Data Bindings (New Design)
The new Data Binding section, initially released in v23.2, provides an improved drag-and-drop interface that allows Template Designers to build report templates by pulling Data View fields into column and row drop boxes, which subsequently updates the worksheet. Any changes made directly in the worksheet are also reflected in the right panel, as the two are now synced. Manual changes to the sheet prompt a notification to display in the Data Bindings area, letting you know the data binding has changed. Simply select the notification to refresh the sheet.
This topic contains the following sections:
Important: This topic applies to reports that have the parameter NEW_DATA_BIND set to 'ENABLED'. For more information, see NEW_DATA_BINDING.
Adding Data Views
To utilize the new Data Bindings features, you must first add a Data View(s) to your report.
Select Data from the right panel in Template Design to access Data Bindings:
Then, enter the Data View or select the Data Views drop-down and choose a Data View for the report:
You may select numerous Data Views from the drop-down. Remove a Data View by de-selecting that Data View from the list. If you added numerous Data Views, you may remove them all at once by selecting the Data Views drop-down and selecting Deselect All.
Upon selecting the Data View, a list of available measures and dimensions associated with the selected Data View display, as shown below:
The field_id now displays when you retrieve the Data View Fields list. Hovering over the field_id also exposes the Display Name, as shown below:
Each Data View Field is marked with an icon to help distinguish between fields when utilizing the Column and Row drop boxes. Measure fields are marked with a icon, Dimension fields are marked with a icon, and Common Dimensions are marked with a icon. Additionally, to help identify the fields associated with a particular Data View, each selected Data View is represented by a color. This color assignment carries over as Data View and Measure fields are dropped into the Column or Row drop box.
The Search Fields text box provide a more efficient way to locate the desired field and incorporate it in the template. As you enter text, results are filtered and separated based on the Data View(s) selected, as demonstrated below:
Select the Common Dimensions header to expose this section. The Common Dimensions section allows you to easily identify dimensions that are common to the selected Data Views:
Note: This section only populates when there are two or more Data Views selected that share common dimensions.
Select the Custom header to expose this section. The Custom section includes a BLANK design field that enables you to design blank columns or rows:
Adding Columns/Rows
The new Data Bindings section takes the guess work out of designing reports by providing a simple user interface that enables you to drag the Data View Fields into drop boxes that subsequently update the worksheet for you.
Select a Data View Field and drag it to the Columns or Rows drop box, as demonstrated in the video below:
When a Data View variable is dragged into the Columns drop box, the corresponding column control variables are always added in the next empty non-design column in the sheet from left to right on the worksheet. To reorder the columns in the sheet, simply drag the Data View Field in the Columns box. Moving a Data View Field up one or more positions in the list moves the corresponding column in the worksheet to the left.
When a Data View variable is dragged into the Rows drop box, the corresponding row control variables are always added after the field description row (FIELDDESCR), or to the first non-design row in the sheet, from top to bottom on the worksheet. As such, moving a Data View Field down one position in the Rows drop box also moves the corresponding row down one row in the worksheet.
Hovering over the Data View Field exposes a tooltip notifying you that you can double-click on the Data View Field to view the column in the sheet, as demonstrated below:
Editing Columns
To edit a column, select the pencil icon next to the Data View field. If you do not see the pencil icon, select the ellipsis to expose additional options, or drag the right panel until the full content menu displays, like below:
Settings display in a pop-out menu to the left of the Data Bindings, shown below:
Column settings include information about the Source, Table, and Coltype. You also have the ability to make the column storable or open/closed for entry, add spreadgroups, turn highlight on/off in the sheet, and add viewtags.
The first editable field in column settings is Storable. By default, the Storable property will be turned off. To enable, select YES. Once the settings are applied, Bizview stores the value in the database and updates the value for column A parameter Storable in the worksheet.
Choose whether the column should be open or closed for entry by selecting ENTRY or NO ENTRY. By default, this property is set to NONE. Upon applying the settings, Bizview updates the worksheet to display the ENTRY/NOENTRY tag in the COLTYPE row for the selected column(s) and displays it in the corresponding column settings in the right panel. If a viewtag exists, ENTRY will be linked to the viewtag with a #.
Important: If the Storable property is disabled (NO), Entry/No Entry will not be available.
The Spreadgroup field displays the existing spreadgroup value for the selected column (when applicable), retrieved from the SPGROUP parameter defined in COLUMN A. If this field is empty, enter a value in the Spreadgroup field. Or, select the data icon next to the Spreadgroup field to access a list of other spreadgroup values being used in the template, as demonstrated below:
By default, the Highlight feature is turned OFF. To enable, select ON.
To apply a time filter to the Data View fields so that the column data presented in the report is specific to a given time period, select the + icon.
Bizview displays a drop-down menu with the time values. Available time filters include the following:
-
ISOYEAR
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ISOQUARTER
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ISOMONTH
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ISOWEEK
Select the desired time value from the drop-down list.
Then, enter the ISO start date in the text box, using the suggested format, as demonstrated below:
Entering an invalid format will prompt an "Invalid value" error, shown below. Select the X to clear the format and enter an acceptable value.
To add a viewtag to the worksheet, enter the viewtag in the field and select the plus icon, as demonstrated below:
You will receive the following error message if the viewtag is not alphanumeric or if it contains characters other than an underscore:
Note: Spaces are automatically converted to underscores.
Additionally, you will receive an error in the form of a toast message if the viewtag is not unique (i.e. the viewtag already exists in the template).
