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Welcome to the Yellowfin user guide. This guide is to designed to assist you gain the
most from your Yellowfin report writer. The guide will first take you through the basics
from an overall overview, to specific instructions on how to create your reports prior
to moving to advanced features such as formatting and scheduling.
Yellowfin is an easy-to-use report writer for non-technical users, delivering drag-and-
drop simplicity for formatting and data selection. With Yellowfin, you can access
information from multiple data bases without special coding knowledge. This is easybecause you work with data in business terms that are familiar to you without the
need to understand complex technology principles.
This chapter provides you with:
1. An introduction of what you can achieve with Yellowfin.
2. Information on the major elements of Yellowfin and how they help you to
access, write and publish reports.
Yellowfin makes it easy to access data for your reports because it uses what is called
a meta-data layer that hides the technical issues of the underlying database.
Generally you do not need to know much about the meta-data layer, only that it is
there and is referred to as a VIEW (since it provides you with a view of your data).
The View is created by your Yellowfin Administrator and maps to data in your
database, using everyday business terms. This makes it easy to select the data youwant for your report through user-friendly drag and drop interface. You will learn
more about the report writer later.
Views consist of categories and items. The categories are logical groupings of items.
For example in a human resource view the category of PERSONAL DETAILS could
consist of items including last name, date of birth and gender.
When you build a report, you select items from a view, and then run a query.
Yellowfin connects to the database, and retrieves the data mapped by the items you
selected.
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Figure 1Categories and Data Items
Yellowfin is very secure. Your administrator has many options for managing security
profiles. All of the rights you have as a user are granted by your administrator. The
administrator defines:
The parts of the Yellowfin interface you can access. Your administrator can
restrict the availability of Yellowfin functionality, such as access to certain
menu commands;
The Categories and Subcategories of reports that you can access;
The views you can access for creating and editing queries;
Your ability to publish public reports; and
The data that you can access
The rights accorded to each user define the users profile. This profile-based securitysystem allows a single report to be distributed to many userswith end users having
access only to the information that they are authorised to see.
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Figure 5Report Charting
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There are a few simple ways that Yellowfin lets you find and manage your favourite
reports. These include the report list, your favourites, your inbox and the search
functionality.
The Yellowfin dashboard is your personal reporting portal. At a glance you can view
all your key reports on a single page. The dashboard allows you to switch between
tabs to view subject related reports, search your corporate repository for dashboard
enabled reports and add them to your selected tab, or access a corporate tab.
Figure 6Dashboard
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Figure 7Report List
The Report List is one of the main ways to find and run reports in Yellowfin. It shows
you all the reports that you have access to and allows you to add these documents
into your favouritesproviding you with a short cut to you most used reports.
The Report List is discussed in detail in the next chapter.
If you cannot find a report in your repository you can search for it using the report
search function. The search function is located at the top of the Report List and
Dashboard pages. To use this facility type in a key word such as drill and click GO.
1. Enter in your search keyword into the search box and hit Enter or click on .
Figure 8Report Search Box
2. A list of all reports containing the word you searched in the title, tag, or
description will be returned. Click on the report title to run the report that is
required.
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The favourites list is unique for every user. Rather than having to search for
frequently used reports user can add these to their list of favourites. This allows quick
and easy access to these as required.
To add a report to favourites select it from the report list, and click on the add to
favourites link, found on the left menu bar. This will add the report into your list on
the right hand side of the page. This link toggles between Add to Favourites and
Remove from Favourites depending on the report.
Figure 9Favourites
Once a report is in your list of favourites you can delete it at any time by clicking the
drop down menu icon and selecting delete (as seen below).
Figure 10Delete Favourite
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You will be prompted when you delete a report from your favourites. Click OK to
confirm the deletion.
Figure 11Confirm Deletion
When you delete a report from you favourites it does not delete the report from the
corporate repository. It only removes it from your list of favourites.
The inbox is used to share information between users. This can include reports and
comments about reports.
If you subscribe to a report or its comments, whenever comments are made to the
report a new comment link will appear.
Your drop down will vary based on the item type in your inbox.
Figure 12Report Drop Down Menu
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Move to Favourites Moves a report from your inbox to your favourites list.
Delete Removes the report from your inbox.
Email Enables you to email the report to users or external email
addresses.
View Opens the report.
Figure 13Comment Drop Down Menu
Delete Removes the comment from your inbox
View Opens the report.
Unsubscribe Removes your comment subscription from the report. You will not
see further comments related to this report in the future.
View Report Opens the report that the comment relates to.
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The Draft Report List displays reports currently in draft mode, with the most recent
reports at the top of the list. From here you can click on the report name to view it in
edit mode, or click on the image to delete the report.
Figure 14Draft Report List
The Recently Accessed Report List displays reports you have been working with or
viewing, with the most recent reports at the top of the list. From here you can click on
the report name to view it in edit mode, or click on the image to delete the report.
Figure 15Recently Accessed Report List
Move to Favourites Moves a report from your list to your favourites.
Delete Removes the report from your list.
Email Enables you to email the report to users or external
email addresses.
View Opens the report.
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The report list provides you with the ability to search and browse for reports. This
section covers the features of the report list page. This chapter covers:
1. Browsing reports by category, and
2. Editing, copying or deleting reports from the reports list.
The report list page provides you access to all the reports that you have available to
you. It is the main entry page for Yellowfin if you do not have access to a Yellowfin
Dashboard.
Figure 16Browsing Reports
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The Report List displays detailed information relating to the selected report, such as:
Delete (deletes the report)
Edit (allows you to edit the report, placi
it in draft mode)
Edit Metadata (allows you to edit the
name, description, category and
subcategory of the report)
Tags (displays the tags assigned to the
report for easy searching)
Display Type (report format settings
table/chart/both)
Drag and Drop Builder(report writing
method)
Active(active/draft mode)
Public Report(access settings)
Fast Run Time (Less than 1 second)(th
reports average run time)
Dashboard Enabled (can the report be
used on the dashboard?)
Linked (the report is linked to another
report)
Broadcast (reports that are marked for
broadcast to nominated users).
Add to Favourites
Copy
Information
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You can apply basic or advanced filters to your list to assist finding the report you are
searching for. The basic filter allows you to search for reports by name. The
advanced filter allows you to filter by report mode and access settings, as well as datasource and views.
Figure 17Advanced Report Search
While Folder View is selected in the top-right, the report list will be arranged in a
folder structure based on the category the report as been saved into. To browse
reports by category, simply open and close the folders by clicking on them.
You can also arrange reports in order of name, description, date modified, type,
status and run time by clicking on the column headers (this will arrange reports within
their categories).
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Figure 18Browsing By Folders
To browse all of your reports at once, click on list view on the top-right. You can now
sort all of your reports by the column headers at once.
Figure 19Browsing By List
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You are able to choose which columns you display by clicking on the Columns option
on the top-right.
Figure 20Column Selection
To assist in finding and managing access to reports, the reports are categorised into
major and minor categories. The effect of this categorisation is three fold:
1. Display & Classification: By using the folders structure a user can navigate
through the available list of reports. This assists the user to understand the
purpose of a report.
It is not possible to classify the same report into two different categories. If this is
required a report can be copied and the new report given a different category
than its original parent report.
