OBIEE 301 - Dashboard-Report Application Development Coursework - Day 2

BICG University
Course 301
“Dashboard/Report
Application Development”
Day 2
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2
The “Key” to our Exercise
Throughout our exercises, you’ll occasionally see yellow “Post-it” notes sprinkled throughout.
These are topics that we may call out and discuss in class, or we might suggest that you review
others on your own time. These “notes” are designed to further your knowledge about the Oracle BI
Enterprise Edition; on BI Best Practices; on “Tips and Tricks” to enable you to rapidly develop
applications using OBIEE; and other notable topics. We strongly believe that the better educated
you are on each of these topics, the better prepared you’ll be.
Our “notes” key is below:
Light Bulb: These notes will provide advice, tips or tricks

that we’ve developed over the years, or points to ponder.
Question Mark: These are questions that we’ll be debating in

class. Many of these will have no single correct answer,
instead, they’re designed to expand your thinking about
pertinent topics.
Drafting Table: These are exercises that we’ll be working on

in class. At BICG we believe in following standards and best
practices, but we don’t believe in limiting creativity. These
exercises are your chance to flex your creative muscles!
Agenda
Time Topic
15 minutes Review Questions from Day 1
30 minutes Exercise #1 Developing Dashboard Prompts – Page 5
20 minutes Exercise #2 Adding “Is Prompted” Filters to Requests – Page 15
20 minutes Exercise #3 “Best Practice Guidelines for Tables and Pivot Tables” – Page
22
30 minutes Exercise #4 Complex Charts: Line-Bar Combinations – Page 30
10 minutes Morning Break
30 minutes Exercise #5 Adding a Saved Filter and Formatting an Existing Request –

Page 38
20 minutes Exercise #6 A “Cheat” to Develop New, Complex Requests Based upon an
Existing Request – Page 48
30-60 Lunch break
minutes
30 minutes Exercise #7 Complex Pivot Tables – Page 53
25 minutes Exercise #8 Ranking and Top and Bottom Requests Page 61
20 minutes Exercise #9 Combining Column Selectors with a Single Chart View – Page
67
30 minutes Exercise #10 Bubble Charts – Page 71
10 minutes Afternoon break
30 minutes Exercise #11 Advanced Dashboard Formatting – Page 77
20 minutes Exercise #12 Using Guided Navigation to Create Dashboard Alerts – Page
83
15 minutes Exercise #13 Using Guided Navigation to Display or Hide Dashboard

Sections – Page 90
4
Dashboard/Report Application Development
Exercise #1
Developing Dashboard Prompts
2130 Cliff Road, Suite 200, Eagan, MN 55122

www.biconsultinggroup.com 5
Exercise Objectives:
In this lesson we will review the process of creating Dashboard prompts, which
allow the user to selectively filter the contents of a Dashboard page based upon
selections made from drop-down lists, multi-select boxes, text entry fields, or
calendar selections. We will also be adding Is Prompted filters to a
request so it can receive the dashboard prompt selections.
Content:
1. Using the Dashboard Prompt editor.
2. Allowing single selects, multi selects, or text entry.
3. Adding the Prompt to a Dashboard.
4. Adding “Is Prompted” filters to a request.
6
Step #1: Accessing the Dashboard Prompt Editor
1 To access the Dashboard Prompt 1. Select the Answers link in

editor, access Answers, and then the upper right hand
select the Dashboard Prompt icon corner.
(looks like a drop-down list with a 2. Prior to selecting a
star). A list of available subject subject area (which will
areas will appear. bring you into the request
editors), select the
Dashboard prompt editor
from the upper left.
3. Select the Paint subject
area from the list that
appears.
7
Step #2: Set the Prompt’s Scope
1 The Dashboard Prompt’s “Scope” 1. Set the Prompt’s scope to

must be set, either at a Dashboard “Page”.
level, or page level. Setting the
scope to Dashboard, will cause the
prompt to affect all pages within a
Dashboard; setting it to Page, will
cause the prompt to only affect the
page in which it is placed. It is a BICG best practice to
never (or nearly never) set a
Dashboard prompt’s scope to
Dashboard. Doing so can cause
unintended effects, such as
causing a prompt on one page
to override a prompt on
another page; and it can also
confuse the end user since it
won’t be obvious to the user
how or where filtered settings
were made, unless the prompt
itself is on the same page they
are viewing.
8
Step #3: Building the Prompt
3
2
1 You’ll notice that the “pick list” is 1. Add Year, Region,

available on the left, just as it is District and Brand to
while developing request objects. the prompt.
Adding these fields to a Dashboard 2. Leave the other
prompt is simply done by clicking, controls in their
and the fields are added, stacked default settings, and
on top of another. select the “Preview”
button in the upper
2 Once selections have been added right hand corner.
to the prompt, their position can be
changed, or they can be removed
using the up/down/or remove
buttons on the far right.
3 You’ll also notice that you are able

