OBIEE FUNCTIONS

EXPRESSIONS
Case (Switch)
Syntax
CASE expr1 WHEN expr2 THEN expr3 ELSE expr4 END
Description This form of the Case statement is also referred to as the CASE
(Lookup) form. The value of expression1 is examined, then the WHEN expressions.
If expression1 matches any WHEN expression, it assigns the value in the
corresponding THEN expression. If none of the WHEN expressions match, it
assigns the default value specified in the ELSE expression. If no ELSE expression is
specified, the system will automatically add an ELSE NULL.
Case (If)
Syntax

CASE WHEN request_condition1 THEN expr1 ELSE expr2 END

Description This form of the Case statement evaluates each WHEN condition and
if satisfied, assigns the value in the corresponding THEN expression. If none of the
WHEN conditions are satisfied, it assigns the default value specified in the ELSE
expression. If no ELSE expression is specified, the system will automatically add
an ELSE NULL.
SYSTEM

USER()
Description
Returns the user name for the Oracle BI Repository to which you are logged on.
SelectedDatabaseSyntax
DATABASE()
Description
Returns the name of the Oracle BI subject area to which you are logged on.
CONVERTIONS
Cast
Syntax
CAST(expr AS type)

Description
Changes the data type of a value or a null value to another data type.
IfNull
Syntax
IFNULL(expr, value)
Description
Tests if an expression evaluates to a null value, and if it does, assigns the
specified value to the expression.
ValueOf
Syntax
VALUEOF(expr)
Description
Use the VALUEOF function in a filter to reference the value of an Oracle BI
repository variable.
AGGREGATE
Avg
Syntax
Avg(expr)
Description
Calculates the average (mean) value of an expression in a result set.
AvgDistinct
Syntax
Avg(DISTINCT expr)
Description
Calculates the average (mean) of all distinct values of an expression.
BottomN
Syntax
BottomN(expr, integer)

Description
Ranks the lowest n values of the expression argument from 1 to n, 1
corresponding to the lowest numerical value.
Count
Syntax
COUNT(expr)
Description
Calculates the number of rows having a non-null value for the expression.
CountDistinct
Syntax
COUNT(DISTINCT expr)
Description
Adds distinct processing to the Count function.
Count*
Syntax
COUNT(*)
Description
Counts the number of rows.
Mavg
Syntax
MAVG(expr, integer)
Description
Calculates a moving average (mean) for the last n rows of data, inclusive of the
current row.
Max
Syntax
MAX(expr)
Description

Calculates the maximum value (highest numeric value) of the rows satisfying the
numeric expression argument.
Median
Syntax
MEDIAN(expr)
Description
Calculates the median (middle) value of the rows satisfying the numeric
expression argument.
NTile
Syntax

NTILE(expr, numTiles)

Description Determines the rank of a value in terms of a user-specified range. It

returns integers to represent any range of ranks. NTile with numTiles=100 returns
what is commonly called the "percentile" (with numbers ranging from 1 to 100,
with 100 representing the high end of the sort).
Min
Syntax
MIN(expr)
Description
Calculates the minimum value (lowest numeric value) of the rows satisfying the
numeric expression argument.
Percentile
Syntax
PERCENTILE(expr)
Description
Calculates a percentile rank for each value satisfying the numeric expression
argument. The percentile rank ranges are between 0 (0th percentile) to 1 (100th
percentile).
Rank
Syntax
RANK(expr)
Description

Calculates the rank for each value satisfying the numeric expression argument.
The highest number is assigned a rank of 1, and each successive rank is assigned
the next consecutive integer (2, 3, 4,...). If certain values are equal, they are
assigned the same rank (for example, 1, 1, 1, 4, 5, 5, 7...).
StdDev
Syntax
STDDEV(expr)
Description
Returns the standard deviation for a set of values.
StdDev_Pop
Syntax
STDDEV_POP(expr)
Description
Returns the standard deviation for a set of values using the computational formula
for population variance and standard deviation.
Sum
Syntax
SUM(expr)
Description
Calculates the sum obtained by adding up all values satisfying the numeric
expression argument.
SumDistinct
Syntax
Sum(DISTINCT expr)
Description
Calculates the sum obtained by adding all of the distinct values satisfying the
numeric expression argument.
TopN
Syntax
TOPN(expr, integer)

