ABA
Activant Business Analyzer
This class is designed for…
This course was designed for managers who need to look at business performance and make proactive decisions based on current information in an intuitive format.
Objectives
Gain a general understanding of Activant Business Analyzer. Explore ABA’s basic capabilities and fundamentals of queries.
This class will not cover…
Detailed instructions on ABA’s advanced functionsFor further training on ABA please contact [email protected] to schedule time with an Activant AC
ABA Cubes
Each night your P21 DB will be uploaded to the ABA’s DB, called the Star DB. Your data in ABA will be as of the day before.
Sales cube: Updated nightlyInventory cube: will show value of “today” and end of month value for each month in ABA databaseA/P cube: will show value of “today” and end of month value for each month in ABA databaseA/R cube: will show value of “today” and end of month value for each month in ABA database
Basic ABA Terminology
Layout:Includes all Pages, Work Areas and Queries
Page:Includes all Work Areas and Queries
Work Area:An area that contains a graph or data on the page, usually multiple work areas per page
Query:A specific request for data from your database
Measure:a piece of quantifiable data. Cost, price, profit dollar, sales, PO value, etc.
Dimension:ways to break down measures
Layout
Page
Work Area(s)
Query
Activant ABA Pre Defined Layout
OverviewSales (Sales Dollars)Sales (Profit Dollars)InventoryOrders QuotesPurchasingA/PA/R
Activant ABA Pre - Defined Layout
Cannot save over pre-defined layout, pages, queriesCan modify pre-defined Layout, pages and queries as needed and “Save As”
Editing Work Areas
Open A/R page, double click on A/R Aging By Due Date header to expandRMB on the data area (pie chart) and select “Designer View”
Editing Work Areas
In designer view, click on Customer Name in the Filter On field
Editing Work Areas
DisplayTop 10Show OnlyShow All ExceptExpressionSnapshot
Editing Work Areas
To select multiple criteria, with focus on first name, hold shift and click on desired end nameSelect range using the shift key
Editing Work Areas
Click on Run to view new results
Editing Work Areas
Chart ViewTable ViewGauge ViewReport View
Editing Work Areas
Selecting Table View
Editing Work Areas
Save optionsLayoutPage Query
Can save to User, System or Role
Editing Work Areas
Save Layout or PageFile – Save Layout or Page
Save QueryMust be in Designer ViewTop left of Page has options of Open and Save
Appshare
Open default A/R PageLimit customer to a range for A/R Aging By Due DateRename PageSave Layout, Page and Query
Inserting Pages
Page – New Blank Page
Inserting Work Areas
Page – New Work Area –Select Position
Inserting Analytics
Insert - Analytics
Designing Queries
Measure:A piece of quantifiable data. Cost, price, profit dollar, sales, PO value, etc.
Dimension:Ways to break down measures
Filter OnDimension used to limit results
Designing Queries
Designing Queries
Sales to show Sales and Sales Year to DateThe Sales Measure (in the Show field) can be modified to show sales as of today and the previous year(s) to allow for accurate comparison
Designing Queries
Select Year from Filter on Field and limit results to Last Year from the Relative Dates menu.Run Query
Designing Queries
Results should look similar to this
Designing Queries
RMB functions of Column HeaderQuick TotalQuick Sort and Subtotal by “X”Hide “X”Column Select Columns to ViewSet Alerts On Sales Clear Alerts On SalesShow FiltersControl PanelBudget
Designing Queries
RMB – Column –Customize ColumnSet decimal placesTitle columnAdd currency, percent and
commasSet justification
Designing Queries
RMB – Column – Insert ColumnAllows the insertion of a
calculated columnAllows selection of many
operations for columnName column
Designing Queries
Alert: the ability to highlight a cell based upon set parametersOn column header – RMB - Set Alerts – choose Red, Yellow, or GreenSet parameter desired and value
Designing Queries
Designing Queries
Left Side “By”I would replace with
“Creates a single row for each returned element related to the selected dimension
Designing Queries
Bottom “By”I would replace with
“Creates a single column for each returned element related to the selected dimension
Example is using the Month Dimension
AppShare
Add new Page and Analytics Create a basic Sales query
Show = SalesBy = Sales Rep NameBottom By = Month (x2)
Change column nameFormat columns
Add dollar sign and commasTotal at bottom
Add a column to calculate differenceSet a Red alert
Advanced Navigation
While using the Table view, RMB – Control Panel has Layout, Export and Print optionsRight side of window has shortcut icons. Hold cursor over to view label
Advanced Navigation
Page ContextAllows for all Work Areas on a Page to be limited to specified
DimensionThe dimension must exist on each work area’s query in the
Filter On field in order for Page Context to work
Drill Downs
Drill DownThe ability to create queries within work areas to show further detailIn any type of work area in Dashboard view, RMB –Create DrillSeveral options for how Drill Down appears
New WindowNew PageCurrent PageSet Page ContextReset Page Context
Budgets
Design queryInsert budget columnEnter budget valuesSave budgetInsert Proration columnInsert Projection column
Budgets
Proration: Where sales should be RMB – Column – Insert ColumnSet Column valuesLeave date as default
Budgets
Projection: Based on sales numbersRMB – Column – Insert ColumnSet Column valuesLeave date as default
Budgets
Charts
RMB on Chart – Chart TypePointLineSplineBarStacked BarColumnStacked ColumnAreaSpline AreaStacked AreaPieDoughnut
Charts
RMB on Chart – 3 Dimensional Display & Show LegendRMB on chart – Properties – Edit chart and select chart type
Tools – User Maintenance
Setup new users Determine Users’ ABA rightsRestrict dimensions that user can useRestrict access to specific cubes
Tools – User Maintenance
Create and add users to rolesRoles are used for saving specific layout, pages and queries to defined group
Tools – Address Book
Any contact that will be sent reports through email must be set up here
Tools - Schedule Maintenance
ABA has the ability to send out emailed Alerts and ExportsEach Schedule must be setup priorCan be set to send out hourly, daily, weekly, monthly
Tools – Task Maintenance
Allows users to create automatic emails to be sent out with data from Queries, Pages and Layouts
Tools – Task Maintenance
AlertA query that at designated
schedule time will run and email results if any are returned
ExportAn email containing query,
page or layout that will be sent at time specified in schedule
Tools – Task Viewer
View Alerts and ExportsRMB – Execute NowCan uncheck Enable
Host Configuration
Start – All Programs – Activant Business Analyzer – Utilities – Set HostsHosts tab
IP addresses of ABA Server
Host Configuration
Host DetailsProduct Key: Enter the Product Key/Serial Number provided on the cd sleeve of the ABA install cd you received
Host Configuration
Email TabFrom email accountUsername & Password of valid email accountTest Connection
Host Configuration
Host ConfigurationMust have user and password for user from ABASet the service up to automatically start your Norris Scheduler
Summary
Gain a general understanding of Activant Business Analyzer. Explore ABA’s capabilities and see examples of queries.Learn basic functionality to help you to get started with the ABA.
For More Information…
ABA Help FilesVisit Activant on the web: http://distribution.activant.com/
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E-mail Professional Services [email protected]