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Introduction
to
Business Objects 5i
2 Introduction to Business Objects 5i
Appropriate Use And Security Of Confidential And Sensitive

Information
Due to the integrated nature of the various Human Resources, Finance and Student
modules in Banner and the reporting information in the Enterprise Data Warehouse
(EDW), you may have access to information beyond what you need to perform your
assigned duties. Your access to Banner and the EDW has been granted based on
business need, and it is your responsibility to ensure the information you access is used
appropriately.
Here are some reminders of good data stewardship to help you carry out your
responsibility:
• Do not share your passwords or store them in an unsecured manner. Do not
leave your workstation unattended while logged on to administrative
information systems. You are responsible for any activity that occurs using your
logon id.
• Do not share confidential and sensitive information with anyone, including
colleagues, unless there is a business reason.
• Retrieve printed reports quickly, and do not leave the reports lying around in
plain view.
• Secure reports containing confidential and sensitive information (e.g., FERPA,
EEO or HIPAA protected data).
• When disposing of reports containing confidential or sensitive information,
shred the documents in a timely manner.
Your responsibilities regarding the protection and security of administrative information

are outlined in the University of Illinois Information Security Policy for Administrative
Information and Guidelines posted at
http://www.aits.uillinois.edu/security/securestandards.html and
http://www.aits.uillinois.edu/security/guidelines.html. Any violation could subject you
to disciplinary action, which could include dismissal or, in those cases where laws have
been broken, legal action. You should have signed a compliance form that indicates
you have read, understand and agree to comply with the University's Information
Security Policy for Administrative Information. If you have not already signed the
compliance form, please see your Unit Security Contact, who is responsible for
maintaining these forms.
4/12/04 E:\TrainingDevelopment\BusinessObjects\BusinessObjects5i\Intro_to_BO5i v2.doc

Introduction to Business Objects 5i 3
Introduction to Business Objects 5i
Table of Contents
Appropriate Use And Security Of Confidential And Sensitive Information ............................................ 2
Chapter 1 ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 5
The Universe......................................................................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 7
Creating a Basic Report ........................................................................................................................ 7
Business Objects 5i Report Concepts..................................................................................................13
Exercise 1: Creating Reports ..............................................................................................................19
Chapter 3 .................................................................................................................................... 21
Sorting .................................................................................................................................................21
Working with the Query Panel..............................................................................................................21
Exercise 2: Sorting..............................................................................................................................32
Chapter 4 .................................................................................................................................... 33
Calculations and Breaks ......................................................................................................................33
Breaks..................................................................................................................................................39
Exercise 3: Calculations and Breaks...................................................................................................43
Chapter 5 .................................................................................................................................... 45
Conditions ............................................................................................................................................45
User Defined Conditions ......................................................................................................................46
Exercise 4: Conditions ........................................................................................................................54
Chapter 6 .................................................................................................................................... 55
Variables ..............................................................................................................................................55
Exercise 5: Variables ..........................................................................................................................61
Chapter 7 .................................................................................................................................... 63
Slice and Dice ......................................................................................................................................63
Exercise 6: Slice and Dice ..................................................................................................................73
Chapter 8 .................................................................................................................................... 75
Block Types .........................................................................................................................................75
Table Block Type .................................................................................................................................76
Crosstab Block Type............................................................................................................................76
Chart Block Type .................................................................................................................................79
Documents with Multiple Reports.........................................................................................................84
Exercise 7: Block Types......................................................................................................................87
Chapter 9 .................................................................................................................................... 89
Formatting............................................................................................................................................89
Exercise 8: Formatting ......................................................................................................................105
Chapter 10 ................................................................................................................................ 107
Templates ..........................................................................................................................................107
Exercise 9: Templates ......................................................................................................................111
Chapter 11 ................................................................................................................................ 113
Exporting Data and Saving Reports...................................................................................................113
Chapter 12 ................................................................................................................................ 123
Making Reports Available to Others and InfoView .............................................................................123
Logging Out .......................................................................................................................................129
Appendix A - On-Line Help ....................................................................................................... 131
Appendix B - Installing Business Objects 5i ............................................................................. 135
Appendix C - Setting the Oracle Passwords............................................................................. 137
Appendix D - Number Formatting ............................................................................................. 139
Appendix E - AITS Help Desk................................................................................................... 141
4/12/04
4/12/04 E:\TrainingDevelopment\BusinessObjects\BusinessObjects5i\Intro_to_BO5i v2.doc

Chapter 1
Introduction
Business Objects Product Names
Business Objects is a software suite of report creation, viewing, and distribution tools.
Business Objects is composed of various components that are accessible through the
Web or reside on your desktop computer. The major components are InfoView,
WebIntelligence, and Business Objects 5i. Decision Support provides primary support
for Business Objects to University staff.
InfoView
InfoView provides one web location to view, print, create, and distribute documents.
Reports the user can access are presented as documents in lists. These documents can
be displayed in different formats. One of the report editors, WebIntelligence, can only
be used through the InfoView web portal.
WebIntelligence
WebIntelligence is an easy to use, web-based, report editor. WebIntelligence can be
used to create documents, perform analysis, and to edit existing WebIntelligence
documents. WebIntelligence is accessible through InfoView.
No WebIntelligence software is loaded on the user’s computer. An Internet browser is

the only software needed to use WebIntelligence.
Business Objects 5i
Business Objects 5i is a more powerful editor that allows you to create and edit
Business Objects documents. Business Objects 5i provides more options than
WebIntelligence, such as the ability to work with multiple data sources and to create
user-defined variables. Business Objects 5i is also a more complex environment
requiring a longer learning curve.
Business Objects 5i can be accessed either through InfoView or from the Windows
desktop. A portion of the software is installed on your PC, while most of the
application remains on a server. This allows for easy installation and centrally
administered maintenance. Updates and bug fixes are initiated and applied through the
server.
What User Rights Do You Have?

Each Business Objects user is assigned certain rights by Decision Support. The rights
assigned to each user define the user’s profile which define access to:
• document lists
• document editors
• universes for creating and editing queries
• saving documents on the server
Introduction
• sending documents to other users
• database connections
The Universe
A universe is a database interface, which maps everyday business terms to the data in a
database. The universe simplifies the process of creating reports by providing an easy
way see and understand the data. It also provides automatic joins between database
tables based on key values.
Universes consist of classes and objects. Objects represent fields in a database table.
An object’s name may have been changed from the original EDW Oracle column name
in order to make the object’s name more meaningful to the user. Classes are logical
groupings of objects. For example, all address fields might be grouped together in one
class.
Object Types
There are three different types of objects:
• Dimension
• Detail
• Measure
Dimension Objects
• Dimension objects are typically character-type data, such as Name, City, UIN, and
dates.
• Dimension objects usually will not contain numeric data that can be used in
calculations.
• Drilling hierarchies contain only dimension objects (Drilling is an advanced topic
and is not covered in this class).
Detail Objects
• A detail object is always associated with a dimension object.
• A detail object provides additional information about the dimension object. For
example, Telephone Type Description could be a detail object associated with a
dimension object called Telephone Type Code.
• Detail objects are not required in a universe. They are used as a way to organize the
data within the universe.
Measure Objects
• Measure objects are numeric data that are the result of calculations.
• Measure objects are used to provide dynamic numerical information in a query.
• A measure’s value will change depending on the context. For example, the value of
Salary will be different when calculated for one pay period or for one year.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Creating a Basic Report
Logging into Business Objects 5i from Eddie
To use the Business Objects 5i editor for the first time you must start it from the Eddie
web site. This will install enough of the software on your computer so that you will be
able to start 5i from the desktop. To start Business Objects 5i from the Eddie web-site:
1. Start a web browser.
2. Enter the url: eddie.ds.uillinois.edu.
3. Click the Log In button.
The login window is displayed.
4. Enter your user name and password and then click the OK button.
The Welcome page is displayed.

5. Click Options in the Navigation Bar along the left side of the screen.
The Personal Options screen is displayed. The screen allows you to customize the
InfoView screens.
6. Click the Create and Edit Documents link.
This screen allows you to select the editor to use when creating new documents.
7. Select BusinessObjects as the editor to use.

8. Click the Apply All Changes button.
Note: If you plan to edit WebIntelligence reports in the future, you will need to revisit this
screen to reset this option to WebIntelligence.
9. Click Create Documents in the Navigation Bar.
Note: The first time Business Objects 5i is run on a computer the installation program will
be run.
Using the New Report Wizard

The first time you use Business Objects 5i you will be greeted with the Welcome screen
of the New Report Wizard. This wizard walks you through creating a new document.
Chapter 2
1. Uncheck the Run this Wizard at Startup check box in the lower left-hand corner.
This will prevent this wizard from starting every time you start 5i.
2. Select Generate a standard report for the report layout.
3. Click Begin to go to the Specify Data Access screen.
4. Select Universe as the way you want to access data.

The Select Universe screen will appear. The universes listed are the ones you can
access based on your security profile.
5. Select the eFashion universe.

The Query Panel will appear.
The Query Panel is used to create the query that will retrieve data from the EDW.
The results of the query will be called a Data Provider. The data provider is stored
in the document and becomes the source of the data displayed in the report.
Chapter 2
The Query Panel
The Query Panel has three main panels:
• Classes and Objects: The universe is displayed in this panel. The classes are
represented as folders. The class can be expanded by clicking the + or collapsed by
clicking the - located to the left of the folder.
• Result Objects: This panel holds the objects that are to be included in the report.
Objects are moved from the Class and Objects panel to this panel.
• Conditions: Selection criteria for the query is built in this panel. Clicking the
funnel radio button at the bottom left-hand corner of the Query Panel will display
pre-defined conditions. These are conditions that have been created by the universe
designers and are stored in the universe.
Adding Objects
Now we will build a query by adding objects to the Results Objects panel. The
simplest query will just be a list of objects to be displayed. We will add sorting and row
selection conditions later.
1. Click the + attached to the Time Period class display the objects within the class.
2. Double-click the Year object to add it to the Table window.
The Year object will appear in the Result Objects panel.
Note: There are three ways to add an object to the Result Objects panel:
• Double-click the object.
• Drag the object to the Result Objects panel.
• Select the object and then press Enter.
Note: There are two ways to delete an object from the Result Objects panel:
• Select the object and then press the Delete key.
• Drag the object to the Classes and Objects panel.
3. Click the + attached to the Store class to display the objects contained within the
class.
4. Double-click the State object to add it to the Results Objects panel.
It will be placed at the right end of the list of objects.
5. Drag the Store Name object (not the Store folder) from the Classes and Objects
panel to the right of State in the Result Objects panel.
6. Click the + attached to the Measures folder to display the objects contained in that
class.
7. Double-click the Sales Revenue object to add it to the Result Objects panel.

When you are done the Query Panel should look like the following:
8. Click the Run button to run the query.

The query should run and the results will be displayed in the Report panel.
Report Manager icon
toggles the side panel on
and off.
Chapter 2
Business Objects 5i Report Concepts
Now that we’ve constructed a report and have started to work with Business Objects 5i,
let’s take some time to examine some basic concepts and functions, which might help to
clarify how Business Objects 5i creates a report.
Basic Definitions
Document: A document is the file created by Business Objects 5i. A document can
contain multiple data providers and multiple reports. Multiple reports are handy in
development where multiple versions of the same report can be stored within a single
document. It is also useful to store related reports together (e.g. end of month reports).
Report: A report is any formatted display of data. A report can include one or more
blocks.
Block: A block is a collection of data in a particular format. In Business Objects 5i, the
basic block types are table, crosstab, and chart. Multiple blocks can appear in a single
report and each block can display data from the same or different data providers.
Data Provider: A data provider is the results of a query created through the Query
Panel. The data is retrieved when the query is run is stored in the document. When you
create a block, it is getting its data from a data provider, not directly database.
Refresh: When a report is refreshed, the query is re-run. By refreshing a document,
you ensure that the data providers in the document contain the most up-to-date data
available in the database. When a document is displayed, the user sees the data from
the most recent refresh.
The Standard and Report Toolbars

There are useful shortcut buttons for data retrieval and report creation on both the
Standard and Report toolbars. These buttons can save time and simply the process of
creating and editing reports.
Standard Toolbar
Formatting Toolbar
Report Toolbar
New Report Wizard: The New Report Wizard is the report creation method to
choose if you want to be prompted for a variety of report creation parameters when
starting a new report. The names is a little misleading because it actually creates a new
document, not a new report.
New: The New button creates a new document workspace and provides a more
flexible process for creating new reports than with the New Report Wizard.

