Microstrategy 3 PDF

MICROSTRATEGY DEVELOPER: REPORTING ESSENTIALS
Course Guide
Version: RPTESS-941-Mar14-CG
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Patent Information
This product is patented. One or more of the following patents may apply to the product sold herein: U.S. Patent Nos.
6,154,766, 6,173,310, 6,260,050, 6,263,051, 6,269,393, 6,279,033, 6,567,796, 6,587,547, 6,606,596, 6,658,093,
6,658,432, 6,662,195, 6,671,715, 6,691,100, 6,694,316, 6,697,808, 6,704,723, 6,741,980, 6,765,997, 6,768,788,
6,772,137, 6,788,768, 6,798,867, 6,801,910, 6,820,073, 6,829,334, 6,836,537, 6,850,603, 6,859,798, 6,873,693,
6,885,734, 6,940,953, 6,964,012, 6,977,992, 6,996,568, 6,996,569, 7,003,512, 7,010,518, 7,016,480, 7,020,251,
7,039,165, 7,082,422, 7,113,993, 7,127,403, 7,174,349, 7,181,417, 7,194,457, 7,197,461, 7,228,303, 7,260,577, 7,266,181,
7,272,212, 7,302,639, 7,324,942, 7,330,847, 7,340,040, 7,356,758, 7,356,840, 7,415,438, 7,428,302, 7,430,562,
7,440,898, 7,486,780, 7,509,671, 7,516,181, 7,559,048, 7,574,376, 7,617,201, 7,725,811, 7,801,967, 7,836,178, 7,861,161,
7,861,253, 7,881,443, 7,925,616, 7,945,584, 7,970,782, 8,005,870, 8,051,168, 8,051,369, 8,094,788, 8,130,918,
8,296,287, 8,321,411 and 8,452,755. Other patent applications are pending.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Course Description.................................................................... 13
Who Should Take This Course .............................................. 14
Follow-Up Courses ................................................................ 14
Related Certifications............................................................. 14
Course Objectives ................................................................. 15
About the Course Materials ......................................................... 16
Content Descriptions ............................................................. 16
Learning Objectives ............................................................... 16
Lessons ................................................................................. 16
Opportunities for Practice ...................................................... 17
Typographical Standards ....................................................... 17
MicroStrategy Courses .......................................................... 19
Core Courses......................................................................... 19
Advanced Courses ................................................................ 20
1. Introduction to
MicroStrategy
Business Intelligence
Lesson Description ................................................................... 21

Lesson Objectives ................................................................. 22
Business Intelligence Architecture............................................... 23
Analysis ................................................................................. 25
Metadata ................................................................................ 26
Data Sources ......................................................................... 26
Introduction to MicroStrategy Objects.......................................... 28
Reports .................................................................................. 29
Attributes................................................................................ 29
Facts ...................................................................................... 31
Metrics ................................................................................... 32
Filters and Prompts................................................................ 34
2013 MicroStrategy Inc.
Table of Contents
MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials
Lesson Summary......................................................................... 35
2. Introduction to
MicroStrategy
Developer

Introduction to MicroStrategy Developer ..................................... 39
MicroStrategy Developer ....................................................... 40
MicroStrategy Architect.......................................................... 40
Administrative Functions........................................................ 40
Project Sources and Projects ...................................................... 42
Connect to a Project Source .................................................. 42
Administration Icon ................................................................ 45
Project Icons .......................................................................... 46
The MicroStrategy Developer Interface ....................................... 48
Basic Navigation .......................................................................... 51
MicroStrategy Developer Menu Bar....................................... 51
MicroStrategy Developer Toolbar .......................................... 52
Creating and Saving Objects ....................................................... 54
Shortcuts to Objects .................................................................... 55
Lesson Summary......................................................................... 57
3. Reports

What Is a Report?........................................................................ 61
Creating, Saving, and Viewing Reports ....................................... 63
The Report Editor .................................................................. 63
Creating Reports.................................................................... 64
Saving Reports ...................................................................... 72
Running Reports .................................................................... 74
Report Display Views............................................................. 74
Report Details Properties....................................................... 75
Lesson Summary......................................................................... 79
Exercises: Reports in Developer ................................................. 81
Create a Report ..................................................................... 82
Work with Design View .......................................................... 84
Use the Template Editor ........................................................ 86
Use an Existing Template and No Filtering Criteria ............... 88
Optional Advanced Exercise........................................................ 90
Method of Payment by Region and Income........................... 90
4. Report Data
Manipulations
Table of Contents

Data Manipulation........................................................................ 95
Drilling.......................................................................................... 96
What Is Drilling?..................................................................... 96
Methods for Drilling ................................................................ 97
Page-by ..................................................................................... 103
What Is Page-by? ................................................................ 103
Methods for Creating Page-by Fields .................................. 104
Data Pivoting ............................................................................. 106
Methods for Data Pivoting ................................................... 106
Subtotals.................................................................................... 108
Subtotals by Position ........................................................... 109
Subtotals Across Levels ...................................................... 110
Subtotals Group By.............................................................. 112
Sorting ....................................................................................... 115
Methods for Sorting ............................................................. 115
Outline Mode ............................................................................. 121
Using Outline Mode ............................................................. 122
Printing....................................................................................... 125
Exporting and E-mailing Reports ............................................... 127
Removing Metrics Columns ................................................. 128
Report Subscription in Developer .............................................. 130
Subscribing a Report to the History List............................... 130
Subscribing a Report to Update Cache ............................... 132
Subscribing a Report to a Mobile Device............................. 134
Adding Notes to Reports and Documents ................................. 136
Lesson Summary....................................................................... 139
Exercises: Report Data Manipulations in Developer ................. 141
Drilling and Page-By ............................................................ 141
Pivoting and Sorting............................................................. 146
Totals and Outline Mode...................................................... 149
Exporting Reports ................................................................ 154
5. Report Style
Manipulations
Lesson Description ................................................................. 157

Lesson Objectives ............................................................... 158
Style Manipulation ..................................................................... 159
Formatting.................................................................................. 160
Methods for Formatting........................................................ 160
Table of Contents
Autostyles ............................................................................ 162

Thresholds ................................................................................. 165
Banding...................................................................................... 171
Locking and Resizing Columns and Rows ................................ 174
Graph Properties ....................................................................... 177
Display Data Labels ............................................................. 177
Graph Title ........................................................................... 178
Specify the Number of Categories and Series..................... 180
Nested Labels ...................................................................... 182
Graph Undo/Redo................................................................ 184
Lesson Summary....................................................................... 186
Exercises: Report Style Manipulations in Developer ................. 187
Formatting and Autostyles ................................................... 187
Thresholds ........................................................................... 191
Locking/Resizing Columns and Rows.................................. 196
Bar Graph ............................................................................ 200
Graph with Gauges .............................................................. 205
6. Filters

What Is a Filter?......................................................................... 211
Creating and Saving Report Filters............................................ 215
The Filter Editor ................................................................... 215
Creating a Simple Filter ....................................................... 216
Saving a Filter ...................................................................... 217
Types of Report Filters .............................................................. 218
Attribute Qualification........................................................... 218
Set Qualification................................................................... 222
Shortcut to a Report (Report As Filter) ................................ 223
Shortcut to a Filter (Filter Qualification) ............................... 225
Set Operators ............................................................................ 226
Lesson Summary:...................................................................... 231
Exercises: Filters in Developer .................................................. 233
Creating a Filter ................................................................... 233
Creating Another Filter......................................................... 234
Qualifying on a Metric .......................................................... 236
Combining Two Filters in a Report....................................... 238
7. Metrics
Table of Contents

What Is a Fact?.......................................................................... 243
What Is a Metric?....................................................................... 245
Types of Metrics ........................................................................ 248
Simple Metrics ..................................................................... 248
Nested Metrics ..................................................................... 249
Compound Metrics............................................................... 250
Metric Creation .......................................................................... 252
Metric Editor......................................................................... 252
Metric Components.............................................................. 255
Creating a Simple Metric...................................................... 256
Saving a Metric .................................................................... 257
Metric Formatting....................................................................... 258
Metric Value and Header Formatting ................................... 258
Subtotals/Aggregation Tab .................................................. 259
Lesson Summary....................................................................... 264
Exercises: Metrics in Developer ................................................ 265
Create a Simple MetricCost ............................................. 265
Create a Simple MetricRevenue ...................................... 267
Use the Created Metrics in a Report.................................... 269
Create a Compound MetricProfit Margin.......................... 270
Use Profit Margin in a Report............................................... 272
Display Subtotals ................................................................. 275
8. MicroStrategy OLAP
Services

Introduction to OLAP Services................................................... 281
Report Objects........................................................................... 282
Methods for Adding Report Objects..................................... 283
Methods for Removing Report Objects................................ 284
View Filters ................................................................................ 285
Derived Metrics.......................................................................... 288
Lesson Summary....................................................................... 291
Exercises: MicroStrategy OLAP Services.................................. 293
Using the Report objects pane to Add Attributes ................. 293
Using View Filters ................................................................ 296
Create and Format a Derived MetricGrowth .................... 298
Table of Contents
9. Prompts and
Searches

What Is a Prompt? ..................................................................... 305
Creating Prompts ................................................................. 306
Filter Definition Prompts ............................................................ 310
Creating Filter Definition Prompts ........................................ 310
Using Filter Definition Prompts in a Report.......................... 318
Object Prompts .......................................................................... 319
Creating Object Prompts...................................................... 320
Using Object Prompts in a Report ....................................... 322
Value Prompts ........................................................................... 324
Creating a Value Prompt ..................................................... 325
Using Value Prompts in a Report......................................... 326
Other Prompt Topics.................................................................. 328
Creating Local Prompts ....................................................... 328
Re-prompting Open Reports................................................ 329
Saving Reports with Prompts............................................... 330
Save and Reuse Prompt Answers ....................................... 331
What Is a Search Object?.......................................................... 336
The Search for Objects Editor.............................................. 336
Saving Searches.................................................................. 338
Search-based Prompts ........................................................ 339
Lesson Summary....................................................................... 340
Exercises: Prompts and Searches............................................. 341
Create Filter Definition Prompts........................................... 341
Create Object Prompts ........................................................ 346
Create a Value Prompt ........................................................ 352
A. MicroStrategy Tutorial Appendix Description.............................................................. 357

The MicroStrategy Tutorial Data Model ..................................... 358
Geography Hierarchy........................................................... 359
Customers Hierarchy ........................................................... 360
Time Hierarchy..................................................................... 361
Products Hierarchy .............................................................. 361
The MicroStrategy Tutorial Schema .......................................... 363
Geography Schema ............................................................. 366
Customers Schema ............................................................. 367
Time Schema....................................................................... 368
Products Schema ................................................................ 369
Fact Tables Schema ............................................................ 370
10
B. MicroStrategy
Glossary
Table of Contents
Appendix Description.............................................................. 371
Index ......................................................................................... 407
11
Table of Contents
12
PREFACE
Course Description
This two-day course provides an overview of reporting, using MicroStrategy
Developer. The topics covered in this course include:
Navigating the MicroStrategy Developer interface
Building and manipulating reports, templates, basic filters, basic metrics,

prompts, and searches
Using the functionality and benefits of MicroStrategy OLAP Services
13
Preface
Who Should Take This Course

This course is designed for:
Project Architects
MicroStrategy Developer Developers
Administrators
SDK Developers
Follow-Up Courses
After taking this course, you might consider taking the following courses:
MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting
MicroStrategy Architect: Project Design Essentials
Related Certifications
To validate your proficiency in the content of this course, you might consider
taking the following certifications:
Certified Project Designer
Certified Report Developer
Certified Platform Administrator
14 Who Should Take This Course
Preface
Course Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:
Describe the MicroStrategy business intelligence architecture and define

basic MicroStrategy reporting terminology. (Page 22)
Describe the components of MicroStrategy Developer, navigate the main

interface, and access project sources and projects. (Page 38)
Define the components that comprise a report and create simple reports
using Developer. (Page 60)
Define the different types of report manipulations available and perform

these report manipulations using Developer. (Page 94)
Define the different types of style manipulations available and perform these
style manipulations using Developer. (Page 158)
Define the different types of report filters available in Developer and create
each type using the Filter Editor. (Page 210)
Define the different types of metrics, and create them using the Metric
Editor in Developer. (Page 242)
Describe the features provided by MicroStrategy OLAP Services, including

report objects, view filters, and derived metrics. Use the Report objects
pane, and create view filters and derived metrics in reports. (Page 280)
Define the different types of prompts, and explain how you can use search
objects inside prompts. Create prompts and searches in
Developer. (Page 304)
Course Objectives
15
Preface
About the Course Materials

This course is organized into lessons and reference appendices. Each lesson
focuses on major concepts and skills that help you to better understand
MicroStrategy products and use them to implement MicroStrategy projects.
The appendices provide you with supplemental information to enhance your
knowledge of MicroStrategy products.
Content Descriptions
Each major section of this course begins with a Description heading. The
Description introduces you to the content contained in that section.
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives enable you to focus on the key knowledge and skills you
should obtain by successfully completing this course. Objectives are provided
for you at the following three levels:
CourseYou will achieve these overall objectives by successfully

completing all the lessons in this course. The Course Objectives heading in
this Preface contains the list of course objectives.
LessonYou will achieve these main objectives by successfully completing

all the topics in the lesson. You can find the primary lesson objectives
directly under the Lesson Objectives heading at the beginning of each
lesson.
Main TopicYou will achieve this secondary objective by successfully

completing the main topic. The topic objective is stated at the beginning of
the topic text. You can find a list of all the topic objectives in each lesson
under the Lesson Objectives heading at the beginning of each lesson.
Lessons
Each lesson sequentially presents concepts and guides you with step-by-step
procedures. Illustrations, screen examples, bulleted text, notes, and definition
tables help you to achieve the learning objectives.
16 About the Course Materials
Preface
Opportunities for Practice

A Workshop is a reinforcement and assessment activity that follows two or
more lessons. Because a Workshop covers content and applied skills presented
in several lessons, it is a separate section on the level of a lesson.
The following sections within lessons provide you with opportunities to
reinforce important concepts, practice new product and project skills, and
monitor your own progress in achieving the lesson and course objectives:
Review
Case Study
Business Scenario
Exercises
Typographical Standards
The following sections explain the font style changes, icons, and different types
of notes that you see in this course.
Actions
References to screen elements and keys that are the focus of actions are in bold
Arial font style. The following example shows this style:
Click Select Warehouse.
Code
References to code, formulas, or calculations within paragraphs are formatted
in regular Courier.New font style. The following example shows this style:
Sum(Sales)/Number of Months
17
Preface
Data Entry
References to literal data you must type in an exercise or procedure are in bold
Arial font style. References to data you type that could vary from user to user or
system to system are in bold italic Arial font style. The following example
shows this style:
Type copy c:\filename d:\foldername\filename.
Keyboard Keys
References to a keyboard key or shortcut keys are in uppercase letters in bold
Arial font style. The following example shows this style:
Press CTRL+B.
New Terms
New terms to note are in regular italic font style. These terms are defined when
they are first encountered in the course. The following example shows this
style:
The aggregation level is the level of calculation for the metric.
Notes and Warnings
A note icon indicates helpful information.

icon calls your attention to very important information that
Ayouwarning
should read before continuing the course.
Heading Icons
The following heading icons are used to indicate specific practice and review
sections:
Precedes a Review section
Precedes a Case Study
Precedes a Business Scenario
Precedes Exercises
Preface
MicroStrategy Courses
Core Courses
Implementing MicroStrategy: Development and Deployment
MicroStrategy Web Essentials
MicroStrategy Web for Reporters and Analysts
MicroStrategy Web for Professionals
MicroStrategy Visual Insight Essentials
MicroStrategy Report Services: Documents and Dashboards
MicroStrategy Mobile for App Developers
MicroStrategy Architect: Project Design Essentials
MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting
MicroStrategy Office Essentials
19
Preface
Advanced Courses
MicroStrategy Administration: Configuration and Security
MicroStrategy Administration: Application Management
MicroStrategy Engine Essentials
MicroStrategy Architect: Advanced Project Design
MicroStrategy Advanced Data Warehousing
MicroStrategy Data Mining and Advanced Analytics
MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting Case Studies
MicroStrategy Freeform SQL Essentials
MicroStrategy Transaction Services for Dashboard and Mobile App

Developers
MicroStrategy Web SDK: Customization Essentials
MicroStrategy Web SDK: Customizing Security
MicroStrategy Web SDK: Portal Integration
All courses are subject to change. Please visit the MicroStrategy website for the
latest education offerings.
1
INTRODUCTION TO
MICROSTRATEGY BUSINESS
INTELLIGENCE
Lesson Description
This lesson introduces you to the basic components of a MicroStrategy
business intelligence architecture. It also describes key MicroStrategy objects
that you will use while working with MicroStrategy Developer.
21
Introduction to MicroStrategy Business Intelligence
Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
Describe the MicroStrategy business intelligence architecture and define basic
MicroStrategy reporting terminology.
After completing the topics in this lesson, you will be able to:
List and define the components of a business intelligence architecture using

MicroStrategy. (Page 23)
Explain the characteristics of reports, attributes, facts, and metrics.

Understand how these objects are used. (Page 28)
22 Lesson Objectives
Business Intelligence Architecture

After completing this topic, you will be able to:
List and define the components of a business intelligence architecture using
MicroStrategy.
Business intelligence (BI) refers to using data to make better-informed

decisions about your business. Business analytics needs can range from
analyzing trends in data discovery dashboards to performing in-depth
forecasting analysis and creating highly visual scorecards and dashboards for
wide distribution. BI systems facilitate an ever-growing variety of applications
that begin with sophisticated analysis of atomic-level data and extend to
proactive information delivery to system subscribers. Todays businesses need
to be capable of rapid, self-service analysis of new datasets while also
supporting reporting on a high volume of disparate data sources (big data).
The market also requires the delivery of relevant and timely information to the
right people at the right place and time. Finally, analytics technology must
support businesses in maintaining close and individualized contact with their
customers.
Big Data analytics enable you to not only connect to the largest of datasets, but
also intelligently transform and aggregate petabytes of data into gigabytes of
in-memory data for agile data discovery.
23
A business intelligence architecture using MicroStrategy is shown in the

following diagram:
MicroStrategy Architecture for Analytics Enterprise
MicroStrategy Analytics Enterprise architectural components:
Analysis
Metadata
Data sources
24 Business Intelligence Architecture
Analysis
MicroStrategy applications enable you to intuitively interact with your
business intelligence system and enable you to do everything from rapid data
discovery to predictive analytics. User-friendly and robust analysis and
analytics tools in your business intelligence system ensure your data is not lost
in the last mile.
A variety of grid and graph formats are available for superior report
presentation. You can even build documents, which enable you to combine
multiple reports with text and graphics.
In addition, you can use the MicroStrategy Software Developers Kit (SDK) to
customize the interface that users see and the functionality available to them.
In previous versions of MicroStrategy, the objects in a standard report had to
come from a single data source. MultiSource Option is an add-on component
to Intelligence Server that removes this limitation. It enables you to define a
single project schema that uses multiple data sources. As a result, you can now
create a standard report that executes SQL against multiple data sources.
more information on MultiSource Option, refer to the
For
MicroStrategy Architect: Project Design Essentials course.
MicroStrategys unified Web interface is a single code base that provides BI
functionality to all users, ranging from basic reporting functionality for novice
users, to interactive analysis functionality for analysts, to full report design
functionality for power users and IT professionals.
Because of the way it is designed, the MicroStrategy Web interface can deliver
your spur-of-the-moment visualizations or storyboarded dashboards equally
well to multiple different interfaces, including: mobile devices, Web browsers,
third-party enterprise portals, and to Microsoft Office applications like
Excel, Word, and PowerPoint using Web services.
You can host your MicroStrategy applications, along with your data sources
and metadata, on premises, or you can use MicroStrategy Cloud. Using
MicroStrategy as a platform-as-a-service reduces your infrastructure overhead,
increases scalability, and reduces costs, while continuing to provide access to
MicroStrategys range of applications.
25
Metadata
All MicroStrategy analysis, development, delivery, and administration
applications can share a common metadata in your environment. A metadata
database contains information that enables MicroStrategy applications to
retrieve and display data from data sources. The metadata stores
MicroStrategy object definitions and maps MicroStrategy objects to the data
source structures and content.
MicroStrategy applications use the metadata to translate user requests into
queries and to translate the results of those queries back into MicroStrategy
objects, like reports, documents, and dashboards.
The metadata also stores the definitions of all objects created within the
MicroStrategy Analytics Platform (such as filters, reports, metrics, facts, and so
forth). The metadata enables the sharing of objects across MicroStrategy
applications by providing a central repository for all object definitions. Since
all of the interfaces share the same metadata, users can move from one
interface to another without any re-configuration or administrator
intervention. A report created with MicroStrategy Developer or MicroStrategy
Web can be viewed in Windows, Office, on a mobile device, and in emails
without any loss of functionality, security, or object privilege settings. The
metadata is used by MicroStrategy Intelligence Server to evaluate the most
efficient data retrieval scenario to guarantee optimal query performance.
more information about Intelligence server, see Connect to a
For
Project Source starting on page 42
Data Sources
At the base of the MicroStrategy Analytics Platform architecture is your data.
MicroStrategy supports a spectrum of data sources, from unmodeled, imported
spreadsheets to petabyte-sized databases:
User or departmental data (spreadsheets, small databases, or text files)
ERP, CRM, and Web applications such as SalesForce.com
Multidimensional data sources
Relational databases
Data warehouse appliances
26 Business Intelligence Architecture
Columnar databases
MapReduce databases
In a traditional implementation, a data source may be a transactional source

system that is optimized for recording sales, orders, inventory, withdrawals,
and deposits. This transactional system, in turn, feeds into a large relational
database (data warehouse) that stores gigabytes of cleansed data across
hundreds or thousands of tables.
Imagine a nationwide retailer that stores customer loyalty data and purchase
history. Descriptive information for a single customer may be spread out over
dozens of tables, while sales figures are saved at multiple geographic levels and
time periods in many locations in the data warehouse. MicroStrategy makes it
easy for you to model and map the data at a higher level to quickly analyze
customer and sales figures from the data source.
MicroStrategy takes things a step further with Data Import, a tool that enables
users to quickly and independently import data from a spreadsheet, database,
or Web service with no modeling or coding. With Data Import, a single
business analyst can use MicroStrategy Web to jump from loading a dataset
into MicroStrategy to building an interactive visualization or dashboard in
minutes.
MicroStrategy high-performance technology supports fast queries on large
datasets. The Intelligence Server can efficiently pull data from sources that
specialize in handling petabytes of data, like Hadoop, or those that provide
near real-time data, like SAP HANA.
The breadth of supported source systems ensures no data is left behind. Is your
enterprise financial data in a multidimensional cube, your human resources
data in a relational database, your sales data in the cloud, and contextual data
pulled from public datasets? MicroStrategy can blend data from multiple
resources to greatly expand your analytical possibilities. One visualization can
borrow data from all of these sources at once.
27
Introduction to MicroStrategy Objects

Explain the characteristics of reports, attributes, facts, and metrics.
Understand how these objects are used.
All MicroStrategy objects are stored in your metadata database. The main role
of these objects is to enable presentation and analysis of your data. The most
important objects for reporting are:
Reports
Filters
Attributes
Facts
Metrics
Prompts
Hierarchies
addition, there are objects that are used to manage security and
Inconfigure
connections and servers. For more information, refer to the
MicroStrategy Administration: Configuration and Security course.
28 Introduction to MicroStrategy Objects
Reports
A report is a request for specific data that has a defined layout and format. All
of the information for a report can be predefined, or you may be able to choose
part or all of the content of a report. You can view report results either in grid
or graph format. The following image shows an example of a report in grid
view:
Report Grid
Attributes
Attributes are the descriptive data in your data warehouse that you want to be
able to display on a report or document. Whether you want to view customers,
account numbers, products, regions, or employees, attributes enable you to
map to this data in your data warehouse and then display it on reports and
documents. You can also use this descriptive data to filter reports and
documents so that they only display specific customers, regions, accounts, and
so forth.
29
The following illustration shows an example of how attributes are used in

reporting:
Attributes in Reporting
In the report above, Region, Category, and Year are all attributes that have
been placed on the report so you can display the corresponding data in the data
warehouse. The individual items that display under each attribute header are
referred to as attribute elements.
The report does not display data for all of the regions, categories and years that
are represented in the data warehouse. The report creator has filtered on an
attribute to restrict the result set.
is used to show relevant information and improve
Filtering
performance. For more information about how to use attributes in
filters, see the Attribute Qualification lesson starting on page 218.
Attributes define the level at which calculations are performed. For example, in
this report, revenue and units sold are calculated for each subcategory, which is
the lowest-level attribute on the report.
is possible to calculate data at different levels in a report or document
Itusing
advanced functionality. For more information, see the
MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting course.
Facts
Facts represent numeric data in your data warehouse that can be used as the
basis for calculations. They are typically numeric and they map directly to
columns in fact tables in your data warehouse. Some examples of things facts
can represent are information about sales, inventory, profit, costs, deposits,
withdrawals, or balances. For example, a Cost fact could be defined as
corresponding to the TOT_COST column in the ITEM_MNTH_SALES fact
table:
ITEM_MNTH_SALES Fact Table
Facts cannot be placed directly onto reports. Instead, you must use metrics,
which can be based on facts.
31
Metrics
Metrics are calculations that you place directly in reports. For example,
suppose you have a Cost fact, which represents the cost per item. Consider a
case in which you need to calculate the cost for Books, which is a category of
items. How should cost be calculated?
Sample Report with Two Metrics
Two ways of aggregating the cost data at the Category level are used in the
above report. One metric aggregates using the sum function and another uses
the average function.
You can use the Metric Editor to display or edit the formulas used in defining
metrics:
Sum of Cost
Average Cost
33
{~} indicates that the metric is to be aggregated at the report level, which is the
level of the lowest attribute on the report grid. For more information, see the
Metrics can be built using facts, attributes, or other metrics. In the following
report, the Employee Headcount metric uses the formula Count(Employee)
to apply the Count function to the Employee attribute
Report with Employee Headcount Metric
Filters and Prompts

Filters specify the conditions that the data must meet to be included in the
report results or displayed on the report.
more information on filters, see the Filters lesson starting on
For
page 209.
Prompts enable the report user to interact with the report at run time.
more information on prompts, see the Prompts and Searches
For
lesson starting on page 303.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, you learned:
A business intelligence architecture using MicroStrategy has the following

components: source systems, data warehouse, ETL process, metadata
database, data import, and MicroStrategy applications.
Source systems or OnLine Transaction Processing Systems (OLTP) are

typically databases, source files, web sources, or mainframes that store
transaction processing data. This type of system involves simple recording
of transactions like sales, inventory, withdrawals, deposits, and so forth.
Data warehouses are designed and optimized for analytical processing. This
type of system involves manipulating transaction records to calculate sales
trends, growth patterns, percent to total contributions, trend reporting,
profit analysis, and so forth.
The extract, transform, and load (ETL) process contains information that
facilitates the transfer of the data from the source systems to the data
warehouse.
Data Import enables MicroStrategy customers to import data easily from

unmodeled data sources into an In-memory Intelligent Cube that can be
reused in reports and Report Services documents.
The metadata database contains information that facilitates the retrieval of

data from the data warehouse when using MicroStrategy applications. It
stores MicroStrategy object definitions and information about the data
warehouse in a proprietary format and maps MicroStrategy objects to the
data warehouse structures and content.
The MicroStrategy applications allow you to interact with the business

intelligence system. They allow you to logically organize data hierarchically
to quickly and easily create, calculate, and analyze complex data
relationships. They also provide the ability to look at data from many
different perspectives.
Lesson Summary
35
MicroStrategy objects exist in the metadata database.

