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RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide
2016.2
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RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide (E76378-20162)
Date of Publication: Monday, January 30, 2017

Printed in Canada.
Support: support@kinaxis.com
Web site: http://www.kinaxis.com
Contents
C o n te n ts
Part 1: Overview 21
CHAPTER 1: Introduction to resource authoring in RapidResponse 23
CHAPTER 2: About Kinaxis 25
CHAPTER 3: Customer Support 27
CHAPTER 4: Accessing help and documentation 29
Determining which help system or guide to use 30
Documentation conventions 32
Finding the content you need in HTML help 32
Comments and tips in HTML Help topics 33
Your feedback 34
Help embedded in resources 34
Other ways to learn about RapidResponse 39
CHAPTER 5: New and changed features in RapidResponse 41
New Feature videos 42
What's new and changed in RapidResponse 2016.2 42
Part 2: Working with resources 93

CHAPTER 6: Working with resources 95
Resource types 96
Resource states 101
Developing resources 102
Resources that only administrators can create 104
Predefined resources 105
CHAPTER 7: Creating and editing resources 107
Create a new resource 107
Add a resource to the versioned repository 108
Editing a private resource 110
RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 3

Contents
Editing a public resource 111
Editing public resources you do not own 115
Identify and resolve resource conflicts 115
Version control and links to dependencies 117
Restore a resource 118
Save a resource as a new, private resource 119
Discard a check out 120
Add or modify a comment 120
Version numbering 122
Version history 123
Check in details 124
Applying fixes to deployed resources 125
CHAPTER 8: Managing resources 127
Copy resources 127
Rename resources 128
Share resources 128
Share linked resources 130
Give resources 132
Delete resources 133
Import and export resources 133
Send a resource link 139
CHAPTER 9: Comparing resources 141
Compare resources 142
Identify resource differences 145
Create a comparison report 147
Manually merge resources 148
CHAPTER 10: Searching resources 149
Search for resources that contain a specific text string 152
Search for resources based on a specific table 156
Search for resources that contain errors 158
View search results 161
Search an individual workbook 162
Navigate workbook search results 163
CHAPTER 11: Using text editing tools 167
Managing images 167
Insert an image 168
Manage images using the image library 169
Editing text 170
Check spelling 170
Find and replace text 171
Add a hyperlink 172
Insert a symbol 172
Insert and edit a table 172
Formatting text 173
Set text appearance 173
Align text 174
Create a bulleted or numbered list 174
Change text indentation 174
Cut, copy, and paste text 175
4 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

Contents
Copy and apply text formatting 175
Highlight text 175
Undo and redo changes 175
Show or hide formatting marks 176
CHAPTER 12: Analyzing resource usage 177
About resource dependencies 179
View resource dependencies 182
Dependency types 184
View resource usage 185
Modify resource dependencies 186
Find unused worksheets 188
Part 3: Filters and hierarchies 189

CHAPTER 13: Authoring and managing filters 191
Create an expression-based filter 192
Examples of filter expressions 192
Create a BOM filter 193
Modify a filter 196
CHAPTER 14: Site filters 197
Create a site filter 198
Share a site filter 198
Modify a site filter 199
CHAPTER 15: Authoring hierarchies 201
Planning hierarchies 202
Tables for hierarchies 202
Create a hierarchy 204
Include the hierarchy panel in a workbook 205
Create worksheets with reference forecasts 206
Part 4: Workbooks and worksheets 213

CHAPTER 16: Authoring and managing workbooks 215
Workbook types 216
Workbook development overview 216
Creating workbooks 217
Create a standard workbook 218
Limit scenarios available in a workbook 218
Select the comparison scenario 220
Specify workbook display options 222
Specify the currency for a workbook 224
Specify workbook filtering options 225
Define workbook variables 226
Create workbook toolbar action buttons 229
Add or remove worksheets 232
Customize a workbook to export a report 234
Allow assumptions for workbook data 238
Managing workbooks 239
Edit workbook properties 240
Design mode for workbooks 241