Report Manager: The Report Manager icon toggles the Data and Map tabs on
and off (i.e. hides those tabs) in order to provide additional display area for reports.
Edit Data Provider: This brings up the Query Panel. Basically, you build and
modify the query against the originating data source from this panel.
Refresh Data: The Refresh Data icon uses the current query created in the
Query Panel to retrieve the most up-to-date data from the data source (i.e. EDW Oracle
database). If you do not refresh data in an existing report or run the query from the
Query Panel, you may be viewing old data.
Options
Earlier we turned off the display of the New Report Wizard at startup. If you wish to
have more control over the report creation process, use the Options… item on the Tools
menu.
1. Select the Tools menu and then Options….
2. Select the General tab.
The General tab allows you to set options related to starting Business Objects 5i.
3. Select the New Documents tab.

4. Click the radio button for Systematically Create a Blank Document.
This will change the New button on the Standard toolbar to create a blank document
rather than start the wizard. Because there is already a button for the New Report
Wizard, you don’t need the New button to do the same thing.
Chapter 2
Turn the Wizard

On or Off.
Resizing columns or rows

As you can see, the data in the Store name column is too wide. Columns and rows can
be resized by dragging the column border.
1. Position the cursor over the right border of the Store name column header, but
don’t select it.
Note: If you resize a column while it is selected, the header and the body will become
separated. Always click outside the table prior to resizing to make sure nothing is selected.
2. When the cursor changes to the Resize cursor , drag the edge to increase column
width.
Drag the column border

to resize the column.

Note: The height of a row can be increased (or decreased) in the same way by dragging
the bottom edge of the row.
Note: If you are not happy with the formatting results, use the Undo button on the
Standard toolbar (or Ctr+Z) to undo the actions you have carried out. Edit on the main
menu, then Undo<type of action> will remove the last action as well. You can undo up to
ten actions.
Let’s undo the cell reformatting and try again in a different way.
3. Use the Undo button on the Standard toolbar (or Ctrl+Z) to undo the last
action.
This time we will resize the column by double-clicking it. This will resize the
column or row to fit the cell contents.
4. Position the cursor over the right border of the Store name column header, but
don’t select it.
5. When the cursor changes to the Resize cursor, double-click and the column will be
automatically sized to the width of the cell contents.
Note: The height of a row can be resized automatically in the same way.
6. Select the column (header area and data area) or row you want to resize.
7. Go to Format menu and select Cell Height and Width….
The Cell Height and Width dialog box appears:
8. Select the Height tab.

9. Set the height to 4 (in 1/16th inches) by typing the value or use arrows to increase or
decrease the height.
Note: The Cell Height & Width screen has an Autofit button. It can be used to resize and
adjust the height or width of the selected cells automatically to the height or width of their
contents.
10. Click OK.
The dialog box closes and the selected columns or rows are resized.
Chapter 2
Changing the report title
When you generate a standard report using the New Report Wizard, a title is
automatically added at the top of the first page. The default text for the title is Report
Title. We will change the text for the title now.
1. Double-click the text Report Title.
2. Enter the new title Sales Revenue by Year.
Saving a document
At this point we want to save our document. We do this just as you save other
documents in Windows.
1. Click the File menu.
The default Business Objects 5i document location is:
C:\Program Files\Business Objects\Business Objects 5.0\UserDocs
2. Select the Save option.
The Save As dialog box will be displayed.
3. Name the report Sales rev by store.

4. Click the Save button.
The document will be saved with a .rep file extension.
5. Close Business Objects 5i and return to the Windows desktop.
Starting Business Objects 5i from the desktop

Once Busines Objects 5i has been installed, you can start it from the Windows desktop.
To start 5i from the desktop:
1. Click the Start button on the task bar.
2. Click the Programs folder.
3. Click the Business Objects 5.1 folder.

4. Click the Business Objects selection.
At this point the User Identification screen is displayed:
5. Supply your EDW User Name and password.

Depending on your authorizations, the line labeled Security Domain may not
appear. It will only appear if you have authorization to use more than one security
domain. Most users will only have authorization for the eddie.ds.uillinois.edu
security domain.
Chapter 2
Exercise 1: Creating Reports
Review
1. A _______________ maps data to the Database in everyday, familiar business
terms.
2. The logical grouping of objects are contained in a _______________
3. _______________ objects are used to retrieve character type data or dates.
4. _______________ objects provide additional information on Dimensions.
5. _______________ objects are always numeric and are the results of calculations.
6. Two methods for moving an object from the Objects Panel to the Results Panel are
_______________ or _______________.
Exercise
Create a Standard Report from the EDW R&A Training Universe containing columns
in the following order:
Campus desc (U of I)
Application Date (Admission Application)
Last Name (Applicant)
First Name (Applicant)
Recruit Type Desc (Admission Application)
High School GPA (Admission Application Decision Fact).
Save the report as Applicants by Application Date. This report will be used again in a
later exercise.
Finished Report

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Sorting
Retrieving an Existing Report
Now we will retrieve and modify the document that was just saved.
1. Click the File menu.
2. Select the Open option.
3. Select the C:\Program Files\Business Objects\Business Objects 5.0\UserDocs
folder.
4. Select Sales rev by store.rep.
The document will open containing the data from the previous execution of the
query.
Note: To refresh the retrieved report with the most current data, the query must be run
again, or Refreshed.
5. Click the Refresh icon, , on the Business Objects 5i tool bar.
Working with the Query Panel

As was described earlier, the Query Panel is used to build the query that will retrieve
data from the database. The objects , conditions, and parameters specified in this
window combine to design, limit, and format the data before it appears in the Report
panel in the form of a report.
Let’s take a moment to discuss the buttons along the top of the Query Panel. We will
be using some of them in our following discussions and examples.
A B C D E F G H I J K L
A. Show/hide all classes: Displays the classes and objects in the universe.
B. Show/hide help on selected item: Displays a help text that describes the selected
item in a box at the bottom of the window.
C. Wrap result objects: Displays the objects in the Result Objects panel in rows and
columns, rather than in one long row.
D. Simple condition: Applies a simple condition on the object currently selected in
the Result Objects box.
E. Sort: Applies an ascending sort on the object currently selected in the Result
Objects box. This option sorts the results of the query and places the sorted data
in the data provider. The sort sequence of columns displayed in a report may
differ since sorts are also specified from within the Report Tab!
Sorting
F. Default scope of analysis: Allows you to define scope of analysis based on the
objects in the Result Objects box. (This is related to drilling, which is not covered in
this class.)
G. Scope of analysis: Enables you to select the dimensions you want to include in
your scope of analysis. (This is related to drilling, which is not covered in this
class.)
H. Manage sorts: Displays the sorts applied on the query, and enables you to work
with multiple sorts simultaneously. It also enables you to apply sorts on objects that
are not in the Result Objects panel. As with the Sort icon above, this applies only to
sorts placed on the query, not to the display of rows in the report.
I. View SQL: Displays the SQL script of the query.
J. User objects: Allows you to create user defined objects, known as user objects,
based on the definition of other objects in the current universe. (Not covered in this
class.)
K. Combine queries: Allows you to combine multiple queries by taking the union,
intersection or difference of the results of the queries. (Not covered in this class.)
L. Help: Standard windows-type help.
Modifying an Existing Report

After retrieving a report, it is easy to modify that report. Adding or deleting objects is
done in the same manner as creating a new report. To add objects or change conditions
you will need to edit the data provider by clicking the Edit Data Provider icon.
Note: Each time you add or remove an object or add or change a condition, the query must be
run to retrieve the new data from the database.
1. Click the Edit Data Provider icon.

The Query Panel will appear.
2. Remove the State object by dragging it to the Classes and Objects panel on the left.
You could also right-click the State object and select Remove.
Chapter 3
3. Add the City object by dragging it from the Classes and Objects panel on the left
and dropping it between Year and Store name.
4. Click the Run button.
The revised query returns the following report.
Note that City is the third column from the left even though it was positioned as the
second column in the query panel. This is due to the fact that changing the object
order in the Query Panel changes the order of objects in the data provider, but not
the order in the report. To correct the placement:
5. Place the pointer over the data portion of the City column and click the column so
that the data portion is selected.
6. Drag the column across the table.
As the mouse pointer moves across different parts of the table you will see three
different cursors:
Sorting
Large transparent rectangle: Releasing the mouse over another column
will result in the two columns exchanging locations.
Right-facing transparent bracket: Releasing the mouse on the divider line will
result in the column being inserted to the right of the column divider line.
Left-facing transparent bracket: Releasing the mouse on the divider line will
result in the column being inserted to the left of the column divider line.
7. Drag and drop the necessary columns to position the objects in the following order:
Year City Store name Sales revenue
8. Use File/Save as to save the document as Sales rev with city.
Setting Limits on Reports

We will now take a quick look at how to set report options to test and limit resources
used in creating queries.
1. Click the Edit Data Provider button, , to display the Query Panel for the
current report.
2. Click the Options button in the lower left-hand corner of the Query Panel.
The Query Options screen will open.
The Query Options screen specifies whether or not to retrieve duplicate rows, limit
the number of rows retrieved, and to delete trailing blanks from rows before they are
retrieved from the database.
Chapter 3
The Partial Results Default Value is set by the universe designer.
Selecting Do Not Retrieve Data generates the SQL for the query, but no data is
retrieved - only the report's structure is displayed (e.g. a table with empty columns).
Inserting a Table
The first time we created a report we let the New Report Wizard walk us through the
process. At that time, the wizard was invoked automatically when we opened Business
Objects 5i. This option has now been turned off.
If we wanted to invoke the New Report Wizard we could click the toolbar button, .
But in this case we will create a blank report and then add a table.
1. If it’s not already open, open Business Objects 5i.

You should be looking at a blank window.
2. Open a new report by clicking the New icon.
Sorting
The window should look like:
Now we will insert a table.
3. Click the Insert Table icon.

Nothing on the screen will change until you move the cursor to the report panel.
4. Move pointer over the report panel on the right side of the window. As the
pointer moves over the report panel, the pointer will change to the cursor
shown to the right.
5. Position this cursor where you want the upper left-hand corner of the table to
appear, and click the mouse at that point.
The New Table Wizard will appear.
Chapter 3
6. On the Insert a New Table screen select Begin>.

7. On the Specify Data Access screen select Universe.
8. On the Select a Universe screen select eFashion.
Just as before, the Query Panel will appear.
9. Select the following objects in the order shown.