2. Security: Report Categories and subcategories also control access to reports. It
is possible to define which specific users can read, edit or delete reports from a
selected category or subcategory.
3. Default DRAFT folders: Within your list your administrator may have setup a
default draft folder. When creating new reportsif you do not specifically save
them into a folder they will be placed in this folder. The folder is identifiable by
the draft folder icon.
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The report list displays some information about the reports.
The report nameis the title of the report and by clicking on the link the report will
open.
The descriptioncolumn provides an overall description of the report.
The run timecolumn provides an indication of the time taken for a report to run.
Depending on the complexity of a report or the amount of data that needs to be
retrieved the time taken for a report to run can vary significantly.
Icon Description
Fast Executionthe report should take less than 1 second to return a data set.
Medium Executionthe report should take between 1 and 5 seconds to return
a data set.
Slow Executionthe report takes over 5 seconds to return a data set.
Public reportsare potentially available to all users, depending on the security
level of the report category.
Private reportsare reports that you have created for your own use. These
reports will not be available to any other user.
Draft Reportsthese are reports which you are currently working on but have
not yet activated. Whether these are corporate or personal they are not
available to any other user of the system whilst in a draft state.
Public Draftsare public reports that are currently being edited by other users
generally only administrative uses will see this status of report.
Linked Reports are reports that are linked to other reports.
Broadcast Reports are reports that are marked for broadcast to nominated
users.
Table 1Icon Descriptions
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The edit report functionality allows you to make changes to existing reports and
continue to work on your draft reports.
When a report is edited it goes into a DRAFT status. This is to prevent other users
from accessing the report whilst it is being modified.
Once you have finished editing the report ensure that you save it back into its
ACTIVE status so that other users can continue to access it.
You will only be able to edit reports to which you have edit rights. Your ability to edit
reports will be based on:
1. The general report writing function. You must be able to write and edit reports.
2. Your access level to reports in a specific category. E.g. If you only have READ
access to finance reports you will not be able to edit them.
3. Your access rights to the VIEW. You must have rights to access the view so that
you can write reports.
To edit an existing report select it from your list and click the edit link. This will open
the report data page.
When a corporate report is saved the user may specify that when it is edited a copy is
to be made. The new version will have (copy) inserted after its name to assist you to
identify it.
This is done so that others users can continue to access the report even once it is in
edit modeas only the new version is in a DRAFT status. The edit version remains a
standalone copy of the original.
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Yellowfin provides you with the ability to make copies of existing reports. Through
this function you will be able to use any report in your repository as the basis for your
next report rather than starting every report from scratch.
Select the required report by clicking in the report selection checkbox and then
clicking the COPY link. This will create a copy of the report and open up the report
data page so that the user can begin to edit the report.
Similar to the edit rights discussed above you must have the appropriate accessrights to copy a report. These include:
1. The general report writing function. You must be able to write and edit reports.
2. Your access level to reports in a specific category. E.g. if you only have READ
access to finance reports you will not be able to edit them.
3. Your access rights to the VIEW. You must have rights to access the view so that
you can write reports.
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To delete a report from your repository select one or more reports using the check
box and click the delete link.
Figure 21Report Deletion
A confirmation page will open which will prompt you to confirm your intention to delete
the report(s) selected. Confirm you wish to delete the report to continue.
Figure 22Delete Confirmation
You will only be able to delete reports to which you have delete rights. Your ability to
edit reports will be based on:
1. The general report writing function. You must be able to delete reports.
2. Your access level to reports in a specific category. E.g. if you only have READ
access to finance reports you will not be able to delete them.
3. Your access rights to the VIEW. You must have rights to access the view so that
you can delete reports.
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When a report is accessed either from the Report List page or as part of a preview for
a draft report it is displayed in its output form.
This section covers some of the options you may have when running a report; such
as printing, exporting and filtering.
On the Report List page, click on the report name hyperlink of the report you wish
you view. Once clicked, the report will open in the Report Output page.
Figure 23Report View List
The report output page allows you to view the content of your report. There are a
number of additional features to assist your use of the report, such as the tool bar,report title and description and report data. Additional aspects to the page may
include Filter Prompt and Charts.
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Figure 24Report Output Page
1. The menu bar is displayed at the top of the page, and includes a
number of features such as edit, print buttons etc. These are
explained in more detail below.
2. Report Filter user prompt. The user prompt is onlydisplayed when
a report contains user prompts that require a user to enter prior to
retrieving the data from the database.
3. Report title and description is displayed at the top of the report.
4. Tabular output - this example report displays the data retrieved
from the data source in a table in which sections have been
applied.
5. Conditional Format descriptionthis is displayed if conditionalformats have been applied to your report.
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Distribute Allows you distribute a report to other users inbox
Favourites Add the report to your list of favourites
Broadcast Set up scheduled report delivery for other users of the report
Subscribe Set up scheduled report delivery for yourself
Information To find out more about the report such as a description of all
the columns used in the report (the report Meta Data) you
can use the report information link. This opens the
information popup which provides you with detailed
information about the report.
Close Closes the report.
Some reports do not run automatically and require you to refresh the data contained
in them. If your report is not refreshed automatically the data you see when you open
the report may be relatively old. The age of the data is displayed under the menu
bar.
There are three refresh options; None, Manually (allows the user to click Refresh
when they want), and Periodically (with options shown below).
Figure 26Report Refresh Options
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When a report is refreshed, and archiving is enabled, all versions are saved under the
drop down history so that different versions of the report can be viewed at any time.
1. Click on the history drop down and select the date of the report you wish to see.
2. The report will refresh and show you the version requested.
Figure 27Report History
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Using Yellowfin you can export your reports in a number of formats. These include
printing your report, exporting it into a PDF format or exporting the data into Excel /
CSV (Comma Separated Values).
This section describes each of these options in turn.
To print a report you must open the report into the Report Output page.
1. Click the Export menu and select Print.
Figure 28Print
2. When the popup opens you can view the report output and then click print again
to print.
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Figure 29Print Friendly Version
3. You may be prompted to select your printer settings. These settings are
determined by your printer and local software / hardware components. Choose
the settings that are appropriate for you, and click the print button.
1. To export a report as PDF click on the Export menu. This will open the drop
down menu and select the PDF link.
2. A PDF format popup will open allowing you to choose your preferred export
options. Select you options and click submit. This will create a PDF and prompt
you to save it to your local drive. The selected options will be saved for the
current report, and will be the default the next time you export this report to PDF.
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2. You will be prompted by to either OPEN, SAVE or CANCEL the export data.
Click the SAVE button.
3. Once you have chosen save your computer will prompt you to select a location to
save the file to. Choose an appropriate folder, and click SAVE
4. Once the download is complete you will be able to either open the file, or close
the prompt. Click CLOSE to close the prompt window and return to the data
output page.
Note:if you choose to export report which contains a chart your chart will not be
updated if you change your data in Excel. The chart will not be exported to CSV.
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Generally a report will run instantly and return a result set if no user prompts are
required. However you have the option to set the report to run only once filter values
have been provided. To do this, open the Filter Actions menu and set the Autorunreport on load option to No.