Contents
Specify workbook refresh options 243
Retrieve predefined workbooks 244
Save a copy of a workbook with a different name 245
Defining workbook dependencies 245
Add dependencies to workbooks 247
Map variables between dependent workbooks 249
Map form controls to workbook variables 251
View workbook dependencies 252
About linked workbooks 253
Library workbooks 254
Create a library workbook 255
Use worksheets from a library workbook 255
CHAPTER 17: Authoring worksheets 257
Worksheet development overview 258
Worksheet processing 261
Display reference part data in worksheets 262
Edit a worksheet 262
Creating multi-scenario worksheets 265
When to use multi-scenario columns 266
Add multi-scenario columns 267
Specify options for multi-scenario worksheets 269
Specify comparison options in a workbook 269
Creating hidden worksheets 271
Always hidden worksheets 273
Conditionally hidden worksheets 274
Specifying worksheet options 277
Customizing a worksheet 278
Specify worksheet display options 281
Specify default print settings 285
Add columns based on a hierarchy 285
Add a worksheet search 288
Specify if a column can be edited 289
Formatting worksheet and column data 291
Format Quantity columns 291
Format Date columns 293
Format Boolean columns 293
Format String columns 294
Format column appearance 297
Define column headers 299
Format worksheet appearance 301
Enable notes on a worksheet 302
Displaying money data in worksheets 305
Format money columns 306
Convert currency values 307
Convert quantity values to money 311
Display unconverted money values 312
Example: Creating a worksheet to convert currencies 313
Example: Creating a worksheet to export raw values 316
Applying conditional formatting to worksheets 317

Contents
Conditional formatting examples 318
Create a conditional formatting rule 323
Review and manage conditional formatting rules 327
Caching worksheet results 329
Worksheet requirements to display cached results 330
Create worksheets compatible with caching results 330
Verify that a worksheet can display cached worksheet results 331
Filter worksheets that display cached results 331
Adding help to workbooks and worksheets 333
Add workbook help 334
Add worksheet help 335
Add column help 339
Add author notes 339
Validating a worksheet 340
View worksheet dependencies 341
CHAPTER 18: Creating table-based worksheets 343
Commonly used tables for building worksheets 344
Create a table-based worksheet 347
Create a worksheet for project management 348
Edit the table a worksheet is based on 354
Creating worksheet columns 357
Add and remove columns 358
Create a column based on the result of other columns 363
Create a column based on multi-scenario column results 365
Example: Creating columns based on other columns' results 366
Formatting columns 370
Sort columns 370
Hide columns in a worksheet 371
Freeze columns in a worksheet 375
Add column totals and subtotals 377
Example: Determining the last record in a set 378
Group column data 382
Apply a summarization function to a column 384
Worksheet filtering 386
Define worksheet filtering 386
Filtering on calculated tables 389
Inserting records 395
Specify the insert definition for inserting data for a worksheet 395
Disable insert for a worksheet 395
Automatically update calculated fields 396
Allow inventory transfers in a worksheet 396
Editing records 397
Allow record deletion in a worksheet 397
Allow record splitting in a worksheet 397
CHAPTER 19: Creating crosstab worksheets 399
Create a crosstab worksheet 401
Create a multi-scenario crosstab worksheet 403
Define worksheet date buckets 405
Lock bucket settings 412

Contents
Define subtotals for date buckets 412
Add column totals and subtotals to crosstab worksheets 418
Calculate data summarizations with hierarchy columns 420
Drill to details in a crosstab worksheet 422
Enable editing in crosstab worksheets 422
Enable editing for grouped data 423
Example of creating an editable crosstab worksheet 427
Enable editing in average values 435
Enabling editing in percentages 436
Creating crosstab worksheets for inserting multiple records 437
Enable insert of multiple records in a crosstab worksheet 440
Equal spreading 442
Ratio spreading 444
Date spreading 446
Date and ratio spreading 449
Customize spreading 452
Resolve issues with inserting multiple records 453
Example: Using reference fields for spreading 454
Example: Modifying a spreading worksheet to use references 458
CHAPTER 20: Creating composite worksheets 467
Understanding how component worksheets are combined 469
Specifying how data is combined 469
Appending data records 469
Merging worksheet data 471
Specifying which component records to display 472
Merging worksheet data by all grouped columns 475
Merging worksheet data by a specified number of columns 477
Merging worksheet data by no columns 480
Designing component worksheets 481
Create a composite worksheet 483
Create a composite crosstab worksheet 486
Add or remove composite worksheet columns 488
Specifying options for composite worksheets 491
Specify multi-scenario columns in a composite worksheet 491
Filter data from a component worksheet 496
Group and bucket data from component worksheets 496
Enable data editing in a composite worksheet 498
Examples of creating composite worksheets 499
Example: Creating a composite worksheet by combining all columns 499
Example: Creating a composite worksheet by merging specific columns 506
Example: Creating a composite worksheet by merging records (with use as reference) 510
Example: Creating a composite worksheet by appending records 516
CHAPTER 21: Creating treemap worksheets 521
About treemap worksheets 522
Create a source worksheet for a treemap 525
Create a treemap worksheet 527
Set up color and size measures 527
Set up default treemap dimensions 533
Set up drill to details links for a treemap worksheet 535