Facts are any data in your data warehouse that are used for calculation.
They are usually numeric.
Metrics are the calculations that you place directly in reports and
documents. Metrics are based on facts or attributes.
Attributes are descriptive data in your data warehouse that you want to
be able to display on a report or document.
36 Lesson Summary
2
INTRODUCTION TO
MICROSTRATEGY DEVELOPER
Lesson Description
This lesson introduces you to the MicroStrategy Developer application. It gives
you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the interface and learn some of
the basic functionality.
In addition to navigating the interface, this lesson introduces you to project
sources and projects, two of the highest-level objects in the MicroStrategy
environment.
37
Introduction to MicroStrategy Developer
Lesson Objectives
Describe the components of MicroStrategy Developer, navigate the main
interface, and access project sources and projects.
List and define the components of MicroStrategy Developer. (Page 39)
Connect to a project source and access the projects within it. List and define
the components of a project. (Page 42)
Navigate the MicroStrategy Developer interface. (Page 48)
Navigate and use the MicroStrategy Developer menus and toolbars. (Page
51)
List the different ways to create and save new objects. (Page 54)
Create shortcuts to MicroStrategy objects. (Page 55)

List and define the components of MicroStrategy Developer.
MicroStrategy Developer enables you to design, create, and maintain an entire

business intelligence system from a single interface by integrating the
following tools:
MicroStrategy Developer
MicroStrategy Architect
Administrative functions, including tools to manage users, implement

security, and configure and maintain MicroStrategy Intelligence Server
This course teaches you the fundamental skills required to use MicroStrategy
Developer. Each of the components of MicroStrategy Developer is briefly
described in this lesson.
more information about MicroStrategy Architect, refer to the
For
MicroStrategy Architect: Project Design Essentials course. For more
information about administrative functions for MicroStrategy

Intelligence Server, refer to the MicroStrategy Administration courses.
39
MicroStrategy Developer is a next-generation business intelligence
environment designed to meet todays sophisticated business intelligence
requirements. It brings integrated querying and reporting, powerful
collaborative analytics, and investigative workflow to every Developer.
MicroStrategy Architect
MicroStrategy Architect is the innovative development environment designed
to meet todays sophisticated business intelligence requirements. Unique
techniques of mapping the business model to the underlying data structures
make MicroStrategy Architect the most flexible tool in the industry. It creates
business intelligence applications against terabyte-sized data warehouses
based on any industry business model, such as finance, banking, retail, or
pharmaceuticals. Through a user-friendly interface, you can create a rich
abstraction layer for a relational database. MicroStrategy Architect also
enables you to update the metadata, so changes are immediately and
transparently implemented for all users.
MicroStrategy Architects convenient database reference utility lets you view
column names and data types for any table in the data warehouse and speeds
application development by evaluating definitions in the logical model.
Advanced data models are simplified using the flexible schema definitions of
MicroStrategy Architect. You can use single columns, compound keys, or
user-defined expressions to define your schema objects.
Administrative Functions
Most of the administrative functionality for the business intelligence system is
found in the MicroStrategy Developer interface. The list below represents
important administrative functions that are offered by MicroStrategy
Developer:
User ManagementMicroStrategy Developer enables easy maintenance of
users and user groups. A host of powerful user and object management
features enables you to update access for current users, remove old users from
the system, and copy existing user profiles to new user accounts.
40 Introduction to MicroStrategy Developer
Comprehensive Security ModelIn any business intelligence solution, system

security is of paramount importance. Users with administrative privileges can
create and maintain the comprehensive security profiles required by todays
business intelligence applications. Access to application functionality,
MicroStrategy projects, all MicroStrategy objects, and database rows and
columns is controlled using MicroStrategy security privileges, roles, access
control lists, and security filters.
Intelligence Server AdministrationThrough the MicroStrategy Developer
interface, users with administrative privileges can change many of the
MicroStrategy Intelligence Server parameters. The MicroStrategy
Administrator can configure settings such as maximum report length,
maximum user idle time, and report prioritization.
41
Project Sources and Projects

Connect to a project source and access the projects within it. List and define
the components of a project.
To start MicroStrategy Developer:
1 On the Microsoft Windows Start menu, select All Programs, select

MicroStrategyProducts, and select Developer.
default, MicroStrategy Developer will prompt you for login
Bycredentials
for the last project source to which you were connected.
2 If prompted, supply a valid login ID and password.
3 Click OK.
This action will connect you to a MicroStrategy project source.

Connect to a Project Source
The highest-level icon in the folder list of MicroStrategy Developer is the
project source. Project sources are the highest-level objects in the
MicroStrategy environment. A project source represents a connection to a
metadata database or a MicroStrategy Intelligence Server. Through a project
source you can create, manipulate, and administer MicroStrategy projects.
42 Project Sources and Projects
The following illustration shows the relationship between a project source, the
metadata database, and MicroStrategy projects:
Relationship Between Project Source and Projects
Two-tier Project Source
The illustration above depicts a direct project source, often referred to as a

two-tier project source. The first tier is MicroStrategy Developer, and the
second tier is the metadata database. This type of project source points directly
to a MicroStrategy metadata database.
43
Three-tier Project Source
The icon above represents another type of project source. known as a three-tier
project source. The first tier is MicroStrategy Developer, the second tier is
Intelligence Server, and the third tier is the metadata database. This type of
project source points to an Intelligence Server that is, in turn, connected to a
MicroStrategy metadata database.
Intelligence Server provides the core analytical processing and job
management for all reporting, analysis, job management and monitoring in
implementations in which it is used.
With MicroStrategy Intelligence Server in your project environment, you can:
Establish connectivity to MicroStrategy Web
Establish connectivity to MicroStrategy Mobile
Run reports to specific Microsoft Office applications via MicroStrategy

Office
Send reports via email, to a file server, or to a print server using

MicroStrategy Distribution Services
Produce Pixel-Perfect documents and dashboards using MicroStrategy

Report Services
Manage and monitor system usage in MicroStrategy Developer using the

Administration icon and menu
Improve report performance using caching
Automate report generation using schedules
Increase processing power using clustering
Manage project security at multiple levels
Manage, monitor and maintain the project as its data volume and user base
grows
These Intelligence Server features make it possible to create and maintain a

truly enterprise-wide business intelligence system.
To connect to a project source:
1 In the Folder List, expand a project source.

2 In the Login window, type a valid login id and password.
3 Click OK.
There are two types of icons under the project source:
The Administration icon provides access to all of the administrative

functions for the particular project source.
All other icons are project icons that represent the MicroStrategy projects
stored in the metadata to which the project source is connected.
Administration Icon
The Administration icon provides access to all of the administrative functions
for a project source.
default, only users with administrative privileges can see the
ByAdministration
icon.
Without Intelligence Server, you are limited to the following administration
tools:
System MonitorsEnable you to access only the Change Journaling

Transactions monitor.
more information on Change Journaling, refer to the
For
MicroStrategy Administration: Configuration and Security course.
Configuration ManagersEnable you to access several manages where you

create configuration objects such as database instances, schedules, events,
security roles, and languages.
45
Delivery ManagersEnable you to access the managers to create and

manage transmitters and devices.
User ManagerEnable you to create and manage users and user groups.
With Intelligence Server, you get many additional administrative tools that
enable you to control and monitor most aspects of the MicroStrategy
environment.
more information on administration functionality, refer to the
For
MicroStrategy Administration courses.
Project Icons
A project is the intersection of a data warehouse, a metadata database, and a
user community. It contains objects such as reports, filters, templates, and
metrics.
To see the contents of a project:
1 Expand the project icon.
The project opens so you can view its contents.
By default, every project has the following folder structure:

Default Project Folders
Folder
Description
History
You use this folder to retrieve scheduled reports. This

folder is only available if you are using Intelligence
Server.
My Personal You use these folders to store objects you create, that are
Objects
only visible to you. You can always create additional
subfolders here.
Public
Objects
This folder contains objects that can be viewed by all

users, depending on their permissions and privileges.
The Public Objects folder contains numerous subfolders
that are organized by object type.
Default Project Folders

Folder
Description
Schema
Objects
This folder contains objects that represent the business

data model such as facts, attributes, and hierarchies.
Data
Explorer
This browsing tool contains hierarchies that enable you to

navigate the warehouse data and relationships for the
project.
If the Data Explorer does not display in the Folder List, in MicroStrategy
Developer,
on the Tools menu, select Preferences. In the Categories
list, below the Developer category, select General. In the Developer General pane, under Data Explorer, select the Show the Data Explorer
in the developer check box, and click OK. The Data Explorer should
now display in the Folder List.
47
The MicroStrategy Developer Interface

Navigate the MicroStrategy Developer interface.
In the MicroStrategy Developer interface, there are three main areas: the
Folder List, the Object Viewer, and the Shortcut Bar.
Folder List
By default, the Folder List is the middle pane in the MicroStrategy Developer
interface. It shows all of the project sources, projects, application and schema
object folders, as well as the administrative functions for the business
intelligence system.
Most of these objects are described later in this lesson.
The Folder List may not automatically display when you initially log in to
Developer.
To show the Folder List:
1 On the View menu, select Folder List.
Object Viewer
The right pane of the Developer interface is called the Object Viewer. Much like
Microsoft Windows Explorer, you navigate through the folder structure in the
Folder List, and the objects contained in the folders are displayed in the Object
Viewer.
48 The MicroStrategy Developer Interface
Shortcut Bar
The area to the left of the Folder List is called the Shortcut Bar. It displays
shortcuts to various MicroStrategy Developer functionality and folders. Again,
like Microsoft Windows Explorer, you can add shortcuts to any location that
displays in your Folder List. The individual shortcuts can also be organized into
user-defined shortcut groups, which is especially useful for large MicroStrategy
implementations.
When you open MicroStrategy Developer, you will already have two shortcut
groups by defaultTutorial Shortcuts and Other Shortcuts.
To show the Shortcut Bar:
1 On the View menu, select Shortcut Bar.

Shortcut Bar opens on the left side of the MicroStrategy Developer
The
window.
To add a shortcut to the Shortcut Bar:
1 On the Shortcut bar, click the shortcut group to which you want to add the
shortcut.
2 In the Folder List, right-click the location, such as a project or folder, you
want to add to the Shortcut Bar and select Add to Shortcut Bar.
Your new shortcut displays on the Shortcut Bar.

To remove a shortcut from the Shortcut Bar:
1 On the Shortcut Bar, right-click the shortcut and select Remove from
Shortcut Bar.
2 In the confirmation window, click Yes if you are sure you want to remove
the shortcut.
The MicroStrategy Developer Interface
49
To create a new shortcut group:
1 On the Shortcut Bar, right-click an empty area and select Add Group.
2 In the Create a new shortcut group window, type a name for the shortcut
group.
3 Click OK.
Your new shortcut group displays in the Shortcut Bar.
50 The MicroStrategy Developer Interface
Basic Navigation
Navigate and use the MicroStrategy Developer menus and toolbars.
MicroStrategy Developer Menu Bar

MicroStrategy Developer has the following menus available on the menu bar:
MicroStrategy Developer Menus
Menu
Description
File
Enables you to create new objects and folders
Edit
Enables you to access the Cut, Copy, and Paste

functions typically found in a Microsoft Windows Edit
menu
View
Enables you to change the appearance of the icons in the

Object Viewer. You can also show or hide the Status Bar,
Shortcut Bar, and Folder List from this menu.
Go
Enables you to move one level up in the Folder List or go

directly to the project home page
Tools
Enables you to access general MicroStrategy Developer

tools such as the Search Editor, MicroStrategy Developer
Preferences, and the Change Password window
Administration Enables you to access administrative functions such as

the Project Configuration Editor and the Database
Instance Wizard
Schema
Enables you to access project design tools such as the

Project Creation Wizard and the Attribute and Fact
Creation Wizards
Window
Enables you to close all open editors with one click
Help
Enables you to access the online help system and

provides links to useful MicroStrategy web sites
menus and options available to you depend on your security

The
privileges. For example, if you do not have administrative privileges,
you will not see the Administration menu.
Basic Navigation
51
MicroStrategy Developer Toolbar

The following table describes the main MicroStrategy Developer icons:
Developer Toolbar Buttons
Name
52 Basic Navigation
Button
Description
New object
Creates a new object. The objects

you can create from this button vary
depending on your privileges and
your location in the Folder List.
Cut
Cuts the currently selected objects
Copy
Copies the currently selected objects
Paste
Pastes whatever you have cut or

copied
Delete the object

selected
Deletes the currently selected

objects
Rename the
object selected
Enables you to rename the currently

selected object
View object
properties
Opens the Properties window for the

currently selected object.
Search for objects

in the project
Opens the Search Editor
Edit the selected

object
Opens the editor for the currently

selected object
Run
Runs the currently selected reports
View
Enables you to change the

appearance of the icons in the
Object Viewer
Developer Toolbar Buttons

Name
Button
Description
Show or hide the

folder list
Toggles the Folder List display
Refresh object
with latest
definition
Refreshes the current display
Go to project
Takes you to the home page for the

project in which you are currently
navigating
Go one level up
Enables you to move one level up in

the Folder List
Update Schema
Refreshes the warehouse structure

that is stored in memory. The
schema should be updated when
any structural changes are made to
the warehouse or data model.
specific functionality of some of the toolbar buttons varies

The
depending on your location in the Folder List. For example, if you are
working in the Filters folder in a project, clicking New object on the
toolbar opens the Filter Editor. However, if you are working in the
Reports folder in a project, clicking New object opens the Report
Editor.
Basic Navigation
53
Creating and Saving Objects

List the different ways to create and save new objects.
Creating Objects
There are three ways to access the editors and wizards used to create new
objects in MicroStrategy Developer:
On the File menu, select New, followed by the object you want to create,
like a report or filter.
On the toolbar, click Create a new object.

New object button looks and functions differently depending on
The
your location in the Folder List.
Right-click in an empty area in the Object Viewer, select New, followed by

the object you want to create, like a report or filter.
you right-click an object instead of an empty area in the Object
IfViewer,
you will not get the correct menu.
Saving Objects
Depending on which object editor or wizard you are using, you can save objects
in the following ways:
On the File menu, select Save.
On the File menu, select Save As.
On the toolbar, click Save and New.
On the toolbar, click Save and Close.
The first time you save an object, the Save As window opens, which enables you
to specify the name and the location where the object will be saved. The default
save location is the folder in which you are working when you open the object
editor or wizard.
54 Creating and Saving Objects
Shortcuts to Objects
Create shortcuts to MicroStrategy objects.
A shortcut is simply a link to an existing MicroStrategy object in the project

and behaves similarly to the shortcut functionality available in Microsoft
Windows operating systems. Shortcuts to objects enable you to better organize
objects in a MicroStrategy project, while still maintaining standard locations
for those objects.
There are two ways to create shortcuts to existing MicroStrategy objects:
On the File menu, point to New and select Shortcut. In the Open window,
locate the object for which you want to create the shortcut, and click Open.
shortcut is created in your current location and is named after the

The
original object.
Right-click the object to which you want to create a shortcut and select
Create Shortcut. In the Browse for Folder window, select the location in
which you want to create the shortcut and click OK.
The shortcut is named after the original object.

object with shortcuts pointed to it cannot be deleted until its
An
dependent shortcuts are deleted.
You can also edit the target of an existing shortcut.
To edit the target of a shortcut to an object:
1 In the Folder List, select the shortcut you want to edit.

2 On the File menu, select Properties.
OR
Right-click the shortcut and select Properties.
3 In the Properties window, in the Categories list, select Shortcut.
Shortcuts to Objects
55
4 Modify the Target property by browsing to the desired object or by typing in

the folder path to the desired object, as shown below:
Properties Window
5 Click OK to close the Properties window.
The shortcut is automatically renamed after the new target object.
56 Shortcuts to Objects
Lesson Summary
In this lesson you learned:
MicroStrategy Developer is a next-generation business intelligence

environment designed to meet todays sophisticated business intelligence
requirements. It brings integrated querying and reporting, powerful
collaborative analytics, and investigative workflow to every developer.
MicroStrategy Architect is the innovative development environment

designed to meet todays sophisticated business intelligence requirements.
The Administration icon provides access to all of the administrative

functions for a project source.
A project is the intersection of a data warehouse, a metadata database, and

a user community. It contains objects such as reports, filters, templates,
and metrics.
In the MicroStrategy Developer interface, there are three main areasthe

Folder List, the Object Viewer, and the Shortcut Bar.
There are three types of objects you can create in Developerschema

objects, application objects, and configuration objects.
Schema objects are used to create application objects. Application objects

are used to create other application objects.
Shortcuts to objects enable you to better organize objects in a

MicroStrategy project, while still maintaining standard locations for those
objects.
A shortcut is simply a link to an existing MicroStrategy object in the project

and behaves similarly to the shortcut functionality available in Microsoft
Windows operating systems.
Lesson Summary
57
58 Lesson Summary
3
REPORTS
Lesson Description
This lesson introduces you to report definition and report creation in
Developer.
59
Reports
Lesson Objectives
Define the components that comprise a report and create simple reports using
Developer.
Explain the components that make up a report. (Page 61)
Use the Report Editor to create and save reports. Execute reports and
change their display view. (Page 63)
Reports
What Is a Report?
Explain the components that make up a report.
Reports are the focus of business intelligence analysis. They enable users to
gather business insight through data analysis. The results from any Developer
report are often just a starting point for further business intelligence
investigations.
A report is a request for specific, formatted data from the data warehouse. It
consists of a template plus any desired filtering criteria, as shown below:
Components of a Report
A template specifies what information to retrieve from the data warehouse and
how this information will be displayed in the report results.
A report filter specifies the conditions that the data must meet to be included
in the report results.
What Is a Report?
61
Reports
When a report is executed, you obtain a formatted collection of all of the

objects (such as attributes and metrics) specified on the template that have
satisfied the filtering conditions of the report filter. For example, a report can
show you a list of stores in a specific region, the price and volume of stock for a
given period of time, or other important information. You can change the
reports formatting details to suit your requirements and preferences.
All reports contain a filter and a template, even if they are not stored as
separate objects. A filter without any qualifications is called an empty filter.
62 What Is a Report?
Reports
Creating, Saving, and Viewing Reports

Use the Report Editor to create and save reports. Execute reports and change
their display view.
The Report Editor

When you choose to create a new report, the Report Editor opens, as shown
below:
Report Editor
You use the Report Editor to create and modify reports. It is a combination of
the Filter Editor, the Template Editor, the Object Browser, the Shortcut Bar,
the Report objects pane, and the View Filter definition pane. You can use this
one editor enables to create the template and report filter for a specific report.
These components perform the following functions:
63
Reports
Report Filter definition paneEnables you to add attribute, metric, and

advanced filter qualifications, as well as copies or shortcuts to existing
report filter objects without having to open another object editor. Simple
filters can be created by dragging attribute elements from the Object
Browser (described below) to this window.
Object BrowserEnables you to navigate through the project to locate

objects you wish to use in the report definition
Template definition paneEnables you to define the report layout by

dragging objects from the Object Browser (described below) to this window
My ShortcutsEnables you to jump to locations in the Object Browser. You

can customize your shortcuts as discussed in the previous lesson
more information on customizing your shortcuts, see Shortcut
For
Bar starting on page 49.
Report objects paneEnables you to see a summary of all of the objects you
have included on your template, even if they are not initially displayed in
the report view. The MicroStrategy Engine generates SQL that includes all
of the objects in this window, not just the ones that are displayed when the
report is run.
Report objects pane and the View Filter definition pane are only
The
available if you have MicroStrategy OLAP Services. For more
information on MicroStrategy OLAP Services, see MicroStrategy
OLAP Services starting on page 279. For more information on the
MicroStrategy Engine, refer to the MicroStrategy Engine Essentials
course.
View Filter definition paneEnables you to filter on any object that is in the
Report objects pane. View filters do not modify the SQL for the report.
more information on View Filters, see the View Filters lesson
For
starting on page 285.
Creating Reports
As mentioned, whenever you create a report you also create a template and a
report filter. Though you may not specifically define and use a separate
template or report filter object, these are the objects that logically make up a
report definition.
64 Creating, Saving, and Viewing Reports
Reports
The Template
A template specifies what information to retrieve from the data warehouse and
how this information will be displayed in the report results. You can create
template objects separately using the Template Editor, or you can create them
in the Report Editor.
To define the template, you can either drag objects from the Object Browser to
the template definition pane, or you can right-click the object in the Object
Browser and select Add to Rows or Add to Columns. Each object placed on
the template becomes a row or column header, which organizes the data in the
final report result display. The empty cells below the headers in the template
are place holders for the actual data that will be returned from the data
warehouse after the report is executed.
The layout of a template can be cross-tab or tabular:
A cross-tab layout is useful for multidimensional analysis, like a report with

location information in the columns and corresponding sales information
in the rows, as shown below:
Example of a Cross-tab Layout
South
Sales ($)
North
Atlanta
Miami
Boston
New York
100
200
300
400
A tabular layout is useful for simple lists of information, like a column of

regions and a column of stores, followed by a columns of sales figures, as
shown below:
Example of a Tabular Layout
Region
Store
Sales($)
South
Atlanta
100
South
Miami
200
North
Boston
300
North
New York
400
Templates may contain any of the following objects, in any combination:
65
Reports
AttributeRepresentation of a specific level of data calculation or

aggregation
ConsolidationVirtual attribute that is created based on existing

attribute elements. It enables you to analyze data at levels that do not
explicitly exist in the data warehouse. The following report demonstrates an
example of a consolidation that displays revenue information for each
customer income level:
Report with Consolidation
this example, there are no low, middle, and high income levels
Indefined
in the data warehouse, so you create these levels by grouping
together income ranges, which do exist in the data warehouse. For more
information on consolidations, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer:
Advanced Reporting course.
Reports
Custom groupCustom attribute grouping that is created based on filter

qualifications. It enables you to apply row-level filter conditions. The
following report demonstrates a custom group that displays revenue
information for the top 10 customers and the top 10 items:
Report with Custom Group
more information on custom groups refer to the MicroStrategy

For
Developer: Advanced Reporting course.
MetricCalculation built from facts in the data warehouse. All the metrics
are grouped together and bound to one axis (the rows or the columns).
more information on metrics, see the Metrics lesson starting on

For
page 241.
Object promptEnables you to select specific objects to include on the

report template at report run time.
more information on object prompts, see Object Prompts starting

For
on page 319.
The Report Filter

in the report results.
67
Reports
You can create report filter objects separately using the Filter Editor, or you
can create them in the Report Editor. For this lesson, you will use the Report
Editor.
To define the report filter, you can drag objects from the Object Browser onto
the report Filter definition pane.
Create a Simple Report

A simple report typically has at least one attribute, one metric, and a report
filter. Not all of these components are required, but the data returned is often
more meaningful when you use them.
Technically, you can create a report with just one attribute on its template.
When you execute the report, it returns a list of all the attribute elements for
that attribute. For example, a report containing just the Year attribute would
return a list of years from the data warehouse.
Adding a metric to the report provides another level of detail, enabling you to
learn more about the attribute on the template. Using the Year example again,
adding a sales metric to the template calculates total sales for each year.
Finally, a report filter enables you to limit the data to a specific area of interest.
For example, perhaps you only want to see sales information for the year 2012.
To launch the Report Editor:
1 In Developer, on the File menu, point to New and select Report.

2 In the New Grid window, in the list of report object templates, select Blank
Report.
3 Click OK.
To add an attribute to the template definition pane:
4 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click the desired

hierarchy to display the list of attributes included in that hierarchy.
5 Select an attribute and drag it to the template definition pane.
Reports
OR
Right-click the attribute and select Add to Rows or Add to Columns.
To add a metric to the template definition pane:
6 In the Object Browser, locate the metric you want to add to the template.
7 Double-click the metric to add it to the columns of the template.
OR
Drag the metric to the template definition pane.
OR
Right-click the metric and select Add to Rows or Add to Columns.
that all metrics are grouped together and bound to one axis
Recall
(the rows or the columns).
To add a basic report filter condition:
8 In the Object Browser, double-click the desired hierarchy to display the list
of attributes included in that hierarchy.
9 Double-click an attribute to see a list of its attribute elements.
10 Select the attribute elements for which you want data returned and drag the
attribute elements to the Filter definition pane.
Using Predefined Template and Filter Objects

The previous discussion taught you how to define the template and the report
filter from within the Report Editor. However, you can also create a report
using existing template and report filter objects.
If using an existing template object in a report, you have two options:
69
Reports
Replace with shortcut to template: Changes you make to the template

from within the Report Editor are propagated to the original template and
any other reports that use a shortcut to the template. Similarly, changes
made to the template object from within the Template Editor are
propagated to the report and any other reports that use a shortcut to the
template.
Replace with copy of template: Changes you make to the template from
within the Report Editor are not propagated to the original template.
Similarly, changes made to the template object from within the Template
Editor are not propagated to the report. This is also called a local template
and is the same as creating a template on the fly in the Report Editor.
To add a predefined template object:
1 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, browse to the template object
you want to add to the report definition.
2 Right-click the template object and select Replace with shortcut to
template or Replace with copy of template.
OR
On the Template menu, select Replace with shortcut to template or
Replace with copy of template.
If using an existing report filter object in a report, you have three options:
Add to Report Filter: Adds the report filter object to the report. You cannot
make changes to the report filter object from within the Report Editor, but
changes made to the report filter object from within the Filter Editor are
propagated to the report and any other reports that use the report filter
object.
can continue to add other report filter conditions to the report
You
from within the Report Editor.
Replace Report Filter with a shortcut to this filterChanges you make to

the report filter from within the Report Editor are propagated to the
original report filter and any other reports that use a shortcut to the report
filter. Similarly, changes made to the report filter object from within the
Filter Editor are propagated to the report and any other reports that use a
shortcut to the report filter.
can continue to add other report filter conditions to the report
You
from within the Report Editor.
Reports
Replace Report Filter with a copy of this filter: Changes you make to the
report filter from within the Report Editor are not propagated to the
original report filter. Similarly, changes made to the report filter object
from within the Filter Editor are not propagated to the report. This is also
called a local or embedded filter and is the same as creating a filter on the
fly in the Report Editor.
Embed a copy of the template in the report: Changes you make to the
stand-alone template are not propagated to this report. Changes that you
make to the embedded template within this report are not propagated to
the template.
you do not add a template to a report, a blank template is

Ifautomatically
created. Although you may not specifically define and use
a separate template, a template is a logical part of every reports

definition. This template is created within the report, using the Report
Editor, and can only be used in that particular report; it cannot be saved
independently of the report and used in a different report
To add a predefined report filter object:
1 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, browse to the report filter
object you want to add to the report definition.
2 Right-click the report filter object and select Add to Report Filter, Replace
Report Filter with a shortcut to this filter or Replace Report Filter with
a copy of this filter.
OR
Double-click the report filter object.
This method defaults to the Add to Report Filter option.

OR
Drag it to the Filter definition pane.
This method defaults to the Add to Report Filter option.
71
Reports
Saving Reports
After you create a report, you can save the report, so you can execute it again in
the future. When you save a report, its name and definition (the template, all
report filtering criteria, and any report formatting) are stored in the
MicroStrategy metadata database. When you want to execute the report again,
you can double-click it to retrieve the latest results. Saving a report creates a
predefined report.
To save a report:
1 In a report, on the File menu, select Save.

2 In the Save Report As window, navigate to the location where you want to
save the report.
3 Name the report.
4 Click Save.
Reports, or any other object, can be saved to any folder. MicroStrategy objects
do not have to be organized into folders by object type. For example, you can
save a report to a folder with metrics and filters.
good practice to create and adhere to corporate standard naming
Itandis storage
conventions to make it easier to locate objects as your
MicroStrategy project grows.
The template and the report filter objects can also be saved as standalone
MicroStrategy objects, separate from the report, allowing them to be reused
later.
To save a template from the Report Editor:
1 On the Template menu, select Save Template As.

2 In the Save Template As window, browse to the location where you want to
save the template.
3 Name the template.
4 Click Save.
Reports
To save a report filter from the Report Editor:
1 On the Filter menu, select Save Filter As.

2 In the Save Filter As window, browse to the location where you want to save
the filter.
3 Name the filter.
4 Click Save.
Advanced Save Options

If you use a shortcut to a predefined template or report filter object to define
your report, you will see additional save options when saving your report.
These options give you several choices:
Create a local copy of the filterIf you choose this option, changes you
make to the report filter in the Report Editor are not propagated to the
original filter object, and vice versa. This is also called a local or embedded
filter.
Retain the shortcut to the filterIf you choose this option, changes you
make to the report filter in the Report Editor are propagated to the original
filter object, and vice versa. Creating shortcuts allows you to take advantage
of the benefits of object reuse.
Create a local copy of the templateIf you choose this option, changes
you make to the template in the Report Editor are not propagated to the
original template object, and vice versa. This is also called a local or
embedded template.
Retain the shortcut to the templateIf you choose this option, changes
you make to the template in the Report Editor are propagated to the
original template object, and vice versa. Creating shortcuts allows you to
take advantage of the benefits of object reuse.
Remember options next timeIf you choose this option, your advanced
save options become the new default options for future advanced save
actions.
73
Reports
Running Reports
To run a report:
1 In the Object Viewer, select the report you want to execute.

2 On the File menu, select Run.
OR
Double-click the report.
OR
Right-click the report and select Run.
OR
On the toolbar, click Run Report.
report results display in the default report display view. The default
The
report display view is the report display view that was selected when the
report was last saved. Report display views are discussed in the
following section.
Report Display Views

There are five report display views:
Design ViewDisplays the Report Editor, so you can view and modify the
report definition
Grid ViewDisplays the report in a row and column format
Graph ViewDisplays the report as a graph
Grid Graph ViewDisplays the report as a grid and a graph, side-by-side
SQL ViewDisplays the SQL used to generate the report. Any Analytical
Engine steps that are taken after all of the data has been returned from the
data warehouse to produce the final report results are also displayed.
Reports
To change the report display view:
1 In the report results window, on the View menu, select the report display
view you want to see.
OR
In the report results window, on the toolbar, beside the View button, click
the arrow, and select the report display view you want to see.
To change a grid reports formatting using autostyles:
1 Run a report and change it to grid view or grid graph if necessary.

