Managing User Variables

You can set user variables to limit the number of members displayed on a form, helping users focus on certain members. For example, if you create a user variable called Division for the Entity dimension, users can select a member for their own division. You can create any number of user variables for each dimension (including attribute dimensions), and select user variables for any axis in the form. See Defining Form Page and Point of View.

The typical sequence of steps:

1. If necessary, create the appropriate parent-level members in the dimension outline.

2. Define user variables for each dimension you want users to be able to filter (including attribute dimensions).

   See Creating User Variables.

3. When designing the form, associate the user variable with the form.

   See Selecting User Variables as Members.

4. Instruct users to select a member for the user variable associated with the form. Forms with undefined user variables are prevented from opening or being viewed in a dashboard. After selecting an initial value for the user variable, you can change it in the form or in preferences.

Note:

If you're prevented from opening a form (or viewing a form in a dashboard) because it contains missing user variables, you'll see a message prompting you to select members for the user variables:

Before you can open this form, you must select a member for each User Variable. To select members for missing user variables: Click here

When the link in the message is clicked, the User Preferences page opens in a new dynamic tab and the user variables with missing member values are displayed first. Select a member for each undefined user variable.

See Setting User Variables in Working with Planning.