Year Month Name State Sales revenue
Note: When Month Name is added to the Results Objects, Month will also appear due to
the object’s dimension/detail relationship with the Month Name object.
10. Remove the Month object. Month Name will remain.
11. Run the query to display the report.
Sorting
The top of the report will look like:
Sorting
By default reports will be sorted by the dimension and detail objects from left to right in
ascending order. So, this report is sorted by Year in ascending order first. Within year,
the report is sorted by Month Name in ascending order. Finally, it is sorted by State
within Month Name.
Note: Specifying a sort on the Query Panel only sorts the data in the data provider, not the
columns in the report.
Next, we will override the default sorting by specifying the sort order for some
columns. Let’s place a sort on State.
1. Click a data cell in the State column, to select the column.
Once a column is highlighted, the Sort icon, , will become enabled on the
Report toolbar.
2. Click the Sort icon.
Second sort Third sort First sort
The report should re-sort based on the State column. Within a state, the default
sorts of Year and then Month name are applied.
Now we will apply a secondary sort to the Month name column.
Chapter 3
3. Click the data in the Month name column, to select the column.
4. Click the Sort icon.
The report should re-sort based on the State column followed by a secondary sort
on Month name, which is now sorted in alphabetical order.
Third sort Second sort First sort
Finally, we will look at a custom sort. A custom sort specifies the order in which
values are to be sorted. You can reorder the values for the object to establish the
sort order. There are also two special Sort Options available, Month and Day. The
Month option will sort month names chronologically: January, February, March,
etc. The Day option will sort day names chronologically. The default sorting for
month names is alphabetic, putting April as the first month.
Let’s place the Month custom sort on the report.

5. Select the State column.
6. Click the active (depressed) sort icon, , to remove the sort on the State
column.
7. Repeat the process to remove the sort for the Month Name column.
At this point default sorting for the report should have returned (i.e. sorted by Year).
Now, we will specify that the report sort by month. But this time, instead of sorting
alphabetically, we will specify sorting in chronological order using the custom sort.
8. With the Month Name column still highlighted, click the down arrow, , to the
right of the default sort option. A three-choice sorting toolbar will appear.
Sorting
9. Click the hand button to display the Custom Sort window.
10. Click Month in the Sort Option drop down list.

The months will resort into chronological order in the Values panel.
11. Click OK to rearrange the rows of your report into Month order, displaying all years
for the same Month Name together and displaying the months in chronological
order.
Format Sorts
If you have multiple sorts for a single report you can add, remove, or rearrange these
sorts by using the Sorts… option on the Format drop-down menu.
Chapter 3
It brings up the following window (you must have a cell in the report selected for
Current Sorts to display objects):
From this window you can add and delete sorted fields, reverse sort order, and rearrange
primary and secondary sorts.
12. Bring up the Sorts screen.
13. Remove all sorts.
14. Save the report as Sorted by Year.
Sorting
Exercise 2: Sorting
Review
1. To display Objects in the Result Objects box (Query Panel) in rows and columns
instead of one long row, click the _______________ button on the Query Panel
toolbar.
2. Business Objects 5i does not automatically sort your report: True or False?
3. _________________ displays a list of all the sorts for a report.
Exercise
Create a Standard Report from the EDW R&A Training universe containing columns
Campus desc (U of I)
College desc (U of I)
Department desc (U of I)
High Rank (Admission Application Decision Fact).
Sort by Campus desc with your campus first and the other two campuses in alphabetical
order. Within campus sort by College desc., Department desc. in ascending order and
then High Rank in descending order.
Save the report as R&A Applicants by Department and High School Rank.
Finished Report
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Calculations and Breaks
Business Objects 5i has standard calculation functions that enable you to add
calculations quickly to report data. The type of data contained in a column or row
determines which calculation functions are available.
The following table shows the available calculations and data types:
Object type Calculation will do the following….

Dimension/Detail: Count distinct values
Count
Measure: Count all rows
Dimension Count all rows in the body of the report including

Count All
Detail all duplicate and empty rows.
Measure
Maximum Display the maximum value.
Minimum Display the minimum value.
Sum Calculate the sum.
Average Calculate the average.
Percentage Display the selected data as a percentage.

Measure
Calculates the difference between two selected
Variance
values.
Variance Calculates the difference between two selected
Percentage values and displays the difference as a percentage.
Calculations can be applied directly to a report column or row from a Speedmenu. The
most commonly used calculations also appear as buttons on the Report toolbar.
The following instructions demonstrate how calculation functions are applied using the
Speedmenu.
Adding a Count
Count and Count All functions display how many records are in a report. However,
there is a big difference between the two functions:
• Count All counts all the rows in a column, including duplicates and empty rows.
• Count function counts the distinct values in a column that contains a dimension
object. It counts each value only once, even though the value may be repeated

several times in the report.
Count function counts all rows in a column that contains a measure object. That is,
for a measure object Count function behaves the same as Count All.
Let’s create a new report to demonstrate the Count function.

1. Create a new report based on the eFashion universe.
2. In the query panel include the following columns:
State Store Name Quantity Sold
3. Run the report.
The report will look like this:
Now we will apply the Count function to the State column:

4. Right-click the State column.
The Speedmenu will be displayed.
Chapter 4
5. Click the Calculations option on the Speedmenu to bring up the Calculations
menu.
Notice that State is a character type column and functions appropriate only to a
character type column are available in the Calculations menu: Count, Count All,
Minimum, and Maximum.
6. Click the Count option to select it.
You are returned to the report.
Note that at the bottom of the report there is now a count of 8, which represents the
count of distinct rows in the State column, one for each of the States in the report
(California, DC, Illinois, etc).
Adding a Count All

Now let’s apply the Count All function to the same State column. It will give us the
count of all records in the report. Duplicate records (states that appear several times)
will be counted as well.
1. Right-click the data area in the State column to select it and display the Speedmenu.
2. Click the Calculations option to display the Calculations menu.
3. Click the Count All option to select it.
Count
Count All
A new row was added at the bottom of the report. It has a total in the State column
with a value of 13. If you check your report, you will find that there are 13 rows of

data in the State column, and that several states, such as Texas, appear two or more
times.
Adding a Sum
The Sum function totals the values in a column of numeric data.
1. Right click the Quantity Sold column to display the Speedmenu.
2. Choose Calculations from the Speedmenu.

Quantity sold is a numeric column and functions appropriate only to this type of
numeric column are available on the Calculations menu: Sum, Count, Count All,
Average, Minimum, Maximum, and Percentage.
3. Click Sum from the Calculations menu.
A new row is added to the bottom of the report. The name of the calculation is
added to the previous column, if one exists.
Adding a Percentage
In statistical reports it is often necessary to have numeric data expressed in terms of
percentages. For instance, in our example we can very quickly find out the percentage
of items sold by each store.
We will add a percentage column to the same report.

1. Right-click the Quantity Sold column to bring up the Speedmenu.
2. On the Speedmenu choose Calculations.
3. On the Calculations menu chose Percentage.
Chapter 4
Note that a new column called Percentage is automatically added to the report. It
shows the percent of total items within the entire report sold by each store.
A Percentage
column is
added
Notice also, at the bottom of the report a new row indicates total Percent of
100.00% for the complete report.
Using the Calculation Toolbar

In the previous examples we used the Speedmenu to apply calculations to report
columns. In addition to using the Speedmenus the most commonly used calculations
can be accessed by using buttons on the Report toolbar.
The Report toolbar has the following calculation buttons:

--
Sum
--
Percentage
--
Count
--
Variance
--
Variance percentage
Procedure for using calculation buttons from the Report toolbar:

1. Highlight the column in your report where you want to add a calculation.
2. Click the appropriate Report Toolbar button.
Sum, percentage, count, variance or variance percentage will appear on the appropriate
column in the report.
For information and procedures in using Variance and Variance Percentage functions
see the Business Objects User’s Guide.

The Calculation functions are also available from the Data drop down menu of the
Business Objects 5i menu bar.
Removing Calculations from a Report

To remove calculations from a report using the Speedmenu, do the following:
1. Click the data in a column with calculation to be deleted.
Note: You have to select the particular column on which a calculation is based.
2. Right-click the column to display the Speedmenu.
3. From the Speedmenu, choose Calculations.
4. From the Calculations menu select the calculation that you wish to remove.
You can see on the Speedmenu which calculations have been applied to a row or
column: a depressed icon or a check mark next to a calculation indicates that it is
active.
In the example below, Count and Count All functions are active for the State
column.
5. Click the function to deselect it. The calculation will be removed from the report.
6. Remove all calculations from the report.
Calculations can also be removed using the buttons on the Report toolbar.
Chapter 4
To unselect a calculation using the Report toolbar button, select the column with the
calculation, and then click the appropriate Calculation button on the Report tool
Note: Not all calculations have a button on the Report toolbar. In our example, Count and
Count All functions are shown as selected on the Speedmenu, but only the Count button
on the Report toolbar is active.
Breaks
The format of our document so far has been one continuous table. We can also break
reports into smaller tables, one for each value of an object. Totals, sub-totals and other
calculations will be applied to all tables in the report.
In the following examples, totals, sub-totals and percentages will be applied to a report
with a break on the State column.
Inserting a break
We will break up this data into sections by State so that stores in each state will be
grouped together within their own tables.
Note: Inserting a break will remove the calculations. You will have to recreate the calculations
after the breaks are inserted. Because of this, it’s better to establish the breaks before the
calculations.
1. Select the State column.
2. Click the Break button on the Report toolbar.

The rows for each State are now displayed in separate groups. Every time the value
of State changes, a new block is started with rows containing information for the
next state.
Adding a Sum Function to a Report with Breaks

Now we are going to find out how many items were sold by stores in each state. We
will total the Quantity Sold column. Since our report now has breaks in it, sub-totals

will be calculated for every State separately and a total added for all the stores at the
end of the report.
Note: We will apply the following functions using the calculation buttons on the Report
toolbar instead of the Speedmenu as in the preceding section of the class.
3. Click the data in the Quantity sold column for any state.
4. Click the Insert Sum button on the Report toolbar.

A new row is created and sub-totals inserted following the data in each group of
rows. At the end of report there is a new row with a sum total for the entire report.
Adding a Count Function to a Report with Breaks

In addition to the quantity sold we want to know the number of stores in each state:
Click Quantity sold column to select it. Quantity sold has numeric data, and therefore
the Count function will count each row in the State group and in the entire report.
Note: We could have selected Store name as the basis for our count. The totals and sub-totals
would have been the same, but the numbers would have been placed in the Store name rather
than Quantity Sold column.
5. Click the Insert Count button on the Report toolbar.

A new row with a count of stores was added to each state. At the end of report
notice a total number of stores in the report.
Chapter 4
Adding a Percentage Function to a Report with Breaks

In the same way, we can add a percentage calculation to show what percent of sales
each store is responsible for within each state.
6. Click the Quantity sold column to select it again.
7. Click the Insert Percentage button on the Report toolbar.
Notice that a new column was added next to Quantity Sold and displays the
percent of items sold by each store within that state. A new row was added to each
group of states to display the percent of sales for that state within the entire
report. A new row at the end of the report shows 100% for the report.

Removing breaks
To remove a break:
1. Click inside the data in the State column.
This is where we have the break in our report. Note that the Insert Break button on
the Report toolbar is now selected to indicate a break has been applied to the
selected column.
2. Click the Insert Break button to deselect it.
The Break is removed from the report, and we now have a continuous listing of
states and stores, quantity sold, and percentage columns in one block.
The Sum and Count functions are still in the report and the final totals are valid.
The Percent column, however, was not removed. Since the percent was calculated
based on the State break which is no longer exists, the percent calculation is no
longer meaningful. It should be removed from the report.
3. Right-click the Quantity sold column data area, not the data area of the
Percentage column, to display the Speedmenu.
4. Select Calculations.
5. Click Percentage option on the Calculations menu to deselect it.
You are returned to the report. The percentage column has been removed.
6. Close the report without saving it.
Business Objects 5i has much more functionality for creating and working with
Breaks. For more information on Breaks, refer to the Business Objects User’s
Guide.
Chapter 4
Exercise 3: Calculations and Breaks
Exercise
Great a Standard Report using the EDW R&A Training universe containing columns
Campus Desc (U of I)
College Desc (U of I)
College PGPA (Admission Application Decision Fact)
Display the average College PGPA for each college, for each campus, and for the entire
university.
Finished Report

Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Conditions
Conditions are added to a query to limit the data that is returned from the database. So
far, our queries have had no conditions so, they have returned the specified objects from
every row in the database. Now we will add conditions to specify which rows we want
from the database. There are two categories of conditions, predefined conditions and
user defined conditions.
Predefined Conditions
Predefined conditions are created by the universe designer. They are stored within the
universe and are available to all users. Pre-defined conditions are created when the
condition is complicated and/or highly used. They save you time because all you have
to do is select them as you would select an object.
To view the available pre-defined conditions, click the funnel radio button located in the
bottom left-hand corner of the Query Panel.
Conditions within each class will then display. Click (select) the desired condition. A
definition will appear towards the bottom of the box, if the universe designer has
included a definition. For example, the Which category? condition will Prompt for
the product category.
Let’s run the above query, but this time we will use a predefined condition.
1. Click the funnel radio button, , to display the Predefined Conditions panel.
2. Display the predefined conditions found in the Time period class.
3. Double-click the This year condition to place it in the Conditions panel.
Conditions
Note: The name for the This year condition is misleading. The condition is actually year =
2001.
4. Click the Run button.
Only row with Year equal to 2001 will appear in the report.
User Defined Conditions

If there is no predefined condition for the condition you need, it is easy to create your
own user-defined condition. There are three elements to a condition, the object, the
operator, and the operand. The object determines what to compare, the operator
determines how to compare it, and the operand determines what to compare it against.
These conditions can be combined with And or Or logical operators to create complex
conditions. Each condition can contain prompts, which allow the end user to provide
the values to be used in the conditions.
We will start by building a simple condition.

