are parameters associated with the action, then the "Edit Parameter Mapping dialog" is displayed.

   3. Complete the Edit Parameter Mapping dialog (if displayed).

5. (for an action link that navigates to a URL or to other BI content only) Use the Open Link in New Window box in the Action Link Properties dialog to specify whether to open the link in a new browser window or tab.

6. (for Navigate to BI Content actions only) Use the Add to Briefing Book box to specify whether the action that is associated with the action link can be executed in a briefing book, but only if the number of briefing book navigation links to be followed is greater than 0.

   For information about briefing books, see "Briefing Book".

7. In the Show Link component, select one of the following options:

   • Always — Specifies that the action link is always to be enabled.

   • Conditionally — Specifies that the action link is to be enabled only if the associated condition is satisfied.

     The Condition area is displayed.

8. The Condition area is displayed.

   1. To create a new condition, click the New Condition button to display the "New Condition dialog" and then complete the dialog.

      For information on completing the dialog, see "Specifying the Settings for a Condition".

   2. To select an existing condition, click Select Condition to display the "Select Condition dialog" and then complete the dialog.

9. Click OK in the Action Link Properties dialog.

Adding Actions to a Dashboard Page Using an Action Link Menu

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the dashboard page to which you want to add one or more actions.

2. From the Dashboard Object pane, drag and drop an Action Link Menu object on the dashboard page.

3. Click the Properties button for the Action Link Menu object to display the "Action Link Menu Properties dialog".

4. In the Menu Label box, enter the name to display for the menu.

5. In the Caption box, enter a caption to display above the action link menu text.

6. Add the action links to the menu as follows:

   • To add an action link that already exists on the page, drag and drop the existing Action Link object onto the Action Link Menu object.

   • To add a new action link, click the Add button to display the "Action Link Properties dialog" and then complete the dialog. For information, see "Completing the Action Link Properties Dialog".

     Note: You also can drag an Action Link object from an Action Link Menu object to create a standalone action link.

7. Click OK in the Action Link Menu Properties dialog.

8. Click the Save toolbar button on the Dashboard builder to save the dashboard page.

Adding Actions to an Agent

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the agent to which you want to add an action.

2. Click the "Agent editor: Actions tab".

3. Determine whether to add the action to the Agent Condition True or No Condition Exists area or the Agent Condition is False area as follows:

   • If there is no condition associated with the agent, or if there is a condition associated with the agent and you want the action to execute only if the condition evaluates to true, then use the Agent Condition True or No Condition Exists area

   • If there is a condition associated with the agent and you want the action to execute only if the condition evaluates to false, then use the Agent Condition is False area.

4. To create a new action (that is, an inline action), then click the Add New Action button and specify the settings for the new action. For information, see "Specifying the Settings for a New Action".

5. To add an existing action (that is, a named action):

   1. Click the Add Existing Action button.

      The "Select Existing Action dialog" is displayed.

   2. Complete the Select Existing Action dialog.

      Note: You cannot add an existing action that navigates to related content (such as Navigate to BI Content).
      If there are parameters associated with the action, then the "Add Existing Action dialog" is displayed.

   3. Specify any required parameter values in the Add Existing Action dialog.

   4. Click OK.

6. Click the Save this Agent toolbar button in the Agent editor to save the agent.

Adding Actions to a KPI

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the KPI to which you want to add one or more actions.

2. Click the "KPI editor: States page".

3. Click the Define action links for this status button to display the "Action Links dialog".

4. To add an action that has been added to another range of the KPI, click the Add Action Link button and select the action.

5. To add a new action:

   • If one or more actions have been added to another range of the KPI, click the Add Action Link button and select New Action Link.

   • If no actions have been added to other ranges of the KPI, then click the Add Action Link button.

   The "New Action Link dialog" is displayed.

6. In the Link Text field, enter the text to display as the link to execute the associated action.

7. To create a new action (that is, an inline action), then click the Create New Action button and specify the settings for the new action. For information, see "Specifying the Settings for a New Action".

8. To add an existing action (that is, a named action):

   1. Click the Select existing action button.

      The "Open dialog" is displayed.

   2. Complete the Open dialog.

      If there are parameters associated with the action, then the "Edit Parameter Mapping dialog" is displayed.

   3. Complete the Edit Parameter Mapping dialog (if displayed).

   4. Click OK in the New Action Link dialog.

9. For each additional action link to add, repeat steps 5+.

10. Click OK to close the Action Links dialog.

11. Click the Save KPI As toolbar button on the KPI Builder to save the KPI.

Adding Actions to Initiatives and Objectives in a Scorecard

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the scorecard that contains the initiative or objective.

2. Navigate to the initiative or objective to which you want to add an action as follows:

   • If you are adding the action to an initiative, then in the "Initiatives pane", double-click the initiative.

   • If you are adding the action to an objective, then in the "Strategy pane", double-click the objective.

3. In the Action Link area in the "Analytics pane", click the New Row button.

   The "Action Link dialog" is displayed.

4. In the State Equals box, select the state of the initiative or objective under which the action link is to be enabled.

5. To create a new action (that is, an inline action), then click the Create New Action button and specify the settings for the new action. For information, see "Specifying the Settings for a New Action".

6. To add an existing action (that is, a named action):

   1. Click the Select Existing Action button.

      The "Open dialog" is displayed.

   2. Click OK.

7. In the Link Text field, enter the text to display as the link to execute the associated action.

8. Click OK in the Action Link dialog.

   The action link is added to the Action Link area.