Figure 32Report Autorun Option
If you are unsure of the filter data you wish to use you can use the prompt option to
query the database for available values.
1. Click the prompt icon
A popup window will open with a list of current values from the database.
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Figure 33Prompt for Values
2. Select the value you wish, using the tick box and click the Submit button. This
will return the value to your filter display.
3. Click the GoButton to run your report with the filter.
If you do not wish to apply a filter to your report you can return all values by leaving
the values blank. The filter(s) that you choose to omit will be ignored by the query
when querying the database.
Figure 34Omit Filter Condition
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If you wish to hide the filter box from your report, click either the minimiseor the
closebutton on the filter menu bar. The filter box can always be re-displayed by
using the filter option on the report menu bar.
Figure 35Minimise Filter Display
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When a report has several user prompt filters it can be useful to provide pre-defined
filter sets, saving the user time.
Figure 36Saved Filter Sets
In order to use Saved Filter Sets you will need to do two things:
1. Enable the role permissions through Administration. There are two settings you
can enable:
a. Filter Sets: allows users to see public filter sets created by other users,
and create/delete their own private filter sets if applicable.
b. Create Public Filter Sets - allows users to create public filter sets that can
be used by other users.
Figure 37Saved Filter Sets Role Permissions
2. Enable Saved Filter Sets through the Filter Action menu on your report
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Figure 38Enable Saved Filter Sets
Once you have enabled the functionality, you will need to define your sets on each
report. To do this your report will need to be activated, and then you can follow these
steps:
1. Select the filter values you wish to use and then click on Save Filter Set.
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Figure 39Save Filter Set
2. If you have permission to save Public Filter Sets then you will be presented this
panel:
Figure 40Public Filter Sets
Here you will be asked to define the filter set as either private (only for your user
account) or public (available for all users with access to filter sets).
Then you will need to provide a descriptive name for the set. ClickAdd Setonce
complete.
If you only have permission to create Private Filter Sets then you will be
presented with this panel and will only need to provide a descriptive name.
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Figure 41Private Filter Sets
ClickAdd Setonce complete.
3. You should now have a report with filter sets as below:
Figure 42Filter Sets
When you have defined sets of filters you are ready to use them. To apply a filter set
simply click on the name of the set you want.
Figure 43Apply a Filter Set
To delete a filter set you will need to click on the image next to the name of your
chosen set. You will then be asked to confirm your decision in the following window:
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Figure 44Delete a Filter Set
Click Yes to confirm.
Note:You are only able to delete filter sets that you have permission to create. If you
only have permission to create Private sets then you will notbe able to delete Public
ones.
Saved Filter Sets should always be implemented when the report is complete. If, at
any stage, you need to edit a report that has filter sets you will need to re-add the
sets after editing is complete as they are lost when a report is placed in draft mode.
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The Yellowfin dashboard is your personal reporting portal. At a glance you can view
all your key reports on a single page. The dashboard allows you to create new tabs,
search your public repository for dashboard enabled reports and add them to your
selected tab, or access a public tab.
Figure 45Dashboard
1. Menu: links you to additional reporting functions such as Create Report, and access
Report Listyour report repository
2. Inbox: used to receive distributed reports, reports to be approved, and comments
3. Search: allows you to search reports across your repository
4. Tabs: navigate between various pages on your dashboard
5. Buttons: add, delete and edit your tabs
6. Display area (portlets): allows you to add various reports to your dashboard tab
7. Favourites: lists your favourite reports to the right of the dashboard display area
8. Draft Reports: provides access to recently edited draft reports
9. Recently Accessed Reports: lists the most recently viewed reports in a session
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Once a tab has been added to your dashboard you can continue to update and edit
them to suit your needs. The tab menu allows you to add, delete or edit tabs. By
clicking on the tab link you will have a drop down menu from which you can choose
the following options.
Figure 46Tab Options
The first tab from the left of the page is the tab that will open first when you login.
1. To move a tab location in the list, click the tab drop down menu icon.
2. Choose the direction you wish to move the tab
If you no longer wish to have a tab on your dashboard then:
1. Click the Deletelink whilst the tab you want to delete is Active
2. Confirm the deletion by clicking OK on the confirmation prompt.
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Figure 47Tab Delete Confirmation
If you wish to export all the reports on a tab to one document then:
1. Click on the Export option in the tab menu
2. Select the format you wish to export to.
Figure 48Tab Export
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When initially logging on you may not have any tabs defined to your dashboard. The
following message will be displayed.
Figure 49Add Tab
To add a new tab to you dashboard click the add tab link. This will open a drop down
menu which will present you with a list of options (these will be dealt with in more
detail later):
Standard A basic tab containing reports that may be linked by filters,
drill hierarchies, or series selection.
KPI A KPI style of tab
Pre-Built Tab Choose a pre-existing tab from your repository
Figure 50Add Tab Drop Down
Adding a new Tab to your dashboard allows you to add more reports into a related
area such as Sales, Finance or HR. You can add as many tabs to your dashboard as
you wish.
1. To add a pre-built public tab, select the Pre-built Tab option. This will display a
drop down list of possible tabs that you can add.
Note:you can only have one instance of a public tab on your dashboard.
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Figure 51Public Tab Description
2. On selecting a tab you will be presented with a description of the tab, the
intended audience and a list of all the reports that it contains. This will assist you
to determine the most appropriate tab for you.
3. Click the add link to add the tab to your dashboard.
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If the tab is active you will have to place the tab into edit mode for you to make
changes such as deleting or adding reports. When you edit a tab you will change the
status and as a result if it is a public tab no other users will have access to the tab
whilst you are editing it.
The tab edit menu allows you to determine the layout, security and in the case of
analytic dashboards the filters that link the reports together.
Figure 52Tab Edit Menu
The main sections of the edit page include:
1. Search for reports to display on the dashboard
2. The ability to activate, select the layout, set security and set the linkages between
reports.
3. Set up filters for the dashboard
4. Add Associated Reports to the tab
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1. To add a new dashboard report to your dashboard click you will need to use the
report list search panel on the left of the tab.
Figure 53Add Report Window
2. Search for the report you want to add. Note:you can use advanced search
settings to narrow down your search as available on the Report List page.
3. Once youve found the report you wish to add, drag it from the list onto a portlet.
Once the report is on your tab you can resize it or position it within a column or across
columns using drag and drop.
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Figure 54Resizing Portlet
Not all reports are appropriate to add to a dashboard, but you may want to include
them to provide supporting information for a specific tab. To do this you can use the
associated report list. Add reports to this list and they will be displayed as a link to the
report only not as a pre-run report.
Figure 55Associated Reports
When you delete a report from the dashboard it is not deleted from the repository.
The original report can still be found in your report list - you did not delete the actual
report, only the dashboard copy of it.
1. To delete a report click the delete button at the top right of the report menu.
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Figure 56Delete Dashboard Report
2. A prompt will confirm that you wish to delete the report. Click OK to delete the
report from your dashboard.
Figure 57Delete Confirmation
Once you are happy with the setup of your dashboard you should activate it by
clicking the save icon on the dashboard edit menu. This will open the save drop
down menu allowing you to set the tab name and description. Click Activate to save
your tab into read mode.