If multiple tags exist for the row, they will be concatenated and separated by a #, such as ALL#DETAIL.
Once you're done editing the column settings, select Apply.
Bulk Column Edits
Alternatively, you can edit multiple columns by selecting the check box next to the desired Data View Fields and selecting the pencil icon at the top of the Columns section, like below:
Note: The bulk edit pencil icon is only active when two or more of the same type of Data View Fields are selected.
Bizview displays the Bulk Change Settings, as shown below:
Editing Rows
To edit a row, select the pencil icon next to the Data View field. If you do not see the pencil icon, select the ellipsis to expose additional options, or drag the right panel until the full content menu displays, like below:
Settings display in a pop-out menu to the left of the Data Bindings, shown below:
Row settings include the ability to enable Data Rows and toggle Auto Expand Rows ON/OFF/NO QUERY, as well as add search values and viewtags.
The default value for Data Rows is NO. To enable entry in the row, select YES. Once the changes are applied, Bizview stores the value in the database and adds a DATA tag to Column A for the respective row(s) in the worksheet.
By default, the value for Entry/No Entry setting is NONE. Select ENTRY if the row should be open for entry or NO ENTRY to lock the cell for entry when the document is generated.
Important: If the Data Rows property is disabled, Entry/No Entry will not be available.
By default, rows are FIXED. To change the row to EXPAND, toggle the Auto Expand Rows to ON. Or, define NOQuery type rows by selecting NOQUERY so that these values are hard-coded in the template, prohibiting Bizview from executing any queries for the rows when the template is run. The rows will only be used when saving data. Once the changes are applied, the tag NOQUERY will be written in the worksheet in the corresponding row in COLUMN A, along with a DATA tag separated by #, such as DATA#NOQUERY.
Important: If the Data Rows property is disabled, NOQuery will not be available.
Selecting the SQL icon activates a Syntax Helper list helps you create a smart SQL query so that you can see the list of queries that you can use to filter a Data View field, as shown below:
Below is a list of the available SQL Syntax patterns:
SQL Syntax Pattern | Description | Example |
---|---|---|
Separate Search Values (=) | Constructs separate search values (=) query, allowing you to search a single value. | VALUE |
List with Several Values (IN) | Constructs a list with several values (IN) query, allowing you to define a list of several search values for the same search item. | VALUE1#VALUE2#VALUE3 |
Interval (Between) | Constructs an interval (BETWEEN) search value, allowing you to find an interval of values. | VALUE1..VALUE2 |
Search (Like) - Start With | Constructs a Search (LIKE) start with search value, allowing you to find all object values that start with the given search value. | VALUE* |
Search (Like) - End With | Constructs a Search (LIKE) end with search value, allowing you to find all object values that end with the given search value. | *VALUE |
Search (Like) - Contains | Constructs a Search (LIKE) contains search value, allowing you to find all object values containing the given search value in the given position. | ??VALUE? |
Exception (NOT) | Constructs an Exception (NOT) search value, allowing you to specify conditions with exceptions (i.e. search an interval of accounts with the exception of some accounts). | !VALUE |
Upon selecting a search value from the list, Bizview inserts 'VALUE' as placeholder for the user input values in the Search Value text box. For example, if you select the search pattern Separate Search Values (=) and the Data View field is 'ACCOUNT', the placeholder query will be 'VALUE'.
To add a viewtag to the worksheet, enter the viewtag in the field and select the plus icon, as demonstrated below:
You will receive the following error message if the viewtag is not alphanumeric or if it contains characters other than an underscore:
Note: Spaces are automatically converted to underscores.
Additionally, you will receive an error in the form of a toast message if the viewtag is not unique (i.e. the viewtag already exists in the template).
If multiple tags exist for the row, they will be concatenated and separated by a #, such as ALL#DETAIL.
Once you've finished editing the row settings, select Apply to confirm your changes.
Filtering Columns
Template Designers can filter columns fields by type in the right panel so that they can select and make necessary changes to them. Types include: Dimension, Measure, and Blank.
To filter the data view fields in the Columns drop box, select the filter icon:
Filter options display in a drop-down, as shown below:
Select the type of data view field from the drop-down. Bizview filters the columns listed in the drop box by the selected type, as demonstrated below:
Remove the column filters at any time by selecting Clear.
Duplicating Columns
Select the duplicate icon next to the column or row you want to duplicate:
If you do not see the duplicate icon, select the ellipsis to expose additional options, or drag the right panel until the full content menu displays.
A number of Copies dialog displays, as shown below. Enter a number between '1' and '100' and select Duplicate:
Bizview displays the duplicate fields in the Columns drop box, as well as the sheet.
Removing Columns/Rows
Columns can be removed individually or in bulk within the Data Binding section. Rows, on the other hand, may only be removed individually.
To remove a column or row individually, select the X next to the Data View Field you want to delete:
If you do not see the X icon, select the ellipsis to expose additional options, or drag the right panel until the full content menu displays.
Upon selecting X (or Delete), the column or row is removed from the drop box, as well as the worksheet.
To remove numerous columns at a time, select the check box next to the Data View Fields you want to delete and then select the X at the top of the Columns section, as demonstrated below:
Remove all the Data View Fields in the Column drop box in bulk by selecting the check box next to the Columns section, as demonstrated below:
Upon selecting X, a Delete Columns dialog displays, as shown below:
To remove the columns, select Yes.