Contents
Set up drill down paths 537
Customize the appearance of a treemap 539
Best practices for authoring treemap worksheets 542
CHAPTER 22: Creating reference worksheets 547
Add a reference worksheet 547
Defining properties for reference worksheets 548
CHAPTER 23: Creating controller worksheets 551
Create a controller worksheet 552
Example: Creating a controller worksheet 554
CHAPTER 24: Customizing data insertion 561
Guidelines for authoring Insert Record dialog boxes 564
Create an insert definition 565
Define default values for fields 568
Display reference field values as lists 571
Customize reference field list values 573
Remove fields from an insert definition 575
Edit insert definitions 575
Copy an insert definition 576
Share an insert definition with other worksheets 576
Insert records into crosstab worksheets 577
Define a default insert definition for a RapidResponse table 579
Delete an insert definition 579
Export an insert definition 579
Import an insert definition 579
CHAPTER 25: Adding charts to reports 581
Chart types in RapidResponse 583
Data requirements for building charts 586
Creating charts 590
Chart styles 591
Select chart position and size in worksheets 592
Allow users to modify charts 594
Display multi-scenario data in charts 595
Drilling from a chart 597
Customizing your chart 598
Add a chart title and format text 599
Define axis properties 600
Define gridline properties 603
Select the chart orientation 604
Edit chart and plot area properties 605
Chart transparency 607
Customize a chart legend 608
Hidden columns in charts 609
About bar, line, or area charts 610
Create a bar chart 612
Create a line chart 615
Create an area chart 617
Define how zero values are charted 619
Specialized bar, line, and area charts 621
Create a summarized bar, line, or area chart 621

Contents
Create a stacked chart 625
Create a combination chart 627
Creating scatter charts 629
Create a scatter chart 630
Customize the appearance of a scatter chart 631
Creating bullet charts 632
Create a bullet chart 634
Create a tiled bullet chart 636
Customize a bullet chart 639
Creating gauge charts 640
Create a gauge chart 641
Customize the appearance of a gauge chart 643
Edit the style and shape of a gauge chart 644
Define target color ranges for a gauge chart 646
Define gauge scale value properties 649
Creating pie charts 653
Create a pie chart 654
Customize the appearance of a pie chart 655
Creating calendar charts 657
Create a calendar chart 658
Customize the appearance of a calendar chart 659
Creating Gantt charts 660
Create a Gantt chart 661
Customize the appearance of a Gantt chart 661
CHAPTER 26: Creating drill dependencies and links 663
Setting up drill links 666
Mapping drill links to details or reference worksheets 669
Mapping drill links to forms 672
Set up drill links from worksheet cells 675
Set up drill links from a column header 677
Create details worksheets 680
CHAPTER 27: Importing data 685
Creating workbooks to import data into worksheets 686
Importing data into worksheets 687
Default values for imported records 689
Export a workbook or worksheet to import Microsoft Excel data 689
Creating worksheets to import data 691
Create a vertical worksheet to import records 691
Specify default values for imported data 692
Example: Specifying a value for a key field 696
Example: Tracking when a file was modified by an import 699
Create a crosstab worksheet for importing data 703
Creating workbooks for importing data into scenarios 704
Define a workbook for importing into a scenario 705
Create and export the RapidResponse workbook (steps 1-3) 707
Configure the file used for importing data into a scenario (step 4) 709
Test and modify Settings worksheets in the importable file (steps 5-6) 711
Finalize the template and workbook used for exporting data (steps 7-8) 712