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Figure 58Tab Activation
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The report portlet menu provides you with a set of options for managing the display of
a report on your dashboard. On the report menu you will find:
1. Report Title
2. Report Menu
3. Chart/Table Toggle
4. Maximise
5. Close
Figure 59Dashboard Report Menu
Maximise The maximisefunction opens the report to its full size in the
reports preview page.
Close The close button will delete the portlet from the users
dashboard when the tab is in draft mode.
Menu Opens the drop down menu
Chart/Table
Toggle
If the report is in a chart and table format this button lets you
toggle between both views
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Click on the dropdown link to open the portlet menu. This allows you to print, export
or edit your report. The contents of the drop down menu will vary based on the nature
of the report.
Figure 60Dashboard Report Drop Down
Minimise Allows you to reduce the size of the portlet and display the title
only. (Only available when a tab is in edit modetoggles with
Restore)
View Report Open the report into the main report view page.
Print Print the report to your local printer.
Export Export the report to multiple formats including CSV, MS Excel,
PDF etc.
Reset Report If filters or drills have been applied this will return the report to its
original state.
Email Report Opens the email window and allows you to email the report directly
from within Yellowfin.
Show Filters Displays filters for the report
Information The information link opens up meta data about the report. Such as
the details of the source data and the security settings for a report.
Report URL Displays a link to access the report outside of the system.
Accessing reports this way will depend on security settings.
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There may be times when you wish to manage your dashboard by minimising the
reports that have been displayed. This provides you with more room on your
dashboard to add further reportsand maximise them as you need them.
1. To minimise a report click the portlet edit drop down and select the minimise
option. The page will refresh and the selected report will minimise. The
minimise option will now be replaced by a restore option in the drop down.
2. To expand the report back to its original size click the restore link in the drop
down menu. This will refresh the page and your report will be displayed in your
dashboard again.
The maximise option provides you with the ability to open the report in the standard
view mode instead of on your dashboard. This will also give you access to the edit
function if you wish to edit the report data rather than the dashboard properties.
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From your dashboard you can drill into more detail. There are three drill types
availablea drill through to a different report, a drill down within the same report
using a predefined hierarchy, or a drill anywhere within the same report usingdimensions selected by the user. Drill capability is indicated by hyperlinks on fields
within your report.
Drill down reports do not open a new report but drill into the detail of an existing
report. For example you may be able to drill from
Year > Month > Week
When you click on the link to the report will refresh with detail updated. For example if
your report contained Year and you clicked on 2003 the refreshed report will display
all months for 2003.
Figure 61Region Drill Down on Year
If you have drilled down multiple layers or down multiple hierarchies you may wish to
reset your report to its original state. This can be done by selecting the reset option
from the report drop down menu. As shown in the figure above. Your report is
automatically reset each time you login to Yellowfin.
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Figure 62Drill Reset
Drill Anywhere reports allow the user to select from a list of available dimension fields
to drill to. When you click on a drill enabled field, a popup list of dimensions will
appear.
Figure 63Drill Anywhere
Select the desired field and the report will be refreshed.
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Figure 64Drill Anywhere Result
Some reports that you add to you dashboard may permit you to drill through to a
different report with more detail. This will be evident from data that has a Hyperlink
on it. To view more detail click the hyperlinked data, this will open a new report with a
greater level of detail.
Figure 65Drill Through
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KPI Tabs are a unique dashboard tab which present reports to the user in the form of
KPI metrics. These assist an organisation to understand its goals and objectives
essentially, the direction in which they want the enterprise to progress. To help with
this analysis key performance indicators (KPIs) are laid down to assess the present
state of the business.
The KPI tab differs from a standard dashboard tab in that Reports are run as a
regular task against predefined targetsthe results include:
1. Current Status
2. Trend of the report over time
3. Actual versus target and variance
4. And the last relevant time period (as displayed below)
Figure 66KPI Tab
Benefits of this style of tab include:
1. Data is easy to interpretusers can quickly identify which business measures
are on target or not.
2. Multiple Metrics can be displayed on a single tab for quick access
3. Trends in the report are displayed providing users with an understanding of both
current status and direction of the data.
1. The creation of a KPI tab is similar to a standard tab. Simply click the Add Tab
link.
2. From the Type selection option, choose KPI.
3. Add reports by click the add buttonas with a standard tab.
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Note:Only KPI reports will be searchable via the add report popup. You will have to
create KPI reports through your report buildersee the appropriate section below in
this guide. You can find more information in the Dashboard Tutorial Guide.
The KPI tab structure allows you to quickly browse the status and trend of your Key
Performance Indicators.
Figure 67KPI elements
Status The status will display an icon that indicates whether or not the measure has
met your target thresholds.
Menu The menu drop down lets you manage the KPI report. You can view, printemail, and export it.
Title The title of the KPI metric. Click on the hyperlink to see detail.
Trend The trend compares the current version of the KPI report run with the
previous versions and indicates whether there has been a change in the
trend, the direction of the trend and whether the trend is good or bad.
Actual The current actual value of the metric as returned in the report.
Target The target value as set for the KPI metric
Variance The difference between the Actual and Target values.
% of
Target
A bullet chart that assists you to visualize performance and compare all
metrics on an equal basis.
Last Run The specific date for when the KPI is relevant.
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Standard Tabs can be used if you wish to create relationships between multiple
reports on a single tab. In a filtered Standard Tab you can link reports so that if you
drill down on one report the associated filters are applied to all reports on the sametab.
Figure 68Analytic Tab
The benefits of this style of tab include:
1. Data is easy to slice and diceusers can quickly drill down on multiple
dimensions and views of their data
2. Multiple related reports can be displayed on a single tab for quick access
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1. To create a standard tab simply click theAdd Tablink.
2. From the menu select Standard.
3. This will return you to the tab where you can add reports by searching for them in
the report list on the left hand side and dragging them onto portlets.
4. Once you have added all your reports you will need to link them via shared filters.
1. From the edit tab menu click the analytical set up link.
Figure 69Analytic Tab Setup Link
This will open a new page with all the reports listed as well as a panel with the
reports and their linked statusas shown below.
Figure 70Analytic Tab Linking
2. By clicking on the linked reports you will be able to see how each report is linked
to the current subject report identified in the left hand reports panel. Reports thatare not linked are highlighted in red.
3. Choose the type of linking. For example if the reports share a common drill
hierarchy choose Drill Down Field, otherwise choose filter. This will allow you to
select which fields correspond to the filters that will be applied from the report.
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Figure 71Filter Linkages
4. Click Save to continue and go through each report to set up is linkages which all
the reports on your tab.
5. Once you have set up the links between reports you will need to set up the filter
user prompts, these will be displayed on the right hand side of your analytic tab.
In the example below the filter values have been cached (set at the report level).
For more information go to the filters section of this guide.
Figure 72Filter Prompts
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Once you have linked all your reports together, you can format the way the filters are
displayed on the dashboard.
1. Click on the icon next to the filter you wish to format.
Figure 73Analytic Filters Formatting
2. From here you will be presented with a menu that allows you to change the Title,
Display Type, List Length (where applicable), and Default Value.
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Figure 74Analytic Filters Formatting Menu
3. Set the desired options and click Save to apply changes.
You are also able to reorder filters in the same way you would move reports on the
dashboard. Click the icon next to the filter you wish to move, and drag it into
position.