1. Edit the data provider for the current report.
2. Delete the This year predefined condition.
3. Now drag Year from the Classes and Objects panel to the Conditions panel and
drop it.
Chapter 5
At this point the Query Panel should look like this:
Notice, that with the Year condition object highlighted, <Select an operator>
appears in the Year conditions object, and a list of available operators is displayed
in the left section of the Query Panel.
4. Double-click the Equal to operator to select it as the operator for the condition.
A list of operands appears in the left pane of the Query Panel.
5. Double-click the operand Show a list of values.
Conditions
A list of values for Year will appear.
6. Double-click 2000.
That value will now appear in the conditions object.
7. Click Run to produce a query retrieving only rows for the year 2000.
Conditions with Prompts

It is also possible to construct a query that will prompt the user to specify selection of
rows for query retrieval. Let’s use the same query as above, but this time we will
prompt the user to supply the year for which report rows will be displayed.
1. With the report still showing, click the Edit Data Provider icon, , found on the
toolbar of the Business Objects 5i window.
This will display the Query Panel.
Chapter 5
2. Click the 2000 so that the list of operands will display in the left pane of the Query
Panel.
3. Double-click Type a new prompt, and then type Enter year in the text box that
appears in the condition object in the Conditions pane.
After you click somewhere off the conditions object, the conditions object changes
to:
4. Now click Run.

The following window will appear:
5. Click the Values… button to display the list of available values.
Conditions
6. Select 2001 and click OK.
The selected value will be place in the text box.

7. Click OK to run the query for only the 2001 year.
Your report will resemble:
Complex Conditions
Business Objects 5i permits the creation of complex conditions in which multiple
conditions can be grouped together. Complex conditions are created by connecting
conditions with logical operators or .
Chapter 5
Before we look at a couple of examples, we need to understand the difference between
the And and Or operators.
• And requires that all conditions must be true for the row to be included in the
query.
Specifying a store located in New York AND a year of 2000 would return rows for
stores located in New York for the year 2000.
On the other hand specifying stores located in New York AND stores located in
California would result in no data being retrieved, since a store cannot be located in
both states at the same time. For that type of return you would specify In List as
the operator or two conditions connected with an Or.
• Or requires that only one of the conditions be true.
Specifying a year of 2000 OR 2001 would return rows containing data for either of
those years.
Brackets and shifting are applied by right-clicking the And or Or operator, and then
selecting either Shift Right or Shift Left from the drop-down menu.
For example, let’s say the stores in the eFashion chain received a bonus in 2000 if their
sales revenue was one million dollars or more. In 2001, the sales had to be at least 1.25
million to receive the same bonus. The following conditions would select the stores
that received the bonuses for each year.
(As we step through the example below, return to the Query Panel after displaying
report results of each change).
1. Change the existing condition for Year to have it select rows only for the year 2000.
2. Click the Run button to create the new query.

Note that only rows with Year equal to 2000 are returned.
3. Drag the Year object to the Conditions panel again.
The And will automatically appear.
4. Select Equal to as the operator and 2001 as the operand.
Conditions
5. Click Run.
The following message is displayed:
No rows are returned because Year cannot be equal to both 2000 and 2001 in the
same row.
6. Add Sales revenue to the Conditions panel by dropping it on top of the second
condition for Year.
This will insert the condition for Sales revenue between the conditions for Year.
The Conditions panel should look like:
7. Select Greater than or equal to as the operator and enter 1000000 as the operand.
8. Add a new condition for the Sales revenue object at the bottom of the Conditions
panel.
9. Set the condition to select sales greater than or equal to 1.25 million.
The Conditions panel should look like:
Obviously, running the query now would not return any rows since no row could
meet all these conditions. We need to group the first two conditions and the last two
conditions and change the middle operator to an Or.
10. Right-click the top And operator, and select Shift Right from the
pop-up menu.
Chapter 5
The conditions attached to the operator will be bracketed and indented. The
condition should now look like:
11. Do the same with the bottom And operator to indent the last two conditions.
12. Double-click the middle And operator to change it to an Or.
The complete complex condition should look like:
13. Click Run.

The completed report will appear.
Conditions
Exercise 4: Conditions
Review
1. _______________ conditions already exist on a Universe and were created for
complex or repetitive conditions.
Exercise
Create a Table from the EDW R&A Training universe containing columns in the
following order:
Campus Desc (U of I)
Department Desc (U of I)
High School GPA (Admission Application Decision Fact)
Use the Pre-Defined Condition to query for the Urbana-Champaign Campus only.
Create a condition that prompts the user for a Minimum High School GPA value.
Select only applicants with a High School GPA greater than or equal to the entered
value.
Sort by the High School GPA in descending order.
Run the Query and enter a value of 3.0 when prompted and view the report.
Save the report as Applicants by HS GPA. This report will be used again in a later
exercise.
Finished Report
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Variables
Business Objects 5i allows you to easily create new columns or fields in a report. They
are called local variables. Local variables contain formulas and are attached to the
report in which they are created. They appear in the list of variables in the Report
Manager panel and can be used in the same way as variables in a data provider.
Creating a New Variable

In this example, we need to display the sales tax obligation on sales for each store
assuming a tax rate of 5.0%. First, we will add a new blank column to our table and
then create a local variable with a formula for calculating the 5.0% sales tax.
1. Create a new document based on the eFashion universe.
2. In the query panel include two columns
Store Name Sales Revenue
The report will look like this:
We will now add a new Tax column to the report.

3. Click the Sales revenue column to select it.
4. Click Insert on the main menu and choose Column.
5. On the Insert a Column dialog box select Insert a Column to the Right of the
Selection.
Variables
6. Click OK.
A new blank column appears to the right of Sales Revenue.
Now we will create the new variable:

7. Right-click the data area of the blank column to select it and display the
Speedmenu.
8. From the Speedmenu select Variables.

The Variables dialog screen displays a list of variables available for the report at
this point in time. It also has the buttons for further actions that can be taken.
Chapter 6
9. Click the Add button.

You will now see the Variable Editor dialog screen. It has two tabs, one for
entering a formula Definition and one for the Formula.
10. Click the Definition Tab (if it is not selected).

11. In the Name box, enter Tax as the name of the new variable.
Variables
Just below the Name box, the default new object type (Qualification) that is being
created is Dimension. However, the final qualification will be determined by the
formula that is entered into the Formula tab, which we will do next. When the
formula is complete, the qualification is modified automatically, unless you are
defining a detail object. In that case you modify the qualification, make it detail
and include the associated dimension.
12. Click the Formula Tab.
The Formula tab has four main parts:

• The Formula panel, where formulas are entered and edited.
• The Variables panel, which displays all the variables in the document that can
be included in the formula.
• The Functions panel, which lists all available functions.
• The Operators panel, which lists operators that are available based on the
current formula. The operators will change as the formula changes.
Business Objects 5i has the following operator types:

• mathematical (i.e., addition, division),
• relational (i.e. greater than, between),
• logical (i.e. If… then…Else) and
• context (i.e., ForAll, ForEach, In).
Note: Only operators compatible with current syntax are displayed.

13. Double-click the Sales revenue object in the list of variables to place it into the
Formula panel.
Chapter 6
Note: An equal sign was automatically place at the beginning of the formula. Every formula
must begin with an equal sign (=).
Look at the list of available operators in the Operators box on the right hand side of
the screen. The list has now changed based on the current context of the formula at
the formula insertion point.
14. Double-click the multiplication symbol (*) in the Operators list to add it to the end
of the formula.
15. Type 5.0 into the formula for the tax rate.
16. Double click the percentage symbol (%) in the list of Operators to add it to the end
of the formula.
The Formula box now has the following values:
17. Click the Definition tab.

The qualification for the new variable has been changed to Measure:
18. Click OK on the Variable Editor screen.
You have just created a new measure variable. You are returned to the Variables
screen, where the new variable appears in the list. Note that the formula for the
variable is displayed in the Description: box at the bottom of the Variables window.
Variables
19. Click the Insert button to insert the Tax variable into the empty column.
The new column has Tax in the header because you entered this in the Definition
and the body contains a tax calculation based on 5% of Sales revenue for each
store.
Chapter 6
Exercise 5: Variables
Exercise
Open the Applicants by HS GPA report that was saved in the last exercise.
Create a new measure variable named GPA Calc, which is the High School GPA
multiplied by 1.05. Add the new variable to the table in a column to the right of the
High School GPA column.
Add the title Applicants with Calculated High School GPA. Format the title with a
font of Times New Roman, size 18, text color of navy blue and no border.
Save the report as Applicants by HS GPA Calc.
Finished Report
Variables
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Slice and Dice
The Slice and Dice Panel provides a user-friendly, graphical method of analyzing
data. It actually duplicates some of the functions found on the Query Panel and Report
Tab, but it collects and presents those functions in one easy to use window. The ability
to sort, filter, add column calculations, and break query results into sections based on
column values covers much of the basic data manipulation found in most reports.
Let’s take a look at the Slice and Dice panel.

1. Create a new report using the eFashion universe.
2. Create a query with the following objects in the order shown.
Year State Store Name Sales revenue
3. Run the query.
4. Click the Slice and Dice button in the Standard toolbar, .

5. The Slice and Dice Panel will appear:
At first, the Slice and Dice Panel looks similar to the Query Panel. The major
difference between the two is that the Query Panel acts on data from the source
database while the Slice and Dice Panel acts only on already retrieved data
residing in a the document.
Slice and Dice

The top toolbar of the Slice and Dice Panel contains the following buttons:
A B C D E F G H I J K L
A. Show/Hide Available Variables: Shows or hides the Available Variables panel
on the left side of the Slice and Dice Panel.
B. Show/Hide Section: Shows or hides the Section panel above the Block Structure
in the Slice and Dice Panel. Move variables to this panel to create sections.
C. Show/Hide Status Bar: Shows or hides the Status Bar, which appears across the
bottom of the Slice and Dice Panel. It provides a description of the current object.
D. Apply Break: Creates a break based on the current object.
E. Apply Filter: Applies a filter to data retrieved by the query.
F. Apply Sort: Applies a sort on the current object.
G. Apply Ranking: Permits you to display the top or bottom values of a chosen
variable.
H. Insert Calculation: Adds a calculation to the selected object.
I. Help: Slice and Dice help.
J. Apply: Applies changes made in the Slice and Dice panel. The changes will appear
immediately in the report.
K. Reset: Applies changes made and applies the report’s original formatting.
L. Undo: Undoes a change made to the Slice and Dice panel, but not yet applied.
Applying a Sort
Let’s start by applying a descending sort to the Year column.
1. Click the Year object to select it.
2. Click the Sort button, , to place a sort on the Year object.