to change the control from a drop-
down list (allowing only one
selection at time), a multi-select, or
a text box.
9
Step #4: Testing the Prompt
1 You’ll see that the default settings 1. Close the preview

of “drop-down list box” allow the window, and set the
user to select one, and only one “Control” settings
selection per prompt. for all prompts to
“Multi-Select”.
2. Retest the prompt
using the Preview
button.
3. Close the Preview
window.
10
Step #5: Changing to Multi-Select
1. Click the ellipse button

next to Regions.
1 The “Multi-Select” option replaces 2. Select the Central Region
the drop-down arrow, with an from the list and click the
ellipse button which when selected, back arrow to move it to
opens a browse window allowing “Selected”. You can also
the user to make multiple double click on your
selections. selection to add or
remove it. click “OK”.
3. Create a folder called
Double click your selection to
‘Prompts’.
2 add or remove it from your
4. Save your prompt as
“Selected” box. Or you can click
“Prompt: Year, Region,
the arrows to add or remove one
District, Brand” into the
or more of your selected values
after highlighting them. ‘Prompts’ folder.
11
Step #7: Adding the Prompt to a Dashboard Page
1. From your “My

1 Prompts can be dragged and Dashboard”, select the
dropped into the Dashboard editor, Page Options / Edit
just like another other request Dashboard link.
object. 2. Drag and drop your new
prompt into the top
column.
3. Select “Save”.
12
Step #8: Adding “Is Prompted” Filters to a request
1 The last selection within the 1. Using Exercise #11 (from

Operator list is “is Prompted”. This Day 1) , open the request
selection allows the field to be in Answers and remove
filtered based on selections within any existing filters.
the prompt. If no prompt selection 2. Holding the <CTRL> key,
is made for the field, the request select “Year” from the
will either be unfiltered on that field pick list. It will open the
or will be filtered based on the filter dialogue box. From
request level filter on that field. the Operator list, select
“Is Prompted”, which is
the last selection in the
list.
3. Do the same for Region,
District and Brand.
4. Save Exercise #11.
Remember that when an

element is contained within the
request criteria, you can open
the filter dialogue by clicking
the filter icon on that field.
If the field doesn’t exist, use
the <CTRL> click shortcut.
13
The Result!
1. Select the Southern and

Western Regions from
the Region prompt, and
select the “Go” button.
What happened? If your

answer is “one request changed
but the other did not”, the
reason is that we added the
“Is Prompted” filters on one
request but need to also them
to the other request so it can
“receive” the prompt
selections. That’s for the next
exercise.
14
Exercise #2
Adding “Is Prompted” Filters to Requests

In this lesson we will review the process of adding what are called “Is Prompted”
filters to requests, so that those requests can accept the selections made within
Dashboard prompts.
Content:
1. Saving a filter for reuse.
2. Adding a saved filter to a request.
3. Testing the Dashboard Prompt.
16
Step #1: Saving the “Is Prompted” Filter for Reuse
1
2
1. Open Exercise #11 (from

Day 1) and select the
“Save Filter” button.
1 Your filtered selections are now 2. Name this filter as
shown, each identified as “Is “Filter: Exercise #2”.
Prompted” filters. 3. Save this request in the
“My Filters” folder.
4. Open the request for
2 You can save any filter for reuse by
Exercise #10 (from Day
selecting the “Save Filter” button.
1).
17
Step #2: Adding the Saved Filter to Other Requests
The saved filter is now available as

1 a selection from the pick list on the
left.
Selecting a saved filter opens the “Apply 1. Select the filter from
Saved Filter” dialogue box which shows the My Filters folder.
the contents of the filter and gives two 2. Check both boxes, and
options. If the first option is checked, the select “OK”.
saved filter will replace any existing filters 3. Save the request.
previously added to the request. If it is 4. Return to your “My
unchecked, the saved filter will be added Dashboard” and select
to the request without removing any Central, Eastern and
existing filters. Southern regions from
the region prompt.
If the second option is checked, the
contents of the filter will be added to the
request. If it is unchecked, it will add a
reference to the filter’s name instead of
the contents. Also, if you modify the filter
in the future, those changes will
automatically be populated to any
requests that have the filter “referenced”.
This option also affects what the user
sees which is explained on the next slide.
18
Step #2: User Perspective for Filter Options
From a user’s perspective, if the second option is checked, the filter

will be displayed on the dashboard.
In this example, there is a filter to exclude the ‘Enterprise’ brand. Often

users will want certain things excluded but won’t want to see the filter with
the request. The next slide shows how to do this.
19
Step #2: User Perspective for Filter Options
From a user’s perspective, if the second option is un-checked, the filter

will not be displayed on the dashboard. Referenced filters are used
when users want filters included in requests but don’t want to see them
on the dashboard.
In this example, there is a filter to exclude the ‘Enterprise’ brand but it is

not displayed. This option needs to be used carefully as it is possible that
a user won’t realize that certain things are excluded from a request.
20
The Result!
21
Exercise #3
Best Practice Guidelines for Tables and
Pivot Tables