Filters are able to be arranged into collapsible groups when displayed on the
dashboard.
1. First, the group will need to be created. Type a name into the Add a Filter Group
area at the top of the filter panel. Click the icon to add the group.
Figure 75Create Filter Group
2. Now you will need to add filters to the group. Drag desired filters to below the
filter group name.
Figure 76Populate Filter Group
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3. Lastly, you will need to configure the display options for the group. Click on the
icon next to the filter group name.
Figure 77Grouped Filters Formatting Menu
4. From here you will be able to rename the group, choose an initial display state
(open or closed when the tab is first loaded), and delete the group.
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Standard Tabs can be used if you wish to create relationships between multiple
reports on a single tab. In a series selection Standard Tab you can link reports so
that you are viewing the same selectable metric across all linked reports.
Figure 78Series Selection Standard Tab
1. To create a standard tab, click on theAdd Tablink.
2. From the menu, select Standard.
3. This will return you to the tab where you can add reports by searching for them in
the report list on the left hand side and dragging them onto portlets.
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4. Once you have added all your reports you will need to link them via series
selection.
1. From the edit tab menu click on the Series Select link. This will open a new page
with all the series select options available.
Figure 79Series Select Link
2. Firstly, you will need to select a master report to join your other reports to. Thiswill be the report you select series on, through dashboard, so select the one that
displayed series the way you want. You will also need to select a default field
this is the series that initially selected when the tab is loaded.
Figure 80Master Chart
3. Once youve selected the master report, you will notice the other reports on the
dashboard listed directly underneath on the left.
You will need to select these one by one and link them to the master, much as
you would during the analytic setup.
You will know its selected by the blue border around it.
4. Link up matching series to the ones listed from the master report, then click Save
to complete the links.
Figure 81Series Linking
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5. You will need to link all reports that have a red border, indicating they have not
yet been linked.
6. Click on Return to Dashboard to finish the linking process.
Figure 82Return to Dashboard
7. Your reports will now be linked and series selection will be ready to use across
the tab.
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Dashboard tabs can be shared between users by setting them to public. Security can
be applied to Public tabs. If you choose to create a private tab you will not be able to
set security as you will be the only user with access to the report. However, if you
choose to create a Public Tab you will have the option to add additional security.
Note:if you create a personal tab noother users will be able to share your personal
tab.
To create a tab for sharing with other users you will need to create a public tab.
Create the tab as described above and then on the main menu select public from the
security drop down.
Note:Whilst the Public tab is in draft no other users will be able to add it to their
dashboard. When you have finalised the dashboard activate it by clicking on the
activate link.
Figure 83Public Dashboard Tab
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Security on the tab is used to set who has access to the tab system. You have two
options
Unsecure:this allows all users to access the tab
Secure: securing the tab you will control who can view or edit the tabrecord
1. To secure the tab select the secure radio button as shown in the example above.
2. This will display the security management elements on the screen. You will need
to select either a person or a group that you want to secure the tab for.
3. One the person or group is selected choose the appropriate access level. Note
at least one user must have DELETE accesselse the tab will be locked to all
users for update purposes.
Read Allows selected users to add this tab to their dashboard but not edit it.
Edit and Update Allows selected users to edit and change the dashboard
Delete Allows selected users to delete the dashboard from the corporate
repository
Figure 84Access Level
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4. Once you have select the user and access click the add button to add them to the
access list. You can add as many users or groups as users to the list as
appropriate.
Yellowfin supports dashboard collaboration by permitting public authors to distribute
pre-built tabs to individual or groups of users. Similar to the distribution of reports all
recipients must have appropriate access levels to receive reports.
Why distribute a tab? By distributing a dashboard tab you can create a single tab for
an entire department and then distribute it to all users within that department.
1. To distribute a tab click the distribute tab link in the tab menu drop down. (You
will only see this link if you are authorised to manage the corporate tab selected)
Figure 85Distribute Tab
2. You can then select if you wish to send it to a single person or to a group of
users.
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Figure 86Distribute Tab Options
3. Search for either the person or the group and click add
4. A confirmation page will confirm the tab has been delivered and you can go back
to distribute the tab to another set of users.
Note:Tabs and associated reports will only be distributed to users that have the
appropriate level of access for the report.
The remove option is different from the delete corporate tab option. The delete only
deletes the tab from your dashboard but does not affect other users. Whilst the
remove deletes tab from all users and makes it unavailable for future use.
1. To remove a corporate tab for all dashboards that it appears on select remove
from the tab drop down menu.
2. You will be prompted on a confirm page if you wish to permanently remove the
tab. If you do not wish to do so click Cancel otherwise click OK to continue.
There may be instances where a corporate tab is used to track rapidly changing data
such as call centre information, or system tracking.
Generally with dashboard reports once a tab is opened the reports displayed are
staticthey do not automatically update. However, with Yellowfin you can set up
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refresh cycles for various reports so that as long as the dashboard tab is open the
reports will continue to be updated.
1. To create a refresh cycle for a dashboard report you will need to define before
saving a report. Click on the Display menu in the report builder.
2. Click YES for the refresh dashboard option and define the number of seconds
you wish to elapse prior to a report being refreshed.
Figure 87Refresh Dashboard Report Option
3. Activate your report.
When this report is added to your dashboard it will automatically refresh based on the
seconds you have indicated.
Note:You will need to have the Refresh Dashboard Reports role permission in order
to access this option.
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The drag and drop report builder provides you with an easy to use report creation
wizard that assists to create both simple and sophisticated analytical reports. In this
section the steps required to create a basic report will be covered.
More advanced functions such as report formatting, filtering and charts will be
covered in subsequent chapters.
When you create reports you will be using the report builder wizard. The wizard takes
you through the steps to create a report. These steps will be determined by some of
the options you choose along the way. This chapter will explain some of the major
steps in the wizard. These include:
1. Selecting the source of data you wish to query
2. Choosing the fields you want to have on your report
3. Determining Filters and Sections
4. Choosing the layout of your Report
Included in the report builder are a number of sections:
1. Initialise Report:The first step in building any report is selecting the type of
report you wish to run and the data source required. Your organisation may have
many views and data sources so selecting the correct one is critical prior to
building your report.
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Figure 88Report Initialisation Page
2. Report Data:The report data section allows you to define the look and feel of
your report, including the fields to be displayed, the filters to be used, and
whether a chart or drill through should be displayed.
Select the items from the view that you wish to include in your report and drag
them into the appropriate section of the screen.
Figure 89Report Data Page
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3. Report Filters:The filters page allows you to set up conditions to return only
certain values rather than returning all the data from a selected view. For
example, you can specify customer segments for particular organisation units.
Figure 90Report Filters Page
4. Related Reports:One of the major features of Yellowfin is the ability to create
drill through reports or display associated reports on the same page. This is done
by linking reports together through related reports.
Figure 91Related Reports Page
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To create a new report click the create button located on your main navigation bar.
This will open the report initialise page and allow you to start creating a new report.
Note:Only users with CREATE access to the reporting function will be able to create
new reports.