2 On the toolbar, in the autostyle drop-down list, select the autostyle you
want to use to format the report.
Report Details Properties

The Report Details Properties window enables you to configure what
information you want to display in the report details section and how it should
be presented. For instance, you can specify whether you want to display filter
details, the specific filter details to display, and how they should be formatted.
You can define how to display the operators within filter details, how to display
unanswered prompts, and many other formatting properties.
75
Reports
The image below shows the Report Details Properties window:

Report Details Properties Window
The Report Details Properties window consists of the four tabs described in the
following sections.
General
The General tab of the Report Details Properties window contains
configuration options for the report, prompt, and filter details. The window
contains the following sections:
Report DetailsIncludes the report description, prompt details, filter

details, and template details. You can choose to include or omit any of this
information.
Prompt DetailsDisplays prompt related information for all prompts in

the report. You can choose to include or omit any of this information.
Reports
MiscellaneousYou can specify whether delimiters are used in report

details that display metadata objects, such as attributes and metrics. You
can also set aliases to display instead of the object name in Filter Details.
default, each setting on this tab inherits the project setting defined in
ByProject
Configuration/Project Definition/Document and Report setting.
Filter DetailsContents
The Filter DetailsContents tab of the Report Details Properties window
contains configuration options for the filter details, which displays information
about filters on the report. This tab enables you to select which filter
expressions to include (report filter, view filter, report limits, and so on) and
how the filters are displayed. For example, you can select whether to include
labels (that is, Report Filter, Report Limits, and so on) and the order in which
the filter expressions are displayed.
default, each setting on this tab inherits the project setting defined in
ByProject
Configuration/Project Definition/Document and Report setting.
The window contains the following sections:
GeneralEnables you to select whether to include or omit filter

sub-expressions
Additional OptionsYou can configure how the filters are displayed in the
Filter Details.
Filter DetailsOther
The Filter DetailsOther tab enables you to specify how logical operators and
other components of different qualification types are displayed
77
Reports
Filter DetailsOther Tab
Template Details
The Template Details tab contains configuration options for the template
details, including attribute details and metric details.
To configure report details properties:
1 Open a report.
2 On the Data menu, select Report Details Properties.
3 Modify the properties as needed.
4 Click OK.
you do not see the report details display in the Report details
Ifwindow,
you need to clear the Apply these Developer preferences
to the report details check box under Preferences.
Reports
Lesson Summary
In this lesson your learned:
A report is a request for specific, formatted data from the data warehouse.
Each report contains a template and a report filter, even if they are empty.
A template specifies what information to retrieve from the data warehouse

and how this information will be displayed in the report results.
A report filter specifies the conditions that the data must meet to be
included in the report results.
When a report is executed, you obtain a formatted collection of all of the

objects (such as attributes and metrics) specified on the template that have
satisfied the filtering conditions of the report filter.
You use the Report Editor to create and modify reports. It is a combination
of the Filter Editor, the Template Editor, the Object Browser, the Shortcut
Bar, the Report objects pane, and the View Filter definition pane, and it
enables you, through one editor, to create your template and report filter
for a specific report.
After you create a report, you can save the report, so you can execute it
again in the future.
There are five report display viewsDesign View, Grid View, Graph View,
Grid Graph View, and SQL View.
Lesson Summary
79
Reports
80 Lesson Summary

Exercises: Reports in Developer
Complete these exercises in the MicroStrategy Tutorial project located in the
MicroStrategy Analytics Modules project source. This project source is
three-tier.
81
Create a Report
Overview
In this exercise, you will create a new folder called My Reports Exercises in the
My Reports folder. In the My Reports Exercises folder, you will create a report
to show the Revenue and Profit for all Call Centers during 2012. This report
will also show the Region to which each Call Center belongs. The first few rows
of the results should look like the following:
You will save this report as Revenue and Profit for 2012. You can use the
detailed instructions that follow if you want help.
Detailed Instructions
Create the My Reports Exercises folder
1 In MicroStrategy Developer, in the Folder List, double-click MicroStrategy

Analytics Modules.
2 If you are prompted to log in, enter administrator as your Login ID and
leave the password text box blank. Click OK.
3 In the Folder List, expand the MicroStrategy Tutorial project, expand the
My Personal Objects folder and select the My Reports folder
4 On the File menu, point to New and select Folder.
a change journaling dialog box displays, select the check box to
Ifdismiss
it permanently and click OK.
5 Name the new folder My Reports Exercises.
82 Exercises: Reports in Developer
Create the report
6 In the Folder List, select your new My Reports Exercises folder to begin
working in it.
7 On the File menu, point to New and select Report.
8 In the New Grid window, leave Blank Report selected and click OK.
the Report Editor opens, the hierarchies created for the
When
project are listed.
Define the template
9 In the Object Browser, double-click the Geography hierarchy.

10 Drag Region to the rows of the template definition pane.
Alternatively, in the Object Browser, you can right-click Region and
select
Add to Rows.
11 Drag Call Center to the rows of the template definition pane.
in the Object Browser, you can right-click Call Center
Alternatively,
and select Add to Rows.
12 In My Shortcuts, click Metrics.
13 In the Object Browser, double-click the Sales Metrics folder.
14 Drag Revenue to the columns area of the template definition pane.
in the Object browser, you can also right-click
Alternatively,
Revenue and select Add to Columns.
15 Drag Profit to the columns area of the template definition pane.
Your template definition should now look like this:
Specify the report filter condition
16 In My Shortcuts, click Data Explorer.
83
17 Double-click the Time hierarchy.

18 Double-click the Year attribute.
19 Drag 2012 to the report Filter definition pane.
20 In the Report Editor, click Run Report.
21 Compare your results to the expected report in the Overview section at the
beginning of this exercise.
Save the report
22 In the report results window, click Save and Close.

23 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Revenue and Profit
for 2012.
24 Click Save.
Work with Design View

Overview
In this exercise, you will modify the Revenue and Profit for 2012 report to show
data only for call centers that are in the Eastern United States.
this exercise by modifying your existing Revenue and Profit for
Begin
2012 report.
The results should look like the following:
You will save this report to the My Reports Exercises folder and name it East
Revenue and Profit for 2012. You can use the detailed instructions that follow
if you want help.
1 In MicroStrategy Developer, in the My Reports Exercises folder, right-click
the Revenue and Profit for 2012 report you created in the previous
exercise and select Edit.
2 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click the Geography
hierarchy.
3 Double-click the Region attribute.
4 Select Northeast.
5 While holding down the CTRL key on your keyboard, select Mid-Atlantic
and Southeast.
6 Drag the three regions to the report Filter definition pane to add them to
your existing report filter condition, Year In list (2012).
Save the report
7 On the File menu, select Save As.

8 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as East Revenue and
Profit for 2012.
9 Click Save.
85
10 On the toolbar, click Run to run the report.
12 In the report, click Save and Close to close the report.
Use the Template Editor

Overview
In this exercise, you will create a new template called Sales by Quarter and
Month. You can reuse this template in multiple reports, and you will use it in
your next exercise.
The template should have Quarter and Month attributes in the rows and the
Revenue and Units Sold metrics in the columns. The template should look like
the following:
You will save this template in a new folder, My Templates Exercises. You can
use the detailed instructions that follow if you want help.
1 In MicroStrategy Destkop, in the Folder List pane, expand the My Personal
Objects folder and select the My Objects folder.
3 Name the folder My Templates Exercises.
4 In the Object Viewer, double-click the new My Templates Exercises folder
to begin working in it.
5 On the File menu, point to New and select Template.
6 In the New Template window, leave Empty Template selected and click
OK.
the Template Editor opens, the Data Explorer is automatically
When
selected in the Object Browser. The System Hierarchy and other
user-defined hierarchies created for the project are listed.
7 In the Object Browser, double-click the Time hierarchy.

8 Drag Quarter to the rows of the template definition pane.
9 Drag Month to the right of Quarter in the template definition pane.
10 In My Shortcuts, click Metrics.
12 Double-click Revenue to add it to the columns of the template.
13 Double-click Units Sold to add it to the right of Revenue in the columns of
the template.
Save the template
15 In the Template Editor, click Save and Close.

16 In the Save Template As window, name the template Sales by Quarter and
Month.
87
17 Click Save.
Use an Existing Template and No Filtering Criteria

Overview
To use an existing template, you must include it as part of a report. In this
exercise, you will use the Sales by Quarter and Month template from the last
exercise in a report with no filtering criteria.
Because there are no filtering criteria, the final result will include data from the
entire data warehouse. The first few rows of the result set will look like the
following:
You can use the detailed instructions that follow if you want help.
Create the report
1 In the Folder List, under My Personal Objects, under My Reports, select the
My Reports Exercises folder to begin working in it.
3 In the New Grid window, keep Blank Report selected and click OK.
4 In the Report Editor, in My Shortcuts, click My Personal Objects.
5 In the Object Browser, double-click the My Objects folder.

6 Double-click the My Templates Exercises folder.
7 Right-click the Sales by Quarter and Month template and select Replace
with shortcut to template.
For this report, you will not include any filtering criteria.
Save the report
8 On the toolbar, click Save and Close.

9 Save the report in My Reports Exercises folder as Sales by Quarter and
Month.
10 Click Save.
11 Click Retain the shortcut to the template.
12 Keep the Remember options next time check box selected.
13 Click OK.
14 In the Folder List, under My Reports, select the My Reports Exercises
folder and double-click the Sales by Quarter and Month report to run it.
16 On the toolbar, click Save and Close to close the report.
89

Optional Advanced Exercise
The following exercise is optional and is intended to challenge your knowledge
of the concepts covered in this lesson. It does not include step-by-step
instructions. Instead, the exercise provides a list of report requirements and
describes the features and functionality that you can use in order to meet the
report requirements
Method of Payment by Region and Income

The marketing manager in your business wants to run a special promotion for
customers paying by various payment methods. She would like to see a report
that shows how customers in different income brackets are paying (in terms of
Revenue) for their orders. She is specifically interested in the Mid-Atlantic
customer region for the Year 2012.
Region, Income Bracket, and Payment Method are
Customer
attributes in the Customers hierarchy.
sure to filter on the Customer Region attribute of the Customers
Behierarchy
and not the Region attribute of the Geography hierarchy.
When you finish, your report should look like the following:
90 Optional Advanced Exercise
You may save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder with a name of
your choosing.
Now modify the previous report to find out the Revenue in 2012 for the
Mid-Atlantic customer region when customers used Visa as their preferred
payment method. This report would be useful when you need to decide which
items should go on promotion. The report result set should now look like the
following:
After saving the report, answer the following questions when you have
completed the exercise.
How many rows did this report return? ___________
How can you find the number of rows without actually counting them?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Optional Advanced Exercise
91
92 Optional Advanced Exercise
4
REPORT DATA
MANIPULATIONS
Lesson Description
This lesson describes data manipulations that you can perform in Developer
reports.
93
Report Data Manipulations
Lesson Objectives
Define the different types of report manipulations available and perform these
report manipulations using Developer.
Describe and perform manipulations that enable you to look at report data
from different perspectives. (Page 95)
Explain the purpose of drilling and drill on reports in Developer using a

variety of drilling methods and options. (Page 96)
Explain the purpose of page-by. Use page-by to segment data on a report in

Explain the purpose of data pivoting. Pivot data on a report in Developer by

changing the order of objects in the rows or columns and moving objects
between the rows and columns. (Page 106)
Apply subtotals to a report in Developer. (Page 108)
Sort data in a report in Developer using a quick sort or an advanced sort.

(Page 115)
Explain the purpose of outline mode. Display a report in outline mode in

Print a boardroom quality report. (Page 125)
Export a report from Developer to another application. Format and e-mail

reports as attachments. (Page 127)
Deliver reports to the history list, update caches, and mobile devices. (Page
130)
View and add notes to reports and documents. (Page 136)
Data Manipulation
Describe and perform manipulations that enable you to look at report data
from different perspectives.
This section covers report manipulations that enable you to change how data is
presented in a report, so you can see the data from different perspectives.
The following report data manipulations are covered in this section:
Drilling
Page-by
Data pivoting
Subtotals
Data sorting
Outline mode
Printing, exporting and formatting e-mails
History lists, caches and mobile devices
Adding notes
Data Manipulation
95
Drilling
Explain the purpose of drilling and drill on reports in Developer using a variety
of drilling methods and options.
What Is Drilling?
Drilling enables you to see data at levels other than that of the original grid or
graph. It helps you investigate the data on your report quickly and easily. The
following diagram shows how you can display additional detail through
drilling:
Drilling
In Developer, you can drill down or up within a hierarchy or across to other

hierarchies. You can even drill to a completely different template.
96 Drilling
Drilling down enables you to access data at a lower attribute level in the
same hierarchy. For example, if a report shows you sales by Month, you can
drill down to see sales by Day.
Drilling up does the opposite of drilling down. You can see data at a higher
attribute level in the same hierarchy. For example, you can drill up from the
Day level to the Month or Quarter levels.
Drilling to other directions lets you view data at any level in any hierarchy.
For example, you could drill from Day in the Time hierarchy across to
Region in the Geography hierarchy.
Drilling to a template lets you follow an investigative workflow. A report

developer can set up a report so that drilling takes you to another report
with the same filter, but a different template.
developer configures the drill to template option by using
Athereport
Drill Map Editor. For more information on the Drill Map Editor,
refer to the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting course.
By default, when you drill on a report, the original report remains open, and
the drilled-to report displays in a new window.
Methods for Drilling

When you drill on a report, you can drill on the entire report or only on part of
the report. There are several drilling methods you can use, all of which are
discussed below:
Methods for Drilling
Drilling
97
Double-click an attribute elementDrills down one level for a single

element.
For example, if your report shows two years, 2011 and 2012, you can
double-click either 2011 or 2012 to drill down and see the quarter level
data for that year.
Right-click one or more elementsSelect one or more elements by holding

down SHIFT or CTRL to drill on them. Right-click to open a shortcut menu
that lists the possible drill directions and drill paths.
Use the Drill menu option or toolbar buttonDrills on either the entire
report or only selected items.
To use the menu or toolbar to drill:
1 Run a report.
2 On the Data menu, select Drill.
OR
On the toolbar, click Drill.
the toolbar buttons are not visible by default, on the View menu, click
IfToolbar,
and select Data.
98 Drilling
3 In the Drill window, in the Selected object drop-down list, select the object
on which you want to drill. You can drill on attributes, compound metrics,
consolidations, and custom groups, as shown below:
4 In the Drilling options window, browse to the attribute to which you want
to drill.
5 Choose whether to keep the parent.
6 Choose whether to keep the thresholds.
7 Choose whether to inherit subtotals from parent.
8 Click OK to drill.
the page-by functionality on the original report, you
Ifwillyoualsoareseeusing
the When drilling, add the current page-by element
as part of the filter check box. For more information on page-by, see
Page-by starting on page 103.
Drilling
99
Keep Parent
The Keep parent option in the Drill window lets you determine whether or not
you want to add the attribute from which you drilled to the new drilled-to
reports template.
For example, consider the following report showing revenue by year. The
original report from which you are drilling is shown below:
Yearly Revenue Report
If you drill down to Month from Year 2010 and do not set Keep parent to Yes,
you see the following report, where Year has been replaced by Month:
Keep Parent Set to No
100 Drilling
If, instead, you set Keep parent to Yes, you see the following report, where
Month is added to the template along with Year:
Keep Parent Set to Yes
Keep parent as Default, the Keep parent setting is inherited

Iffromyoutheleavereport
or project-level settings.
To set the Keep parent setting at the report level:
1 Run a report.
2 On the Data menu, select Report Data Options.
3 In the Categories list, expand General.
Drilling
101
4 In the General-Drilling pane, in the Keep parent while drilling drop-down

list, select Yes.
5 Click OK.
6 In the report results window, on the File menu, select Save.
To set the Keep parent setting at the project level:
following steps change the default setting for all reports in a

The
MicroStrategy project to keep the parent attributes while drilling.
1 In Developer, while logged in to a MicroStrategy project, on the Tools
menu, select My Preferences.
2 In the My Preferences window, in the Categories list, expand Grid.
3 Select Drilling.
4 In the Keep parent while drilling drop-down list, select Yes.
5 Click OK.
102 Drilling
Page-by
Explain the purpose of page-by. Use page-by to segment data on a report in
Developer.
What Is Page-by?
Page-by enables you to select and display subsets of your report results as
separate pages. This feature is most useful when you have extremely long
report results and scrolling is necessary to see all of the data.
Suppose you have the following report showing Revenue and Profit data
organized by Region and Quarter. Notice that only the first few result rows are
shown below:
Quarterly Region Revenue and Profit Report
Page-by
103
You can page by Quarter to see only one quarters worth of data at a time:
Page-by Quarter
You can page by any of the following objects:
Attributes
Metrics
Hierarchies
Consolidations
Custom groups
Object prompt (attribute)
Object prompt (metric, hierarchy, consolidation, or custom group)
Methods for Creating Page-by Fields

To create page-by fields on a report:
1 Run a report.
2 On the toolbar, click View Page-by.
104 Page-by
3 Drag the objects you want to page by to the Page-by fields pane that display
above the report results.
4 Use the drop-down lists to select the specific data you want to see on the
report.
5 In the report, on the File menu, select Save to save your page-by field
selections to the report definition.
Page-By Field Ordering

You can put more than one attribute in the Page-by fields pane. The order of
the attributes in the pane can influence the list of attribute elements displayed
for subsequent attributes in the pane.
Suppose a retailer sells sporting goods in the United States. Some items are
available only in certain stores and not in others. For example, the stores in
Alaska sell snowshoes instead of surfboards, whereas the stores in Hawaii sell
surfboards instead of snowshoes. In a report with State and Item in the page
fields pane, the following results are possible:
State first, then ItemIf Alaska is selected for State, the list of attribute
elements for Item does not include surfboards. Similarly, if Hawaii is
selected for State, the list of attribute elements for Item does not include
snowshoes.
Item first, then StateIf snowshoes is selected for Item, the list of attribute
elements for State does not include Hawaii. Similarly, if surfboards is
selected for Item, the list of attribute elements for State does not include
Alaska.
Page-by
105
Data Pivoting
Explain the purpose of data pivoting. Pivot data on a report in Developer by
changing the order of objects in the rows or columns and moving objects
between the rows and columns.
Data pivoting enables you to rearrange the columns and rows in a report, so
you can view data from different perspectives. With data pivoting, you can do
the following:
Move objects from the row header to the column header and vice versa
Change the order of objects in the row header or in the column header
Move objects from the row header or the column header to the page field
pane
Swap rows and columns
Methods for Data Pivoting

You can pivot data in a report using any of the following methods:
Drag objects to move them around on the template.
Select an object, and choose a data pivoting option from the Move menu.
Right-click an object, point to Move, and select an option from the menu.
106 Data Pivoting
Select an object and use one of the data pivoting buttons 0n the toolbar:
Data Pivoting Buttons
Name
Button
Swap Rows and

Columns
Move to Row
Move to Column
Move to Page
Move Up
Move Down
Move Left
Move Right
Remove from
Grid
on the current position of your selected object, some data

Depending
pivoting options may not be available.
Remember to save your report with the new locations of the objects.
Data Pivoting
107
Subtotals
Apply subtotals to a report in Developer.
Subtotals reflect accumulations at selected attribute levels and can be applied

dynamically to any report. There are various subtotals available to you such as
count, minimum, maximum, average, and so forth.
To display subtotals on a report:
1 Run a report.
2 On the Data menu, select Subtotals.
3 In the Subtotals window, on the Definition tab, select the subtotals you
want to see on your report, as shown below:
4 Click OK.
108 Subtotals
5 In the report, on the File menu, select Save to save the subtotals to the
report definition.
Subtotals by Position
Consider a report with four attributes. You may want to suppress all subtotals
except for a grand total, in order to simplify a report:
Subtotals by Position
If you want to see only grand totals:
1 Run a report.
want to see on your report.
4 Click Advanced.
Subtotals
109
5 In the Advanced Subtotals Options window, under Applied levels, select By

position.
6 From the appropriate drop-down lists (based on where your metrics are on
the template), select Grand Total.
7 Click OK to close the Advanced Subtotals Options window.
8 Click OK again to close the Subtotals window.
report definition.
Subtotals Across Levels

If there are several attributes on the report, subtotals can be turned on for
selected attributes only. For example, compare the following two reports. The
first report shows subtotals across Category only, as shown below:
Subtotals Across Category
110 Subtotals
The second report shows subtotals across Quarter only, as shown below:
Subtotals Across Quarter
This functionality gives you more control over the display of subtotals on your
report.
To display subtotals for selected attributes:
1 Run a report with more than one attribute on its template.

4 Click Advanced.
5 In the Advanced Subtotals Options window, under Applied levels, click
Across level.
Subtotals
111
6 Select the attributes across which you want to display subtotals.

report definition.
Subtotals Group By
Subtotals are typically accumulations of metrics based on the layout of
attributes on a report. However, subtotals may be grouped by any attribute on
a report regardless of the report layout. For example, compare the following
two reports. The first report shows subtotals across quarters. The Quarter
subtotal is broken down by Manager because the Manager attribute is listed to
the left of the Quarter attribute, as shown below:
Subtotals By Manager
112 Subtotals
The second report uses the subtotals group by functionality and displays
subtotals for each Quarter, regardless of the Manager:
Subtotals by Quarter
This functionality gives you more flexibility in deciding which subtotal to

display.
To display subtotals based on specific attribute groups:
1 Run a report with more than one attribute on its template.

4 Click Advanced.
5 In the Advanced Subtotals Options window, under Applied levels, click
Group by.
Subtotals
113
6 Click Add.
7 In the Group by Selection window, select the attributes on which you would
like to group subtotals.
8 Click OK to close the Group By Selection window.
report definition.
114 Subtotals
Sorting
Sort data in a report in Developer using a quick sort or an advanced sort.
Sorting enables you to specify the order in which the data in a report for a
particular row or column is presentedeither ascending or descending. You
can sort based on any object that you place on the template. You can also select
the sorting criteria and the sorting order.
Methods for Sorting

You have two options for sorting in Developer:
Quick sortEnables you to select one column or row and sort it in either
ascending or descending order based on the data displayed. This option is
only available in grid view and grid and graph views.
Advanced sortEnables you to create more advanced sorts for rows,

columns, and pages and to sort by multiple objects. This option is available
in grid, graph, and grid and graph view.
Quick Sort
The first thing you must do to perform a quick sort is to run a report. Then
select the row or column header by which you want to sort the report. You can
then sort in the following ways:
Right-click the column or row header and select Sort rows by this column
(or just Sort if you right-clicked a row header), followed by either
Ascending or Descending.
Sorting
115
On the toolbar, select either Sort Ascending or Sort Descending:

Sorting Buttons
Name
Button
Description
Sort
Ascending
Sorts the data in ascending order
Sort
Descending
Sorts the data in descending order
the toolbar buttons are not visible by default, on the View menu, click
IfToolbar
and select Data.
can only sort by one row or one column when using the quick sort
You
method. If you sort by one column and then sort by another, you will
lose the order for the first sort. Advanced sorting lets you sort by
multiple rows and columns.
Advanced Sort
Advanced sort enables you to configure multiple sorts. You can select the
attributes or metrics you want to use to sort the report and the order in which
you want to sort by them. For attributes, you can also choose the attribute form
(for example, ID or description) by which to sort the attribute data.
Every sort has the following fields that you can change to create completely
customized sorting criteria:
Sort Columns
116 Sorting
Column
Description
Sort By
Name of the row or column or page-by field
Criteria
If you are sorting on an attribute, you can choose the

attribute form by which to sort the attribute data. The
attribute form does not have to be displayed on the
report.
Order
Order in which to sort the data, ascending or

descending
Sort Columns
Column
Description
Total
Position
This option enables you to determine where totals are

displayed. The options are as follows:
Bottom: All totals are displayed together at the
bottom of the report.
Top: All totals and subtotals are displayed together
at the top of the report.
Inherit: Totals are displayed at the position set by
the report designer using the subtotals display
options.
Mixed: Totals are displayed in a sorted order like
any other metric value. The values of the metric
and the subtotal are mixed while performing the
sorting.
Parent
Position
This option is only available for custom groups. This

option enables you to govern where the custom group
header label appears with respect to its data
elements.
Included in the Advanced Sort window is an option for hierarchical sorting of

totals. When sorting on a metric, you can select the Sort metrics
hierarchically using check box and select a subtotal. Data is still grouped, but
the groups are sorted by the subtotal you select. Without this option, subtotals
are treated as normal metric values and are often separated from the data to
which they correspond.
more information on totals, see Outline Mode starting on
For
page 121.
To create advanced sorts:
1 In a report, on the Data menu, select Advanced Sorting.
Sorting
117
2 In the Sorting window, click the appropriate tab, Rows, Columns, or Pages,
depending on what you want to sort, as shown below:
3 Click Add to add a new sort.

4 In the Currently defined sorts window, under Currently defined sorts,
change the values for Sort By, Criteria, Order, Total Position, and Parent
Position as appropriate.
you are sorting a metric row or column and subtotals exist on your
Ifreport,
you have the option of sorting hierarchically by subtotals.
Select the Sort metrics hierarchically using check box.
In the drop-down list, select the subtotal by which you want to sort.
5 Add additional sorts as necessary.
6 Use the up and down arrows to change the order of the sorts as necessary.
7 Click OK to apply the sorts.
8 In the report, on the File menu, select Save to save the sort selections to the
report definition.
118 Sorting
Sorting on Page-by
Within the Advanced Sorting options, you can sort the page-by elements
(ascending or descending) based on either their ID or description. The image
below shows the Pages tab of the Sorting window:
Sorting on Page-by
For example, if you have a report with the Year attribute in the page-by field,
you can set the elements of the year to be displayed in ascending or descending
order. The image below shows the Year attribute elements sorted in
descending order:
Page-by on Year Attribute
Sorting
119
To sort on page-by:
1 In the Sorting window, click the Pages tab.

2 On the Pages tab, click Add.
3 At a minimum, specify the following columns: Sort By, Criteria and Order.
4 Click OK.
120 Sorting
Outline Mode
Explain the purpose of outline mode. Display a report in outline mode in
Developer.
Outline mode enables indented grouping of related attributes, much like

heading levels in a document outline. Outline mode is useful when users want
to display the same report at different levels very quickly. Review the following
example:
Product Revenue Report Without Outline Mode
Outline Mode
121
The same report displayed in outline mode looks much better, as shown below:
Product Revenue Report With Outline Mode
Expanding and collapsing the different levels of the report does not execute
any SQL against the data warehouse. Outline mode is only available when you
have more than one object in the rows of the report template.
Using Outline Mode

To enable outline mode, do one of the following:
On the Grid menu, select Display Outline Results.
On the toolbar, click Display Outline Results.

Display Outline Results
122 Outline Mode
You can expand and collapse levels by clicking the numbered buttons above the
report. There will be one button for each column in the report. See the three
reports below for an example of how clicking these buttons can affect the look
of a report in outline mode. The initial report is shown below:
All Levels Displayed
When you click the 2 button, the information is rolled up as follows:

Category and Subcategory Revenue Displayed Only
Outline Mode
123
Finally, when you click the 1 button, the information is completely rolled up
as follows:
Category Revenue Only
data totals for a collapsed level, you must enable subtotals. For
Tomoreseeinformation
on subtotals, see Subtotals starting on page 108.
By default, reports in outline mode are displayed with all levels expanded.
To set an outline mode report to initially display with all levels collapsed:
1 Open a report in Grid view.

2 On the Grid menu, select Options.
3 In the Grid Options window, on the General tab, select Open with all
outline levels collapsed.
also have the option to have an outline mode report open and
You
expanded to a specific level.
4 Click OK to close the Grid Options window.
5 In the report, on the File menu, select Save.
124 Outline Mode
Printing
Print a boardroom quality report.
You can print a report in Grid, Graph, Grid and Graph, or SQL view. The
formatting you apply to the report in Developer also applies to the printed copy
of the report.
You can print a report using one of the following methods:
On the File menu, select Print.
On the toolbar, click Print Preview.
Clicking Print Preview opens the Print Preview window for your report, as
shown below:
Print Preview Window
Printing
125
In the Print Preview window, click Setup to open the Page Setup window,
which enables you to:
Change the page orientation, page numbering, and scaling
Adjust the page margins
Determine what information to display in the header and footer of the

printed report. You can choose to display page number, total number of
pages, date, time, project name, report name, template name, filter
name, report details, bitmap images, and user ID.
Choose the order in which to print pages if the report is particularly long
or has numerous page fields.
Remember to save your report with its new print options.
126 Printing
Exporting and E-mailing Reports

Export a report from Developer to another application. Format and e-mail
reports as attachments.
You can export a Developer report or e-mail a Developer report (as an

attachment) in any of the following application formats:
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Access
Plain text
HTML
PDF
To export a report:
1 Run a report.
2 On the Data menu, point to Export To and select the application format in
which you want to see the report results.
You can manipulate the behavior of the export function using export options.
To access export options:
1 Run a report.
2 On the Data menu, select Export Options.
3 In the Export Options window, in the Application drop-down list, select the
application to which you are exporting.
127
4 On the General tab, change the settings as appropriate.

settings available on the General tab vary depending on your
The
selection for the Application list.
5 On the Appearance tab, change the settings to alter the appearance of the
exported report.
6 Click OK to exit the Export Options window.
7 In the report, on the File menu, select Save to save the export options to the
report definition.
To e-mail a report as an attachment:
1 Run a report.
2 On the File menu, point to E-mail report as and select the application
format that you want to use to e-mail the report as an attachment.
you select the attachment type, an e-mail message window opens
After
with the report file as an attachment. Depending on the size of the
report, this action may take a few moments.
3 Continue composing the e-mail as desired.
Removing Metrics Columns

Users can prevent the Metrics column title from displaying within a report
when viewing the report results in MicroStrategy Web or when exporting the
report results to PDF and HTML in Developer.
To remove the metric column title:
1 In Developer, create a new report or edit an existing report.

2 In Design View, on the Grid menu, select Options.
OR
In Grid View, on the Grid menu, select Options.
128 Exporting and E-mailing Reports
3 Click the Columns and Rows tab.

4 In the Columns and Rows tab, under Columns, select the Remove extra
column (Web only) check box, as shown below:
5 Click OK.
6 Save and close the report.
will be able to see this change when viewing the report in
You
MicroStrategy Web or when you view the exported report in PDF or
HTML.
129
Report Subscription in Developer

Deliver reports to the history list, update caches, and mobile devices.
In Developer, you can subscribe reports and documents to history list, cache
and mobile.
Subscribing a Report to the History List

You can subscribe a report or document to the history list from the right-click
menu or from the Report Editor. To receive a report or document in the history
list, you must subscribe to that report or document. You can use the History
List Subscription Editor to set the subscription properties and schedule.
To subscribe a report to the History List:
1 In Developer, right-click the report, point to Schedule Delivery To, and

select History List, as shown below:
130 Report Subscription in Developer
2 Select a schedule and appropriate options and click OK. The different
options are depicted below:
To unsubscribe a report from the History List:
1 In Developer, on the Tools menu, select My Subscriptions.