In this lesson we will review several basic best practice guidelines when developing
tabular views and pivot tables.
Content:
1. Setting tables and pivot tables to “stretch” to fit the Dashboard column in which
they’re placed.
23
Step #1: Stretching Tables to “Fit” within the Dashboard Column
2
3
1 The width setting of the tabular 1. Open Exercise #10 (from

request is accessed using the Day 1), and edit the
“Table View Properties” button. tabular view.
2. From the tabular editor,
2 The width setting is hidden under the select the “Table View
“Additional Formatting Options”, Properties” icon (looks
which is accessed by clicking the like a hand, in the upper
“plus” button. left corner).
3. Click the “plus” button to
3 The width (and height, and padding) the left of “Additional
options can either be set to a number Formatting Options”.
of pixels, or as a percentage. 4. Enter 100% in the width
field.
5. Click “OK”.
6. Save the request.
24
Step #2: Accessing Hidden Views from the Drop-Down
1 The compound layout in this 1. Open Exercise #11 – from

request, now contains just the view Day 1 - and using the
selector. You can access the table editor navigation drop-
and pivot table themselves by down, select “Table”.
accessing them from the navigation This will take you into the
drop-down list, and selecting the table editor.
appropriate view to edit. 2. Make the appropriate
changes to set the width
to 100%.
3. Once those changes are
made, select the “Pivot
Table” from the
navigation drop-down.
25
Step #3: Setting Pivot Tables to fit 100%
2
3
1 The width setting for pivot tables is 1. Select the pivot tables
fairly well hidden, and is accessed property icon (looks like a
by clicking the properties icon hand).
(looks like a hand) situated below 2. Set the pivot tables
the sections and above the rows. width to fit 100%.
3. Select “OK”.
2 The width setting is hidden under the 4. Save the request.
“Additional Formatting Options”,
which is accessed by clicking the
“plus” button.
3 The width (and height, and padding)

options can either be set to a number
of pixels, or as a percentage.
26
Step #4: Setting Columns to 50% Width
1 You’ll notice that your Dashboard

columns don’t quite look even – the
1. To set the column widths,
tabular request has pushed the
enter the Dashboard
graph slightly to the left. It is a
editor.
BICG best practice to set column
widths to an equal size – 50% each
for two column Dashboards.
27
Step #4: Setting Columns to 50% Width
2
3
1 Column properties such as width,

1. Select the “Properties”
height and padding can be set by
button for the column in
selecting the “Properties” option for
the lower left.
each column (ensure that you
2. Select “Column
select the properties button for the
Properties” (if you don’t
column, and not the section or
see “Break” as the other
request).
option, you’ve clicked the
wrong properties button).
2 The width setting is hidden under the 3. Expand the “Additional
“Additional Formatting Options”, Formatting Options” and
which is accessed by clicking the set the column width to
plus sign. 50%.
4. Select “OK” and repeat
the procedures for the
column in the lower right.
3
The width (and height, and padding) 5. Select “Save” on the
options can either be set to a number Dashboard editor.
of pixels, or as a percentage.
28
The Result!
1 Compare the two images above –

the Dashboard above did NOT
have it’s column width’s equally set,
and the Dashboard below has both
columns set to 50% width.
29
Exercise #4
Complex Charts:
Line-Bar Combinations

In this lesson we will dive deeper into one of the more powerful chart types, line-bar
combinations which allow the user to quickly determine the interaction of two
metrics, something that is nearly impossible to do on a numeric request. We’ll also
look at how to use these charts without improperly implying a “trend” where no
trend exists.
Content:
1. Creating a Line-Bar Combination Chart.
2. Using a symbol in place of the line.
3. Using conditional formatting.
31
Step #1: Creating a Line-Bar Combination Chart
1. Create a new request and

1 Line-Bar Combination charts are add a a line-bar
developed by placing an attribute combination chart with
(such as Region) in the x-axis, regions in the x-axis, and
dollars and % Chg Year
Ago Dollars in the y-axis.
2 And a Metric (such as Dollars) in the 2. Filter on Year 2006
y-axis (which equates to the bars),
At BICG, we’re big fans of
3 And another metric in the other y- line-bar combos, because they
axis (indicated by the wavy line, can immediately provide insight
signifying the metric that will be into how two metrics interact,
plotted in the line). which is something very
difficult to see on a numeric
request. That said, we’re not
big fans of line charts, unless
it’s plotting real-time data.
That’s because the line can
incorrectly imply a trend,
where no trend exists.
32
Step #2: Using a Symbol in Place of a Line
1
2
1. Select the “Format Chart

1 The “Format Chart Data” icon (looks Data” icon.
like a pencil, on 6 tipped on its side) 2. Uncheck the first line,
allows you to modify the color and and set the line width to
other options on the lines and bars. zero.
3. Select a symbol type and
color.
2 On the line-bar combo, you must 4. Select “OK”.
select from the chart component
drop-down. In this case, we’ll be
working on the line.
3 You must uncheck the “Use Default”

checkbox, and then select a symbol
type, and color of the symbol. Our
favorite symbol is a triangle. The
secret to hiding the line, is to then
set the line width to zero pixels.
33
Step #3: View the Result
1. Reselect the “Format