Figure 92Creating a Report
The first step in creating a new report is the initialise report step. In this step you will
select the type of report you wish to create, how you want to write the report and to
select the source of the reports data.
Figure 93Initialisation of a Report
This question is for advanced users. If you have access to this option then you can
select either Drag and Drop, Freehand SQL or one of two alternative authoring
environmentsBIRT and Jasper Reports. For most users it is recommended that you
choose the drag and drop report creation method.
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Most importantly when creating a report you must select the data source and
individual view. At this point you are specifying the exact subject areathat you wish
to query.
Firstly you must select the data sourcethis is the database in which your data is
stored. For example a data source may be you HRIS system.
Once you have selected a source the available views for that source will be
displayed. There may be many views in the same data source. Select the view that
you wish to use.
To assist make the right selection you roll your cursor over the image to find out
more about a data source or once you have selected a view click the more
information link. Both of these will provide you with more information about either the
data source or the view.
Note:Once you select a view and continue to the next phase of report building you
cannot return to this page to change the view. This is because all the items
associated with the view will be loaded for this report.
If you use the same view on a regular basis you can set it as your default by clicking
the default view check box.
Once you have selected the view for your report click either the next button at the top
of the page or click here to continue. Both of these will take you to the Report Data
Page.
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The Report Data page is where you build, edit and view the report data definitions
used to generate Yellowfin reports. These definitions include both the queries youuse to retrieve data for your document, and the data formatting.
You can easily add data to an empty report by dragging and dropping the report items
from the available data fields list.
Figure 94Report Data Screen
1. Navigation: The process step guide provides you with a visual display of the steps
required in your report builder wizard. The number of steps displayed will vary based
on some of your selections on this screenfor example if you choose to include a
chart on the report.
2. Search: The Search box allows you to quickly find a field for your report when instead
of browsing through the categories.
3. Data Fields: The Data Fields display provides you with a list of all available items to
add to your report from the selected view. Click on the folder expand image to open
the folder and view all the items within it.
4. Calculations: You can create calculated columns that are unique for the current
report.
5. Source: The current data source and view name is displayed. Click on the viewname to view a summary of the view.
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6. Resize: Used the drag icon to resize the Data Fields panel to make it easier to read
the column names you wish to add to your report.
7. Data: The report data section is used to specify which items you wish to include in
your report. Drag an item from the report field list and into the report column.
The calculation buttons allow you to perform calculations on metrics included in your
report.
8. Filters: Filters allow you to specify which attributes should provide a filter such as
dateonly show events that have occurred today.
9. Sections: The report section area allows you to create sections in your report based
upon dimension data. An example may be that a new section is created based upon
Business Unit.
10. Report Options: The report options section provides you with advanced functions for
manipulating the output of your report. Options include: Charts, Crosstab Display,
Totals etc.
Click on the expand image to open the various sections available to you.
The data fields section on the left hand side of the Report Data page provides youwith a list of all possible items that can be used in your report and grouped into useful
categories. These items relate back to the data in the database and in some cases
have already had some manipulation occur to themthis is especially likely for metric
type items
Category:click to expand folders and display item list
Items:a list of Dimensions (yellow cubes), Metrics (blue
circles), Filters and Parameters (aqua funnels)
Hierarchy:drill down capability indicated by the join
between icons
Calculated Field:build derived attributes and calculated
fields
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The purpose of categories is to provide logical groupings of items. For example, the
Personal Details category contains items that map to data on people in the database.
A folder represents a category. Each icon within a category represents an item.
When creating a VIEW, the administrators define and categories items. The definition
of an item reveals how it can be used in analysis and reports. An item can be defined
as a dimension or a metric. Each type of item serves a different purpose:
Dimensionitems retrieve the data that will provide the basis for analysis in a
report. Dimensions typically retrieve character-type data (employee names,
company names, etc.), or dates (years, quarters, etc.)
Metricitems retrieve numeric data that is the result of calculations on data in
the database.
Metrics tend to be dynamic: the values they return depend on the dimensions
they are used with. For example, if you include Person and Age in a query,
Age per person is calculated.
Basic Metrics do not need to have an aggregate calculation (such as a SUM orAVERAGE) performed on them within a report.
Pre-Defined Filters are items where a set of conditions have been set up
when the view was created. This assists users to limit the data returned in a
query to only the expected results. For example if the filter is called United
States then only data from the united states would be included in the results.
Parameters are items which are used to capture user defined values and pass
them into calculated fields or filters. These parameters can assist in
conducting what if analysis.
A common issue when using a report writer is to understand what the fields that you
can select from actually mean in your business context.
Yellowfin makes this easy with view meta data. When your administrator creates a
view they also provide a long description for each field contained in it.
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To see the long description click the view name located at the bottom of the data
fields panel. It will open up a view popup. This popup providers you with a summary
of the view, its attributes, and the users that have access to it.
Figure 95View Information Popup
To include a field onto your report simply drag the field from the data fields panel to a
column field on your report. Click on an item in your data field list and holding down
the mouse button drag the field onto the report data section.
Your drag and drop is successful when you see the item you have selected turn
transparent and move along with your mouse pointer. The order that items appear in
the data list will determine the order of data columns in your report.
Figure 96Dragging items onto Report
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To delete an item from your report you will have to remove the object from the Report
Data Section that it is placed in.
1. Click on the item that you wish to remove
2. Once highlighted drag the object out of the edit box and off the main page data
page and let go of it.
3. The item should no longer be displayed in the report data list. The attribute is
now removed from the report.
Data validation checks are made by Yellowfin to ensure you are building your report
the way in which the administrator intended. You will be prompted if you have used
fields and filters incorrectly with the following messages:
The fields shown in this type of message must be included into the field or filter
section of the report. For example:
Figure 97Error Message
A variation of the mandatory field section validation is when a selected field in the
table is being aggregated by sum or average. Constraints can be set when this
occurs so that meaningful data is presented in the report. The validation message will
look like this:
Figure 98Validation Message
To proceed with your report you can remove the sum or average aggregation on the
selected field or drag the relevant fields indicated in the validation message into the
report.
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The fields shown in this type of message must not be included into the field or filter
section of the report when a selected field in the table is being aggregated by sum or
average. Constraints can be set when this occurs so that meaningful data is
presented in the report. The validation message will look like this:
Figure 99Validation Message
To proceed with your report you can remove the sum or average aggregation on the
selected field or remove the relevant fields indicated in the validation message out of
the report.
When a suggested field or filter occurs, a messages box will appear with the
suggestion. The user can chose to include this field or filter into the report or to ignore
the suggestion.
Figure 100Confirmation Box
When constraints are set up on a report, one of the options is to select a few fieldsfrom a table and set the constraint as one in list. This means that at least one of the
selected fields must be included in the report. When this validation message is
displayed it will show the list of all the fields where at least one must be included in
the report. To fulfil this constraint simple make sure one of these fields are included in
the report.
Figure 101Validation Message
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To change a metric aggregation, complete the following:
1. Move your cursor over the metric object in the box and click on the metric name.The item will now be highlighted.
2. Now select the aggregation type that you wish to applyyou will notice that the
icon on the left hand side of the measure object will be updated with a new icon
to indicate the aggregation applied.