Contents
CHAPTER 28: Creating workbooks to automate business processes 715
Create worksheets for updating records 716
Create worksheets for modifying records 721
Create worksheets for inserting records 723
Create worksheets for deleting records 726
Test an operation 727
Create workbook commands that modify data 730
Create commands that open a form 734
Create commands that run scripts 738
Create commands that run automatically 740
Edit or delete commands 741
CHAPTER 29: Creating transformation worksheets 743
Transformation worksheet development overview 744
Functions for transformation worksheets 744
ATP To Demand Match function 746
Autocorrelation function 747
Bucket Actuals function 747
Check Forecast Item function 748
Coefficient of Variation function 748
Disaggregation Default Rates function 749
Fit function 750
Histogram function 750
Insert Buckets function 751
Kurtosis function 751
Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function 752
Median function 752
Mode Multiple function 752
Mode Single function 753
Periods Forward Coverage function 753
Predict function 754
Predict Actuals function 754
Predict Override function 755
Rolling Average function 756
Safety Stock function 756
Skew function 757
Standard Deviations of Errors function 757
Statistical Errors function 758
Statistical Errors by Date function 758
STDEV function 759
STDEV With Dates function 760
STDEVP function 760
STDEVP With Dates function 761
TREND function 761
Creating input worksheets for functions 762
Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions 762
Input worksheet for median and mode functions 770
Input worksheets for the ATP To Demand Match function 770
Input worksheet for the Autocorrelation function 772
Input worksheet for the Check Forecast Item function 773

Contents
Input worksheet for the Coefficient of Variation function 776
Input worksheets for the Disaggregation Default Rates function 776
Input worksheet for the Histogram function 778
Input worksheets for the Insert Buckets function 779
Input worksheet for the Kurtosis function 780
Input worksheet for the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function 781
Input worksheet for the Periods Forward Coverage function 781
Input worksheets for the Predict Override function 783
Input worksheet for the Rolling Average function 785
Input worksheets for the Safety Stock function 786
Input worksheet for the Skew function 791
Input worksheets for the Standard Deviations of Errors function 791
Input worksheets for statistical error functions 793
Input worksheet for standard deviation functions 794
Input worksheets for the Time Phased Safety Stock function 796
Input worksheet for the TREND function 802
Statistical forecasting models and measures 804
Statistical forecasting models 804
Accuracy and error measures in statistical forecasts 810
Creating transformation worksheets 819
Create a transformation worksheet 820
Create a worksheet using the ATP To Demand Match function 821
Create a worksheet using the Autocorrelation function 821
Create a worksheet using the Bucket Actuals function 822
Create a worksheet using the Check Forecast Item function 822
Create a worksheet using the Coefficient of Variation function 823
Create a worksheet using the Disaggregation Default Rates function 823
Create a worksheet using the Fit function 824
Create a worksheet using the Histogram function 824
Create a worksheet using the Insert Buckets function 825
Create a worksheet using the Kurtosis function 826
Create a worksheet using the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function 826
Create a worksheet using the Median function 826
Create a worksheet using the Mode Multiple function 827
Create a worksheet using the Mode Single function 827
Create a worksheet using Periods Forward Coverage function 828
Create a worksheet using the Predict function 828
Create a worksheet using the Predict Actuals function 829
Create a worksheet using the Predict Overrides function 830
Create a worksheet using the Rolling Average function 830
Create a worksheet using the Safety Stock function 831
Create a worksheet using the Skew function 832
Create a worksheet using the Standard Deviations of Errors function 832
Create a worksheet using the Statistical Errors function 833
Create a worksheet using the Statistical Errors by Date function 833
Create a worksheet using the STDEV or STDEVP function 834
Create a worksheet using the STDEV With Dates or STDEVP With Dates function 835
Create a worksheet using the Time Phased Safety Stock function 835
Create a worksheet using the TREND function 838

Contents
Examples of creating transformation worksheets 838
Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to calculate periods of coverage 839
Example: Creating transformation worksheets to calculate a statistical forecast 841
Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to calculate seasonal disaggregation rates 847
Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to insert buckets 850
CHAPTER 30: Analyzing worksheet performance and processing times 857
Generate worksheet performance statistics 859
Analyze summary worksheet performance data 860
Analyze detailed worksheet performance data 861
Example: Analyzing and improving worksheet performance times 864
Part 5: Dashboards and widgets 871

CHAPTER 31: Dashboards 873
Dashboard and widget authoring permissions 874
Dashboard authoring environment 875
Design mode for dashboards 877
Personal dashboard settings 879
CHAPTER 32: Widgets 881
Create a widget source worksheet 883
Create a worksheet widget 884
Add help to a widget 885
Set up drill links from a worksheet widget 886
Create a text widget 887
Set up linking to a resource from a widget 888
CHAPTER 33: Widget styles 891
Dashboard styles 891
Individual widget styles 895
Transparency settings 897
Example: Editing dashboard widget styles 898
CHAPTER 34: Creating dashboards 901
Create a dashboard 903
Placing widgets on dashboard tabs 904
Editing dashboard properties 906
Dashboard scaling 909
View dashboard and widget dependencies 910
About data settings on a dashboard 910
Define data settings for a widget 912
CHAPTER 35: Designing a dashboard 915
Dashboard rows and columns 916
Edit widget size 917
Lock dashboard rows and columns 918
Place widgets in dashboard containers 921
Designing the dashboard user view 923
Tips for designing an effective dashboard layout 923
Designing a dashboard for the RapidResponse mobile client 924