Chart Data” icon.
34
Step #4: Using Conditional Logic
1. Select the “Conditional”

tab on the Format Chart
Data dialogue box.
2. Select the “Add
Condition” button, and
select % Chg Year Ago
Dollars.
3. Set the first condition to
“is less than or equal to
50”.
4. Select “OK”.
35
Step #4: Using Conditional Logic
1. Set the symbol of the

first condition to a red
triangle.
2. Add a second condition
and set it to “greater
than 50”, and set its
symbol to a green
triangle.
3. Select “OK”.
4. Click the ‘Save’ button
and click the ‘New Folder’
button and create a new
folder called ‘Day 2
Requests’ (save all
requests built today into
this folder).
5. Save the request as
‘Exercise #4 – Line-Bar
Example’
36
The Result!
You’ll notice that in the legend,

the triangle is being shown in
the color that you’d previously
set. You can change this color
to be one of the “conditional”
colors, or you can set it as a
neutral color such as gray.
37
Exercise #5
Adding a Saved Filter and Formatting an
Existing Request

In this lesson we will add our saved filter to a request that was built in Day 1.
We will also be setting formatting for the request and doing some advanced work in
the compound layout.
Content:
1. Adding a saved filter.
2. Setting width formatting.
3. Finding hidden objects in the compound layout.
4. Combining objects in the compound layout.
5. Deleting objects from a request.
39
Step #1: Add the Saved Filter
1. Open Exercise #13 (from

Day 1).
2. Add the saved filter from
Exercise #2.
40
Step #2: Find the Table object
When you click the editor navigation

1
dropdown, all objects that have been created
previously for the request have a green
circle. You may choose those objects from
here to edit them directly.
1. Click the editor navigation

dropdown and choose
Table
41
Step #3: Format Table
1. Set the table properties

to fit 100% within the
column.
42
Step #4: Find and Format Pivot Table
1. Use the editor navigation

dropdown to edit the
Pivot Table
2. Set the pivot table width
properties to fit 100%
within the column.
43
Step #5: Create a Filters object
When you want to add something to the compound

1
layout you need to use the Add View menu. If you
happen to click an object in the editor navigation
dropdown list that does not have a green circle, the
object will be created but will not be attached to the
compound layout.
1. Click the editor navigation

dropdown and choose
Filters.
44
Step #6: View the Filters Object
We now have a Filters object for this request but

it is not associated with the Compound Layout.
The next slide will show you how to fix this.
1. Click the Compound

Layout icon.
45
Step #7: Add the Filters Object to the Compound Layout
1. From the Add View menu,

click the Filters icon
46
The Result!
Because we had previously created the

Filters object, it was added to the 1. Save your request into
Compound Layout when we used the the Day 2 Requests
Add View menu. folder as “Exercise #5 -
Region Summary”
47
Exercise #6
A “Cheat” to Develop New, Complex
Requests Based upon an Existing Request

In this lesson we will show a shortcut or “cheat” on how you can build upon existing
request structures to shorten your workload as you develop newer requests.
Content:
1. “Replacing” columns within an existing request.
2. Modifying minor components of the request.
3. Doing a “Save As” a new request.
49
Step #1: Starting with “Region Summary - Exercise #5”, the Multi-View Request
At BICG, we’re big fans of

“Region Summary - Exercise #5” has shortcuts, and we’re also big
1 fans of analyzing information
many complex request objects,
including a column selector, in multiple ways, until you’ve
reached a moment of insight,
and an action can be taken.
2 A view selector with four views, each We’ve found that it’s valuable
of which has had very specific to have similarly structured
formatting set, including graph requests side by side so that
settings, tabular formatting, etc. you can easily compare
information in multiple ways.
This request is predominately based
upon analysis of regions, with a Here’s how you get there, real
tabular request, pivot table, and fast.
several charts, painting a different
picture of the insight that can be
gained from analyzing the regions. 1. Select the Criteria Tab.
What would it take to redevelop this

entire “package” for a brand
analysis?
50
Step #2: Replacing Columns
1. Select the “Edit

Formula” icon on the
Region column.
2. Delete the contents
of the “Column
Formula”.
3. Select “Brand” from
the pick list (you’ll see
that it’s “formula” will
now appear where
Region used to be”.
4. Select “OK”.
You’ll notice that the column

name has now changed to
“Brand” without requiring you
to check the “Custom
Headings” box and entering a
new name.
51
The Result!
1. Back on the Results Tab, you’ll

notice that the column selector has
even updated, replacing Region with
Brand (although you’ll want to go in
and drop the second “Brand” that
was available as a replacement
column). You’ll need to do some
minor edits, such as renaming
several of the views in the view
selector, to have them refer to
Brands, rather than Regions.
2. Rename the views in the view
selector as appropriate.
3. Save the request as “Exercise #6 -
Brand Summary”.
52
Exercise #7
Complex Pivot Tables