9. Save the objective or initiative.

Creating a New Action Based on an Existing Named Action

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the existing named action on which you want to base a new action. The "Edit Action dialog" is displayed.

2. Specify any changes that you want.

3. Click Save As and specify the save as criteria in the dialog.

Editing a Named Action

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Navigate to the action in the catalog.

2. Click the Edit link to display the "Edit Action dialog".

3. Edit the action and click OK.

4. Click Save Action.

Editing an Action or Action Link Added to an Analysis

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the analysis to which the action and action link has been added.

2. Move the mouse pointer over the Options menu for the column or hierarchy level to which the action has been added and select Column Properties or Hierarchy Level Properties.

   The "Column Properties dialog" is displayed.

3. Click the "Column Properties dialog: Interaction tab".

4. In the Action Links area, select the action to edit and click the Edit Action Link button to display the "Edit Action Link dialog".

5. Make the appropriate changes to the action link.

6. Click the More button and select Edit Action. The "Edit Action dialog" is displayed.

7. Edit the action and click OK.

8. Click OK in the Edit Action Link dialog.

9. Click OK in the Column Properties dialog.

10. Click Save Analysis.

Editing an Action, Action Link, or Action Link Menu Added to a Dashboard Page

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the dashboard page.

2. If the action and action link are associated with an action link menu:

   1. Click the Properties button for the Action Link Menu object. The "Action Link Menu Properties dialog" is displayed.

   2. Make the appropriate changes to the menu label and caption.

   3. In the Action Links area, select the action to edit and click the Edit button.

      The" Action Link Properties dialog" is displayed.

3. If the action and action link are standalone, click the Properties button for the Action Link object to which the action is associated. The "Action Link Properties dialog" is displayed.

4. Make the appropriate changes to the action link.

5. Click the More button and select Edit Action. The "Edit Action dialog" is displayed.

6. Edit the action and click OK.

7. Click OK in the Action Link Properties dialog, and then in the Action Link Menu Properties dialog (if displayed).

8. Click Save to save the dashboard.

Editing Actions Added to an Agent

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Open the agent.

2. Click the "Agent editor: Actions tab".

3. Select the action and click the Edit Parameters button. The "Edit Action dialog" is displayed.

4. Edit the action and click OK.

Editing Actions or Action Links Added to a KPI

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the KPI to which the action and action link has been added.

2. Click the "KPI editor: States page".

3. Click the Define action links for this status button to display the "Action Links dialog".

4. In the Action Links area, select the action to edit and click the Edit Action Link button to display the "Edit Action Link dialog".

5. Make the appropriate changes to the action link.

6. Click the More button and select Edit Action. The "Edit Action dialog" is displayed.

7. Edit the action and click OK.

8. Click OK in the Edit Action Link dialog.

9. Click OK in the Action Links dialog.

10. Click Save KPI As.

Editing Actions and Action Links Added to an Initiative or Objective in a Scorecard

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the scorecard that contains the initiative or objective.

2. Navigate to the initiative or objective as follows:

   • For an initiative, in the "Initiatives pane", double-click the initiative.

   • For an objective, in the "Strategy pane", double-click the objective.

3. In the Action Link area in the "Analytics pane", click the Edit Row button.

   The "Action Link dialog" is displayed.

4. Make the changes that you want and click OK in the Action Link dialog.

5. Save the objective or initiative.

Saving an Inline Action in an Analysis to the Catalog

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the analysis to which the action has been added.

2. Move the mouse pointer over the Options menu for the column or hierarchy level to which the action has been added and select Column Properties or Hierarchy Level Properties.

   The "Column Properties dialog" is displayed.

3. Click the "Column Properties dialog: Interaction tab".

4. In the Action Links area, select the action to save and click the Edit Action Link button. The "Edit Action Link dialog" is displayed.

5. Click the More button and select Save Action As to display the "Save As dialog" to specify the save criteria.

6. Specify the save criteria and click OK.

   Tip: To replace the reference to the current action with the saved action, then select the Replace current action with a reference to the saved action box.

7. Click OK in the Edit Action Link dialog.

8. Click OK in the Column Properties dialog.

Saving an Inline Action in a Dashboard to the Catalog

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Edit the dashboard page.

2. If the action and action link are associated with and action link menu:

   1. Click the Properties button for the Action Link Menu object. The "Action Link Menu Properties dialog" is displayed.

   2. Make the appropriate changes to the menu label and caption.

   3. In the Action Links area, select the action to edit and click the Edit button.

      The "Action Link Properties dialog" is displayed.

3. If the action and action link are standalone, then click the Properties button for the Action Link object to which the action is associated. The "Action Link Properties dialog" is displayed.

4. Click the More button and select Save Action As. The "Save As dialog" is displayed.

5. Edit the action and click OK.

6. Click OK in the Action Link Properties dialog, and then in the Action Link Menu Properties dialog (if displayed).

7. Click Save to save the dashboard.

8. Click the More button and select Save Action As to display the dialog to specify the save criteria.

9. Specify the save criteria and click OK.

   Tip: To replace the reference to the current action with the saved action, then select the Replace current action with a reference to the saved action box.

10. Click OK in the Action Link Properties dialog, and then in the Action Link Menu Properties dialog (if displayed).

11. Click Save to save the dashboard.

Executing a Named Action to Test It

You must have one of the following user type permissions:

• BI Author Limited

• BI Author Developer

• BI Tenant Administrator

Home > Oracle Business Intelligence

1. Navigate to the named action in the catalog.

2. Click the Execute link.

3. Respond to any request for more information or any confirmation prompt that is displayed.