2 In the My Subscriptions window, right-click the subscription, and select
Unsubscribe.
3 In the Developer window, click Yes.
131
Subscribing a Report to Update Cache

The updating cache option refreshes the existing cache for the selected report
with new data from the data warehouse. You can schedule a delivery to update
cache without having to execute the report. The option to schedule to update
cache is depicted below:
Subscribing a Report to Update Cache
To update the cache of a report or document, you must subscribe to that report
or document. You can use the Cache Update Subscription Editor to subscribe
to this update, as shown below:
Cache Update Subscription Editor
method for scheduling delivery of reports or documents to the

The
cache is the same as the method for scheduling delivery of reports or
documents to the history list.
133
Subscribing a Report to a Mobile Device

You can create a subscription to send a report or document to a mobile device.
To receive a report or document on a mobile device, you must subscribe
yourself to that report or document. The option to schedule delivery to a
mobile device is depicted below:
Subscribing a Report to a Mobile Device
users must have the use "MicroStrategy Mobile" and "Mobile

Mobile
View Document" privileges.
Within the Mobile Subscription Editor, you can specify your desired schedule.
This schedule controls how often the report or document is sent, and when you
want this subscription to end, as depicted below:
Mobile Subscription Editor
can subscribe to a mobile device in the same way as subscribing

You
reports or documents to the history list.
135
Adding Notes to Reports and Documents

View and add notes to reports and documents.
You can actively collaborate online with other Developer users using notes. You
can think of notes as annotations or comments attached to a report or a
document, which enable you to communicate important information about the
report to the end users. For example, you can educate users how to navigate
through report results, find optimal drill paths, interpret thresholds, and so on.
End users, on the other hand, can share their feedback by adding comments
about the usability of the design or the relevance of metrics.
are linked to the report and document definition, but are not
Notes
saved with it. When you add, modify, or delete notes, you do not
invalidate the report or document cache.
The image below displays the Notes window:

Notes Window
136 Adding Notes to Reports and Documents
To view or add notes:
1 In Design View or Grid View, on the toolbar, click Notes, as shown below:
OR
2 In Design View or Grid View, on the View menu, select Notes.
3 Type your desired note in the lower text box, as shown below:
4 Click Submit.
5 Click Close.
Your note will be added to the notes summary pane.
Adding Notes to Reports and Documents
137
To modify notes:
1 In the Notes window, click Edit.

2 Edit the notes in the window.
3 Click OK to save your changes.
138 Adding Notes to Reports and Documents
Lesson Summary
Drilling enables you to see data at levels other than that of the original grid
or graph. It helps you investigate the data on your report quickly and easily.
In Developer, you can drill down or up within a hierarchy or across to other

hierarchies. You can even drill to a completely different template.
Page-by enables you to select and display subsets of your report results as
separate pages. This feature is most useful when you have extremely long
report results and scrolling is necessary to see all of the data.
Data pivoting enables you to rearrange the columns and rows in a report, so
you can view data from different perspectives.
Subtotals reflect accumulations at selected attribute levels and can be

applied dynamically to any report. There are various subtotals available to
you such as count, minimum, maximum, average, and so forth.
Sorting enables you to specify the order in which the data in a report for a
particular row or column is presentedeither ascending or descending.
You can sort based on any object that you place on the template. You can
also select the sorting criteria and the sorting order.
Outline mode enables indented grouping of related attributes. Outline

mode is useful when users want to display the same report at different
levels very quickly.
You can print a report in grid, graph, grid and graph, or SQL view. The
formatting you apply to the report in Developer also applies to the printed
copy of the report.
You can export or e-mail a Developer report as an attachment in any of the

following application formats: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft
Access, plaintext, HTML, and PDF.
In Developer, you can subscribe reports and documents to history list,

cache and mobile devices.
You can actively collaborate online with other Developer users using notes.
Lesson Summary
139
140 Lesson Summary

Exercises: Report Data Manipulations in
Developer
Drilling and Page-By
Overview
Create a report with Region and Category in the rows and Year and Revenue in
the columns. The first few rows of the initial report should look like the
following:
Exercises: Report Data Manipulations in Developer
141
After creating this report, modify it so that the data displays at a lower level
and is easier to read. The modified report will look like the following:
Create the report
1 In Developer, in the Folder List, under My Personal Objects, under My

Reports, select your My Reports Exercises folder to work in it.
4 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click Geography.
5 Drag Region to the rows of the template.
6 In the Object Browser, click Go one level up.
7 In the Object Browser, double-click Products.
142 Exercises: Report Data Manipulations in Developer
8 Drag Category to the right of Region on the template.

an alternative to dragging objects to the template, you can
Asright-click
an object in the Object Browser and select Add to Rows
or Add to Columns to easily add objects to a template.
10 In the Object Browser, double-click Time.

11 Drag Year to the columns of the template.
12 In the My Shortcuts pane, click the Metrics folder.
14 Double-click Revenue to include it above Year, in the columns of the
template.
15 In the template, in the columns, drag they Year metric above the Revenue
metric. Your template layout should look like the following:
Save the report
16 Click Save and Close.

17 Save the report in the My Report Exercises folder as Region, Category,
Year Sales.
18 To run the report you just created, double-click it.
Drill on the report
20 On the Data menu, click Report Data Options.
143
21 On the Report Data Options window, expand the General menu and select
Drilling.
22 In the GeneralDrilling pane, in the Keep parent while drilling drop-down
list, select No.
.
23 Click OK.
24 Click Yes to agree to re-execute the report.
Every time a drill occurs a new report window is created.
25 On the report, double-click the Year header to drill down to Quarter.
Double-clicking automatically drills down one level.
26 In the new report, right-click the Category header, point to Drill, point to
Down, and then select Subcategory.
new Report Editor window opens and displays data at the
ASubcategory
level. The first few rows and columns of your results
should now look like the following:
27 Right-click the Subcategory header, point to Move, and select To

Page-by.
28 Select Quarter and drag it to the page-by field to the right of Subcategory.
29 In the Page-by field, for Quarter select 2012 Q1.
Save the report

32 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Region,
Subcategory, Quarter Sales - Page By.
33 Close the other Report Editor windows without saving the reports.
145
Pivoting and Sorting

Overview
Create a report with Region, Year, and Revenue on the template. The initial
results should look like the following:
Use pivoting and advanced sorting to change the report display to look like the
following:
report is sorted ascending by Year and descending by Revenue for

The
each year.
Create the report
1 In the Folder List, in the My Reports folder, select your My Reports

Exercises folder to work in it.
4 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click Geography.
5 Drag Region to the rows of the template.
7 In the Object Browser, double-click Time.

8 Drag Year to the columns of the template.
9 In My Shortcuts, click the Metrics folder.
11 Drag Revenue to include it below Year in the columns of the template.
13 Refer to the beginning of the exercise to verify your results.
14 On the Grid menu, point to Auto Style Selected and select Squares.
15 Pivot Year from the columns to the rows by either dragging it to the left of
Region or by right-clicking Year, pointing to Move, and selecting To Rows.
16 On the Data menu, select Advanced Sorting.
17 In the Sorting window, on the Rows tab, click Add.
the Sort By column, you should see Year. Under the Criteria
Under
column, you should see ID. Under the Order column you should see
Ascending. Leave these defaults.
147
18 Click Add.
The Region object is now listed in the Sorting window.
19 In the Sort By column, click Region and select Revenue.
20 In the Order column, select Descending. Leave the other defaults. Your
Sorting window should now look like the following:
21 Click OK to close the Sorting window.

Save the report
23 In the report, click Save and Close.

24 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as US Revenues by
Region - Pivoting and Sorting.
Totals and Outline Mode

Overview
Run the Sales by Region report, which you can find by using the search
functionality. You want to modify this report so you can see this same
information at the Subcategory level when needed. You also want to modify the
report so it displays subtotals.
Use the subtotals and outline mode functionality to change the report display
to look like the following:
Search for report
1 In Developer, on the Tools menu, select Search for Objects.

2 On the Name and Location tab, in the Named box, type Sales by Region.
3 In the Look in box, browse to the \MicroStrategy Tutorial\Public
Objects\Reports folder and click OK.
149
4 Click Find Now. The search should look like the following:
5 In the Search Results window, double-click the Sales by Region report to

run it.
6 For the Region selection prompt, leave the default prompt selections and
click Next.
7 For the second Category selections prompt, leave the default selection of
Electronics and add the Books, Movies, and Music categories by
double-clicking each of them.
8 Click Next.
9 In the Summary screen, click Finish. The first few rows of the initial report
look like the following:
more information about prompted reports, see What Is a

For
Prompt? starting on page 305.
10 In the report, on the View menu, select Design View.
11 In the Report Editor, in the template definition pane, right-click the Year
attribute and select Remove from Report. You will see the following
message:
Be sure you select Remove from Report and not Remove from Grid.
13 In the template definition pane, right-click the Region attribute and select
Remove from Report.
151
Enabling subtotals
15 In the Report Editor, on the Data menu, select Subtotals.

16 In the Subtotals window, on the Definition tab, select the Total check box.
17 Click Advanced.
18 In the Advanced Subtotals Options window, click Across level, and select
both the Category and Subcategory check boxes.
20 Click OK to close the Subtotals window.
21 In the Report Editor, on the View menu, select Grid View.
The first few rows of the report now look like the following:
Enabling Outline Mode
22 In the Report Editor, on the Grid menu, select Display Outline Results.
The first few rows of the report now look like the following:

24 In the Grid Options window, on the General tab, under Outline, click Open
with all outline levels collapsed.
26 Refer to the beginning of the exercise to verify your results.
27 In the report editor, on the File menu, select Save As.
28 In the Save Report As window, navigate to the My Reports Exercises
folder and save the report as Sales by Category and Subcategory Outline.
Save the report
29 Click Save to close the Save Report As window.

30 In the Save Options window, click Static, so you are not prompted when
you run this report again.
more information about the Save Options window, see Saving
For
Reports with Prompts starting on page 330.
153
31 Click OK to close the Save Options window.

32 Close the Sales by Category and Subcategory - Outline report.
33 Close the New Search window. If prompted to save the search, click No.
Exporting Reports
Overview
Export the Employee Birthdays report (found in the Public
Objects\Reports\Subject Areas\Human Resources Analysis folder) to
Microsoft Excel so you can save it in your local machine. The first few rows of
the exported report should look like the following:
1 In the Folder List, expand the Public Objects folder, followed by the
Reports folder, followed by the Subject Areas folder, and select the
Human Resources Analysis folder.
2 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Employee Birthdays report to
execute it.
3 In the Report Editor, on the Data menu, point to Export To and select MS
Excel.
can specify pre-export and post-export Microsoft Excel macros,
You
a destination file, and whether or not to include Report Details and
the report SQL via Export Options. For more information on

accessing Export Options, see To access export options: starting on
page 127.
4 Compare your results to the expected results in the Overview section at the
5 Close the Microsoft Excel workbook without saving it.
6 In Developer, close the Employee Birthdays report without saving it.
155
5
REPORT STYLE
MANIPULATIONS
Lesson Description
This lesson describes style manipulations that you can perform in reports in
Developer.
157
Report Style Manipulations
Lesson Objectives
Define the different types of style manipulations available and perform these
style manipulations using Developer.
Describe and perform style manipulations in Developer that enable you to

change the formatting of report data. (Page 159)
Make formatting changes to reports in Developer. Create, save, and use

autostyles. (Page 160)
Explain the purpose of thresholds and apply thresholds to a report in

Explain the purpose of banding and apply custom banding to a report in

Lock row and column headers and resize columns in Developer. (Page 174)
Describe some of the basic graph properties and modify a graph report in
Style Manipulation
Describe and perform style manipulations in Developer that enable you to
change the formatting of report data.
This chapter covers style manipulations that enable you to determine how
report data is formatted. You can change the look and feel of a report in
Developer using various formatting methods.
The following report style manipulations are covered in this section:
Formatting in Developer
Thresholds
Banding
Locking row and column headers
Resizing columns
Basic graph formatting
Style Manipulation
159
Formatting
Make formatting changes to reports in Developer. Create, save, and use
autostyles.
Formatting involves changing the display of a report. You can format the look
and feel of your report by altering the number display, alignment, font, border,
and patterns for column and row axes, template object headers and values, and
subtotal headers and values.
Methods for Formatting

There are three ways to change the formatting properties on a report:
formatting toolbar is not visible by default, on the View menu,
IfclicktheToolbar
and select Formatting.
You can right-click any object on your template and select Formatting. You
can also right-click the word Metrics to format all of the metrics on the
report in the same way. The Format Cells window opens for you to make
formatting changes. For example, if you run a report with Category on the
template, and you right-click the Category header, you would see the
following formatting options:
Formatting Options
160 Formatting
You can use the Formatting toolbar to select the objects you want to format
and to make formatting changes:
Formatting Toolbar
all of the formatting options display in the Formatting toolbar

Not
pictured above.
You can use the Format menu to select the objects you want to format using
the menu shown below:
Format Menu
The Format Cells window opens for you to make formatting changes.
To format objects on a report:
1 Right-click an object on the report, point to Formatting, and select the part
of the object you want to format (for example, headers, values, and so
forth).
You can also use the Formatting toolbar or the Format menu to select the
object you want to format. If you are using the Formatting toolbar, you use the
drop-down lists and buttons on the toolbar to select the object and to make
your formatting changes.
Formatting
161
2 In the Format Cells window, make your formatting changes, as shown

below:
3 Click OK.
Remember to save the report with its new formatting.
can also use the Find and Replace tool to modify the format of sets
You
of metrics throughout a MicroStrategy project. For more information on
the Find and Replace tool, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer:
Autostyles
Autostyles are predefined formatting schemes that are available when viewing
a report in grid view or grid graph view.
162 Formatting
MicroStrategy comes with several autostyles that contain predefined

formatting properties.
To change a grid reports formatting using autostyles:
1 Run a report and change it to grid view or grid graph if necessary.

2 On the toolbar, in the autostyle drop-down list, select the autostyle you
want to use to format the report.
To use an existing autostyle:
1 Run a report in grid mode.

2 On the Grid menu, point to AutoStyle Selected and select an autostyle.
3 On the File menu, select Save to save the report with its new autostyle.
You can also use the Find and Replace tool to apply an autostyle to a selected
set of reports and templates throughout a MicroStrategy project. For more
information on the Find and Replace tool, refer to the MicroStrategy
You can also choose to customize the formatting for a report and save those
formatting changes as your own autostyle, which you can reuse on other
reports.
To create and save your own autostyle:
1 Run any report in grid mode and customize the formatting using any of the
methods discussed in the previous section.
2 On the Grid menu, select Save AutoStyle As.
3 In the Save AutoStyle As window, select a location and name your autostyle.
default save location for a custom autostyle is My Objects. If you
The
save an autostyle to this folder, it will appear in only your autostyle
drop-down list. However, if you would like this autostyle to be available

to other users, you should save the autostyle in the Autostyles folder
under Public Objects.
Formatting
163
4 Click Save.
To define a project default autostyle:
The following steps configure all new reports created in a MicroStrategy

project to use a specific autostyle by default.
1 In Developer while logged in to a MicroStrategy project, from the Tools
menu, select My Preferences.
2 In the My Preferences window, in the Categories list, expand Grid and
select General.
3 In the Grid - General pane, under Display, in the Default style drop-down
list, select the autostyle that you would like to make the project default.
4 Click OK to exit the My Preferences window.
164 Formatting
Thresholds
Explain the purpose of thresholds and apply thresholds to a report in
Developer.
A threshold is best understood as conditional formatting of metric values. By

defining thresholds for a metric, report developers can format metric values
that meet the criteria of their choosing. For example, suppose a sales quota for
monthly sales is $10,000 per employee. A report developer creates a monthly
sales by employee report in which all sales values above the $10,000 quota
display in green and all those below display in red. Furthermore, the metric
value can be replaced with an image, a symbol, or alternate text. This example
illustrates the purpose of thresholds, which is to emphasize data that meets
defined criteria, making reports easier to read.
For example, the image below shows all the categories that generated revenue
greater than $1,000,000 with a green background:
Report with Thresholds
Thresholds are also applied to the Profit and Profit Margin metrics.
Thresholds
165
The Thresholds Editor is shown below:

Thresholds Editor
You can copy and paste threshold definitions, which enables you to save time
by reusing them when the same definition is needed to define thresholds on
multiple metrics. You are also provided four shortcut thresholds. These
shortcut thresholds include highest and lowest rank and percentage.
To create and apply a threshold to a grid report:
1 Run a report.
2 On the Data menu, select Thresholds.
OR
Right-click the appropriate metric and select Thresholds.
OR
On the toolbar, click Thresholds.
Threshold icon is not visible by default, on the View menu,
IfclicktheToolbar
and select Data.
166 Thresholds
3 In the Thresholds Editor, on the toolbar, in the drop-down list, select the
metric to which you want to apply the threshold, as shown below:
you create a threshold for one metric, you can easily copy it to
After
multiple metrics on the report.
4 Select the New Threshold check box to ensure your threshold is enabled.
5 Click New Threshold text box.
6 In the text box, type a name for the threshold.
7 Click Click here to start a new qualification. The parts of the condition
are displayed, each of which must be defined:
Click Field to select the attribute or metric that is part of your condition.
Click Operator to select an operator, such as In List, Greater than, and

so on.
Click Value to specify the elements from the available list.
8 In the Format drop-down list, select one of the following options:
FormatSelect this option to change fonts, colors, styles, sizes, and so

on. This action formats the values that meet your threshold condition.
Replace TextSelect this option to define your own text. This action
replaces the value that meets your threshold condition with text. Type
the text in the empty text field. The text should be limited to 255
characters.
Thresholds
167
ImageSelect this option to replace the value that meets your threshold
condition with an image file.
images cannot be viewed in Developer. To see threshold

Threshold
images you have added to a report, view the report in MicroStrategy
Web. Threshold images are also visible if the report is placed in an
HTML document or Report Services document.
Quick SymbolSelect this option to replace the value that meets your
threshold condition with a symbol, as shown below:
9 Define the following:
Format or Replace TextIf you selected Format or Replace Text, on

the toolbar, click Edit the threshold formatting to define the number
format, font for the text or data, text alignment within the cell, cell
border, and cell pattern.
ImageIf you selected Image, in the Absolute path box, click browse to
provide the location of the image.
Quick SymbolIf you selected Quick Symbol, select a symbol from the
right. On the toolbar, click Edit the threshold formatting to define the
alignment, size and color (font), cell border, cell background, and cell
pattern for the symbol you have chosen.
10 In the Thresholds Editor toolbar, select one of the Subtotal options to

specify whether the threshold should be applied to the metric, any subtotals
that may be on the report, or both:
168 Thresholds
Apply the threshold on metric values onlyApplies the threshold

condition only on metric values.
Apply the threshold on subtotal values onlyApplies the threshold

condition only on the subtotal values.
Apply the threshold on metric and subtotal valuesApplies the

threshold condition on metric and subtotal values.
11 Click OK to save your new threshold definition.

After you run your report you can toggle between the symbol and value using
the F12 function key or, on the Data menu, select Hide Threshold or Show
Threshold.
Copying a Threshold Across Multiple Metrics

You can use copy and paste functionality to quickly add the same threshold
definition to multiple metrics in a report. You can edit the thresholds as
necessary for any of the metrics.
When you edit a threshold, it does not affect the copied thresholds.
To copy a threshold:
1 In the Thresholds editor, select the threshold to copy and, on the toolbar,
click Copy.
2 On the toolbar, in the drop-down list, select the metric to which you want to
copy the threshold.
Thresholds
169
3 On the toolbar, click Paste.
threshold is copied to that metric. By default, the copied threshold

The
is named "Copy of [original thresholds name]", as shown below:
4 To rename it, click the threshold name and type the new name.
5 Edit the threshold, if necessary.
6 Click OK to save the threshold and return to the report.
170 Thresholds
Banding
Explain the purpose of banding and apply custom banding to a report in
Developer.
Banding is a method of organizing the display of report results in a grid report

according to certain criteria. You can band by rows and columns based on
either the number of rows or columns or the values of the row and column
headers.
The autostyle of a report defines its default banding options, but you can turn
off banding or define custom banding for a report regardless of its autostyle.
To turn off banding:
1 Run a report in Grid view.

3 In the Grid Options window, on the General tab, under Banding, select No
banding.
To define custom banding:

3 In the Grid Options window, on the General tab, under Banding, click
Custom banding.
4 Click Settings.
Banding
171
5 In the Banding Settings window, set the banding options as desired, as

shown below:
6 Click OK to close the Banding Settings window.

7 Click OK again to close the Grid Options window.
8 In the report, on the File menu, click Save to save your banding options to
the report definition.
172 Banding
In the following example, custom banding was applied at the Subcategory

level:
Custom Banding at Subcategory Level
Banding
173
Locking and Resizing Columns and Rows

Lock row and column headers and resize columns in Developer.
Developer enables you to lock row and column headers on a grid report, so
while viewing report results, you can scroll horizontally and vertically without
losing sight of the row or column headers. This property is particularly
advantageous when you want to view information that spans more rows or
columns than can be displayed at one time.
To lock row and column headers:

2 On the Grid menu, select Lock Row Headers or Lock Column Headers as
needed. These options lock the rows and columns of a grid report,
respectively.
the row or column headers, from the Grid menu, select the
ToLockunlock
Row Headers or Lock Column Headers option again.
You also have the option to manually resize the column widths and row heights
of a report.
To manually resize column widths using column handles:

2 On the Grid menu, select View Column Handles.
3 Click and drag the column handles to the desired width.
remove the column handles from the grid report, select View
ToColumn
Handles again.
174 Locking and Resizing Columns and Rows
To resize column widths using the Grid Options window:

3 In the Grid Options window, click the Columns and Rows tab.
4 Under Columns, click Auto Fit and specify a minimum column width in
characters.
OR
Under Columns, click Fixed, and from the Select from the list drop-down
list, select which columns you want to configure. Also, specify a column
width in pixels.
the data in each column is much shorter in length than the column
Ifheaders,
you may want to select the Wordwrap check box. Look at
the two versions of the same report below to see effect of the
wordwrap feature. The first report has the wordwrap feature
enabled, so the metric names wrap:
Locking and Resizing Columns and Rows
175
The second report does not have the wordwrap feature enabled, so the metric
names make the columns much wider:
Wordwrap Feature Not Enabled

6 In the report, on the File menu, click Save to save your column width
options to the report definition.
To resize row heights using the Grid Options window:

4 Under Rows, click Auto Row Height.
OR
Under Rows, click Fixed Row Height and specify a row height in pixels.
6 In the report, from the File menu, click Save to save your row height
options to the report definition.
176 Locking and Resizing Columns and Rows
Graph Properties
Describe some of the basic graph properties and modify a graph report in
Developer.
There are numerous graph properties that enable you to customize nearly
every aspect of a graphs appearance. You can choose from dozens of different
graph types and styles. After you choose an overall graph type and graph style,
other options enable you to adjust various aspects of the graph, such as the
data labels, a legend, its axes, and its titles. This topic describes a few of the
more common graph properties you may use.
Display Data Labels

You can display the exact values for each data point on a graph.
To display data labels on a graph:
1 Run a report in Graph view.

2 On the Graph menu, point to Display and select Data Label.
data labels are automatically formatted based on the formatting
The
of the metrics in grid view (as long as all of the metrics are formatted
in the same manner). However, you can also manually set the format
of the data labels.
To manually format the data labels (and axes numbers) on a graph:
automatic formatting of data labels on a graph is the default

The
behavior. If, however, you manually format the data labels, automatic
number formatting no longer takes place.
3 On the Graph menu, select Graph Options.
Graph Properties
177
4 In the Preferences window, in the Properties Categories list, expand Axes,

followed by Category, and select Axis Labels. The Category - Axis Labels
is shown below:
5 In the Category - Axis Labels pane, select the positioning of the labels in the
graph.
6 In the Properties Categories list, expand Axis Labels, and select Axis Line
to format the axis line.
7 Under Axis Labels, click Font to format the axis label font. In the Properties
categories list, under Axes, expand Y, followed by Axis Labels, and select
Number Formatting to format the axis numbers.
8 In the Axis Labels - Number Formatting pane, under the Category list,
select the type of formatting you want to apply.
9 Click OK to close the Preferences window.
Graph Title
By default, the title of a graph is the name of the report, but you can manually
change the title using static text or graph title variables. A graph title can also
be reformatted.
178 Graph Properties
To change the title of a graph:
1 On the Graph menu, select Titles and Labels.

2 In the Preferences window, in the Properties Categories list, expand Titles
and select All.
3 In the Titles - All pane, in the Title box, type the title for the graph, as shown
below:
4 In the Properties Categories list, under Titles, under All, select Font.
5 In the All - Font pane, make the appropriate changes to format the title font
and frame.
6 In the Properties Categories list, under All, click Fill. Make the appropriate
changes to format the title fill.
7 In the Properties Categories list, under All, click Border. Make the
appropriate changes to format the title border.
8 In the Preferences window, click Apply
Graph Properties
179
9 Click OK.
can also use the Find and Replace tool to apply a font of your choice
You
to graph titles and labels in selected sets of reports and templates
throughout a MicroStrategy project. For more information on the Find
and Replace tool, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced
Reporting course.
Specify the Number of Categories and Series

Sometimes, all of the data from a report does not fit onto one page of a graph.
When that happens, a scroll bar displays on the bottom of the graph to enable
you to scroll through the rest of the data. An alternative to scrolling is to change
the number of series and categories on the graph to display more or less data
per page.
The following report shows 4 categories (sets of data along the X-axis) and 2
series (legend items). Generally, the categories correspond to the rows or a
report, and the series correspond to the columns of a report, as shown below:
Graph Categories and Series
To change the number of categories and series of a graph:
1 On the Graph menu, select Preferences.
2 In the Preferences window, in the Properties Categories list, under Options,

select General.
3 In the Options - General pane, under Scrolling, specify the Maximum
number of categories and the Maximum number of series, as shown
below:
use the number of categories specified in Maximum number of

Tocategories
as the minimum number of categories to display, select
the Use as minimum number of categories check box.
Graph Properties
181
Nested Labels
When there are several attributes in the rows of a report, all of the attributes
are displayed in each label on the category axis, resulting in a cluttered look, as
shown below:
Graph with Many Attributes in the Legend
A feature called nested labels is available in the Preferences window. When

enabled, it minimizes the amount of text that displays along the category axis.
The image below shows the same graph with the nested labels feature enabled:
Nested Labels
In addition, when you enable nested labels, you can also draw brackets for each
attribute level for added effect, as shown below:
Nested Labels with Brackets
To enable nested labels on a graph:
1 In the Options - General pane, under Graph Labels, select the Use nested
labels check box, as shown below:
brackets for each attribute level in the nested label, select

Totheinclude
Draw bracket for each level check box.
Graph Properties
183
2 To show or hide the individual labels of graphs that have several data series,
select the Concatenate labels for multiple series check box.
option only works for graphs that require multiple data for one
This
data point, such as bubble, scatter, and stock graphs.
3 To show or hide the last level labels of graphs that have several data series,
select the Suppress last level labels check box. This option applies to all
data series in the graph.
option is useful for graphs that require multiple data for one
This
data point, such as bubble, scatter, and stock graphs.
4 Click OK to apply the changes and close the Preferences window.
5 In the graph report, on the File menu, select Save to save the nested labels
to the report definition.
Graph Undo/Redo
The undo function allows a user to easily reverse actions that resulted in an
undesirable outcome on a graph. The redo function allows a user to reverse the
undo command on a graph.
Both the redo and undo functions maintain a history list of the actual actions
that can be reversed. The history list provides you with the option to reverse
any action in the list, not just the last action. For example, assume you change
the title, graph type, number of series, and number of categories on a graph.
After looking at the final graph you decide that a different graph type would
look better. You can undo only the graph type and do not have to also reverse
all actions prior to the graph type in the history list.
To undo or redo the last action on a graph:
1 In the graph report, on the Edit menu, select Undo or Redo.

To undo or redo a specific action on a graph:
1 In the graph report, on the toolbar, click the drop-down arrow on redo or
undo.
2 Select the specific action to undo or redo from the list.
3 After a graph is saved, the redo and undo history lists are erased. In
addition, if a graph contains a page-by field, selecting a different page will
erase the history lists.
Graph Properties
185
Lesson Summary
Formatting involves changing the display of a report. You can format the
look and feel of your report by altering the number display, alignment, font,
border, and patterns for column and row axes, template object headers and
values, and subtotal headers and values.
A threshold is best understood as conditional formatting of metric values.

By defining thresholds for a metric, report developers can format metric
values that meet the criteria of their choosing.
Banding is a method of organizing the appearance of report results in a grid

according to certain criteria. You can band by rows and columns based on
either the number of rows or columns or the values of the row and column
headers.
Developer enables you to lock row and column headers on a grid report, so
while viewing report results, you can scroll horizontally and vertically
without losing sight of the row or column headers.
There are numerous graph properties that enable you to customize nearly
every aspect of a graphs appearance. You can choose from dozens of
different graph types and styles. After you choose an overall graph type and
graph style, other options enable you to adjust various aspects of the graph,
such as data labels, legend, axes, and titles.
186 Lesson Summary

Exercises: Report Style Manipulations in
Developer
Formatting and Autostyles
Overview
Change the formatting on your Region, Category, Year Sales report that you
created earlier so that the first few rows look like the following:
Save the formatting changes as a new autostyle and reuse it on the Category
Sales Report report.
Exercises: Report Style Manipulations in Developer
187
1 In the Folder List, in the My Personal Objects folder, in the My Reports
folder, select your My Reports Exercises folder.
2 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Region, Category, Year Sales
report to run it.
Format the report
3 In the report template, right-click the Region header, point to Formatting,

point to Row Axis, and select Headers.
4 In the Format Cells window, click the Font tab and make the following
changes:
Font: Garamond
Size: 12
Bold: Yes
Color: Grey-25%
188 Exercises: Report Style Manipulations in Developer
5 Click the Background tab.