In this lesson we’ll dive deeper into Pivot Tables, and will look at how to use pivot
tables to “shorten” long requests using multiple pivot tables and view selectors; and
how to mimic a re-pivoting of the pivot table through the Dashboard, using column
selectors.
Content:
1. Using pivot tables to “break up” wide requests.
2. Using column selectors to “mimic” pivoting the pivot table through the
Dashboard.
54
Step #1: Create a new Pivot Table
1. Create a pivot table

Every request designer has run
identical to the one
into the situation where the end
above. Make sure to add
users asked for “just a few
conditional logic, and the
more columns”, or, the end users
row and column totals.
couldn’t decide on how to limit
2. Add the saved filter from
the number of columns contained
Exercise #2 to the
within a request, so they
request
included them all. This is a trick
3. Notice that the measures
we use to “shorten” long
“included” are all Unit
requests, in effect, breaking
measures, and the
them into smaller, digestible
“excluded” measures are
chunks.
all Dollar measures.
55
Step #2: “Duplicate” the Pivot Table
1
1 A little known (and little used) option

within each editor is a “Duplicate,
Specialize or Delete” option. 1. Select the “Duplicate,
Clicking this option lets you duplicate Specialize or Delete”
the view that you’ve just created, button, and select
allowing you to do minor edits, “Duplicate View”.
without “reinventing the wheel” (i.e.
resetting all formatting and design.
56
Step #3: Swap the “included” and “Excluded” Metrics
1. Swap the metrics that

are in the “Included” and
“Excluded” list.
2. Return to the compound
layout, and add a view
selector.
57
Step #4: Add the two (or more) Pivot Tables to a View Selector
1. Add the two pivot tables

to the view selector,
naming them “Dollars” and
“Units”. (“Dollars” should
be first on the list)
2. Add the caption: “Dollars
or Units”.
58
Step #5: Adding a Column Selector to Mimic a Re-Pivot
1. Add a column selector

option to the Region and
Brand columns, allowing
the user to not only
replace Region with Brand
and Brand with Region,
but multiple other
attributes as well.
2. Add a filter object to the
compound layout.
“Exercise #7 - Dollars
and Units”.
59
The Result!
Shown are three of the dozens

of permutations now available
within this request, all
available through the
Dashboard. Add prompting on
top of the “re-pivoting” and
selecting between dollars and
units, and the end user can now
produce hundreds of
permutations, without once
calling IT.
60
Exercise #8
Ranking and Top and Bottom Requests

In this lesson we’ll look at one of the most common requests, that is, to see
the “top” or “bottom” performers within a certain category. Using Oracle Answers,
we’ve developed short-cuts to provide these types of requests, without limiting the
User. For example, if you’ve built a top ten request, and they want to see the
next ten, do you need to build a new request?
Content:
1. Using “Page” controls to create top and bottom “n” requests.
2. Using column selectors to increase the permutations of top and bottom
requests.
62
Step #1: Create a New Request
1. Create a request identical to

the one above. Make sure to The next logical
add conditional logic, and to step would be to add
sort low to high on the % Chg a ranking column,
column. Also, enable column and filter off only
sorting on the request. those rows greater
2. Enable Alternating Row than 10 (for
“GreenBar” Styling. example), but that
3. Add the saved filter from limits you to only
Exercise #2 to the request. the top 10 (for
4. Click the compound layout example). What do
button and edit the Table you do if the user
View. then wants to see
the next ten?
63
Step #2: Using the Paging Function to Make a Top Ten
1. Access the “Table View

Properties” icon in the
upper left corner.
2. Set the “Rows per Page”
to 10.
3. Select “OK”.
64
Step #3: Testing your Top and Bottom Request
1. Test your Top and Bottom

request using the Preview
button.
2. Use the “Next Page”
button to move from the
“Top Ten” to the “Next
Ten”.
3. Return to the first page,
and change the sort order
on the % Chg column, to
get a “Bottom Ten”
request.
65
The Result!
1. Add a column selector to

the top of the compound
layout, allowing the
Market column to be
replaced with District,
Color, or UPC.
compound layout.
3. Test out your new Top
and Bottom request using
the Preview option.
4. Save your request as
“Exercise #8 -
Exceptions! Top and
Bottom Performers”.
66
Exercise #9
Combining Column Selectors with a Single
Chart View

In this lesson we’ll use a few of the lessons learned from previous exercises, and
will create a request with a single graph, and combine it with a column selector to
allow the user to have multiple permutations of the chart.
Content:
1. Building a Pie Chart.
2. Adding a Column Selector.
68
Step #1: Create a New Pie Chart with Custom Formatting
1. Create a pie chart Notice that by

based on Brand and Checking Custom
Dollars. Title and leaving it
2. Remove the Title blank you removed
3. Change Show Data the title and by
Labels to Always overriding the
4. Click Override Default Data Labels you
Data Format. changed the
default view of
two decimal places.
69
Step #2: Add a Column Selector
1. Add your filter from