3. Double-click the Sort icon located on the Year object to reverse the sort order from
ascending to descending.
4. Click Apply in the Slice and Dice Panel and then view the results in the report.
Chapter 7
Notice that the Year column is now sorted from most to least recent.
Note: You may need to minimize or move the Slice and Dice panel in order to view the
modified results on the Report Tab. This may seem like an inconvenience, but if you
position the two windows on your monitor in a way that you can quickly go back and forth
between the two, it becomes a quick way to make modifications and view the results.
5. Return to the Slice and Dice panel.
Applying a Column Calculation

Summary calculations can be added to a column just as with the Report Tab. Let’s add
both a Sum and Count All to the Sales revenue column.
1. Click the Sales revenue column object to select it.
2. Click the Insert Calculation icon, , to add it to the selected Sales Revenue
object.
3. Double-click the Calculation icon on the Sales Revenue object to bring up the
Calculations selection window, and select Sum and Count All.
Slice and Dice

4. Click OK on the Calculations window.

5. Click Apply on the Slice and Dice Panel.
Look at the results in the Report Tab.
Creating Sections
There are two methods in Slice and Dice for dividing a report based on the values for an
object:
• Creating a section using the Show/Hide Section, , icon.
• Applying a break with the Apply Break, , icon.
First, let’s create sections using the Show/Hide Section icon.
1. Click the Show/Hide Section icon, , to bring up the Section panel.
Chapter 7
The Slice and Dice Panel will now look like:
2. Drag the Year object from the Block Structure block to the Section block.
3. You may need to double click the Sort icon, , on the Year object in order to
change back a descending sort.
4. Click the Apply button to see the results in the Report Tab.
Year now shows as a master to each section.
Slice and Dice

Applying a Break
To break a report into without a master based on Year:
1. Drag the Year object from the Section panel back down to the Block Structure
panel.
2. Reapply a descending sort to the Year object.
3. Click the Apply Break button, , to add it to the selected Year object.
4. Double-click the Break icon on the Year object to display the Break on Year
dialog box. Take a look at the options available for formatting the break.
We’ll leave it as is for this example.
5. Click Cancel to close dialog box.
Chapter 7
The Slice and Dice Panel should now look like:
6. Click Apply to apply the break, and look at the results in the report.
You may need to delete and reapply the Calculations icon to the Sales Revenue
object after applying the break in order to view subtotals for each section!
The results will look like:
“Sub-total” section
The bottom of the report will look like:
“Grand-total” section
Slice and Dice

Applying a Filter
Applying a filter allows you to look at a subset of the data in the data provider, without
deleting any data. Below we will display only the rows for years 1999 and 2001.
1. Ensure that the Year object is selected in the Slice and Dice Panel.
2. Click the Apply Filter button, .

An Apply Filter on Year dialog box will appear.
3. While holding down the Ctrl key, select both years 1999 and 2001
4. Click the OK button.

5. Next, click the Apply button.
The report will only display rows for years 1999 and 2001.
Chapter 7
Applying a Ranking
Finally, we will apply a ranking to the report. Ranking permits you to only display a
specified number of rows based on the highest or lowest values.
1. Ensure that the Year object is selected in the Slice and Dice Panel.
2. Click the Apply Ranking button, .

You may receive the following message depending on other functions already
applied to the Year object.
3. Click the Yes button.

The Select Top/Bottom for Year window will appear.
4. Enter 2 for the number of values of Year to select based on Sales revenue.
5. Also select Display subtotals and Display percentages.
6. Click OK.
Slice and Dice

The Year object in the Slice and Dice Panel now looks like:
Note that the Filter and Sort icons disappear from the Year object and are replaced
by the Ranking icon.
7. Click the Apply button on the Slice and Dice Panel.
The resulting report contains only sections and rows for the Years 2001 and 2000.
Totals from 2
ranked values
(2000, 2001)
1999 which was

not included in
ranked items.
Note that Sum Other is included in the grand total summary lines and represents
the rows that were not included in the ranked rows that are displayed.
8. Close the Slice and Dice Panel.
9. Click the Save icon, , on the Business Objects 5i toolbar.

10. Save the report under the name of Sliceanddice.
Chapter 7
Exercise 6: Slice and Dice
Review
1. The Slice and Dice panel works only on retrieved data residing in the work area of
the Business Objects repository: True or False?
2. To display the Section Panel for creating a break, click the _______________
button in the Slice and Dice Panel.
Exercise
1. Open the Applicants by Application Date report.
2. Open the Slice and Dice Panel.
3. Divide the report into sections based on Campus Desc.
4. Apply an ascending sort to Campus Desc.
5. Include a Minimum and Maximum calculation to High School GPA.
6. Save the report as Applicants by Campus.
7. Close the report.
Finished Report
Slice and Dice

Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Block Types
In Business Objects 5i you actually save a document, not a report. A document is the
actual file that is saved to Windows when Save is chosen from the File menu, or the
Save icon, , is clicked on the menu bar.
A document can be made up of several reports. And a report can be made up of several
blocks. So far we have only worked with one report per document and one block per
report.
Below are three blocks all of which display the same data. Each report represents one
of three major block types that Business Objects 5i supports. These block types are:
Table, Cross Tab, and Chart. There is one Insert … icon located on the Business
Objects 5i toolbar for each of these three major block types.
Insert Table
Insert Crosstab Insert Chart
The resulting blocks look like the following:
Crosstab
Table
Chart
Let’s recreate each of these three block types on the same report.
Block Types
2. Click this crosstab cursor where the upper left-hand corner of the crosstab is to be
positioned. The New Crosstab Wizard will appear.
We will Use existing data from the document for this crosstab. We want the
crosstab to display the same data as the table, but in a crosstab format.
3. Click Begin to go to the next window.
4. Use the CTRL key along with the mouse to select State, Year, and Sales Revenue.
Click Next to go to the next screen, which is Pivot Data for the Crosstab.
Block Types
While the layout in the previous window looks correct with Year in the Columns
class and State in the Rows class, Business Objects 5i will actually place Year
vertically down the left side of the crosstab and State horizontally across the top. So
we need to reverse these two objects by dragging them into the proper folder.
5. Drag the State dimension object onto the Columns class folder.
6. Drag Year from the Columns folder onto the Rows folder.
Your results should look like:
7. Click the Finish button.
Chapter 8
Your report should now look similar to the one shown above. The data is the same
as found in the table block. It’s just in a different format.
8. Save the report again. Leave it open since we will add one more block.
Chart Block Type

The last report block we will add to the current Report Tab is a chart. We want to have
Sales Revenue by State for all three years of data going across the horizontal X axis,
and have the total Sales Revenue amount going up the vertical Y axis. We will place
this chart under the crosstab block that was just created.
A new chart is created in the same way that the table and crosstab blocks were created.
1. Click the Insert Chart icon, . Move the cursor until it is just below the bottom
left-hand corner of the Crosstab block. The cursor will turn into a pair of
intersecting lines with a small column chart graphic.
2. Click this chart cursor where the upper left-hand corner of the chart area is to be
positioned. The New Chart Wizard will appear.
Block Types
3. We will Use existing data from the document for this chart. We want the chart to
be based on the same data as the table and crosstab, but this time in a chart format.
4. Click Begin to go to the next window.
5. Select the variables you want to appear in the chart. In this case we have used the
CTRL key along with the mouse to select State, Year and Sales Revenue.
Chapter 8
6. Click Next. The Chart Auto format window will display.
Stack Column chart
7. Select the Column chart type (in Chart Types) panel. On the right the various
types of column charts appear.
8. Select Stack Column chart type style.
9. Click the Finish button.
10. The chart will appear below the previously created crosstab block, again using the
same data as the previous two report blocks.
We will still need to make two changes:

• Have the bars combine all three years for each State into one bar per state.
• Add a legend equating the Year to its representative color.
11. Click the chart until the border outline of the chart block displays:
Block Types
Chart border
12. Right click the border.

A drop-down menu will appear.
13. Select Format Chart….
The Chart Format window will appear. (This is also available from the
Format/Chart… menu.)
14. On the General tab check the Legend box.
15. Click the Pivot tab.

16. Move the Year object from the X-Axis folder to the Z-Axis folder so that it will
stack for each State.
Chapter 8
17. Click Apply and then OK.

The revised chart will appear. You may need to drag the Legend object to the right
if it is partially covering the chart.
Your chart should now look something like:
18. Save and Close the report.
Block Types
Documents with Multiple Reports

A document can be made up of multiple reports. A report, in turn, can contain multiple
Blocks. In the previous example we just completed a report containing three different
types of blocks: table, crosstab, and chart. Now we will create a second report with a
modified version of the crosstab block.
Now we will look at how to create a document with multiple reports. We will do this
by duplicating the existing report so we don’t have to recreate the crosstab block. We
could also insert a report, but this would create a blank report.
1. Open the Blocks document saved previously.
Note that at the bottom of the panel displaying the 3 blocks, there is a tab named
Report1. When the new report is saved, it will be part of the same Blocks
document as Report1. Depending upon your needs, new reports can use the same
data as other reports or use data unique to that report.
2. Right-click the Report1 tab.
3. Select Rename Report from the pop-up menu.
4. Enter All Blocks as the new name for the report, press Enter or click OK.
5. Right-click again on the All Blocks tab
6. Select Duplicate Report from the pop-up menu.
The new report will be named All Blocks (1) by default.
The tabs on the Report Panel will now look like:
7. Rename the new report to Crosstab Only.

8. From the Edit menu, click Select All to select all the blocks in the report. You
could also use the short-cut key, Ctrl+A
9. Move the cursor to the white space in the upper-left-hand corner of the crosstab
block. The cursor will change to the move cursor.
Chapter 8
Place cursor here
10. While holding down the Ctrl key, click to deselect the crosstab block.
11. Move the cursor to the border of the chart block. The cursor will change to the
move cursor.
Place cursor here
12. Right-click to display the pop-up menu.

13. Select Delete from the menu to delete the table and chart blocks.
14. Move the crosstab block closer to the left edge of the report.
15. Save the report.
Adding row and column totals

Now we want to add row and column totals and row percentages. It can be
accomplished in a number of ways. One is to use the Calculator icon, , found on
the Slice and Dice panel, and another is to use the Sum icon, , found on the Report
Toolbar. You can also find aggregate calculation functions on the Calculations…
selection of the Data drop down menu.
In our example we will use Slice and Dice since it has a more intuitive method of
specifying multiple types and positions of calculated rows and columns.
1. While on the Crosstab Only report, click the Slice and Dice icon, .
Block Types
2. Add two calculator icons, to the Sales Revenue object.

The Block Structure box should look like:
3. Double-click the calculator beneath Sales Revenue and select both Sum and
Percent.
The calculator to the right of Sales Revenue will have only the default Sum
calculation.
4. Click Apply to see the results.
5. Use Save As to save the document as Two Reports.

6. Close the document.
After having seen how multiple report documents work (multiple report tabs), you may
have thought of different instances in which using a multiple report document would be
beneficial. Two reasons you may have thought of are:
• Report Development: By adding (inserting) reports as you develop a document,

you can save different versions of the same report as it is being developed. When
finally completed, keep the report containing the final version and delete the other
reports. (This way, it is easy to go back to an earlier version.)
• Report Libraries: Having multiple reports makes it easy to run and distribute
reports that are meant to be seen together as a unit. You can eliminate much of the
need to send or distribute multiple reports, when one document can be sent
containing the various reports. This might be the case with “end of the month”
status reports.
Chapter 8
Exercise 7: Block Types
Exercise
Create a crosstab block with the following objects:
Term desc (Admission Application)
College desc (U of I)
College PGPA (Admission Application Decision Fact)
Limit the report to Urbana-Champaign applicants. Add an Average calculation for the
College PGPA.
Finished Report
Block Types
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Formatting
Once the correct data is displayed in a report, you can reorganize columns and rows,
move freestanding cells, add more data to the report, and change formatting to get the
best layout. Reorganizing and reformatting can be done using the mouse or the
Formatting menus.
Standard Report Style

Whenever a new report is created with a Standard Report Style the data is displayed
with certain pre-defined features.
A standard report has the following major elements:
Free-standing cell
Column header
Table body
Table footer
• The report title is in a free-standing cell with a black border.