6 In the Background style drop-down list, select Solid.
7 In the Fill color drop-down list, select Dark Red.
8 Click OK to close the Format Cells window.
9 In the report, right-click the Region header, point to Formatting, point to
Row Axis, and select Values.
changes:
Font: Garamond
Color: Dark Red

12 In the report, right-click the Year header, point to Formatting, point to
Column Axis, and select Headers.
changes:
Font: Garamond
Size: 12
Bold: Yes
Color: Grey-25%
14 Click the Background tab and, from the Background style drop-down
menu, select Solid.
15 Click the Fill color drop-down menu and select Dark Red.
17 In the report, right-click the Year header, point to Formatting, point to
Column Axis, and select Values.
18 Repeat the formatting changes in steps 13 to 16.
189
20 In the report, from the Grid menu, select Save AutoStyle As.
21 In the Save AutoStyle As window, navigate to the My Objects folder and
save your autostyle as My New AutoStyle.
default save location for a custom autostyle is My Objects. If you
The
save an autostyle to this folder, it will display in only your autostyle
drop-down list. However, if you would like this autostyle to be available

to other users, you should save the autostyle in the Autostyles folder
under Public Objects.
22 Close the Region, Category, Year Sales report without saving it.
23 In the Folder List, expand the Public Objects folder, followed by the
Reports folder, followed by the Business Roles folder, and select the
Category Managers folder.
24 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Category Sales Report report to
run it.
25 In the report, from the Grid menu, point to Auto Style Selected and select
My New Autostyle. The report should now look like the following:
26 Close the Category Sales Report report without saving it.
Thresholds
Overview
Configure thresholding conditions to format the US Revenues by Region Pivoting and Sorting report, as shown by the following image:
To make the report look like the above image, follow the formatting guide
below:
For Revenue greater than $2,500,000, substitute the data value with a
green diamond.
For Revenue between $1,500,000 and $2,500,000, substitute the data with
an orange diamond.
For Revenue below $1,500,000, keep the data value and make the font bold
and red.
191
1 In Developer, in the Folder List, in the My Personal Objects folder, in the
My Reports folder, select the My Reports Exercises folder.
2 In the Object Viewer, double-click the US Revenues by Region Pivoting and Sorting report to run it.
Create thresholds
3 In the report, on the Data menu, select Thresholds.

4 Click Click here to start a new qualification.
5 Next to the check box, click New Threshold.
6 Type Greater than 2,500,000 and press the ENTER on the keyboard.
7 Click Field and select Revenue.
8 On the Operator menu, select Greater than.
9 On the Value menu, select Type a Value.
10 In the Value box, type 2500000 and press ENTER on the keyboard.
11 Click Format and select Quick Symbol.
12 In the Quick Symbol image menu, select the diamond symbol that is
second from the left.
13 On the toolbar, click Edit the threshold formatting.
14 In the Format Cells window, click the Font tab.
15 Under Settings, in the Color box, select Green and click OK.
The quick symbol image menu displays a preview.
16 In the Thresholds window, on the toolbar menu, click Add a new

threshold.

19 Type Between 1,500,000 and 2,500,000 and press the ENTER on the
keyboard.
21 On the Operator menu, select Between.
22 On the first Value menu, select Type a value.
23 In the Value box, type 1500000 and press ENTER.
24 On the second Value menu, select Type a Value.
26 Click Format and select Quick Symbol.
27 In the Quick Symbol image menu, select the diamond symbol.
193
28 Select the threshold you just created.
29 In the tool bar, click Edit the threshold formatting.

31 Under Settings, in the Color box, select Orange and click OK.
32 In the Thresholds window, on the toolbar, create your third and final
threshold by clicking Add a new threshold.
35 Type Less than 1,500,000 and press ENTER.
37 On the Operator menu, select Less than.
38 On the Value menu, select Type a value.
40 Select the threshold you just created.

41 On the toolbar, click Edit the Threshold Formatting.

43 Under Settings, in the Bold drop-down list, select Yes.
44 Under Settings, in the Color drop-down list, select Red.
46 Click OK again to close the Thresholds window.

195
Save the report
48 In the report, on the File menu, select Save As.

49 Save this report in the My Report Exercises folder as Threshold Report.
50 Close the Threshold Report.
Locking/Resizing Columns and Rows

Overview
Run the Average and Maximum Revenue per Call Center Transaction report,
which you can find by using the search functionality. Enable the wordwrap
feature and then use the column handles to resize the column width. You
results should match the image below:
Then, run the Inventory Received from Suppliers by Quarter, which can be
found by using the search functionality. Notice that there are more rows in the
report than you can view on one page. Your results should match the image
below:
Lock the column headers so that when you scroll down you will still be able to
see them.
Enable wordwrap

2 In the New Search window, on the Name & Location tab, in the Named box,
type Average and Maximum.
4 Click Find Now.
5 In the Search Results window, double-click the Average and Maximum
Revenue per Call Center Transaction report to run it.
197
6 In the Report Editor, on the Grid menu, select Options.

8 Clear the Wordwrap check box and click OK.
The title of each metric is now on a single line.

Change column width
9 In the report, on the Grid menu, select View Column Handles.

10 In the MicroStrategy Developer window, click Yes.
The column handles display above the row and column headers.
11 Use the column handles to adjust the width of the metric columns until
your report looks like the following:
12 Close the Average and Maximum Revenue per Call Center Transaction
report without saving it.
Locking columns headers
13 If the New Search window is not open, on the Tools menu, select Search
for Objects.
14 On the Name & Location tab, in the Named box, type Inventory Received
from.
Objects\Reports folder and click Find Now.
16 In the Search Results window, double-click the Inventory Received from
Suppliers by Quarter report to run it.
18 On the report, scroll down and notice that the column headers no longer
display.
19 In the report, on the Grid menu, select Lock Column Headers.
20 Scroll down the report and notice that the column headers now display.
21 Close the Inventory Received from Suppliers by Quarter report without
saving it.
22 Close the New Search window. If prompted to save the search, click No.
199
Bar Graph
Overview
Run the Yearly Revenue Growth by Customer Region report (which you can
find by using the search functionality) in graph view and make changes to the
graph display to make it easier to read. The graph initially looks like the
following:
It is not possible to distinguish the values for Percent Growth. To fix this, you
will change the graph type to split dual axes. You will also add data labels to the
bars to show the exact value for each data point. Finally, you will change the
title of the graph to Revenue and Percent Growth by Customer Region.
The final graph should look like the following:
Search for report

2 On the Name & Location tab, in the Named box, type Yearly Revenue
Growth.
4 Click Find Now.
5 In the Search Results window, double-click the Yearly Revenue Growth
by Customer Region report to run it.
6 In the Report Editor, on the View menu, select Design View.
8 Double-click Year to display the attribute elements.
9 Drag 2012 to the Report Filter area.
201
10 Click Run Report.
11 On the View menu, select Graph View.

12 In the Graph Type window, click OK to accept the default graph style.
Change graph type
14 In the graph report, on the Graph menu, select Graph Type.

15 In the Graph Type window, on the Vertical tab, select Vertical
Bar:DualAxis Stacked.
16 Click OK to close the Graph Type window.

17 On the Graph menu, select Grids and Scales.
followed by Y2, and select Axis Labels.
19 In the Y2 - Axis Labels pane, select the Make This a Descending Axis
check box.
20 Click OK.
203
21 Your graph report should now look like the following:
22 On the Graph menu, select Graph Options.

23 In the Preferences window, in the Properties Categories list, expand
Vertical Bar Options, and select Layout.
24 In the Vertical Bar Options - Layout pane, select the Split Dual Axis check
box.
Add data labels
25 In the Properties Categories list, expand Series and select Labels And
Values.
26 In the Series - Labels And Values pane, select the Show Data Labels check
box.
27 In the Labels Location drop-down list, select Outside Maximum.
Change the graph title
28 In the Properties Categories list, expand Titles, and select All.

29 In the Titles - All pane, in the Title text box, delete the default and type
Revenue and Percent Growth by Customer Region.
30 Click OK to close the Properties window.
Save the report
32 On the File menu, select Save As.

33 In the Save Report As window, navigate to the My Reports Exercises
folder and save the report as Customer Region Revenue and Growth
Graph.
34 Close the Customer Region Revenue and Growth Graph report.
35 Close the New Search window. If prompted to save the search, select No.
Graph with Gauges

Overview
Run the Sales by Quarter and Month report located in your My Reports
Exercises folder in graph view, using the gauge display. The final results should
look like the following:
205
1 In the Folder List, in the My Personal Objects folder, in the My Reports
folder, select the My Reports Exercises folder.
Create a copy of a report
2 In the Object Viewer, right-click the Sales by Quarter and Month report
you created earlier and select Copy.
3 In Developer, on the Edit menu, select Paste.
of the report is created and named Copy of Sales by Quarter
AandcopyMonth.
4 Right-click the Copy of Sales by Quarter and Month report and select
Rename.
5 Rename the report Sales by Quarter.
Remove Units Sold and Month from the report
6 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Sales by Quarter report to run it.
7 In the report template, right-click the Units Sold header and select
Remove from Report.
Ensure you select Remove from Report and not Remove from Grid.
8 To confirm that you want to remove the metric, in the pop up window, click
Yes.
9 To confirm that you want to re-execute the report, in the pop-up window,
click Yes.
10 In the report template, right-click the Month header and select Remove
from Report.
11 To confirm that you want to remove the attribute, in the MicroStrategy
Developer window that pops up, click Yes.
12 To confirm that you want to re-execute the report, in the MicroStrategy
Developer window that pops up, click Yes.
Switch to Graph View
13 In the report, on the View menu, select Graph View.
14 In the Graph Type window, in the list of graph types, select Advanced.
15 Click the Gauge tab and select the Gauge:Gauge graph.
16 Click OK to close the Graph Type window.
Format the gauge graph
17 On the Graph menu, select Grids and Scales.

expand Y, and select Axis Labels.
19 Clear the Show gauge titles check box.
20 In the Properties Categories list, expand Gauge Options and select

General.
21 In the Gauge Options - General pane, for Gauge Style, select Old.
22 In the Gauges Per Row text box, type 4.
207
23 Clear the Draw Axis Label Outside check box.
24 Click OK to close the Preferences window.

beginning of this exercise.4
26 In the graph report, on the File menu, select Save.
27 In the Change Comments window, click OK.
28 In the Advanced Save Options window, click Create a local copy of the
template.
29 Click OK.
30 Close the Sales by Quarter report.
6
FILTERS
Lesson Description
This lesson introduces you to report filters. Understanding how to create
report filters is a crucial part of creating reports that retrieve only the data that
you want to analyze.
In this lesson, you will learn about the different types of report filters, see
examples of when you would use each type, and learn how to create them using
Developer.
209
Filters
Lesson Objectives
Define the different types of report filters available in Developer and create
each type using the Filter Editor.
Explain the purpose of a report filter and describe the differences between
report filters and view filters. (Page 211)
Use the Filter Editor to create and save report filters. (Page 215)
Define the different types of report filters, and create each type of report
filter using the Filter Editor in Developer. (Page 218)
Define the set operators available in the Filter Editor, and describe how you
can use them to combine multiple filter conditions inside a report filter.
(Page 226)
Filters
What Is a Filter?
Explain the purpose of a report filter and describe the differences between
report filters and view filters.
in report results. If you are familiar with SQL syntax, the report filter is usually
equivalent to the WHERE clause in a SQL statement.
For example, consider the following diagram, which shows a table of data
filtered by three different report filter conditions:
Filter Conditions
As you can see, each report filter condition returns a different result set. You
need to know how to design the correct report filter in order to retrieve the
desired data.
What Is a Filter?
211
Filters
There are two categories of filters in MicroStrategy:
Report FilterEnables you to apply filter conditions to a report that

appear in the SQL used to retrieve the report result set. You can create a
report filter from within the Report Editor or with the Filter Editor. You
can filter on an object whether or not it is part of the report template.
After you execute a report, you can see the definition of the report filter
in the Report Details window.
can open and close the Report Details window for a report by
You
selecting Report Details from the View menu.
The following illustration shows a report that is filtering on specific
regions, even though the Region attribute is not on the template.
Report Filter Based on Specific Regions
212 What Is a Filter?
Filters
View FilterEnables you to create a filter on the fly, based only on those
objects that exist in the Report objects pane. (These objects may or may
not be displayed on the template.) View filters do not affect the SQL
generated to create a report. Rather, view filters are applied after the
data is retrieved from the warehouse, so only a subset of the result set
displays in the report view. You can create a view filter with the View
Filter window of a report, which you can also use to view the details of
existing view filter conditions.
can open and close the View Filter window in a report by

You
selecting View Filter from the View menu.
The following illustration shows the previous report with a view filter
condition of Year=2012. As you can see, the Year attribute is in the
Report objects pane (and on the template), and only data for 2011
displays in the report view, even though data for 2010, 2011, and 2012
was also retrieved from the data warehouse:
View Filter Based on Year 2011
filters and the Report objects pane are only available with
View
MicroStrategy OLAP Services. For more information on MicroStrategy
OLAP Services, see MicroStrategy OLAP Services starting on
page 279.
What Is a Filter?
213
Filters
The differences between report filters and view filters are summarized in the
following table:
Summary of Differences: Report Filters vs. View Filters
214 What Is a Filter?
Filter Type
SQL Generated May Reference
When Applied
Report Filter
Every time a
change is made;
often affects the
WHERE clause
of a SQL
statement
Any object,
whether or not it
is part of the
report
Before the SQL

is generated
and sent to the
data warehouse
View Filter
None
Only objects in
the Report
objects pane
After the data is

retrieved from
the data
warehouse
Filters
Creating and Saving Report Filters

Use the Filter Editor to create and save report filters.
The Filter Editor

When you choose to create a new filter object, the Filter Editor opens, as shown
below:
Filter Editor
The Filter Editor has the following windows:

objects you want to use in the report filter definition.
My ShortcutsEnables you to jump to a location in the Object Browser.
can customize your shortcuts. For more information on

You
customizing your shortcuts, see Shortcut Bar starting on page 49.
215
Filters
Filter definition paneEnables you to add attributes, metrics, and

advanced filter qualifications, as well as copies or shortcuts to existing
report filter objects. Simple filters can be created by dragging attribute
elements from the Object Browser to this window.
Creating a Simple Filter

To launch the Filter Editor:
1 In Developer, on the File menu, point to New and select Filter.

2 In the New Filter window, select Empty Filter from the list of filter object
templates and click OK.
To create a simple report filter:
1 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, navigate to the Data Explorer.
2 Double-click the hierarchy that contains the attribute on which you want to
qualify to display the list of attributes included in that hierarchy.
3 Double-click the attribute on which you want to qualify to expand it to its
list of attribute elements.
4 In the list of attribute elements, select the attribute elements you want to
see in the report results and drag them to the Filter definition pane.
216 Creating and Saving Report Filters
Filters
Saving a Filter
To save a filter:
1 In the Filter Editor, on the File menu, select Save.

2 In the Save Filter As window, navigate to the location where you want to
save the filter object.
3 Type a name for the filter and click Save.
217
Filters
Types of Report Filters

Define the different types of report filters, and create each type of report filter
using the Filter Editor in Developer.
You can create the following types of report filters:
Attribute qualification
Set qualification
Shortcut to a Report (Report qualification)
Shortcut to a Filter (Filter qualification)
is also an advanced qualification option that enables you to create

There
advanced filter qualifications, like attribute-to-attribute comparisons
and relationship filters. For more information on advanced
qualifications, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced
Reporting course.
Each of the above listed types of report filters is described in the following
sections.
following sections include steps on how to create different types of
The
report filter using the Filter Editor. However, you can create the same
types of report filters by following the same steps from within the
Report Editor.
Attribute Qualification
Attribute qualification filters enable you to specify the conditions that attribute
elements must satisfy to be included in the report results.
There are various ways to qualify on an attribute. The following sections
explain how to create the most common types of attribute qualification filters.
218 Types of Report Filters
Filters
Attribute Element List Qualification

This type of filter enables you to qualify on a list of attribute elements. Your
filter can require that the data returned as report results be in the list of
attribute elements you specify or not in the list of attribute elements you
specify. For example, you can create an attribute element list qualification on
the Year attribute that only returns data for the attribute element 2011 or
returns data for all years except for the attribute element 2011.
To qualify on a list of attribute elements:
1 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, locate the attribute with
elements on which you want to qualify.
2 Drag the attribute to the Filter definition pane.
3 In the Attribute Qualification window, in the Operator drop-down list,
select either In list or Not in list, as shown below:
4 To create the list of attribute elements, click Add.

5 In the Select Objects window, below Available objects, select attribute
elements and click > to add them to the Selected objects list.
6 Click OK to close the Select Objects window.
7 Click OK again to close the Attribute Qualification window.
219
Filters
Attribute Form Qualification

Attribute forms enable to you display different types of information about an
attribute. Each attribute has an ID form, and most have description forms. For
example, in the MicroStrategy Tutorial project, the Customer attribute has the
following forms:
Customer Lookup Table
You can use filters to qualify on attribute forms. For example, you can create an
attribute form qualification on the Last Name attribute form of the Customer
attribute that only returns data for those customers whose last names begin
with the letter H.
To qualify on an attribute form:
1 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, locate the attribute with the
attribute form on which you want to qualify.
must use the Data Explorer folder to browse to attribute
You
elements. There is a shortcut to the Data Explorer in the My
Shortcuts panel.

3 In the Attribute Qualification window, in the Qualify On drop-down list,
select the attribute form on which you want to qualify.
4 In the Operator drop-down list, select an operator.
Filters
5 Below the operator drop-down list, in the text box, type the value you want
to use to qualify on the attribute form.
6 Click OK to close the Attribute Qualification window.
Date Qualification
This type of filter enables you to qualify on an attribute of the date data type.
For example, you can create a date qualification on the Day attribute to only
return data for days between January 1, 2012, and February 12, 2012.
To qualify on a date:
1 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, locate the attribute of a date data
type on which you want to qualify.
3 In the Attribute Qualification window, in the Qualify On drop-down list,
select the ID attribute form.
221
Filters
5 Below the operator drop-down list, in the second drop-down list, type a
date or use the drop-down list to select a date from the calendar, as shown
below:
Set Qualification
Set qualification filters enable you to restrict report results based on a metric.
You can qualify on a metric in the following ways:
Metric ValueQualifies on a metric value. For example, metric value

greater than or equal to 10 returns all values for the metric that are 10 or
higher.
RankQualifies on the numeric rank of metric values. For example, rank

top 40 returns the 40 highest metric values for the selected metric.
PercentQualifies on the percentage of the metric values being ranked. For

example, percent top 10 returns all metric values in the top 10% for the
selected metric.
The metric may or may not appear on the report template. For example, a store
manager might want to see sales numbers for products whose current
inventory levels are below a certain level. However, the report does not have to
display the inventory figures for those products.
Filters
filters are a more advanced type of set qualification. For

Relationship
more information on relationship filters, refer to the MicroStrategy
To qualify on a metric:
1 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, locate the metric on which you
want to qualify.
2 Drag it to the Filter definition pane.
3 In the set qualification pane, in the Function drop-down list, select the
method of qualificationMetric Value, Rank, or Percent, as shown below:

5 Below the operator drop-down list, in the text box, type the value you want
to use for the metric qualification.
6 Click OK to close the set qualification pane.
Shortcut to a Report (Report As Filter)

The result set of an existing report object can be used as a report filter
condition for another report. Often, the result set of one report is exactly what
is needed to filter another report. Rather than create a report filter that mimics
the results of the first report, the first report itself can be used as a report filter
inside the second report.
223
Filters
For example, you may be assessing customers and the items these customers
purchase. Specifically, you would like to find your most valued customers and
see what items they are purchasing in specific categories. In this example, Top
5 Customers by Revenue and Customers who spent more than $2,000, are
existing reports that are used to filter a third report, as shown below:
Reports As Filters
with consolidations or custom groups cannot be used inside a

Reports
report filter. For more information on consolidations and custom
groups, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting
course.
To use a report as a filter:
1 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, locate the reports with which
you want to filter, and drag them to the Filter definition pane.
Filters
Shortcut to a Filter (Filter Qualification)

Using existing report filter objects to define other report filters can be thought
of as embedding filters. It provides a useful means of managing and leveraging
existing report filter objects. For example, you may have already created the
following report filters: Year 2012, Northwest Region, and Electronics
Category. You originally created these three report filters to be used on other,
individual reports. However, now you have a report that requires all three of
these filter conditions. Rather than having to redefine these three filter
conditions in a new report filter, you can simply reuse the existing report filter
objects.
To create a filter qualification:
1 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, locate the filters with which you
want to filter and drag them to the Filter definition pane.
225
Filters
Set Operators
Define the set operators available in the Filter Editor, and describe how you
can use them to combine multiple filter conditions inside a report filter.
When a report filter has multiple conditions, they are always combined with set
operators. Set operators govern the interaction between different filter
conditions. Whenever you have more than one condition in a report filter, you
can change the set operator to any of the following:
AND
OR
OR NOT
AND NOT
For example, suppose you have a filter with the following conditions:
Year = 2012
Region = Northeast
226 Set Operators
Filters
By default, the set operator inserted between filter conditions is AND. T

following illustration shows how the AND operator impacts a result set:
Set Operator AND
As shown above, only revenue generated in 2012 in the Northeast is returned

in the result set.
The following illustration shows how the OR operator impacts a result set:
Set Operator OR
Set Operators
227
Filters
As shown above, revenue generated in either 2012 or the Northeast or in both

2012 and the Northeast is returned in the result set.
The following illustration shows the impact of OR NOT operator:
Set Operator OR NOT
In this case, revenue generated in 2012 in any region (including the Northeast)
or revenue generated in all other years in any region except for the Northeast is
returned in the result set.
228 Set Operators
Filters
Finally, the following illustration shows the impact of the set operator AND
NOT on a result set:
Set Operator AND NOT
As shown above, revenue generated in 2012 in any region except the Northeast
is returned in the result set.
Set Operators
229
Filters
To change the set operator:
1 In the Filter Editor, add more than one condition to the Filter definition
pane.
2 In the Filter definition pane, right-click the set operator, point to Toggle
Operator, and select the desired set operator, as shown below:
230 Set Operators
Filters
Lesson Summary:
A report filter specifies the conditions that the data must meet to be
included in report results. If you are familiar with SQL syntax, the report
filter is usually equivalent to the WHERE clause in a SQL statement.
There are two categories of filters in MicroStrategyReport Filter and View

Filter.
The Report Filter enables you to apply filter conditions to a report that
display in the SQL used to retrieve the report result set. The report filter is
created as part of the report and is saved with the report definition.
The View Filter enables you to create a filter on the fly, based only on those
objects that exist in the Report objects pane.
View filters do not display in the report SQL. Rather, view filters are applied
after the data is retrieved from the warehouse, so only a subset of the result
set appears in the report view.
You can create the following types of report filtersAttribute qualification,

Set qualification, Shortcut to a Report, and Shortcut to a Filter.
Attribute qualification filters enable you to specify the conditions that

attribute elements must satisfy to be included in the report results.
Set qualification filters enable you to restrict report results based on a

metric.
Using existing report filter objects to define other report filters can be
thought of as embedding filters. It provides a useful means of managing
and leveraging existing report filter objects.
When a report filter has multiple conditions, they are always combined with
set operators. Set operators govern the interaction between different filter
conditions. If you have more than one condition in a report filter, you can
change the set operator to any of the followingAND, OR, OR NOT, and
AND NOT.
Lesson Summary:
231
Filters
232 Lesson Summary:

Exercises: Filters in Developer
Creating a Filter
Overview
In this exercise, you will create a new folder in the My Objects folder and name
it My Filters Exercises. You will then create a filter for the year 2012 and save it
in the My Filter Exercises folder.
Create the My Filters Exercises folder
1 In Developer, in the MicroStrategy Tutorial project, in the Folder List,

expand the My Personal Objects folder and select the My Objects folder.
3 Name the folder My Filters Exercises.
4 In the Object viewer, double-click the My Filters Exercises folder.
Create the report filter
5 On the File menu, point to New and select Filter.

6 In the New Filter window, leave Empty Filter selected and click OK.
7 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click the Time hierarchy.
8 Drag the Year attribute to the Filter definition pane.
233
9 In the Attribute Qualification pane, in the Qualify On drop-down list, leave

Elements selected.
10 In the Operator drop-down list, leave In list selected.
11 Click Add.
12 In the Select Objects window, below Available objects, double-click 2012 to
add it to the Selected objects list.
14 Click OK again to close the Attribute Qualification pane.
Save the filter
15 In the Filter Editor, click Save and Close.

16 Save the filter in the My Filters Exercises folder as Year 2012.
You will use this filter in a later exercise.
Creating Another Filter

Overview
Create another filter object that includes the following items: Jump Start Your
Brain, The Joy of Work, Nutrition 101, Pilates: The Way Forward,
Nanotechnology, and Being Digital. Name the filter List of Items, and save it in
your My Filters Exercises folder.
Create the filter
1 In MicroStrategy Developer, on the File menu, point to New and select

Filter.
234 Exercises: Filters in Developer
3 In the Filter Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click the Products
hierarchy.
4 Double-click the Subcategory attribute.
5 Double-click Business.
6 Double-click Item.
7 Select Jump Start Your Brain and, holding down the CTRL key on the
keyboard, select The Joy of Work.
8 Drag both of the attribute elements you selected to the Filter definition
pane.
9 In the Object Browser, click Go one level up twice to get back to the list of
attribute elements for the Subcategory attribute.
10 Double-click Sports & Health.

12 Select Nutrition 101 (if not already selected) and, while holding down the
CTRL key on the keyboard, select Pilates: The Way Forward.
13 Drag both of the selected attribute elements to the Filter definition pane.
14 Click Go one level up twice to get back to the list of subcategories.
15 Double-click Science & Technology.
17 Select Nanotechnology (if not already selected) and, while holding down
the CTRL key on the keyboard, select Being Digital.
18 Drag both of the selected attribute elements to the Filter definition pane.
You should now have six items listed in your qualification in the filter
definition pane.
235
Save the filter

20 Save the report filter in the My Filters Exercises folder as List of Items.
21 You will use this filter in a later exercise.
Qualifying on a Metric
Overview
Create a filter for Revenue over $5,000,000. Run a report with this new filter
and a template that has Region in the rows and Revenue in the columns. The
final report should look like the following:
When you are finished, keep the report open for the next exercise.
Create a metric qualification report filter
1 In the Folder List, select the My Filters Exercises folder.

2 On the File menu, point to New and select Filter.
4 In the Filter Editor, in the My Shortcuts pane, click Public Objects.
5 In the Object Browser, double-click the Metrics folder.
6 Double-click the Sales Metrics folder.