Exercise #2 in the
Criteria tab.
2. Add a column selector,
allowing the user to
replace Brands and
Dollars with the columns
above.
compound layout.
4. Test the request using
the Preview option.
“Exercise #9 - Brand
Results by District”. If you use a column selector to
allow the user to replace the
metric used on a Pie Chart, it
is a best practice to only use
ordinal numbers, rather than
percentages or indexes.
70
Exercise #10
Bubble Charts

In this lesson we’ll use one of our favorite methods of visualizing information, the
bubble chart. The bubble chart uniquely allows a user to immediately (we mean
immediately) interpret how three metrics interact, something that is virtually
impossible to do on a number request. We like it so much, we made it part of our
logo.
Content:
1. Building the bubble chart.
2. Adding a tabular view, and a column selector.
72
Step #1: Selecting Metrics Appropriate to a Bubble Chart
1. Create a new request

with Total US,
Region, Units, Dollars,
and % Chg Year Ago
Units selected.
Bubble charts are designed to plot 2. Add your saved filter
three metrics, and how they from Exercise #2.
interact, or contribute to one 3. Click the compound
another. The bubble chart is based layout button
upon an x, y and a z-axis, the z- 4. Add a chart to the
axis being displayed as the size of compound layout
a bubble. That 3rd metric is most
meaningful if it’s based on a ratio, a
“percent of”, a “percent to” or some
other metric that isn’t meant to be
summed, rather it would aggregate
using an average (or weighted
You’ll want to experiment with
average).
the three metrics that you use
for plotting on the bubble
chart. It’s our best practice
to use additive numbers on the
x and y-axis such as dollars or
units, and non-additive
numbers, such as averages,
percentages, or ratios for the
z-axis (the bubble size).
73
Step #2: Creating the Bubble Chart
1 The bubble chart axis palette offers

more options than any other chart.
The key columns to “check” are to 1. Check the box for
place an additive metric under the “Dollars” under the x-axis
“x-axis” column; an additive metric column.
under the “y-axis” column; and a 2. Check the box for “Units”
non-additive fact under the “bubble” under the y-axis column.
column. Under the “Legend” 3. Check the box for “% Chg
column, check the element that Year Ago Units” under
you’d like to do a comparison the bubble column.
across. Like any other chart 4. Check the box for
legend, it’s a best practice to limit “Regions” under the
the number of elements to less legend column.
than 20, or less than 10 if possible. 5. Check the box for “Total
US” under the “level axis”
column (the first column).
74
Step #2: Creating the Bubble Chart
1
1 To force the chart axis to eliminate

the “white space” below the lowest
y-axis and x-axis actuals, it is a 1. Select the “Axis Scaling”
best practice to use the “zoom to icon (looks like a chart
data range” option found under the with a vertical green
“Axis Scaling” icon. arrow).
2. On both the left and
bottom tabs, select
“Zoom to Data Range”.
3. Select OK.
75
The Result!
1. Add a formatted Tabular

The column ‘Total US’ is view under the bubble
needed for the bubble chart chart.
but not displayed in the 2. Add a column selector,
tabular view. To hide a column, allowing the user to drop
go to the Criteria tab of a Region, and replace it
request and click column with Brand or District;
properties of the column you and allow the user to drop
want to hide. Click the Column “% Chg Year Ago Units”
Format tab and click the hide with each of the other %
checkbox. Chg” columns.
Hiding ‘Total US” removes the compound layout.
grouping. Therefore, it is fine 4. Save your request as
to enable the alternating row “Exercise #10 -
greenbar formatting on this Performance by Dollars,
request. Units and Percent
Change.”
76
Exercise #11
Advanced Dashboard Formatting

In this lesson we’ll use a few of the more advanced Dashboard formatting
techniques, including the use of sections, and forcing column sizes to fit.
Content:
1. Renaming sections and turning on the top border.
2. Forcing column widths to fit.
78
Step #1: Create a “Day Two” Dashboard
1. Select the “Add Dashboard Page”

button from Edit Dashboard.
2. Name the Dashboard page “Day
Two”.
3. Create one column across the top,
and two columns beneath.
4. Drag and Drop your Day 2 requests
in the sequence above.
79
Step #2: Format the Sections
1. On the dashboard, click