Figure 103New Aggregation Applied
To remove an aggregation or advanced function from a field, do one of the following:
1. Reset the calculation by selecting the metric and clicking the clear link.
2. Remove the measure from the report entirely by dragging it out of the columns
section.
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The report options menu allows you to change the layout of your report (cross tab
with charts) and determine the way your report will behavesuch as will it contain
drill down or can it be scheduled.
Figure 104Option Menu
The main feature of the report output design options is the ability to specify how your
report will be presented. The possible options are included below:
Figure 105Display Data As
Simply click on a radio button corresponding to the display type you wish to use. The
default for Yellowfin is the table display option.
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If you choose one of the chart options the report builder wizard will have an additional
step included. This step is the chart builder page it is there that you will be able to
select the specific style and detail of your chart.
Data displayed in your reports are displayed in tables. With Yellowfin you have the
option to select what type of table you wish to use for data output. When creating a
new report the default table type is set to COLUMN.
To select a table type click on one of the table radio buttons presented in the report
options section. For example if you want to create a crosstab table, click on the
crosstab table radio button.
Figure 106Table Type Selection Box
Your Analysis options provide you with the ability to select co-display to display
multiple reports on the same output page, create drill through / down reports or add
sub-queries.
For example you may want to display data from two separate views on the same
page or drill from one report into more detailed data from a different view.
Figure 107Analysis Option Menu
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You can select to create a regular report or a KPI report. A KPI report is one that is
run on a scheduled basis and has a specified target. Yellowfin will determine how the
current value in the report compares to the target value and will determine the trendof the data.
Only KPI style reports can be added to a KPI dashboard style tab.
Figure 108Report Type Options
Use the report properties section to save the name and description of your report.
Note:these can be updated when you save your report as well.
Figure 109Properties
Giving your report a name from the Report Data page is useful if you choose to leave
your report in DRAFT. Since your report will already have a name by which you can
search.
The report data section provides you with the ability to:
1. Show duplicate records rather than distinct values
2. Limit the amount of data returned in your report. This option is especially useful if
your report contains a lot of data but you wish to pre-view it multiple times as you
are designing it.
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3. Show NULL values as zerothis is only displayed as a cross tab option. If the
cross tab contains NULL values they will be displayed as a 0. Un-tick this if you
want to show nulls or blank cells.
4. Set a default access filterso that for each person that runs a report they will
only see data relevant to them.
Figure 110Report Data
Note:when your administrator sets up a data source they may specify a default limit
for that source. For example they may specify that the maximum number of rows that
can be returned by a query is 1000 rows. You will not be able to override this default
limit.
Yellowfin automatically applies aggregations to a query. It makes the assumption
that when a user is building a report that distinct values are being requested from the
database. For example if you have 3 records with a customer name Fred Smith a
report containing first and last name will only return 1 record for Fred Smith.
However, it is possible to turn the distinct process off so that you will return 3 records
containing fed smith.
From the Report options menu select Report Data and tick the Show Duplicate
records check box.
Figure 111Duplicate Records
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KPI reports are a style of report which assists you to measure actual performance
against targets.
A KPI is usually made of:
A metric
A filter(s)
A date restriction or period
By using KPI metrics, you can track actual performance and compare it to a goal and
you can detect trends. These metrics are most commonly used in organisations as
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor critical business areas.
KPI reports are most useful if they are added to a KPI dashboard tab. See the
dashboard section of this guide for more details.
Whats the difference between a KPI report and a standard report?
A KPI report differs from a standard report in a number of waysthese include:
1. It is run periodically to detect trends and changes in data
2. It uses Conditional Formatting functionality to classify the current status of the
report
3. It can be added to a KPI dashboard tab to easily monitor critical business areas.
Note:KPI reports do not support the use of cross tabsyou can only choose the
column or row formats for your report.
From the report data page select the KPI report style.
Figure 112Selection of KPI Type
This will create a new menu tab on the report output page. From this drop down you
will be able to configure the relevant KPI options required.
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1. Select your data
The first step in creating a KPI report is selecting the data to be contained in your
report. A KPI report is not a detailed report but rather focuses on a single metric
for a single point of time. For example did I reach my sales target for last month.
Note:Only KPI reports may not work if you have multiple dimensionse.g. if
your data has sales levels for each of your sales staff.
2. Define your Conditional Formats
Next you will need to apply conditional formatting to the column which is the
subject of the KPI. Your subject column needs rules defined that specify what is
a good or poor outcome.
Note:Only Basic Rules can be used for KPI reportssee the conditional
formatting section of this guide for more details.
3. Define KPI Definition
From the Report Menu select the KPI option. From the drop down choose:
a. the metricthat you want to apply the KPI to
b. The desired trendwhat is a good trend? When the KPI value goes up
or down?
c. Set the target valuewhat is the goal of the KPI. Each metric should
have a target value. That is a value that you desire to reach. There are
two ways of setting this field. One manually where you hard code the
desired value or alternatively select from an existing field with which to
compare your actual versus desired. A good example of this might be a
planned field which compares against actual.
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Yellowfin has two basic ways of displaying the data in a report. You can display data
in tables or in charts. This chapter deals with the different types of tables, including
crosstab tables, which you can use in Yellowfin. It describes how to create tables and
how to organize the way your data is displayed in them.
Yellowfin has three types of table output options:
Column Based The most common form of table output and the default output of
reports within Yellowfin.
Row Based A variant of the standard column based table.
Crosstab A special kind of table that allows you to summarise data.
Yellowfin tables display data in either rows or in columns and have a header and
footer. Header and footer rows and columns are special rows and columns. The
header displays information about the row or column e.g. a label or the name of the
variable whose values are displayed. The footer displays calculations on the values
displayed in the columns or rows.
You can display the variable labels along the top row of the table so that you read the
data down the columns as shown below:
Figure 113Column Format Table
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A column table is a sequential, two-dimensional list. This doesnt imply that the data
in a table is simple or uncomplicated: you can present a great deal of data in a table.
The layout of columns within a table is directly related to the layout of the items withinthe columns data list. Yellowfin places the cells in the table in the same order in which
they appear in the report columns list.
Suitable forPresenting data in a tabular, two dimensional list.
Keep in mind:
1. Arrange the items in the order you want them to appear in the column list. For
example, if you want each row to have a location, headcount and basic pay, in
that order, arrange the data items in that order in the Dimensions Edit Field.
2. Whether your document includes sections or not, you always lay out the body of
the table in the Column Edit Field.
Row based tables allow you to have the variable labels displayed down the left edge
of the table so that you read the data across the rows as shown below. This table
format is typically used in financial reports or where the value of a field needs to be
highlighted. For example if the reader of the report were to focus on location then this
type of report allows them to easily view the data related to Sydney.
Figure 114Row Table Format
A Row table is similar to a Column table, but the header and information are
displayed vertically, instead of horizontally. When you set the report type to Row, the
Row Edit Field looks identical to the Dimensions Edit Field. However, when the
report is run the data will be displayed in rows rather than columns.
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Suitable forPresenting data in a vertical format.
Keep in mind:
1. Arrange the items in the order you want them to appear in the Row Edit field.
2. Whether your document includes section or not, you lay out the body of the tablein the Row Edit field.
You can create a crosstab report to present data more clearly. A crosstab report
shows a summary value at the intersection of each row and column.