7 Drag the Revenue metric to the Filter definition pane.
8 In the set qualification pane, under Parameters, in the Function drop-down
list, leave Metric Value selected.
9 In the Operator drop-down list, select Greater than.
10 Below the operator drop-down list, in the Value text box, type 5000000
(without commas).
11 Click OK to close the set qualification pane.
Save the filter

13 Save the report filter in the My Filters Exercises as Revenue > $5,000,000.
Create and run a report using the report filter

hierarchy.
17 Drag the Region attribute to the rows of the template definition pane.
18 In the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click Public Objects.
21 Drag the Revenue metric to the columns of the template definition pane.
22 In the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click My Personal Objects.
24 Double-click the My Filters Exercises folder.
25 Drag the Revenue > $5,000,000 filter to the Report Filter definition pane.
237
28 Keep the report open for the next exercise.
Combining Two Filters in a Report

Overview
Using the Report Editor, modify the report from the previous exercise by
replacing the Revenue > $5,000,000 filter with the List of Items and the Year
2012 filters. The report should look like the following:
1 In the report from the last exercise, on the toolbar, click Design View.
2 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click My

Personal Objects.
4 Double-click the My Filters Exercises folder.
5 Drag both the List of Items and Year 2012 report filters to the Report
Filter definition pane.
6 In the Report Filter definition pane, right-click the Revenue > $5,000,000
filter, and select Remove.
7 In the MicroStrategy Developer window, click Yes to confirm.
8 In the Report Editor, click Grid View to run the report.
Save the report

11 In the Save the report to the My Reports Exercises folder as Regional
Revenue for Year 2012 and List of Items.
239
7
METRICS
Lesson Description
This lesson focuses on creating metrics in Developer. Metrics define the
analytical calculations you want to perform against your data warehouse; they
produce the results that you analyze for decision-making purposes.
This lesson begins with a brief look at facts. Facts are the MicroStrategy objects
on which metrics are based. Distinguishing between facts and metrics and
understanding how facts are used to build metrics is essential to understanding
metrics.
In this lesson, you will learn how to create a variety of metrics, including
simple and compound metrics. More advanced metrics such as level metrics
and transformation metrics are covered in the MicroStrategy Developer:
241
Metrics
Lesson Objectives
Define the different types of metrics, and create them using the Metric Editor
in Developer.
Explain the purpose of facts. (Page 243)
Explain the purpose of metrics. (Page 245)
Define the different types of metrics. (Page 248)
Define the components of a metric, and use the Metric Editor to create and
save metrics. (Page 252)
Define metric formatting properties, including the number format, header

display, and available subtotals. (Page 258)
Metrics
What Is a Fact?
Explain the purpose of facts.
Understanding facts is key to understanding metrics. Facts are values that

represent business performance. Some characteristics of facts are the
following:
They are typically numeric.
They can be aggregated to produce meaningful results.
Facts are found in the metadata. In a MicroStrategy project, you build fact
schema objects that point to those columns that store fact data. For example,
the MicroStrategy Tutorial project has facts such as Revenue, Cost, and Freight
that point to columns in tables that store values for these measurements.
The image below displays some of the fact schema objects in the MicroStrategy
Tutorial project:
Fact Schema Objects
What Is a Fact?
243
Metrics
If you open a fact with the Fact Editor, you see the warehouse columns and
tables to which it is mapped. The following image displays the definition of the
Revenue fact in the MicroStrategy Tutorial project:
Fact Editor for Revenue Fact
As shown above, one of the columns to which the Revenue fact is mapped is the
ORDER_AMT column in the ORDER_FACT table. The fact definition dictates
where in the data warehouse the MicroStrategy Engine goes when it needs to
retrieve Revenue data.
more information on the Fact Editor and creating facts refer to the
For
MicroStrategy Architect: Project Design Essentials course.
244 What Is a Fact?
Metrics
What Is a Metric?
Explain the purpose of metrics.
In the last section, you learned that a fact is a MicroStrategy schema object that
points to columns in the data warehouse that store fact data. A metric is an
object you create in Developer that performs a calculation on a fact. A metric
can employ everything from basic function, like sum, average, or standard
deviation to more advanced functions, like moving average, correlation, or
n-tiling.
provides over 200 built-in functions and operators for use in
Developer
creating metric calculations, including statistical, mathematical, and
financial calculations. You can view these functions in Developer in the
Schema Objects\Functions and Operators folder.
For example, if you want to see Average Revenue on a report, you need to build
a metric that averages the Revenue fact values. The formula for an Average
Revenue metric would look like the following:
Average Revenue Formula
What Is a Metric?
245
Metrics
To better understand the relationship between facts and metrics and how they
are used together to display calculations in reports, consider the following
example.
In your data warehouse, you have the following ORDER_FACT table, as shown
below:
ORDER_FACT Table
In this table, the ORDER_AMT column stores the revenue amount for each
order. You want to be able to access the revenue data in this table, so you create
a Revenue fact schema object that points to the ORDER_AMT column in the
ORDER_FACT table. The Revenue fact now enables the MicroStrategy Engine
to retrieve revenue data from the ORDER_AMT column of the ORDER_FACT
table.
Next, you want to view both average and total revenue figures on a report. To
calculate average revenue, you create an Average Revenue metric whose
formula is Avg(Revenue), where Revenue is the Revenue fact you created
earlier. The Avg function calculates the average revenue based on the values in
the ORDER_AMT column.
To calculate total revenue, you create a Total Revenue metric whose formula is
Sum(Revenue), where Revenue is again the Revenue fact you created earlier.
The Sum function calculates the total revenue based on the values in the
ORDER_AMT column.
246 What Is a Metric?
Metrics
After you have created these two metrics, you then place them on a report like
the following:
Report with Metrics
The above report shows the average and total revenue by day. Each metric
employs a different calculation, but both are based on the same Revenue fact.
You can use the same fact to build any number of metrics. You can also create
much more advanced metrics that have more complex expressions and
perform more advanced calculations. You can even combine metrics to create
new metrics.
more information on creating basic metrics, see Metric Creation
For
starting on page 252. For more information on creating advanced
metrics, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting
course.
What Is a Metric?
247
Metrics
Types of Metrics
Define the different types of metrics.
Metrics can belong to one of the following categories:
Simple
Nested
Compound
Derived
metrics are not covered in this lesson. For more information
Derived
on derived metrics, see the MicroStrategy OLAP Services lesson
Simple Metrics
As the name implies, simple metrics are the most basic metrics. You can use
simple metrics to create other types of metrics.
In their structure, simple metrics:
Include one or more aggregation functions
Are based on one or more facts or attributes
Include the specified level at which they are to be calculated
May include conditions that apply to its calculation
May include transformations, which are applied prior to its calculation
The following are examples of simple metrics:
Sum(Cost){~}
Count(Customer){~}
Sum (Revenue) {~} - Sum (Cost) {~}
248 Types of Metrics
Metrics
The {~} in these examples means the metric values are to be calculated at the
report level, the lowest attribute level on the report. For example, if the report
shows sales by year and month, the numbers will be calculated to reflect
monthly sales data. Creating metrics that use levels, conditions, and
transformations is covered in the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced
Reporting course.
Nested Metrics
Nested metrics are metrics that perform multiple aggregations by placing one
calculation formula inside, or nested, in another. They provide a convenient
way to use metric functionality when tables in the data warehouse do not
include data at the level needed for a specific type of analysis. The result of the
inner calculation formula is stored in an intermediate table, which is then used
to calculate the result of the outer calculation formula. As such, you can obtain
and analyze data at levels not physically available in the data warehouse.
For example, you may want to see profit data averaged at the year level, but
existing fact tables provide only month-level profit data. You can use nested
aggregation to obtain the desired results. To calculate a yearly average for
profit, create a nested metric with the following metric formula:
Avg(Sum(Profit){~, Month}){~, Year}
In calculating the above metric, the MicroStrategy Engine first sums the profit
for each month and stores those results in an intermediate fact table. The
MicroStrategy Engine then uses those results to calculate an average profit for
each year.
the inner calculation formula, the {~, Month} applied to
InSum(Profit),
which means that the calculation formula is calculated
at the month level, regardless of what attributes appear on the report.
{~,Year} applied to the outer Avg calculation formula, which

The
means that the calculation is calculated, or grouped by, the year level,
regardless of what attributes appear on the report.
intermediate tables created to calculate nested metrics only serve

The
the purposes of a specific metric calculation; they cannot be shared
across other metric calculations.
Types of Metrics
249
Metrics
In their structure, nested metrics:
Are based on either facts or attributes
Place at least one aggregation function inside of another aggregation

function
Include one or more level definitions
May include one or more conditions that apply to its calculation
May include one or more transformations, which are applied prior to its
calculation
Essentially, nested metrics are a special type of simple metric, in which one
simple metric formula is used to enable the calculation of another simple
metric. You only need nested metrics when the level at which data is stored in
the data warehouse prevents it from being calculated and analyzed at a desired
level. Nested metrics provide an alternative to modifying the physical data
warehouse tables.
more information on how to create nested metrics with the Metric
For
Editor, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting
course.
Compound Metrics
Compound metrics are created by combining one or more metric objects with
one or more mathematical operators or constants. You can create compound
metrics using simple, nested, or other compound metrics.
250 Types of Metrics
Metrics
The following are examples of compound metrics:
([Region Revenue] / [Company Revenue])
[Profit] *.15
The table below shows what can and cannot be used to define a compound
metric:
Components of Compound Metrics
Component
Allowed
Simple metrics
Nested metrics
Compound metrics
Simple metrics with levels, conditions,

or transformations as part of their
definition
Numeric constants
Not Allowed
Level definitions in the compound

metric definition
Condition definitions in the compound

metric definition
Transformations in the compound

metric definition
compound metric inherits the levels, conditions, and transformations

Aincluded
in the component metrics of its definition. You cannot include
levels, conditions, or transformations in the compound metric itself.
metrics are automatically updated with changes that are

Compound
made to the component metrics that are used in its definition.
Types of Metrics
251
Metrics
Metric Creation
Define the components of a metric, and use the Metric Editor to create and
save metrics.
Metric Editor
When you choose to create a new metric, the Metric Editor opens displaying
several tabs and panes, as shown below:
Metric Editor
Formula Tab
This tab is used to define a metric. The Formula tab contains the following:

objects you want to use in the metric filter definition.
252 Metric Creation
Metrics
My ShortcutsEnables you to jump to locations in the Object Browser. You

can customize your shortcuts.
more information on customizing your shortcuts, see Shortcut
For
Bar starting on page 49.
Metric Definition paneDisplays the complete metric definition, including

its formula, calculation level, condition (if any), and transformation (if
any). The bottom portion of the metric Definition pane changes depending
on what part of the metric definition you have selected in the top portion.
you first open the Metric Editor to create a new metric, the
When
metric Definition pane is empty.
Subtotals/Aggregation Tab
This tab is used to configure subtotal and dynamic aggregation settings for a
metric. The Subtotals/Aggregation tab contains the following:
Total subtotal functionEnables you to determine the aggregate function

used to calculate the Total subtotal values for the metric.
Dynamic aggregation functionEnables you to determine the aggregate

function used by the Analytical Engine for dynamic aggregation. Dynamic
aggregation occurs when a lower-level attribute is present in the Report
objects pane but is not displayed on the report template, which is only
possible with MicroStrategy OLAP Services.
more information on MicroStrategy OLAP Services, see the
For
MicroStrategy OLAP Services lesson starting on page 279.
more information on dynamic aggregation, refer to the
Form
Select the subtotals you want available for this metricEnables you to
specify which subtotals you want to be available for the metric when it is
placed on a report template that displays subtotals.
Metric Creation
253
Metrics
The Metric Editor also contains the Insert Function Wizard, which enables you
to define a metric formula using a wizard interface. You can access the Insert
Function Wizard from the toolbar above the metric Definition pane:
Insert Function Wizard
The Insert Function Wizard enables you to use any of the functions provided in
Developer, as shown in the table below:
254 Metric Creation
Metrics
Metric Components
Metrics have the following components:
Metric Components
Formula
Specifies the calculation to be

performed, including which
facts, attributes, or metrics are
used. If you are familiar with
SQL syntax, it is the
component of the metric that is
included in the SELECT
clause of a SQL statement.
Level (Dimensionality)
Specifies the level to which a

metric aggregates:
TargetDetermines the
attribute or hierarchy to
which a metric aggregates.
FilteringDetermines how
the metric interacts with the
report filter. If you are
familiar with SQL syntax, it
is the component of the
metric that is included in
the WHERE clause of a
SQL statement.
GroupingDetermines
how the metric is or is not
grouped. If you are familiar
with SQL syntax, it is the
component of the metric
that is included in the
GROUP BY clause of a
SQL statement.
Metric Creation
255
Metrics
Metric Components
Conditionality
Enables you to associate an

existing filter object with the
metric, so only data that meets
the filter conditions is included
in the calculation.
Transformation
Enables you to associate an

existing transformation
schema object with a metric.
Transformations offset the
metric values to selected
attributes. Although
transformations can be based
on any attribute, they are most
frequently based on
time-related attributes (for
example, last year or 6
months ago).
The formula and level (dimensionality) metric components are required for all
metric definitions. If you do not explicitly specify a level, the metric defaults to
report level. You can modify any of the above listed metric components with
the Metric Editor.
more information on the level, condition, or transformation
For
components of a metric, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer:
Creating a Simple Metric

Creating a simple metric involves defining a metric formula, determining
which subtotals to enable, and formatting the metric header and values.
Create a Simple Metric Formula

To launch the Metric Editor:
1 In Developer, on the File menu, point to New and select Metric.
256 Metric Creation
Metrics
2 In the New Metric window, select Empty Metric from the list of metric
object templates.
3 Click OK.
To create a simple metric formula:
1 In the Metric Editor, on the Formula tab, in the Object Browser, locate the
fact or attribute you want to use in the metric formula and drag it to the
Definition pane.
default aggregate function applied to a fact is Sum. For example,
The
if you drag the Revenue fact to the Definition pane, the resulting
metric formula would be Sum(Revenue). The default aggregate
function applied to an attribute is Count.
can change the aggregate function by using the Object Browser

You
to locate the function you want to use and dragging it to the existing
aggregate function in the Definition pane. You can also type the
function directly into the formula.
2 Click the Subtotals / Aggregation tab and make changes to the settings as
needed.
more information on modifying the settings on the Subtotals /
For
Aggregation tab, see Subtotals/Aggregation Tab starting on
page 259.
Saving a Metric
To save a metric:
1 In the Metric Editor, on the File menu, select Save.

2 In the Save As window, navigate to the location where you want to save the
metric.
3 Type a name for the metric and click Save.
Metric Creation
257
Metrics
Metric Formatting
Define metric formatting properties, including the number format, header
display, and available subtotals.
Metric Value and Header Formatting

Using the Format Cells window, you can specify formatting properties for a
metrics report header and for the numeric values it displays. The following
image shows the metric Format Cells window:
Format Cells Window
258 Metric Formatting
Metrics
The Format Cells window has the following tabs:
NumberEnables you to determine how metric values are displayed. For

example, you can determine whether values appear as general numbers,
percentages, or currency. You can also determine whether the values will
display with or without decimal places.
The Numbers tab is only relevant to metric values.
AlignmentEnables you to control the vertical and horizontal alignment of

the metric header or metric values and configure wordwrapping
FontEnables you to format the font and color of the metric header or
metric values
BorderEnables you to adjust the cell borders containing data
BackgroundEnables you to specify a background pattern and color for the

metric header or metric values
To set metric formatting properties:
1 In the Metric Editor, on the Tools menu, point to Formatting and select
Headers or Values.
2 In the Format Cells window, click the appropriate tab and format the metric
header or values as desired.
Subtotals/Aggregation Tab
Subtotals
After you define a metric formula, you can determine which subtotals are
available for the metric. By default, all subtotals are available. The following
steps describe how to disable unwanted subtotals for a metric.
Metric Formatting
259
Metrics
To disable subtotals for a metric:
1 In the Metric Editor, click the Subtotals / Aggregation tab.

2 In the Available subtotals for metric list, select the subtotals you want to
disable and click < to move them to the Project subtotals list.
Total subtotal has its own setting for disabling it for a metric. For
The
more information, see To disable the Total subtotal function for a
metric: starting on page 261.
subtotals you disable are not displayed, even when the metric is
The
used on a report where subtotals are selected.
Total Subtotal Function

Enabling subtotals is a common report manipulation, which can seem rather
simple. However, consider what happens when you have a metric, Count
Distinct (Items Sold), on your report, as in the following illustration:
Count Distinct
Since the same item could have been sold on more than one date in more than
one month, simply summing across the Count Distinct (Items Sold) metric
values for each month can no longer be used to calculate an accurate Total
subtotal for the metric. In other words, 522 may not be the number of distinct
items that sold across the five months. Disabling subtotals for the Items Sold
metric will prevent an incorrect Total subtotal value from displaying.
Metrics
To disable the Total subtotal function for a metric:
1 In the Metric Editor of the metric for which you want to disable the Total
subtotal, click the Subtotals / Aggregation tab.
2 In the Total subtotal function drop-down list, select None.
Total subtotal function setting enables you to either completely
The
disable the Total subtotal or simply change the aggregate function
used to calculate the Total subtotal values for a metric. Selecting
Default uses the default operator for that type of metric, which is
typically Sum. Selecting None disables the Total subtotal entirely.
You can also select from a variety of other aggregate functions (for
example, Average or Maximum) to calculate the Total subtotal
values.
3 In the Metric Editor, click Save and Close.

With the Total subtotal for the Count Distinct (Items Sold) metric disabled, the
report now looks much better:
Total Subtotal for Count Distinct
Metric Formatting
261
Metrics
Smart Metrics
You may need to select the Allow Smart Metric check box for compound
metrics and some simple metrics (those that combine two or more calculation
formulas with arithmetic operators). When the Allow Smart Metric check box
is selected for a metric, it changes the manner by which its metric values,
including any of its subtotals, are calculated. Select the Allow Smart Metric
check box any time strictly summing the metric values does not produce a
meaningful Total subtotal value.
For example, consider the following report:
Yearly Sales without Smart Metrics Enabled
The Total value in the last column is incorrect; it is strictly a sum of the
percentages of the Ratio of Discount to Revenue metric. To calculate a
meaningful Total value for this metric, the Total value of the Discount metric
must be divided by the Total value of the Revenue metric, and to do this you
must select the Allow Smart Metric check box.
Metrics
The Allow Smart Metric setting ensures that the Total value for the Ratio of
Discount to Revenue metric is calculated using the Total values of the Discount
and Revenue metrics, rather than simply summing across the percentages of
the Ratio of Discount to Revenue metric. You can refer to this behavior as
smart totaling. If you enable smart totaling in this case, you get the following,
correct results:
Yearly Sales with Smart Metrics Enabled
To enable the Allow Smart Metric setting for a metric:
1 In the Metric Editor of the metric for which you want to enable smart
totaling, click the Subtotals / Aggregation tab.
2 Select the Allow Smart Metric check box.
check box is only available for compund metrics and some
This
simple metrics (those that combine two or more calculation
formulas with arithmetic operators).
Metric Formatting
263
Metrics
Lesson Summary
Facts are values that represent business performance. They are typically
numeric and they can be aggregated to produce meaningful results.
Facts are metadata objects. In a MicroStrategy project, you build fact

schema objects that point to the tables that store fact data.
A metric is an object you create in Developer that performs a calculation on

a fact. A metric can employ everything from basic functions, like sum,
average, or standard deviation to more advanced functions like moving
average, correlation, or n-tiling.
Metrics can belong to one of the following categoriesSimple, Nested,

Compound, and Derived.
Simple metrics are the most basic metrics. You can use simple metrics to
create other types of metrics.
Nested metrics are metrics that perform multiple aggregations by placing

one calculation formula inside, or nested, in another. They provide a
convenient way to use metric functionality when tables in the data
warehouse do not include data at the level needed for a specific type of
analysis.
Compound metrics are created by combining one or more metric objects

with one or more mathematical operators or constants. You can create
compound metrics using simple, nested, or other compound metrics.
Metrics have the following componentsFormula, Level (Dimensionality),

Conditionality, and Transformation.
Using the Format Cells window, you can specify formatting properties for a
metrics report header and for the numeric values it displays.
After you define a metric formula, you can determine which subtotals are
available for the metric. By default, all subtotals are available.
You should select the Allow Smart Metric check box any time strictly
summing the metric values does not produce a meaningful Total subtotal
value.
264 Lesson Summary

Exercises: Metrics in Developer
Create a Simple MetricCost
Overview
In this exercise, you will create a Cost metric and save it in a new folder called
My Metrics Exercises. Define the Cost metric as a sum of the cost fact and
format the values as currency with two decimal points. Format the values so
that negative numbers display in red with no negative sign or parentheses.
Create the My Metrics Exercises folder
1 In Developer, in the Folder List, in the MicroStrategy Tutorial project,

expand the My Personal Objects folder and select the My Objects folder.
3 Name the folder My Metrics Exercises.
Create the simple metric
4 In the Object Viewer, double-click the My Metrics Exercises folder to

begin working in it.
5 On the File menu, point to New and select Metric.
6 In the New Metric window, leave Empty Metric selected and click OK.
Exercises: Metrics
265
7 In the Metric Editor, in the Object Browser, drag the Cost fact to the
Definition pane.
Default, MicroStrategy Developer uses Sum as the aggregation
Byfunction.
Values.
9 In the Format Cells window, on the Number tab, set the Category to
Currency, change Decimals places to 2, and set the Negative numbers to
display in red with no negative sign and no parentheses, as shown
below:

Save the metric
266 Exercises: Metrics in Developer
12 Save the metric in the My Metrics Exercises folder as Cost.

is already another Cost metric in the MicroStrategy Tutorial
There
project, but identically-named objects may exist in the same project
as long as they reside in different folders. Even so, it is important

that a company creates and follows standard naming conventions to
avoid any confusion.
You will use this metric on a report in a later exercise.
Create a Simple MetricRevenue

Overview
Create a new Revenue metric using the Revenue fact and save it in your My
Metrics Exercises folder. Define the Revenue metric as a sum of the Revenue
fact and format the values as currency with two decimal points. Format the
values so that negative numbers display in red with no negative sign or
parentheses.
Create the metric
1 On the File menu, point to New, and select Metric.

3 In the Metric Editor, in the Object Browser, drag the Revenue fact into the
Definition pane.
default, MicroStrategy Developer uses Sum as the aggregation
Byfunction.
Values.
Exercises: Metrics
267
5 In the Format Cells window, on the Number tab, set the Category to
Currency, change the Decimals places to 2, and set the Negative numbers
to display in red with no negative sign and no parentheses.
Save the metric

8 Save the metric in the My Metrics Exercises folder as Revenue.
is already another Revenue metric in the MicroStrategy
There
Tutorial project, but it is in another folder.
You will use this metric on a report in the next exercise.
Use the Created Metrics in a Report

Overview
Create and run a report that contains the Item attribute and your new Cost and
Revenue metrics. The first few rows of the report should look like the
following:
Save the report as Item, Cost, Revenue.

Create the report
1 In the Folder List, expand the My Reports folder and select the My
Reports Exercises folder.
2 In the Object Viewer, right-click in a blank area, point to New, and select
Report.
4 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click the Products
hierarchy.
Exercises: Metrics
269
5 Drag Item to the rows of the template definition pane.

7 Double-click the My Objects folder.
8 Double-click the My Metrics Exercises folder.
10 Drag the Cost metric to the right of Revenue in the template definition
pane.
Save the report
11 In the Report Editor, click Save and Close.

12 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Item, Cost, Revenue.
13 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Item, Cost, Revenue report to run
it.
15 Close the Item, Cost, Revenue report.
Create a Compound MetricProfit Margin

Overview
Create a compound metric called Profit Margin, using the Revenue and Cost
metrics you created earlier. You should define Profit Margin as (Revenue Cost)/Revenue. Save the metric in your My Metrics Exercises folder.
1 In the Folder List, select the My Metrics Exercises folder.
2 On the File menu, point to New and select Metric.

4 In the Metric Editor, in the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click Home.
5 In the Object Browser, double-click the My Personal Objects folder.
6 Double-click the My Objects folder.
Validate the metric
8 Drag the Revenue metric to the Definition pane.

9 In the Definition pane, in the toolbar, click the Subtraction operator icon.
10 Drag the Cost metric to the Definition pane.
11 In the Definition pane, in the toolbar, click the Division operator icon.
12 Drag the Revenue metric to the Definition pane.
The following formula should display in the Filter definition
pane:((Revenue Cost) / Revenue)
sure you use the metrics in the My Metrics Exercises folder
Make
you created earlier, and not the facts of the same names.
13 Click Validate.
a green check mark displays on the bottom of the window, you
Ifdefined
the metric formula correctly. Otherwise, review the formula
and try again.
Save the metric

15 Save the metric in the My Metrics Exercises folder as Profit Margin.
is already another Profit Margin metric in the MicroStrategy
There
Tutorial project, but it is saved in a different folder.
You will use this metric in a report in a later exercise.
Exercises: Metrics
271
Use Profit Margin in a Report

Overview
Modify the Item, Cost, Revenue report to create a report that contains
Category, Item, Revenue, Cost, and Profit Margin. Name the report Compound
Metric- Profit Margin and save it in your My Reports Exercises folder. The first
few rows of the report should look like the following:
1 In the Folder List, select your My Reports Exercises folder
2 In the Object Viewer, right-click the Item, Cost, Revenue report, and
select Edit.
3 In the Object Browser, double-click the Products hierarchy.
4 Drag Category to the left of Item in the template definition pane.
5 In My Shortcuts, click My Personal Objects.
8 Drag Profit Margin to the right of Cost in the template definition pane.
Save the report
9 In the Report Editor, on the File menu, select Save As.

10 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Compound MetricProfit Margin.
metric values for Profit Margin display as zeros because you

The
have not yet formatted the Profit Margin metric so that its values
display as percentages.
Format a compound metric
12 In the report, on the View menu, select Design View.

13 In the Report Editor, in the template definition pane, right-click the Profit
Margin metric and select Edit.
14 In the Report Editor warning message window, click OK.
Values.
16 In the Format Cells window, on the Number tab, set Category to Percent
and the Decimal places to 2.
Exercises: Metrics
273

20 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Compound Metric- profit Margin
report to run it.
Enable Smart Metric

23 In the Subtotals window, on the Definition tab, under the Available
subtotals list, select the Total check box.
24 Click OK.
25 Scroll to the bottom of the report and notice the percentage total for the
Profit Margin metric.
26 In the report template, right-click the column header for the Profit Margin
metric, and select Edit to calculate the meaningful Total value for the Profit
Margin metric.
a Report Editor warning window opens, click OK to close the
Ifwindow.
27 In the Profit MarginMetric Editor, click the Subtotals / Aggregation tab.
28 In the bottom left corner of the Metric Editor, select the Allow Smart
Metric check box.
31 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Compound MetricCompound
Metric- Profit Margin- Profit Margin report to run it.
32 Scroll to the bottom of the report and notice the change in the percentage
total for the Profit Margin metric.
33 Close the Compound Metric- Profit Margin report.
Display Subtotals
Overview
There are several steps to this exercise. First, modify the Cost metric to disable
the Total and Average subtotals for the metric. Second, create a new report
using Item, Revenue, and Cost. Finally, display Average, Maximum, and
Standard Deviation subtotals on the new report.
The first few rows of the report should look like the following:
Save the report as Item, Cost, and Revenue with Subtotals.

Exercises: Metrics
275
Disable Total and Average subtotals for the Cost metric
1 In the Folder List, in the My Objects folder, select the My Metrics

Exercises folder.
2 In the Object Viewer, right-click the Cost metric and select Edit.
3 In the Metric Editor, click the Subtotals / Aggregation tab.
4 In the Total subtotal function drop-down list, select None to disable the
Total subtotal.
5 In the Available subtotals for metric list, select the Average subtotal and
click < to move it to the Project subtotals list.

Create a new report
7 In the Folder List, under My Personal Objects, select your My Reports

Exercises folder.

hierarchy.
11 Drag Item to the rows in the template definition pane.
12 In My Shortcuts, click My Personal Objects.
15 Drag Revenue to the columns in the template definition pane.
16 Drag Cost to the right of Revenue in the template definition pane.
Display Average, Maximum, and Standard Deviation subtotals
18 In the report, on the Data menu, select Subtotals.
Exercises: Metrics
277
19 In the Subtotals window, on the Definition tab, select the Average,

Maximum, and Standard Deviation check boxes.
exclamation marks beside the Total and Average subtotals

The
indicate that these subtotals are not available for all the metrics on
the report, since you disabled both of them for the Cost metric.
20 Click the Display Options tab.

21 Under Subtotal positions by row, click Top of each level.
22 Click OK to close the Subtotals window.
Save the report

25 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Item, Cost, and
Revenue with Subtotals.
8
MICROSTRATEGY OLAP
SERVICES
Lesson Description
This lesson describes the functionality provided by MicroStrategy OLAP
Services, an optional, add-on application to Intelligence Server, that enables
you to enhance the power of the reports you create.
279
MicroStrategy OLAP Services
Lesson Objectives
Describe the features provided by MicroStrategy OLAP Services, including
report objects, view filters, and derived metrics. Use the Report objects pane,
and create view filters and derived metrics in reports.
List the types of analysis that are provided by OLAP Services. (Page 281)
Add and remove objects to and from the template and the Report objects
pane. (Page 282)
Create view filters. (Page 285)
Create derived metrics. (Page 288)
Introduction to OLAP Services

List the types of analysis that are provided by OLAP Services.
MicroStrategy OLAP Services is an add-on product to Intelligence Server.