1 Clicking the “Rename” option on Page Options\Edit
each section allows you to rename Dashboard
the section, and to display the 2. Select the “Rename”
section heading, which will turn on button on each section.
the solid blue heading at the top of 3. Rename each section
each section. using the request name
(omit the “Exercise # -
…” heading). For the
2 Check the “Display Section
Heading” and, prompt section, name it
“Selections”.
4. Check the “Display
Section Heading” box
3 Enter a new name for the section.
after re-naming each
It’s a BICG best practice to drop
section.
each request into its own section,
5. Click Properties\Modify
and to rename the section using the
on each request on the
request name.
dashboard.
6. Remove the title bar
from the compound
It is a BICG best practice to layout.
use the Edit Dashboard – 7. Remember to save each
Properties – Modify option to request.
edit requests on a dashboard.
It is not recommended to use
the “Modify” link if displayed
directly on a request.
80
Step #3: Fit the Columns each to 50%
1 Clicking the “Properties” option on

each column allows you to set the
width of each column either to a
pixel width, or to a percentage. 2
2 Expand the Column Properties

dialogue box by clicking the plus
sign next to “Additional Formatting
Options”.
3 On a two column Dashboard, 1. Set both columns width

setting the width of both columns to to 50%
50% will always keep the column
width consistent, and will force the
contained requests to fit within that
column width.
81
The Result!
82
Dashboard/Report Application Developer
Exercise #12
Using Guided Navigation to Create
Dashboard Alerts

In this lesson we’ll use one of several methods of “Guided Navigation” to indicate to
the Dashboard user when certain thresholds have been exceeded, and when action
should be taken.
Content:
1. Creating an “Exceptions” request.
2. Adding the Guided Navigation Link to a Dashboard page.
84
Step #1: Change Prompt Scope
1. Modify the Prompt at the top

of the My Dashboard, Day
Two page by clicking Page
Options, Edit Dashboard,
Properties, and Modify.
2. Change the Prompt scope to
be ‘Dashboard’
3. Save the prompt
85
Step #2: Create an “Exceptions” Request
1 “Exceptions” requests (requests

that are used to search for 1. Create a new request showing
exceptions, both good and bad) are Year, District, and % Chg
a key part of designing good iBots Year Ago Dollars.
and Guided Navigation. An 2. Add your saved filter from
exception request typically filters off Exercise #2 as well as a new
either very good or very bad data, filter on the % Chg Year Ago
based upon one or more columns. column, which will filter the
Using prompts on the Dashboard request to contain only rows
page, you can allow the user to where “% Chg Year Ago
adjust exactly what constitutes an Dollars is less than or equal to
“exception”. 30 (percent)”.
compound layout for this
request.
4. Save the request, naming it
“Exercise #12 - Exceptions
Request”.
86
Step #2: Add a “Guided Navigation Link” to your Dashboard
1 “Guided Navigation” links allow

you to add hyperlinks to the 1. Create a new section on the
Dashboard page which will top of the right column by
appear or disappear based upon dragging ‘Section’ from the
the content of an underlying Dashboard Objects.
exception request. 2. Rename the new section
“Alerts” and check the box to
This type of object can be “Display Section Heading”.
dropped into any column and 3. Drag and drop a “Guided Nav.
section on the Dashboard. Link” object to this new
section.
4. Select the “Properties”
button on the Guided
Navigation Link that you just
added.
87
Step #3: Configure the Guided Navigation Link
1
2
Using the browse list to select a

1 “Source Request” allows you to link
this Guided Navigation Link to an
exceptions request. 1. Select your “Exceptions”
request in both the Source
The Guided Navigation Link’s Request and Target fields.
2 behavior (whether it appears or not) 2. Select the radio button which
will be determined by whether or indicates that the link will
not this attached request returns appear “If the request
rows. returns rows”.
The “Target” Request (meaning 3. Enter a caption similar to
3 Request) or Dashboard is what your that shown above.
Guided Navigation Link will call. It 4. Select “OK”.
can be the same request used in
the source request above, or a
more detailed request or
Dashboard.
4 The “Caption” is the text that will
appear along with the Navigation
link when/if it appears on the
Dashboard.
88
The Result!
1. On the prompt, select Did your Guided Navigation

2006 for Year, and Link appear? How about
“CENTRAL REGION” when you select 2006, and
AND “WESTERN the “SOUTHERN REGION”
REGION” for Region and “EASTERN REGION”?
and click “Go”.
2. Click on the Guided

Navigation Link to retrieve
your Exceptions request.
89
Dashboard/Report Application Developer
Exercise #13
Using Guided Navigation to Display or Hide
Dashboard Sections

In this lesson we’ll use another method of “Guided Navigation” on the Dashboard to
hide or display complete Dashboard sections.
Content:
1. Setting a Sections Properties using “Guided Navigation”.
91
Step #1: Display a Section based upon “Guided Navigation”
1 Applying “Guided Navigation” to a

section will control whether the 1. Click on the section
section will appear or disappear properties for the Guided
based upon the content of an Navigation Link we added in
underlying exception request. the last exercise.
92
Step #2: Configure the Guided Navigation Section
1 Set the section to reference the

source request.
1. Select your “Exceptions”

request in the Source
2
Set the source request to be Request.
referenced.
2. Select the radio button which
indicates that the link will
appear “If the request
returns rows”.
Determine whether or not the
3
section should be shown based 3. Select “OK”.
upon the results of the Source
Request request.
93
The Result!
1. On the prompt,
select 2006 for Did your Section appear?
Year, and “CENTRAL How about when you select
REGION” AND 2006, and the
“WESTERN “SOUTHERN REGION” and
REGION” for Region “EASTERN REGION”?
and click “Go”.
2. Click on the Guided