Create a crosstab report by rotating the values in a list report to product column
headers. You can crosstab on more than one non-measure column to create a
nested crosstab. For example, add cities underneath the Country column headers at
the top of the report. Adding this report item will further subdivide sales by individual
cities in each country.
The example below displays the total number of products sold in each country,
broken down by product line. The values at the intersection points of rows and
columns show summarized information.
Figure 115Crosstab Table Report
Keep in mind:
1. Arrange the items in the order you want them to appear in the row and column
fields.
2. Whether your document contains sections or not, you lay out the body of the
table in the row and column dimension item fields.
3. Metric items cannot be used in the vertical or horizontal headers; they can only
be used in the body of the crosstab table.
4. You can add more than one item in the body of the crosstab table.
5. You can use more than one item in the vertical or horizontal headers.
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A basic crosstab table will have only one row dimension, one column dimension and
one measure specified.
1. Open the report data page and select the Crosstab Table option in the report
options menu. This will enable the row and column fields. The page will be
refreshed and you will see the addition of two additional fields input boxes.
Figure 116Selecting Crosstab Table
2. Drag the dimensions and metrics that you wish to display in your crosstab table.
You must have at least one dimension in each of the row and dimension fields
and at least one metric specified for the crosstab table to function.
3. Click Preview once you are happy with the data defined for your crosstab report.
This will create a report and display you data in a rows and columns intersect
method.
To create more advanced crosstab tables you can add additional metrics or
dimensions to your report data. However, consideration needs to be taken intoaccount of the complexity of the data output that is being created.
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Report filters allow you limit the amount of data that is brought back in your query to
specifically the information that you require.
You may decide that you dont want to include all the data in a document. Applying
conditions or filters to queries allows you to include only the data you need. The
following illustrations show how a condition or filter works.
Figure 119Filter data Example
Yellowfin lets you setup a variety of filters for your reports. These filters can be pre-
set so that every time a report is run, the same conditions are used; or alternately, a
user prompts can be created to allow a user to select the data filter when they run a
report.
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There are a number of filter types available when building a report. These include
pre-defined filters, user defined which includes the ability to create user prompt orparameter driven reports.
Pre-defined filters can be created to assist users with adding filters or conditions to
their reports that ensure the data they require is easy to extract.
The use of pre-defined filters is especially useful in instances where:
1. A common set of filters are used by report writerssuch as location, or business
unit; or
2. If there are particularly complex filters that can be built ahead of time and are
commonly used.
Predefined filters are indicated by the icon used in the data field list. This is indicated
by the filter icon . To include a pre-defined filter on your report select an item from
your report data menu. As shown below.
Figure 120Predefined Filter Example
You will not be able to edit the contents of the filter once it is included in your report.
If you wish to do so then creating a user defined filter as described below is required.
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If you wish to create your own filters from the data available to you in your view then
you will have to create a user defined filter.
1. The first step in adding a filter to your report is to drag either a dimension or
metric item from the data fields list into the Filters Box as seen below.
2. On the filter management page (discussed below) you will then be able to set the
values for these filters.
User prompt filters or parameter driven reports can be created by creating userdefined filters. If you do not specify particular values for the filter as discussed in
detail below then the filter will be displayed on the report as a user prompt.
Figure 121User Prompt Parameters
Parameters are a special type of field which allows you to user input into calculated
fields or have a single user prompt for multiple filters requiring the same input value.
A parameter differs from a standard filter in that the input values can be used for
calculations which permit you to do what if analysis.
For example a standard filter for Revenue would limit the result set to a specificrevenue valuee.g. Greater than $100. However, a parameter could be used to
drive a calculationMultiply current sales units by $100.
Parameter fields are defined at the view but can be applied to report calculations and
filters.
Parameter fields are indicated by the icon used in the data field list. This is indicated
by the blue filter icon .
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The access filter is a global filter applied to a report based on the user that is viewing
the report at the time. This filter allows the same report to be distributed / used by
many people but will only display data that is relevant for them.
For example an access filter may associate the user as the manager of a particular
cost centre. When that user runs the report they will only see data for the costthey
will not be able to view data for other cost centres.
Figure 122Source Filters
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1. The first step in adding a filter to your report is to drag either a dimension or
metric item from the data fields list into the Filters Box as seen below.
Once you add a field to your filters box the report wizard will include an additional
filter management step. It is on this page that you will specify all the filter values.
Figure 123Report Filters
2. You can drag as many fields as you wish to use into your filters box. Once all the
items you wish to filter on have been selected click the next button to go to the
filters management page.
3. Use the report filter page to edit and define your filters in detail. All filters added
to your report through the report data page will be displayed on this page for you
to edit.
Aggregate filters allow you to filter on aggregate values such as the sum of received
amount. For example if you filter on received amount you will be filtering on each
record, filtering on the aggregate value would filter on the total for the sum of the
region.
Aggregate filters are applied just like aggregate metrics. Select the item you wish to
filter on and choose the aggregation you wish to apply.
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Figure 124Report Filter Criteria
1. The item that has been selected on the report data page for filtering. E.g. Last
Name
2. The Operand drop down lets you select what type of filter to be used. For
example Last Name is Not Nullor Equal To.
3. The brackets allow for greater complexity in data filtering by using AND and OR
with the where clause operator.
4. The filter data displays what the filter is to be. If you have selected specific data
to filter on it will be displayed here. The defaultUSER PROMPT this allows theuser to set the filter prior to running a report. Use the Prompt icon to browse
available values.
5. This allows the user to set multiple filters and join them using AND or OR. For
example filter all People where AGE is Greater than 50 or Gender = Female.
6. The move up and down buttons allows the user to build complex bracketing
filters. The level of a statement within the bracket will affect the overall filter
statement and impact upon the data returned in the query.
7. The filter logic display allows a user to read a summary of the filter that they have
defined.
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Aggregate filters allow you to filter on aggregate values such as the sum of received
amount. For example if you filter on received amount you will be filtering on each
record, filtering on the aggregate value would filter on the total for the sum of the
region.
The filter options are available on the report preview page. You are able to set the
action and formatting options of all filters here. These will be discussed in more detail
in the filter formatting section.
Figure 125Filter Properties
In the filter options section on the report preview page you can select a filter and
customise its display and entry style settings. These will also be discussed in the filter
formatting section.
Figure 126Filter Specific Properties
When defining a filter initially you need to specify how the filter values are to beselected for example where company name is equal to or different from the values
that you want to filter on. The options within the drop down will vary based upon the
type of field that the filter is to be applied to.
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Figure 127Operand List
Possible values for the operand include:
Operand Description Type1
General Filtering
Equal to Equal to a single alphanumeric or string value
Greater than Greater than a single alphanumeric or string value Numeric
Greater than
or equal to
Greater than or equal to a single alphanumeric or
string value
Numeric
Less than Less than a single alphanumeric or string value Numeric
Less than or
equal to
Less than or equal to a single alphanumeric or string
value
Numeric
Different
from
Not equal to or different from a single alphanumeric or
string value
Between Between variable 1 and variable 2 these will need to
be legitimate parameters such as date, age etc.
N