Description
Ranks the highest n values of the expression argument from 1 to n, 1
corresponding to the highest numerical value.
RUNNING AGGREGATE
MAVG
Syntax
MAVG (expr, integer)
Description
Calculates a moving average (mean) for the last n rows of data in the result set,
inclusive of the current row.
MSUM
Syntax
MSUM (expr, integer)
Description
This function calculates a moving sum for the last n rows of data, inclusive of the
current row.
RSUM
Syntax
RSUM(expr)
Description
This function calculates a running sum based on records encountered so far.
RCOUNT
Syntax
RCOUNT(expr)
Description
This function takes a set of records as input and counts the number of records
encountered so far.
RMAX
Syntax

RMAX(expr)
Description
This function takes a set of records as input and shows the maximum value based
on records encountered so far.
RMIN
Syntax
RMIN(expr)
Description
This function takes a set of records as input and shows the minimum value based
on records encountered so far.
STRING
ASCII
Syntax
ASCII(expr)
Description
Converts a single character string to its corresponding ASCII code, between 0 and
255.
Bit_Length
Syntax
BIT_LENGTH(expr)
Description
Returns the length, in bits, of a specified string. Each Unicode character is 2 bytes
in length, which is equal to 16 bits.
Char
Syntax
CHAR(expr)
Description
Converts a numerical value between 0 and 255 to the character value
corresponding to the ASCII code.

Char_Length
Syntax
CHAR_LENGTH(expr)
Description
Returns the length, in number of characters, of a specified string.
Concat
Syntax
CONCAT(expr1, expr2)
Description
Concatenates two character strings.
Insert
Syntax
INSERT(expr1, integer1, integer2, expr2)
Description
Inserts a specified character string into a specified location in another character
string.
Left
Syntax
LEFT(expr, integer)
Description
Returns a specified number of characters from the left of a string.
Length
Syntax
LENGTH(expr)
Description
Returns the length, in number of characters, of a specified string. The length is
returned excluding any trailing blank characters.
Locate

Syntax
LOCATE(expr1, expr2)
Description
Returns the numerical position of a character string in another character string.
LocateN
Syntax
LOCATEN(expr1, expr2, integer)
Description
Returns the numerical position of a character string in another character string.
This is identical to the Locate function, except that the search begins at the
position specified by an integer argument.
Lower
Syntax
LOWER(expr)
Description
Converts a character string to lowercase.
Octet_Length
Syntax
OCTET_LENGTH(expr)
Description
Returns the number of bits, in base 8 units (number of bytes), of a specified
string.
Position
Syntax
POSITION(expr1 IN expr2)
Description
Returns the numerical position of expr1 in a character expression.
Repeat

Syntax
REPEAT(expr, integer)
Description
Repeats a specified expression n times.
Replace
Syntax
REPLACE(expr1, expr2, expr3)
Description
Replaces one or more characters from a specified character expression with one or
more other characters.
Right
Syntax
RIGHT(expr, integer)
Description
Returns a specified number of characters from the right of a string.
Space
Syntax
SPACE(expr)
Description
Inserts blank spaces.
Substring
Syntax
SUBSTRING(expr FROM startPos FOR length)
Description
Creates a new string starting from a fixed number of characters into the original
string.
TrimBoth
Syntax

TRIM(BOTH char FROM expr)

Description
Strips specified leading and trailing characters from a character string.
TrimLeading
Syntax
TRIM(LEADING char FROM expr)
Description
Strips specified leading characters from a character string.
TrimTrailing
Syntax
TRIM(TRAILING char FROM expr)
Description
Strips specified trailing characters from a character string.
Upper
Syntax
UPPER(expr)
Description
Converts a character string to uppercase.
MATHS
Abs
Syntax
ABS(expr)
Description
Calculates the absolute value of a numerical expression.
Acos
Syntax
ACOS(expr)

Description
Calculates the arc cosine of a numerical expression.
Asin
Syntax
ASIN(expr)
Description
Calculates the arc sine of a numerical expression.
Atan
Syntax
ATAN(expr)
Description
Calculates the arc tangent of a numerical expression.
Atan2
Syntax
ATAN2(expr1, expr2)
Description
Calculates the arc tangent of y/x, where y is the first numerical expression and x
is the second numerical expression.
Ceiling
Syntax
CEILING(expr)
Description
Rounds a noninteger numerical expression to the next highest integer.
Cos
Syntax
COS(expr)
Description

Calculates the cosine of a numerical expression.