Navigation Link to retrieve
your Exceptions request.
94
Questions & Answers
Don’t forget to continually review the

‘BICG Best Practices Development
Guide’ to help your team members get
the most out of OBIEE!
95
Thank you for taking the
Dashboard/Report Application
Development course!!
Please check out the BICG University site

at http://www.bicguniversity.com for
information on additional courses.
96
About BI Consulting Group
Oracle’s largest consulting partner dedicated exclusively
to Oracle BI EE.
Collectively worked on more than 200 Oracle BI

Enterprise Edition projects and more than 300 data
warehouses and datamarts.
Average consultant has 3+ years of Oracle BI Enterprise

Edition experience, and more than 10 years of BI/DW
experience.
Every customer is referenceable including those who had

previous failures with other consulting firms.
Experts at both stand alone implementations and

application implementations including Sales, Services,
Finance, Pharma, and Marketing Analytics. One of the
few consulting firms to have deployed against Oracle
Finance and PeopleSoft.
Contact Information:
Michael Martin Amy Mayer
[President] [Senior Vice President]
651-210-1790 612-237-9843
michael.martin@biconsultinggroup.com amy.mayer@biconsultinggroup.com
97
Notable BICG References
Deployed Oracle RMW Deploying Service
for Service Analytics Analytics and a custom
after failed deployment data warehouse
by other Systems across international
Integrator. divisions.
Multiple projects
deployed across
multiple divisions, Sales Analytics
including a Price application
Scenario against existing
application allowing EDW.
“what-if”
forecasting.
Deployment of
Oracle’s Pharma Deployment of Order
Analytics, after failed Analytics against a
implementation by new, custom EDW.
another Systems
Integrator.
Redeveloped dozens of
existing Dashboards using Integrating
BICG’s “best practices” multiple source
methodology; and systems together
developed several new in a unified front-
custom data warehouses. end Dashboard.
Other Notable Customers:

• American Express • Shopzilla • RBC Dain • Life Fitness
• Fidelity • Bayer • UBC • Benderson
• Cbeyond • Medtronic Emergency Pharmaceutical Development
Response
98

OBIEE 301 - Dashboard-Report Application Development Coursework - Day 2

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BICG University

• BICG training materials are intended for the use of students

Our “notes” key is below:

Light Bulb: These notes will provide advice, tips or tricks

Question Mark: These are questions that we’ll be debating in

Drafting Table: These are exercises that we’ll be working on

30 minutes Exercise #1 Developing Dashboard Prompts – Page 5

20 minutes Exercise #2 Adding “Is Prompted” Filters to Requests – Page 15

10 minutes Morning Break

30 minutes Exercise #5 Adding a Saved Filter and Formatting an Existing Request –

25 minutes Exercise #8 Ranking and Top and Bottom Requests Page 61

10 minutes Afternoon break

30 minutes Exercise #11 Advanced Dashboard Formatting – Page 77

15 minutes Exercise #13 Using Guided Navigation to Display or Hide Dashboard

2130 Cliff Road, Suite 200, Eagan, MN 55122

1 To access the Dashboard Prompt 1. Select the Answers link in

1 The Dashboard Prompt’s “Scope” 1. Set the Prompt’s scope to

1 You’ll notice that the “pick list” is 1. Add Year, Region,

3 You’ll also notice that you are able

1 You’ll see that the default settings 1. Close the preview

1. Click the ellipse button

1. From your “My

1 The last selection within the 1. Using Exercise #11 (from

Remember that when an

1. Select the Southern and

What happened? If your

2130 Cliff Road, Suite 200, Eagan, MN 55122

1. Open Exercise #11 (from

The saved filter is now available as

From a user’s perspective, if the second option is checked, the filter

In this example, there is a filter to exclude the ‘Enterprise’ brand. Often

From a user’s perspective, if the second option is un-checked, the filter

In this example, there is a filter to exclude the ‘Enterprise’ brand but it is

2130 Cliff Road, Suite 200, Eagan, MN 55122

1 The width setting of the tabular 1. Open Exercise #10 (from

1 The compound layout in this 1. Open Exercise #11 – from

3 The width (and height, and padding)

1 You’ll notice that your Dashboard

1 Column properties such as width,

1 Compare the two images above –

2130 Cliff Road, Suite 200, Eagan, MN 55122

1. Create a new request and

1. Select the “Format Chart

3 You must uncheck the “Use Default”

1. Reselect the “Format

1. Select the “Conditional”

1. Set the symbol of the

You’ll notice that in the legend,

2130 Cliff Road, Suite 200, Eagan, MN 55122

1. Open Exercise #13 (from

When you click the editor navigation

1. Click the editor navigation

1. Set the table properties

1. Use the editor navigation

When you want to add something to the compound

1. Click the editor navigation

We now have a Filters object for this request but

1. Click the Compound

1. From the Add View menu,

Because we had previously created the

2130 Cliff Road, Suite 200, Eagan, MN 55122

At BICG, we’re big fans of