While this product is not required to develop reports, the functionality it
provides can greatly enhance the type of analysis you can achieve with your
reports.
This product provides MicroStrategy customers with the following types of
analysiscube analysis, derived elements, in-memory OLAP with the use of
report objects, view filters, and derived metrics.
In this lesson you will learn more about report objects, view filters, and derived
metrics.
more information on cube analysis, Visual Insight, Data Import,
For
and derived elements, refer to the MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced
Reporting course.
Introduction to OLAP Services
281
Report Objects
Add and remove objects to and from the template and the Report objects pane.
With MicroStrategy OLAP Services, you gain an important design featurethe

ability to add attributes and metrics to a report definition without having them
be displayed on the template. The SQL query for such a report retrieves data
for all objects of the report definition (whether or not they are displayed on the
template) and stores it in a report cache. Users can then drag additional objects
onto the template of the report without generating any new SQL or querying
the data warehouse. The data for the objects is simply retrieved from the report
cache that was created when the report was first executed, resulting in faster
response times for users and less traffic to and from the data warehouse.
The Report objects pane displays all of the objects that are part of the report
definition. Objects that are displayed on the template display in boldface type
in the Report objects pane, while those not displaying on the template display
in plain text type.
Report objects pane with Many Attributes and Metrics
282 Report Objects
Methods for Adding Report Objects

When adding objects to a report, you can either add them so they are displayed
after the report runs, or you can add them so they are included in the SQL
generated when the report runs, but do not display in the initial report view.
With the second option, after the report runs, you can add and remove those
objects to and from the report view without regenerating any SQL. You can add
an object to a report using either of the following methods:
In the report, drag objects from the Object Browser onto the template or the
Report objects pane.
the object is placed in the template definition pane, it is displayed
Ifwhen
the report runs. If the object is placed in the Report objects
pane, it is included in the generated SQL, but is not initially
displayed when the report runs.
In the report, right-click an object in the Object Browser, and select Add to
Rows, Add to Columns, Add to Page-by, or Add to Report Objects.
With MicroStrategy OLAP Services, when attributes are added to the Report
objects pane, they look like the following:
Report objects pane
In the above example, notice the + signs next to the attributes. By clicking the
+ sign, you expand an attribute to view its attribute forms. You can then
easily drag specific attribute forms of the attribute onto the template. For
example, to view just the last names of customers in the initial report view,
simply drag the Last Name attribute form of the Customer attribute from the
Report objects pane onto the template. As with objects, attribute forms that are
displayed on the template display in boldface type in the Report objects pane,
while those not displaying on the template display in plain text type.
Report Objects
283
Methods for Removing Report Objects

When removing an object from a report, you can remove the object from the
report definition entirely, or you can remove it only from the report view, while
keeping it in the Report objects pane and part of the report definition.
You can remove objects from the report definition entirely using the following
methods:
In a report, drag an object from the template or the Report objects pane
into the Object Browser. Since you are changing the report definition, new
SQL will need to be generated.
In a report, right-click an object on the template or in the Report objects

pane and select Remove from Report. Again, since you are changing the
report definition, new SQL will need to be generated.
Remove from Report option is available without MicroStrategy

The
OLAP Services.
You can remove objects from the report view, while keeping them in the Report
objects pane using the following methods:
In a report, drag an object from the template to the Report objects pane. If
you want to add the object back to the template, you can do so at any time
without regenerating any SQL.
In a report, right-click an object header on the template, and select

Remove from Grid. Again, if you want to add the object back to the
template, you can do so at any time without regenerating any SQL.
Remove from Grid option is only available with MicroStrategy

The
OLAP Services.
284 Report Objects
View Filters
Create view filters.
A view filter enables you to further narrow down a report view, using only
those objects in the Report objects pane, (even if they are not displayed on the
template). When you add or change a view filter, the original report filter
remains intact. (Recall that report filter conditions are applied in the SQL of a
report when the report runs.) Only after a report result set is retrieved, are the
view filter conditions applied, so only a subset of the report results is displayed
in the report view.
Another key difference between report filters and view filters is that view filter
conditions of a report are local to that report. In other words, view filter
conditions cannot be reused or shared across reports like report filters. View
filters can, however, be saved with the report definition.
For example, the following report has Region and Call Center in the rows and
Revenue in the columns of the report view:
Regional Call Centers Revenue Report
The View Filter window, which is shown above the report grid, enables you to
create view filter conditions.
View Filters
285
To create a view filter:
1 In a report, if the View Filter window is not already showing, on the View
menu, select View Filter.
2 In the View Filter window, click Click here to start a new qualification.
View Filter window displays three parameters for creating view
The
filter conditionsField, Operator, and Value.
3 Click Field to display a drop-down list of objects that exist in your Report
objects pane.
4 Select the object with which you want to create the view filter condition.
you select an attribute, you will have the option to qualify on any
Ifattribute
form that is being displayed in the report view or to choose
from a list of attribute elements.
5 Select the desired operator from the drop-down list.

list of operators will vary depending on your selection for the
The
Field parameter.
6 Manually type in a value, select a value from a list of elements, or compare
the object you selected to another object in the Report objects pane.
list of options will vary depending on your selection for the Field
The
parameter.
286 View Filters
7 Click Apply to apply your view filter condition to the report view, as shown
below:
is also an Auto-Apply changes check box that, when selected, no

There
longer requires you to manually click Apply every time you modify or
create a new view filter condition, as shown below:
To create additional view filter conditions
8 Click New .
9 Repeat steps 3 to 7.
you have multiple view filter conditions, the default set operator
When
is AND. Click a set operator and select AND, AND NOT, OR, or OR NOT
to change it. For more information on set operators, see Set Operators
all the view filter conditions, click Clear, followed by Apply.

ToOr,remove
to remove a specific view filter condition, right-click the view filter
condition, and select Remove qualification.
View Filters
287
Derived Metrics
Create derived metrics.
Derived metrics are metrics you can create within a report, using only those
objects in the Report objects pane (even if they are not displayed on the
template), as well as functions and operators.
In their structure, derived metrics:
May include one or more functions and operators
Are based on the attributes and metrics in the Report objects pane
May be simple or compound, and therefore will inherit the characteristics

of whichever type you create.
more information on the characteristics of simple and compound

For
metrics, see Metric Creation starting on page 252.
For example, if you have a report with Call Center, Unit Price, and Units Sold
in its definition, you can create the following derived metrics:
[Unit Price] * [Units Sold]
Count (Call Center) {~}
Just like with view filters, derived metrics are local to the report in which they
are created. In other words, when you create a derived metric on a report, it is
not a metric object that is available for use in other reports. You can, however,
save derived metrics to the report definition.
To create a derived metric:
1 Open a report in Grid view.

2 On the Insert menu, select New Metric.
3 In the Input Metric Formula window, in the Metric Name box, type a name
for the derived metric.
288 Derived Metrics
4 In the right-hand side window, define the derived metric formula using the
available objects in the Report Objects folder combined with functions and
operators.
like in the Metric Editor, you can use the Insert Function
Just
Wizard to define a derived metric formula.
5 In the Input Metric Formula window, click OK to add the derived metric to
the report template or the report view.
6 To format the derived metric, right-click its header, and select Formatting.
a derived metric is created, you can remove it from the report
After
display like you would any other object.
Built-In Derived Metrics

Another great benefit of MicroStrategy OLAP Services is built-in derived
metrics. Many common metrics that are typically defined in terms of other
metrics are available from the Insert menu when you have MicroStrategy
OLAP Services.
Derived Metrics
289
By selecting a metric header in your report view, and then clicking the Insert
menu, you can insert a derived Percent to Total, Transformation, or Rank
metric based on your selected metric.
Built-In Derived Metrics
Built-in derived metrics are also referred to as shortcut metrics.
290 Derived Metrics
Lesson Summary
MicroStrategy OLAP Services is an add-on product to Intelligence Server.

This product provides MicroStrategy customers with the following analysis:
cube analysis, derived elements, in-Memory OLAP with the use of report
objects, view filters, and derived metrics.
With MicroStrategy OLAP Services, you gain an important design

featurethe ability to add attributes and metrics to a report definition
without having them displayed on the template. The SQL query for such a
report retrieves data for all objects of the report definition and stores it in a
report cache.
The Report objects pane displays all of the objects that are part of the report
definition.These are the objects retrieved from the data warehouse and
stored in the report cache.
A view filter enables you to further narrow down a report view, using only
those objects in the Report objects pane.
When you add or change a view filter, the original report filter remains
intact. Only after a report result set is retrieved, the view filter conditions
are applied, so only a subset of the report results is displayed in the report
view.
Derived metrics are metrics you can create with the Report Editor, using
only those objects in the Report objects pane.
Lesson Summary
291
292 Lesson Summary

Exercises: MicroStrategy OLAP Services
Using the Report objects pane to Add Attributes
Overview
Create a simple report with a report filter for June 2012 and use the Report
objects pane to include attributes and metrics in the report definition without
displaying them on the template. The first few rows of the initial report results
should look like the following:
1 In the MicroStrategy Tutorial project, in the Folder List, select the My
293
4 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, double-click the Customers

hierarchy.
5 Drag Customer, Customer City, Income Bracket, and Payment Method
into the Report objects pane.
you do not see the Report objects pane, click on the View menu and
Ifselect
Report Objects.
6 Click Go one level up to return to the list of hierarchies.
7 Double-click the Geography hierarchy.

8 Drag Region, Call Center, and Country into the Report objects pane.
9 Click Go one level up to return to the list of hierarchies.

11 Drag Year, Month, Quarter, and Day to the Report objects pane.
12 In My Shortcuts, click Public Objects.
13 Double-click the Metrics folder.
15 In the Object Browser, drag Revenue, Profit, Profit Margin, and Cost to
the Report objects pane.
16 In the Report objects pane, drag Region, Call Center, Revenue, and Profit
to the template definition pane as shown below:
17 In the Report objects pane, expand the Customer attribute.
294 Exercises: MicroStrategy OLAP Services
18 Drag the Last Name attribute form to the rows of the template, to the right
of the Call Center attribute.
19 In the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click Data Explorer.

21 Double-click the Month attribute.
22 Drag Jun 2012 into the Report Filter definition pane.
23 In the Report Editor, on the View menu, select Grid View.
The report may take a few seconds to execute.
24 On the Grid menu, select Merge Row Header Cells.

26 Practice dragging attributes from the Report objects pane to the template
and vice versa, and notice that the Report data reflects the changes
immediately.
objects from the Report objects pane to the template or the
Dragging
report filter defintion does not generate any SQL.
Save the report

28 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Using Report
Objects.
295
Using View Filters

Overview
Create a simple report with an empty report filter and use the view filter to
narrow down your report view. The report should contain Category,
Subcategory, Year, and Revenue on the template. The final report should look
like the following:
Save the report in the My Report Exercises folder as Using View Filters. You
can use the detailed instructions that follow if you want help.
1 In Developer, in the Folder List, select your My Reports Exercises folder.
hierarchy.
5 Drag Category and Subcategory to the rows of the template definition
pane.

8 Drag Year to the columns of the template definition pane.
9 In My Shortcuts, click Public Objects.
12 Drag Revenue below Year in the columns of the template definition pane.
Your template should now look like the following image:
13 In the Report Editor, on the View menu, select Grid View to run the report.
14 If you do not see the View Filter window, in the report, on the View menu,
select View Filter.
15 In the View Filter window, select the Auto-Apply changes check box.
16 In the View Filter window, click Click here to start a new qualification.
17 Click Field and select Category.
18 In the Operator drop-down list, select In list.
19 In the Value drop-down list, select Select Elements.
20 In the Select elements for the qualification from the list below window, in
the Available objects list, hold down SHIFT on the keyboard and select
Books and Electronics.
21 Click the arrow button to add them to the Selected objects list.
22 Click OK to close the Select elements for the qualification from the list
below window.
297
Save the report
24 In the Report, click Save and Close.

25 Save the report in the My Report Exercises folder as Using View Filters.
Create and Format a Derived MetricGrowth

Overview
In this exercise, you will create and format a derived metric named Growth and
use it on a new report. You will use the Revenue metric you created and the
Last Years Revenue metric in the derived metrics formula. You will filter the
report to display data only from the year 2012. The final report should look like
the following:
1 In Developer, in the Folder List, in the My Reports folder, select the My
2 In the Object Viewer, right-click a blank area, point to New and select
Report.
hierarchy.
5 Drag Call Center into the rows of the template definition pane.
10 In the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click Public Objects.
13 Double-click the Transformation Sales Metrics folder.
14 Drag the Last Years Revenue metric to the right of Revenue in the
template definition pane.
15 In the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click Data Explorer.
17 Double-click Year.
18 Drag 2012 to the Report Filter definition pane.
299
19 In the Report Editor, on the View menu, select Grid View to run the report.
The report results should look like the following:
20 In the report, on the Insert menu, select New Metric.

21 In the Input Metric Formula window, drag Revenue from the Report
objects folder on the left to the window on the right.
22 Click the subtraction operator (-) button.
23 Drag Last Years Revenue from the Report objects folder on the left to the
right of the subtraction operator (-) in the window on the right. Notice that
parentheses are automatically added around Revenue-[Last Years
Revenue].
24 Click the division operator (/) button.
25 Drag Last Years Revenue from the Report objects folder on the left to the
right of the division operator (/) in the window on the right.
parentheses play a crucial role in the order of operations
The
because calculations in parentheses are performed before other
calculations in the metric formula. You need to divide the difference

between Revenue and Last Years Revenue by Last Years Revenue .
Without parentheses, the division would occur first, producing
undesired derived metric values.
26 In the Metric Name box, type Growth. The Input Metric formula window
should now look like the image below:
27 Click OK.
28 In the template, right-click the Growth metric header, point to Formatting,
and select Growth Values.
29 In the Format Cells window, on the Number tab, select Percent.
Save the report

33 Save the report in the My Report Exercises folder as Growth Data.
301
9
PROMPTS AND SEARCHES
Lesson Description
This lesson explains how to create and use prompts and searches. Prompts are
powerful objects that you can incorporate into a report. With prompts, you can
create reports that allow end-users to define the report content at run time. In
this way, you can create fewer reports, while still satisfying the requirements of
many users.
In addition, this lesson describes how to search for objects in Developer. As
you may have already noticed, the number of objects in a project can multiply
rapidly, and the ability to search for objects can be quite useful.
Prompts and searches can also be used in combination with each other to help
manage a reporting environment that changes dynamically as objects are
created and deleted.
303
Prompts and Searches
Lesson Objectives
Define the different types of prompts, and explain how you can use search
objects inside prompts. Create prompts and searches in Developer.
Explain the purpose of a prompt. Define the different types of prompts. Use
the Prompt Generation Wizard to create the different types of prompts.
(Page 305)
Create filter definition prompts, and use them in reports. (Page 310)
Create and use object prompts in a report. (Page 319)
Create and use value prompts. (Page 324)
Create prompts on the fly within the Report Editor. Use the Re-prompt
report button to modify prompt answers in a prompted report. Choose the
appropriate settings when saving a report containing prompt objects in its
definition. (Page 328)
Use various search criteria to search for objects in a MicroStrategy project.

Use the results of a search object in a prompt object. (Page 336)
What Is a Prompt?
Explain the purpose of a prompt. Define the different types of prompts. Use the
Prompt Generation Wizard to create the different types of prompts.
Prompts are used to dynamically modify the contents of a report. With

prompts, you can determine the objects you want to retrieve for the report and
report filtering conditions at run time. In addition, you can make different
prompt selections each time you run the report.
For example, you can create a prompt for filtering criteria that qualifies on the
Year attribute. When you run a report with this prompt in its report filter, you
are asked to select which years data you want to see. You can run the report the
first time by selecting 2011, and run it a second time by selecting 2012.
What Is a Prompt?
305
Creating Prompts
You create all types of prompts with the Prompt Generation Wizard, which
guides you through the prompt creation process, as shown below:
Prompt Creation Wizard
You can control several aspects of how prompts display and how they function,
including the following:
Types of prompts
General information for the prompts
Default prompt answers
Types of Prompts
Using the following prompt types, you can create a prompt for nearly every
part of a report:
Filter definition promptEnables you to select filtering criteria from

hierarchies, attributes, attribute element lists, and metrics
306 What Is a Prompt?
Object promptEnables you to select objects to include in a report, such as

attributes, metrics, custom groups, template objects, report filter objects,
and so forth
Value promptEnables you to select a single value on which to qualify such

as a date, number, or text string. A value prompt is not directly placed in a
report. Instead, you embed it in an attribute or metric qualification.
can also place value prompts in metric formulas to make metric
You
calculations dynamic.
Level promptEnables you to specify the level for a metric. A level prompt
is not directly placed in a report. Instead, you embed it in a metric object.
more information on level prompts, refer to the MicroStrategy
For
General Information on Prompts

After selecting the type of prompt, the next step on creating a prompt is
defining general characteristics for the prompt.
The image below shows all the options available in this phase of the prompt
creation:
Prompt Creation Options
What Is a Prompt?
307
Option
Description
Title and Instructions
You can customize the title and instructions of

a prompt, both of which are displayed to
end-users when they are answering the
prompt.
Web Options
You can define how the prompt displays when

it is executed in MicroStrategy Web. Click
Modify to open the Web Options window,
which displays options for prompt style, style
properties, and defining the qualification.
Save and Reuse Prompt

Answers
This determines if personal answers can be

saved for this prompt. Personal answers allow
a user to save prompt answers for this prompt,
and then reuse the answers on any report that
this prompt is used on.
For more information on saving and reusing
prompt answers, see Save and Reuse Prompt
Answers starting on page 331.
Limit Elements for Selection

and Amount of Prompt
Answers
You can also specify a minimum or maximum

number of prompt answers allowed.
Required Answers
You can indicate whether a prompt answer is

required or optional. A required prompt
requires an answer to be selected, or the report
will not run. An optional prompt does not
require an answer to be selected.
To specify answer requirements, select or clear
the Prompt answer required check box on
the last screen of the Prompt Generation
Wizard.
Default Prompt Answers
You can specify default prompt answers for

end-users, which they can modify at run time.
308 What Is a Prompt?
The image below displays the Web Options window for a hierarchy prompt:
Web Options Window
The image below shows the page on the Prompt Generation Wizard where you
define default prompt answers:
Default Prompt Answers
What Is a Prompt?
309
Filter Definition Prompts

Create filter definition prompts, and use them in reports.
Filter definition prompts are used within report filters to specify conditions
that data must meet to be included in report results.
Creating Filter Definition Prompts

You can choose from the following types of filter definition prompts:
310 Filter Definition Prompts
Choose from all attributes in a hierarchyEnables you to qualify on any

attribute or attribute element that belongs to the specified hierarchy.
Choose from All Attributes in a Hierarchy
Qualify on an attributeEnables you to qualify on the attribute forms or the

attribute elements of the specified attribute.
Qualify on an Attribute
311
Choose from an attribute element listEnables you to qualify on a list of

attribute elements of the specified attribute.
Choose from an Attribute Element List
Qualify on a metricEnables you to qualify on the specified metric.

Qualify on a Metric
The procedures below covers the steps to create two types of filter definition
prompts: the Qualify on an Attribute prompt type and the Qualify on a Metric
prompt type. For detailed steps on the other types of filter definition prompts,
refer to the Basic Reporting Guide.
Qualify on an Attribute
This type of filter definition prompt can be used to create a more focused
prompt than the hierarchy prompt. After creating this type of filter definition
prompt, the user can qualify on only the attribute built into the prompt (rather
than from any attribute in a hierarchy) or any attribute that is returned by a
specific search object.
313
Only the option to qualify on the attribute built into the prompt is described
below, but the procedure for creating the other type of attribute prompts is
similar.
To create a qualify on an attribute prompt:
1 In Developer, on the File menu, point to New and select Prompt.

2 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, click Filter definition prompt.
3 In the list of filter definition prompts, select Qualify on an attribute and
click Next.
4 On the Select an attribute or an attribute search object to be used on the
prompt page, click Choose an attribute.
5 Click Browse.
6 In the Open window, select the attribute you want to use in the prompt, and
click OK.
7 On the Select an attribute or an attribute search object to be used in the
prompt page, in the Displayed forms drop-down list, select what attribute
forms should be displayed for the attribute qualification. You can select to
display All attribute forms of the attribute, just its Browse forms, its
Report Display forms, or Custom Forms.
select Custom Forms, click Select Forms to select from a list
Ifof you
available attribute forms for that attribute.
8 Click Next.
9 On the Provide general information for the prompt page, in the Display
properties section, define the following settings:
In the Title box, type a title for the prompt.
In the Instructions box, type instructions so the users understand which

choices they have to make when answering the prompt.
Click Modify to change the display style of the prompt in MicroStrategy

Web.
In the Personal answers allowed drop-down list, select from None,

Single, or Multiple.
more information about saving and reusing prompt answers, see

For
Save and Reuse Prompt Answers starting on page 331.
10 In the Prompt Restrictions section, define the following settings:
Select the Max number of elements for selection check box if you
want to specify the maximum number of attribute elements a user is
allowed to select per qualification. For example, a user is qualifying on
the Year attribute, and he is selecting from a list that contains the
following elements2010, 2011 and 2012. If this setting is set to 2, the
user can only select two (or less) of these year elements.
setting is available only for two types of filter qualification

This
prompts: Choose from all elements in a hierarchy and Qualify on an
attribute.
Select the Minimum number of qualifications check box if you want to

specify the minimum amount of qualifications allowed, then set that
number.
Select the Maximum number of qualifications check box if you want to

specify a maximum amount of qualifications allowed, then set that
number.
Select the Prompt answer required check box if you want to require
users to answer the prompt before running the report.
you select Prompt answer required without providing default

Ifanswers,
the report cannot execute on a schedule.
11 Click Next.
12 On the Select default prompt answer(s) page, click Add to define default
answers for the prompt.
default answers for prompts is optional. To skip this step, click
Defining
Finish.
13 In the Qualification Editor, select default answers to the prompt, and click
Save and Close.
14 On the Select default prompt answer(s) page, click Finish.
15 In the Save As window, navigate to the location in which you want to save
the prompt.
16 Type a name, and click Save.
315
Qualify on a Metric
This type of filter definition prompt can be used to enable a user to qualify on a
metric. The user can qualify on the metric built into the prompt or any metric
that is returned by a specific search object. Users can qualify on the value, rank,
or percentage of the metric.
option to qualify on the metric built into the prompt is described
The
below, but the procedure for creating the other types of metric prompt is
similar.
To create a qualify on a metric prompt:

2 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, click Filter definition prompt.
3 In the list of filter definition prompts, select Qualify on a metric and click
Next.
4 On the Select a metric or metric search object to be used in the prompt
page, select from the following options:
Choose a metric objectEither type the metric name in the box or

click Browse to select a metric.
Use the results of a search objectEnables you to use a search object

to define the list of metrics to display in the prompt.
Use a pre-defined list of metricsSelect specific metrics to display for

users at runtime. Use the buttons described below to create the list:
AddOpens the Select Objects window, which enables you to select the
objects for the list
an element has been selected, this button is replaced by
After
Modify, which opens the Select Objects window so you can modify
the previous selection.
RemoveDeletes the selected objects from the list

ClearDeletes all the objects from the list
Up and Down arrows move the selected element to change the
The
order that the elements are displayed in the prompt.
5 Click Next.


Web.


For
7 In the Prompt Restrictions section, define the following settings:
Select the Minimum number of qualifications check box if you want to

specify the minimum amount of qualifications allowed, then set that
number.
Select the Maximum number of qualifications check box if you want to

specify a maximum amount of qualifications allowed, then set that
number.

Ifanswers,
8 Click Next.
default answers for prompts is optional. To skip this step,
Defining
click Finish.
10 In the Qualification Editor, select default answers to the prompt, and click
Save and Close.
the prompt.
317
Using Filter Definition Prompts in a Report

To use a filter definition prompt, you must include it in a report filter object or
in the report Filter definition pane of a report.
To build a report with a filter definition prompt:
1 In the Report Editor, in the Object Browser, locate the filter definition
prompt you want to use and drag it to the Report Filter definition pane.
You can also drag it to the Filter definition pane of the Filter Editor.
2 Add more report filter conditions if desired.

3 Save the report.
When you run the report, a window that looks similar to the Filter Editor
displays. If the filter definition prompt is required, you must answer (resolve)
the prompt before the report runs.
To resolve a filter definition prompt:
1 Run a report containing a filter definition prompt.

2 The next actions you take depend on the type of filter definition prompt in
the report, but they are very similar to what you would do in the Filter
Editor to define a report filter condition.
more information on defining report filter conditions, see Types
For
of Report Filters starting on page 218.
3 Click Finish to run the report with your prompt answers.
Details window, you can see your prompt answers in
InthetheformReport
of report filtering conditions.
Object Prompts
Create and use object prompts in a report.
Object prompts can be used to create a prompt on almost any type of

MicroStrategy object. For example, you can prompt on a list of metrics or
attributes to place on a template, or you can prompt on a list of report filter
objects to apply to a metric. Object prompts enable you to create very versatile
reports.
With an object prompt you can qualify on a specified list of MicroStrategy
objects or any MicroStrategy object that is returned by a search object. The
following is an object prompt that enables the user to select from a specified list
of metrics to place on a template:
Object Prompt
The option to qualify on a specified list of MicroStrategy objects is described

below, but the procedure for creating the other types of object prompts is
similar.
Object Prompts
319
Creating Object Prompts

To create an object prompt:

2 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, click Object prompt.
3 Click Next.
4 On the Reduce the number of objects available to the user at runtime page,
select from the following options:
Use a pre-defined list of objectsSelect specific objects to display for

users at runtime. Use the buttons described below to create the list:
AddOpens the Select Objects window, which enables you to select the
objects for the list
an element has been selected, this button is replaced by
After
Modify, which opens the Select Objects window so you can modify
the previous selection.
RemoveDeletes the selected objects from the list

ClearDeletes all the objects from the list
Up and Down arrows move the selected element to change the
The
order that the objects are displayed in the prompt.
Use the result of a search objectEnables you to use a search object

to define the list of objects to display in the prompt.
more information on using search objects, see What Is a Search

For
Object? starting on page 336.
The Display using folder structure check box shows the object path
(folder hierarchy). This option, available for search objects only, is
useful when the same object with the same name is saved in multiple
folders.
can only use objects of the same type in one object prompt. For
You
example, you can include metrics or attributes in an object prompt,
but not both. If you want to prompt for multiple object types in the
same report, you have to create an object prompt for each object
type.
320 Object Prompts
5 Click Next.


Web.


For
7 In the Prompt restrictions section, define the following settings:
Select the Minimum objects check box if you want to specify the
minimum amount of objects a user is allowed to select, then set that
number.
Select the Maximum objects check box if you want to specify a

maximum amount of objects a user is allowed to select, then set that
number.
you select the Prompt answer required check box without

Ifproviding
default answers, the report cannot execute on a schedule.
8 Click Next.
default answers for prompts is optional. To skip this step, click
Defining
Finish.
10 In the Select Objects window, select default answers to the prompt, and
click OK.
Object Prompts
321
the prompt.
Using Object Prompts in a Report

Object prompts have multiple uses, but one of the most common uses is to
place object prompts for metrics, attributes, consolidations, or custom groups
on a template. You might also use an object prompt for a report filter or for the
condition component of a metric.
To build an object with an object prompt:
1 Create the object in which you want to use the object prompt. It may be a
report, a template, a metric, or another MicroStrategy object.
2 In the object editor, with the Object Browser, locate the object prompt and
drag it to the appropriate section of the object editor. For example, if your
object prompt presents a list of metrics, drag it to the columns or rows of
the template definition pane in the Report Editor. If your object prompt
presents a list of report filters objects, drag it to the Report Filter definition
pane in the Report Editor.
3 Save the object.
When you run the report, a prompt resolution window opens listing the objects
from which you can choose to answer the object prompt. If the object prompt is
required, you must answer (resolve) the prompt before the report runs.
To resolve an object prompt:
1 Run a report containing an object prompt.

2 Select objects from the list in the left window and click > to add them to the
right window.
3 Click Finish to run the report with your prompt answers.
322 Object Prompts
Using Object Prompts for Report Building

Assume you need to create a completely dynamic report that asks users at run
time to choose what data to filter on and what attributes and metrics to display
on the report. Object prompts enable this type of dynamic report creation. As
the report designer, you can build a report that acts as a report building wizard
that incorporates object prompts to define the report filter and template
contents on the fly.
To create a wizard-like report that uses object prompts:
1 Create an object prompt that uses a predefined list of filters. Choose a wide
variety of filters based on many different aspects of the MicroStrategy
project. Give a title and description to the object prompt. Save and close it.
object prompt can contain only one object type. Therefore, you
Each
must create a separate object prompt for each object type.
2 Create another object prompt that uses a predefined list of attributes. Offer
a variety of attributes from every hierarchy. Give this object prompt a title
and description. Save and close it.
3 Create a third object prompt that uses a search object to find every metric
object. This assumes that you want to prompt on every metric available in
the project. Otherwise, you could use a predefined list of metrics. Give this
object prompt a title and description. Save and close it.
4 Create a new report. Add the first object prompt to the filter definition pane
in the Report Editor. Add the second and third object prompts to the
template.
5 Run the report and notice how the combination of prompts act like a report
building wizard.
Object Prompts
323
Value Prompts
Create and use value prompts.
Value prompts are typically used as part of a filter definition, but they may also
be used as part of a metric formula. You can prompt on a date, a numeric value,
a text string, a big decimal value, or a long value.
long value prompt is not enabled by default. To enable the long
The
value prompt, in Developer, from the Tools menu, select My
Preferences. In the My Preferences window, under Categories, select

Prompts. Select the Add long prompts to the list of available value
prompts check box.
The following is an example of a text value prompt that prompts users to type
select a date:
Text Value Prompt
324 Value Prompts
Creating a Value Prompt

To create a value prompt:

2 In the Prompt Generation Wizard open, click Value prompt.
3 Click Next.
4 On the Choose a value prompt type page, select the type of value prompt
you want to create. The options are: Date and Time, Numeric prompt, Text
prompt, Big Decimal, or Long prompt.
Long prompt is only displayed if it is enabled in the My Preferences
The
window.
5 Click Next.


Web.


For
In the Prompt Restrictions section, define the following settings: Select

the Minimum value check box if you want to set the lowest value
allowed for the prompt answer, then set that number.
Value Prompts
325
Select the Maximum value check box if you want to set the highest
value allowed for the prompt answer, then set that number.

Ifanswers,
7 Click Next.
8 On the Select default prompt answer(s) page, select the Default value
check box, and type the value in the text box.
If you are creating a date prompt:
If you click on the drop-down list, a calendar displays, from which you
can select a specific date.
To set a dynamic date, that is, a date or time range that meets specific
offset conditions, click Date Editor.

10 In the Save As window, select the folder in which to save the new prompt.
Using Value Prompts in a Report

Where you use a value prompt depends on the type of value prompt you create:
Date prompts can be used in any place where you would normally specify a
date, such as in a filter that qualifies on an attribute of a date data type.
Numeric prompts can be used in any place where you would normally
specify a number, such as in a metric qualification.
Text prompts can be used in any place where you would normally specify a
text string, such as in an attribute form qualification.
326 Value Prompts
Big decimal prompts can be used in any place where you need to qualify on
a high precision value (up to 38 digits), such as an attribute qualification on
the ID attribute form.
To use a value prompt:
1 Create the object in which you want to use the value prompt. (It may be a
report filter or a metric.)
2 In the object editor, with the Object Browser, locate the value prompt, and
drag it to the appropriate section of the object editor. For example, if you
are using a date prompt in a date qualification filter, drag the date prompt
beside the Value box in the Attribute Qualification window.
3 Save the object.
When you run the report, a prompt resolution window opens. If the value
prompt is required, you must answer (resolve) the prompt before the report
runs.
To resolve a value prompt:
1 Run a report containing a value prompt.