• The table header is dark blue, the body cells are pale yellow, with borders.
• Body text and numbers are in Arial font, size 10.
• The table footer has a white background and a page number.
These settings define the Standard Report Style and are saved in a file called
default.ret, in the Business Objects Template folder. This default formatting is applied
to new tables, crosstabs or free-standing cells.
The Standard Report Style can be customized, using the Standard Report Styles
dialog box, to your needs and distributed to other members of the group or department.
Subsequently, every time a user creates a report with the Standard Report Style, these
customized settings will determine the appearance of the new report.
To access the Standard Report Styles dialog box:
Formatting
1. From the Tools menu, choose Standard Report Styles.
The Standard Report Styles dialog box opens:
On the left side of the screen is a list of elements that make up a report: tables,
crosstabs and cells as well as breaks and section and page layout.
The right side of the dialog box displays the tabs with available formatting options.
When you click an icon in the report component list, the tabs on the right hand side
display the formatting choices that can be set for a selected item.
We will not cover the detailed procedure for customizing the Standard Report
Styles in this class. See Business Objects User’s Guide for more information.
Inserting Titles, Dates and Page Numbers

Report titles can be added to reports by creating freestanding cells above the report
block. A freestanding cell is a single cell that is not attached to any other report
component. It can be moved and formatted independently. The freestanding cells can
be used as containers for titles, text, graphics, or for adding comments and displaying
page numbers.
1. Create a new report using the New button on the Standard toolbar.
2. Insert a table with the following columns:
State Store Name Quantity Sold.
3. Double-click the right border of the Store name column to resize the column.
We will now create some space above the report for the title cell:
Chapter 9
4. Click the table block to select it.

The table will become enclosed in a hatched border to indicate that it is selected.
5. Move the cursor up to the top black border until it changes to a move arrow.
6. Drag the table to move it down about an inch.
We will now create a freestanding cell for the report title.
7. Click a blank space outside the report block to make sure no other report component
is selected.
8. Click the Insert Cell button on the Report toolbar .

9. Move the cursor to a blank area above the report.
The cursor changes to the Insert Cell cursor.
10. Click where you want your title cell to appear and drag to draw a rectangle above
the report block.
When you release the mouse button, a rectangular box appears. The new cell has a
flashing cursor in the center so that you can immediately type in title text.
We can now add text to the free-standing cell.

1. Enter Quantity Sold by Store for the title and press Enter.
Note: If the cell is not selected, double-click it. A selected but empty cell will have a black
border around it and a flashing cursor inside. If the cell already contains text, the text will
also be highlighted and can be edited.
Formatting
Note: If the title does not fit inside the title cell or if ‘####’ is displayed, it is because the cell
contents are larger than the cell itself. You have to resize the cell to fix the problem.
We will resize the title cell.

2. Position your cursor over the right border of the title cell.
The cursor changes to a Resize cursor.
Place cursor on the cell border.
3. Drag the border out to the right to enlarge it as needed. You can double-click the
border to resize the cell to the text width.
The finished title should look like this:
Note: You can also auto-size the cell height by holding your cursor over the top or bottom
border and double-clicking on the resize cursor.
Inserting Dates and Page Numbers

Business Objects 5i has pre-defined page number, date and time functions that can be
inserted in your reports directly from the Insert menu. These functions are
automatically updated when there is new information, (i.e. date change).
Creating a free-standing cell for the current date

We will now create a cell with the current date:
Chapter 9
1. From the menu, click Insert, Special Field, Date and Time, Current.
2. Move the cursor to where you want the date to be inserted.
The cursor changes to the Insert Cell cursor.

3. Click where you want the date to appear on the right hand side above the title. (Or
you can click and draw a rectangular area where you want the date to be positioned).
A date will be inserted inside a cell in format ‘7/11/2002’.
Note: The default date format (mm/dd/yyyy) can be changed to another format by right
clicking the date cell and then choosing Format Cell from the Speedmenu. Then select Cell
Format screen, Number Tab and Date/Time Category.
Inserting a page number

If you created your report with Insert Table button and not with New Report Wizard
you will not have page numbers on your report. Page numbers can be inserted at any
time from the Insert menu. The page number commands are displayed only when you
are in the Page Layout view.
To display the Page Layout view:
Formatting
1. Click the View menu, then click Page Layout to select it.
The margin lines are displayed on the report along with Header and Footer
locations.
To insert a page number in the report footer:

2. Click Insert, Special Field, Page Numbers, Page # of #.
3. Move the cursor all the way down to the Footer area of the report.
As you move observe that the cursor changes to an Insert Cell cursor .
4. Click in the area below the Footer line where you want the page numbers to appear.
(Or drag to draw a rectangle where the page numbers are to be inserted).
A page number is inserted into the footer.
Changing Column Titles

When a report is created, Business Objects 5i uses the names that define data columns
as the default column titles. These default names can easily be changed to something
more appropriate.
We will change the column title on the Store name column:

1. Double-click the Store name column header (not the data area).
Observe that the title is highlighted, the text changes to display the formula for the
column title variable (=NameOf<Store name>) and the cursor is now in text
mode.
Chapter 9
2. Type the new header title Store and press the Enter key.
The title is changed.
Note: Only the column heading has changed. The object name remains Store name.
Moving Cells into the Report Header Area

The title and date cells in our report were placed in the body of the report block, below
the header line. If the report is long and runs over several pages, the title and date cells
would print only once on the first page. We are going to move both cells into the
Header area so that they would print on every page of the report.
Title and
Date are
below the
Header line
First, we will move the Header line down to make space for the title and date cells.
1. Click the dotted Header line to select it.
The cursor will change to a double vertical arrow when the Header line is selected.
2. Move the line down about one inch to open up more space in the Header area.
3. Click outside the block to make sure no other elements are selected.
4. Click the title cell.
5. Press the Ctrl key and click the date cell to select both cells.
6. Release the Ctrl key.
Formatting
7. Drag the selected items to the desired location above the dotted Header line.
The title and date cells have been placed in the Header area.
Note: Since the title and the date are now in the Header area, they will be visible only when
the report is in the Page Layout view.
Enhancing Report Appearance

Report appearance can be enhanced in many ways. Most commonly used formatting
features are:
• Changing the font and font size.
• Applying font style, such as italics, bolding, and underline.
• Applying or removing borders and shading
• Applying color to single cells or blocks of cells.
Some of these features can be applied to a report by using buttons on the Formatting
toolbar, but the Cell Format dialog box gives you a comprehensive list of formatting
options.
First, we will enlarge the font in the title cell. Currently, the top of the report should
look like this:
1. Click the the title cell above the report to select it.
2. Right click the title cell to display the Speedmenu.
Note: Instead of using the Speedmenu, you can display the Cell Format screen by
selecting Format, Cell from the menu bar.
3. Choose the Format Cell option.
Chapter 9
The Cell Format dialog box appears.
4. Click the Font tab to display the list of available Font, Font Style, Size, Effects
and Color boxes.
Select: Font – Arial Narrow,
Font Style – Bold,
Font Size - 14.
Effects – Underline.
5. Click OK or Apply and OK.
The formats are applied to the title.
Using the Formatting toolbar buttons.

Many of the formatting functions are also available on the Formatting toolbar. To
display the Formatting toolbar, if it is not visible:
1. Choose Toolbars on the View Menu.
2. Select the Formatting toolbar.
3. Click Close.
Formatting
The following menu bar will be visible and available for use after the query is run
and report data is displayed on the screen.
A B C D E F G H I J
A – Font F – Alignment and Justification

B – Font Size G – Numeric Styles
C – Bold H – Indents
D – Italics I – Borders
E – Underline J – Color
The general process for applying formats using Formatting toolbar buttons is:
1. Select the cell(s), row(s), or column(s) that contain the text you want to format.
2. Click the appropriate toolbar button to select and apply the desired formatting
function.
For example, to center a report title using Formatting toolbar buttons:
• Click the report title to select it. The title background will turn black.
• Click the Align Center button on the Formatting toolbar.
The title is centered in the title text box.
Using the Cell Format menu

We will use the Speedmenu and the Border tab on Cell Format menu to remove the
border around the title and date.
1. Click the title cell to select it.
2. Hold the Ctrl key and click the date cell to select both of them.
3. Release the Ctrl key.
4. Right click to display the Speedmenu.
5. Choose Format Cell option.
6. On Cell Format screen choose the Border tab.
Chapter 9
7. Click the None box in Presets.
8. Click Apply and OK.
You will be returned to the report, and date and title will no longer have a border.
The grid lines can be removed from the columns in the body of the table in the
same way.
Removing the grid lines from the table block

1. Select all three columns of the table, by dragging to draw a rectangle that touches all
three columns.
When you release the mouse button all columns will be selected.
2. Right-click any column to display the Speedmenu.
3. Choose Format Cell option.
Formatting
4. On Cell Format screen choose the Border tab.
5. Click Presets, None.

6. Click OK, or Apply and OK.
The grid lines have been removed from the table.
Formatting cell backgrounds, color and shading

The background of cells can be enhanced in many ways including the following:
• Changing color
• Applying a pattern
• Applying a pattern and a color.
We will change the default yellow color of column background to white by using the
Format Cell menu, Shading tab.
1. Select the columns by dragging a rectangle across them all.
2. Right click to display the Speedmenu and choose Format Cell.
3. Click the Shading tab on the Cell Format screen.
Chapter 9
4. Select None in the Fill list.
5. Click OK on Cell Format screen.

The report no longer has the yellow background color.
6. Click the Quantity Sold column to select it.
7. Click the Insert Sum button on the Formatting toolbar.
Formatting
8. A sum total row is added at the end of the report.
We will now change the Sum caption to Total Quantity:

9. Double-click the Sum: box.
10. Change the text to Total Quantity:.
We will now remove the borders around the bottom row of cells and add a dashed
double line in the Total Quantity: row.
11. Move the cursor just inside the left edge of the bottom row. The cursor will change
to an arrow pointing to the right.
12. Click to select all columns in the row.

13. Right click to display the Speedmenu.
14. Select Format Cell option.
Top row
indicator
Double-dashed
line
15. On the Cell Format screen, select Border tab.
Chapter 9
16. Click Presets, None box.
17. Click the Apply button.
18. Click the top row indicator line in the Border box.
19. Click the the double-dashed line style in the Style choices to select it.
20. Click the Apply button.
21. Click OK.
The border below the last row of cells has been removed and a dashed double line
inserted.
The bottom of your report should look like the example below.
Inserting a column header on each page

We are now going to insert the column header line on every page:
1. Click the report to select it.
2. Select Format, Table
The Table Format dialog box is displayed.
3. Select the Page Layout tab.

4. Click Repeat header on every page to select it.
Formatting
5. Click OK.
6. Select File, Print Preview and page through the report to see how it will look when
printed.
Note: If the report has breaks, there are additional options on the Table Format, Page
Layout screen that control how break headers and break footers are managed.
In addition to the formatting features we have just added to the report, many other
elements can be included in reports that are designed as templates:
• Graphics, pictures, logos can be inserted.
• Sections or cells can be hidden or displayed.
• Color, shading or highlighting can be added to make reports more interesting or
draw attention to specific areas.
Chapter 9
Exercise 8: Formatting
Exercise
Create the following report.
Save the document as MyReport.rep.
Finished Report
Formatting
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Templates
A template is a report that is saved with an extension of .ret. You can create a template
by creating a new report with desired layout and then saving it as a template or you can
save an existing report with the .ret (template) instead of .rep (report) extension.
Saving a Report as a Template.