Cot
Syntax
COT(expr)
Description
Calculates the cotangent of a numerical expression.
Degrees
Syntax
DEGREES(expr)
Description
Converts an expression from radians to degrees.
Exp
Syntax
EXP(expr)
Description
Sends the value to the power specified.
Floor
Syntax
FLOOR(expr)
Description
Rounds a noninteger numerical expression to the next lowest integer.
Log
Syntax
LOG(expr)
Description
Calculates the natural logarithm of an expression.
Log10

Syntax
LOG10(expr)
Description
Calculates the base 10 logarithm of an expression.
Mod
Syntax
MOD(expr1, expr2)
Description
Divides the first numerical expression by the second numerical expression and
returns the nonremainder portion of the quotient.
Pi
Syntax
PI()
Description
Returns the constant value of pi (the circumference of a circle divided by its
diameter).
Power
Syntax
POWER(expr1, expr2)
Description
Takes the first numerical expression and raises it to the power specified in the
second numerical expression.
Radians
Syntax
RADIANS(expr)
Description
Converts an expression from degrees to radians.
Rand

Syntax
RAND()
Description
Returns a pseudo-random number between 0 and 1.
RandFromSeed
Syntax
RAND(expr)
Description
Returns a pseudo-random number based on a seed value.
Round
Syntax
ROUND(expr, integer)
Description
Rounds a numerical expression to n digits of precision.
Sign
Syntax
SIGN(expr)
Description
Returns: 1 if the numerical expression argument evaluates to a positive number, 1 if it evaluates to a negative number, or 0 (zero) if it evaluates to zero.
Sin
Syntax
SIN(expr)
Description
Calculates the sine of a numerical expression.
Sqrt
Syntax

SQRT(expr)
Description
Calculates the square root of the numerical expression argument.
Tan
Syntax
TAN(expr)
Description
Calculates the tangent of a numerical expression.
Truncate
Syntax
TRUNCATE(expr, integer)
Description
Truncates a decimal number to return a specified number of places from the
decimal point.
DATE FUNCTIONS
Current_Date
Syntax
CURRENT_DATE
Description
Returns the current date. The date is determined by the system in which the
Oracle BI Server is running.
Current_Time
Syntax
CURRENT_TIME(expr)
Description
Returns the current time. The time is determined by the system in which the
Oracle BI Server is running.
Current_Time

StampSyntax
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP(expr)
Description
Returns the current date/timestamp. The timestamp is determined by the system
in which the Oracle BI is running.
Day_of_Quarter
Syntax
DAY_OF_QUARTER(expr)
Description
Returns a number (between 1 and 92) corresponding to the day of the quarter for
the specified date.
DayName
Syntax
DAYNAME(expr)
Description
Returns the name of the day for a specified date.
DayOfMonth
Syntax
DAYOFMONTH(expr)
Description
Returns the number corresponding to the day of the month for a specified date.
DayOfWeek
Syntax
DAYOFWEEK(expr)
Description
Returns a number between 1 and 7 corresponding to the day of the week, Sunday
through Saturday, for a specified date.
DayOfYear

Syntax
DAYOFYEAR(expr)
Description
Returns the number (between 1 and 366) corresponding to the day of the year for
a specified date.
Hour
Syntax
HOUR(expr)
Description
Returns the number (between 0 and 23) corresponding to the hour for a specified
time.
Minute
Syntax
MINUTE(expr)
Description
Returns the number (between 0 and 59) corresponding to the minute for a
specified time.
Month
Syntax
MONTH(expr)
Description
Returns a number (between 1 and 12) corresponding to the month for a specified
date.
Month_Of_Quarter
Syntax
MONTH_OF_QUARTER(expr)
Description
Returns the number (between 1 and 3) corresponding to the month in the quarter
for a specified date.

MonthName
Syntax
MONTHNAME(expr)
Description
Returns the name of the month for a specified date.
Now
Syntax
NOW()
Description
Returns the current timestamp. This function is equivalent to the function
Current_TimeStamp.
Quarter_Of_Year
Syntax
QUARTER_OF_YEAR(expr)
Description
Returns the number (between 1 and 4) corresponding to the quarter of the year
for a specified date.
Second
Syntax
SECOND(expr)
Description
Returns the number (between 0 and 59) corresponding to the seconds for a
specified time.
TimestampAdd
Syntax
TIMESTAMPADD(interval, expr, timestamp)
Description
Adds a specified number of intervals to a specified timestamp, and returns a single
timestamp.

TimestampDiff
Syntax
TIMESTAMPDIFF(interval, expr, timestamp2)
Description
Returns the total number of specified intervals between two timestamps.
Week_Of_Quarter
Syntax
WEEK_OF_QUARTER(expr)
Description
Returns a number (between 1 and 13) corresponding to the week of the quarter
for the specified date.
Week_Of_Year
Syntax
WEEK_OF_YEAR(expr)
Description
Returns a number (between 1 and 53) corresponding to the week of the year for
the specified date.
Year
Syntax
YEAR(expr)
Description
Returns the year for the specified date.