2 Type an appropriate value.
3 Click Finish to run the report with your prompt answer.
Value Prompts
327
Other Prompt Topics

Create prompts on the fly within the Report Editor. Use the Re-prompt report
button to modify prompt answers in a prompted report. Choose the
appropriate settings when saving a report containing prompt objects in its
definition.
Creating Local Prompts

You can also create prompts on the fly within the Report Editor.
To create prompts on the fly within the Report Editor:
1 Open a report in Design View.

2 In the Object Browser, right-click an attribute and select Report Filter
Prompt.
prompt will become part of the report definition and cannot be
This
re-used in other reports.
can also right-click a metric or report to create a Report Filter
You
Prompt. The prompt will be added to the report and the Prompt
Generation Editor will not open.
3 In the Prompt Generation Editor, select one of the prompt generation

options:
List all <attribute>Creates a prompt that lists all the elements of the
selected attribute. At run time, the user selects which elements to
include.
Qualify on the Attribute <attribute>Creates a prompt that qualifies

on the selected attribute. At run time, the user completes the
qualification. Attribute elements that meet the qualification are
displayed on the report.
328 Other Prompt Topics
List <attribute> filtered byCreates a prompt that lists all the

elements that meet the filter qualification. At run time, the user selects
which of those elements to include.
can either type in the name of the filter or click the browse
You
button.
The Prompt Generation Editor is shown below:
4 Click OK.
Re-prompting Open Reports

Simply refreshing a report will not re-prompt it. To re-prompt an open report,
click the Re-prompt button found on the toolbar, as shown below:
Re-prompt
When you click the Re-prompt report button, the prompt selection window
opens. You can then make a new selection of prompt answers, which will be
applied when the report re-executes.
Other Prompt Topics
329
Saving Reports with Prompts

When you save a prompted report after answering prompts and running the
report, you are presented with additional save options, as shown below:
Save Options
The Save Options window has the following options:
StaticYou will no longer be prompted when you run the report in the
future. The prompt answers you selected are saved to the report definition
and used every time you run the report in the future.
PromptedYou will continue to be prompted every time you run the report
in the future. You can choose whether to be prompted for just the filter
definition prompts, just the template prompts, or both.
Set the current prompt answers to be the default prompt

answersThe prompt answers you select become the new default prompt
answers when you run the report in the future. This check box is only
enabled if Prompted is selected.
Remember options next timeYour selections in the Save Options

window will become the default selections when you save prompted reports
in the future.
Save and Reuse Prompt Answers

When you run a prompted report or document, you are required to answer the
prompt every time you execute the report or the document. You can save the
prompt answers and reuse them when you run the same report again. This
feature is particularly useful when you have to select a long list of elements for
an attribute element prompt or create a complex expression for an expression
prompt.
The image below shows the Prompt Generation Wizard option for saving your
personal answers when defining the prompt:
Prompt Generation Wizard
answers must be enabled for prompts in the Project

Personal
Configuration Editor before you can allow personal answers.
Personal answers are saved for each prompt and each user, but they can be
used on different reports. When you create a prompt, you can enable none,
single, or multiple personal answers:
None: No personal answers can be saved. Every time a prompt is displayed,

he must answer it (if it is required) or ignore it.
Other Prompt Topics
331
Single: Only one personal answer can be saved. When the prompt is used
again (on this report or a different one), the personal answer is displayed. A
user can keep the personal answer, or add or delete selections. The user can
save changes, but only one personal answer can be saved for the prompt.
For example, you run a report with the Year attribute and Revenue metric
on the template and an attribute element prompt on the Year attribute. The
user has selected the Remember this answer check box and answered the
prompt with year 2011 and 2012. When the user runs the report again, 2011
and 2012 prompt answers will be displayed as the default prompt answers,
as shown below:
Single Element Prompt Display
Multiple: Multiple user answers can be saved enabling different answers for
the same prompt. When the prompt is used again (on this report or a
different one), the personal answers are available, and the user can select
one of them or answer the prompt manually. The image below shows
multiple saved answers:
Multiple Element Prompt Window
answers are saved in the My Personal Objects\My

Personal
Answers\Prompt Answers folder.
If the report designer places shortcuts to the same prompt in multiple reports,
users can access their saved answers in all of those reports.
To save single prompt answers at report run time:
1 Run a prompted report.

procedure assumes the report includes a prompt that was
This
created with the Personal answers allowed: Single option.
2 Select your prompt answers.
Other Prompt Topics
333
3 Select the Remember this answer check box.

4 Click Finish.
To save multiple prompt answers at report run time:

procedure assumes the report includes a prompt that was
This
created with the Personal answers allowed: Multiple option.
2 Select your prompt answers.
3 Select the Save this answer check box.
4 In the text box on the top of the page, type a name for the saved prompt
answers, as shown below:
5 Click Set as Default, if desired.

6 Click Finish to run the report.
To reuse your prompt answers at report run time:

2 Below the prompt description, click the drop-down list.
3 Select the desired prompt answer.
You can edit your previous prompt answers by clicking Edit Answers.
4 Click Finish.
Other Prompt Topics
335
What Is a Search Object?

Use various search criteria to search for objects in a MicroStrategy project. Use
the results of a search object in a prompt object.
Searches enable you to search for a specific object or a collection of objects that
meet certain criteria. You can restrict the search results by name, ID, and
location, the date range during which objects were created or last modified,
object type, and object owner. The more criteria you specify, the smaller the
number of objects that will meet those criteria and be returned.
The Search for Objects Editor

You perform searches using the Search for Objects Editor.
To access the Search for Objects Editor:
1 In Developer, on the Tools menu, select Search for Objects, as shown

below:
By default, you can use the Search for Objects window to restrict search results
by one or more of the following criteria:
336 What Is a Search Object?
Object name and location
Date range of object creation or modification
Object type
Object owner
Object ID
Search By Components
You can search for objects containing particular objects or objects contained by
particular objects by enabling two additional tabs using the Search Options
window.
To activate the Contains and Contained By tabs:
1 In the Search for Objects Editor, on the Tools menu, select Options.
2 In the Search Options window, select the Show Contains and
Contained By tabs check box.
3 Click OK to close the Search options window.
can search for objects that are contained by particular objects,
You
rather than creating an independent search.
To view components of an object using the search by components shortcut:
1 Select the object in which you want to view components.

2 Right-click and select Search for Components.
337
Search Based on Object ID

Users can now search for objects based on an object ID in the Search for
Objects window.
To enable the search option:

2 In the Search for Objects window, on the Tools menu, select Search by ID,
as shown below:
3 Enter your search criteria.

4 Click Find Now.
Saving Searches
You can save searches just like any other MicroStrategy object to use them
again later or incorporate them into prompt objects.
of the prompts described in the previous topic can use the results
Many
of a search to generate a list of potential prompt answers.
To save a search:
1 With the Search for Object Editor, create a search.
338 What Is a Search Object?
2 On the File menu, select Save.

the search, enter a name for the search, and click Save.
Search-based Prompts
You may recall from the previous topic that the Prompt Generation Wizard has
the option to reference a search object in defining certain types of prompts.
Using searches in prompts enables you to limit a possibly overwhelming set of
potential prompt answers. It also allows you to make the set of potential
prompt answers more dynamic, since the set of potential prompt answers is the
list of objects returned by the search object, rather than a static list.
For example, suppose you want to create a report which template includes an
object prompt that allows users to select from a list of metrics which name
contains the word Revenue. You first create a search that returns a list of
metrics which name contains the word Revenue. You then incorporate the
search object into an object prompt, which you then place on the report
template. Every time the report runs, the search object executes to return the
latest list of metrics with the word Revenue, which is then presented to the
user in the prompt answer window. This way, the user always selects from the
latest list of revenues.
339
Lesson Summary
Prompts are used to dynamically modify the contents of a report. With

prompts, you can determine, at run time, the objects you want to retrieve
for the report and the report filtering conditions.
You can make different prompt selections each time you run the report.
You create the following types of prompts with the Prompt Generation
Wizardfilter definition prompt, object prompt, value prompt, and level
prompt.
Filter definition prompts are used within report filters to specify conditions
that data must meet to be included in report results.
Object prompts enable you to create very versatile reports. With an object
prompt you can qualify on a specified list of MicroStrategy objects or any
MicroStrategy object that is returned by a search object.
Value prompts are typically used as part of a filter definition, but they may
also be used as part of a metric formula. You can prompt on a date, a
numeric value, a text string, a big decimal value, or a long value.
You can also create prompts on the fly within the Report Editor.
When you save a prompted report after answering prompts and running
the report, you are presented with additional save options. You can save the
report as a prompted or static report.
You can save the prompt answers and reuse them when you run the same
report again.
Searches enable you to search for a specific object or a collection of objects

that meet certain criteria.
You can restrict the search results by name, ID, and location, the date range
during which objects were created or last modified, object type, and object
owner.
Using searches in prompts enables you to limit a possibly overwhelming set

of potential prompt answers. It also allows you to make the set of potential
prompt answers more dynamic.
340 Lesson Summary

Exercises: Prompts and Searches
Create Filter Definition Prompts
Overview
Create the following three prompts and use them in the report filter of a report
that has Item and Revenue on its template.
Prompt on the Product hierarchy
Prompt on the Quarter attribute element listUsers see the entire list of
elements, and 2012 Q4 should be the default answer. Answering the
prompt is required.
Metric qualification prompt Users should be prompted to qualify on

the Revenue metric.
Choose the following answers to the prompts:
Books
2012 Q3 and 2012 Q4
Revenue greater than 20,000
The report results should look like the following:
341
Create the My Prompts Exercises folder
1 In the Folder List, in the MicroStrategy Tutorial project, under My Personal

Objects, select the My Objects folder.
3 Name the folder My Prompts Exercises.
Create a prompt on the Product hierarchy
4 In the Object Viewer, double-click the My Prompts Exercises folder to

begin working in it.
5 On the File menu, point to New and select Prompt.
6 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, keep the Filter definition prompt option
selected.
7 Ensure that Choose from all attributes in a hierarchy is selected and
click Next.
8 On the Reduce the number of hierarchies available at runtime page, click
Choose a hierarchy object.
9 Click Browse.
10 In the Open window, select the Products hierarchy.

11 Click OK.
12 On the Reduce the number of hierarchies available at runtime page, click
Finish.
13 In the Save As window, save the prompt as Choose from all attributes in
the Products hierarchy.
Create a prompt on the Quarter attribute elements
14 In MicroStrategy Developer, on the File menu, point to New and select

Prompt.
342 Exercises: Prompts and Searches
2013 MicroStrategy, Inc.
15 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, keep the Filter Definition Prompt

option selected.
16 Select Choose from an attribute element list and click Next.
17 On the Select the attribute to be used in the prompt page, click Browse.
18 In the Open window, in the Time folder, select the Quarter attribute.
19 Click OK.
20 On the Select the attribute to be used in the prompt page, click Next.
21 On the Reduce the number of elements available to the user at runtime
page, keep the List all elements (no restriction) option selected.
22 Click Next.
23 On the Provide general information for the prompt page, click Next.
24 On the Select default prompt answer(s) page, click Add.
25 In the Select Objects window, in the Available objects list, select 2012 Q4.
26 Use the > button to add it to the Selected objects window.
29 Save the prompt in the My Prompts Exercises folder as Choose from all
elements of Quarter.
Create a prompt on the Revenue metric

31 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, keep the Filter definition prompt option
selected.
32 Select Qualify on a metric and click Next.
343

page, keep the Choose a metric object option selected.
34 Click Browse.
35 In the Sales Metrics folder, select the Revenue metric.

36 Click OK.
page, click Finish.
38 In the Save As window, save the prompt as Qualify on metric object
Revenue.
Create a report using these three prompts

43 Double-click the My Prompts Exercises folder.
44 Drag the following three prompts into the Report Filter definition pane:
Choose from all attributes in the Products hierarchy
Choose from all elements of Quarter
Qualify on metric object Revenue
45 In the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click Attributes.

46 In the Object Browser, double-click the Products folder.
47 Drag the Item attribute into the rows of the template definition pane.
48 In the Object Browser, in My Shortcuts, click Metrics.
50 Drag the Revenue metric into the columns of the template definition pane.
52 Answer the prompts as follows:
For the first prompt, in the left window, double-click the Category
attribute to expand it. Drag Books to the right window and click Next.
For the second prompt, notice that the default answer, 2012 Q4, is
already selected. In the left window, select 2012 Q3 and click the >
button to add it to the right window. Click Next.
For the third and final prompt, in the set qualification pane, in the
Parameters section, change the Operator to Greater than and in the
Value box, type 20000.
Click OK.
In the Filter Definition Prompt window, click Finish.
53 Compare your results to the expected results in the Overview section at the
Save the report with a prompted filter

55 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Filter Definition
Prompts.
56 In the Save Options window, click Prompted.
57 Click Only filter will be prompted.
58 Click OK.
345
Create Object Prompts

Overview
Create a report that prompts you to select both the metrics and attributes that
display on the template.
The metric prompt should enable you to choose either the Average Revenue
metric or the Units Sold metric.
The attribute prompt should enable you to select any attribute returned by
the Search for all objects of type Attribute search. (This search object is
already built for you and can be found in the Public Object\Searches
folder.)
This original report should use an empty report filter (no filter criteria) and
be named Prompts-Original.
When you run the report, select Units Sold, Category, and Year, so the report
results look like the following:
You will then save the report as prompted with the name Prompts-Template
Prompted. Run the report again, and save the report by selecting the static save
option. You will name the static version of the report Prompts-Static.
Finally, answer the following questions:
What are the differences between Prompts-Original, Prompts-Template

Prompted, and Prompts-Static?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Answer: When you run the report Prompts-Original it will prompt you and will
not contain any previously-selected metrics or attributes. When you run
Prompts-Template, you will still be prompted, however, the metric and
attributes you saved will already be selected when the prompt opens. When
you run the Prompts-Static, you will not be prompted. The report will open up
with the metrics and attributes you previously selected.
Which reports prompt you?

_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Answer: Prompts-Original and Prompts-Template.
Which ones have default answers selected?

_______________________________________
Answer: Prompts-Static.
What does this tell you about the different save options?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Answer: You can either save a report to run a new prompt every time, without
any previously selected report objects. Another option is to set a prompted
report so that the previously selected objects are provided as default answers.
The third option is to save the report as a static report which will not prompt
the user and instead will run using the previously selected objects.
347
Create a prompt for sales metrics

2 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, click Object prompt and click Next.
keep the Use a pre-defined list of objects option selected and click Add.
4 In the Select Objects window, in the Available objects window, double-click
the Public Objects folder.
5 Double-click the Metrics folder.
7 Select Average Revenue and, while holding down the CTRL key on the
keyboard, select Units Sold.
8 Click > to move the list of metrics to the Selected objects window.

10 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, click Finish.
11 In the Save As window, save the prompt as Choose from a list of metrics.
Create a prompt for attributes

13 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, click Object prompt.
14 Click Next.
click Use the results of a search object.
16 Click Browse.
17 In the Open window, select the Search for all objects of type Attribute
search object.
18 Click OK.
19 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, click Finish.
20 Save the prompt in the My Prompts Exercises folder as Choose from a list
of attributes.
Create a report using the object prompts

25 Double-click the My Prompts Exercises folder.
26 Drag the Choose from a list of metrics prompt into the columns of the
349
27 Drag the Choose from a list of attributes prompt to the rows of the
default, the sequence in which you add prompts to a report
Bydetermines
the order in which the prompts display when the user
runs the report. However, you can change this order by selecting
Prompt Ordering from the Data menu. In the Prompt Ordering
window, use the arrow keys to re-order the prompt objects in the
report.
Prompt Ordering option under the Data menu is only available

The
when a report has more than one prompt object.
Save the report

29 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Prompts-Original.
Run the original report
30 In the Folder List, select the My Reports Exercises folder.

31 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Prompts-Original report to run it.
32 For the first prompt, in the left window, select Units Sold.
33 Click > to move it to the right window.
34 Click Next.
35 For the second prompt, in the left window, select Category and, while
holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard, select Year.
36 Click > to move both attributes to the right window.
37 In the right window, select Category, and click the down arrow button to
the right of the right window.
will result in the Category attribute displaying to the right of the
This
Year attribute on the report template.
38 In the prompt selection window, click Finish.
Save the report with a prompted template and run it again

41 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Prompts - Template
Prompted.
42 In the Save Options window, select Prompted.
43 Select Only template will be prompted.
44 Leave the Set the current prompt answers to be the default prompt
answers check box selected.
selected, prompt answers you selected during report run time
Ifbecome
the new default prompt answers. When the report runs
again, these answers display as default prompt answers.
45 Click OK to return to the report.

46 In the report, click Re-prompt report to return to the prompt selection
window.
the this prompt and the next prompt, notice that the answers
For
you selected the last time now display as the default answers.
47 Click Next.
48 Click Finish.
Save and run the report with the static save option

50 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Prompts - Static.
51 In the Save Options window, click Static.
52 Clear the Remember options next time check box.
53 Click OK to return to the report.
54 Close the report.
351
55 In the Object Viewer, double-click the Prompts-Static report to run it.

are no longer prompted since you saved the report as a static
You
report and the report ran with your previously saved prompt
answers.
56 Close the report.

57 Return to the beginning of the exercise and answer the questions.
Create a Value Prompt

Overview
Suppose you want to see a report that lists all employees hired before a certain
date, and you select the date when you run the report. If you enter January 20,
2012 as the hire date, the first few rows of the result should look like the
following:
Creating this prompted report is a little different than the previous reports
because the prompt is not created as an independent object. Instead, you will
create the prompt from within the Report Filter definition pane.
When you create the report filter, you will see the following screen:
Note that there is a difference between the value prompt (created by clicking
Simple Prompt):
and the filter prompt (created by clicking Prompt):
Using the Simple Prompt button, you can create a value prompt that allows the
user to only enter a date value for the hire date. Using the Prompt button, you
can create an attribute filter definition prompt that enables the user to select
the operator and enter a date value for the hire date.
Detailed Instructions:
hierarchy
4 Drag the Employee and the Hire Date attributes to the rows of the
353
5 In the Object Browser, drag the Hire Date attribute to the Report Filter
definition pane.
6 In the Attribute Qualification window, from the Qualify On drop-down list,
select ID.
7 In the Operator drop-down list, select Less than.
8 Click Simple Prompt:
9 In the Prompt Generation Wizard, on the Provide general information for

the prompt page, click Next.
10 On the Select default prompt answer(s) page, clear the Default value check
box and click Finish.
12 In the report, click Run Report.
13 In the prompt selection window, click Date Editor.
14 In the Date and Time Editor, keep the Static date option selected and enter
1/20/2012 as the date value.
Alternatively, you can use the drop-down calendar to select a date.
15 Click OK to close the Date Editor.
16 In the prompt selection window, click Finish.

Save the report with a prompted filter

19 Save the report in the My Reports Exercises folder as Value Prompt.
20 In the Save Options window, select Prompted.
21 Select Only filter will be prompted.
22 Click OK.
355
A
MICROSTRATEGY TUTORIAL
Appendix Description
This appendix provides information on the MicroStrategy Tutorial project,
including the data model and physical warehouse schema.
357
MicroStrategy Tutorial
The MicroStrategy Tutorial Data Model

A data model is a diagram that shows the information you want to analyze in a
project and how that information is related. It typically depicts the flow of data
in an organization, and it should make sense to even the most basic of end
users. It does not show the physical structure of how the information is stored
in the data warehouse.
more detailed information about data modeling, refer to the Project
For
Design Essentials.
Although the MicroStrategy Tutorial data model is included in this section for
your reference, you can also view it directly in the product.
To view the MicroStrategy Tutorial data model:
1 In Developer, log in to the project source that contains the MicroStrategy

Tutorial project and expand the MicroStrategy Tutorial project.
2 On the Schema menu, point to Graphical View and select Hierarchies.
3 In the Hierarchy Viewer, to view a different hierarchy, in the Hierarchy
drop-down box, select the hierarchy you want to view.
4 To focus on a different entry point, in the Entry Point drop-down box, select
the entry point you want to view.
5 To view the entire hierarchy in the window, on the View menu, select Fit in
window.
can rearrange the attributes by dragging them. Rearranging
You
attributes does not affect the browse order, but it enables you to view
the hierarchy in a way that is meaningful to you.
6 To return to the default view, on the View menu, select Auto arrange.
7 To save the layout view of the hierarchy, on the File menu, select Save
layout. The next time you open the Hierarchy Viewer, it displays the saved
view.
The MicroStrategy Tutorial data model consists of the following hierarchies:
Geography
358 The MicroStrategy Tutorial Data Model
Customers
Time
Products
Geography Hierarchy
359
Customers Hierarchy
Time Hierarchy
Products Hierarchy
361
The MicroStrategy Tutorial Schema

A schema is a logical and physical definition of warehouse data elements,
physical characteristics, and interrelationships. This appendix shows the
physical schema with the data types displayed. You can also choose to view the
logical schema on your own. For instructions, refer to the procedure below.
For more detailed information on the schema, refer to the Project Design
Guide.
Although the MicroStrategy Tutorial physical schema is listed below for your
reference, you can also view the physical or logical schema directly in the
product.
To view the MicroStrategy Tutorial schema:
1 In Developer, log in to the project source that contains the MicroStrategy

Tutorial project and expand the MicroStrategy Tutorial project.
2 On the Schema menu, point to Graphical View and select Tables.
3 In the Table Viewer, to change display preferences for the logical view, on
the Options menu, select any of the following options:
Show joinsEnables you to select whether to connect the tables to
represent the joins between the table columns
Use circular joinsEnables you to select whether to use circular joins
Show relationshipsEnables you to select whether to map the
relationships between the tables
Show relationship typesEnables you to select whether to
differentiate between one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and
many-to-many relationships
Show columnsEnables you to select whether to display the
warehouse columns that define each attribute as a link between the
logical and physical views
4 To switch to the physical view, on the View menu, select Physical view.
363
5 To change display preferences for the physical view, on the Options menu,
select any of the following options:
Show joinsEnables you to select whether to connect the tables to
represent the joins between the warehouse tables
Use circular joinsEnables you to select whether to use circular joins
Show column data typesEnables you to select whether to show the
data type and size for each column
Show table prefixesEnables you to select whether to display the table
prefix as part of the table name
6 To switch back to the logical view, on the View menu, select Logical view.
7 To view the entire schema in the window, on the View menu, select Fit in
window.
can rearrange the tables by dragging them. Rearranging the tables
You
does not affect the relationships or joins, but it enables you to view the
tables in a way that is meaningful to you.
8 To return to the default view, on the View menu, select Auto arrange.
9 To save the layout view of the tables, on the File menu, select Save layout.
The next time you open the Table Viewer, it displays the saved view.
10 To copy the layout view, on the File menu, select Copy as Metafile (.wmf).
364 The MicroStrategy Tutorial Schema
The MicroStrategy Tutorial schema is divided into the following parts:
Geography
Customers
Time
Products
Fact tables
Partition mapping table
365
Geography Schema
Customers Schema
367
Time Schema
Products Schema
369
Fact Tables Schema
Index
INDEX
A
administration
Database Instance Manager 46
Schedule Manager 46
User Manager 46
advanced sort 116
attribute 66
attribute elements 30
attributes 29
C
cache 282
change journaling 75
consolidation 66
cross-tab 65
Cube Analysis, Derived Elements, Report
Objects, View Filter, Derived
Metric 281
custom group 67
D
data pivoting 106
371
methods for data pivoting 106

Database Instance Manager 46
decision support architecture
diagram 24, 35
ETL process 35
metadata database 26, 35
MicroStrategy applications 25, 35
source systems 35
default prompt answers 308
derived metric
built-in 289
derived metrics 288
document subscription
subscribing
history list 130
mobile device 134
update cache 132
drilling 96
keep parent 100
Keep parent option 100
methods 97
toolbar button 98
dynamic aggregation 253
Index
E
editors
Filter Editor 215
Metric Editor 252
Report Editor 63
Search Editor 336
ETL process 35
exporting 127, 139
F
Fact Editor 244
facts 31
filter 61
Filter Editor
layout 215
filters
attribute qualification filters 218
creating 216
embedded filters 225
filter definition prompts 310, 340
Filter Editor 215
filter qualifiers 225
set operators 226, 231, 285
folder list 48
folders
Data Explorer 47
History 46
My Personal Objects 46
Public Objects 46
Schema Objects 47
Function Wizard 254
G
grand totals 109
graphs
categories and series 180
372
displaying data values 177

formatting numbers 177
H
history list subscription 130
L
lesson objectives
Filters 210
Introduction to MicroStrategy
Developer 38
Metrics 242
Prompts and Searches 304
Report Manipulations 94, 158, 280
Reports 60
M
menus
Administration 51
Edit 51
File 51
Go 51
Help 51
Schema 51
Tools 51
View 51
Window 51
metadata database 26, 35
metric 67
removing columns 75
Metric Editor 252
layout 252
metrics 32, 34, 245
components 255
compound 250
compound metrics 250, 264
creating 256
creation 252
formatting 258, 259
formula 256
Metric Editor 252
nested 249
saving 257
simple 248
simple metrics 248, 288
subtotals and 259, 264
types 248
MicroStrategy
Architect 40
MicroStrategy Administrator 39
MicroStrategy Agent 39
MicroStrategy Architect 39, 40
components 39
toolbar 52
MicroStrategy Intelligence Server
benefits 44
MicroStrategy reporting terminology 28
mobile device subscription 134
N
notes 136, 141
O
Object prompts 319
object viewer 48, 390
objects
creation 52, 54
save 54
saving 54, 72
schema, objects
application, objects
configuration 54
373
Index
OLAP Services 281

outline mode
using outline mode 122
P
page-by 103
creating page-by fields 104
printing 125, 139
Project Source, project 42
project sources
logging in 45
projects
accessing 46
default structure 46
prompt
object 67
prompts 305
creating 306
filter definition 306, 310
filter definition prompts 310, 340
level 307
local, local prompts 328
object 307, 319
object prompt 307, 320, 340
required answers 308
save and reuse answers 309, 331
saving reports with 330, 340
search-based 339
types of 306
value prompt 307, 325, 340
web options 308
Q
quick sort 115
Index
R
removing metric column 75
report design
change journaling 75
removing metric column 75
report details properties 75
filter details - contents 77
filter details - other 77
general 76
template details 78
report details properties 75
Report Editor 63, 288
layout 63
report filter 67
report manipulation
adding notes 136, 141
save and reuse prompt answers 331
Report Objects 282
report views
Design View 74, 79
Graph View 74, 79
Grid View 74, 79
SQL View 74, 79
reporting terminology, MicroStrategy 28
reports 29, 61
adding attributes 68
adding metrics 69
create 64, 68
create, reports
view, reports
save 63
creating 68
details properties 75
display views 74, 79
exporting 127, 139
printing 125, 139
prompts and 330, 340
Report Editor 63
374
run 74
running 74
save 72
saving 72
reports, template 61
re-prompting 329
S
save and reuse prompt answers 331
Schedule Manager 46
search
by object ID 338
Search Editor 336
searches 336
prompts and 339
saving 338
Search Editor 336
set operators 226, 231, 285
shortcut bar 49
shortcut metrics 290
smart metrics 262
sorting 115
advanced sort 115
quick sort 115
source systems 35
subtotal 108
subtotals
displaying 108
grand totals 109
T
tabular 65
template 65
Template Editor 65
templates
adding attributes 68
adding metrics 69
Index
cross-tab 65
defining 65
tabular 65
Template Editor 65
threshold 165, 186
toolbar buttons
Display Outline Results 122
Drill 98
Print Preview 125
Run Report 74
View Pages 104
U
update cache subscription 132
User Manager 46
V
value prompts, prompts
value 324
view filter 285
375
Index
376

Microstrategy 3 PDF

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MICROSTRATEGY DEVELOPER: REPORTING ESSENTIALS

20002014 MicroStrategy Incorporated. All rights reserved.

MicroStrategy, MicroStrategy 6, MicroStrategy 7, MicroStrategy 7i, MicroStrategy 7i Evaluation Edition,

Lesson Description ................................................................... 21

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Lesson Description ................................................................... 37

Lesson Description ................................................................... 59

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Lesson Description ................................................................... 93

Lesson Description ................................................................. 157

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Autostyles ............................................................................ 162

Lesson Description ................................................................. 209

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Lesson Description ................................................................. 241

Lesson Description ................................................................. 279

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Lesson Description ................................................................. 303

A. MicroStrategy Tutorial Appendix Description.............................................................. 357

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Appendix Description.............................................................. 371

Index ......................................................................................... 407

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

Navigating the MicroStrategy Developer interface

Building and manipulating reports, templates, basic filters, basic metrics,

Using the functionality and benefits of MicroStrategy OLAP Services

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Who Should Take This Course

MicroStrategy Developer Developers

MicroStrategy Developer: Advanced Reporting

MicroStrategy Architect: Project Design Essentials

Certified Project Designer

Certified Report Developer

Certified Platform Administrator

14 Who Should Take This Course

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Describe the MicroStrategy business intelligence architecture and define

Describe the components of MicroStrategy Developer, navigate the main

Define the different types of report manipulations available and perform

Describe the features provided by MicroStrategy OLAP Services, including

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

About the Course Materials

CourseYou will achieve these overall objectives by successfully

LessonYou will achieve these main objectives by successfully completing

Main TopicYou will achieve this secondary objective by successfully

16 About the Course Materials

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy Developer: Reporting Essentials

Opportunities for Practice

2013 MicroStrategy Inc.

About the Course Materials