We are now satisfied with the report appearance and will save it as a template. By
default Business Objects 5i saves reports with a file extension of .rep in the folder:
\Program Files\Business Objects\Business Objects 5.0\UserDocs.
By default templates are saved with a file extension of .ret in the folder:
\Program Files\Business Objects\Business Objects 5.0\Template
Note: You can choose to save your templates in the UserDocs folder instead. If you do so you
will have to use the Browse button to find it next time you want to use it.
1. With the report open choose File, Save As.
The Save As screen will be displayed and by default you will be taken to the folder:
\Program Files\Business Objects\Busines Objects 5.0\UserDocs
2. Go back one level up to Program Files\Business Objects\Business Objects 5.0
and double-click the Template folder to open it.
3. Enter Quantity Sold by Store as the File name.
4. In the Save as type: box select BusinesObjects Templates (*.ret) from the drop
down list.
5. Click Save.
You will be returned to your report.
Templates
If needed, the same report can be saved as a report as well. To save it as a report:
6. Select File / Close to close the report. Business Objects 5i will ask if you want to
save changes to Quantity Sold by Store. Save it as a report.
You will be returned to a blank Business Object screen.
Choosing a template for a new document

To choose a specific report layout based on a template, use the New Report Wizard.
To display the New Report Wizard:
7. Click the New Report Wizard button on the Standard toolbar. The New
Report Wizard screen appears.
Note that you have two choices here:

• Generate a standard report.
• Select a template.
8. Click the Select a template radio button.
9. Click Begin to display the Templates directory.
The New Report Wizard – Select a Template screen displays the Available
Templates. The list includes templates that Business Objects 5i provides in the
\Program Files\Business Objects\Business Objects 5.0\Templates folder by
default as well as templates that you saved in this folder.
If you saved your template in other than the default Template directory use the
Browse button to find and display it.
Chapter 10
A list of available templates in the Templates folder is displayed. On the right side
of the screen you can see a preview of the selected item.
If you plan to use this template as the basis for most future reports, you can check
the Set as My Default Template option on the bottom of the screen.
10. Select Quantity Sold by Store and click Next.

11. On the Specify Data Access screen, select Universe for accessing data and click
Next.
12. Select the eFashion universe from Available Universes, and click Finish.
The standard Query Panel is displayed. Here we will select the columns for our
new report.
13. Drag Year, State, City, Store name and Quantity Sold to the Result Objects panel
of the Query Panel.
Note: The set of columns that we are selecting for this new report is not the same as in the
original template.
14. Run the report.
Templates
Your report should look like the example below:
Note: You will not see the report title, the current date or the page numbers in the new
report until you display it in Page Layout format.
The report has all the design elements that we placed in the template earlier: title,
date, pagination, total quantity, page layout, color and shading, etc.
We also selected more columns and obtained many more rows of data than we had
in the original report, but the basic formatting from the template was preserved.
Since the data we used in the new report is different, you may have to rearrange
some of the columns, reposition title and other cells for best appearance.
Appling a template to an existing report

1. Open the report to which a template will be applied.
2. On the Format menu, choose Report.
3. Select Apply Template for a list of available templates in Templates directory.
4. Choose the desired template and it will be applied to the current open report.
Chapter 10
Exercise 9: Templates
Exercise
Create a template from the MyReport.rep document saved in the previous exercise.
Create a new document using this template.
Finished Report
Templates
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Exporting Data and Saving Reports
There are several different ways to download, extract, or copy data retrieved through a
Business Objects 5i report.
Using the View Data (i.e. Data Manager) icon, , on the Report Tab toolbar, query
data displayed in reports can be exported to .xls, .dbf, .csv, .txt, .prn, and .asc format
files.
View Data: The View Data icon brings up the Data Manager screen, which
permits you to work with data retrieved by the query created in the Query Panel (i.e. it
shows the results of the query).
From this screen you can refresh, purge, and export the data that the query has retrieved.
There are also variations available on the standard copy and paste routines to move data
from a Business Objects 5i document files to other applications.
Finally, data and reports can be saved in a variety of formats using the File drop-down
menu. Some of the options that are available for saving are:
• Save As: Save completed reports as .rep, .pdf, .rtf, .txt format files.
• Save As HTML: Save the completed report in .htm browser accessible format.
We will first examine the options using the View Data (Data Manager) icon and later
look at the options available from the File menu.
Exporting Data
While it is possible to Copy and Paste data from a Business Objects 5i report to a non-
Business Objects 5i application file using a variety of methods, the most straightforward

method is to export data directly from a data provider. Remember that a data provider
contains the results of a query against the source database. When data is exported
from a data provider, Business Objects 5i ignores any report formatting and is only
concerned with the columns and rows of data that make up the report. The exported
data is then easily imported into the receiving application.
1. Create a new report with the following columns:
Year State Store Name Sales Revenue
2. Click the View Data icon on the Report toolbar. To access the data provider
for exporting
The Data Manager window will appear.
“Export”
3. On the left panel is a list of data providers and the objects they contain. On the right
panel is a list of columns and rows retrieved by the query that make up the data
provider.
Chapter 11
4. Click the Export… button to display the Export to external format window.
5. The Local File Formats available for the destination data are:
• .XLS: Excel spreadsheet format. This can also be read by many other
applications.
• .DBF: dBase database format. Many databases have the ability to read this
format.
• .CSV: Comma delimited format. Spreadsheets and database programs can
usually read this.
• .TXT: This puts data into a text column format. While it can be read by many
programs, it will probably require a data definition process of some type in order
to indicate column location to the importing application.
6. Select Microsoft Excel Files (*.xls) .
7. Change the file name from \…..\Query1.xls to \…..\Download.xls (found in the
Name text entry box).
8. Click OK.
You will receive a confirmation message:
9. Locate the Download.xls file and double-click its icon. Microsoft Excel should
launch itself with the data appearing in the spreadsheet.

10. Click OK to close the Data Manager window.
Using Copy and Paste

There are several ways to Copy and Paste data from a Business Objects 5i document
into other application files such as Word or Excel. Keep in mind that in most cases (one
exception will be shown) the copied object must be treated as a single graphical display
unit and cannot be divided into separate data cells or modified as text or numeric data.
To copy and paste an object (using the Download report that was created in the
previous section):
1. Click the table to be copied while pressing and holding the Alt key (or use Select
All from the Edit drop-down menu), so that the whole table block is selected.
2. Copy the selection with either Ctrl+C or Copy from the Edit drop down menu.
3. Start Microsoft Excel, open a new spreadsheet, then press Ctrl+V. A graphic object
containing the report will be pasted into Excel, but won’t be available for editing.
Chapter 11
4. By using Paste Special it is possible to paste the data cells into an Excel
spreadsheet in a way that each cell will maintain its individuality (the report will not
be treated as a single graphic).
5. With the report still open, select Copy All from the Edit drop-down menu.
6. If it is not already open, open a new spreadsheet in Excel.
7. Select Paste Special from the Edit drop-down menu in Excel.
8. The Paste Special window will appear.
9. Select either Text or Unicode Text and click OK.

10. The report will appear in the spreadsheet, but this time it will be incorporated into
the spreadsheet as real data (individual cells of data) rather than a single graphic.
Saving Reports from the File Menu

When the File drop down menu is used to Save Business Objects 5i documents, it saves
the reports in various display formats. It does not save the contents of the reports as
data that can be manipulated.
1. Create a standard table with the following columns:
Year State Store name Sales revenue

2. Use the Insert Cell icon, , to insert the report title:

Annual Sales by Store
3. Run the report and save it as Download.rep.
4. Save the report using the Save option of the File menu.
5. By default reports are saved in the \Userdocs subdirectory located in the Business
Objects application subdirectory. The actual path might look similar to:
Note: Default file locations can be changed on the File Locations tab of the
Tools/Options menu.
Below we will discuss four other formats in which to save a Business Objects 5i report:
• Saving a document in HTML format.
• Saving a document in PDF format.
• Saving a document as a .txt file (text).
• Saving a document in .rtf format (Rich Text Format).
Saving a Document in HTML Format

Since almost all computer users will have a browser available, it often makes sense to
save a report to be distributed to non-Business Objects 5i users in HTML format. When
the user receives the report, it can be easily viewed through the browser.
1. From 5i’s File menu, select Save as HTML.
2. Click the Save button in the Save As window.
Note: While the Save as type box indicates a .rep file, the file name is still given an .htm
extension.
Chapter 11
The HTML Options screen will appear providing you with a way of saving the
report with the HTML options that you desire.
3. Click OK in order to complete the save procedure.

Keep in mind that browser controlled printing and viewing is far from an exact
science. Browser viewing and printing lack much of the control and formatting
found in the other methods. But then again, almost anyone will be able to view the
report.
Below is how this report appears in HTML format (note title wrap in this example).

Saving a Document in PDF Format

Saving a report that is to be distributed to those without Business Objects 5i in PDF
format (i.e. Adobe Acrobat Reader) makes a lot of sense since most people have the
Acrobat Reader on their workstation. If they don’t have it, it is easy and free to
download.
Acrobat Reader also provides you with fairly extensive controls to view and print a
report.
1. From 5i’s File menu, select Save as.
2. In the pop-up Save As window locate the folder where the report is to be stored.
3. In the Save as type drop-down text box select Portable document format (*.pdf).
4. Name the report Download.
5. Click the Save button.
6. Locate the saved Download.pdf file using My Computer, and double click the file’s
icon.
If Acrobat Reader has been correctly installed, the Acrobat Reader will launch and
display.
Note the various controls located across Acrobat’s toolbar.
If the report had been sectioned By Year a navigatable section tree would have
appeared in the left Bookmark panel.
Chapter 11
Section Tree
Saving a Document in .txt Format

Using Save as to save the report as a .txt file can be beneficial if you want a document
with highly editable data. But the .txt file format looses much of the actual report
formatting.
Our Download report saved in .txt format looks like:
Saving a Document in .rtf Format

Saving a document in .rtf format puts the report in a file that Microsoft Word can
easily open and throws the data into a Word table. If you feel the report is likely to
have its data edited or manipulated, Excel format is probably a better choice. Although
saving in .pdf format maintains report formatting better than .rtf, .rtf format is probably
acceptable for viewing.

Below is the same report in .rtf format.
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Making Reports Available to Others and InfoView
As previously discussed, by default reports are saved in the \Userdocs subdirectory
located in the Business Objects application subdirectory. The actual path might look
similar to:
A report can also be:

• Saved and retrieved from your own Personal Documents accessible through the
Business Objects InfoView Web portal tool.
• Sent to another user’s Inbox accessible through InfoView.
• Sent to another user using standard email.
Working with Personal Documents

Personal Documents are documents that are saved in a user’s own personal storage
area in the Business Objects Repository located on a central server. These documents
can be either Business Objects 5i documents or WebIntelligence reports.
There are several reasons why you might want to store a document in your Personal
Documents storage area:
• Since Personal Documents are stored on a central server, it provides a safe and
consistent location for long-term storage of completed reports or templates.
• For those who also use InfoView or WebIntelligence, Personal Documents provides
a central location with which to work and store both types of reports.
WebIntelligence reports are created within the InfoView interface, and Business
Objects 5i can be launched from within InfoView.
• Personal Documents provides an easy way to quickly save and organize documents
sent to a user’s InfoView Inbox.
Saving a Personal Document

To save a report to your Personal Documents do the following:
1. Open a Business Objects 5i report in Business Objects 5i. The Download report
that was saved earlier should work fine.
2. Click File/Send To… on the Report Tab menu and then select Personal
Documents….

The following window will appear listing Business Objects 5i reports currently
stored in Personal Documents, providing you with the opportunity to change the
report’s name before saving it.
3. Click Save to save it to your Personal Documents.

4. Open up InfoView on the Web and you should now see the document named
Download listed in the Personal Documents panel (you may need to Refresh the
InfoView screen to have it appear).
Retrieving a Personal Document

If you later wanted to retrieve the report named Download (or any other Business
Objects 5i document) from your Personal Documents storage you would:
1. Open the File menu and choose Retrieve From
2. Select Personal Documents.
The Retrieve Personal Document window will open.
Chapter 12
3. Select the document Download.rep.

4. Click Open to open a copy of the document.
If prompted that a copy of the report already exists locally, and should the existing
local version be overwritten, click Yes to complete the retrieval.
You could have also downloaded the report to a .rep file on your computer by
opening the document in InfoView and selecting Download from the top menu.
Deleting a Personal Document

To delete a document from your Personal Documents you must do it from the
InfoView Web portal.
1. While in InfoView, select Personal Documents.
2. Place a check mark to the left of any document you want to delete.
3. Click Delete from the top menu bar.
4. Click OK on the confirmation screen to confirm the delete.
Sending a Document to an Inbox

For EDW users who use the Business Objects InfoView EDDIE Web environment, the
easiest way to distribute non-production documents developed in Business Objects 5i or
WebIntelligence is to send that document to the co-worker’s InfoView Inbox.
Remember that since the document is being sent to the user’s InfoView Inbox, the
recipient should be a frequent user of InfoView or be expecting the document. If the
recipient does not use InfoView, they will not know that a document has been sent. For
infrequent InfoView users, emailing (the next topic) the report may be a better option.
To send a report to another user:

3. Go through the list and select the id of one or more people in the class in order to
send them a report. After selecting the recipients, click OK.
The HTML Options… button is available for setting the options for the HTML
version of the document. InfoView users can view documents in one of three
modes: HTML, PDF, and Enhanced Document mode. Except for downloading and
pasting data into an Excel spreadsheet, HTML is usually inferior to PDF and
Enhanced Document modes for printing Business Objects 5i reports.
4. When recipients have been selected and parameters have been set, click OK to send
the document to the selected users.
5. If the Send is successful you will receive the following message:
Sending a Document via Email

Finally, you can send a document using your default, installed email application. It
operates similarly to the way the sending a user’s InfoView Inbox works.
1. Open the report that you wish to send. Again, let’s open the Sliceanddice report
created earlier.
2. Select Send To / Mail… from the File menu..

Your default email application will appear with the Business Objects 5i document
inserted as an attachment. Below is the example using Microsoft Outlook.
Now you can treat this report just as you would any other file attached to an email
The recipient can either open the document within the email or save the attachment
in a location to be read later by Business Objects 5i.
Note: No matter how the Business Objects 5i attachment is opened the recipient must
have the Business Objects 5i application installed on the workstation in order to view the
report or any report with a .rep extension!
Chapter 12
Logging Out
1. Click Logout from the side Navigation Bar.
You will be presented with the following window:
2. Click the Yes button to complete the logout procedure.

If your session is inactive longer than the maximum time period defined by the
administrator, InfoView will log you out automatically (currently that time is around
10 minutes), although your browser will continue to display the last Web page
displayed. At that point you will notice that some functions, such as retrieving
reports are no longer working. Unless you are prompted to provide your InfoView
logon or password, you will need to log out and login to InfoView again to continue
working.

Chapter 12
Appendix A - On-Line Help

Business Objects 5i provides many ways for getting assistance on-line and learning
about basic product features as well as troubleshooting and solving common problems.
From the Business Objects 5i drop-down Help menu, the following choices are
available:
• Business Objects Help
• Business Objects User’s Guide
• InfoView User’s Guide
• Getting Started
• Quick Tour
• More Tips and Samples
• Error Messages Explained
For a quick explanation of each look below:
Business Objects Help:

This is similar to the standard Windows help found in most applications. Topics can be
located using an index or the Find command. It tends to provide explanations and
definitions of available options and parameters, and does not describe processes. An
example of a screen (Exporting Data) follows:

Business Objects User’s Guide
The Business Objects User’s Guide is a copy of the Business Objects 5i manual in
Adobe Acrobat format. Anyone with Acrobat reader installed on a computer should
be able to read and search the manual online. Part or all of this can also be printed out
for a hardcopy reference. It provides the most comprehensive overview of the product
by accompanying documentation, along with descriptions of processes (such as
exporting shown below).
InfoView User’s Guide:

InfoView User’s Guide is a copy of the InfoView manual in Adobe Acrobat format.
As with the Business Objects User’s Guide, it can be searched and provides the most
comprehensive overview of the product by accompanying documentation, along with
descriptions of processes.
Getting Started
This is a set of exercises, presented in Adobe Acrobat format, structured to show you
various often-used features of Business Objects 5i through a series of scenarios. These
scenarios use the eFashion universe that is usually made available when Business
Objects 5i is installed on a computer.
Getting Started is a good resource for those starting to use Business Objects 5i on their
own, as a preliminary introduction to the product before taking organized training, or as
a review tool to reinforce and review organized training.
Quick Tour
This provides brief animated overview of some major features. While there are many
subject areas that are missing and the examples are fairly standard, if the desired topic is
available, it is probably worth the few minutes required to view a topic.

More Tips and Samples

Clicking on the Help menu’s More Tips and Samples brings up the Business Objects’
Web site. The user must register to access this section of the Web site.
This resource provides answers and procedures for various scenarios. These scenarios
tend to be more complex than those found in the Getting Started help resources, and
are probably better suited for users with solid Business Objects experience.
Error Messages Explained

This contains a list of Business Objects error messages along with associated error
message numbers. Again, this is structured in Adobe Acrobat format. This
documentation can be searched, and so is very valuable in deciphering error messages
that may appear while using Business Objects 5i or other Business Objects components.


Appendix B - Installing Business Objects 5i

To install Business Objects 5i you need to create a document using 5i from InfoView.
the following:
1. Start your browser and enter the URL: eddie.ds.uillinois.edu
2. Click the Login button.

3. Enter your Business Objects user name.
The user name is your netid. If your netid has a hyphen, omit the hyphen in the user
name.
Examples:
Netid: j-doe
User name: jdoe
4. Enter your Business Objects password.

If this the first time you have logged in, your password will be your netid backwards
and then the number 3.
If your netid has a hyphen, omit the hyphen in the password.

If your netid ends in a number, omit the number in the password.
Example:
Netid: jdoe
Password: eodj3
Netid: j-doe2
Password: eodj3
You will be prompted to change your password.
Selecting the editor

5. Click on Options in the Navigation Bar.
The Create and Edit Documents option will always be visible from the Personal
Options panel.
6. Click Create and Edit Documents on the top bar of the Personal Options screen.
7. Set the document type to be created to BusinessObjects.
This only needs to be done once at your initial session unless you have access to
both editors and switch between them.
8. Click Apply All Changes at the bottom of the screen.
9. Click Create Documents in the Navigation Bar.
An installation routine will start which will install 5i on your computer. After the
installation is complete you will be able to start 5i from the Windows Start button.

Appendix C - Setting the Oracle Passwords

When a document retrieves data from the EDW it accesses an Oracle database. You
must have an account on that database. Business Objects passes your user name and
password to Oracle. This means your Business Objects password and your Oracle
password(s) must match.
Default Oracle Passwords:

The default password is the netid backwards and then the number 3.
Example: netid = jdoe
default password = eodj3
Changing Oracle password

1. Go to the Decision Support web site (http://www.ds.uillinois.edu).
2. Select Services.
3. Select Change Database Passwords.
4. Check the box for either Production or Training database, or both. If you do not
have an account on one, you will see a message that the password was not
successfully changed.
5. At the User Name prompt, enter your Business Objects user name. (netid)
6. At the Current Password prompt, enter the current Oracle password. The default
password is your netid backwards with “3” added to the end.
7. At the New Password prompt, enter your new password.
8. At the Confirm New Password prompt, re-enter your new password.
9. Click the Submit Password Change button.


Appendix D - Number Formatting

To format fractions or numbers with decimal points, include the following digit
placeholders in a section. If the number has more digits to the right of the decimal point
than there are placeholders in the format, the number is rounded to as many decimal
places as there are placeholders. If the number has more digits to the left of the decimal
point than there are placeholders in the format, the extra digits are displayed.
• # displays all digits to the left of the decimal point, except for the last one.
• 0 (zero) displays the last digit before the decimal point, as well as any digit after it.
• A space ( ) displays a space, a period (.) a period, and a comma (,) a comma.
• A hyphen (-) displays a negative value.
• A parameter between brackets ([ ]) can be used to apply a color to a specific format
(for example, the color Red to all negative values in the format code $-
#,##0.00[Red].
To display Use this format code

1234.5 as 1234 0
6789 as 6 789.00 # ##0.00
6.3579 as 6.36 0.00
1235 and 1235.68 as 1 235 # ##0
5789.9 as 5789.90% and 23.566 as 23.57% 0.00%
3.289 as 3.29e+000 0.00e+000
34565.9 as $34,565.00 and -2345 as $#,##0.00;$-#,##0.00[Red]
$2,345.00
1 as Mr, -1 as Mrs, and 0 as Miss Mr;Mrs;Miss
1 as True and -1 as False True;False


Appendix E - AITS Help Desk

For further assistance or to report problems call the AITS Help desk at:
Chicago 996-4806
Urbana & Springfield (217) 333-3102
Appendix E - AITS Help Desk

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Introduction

Appropriate Use And Security Of Confidential And Sensitive

Your responsibilities regarding the protection and security of administrative information

4/12/04 E:\TrainingDevelopment\BusinessObjects\BusinessObjects5i\Intro_to_BO5i v2.doc

4/12/04 E:\TrainingDevelopment\BusinessObjects\BusinessObjects5i\Intro_to_BO5i v2.doc

No WebIntelligence software is loaded on the user’s computer. An Internet browser is

What User Rights Do You Have?

Creating a Basic Report

7. Select BusinessObjects as the editor to use.

Using the New Report Wizard

4. Select Universe as the way you want to access data.

Creating a Basic Report

5. Select the eFashion universe.

Creating a Basic Report

8. Click the Run button to run the query.

The Standard and Report Toolbars

Creating a Basic Report

3. Select the New Documents tab.

Turn the Wizard

Resizing columns or rows

Drag the column border

Creating a Basic Report

8. Select the Height tab.

3. Name the report Sales rev by store.

Starting Business Objects 5i from the desktop

Creating a Basic Report

5. Supply your EDW User Name and password.

Creating a Basic Report

5. Click the Refresh icon, , on the Business Objects 5i tool bar.

Working with the Query Panel

Modifying an Existing Report

1. Click the Edit Data Provider icon.

Setting Limits on Reports

The Partial Results Default Value is set by the universe designer.

1. If it’s not already open, open Business Objects 5i.

2. Open a new report by clicking the New icon.

Now we will insert a table.

3. Click the Insert Table icon.

6. On the Insert a New Table screen select Begin>.

9. Select the following objects in the order shown.

Second sort Third sort First sort

Now we will apply a secondary sort to the Month name column.

Third sort Second sort First sort

Let’s place the Month custom sort on the report.

10. Click Month in the Sort Option drop down list.

Object type Calculation will do the following….

Dimension Count all rows in the body of the report including

Minimum Display the minimum value.

Sum Calculate the sum.

Average Calculate the average.

Percentage Display the selected data as a percentage.

Calculations and Breaks

Let’s create a new report to demonstrate the Count function.

Now we will apply the Count function to the State column:

Adding a Count All

Calculations and Breaks

2. Choose Calculations from the Speedmenu.

We will add a percentage column to the same report.

Using the Calculation Toolbar

The Report toolbar has the following calculation buttons:

Procedure for using calculation buttons from the Report toolbar:

Calculations and Breaks