Contents
Part 6: Task Flows 927
CHAPTER 36: Authoring task flows 929
Create a task flow 930
Add an action to open a resource from a step title 931
Add a scenario action to a step title 934
Configure task flow steps with actions to run automatically 935
Suppress optional actions in a task flow 936
Preview a task flow while authoring 936
Add notes to a task flow 936
Part 7: Forms 937

CHAPTER 37: Authoring forms 939
Form authoring permissions 940
Form authoring environment 941
Forms and scripts 942
CHAPTER 38: Creating forms 945
Build a form 947
Generate a form from a script 948
Define form properties 949
Form controls 949
Control types 950
Add and remove controls on a form 952
Copy controls 953
Change control types 954
Add help to a form 954
Preview a form 957
Refresh and validate a form 957
CHAPTER 39: Managing control properties 959
View and edit properties for a control 959
Standard control properties 961
Edit properties for a form button 962
Control identifiers 962
Read-only controls 963
Required controls 964
Form validation 965
Manage how controls display 967
Hide or show a control 969
Enable or disable a control 970
Create control conditions 970
Condition indicators 975
Use a reference to filter a data list 976
Building expressions for controls 976
Map form controls 977
CHAPTER 40: Defining controls 981
Image control 981
Label control 984
Text and Multi-line Text controls 986
Data List control 990

Contents
Fixed List control 993
Number control 997
Date control 1000
Check box control 1002
File control 1005
Scenario control 1008
CHAPTER 41: Managing scripts for forms 1013
View and edit script properties 1013
Change the underlying script 1014
Remove the underlying script 1014
Custom messages on a form 1014
Part 8: Business processes 1019

CHAPTER 42: Authoring business processes 1021
Define a business process 1022
Define activity properties 1023
Process validation 1025
Create a calendar widget for a process 1026
CHAPTER 43: Authoring process and activity notifications 1029
Create notifications for a process 1030
Create notifications for activities 1030
Part 9: Responsibility definitions 1033

CHAPTER 44: Authoring responsibility definitions 1035
Creating responsibility definitions 1035
Filter expressions in responsibility definitions 1039
Sharing responsibility definitions 1039
Editing responsibility definitions 1040
Part 10: Scorecards and metrics 1041

CHAPTER 45: Authoring scorecards 1043
Create a scenario comparison scorecard 1045
Create a targeted scorecard 1046
Create a time-based scorecard 1049
Create a scorecard to use with Engineering Change Manager 1055
Specify scorecard options 1056
Add charts to a scorecard 1057
Add help for a scorecard 1062
Scorecards in the mobile client 1064
CHAPTER 46: Specifying metric targets for scorecards 1067
Define targets 1069
Modify targets 1070
Delete targets 1071
CHAPTER 47: Managing scorecards 1073
Modifying scorecards 1073
Add or remove metrics in a scorecard 1074
Resolve missing resources in scorecards 1075

Contents
CHAPTER 48: Authoring metric workbooks and worksheets 1077
About metrics 1077
Create metric workbooks 1078
Create table-based metric worksheets 1079
Create composite metric worksheets 1081
Create detail worksheets for metrics 1084
Adding drill links to metric worksheets 1086
Create time-based metrics 1090
Modify and delete metrics 1094
CHAPTER 49: Predefined Metric Workbooks 1097
Clear to Build Metrics workbook 1097
CPG Metrics - by Date workbook 1098
Data Integrity Metrics - Material workbook 1100
Demand Management Metrics workbook 1100
Financial Metrics - Corporate workbook 1102
Financial Metrics - Corporate - By Date workbook 1103
Financial Metrics - Operations workbook 1104
Inventory Metrics - By Date workbook 1104
Multi-Enterprise Management Metrics workbook 1105
Operations Metrics workbook 1107
Operations Metrics - By Date workbook 1111
Responsibility Metrics workbook 1111
Part 11: Expressions 1113

CHAPTER 50: Query language syntax 1115
Creating expressions with Expression Builder 1117
Expression assistance and auto-completion 1120
Fields 1124
Data types and constants 1127
Arithmetic operators 1129
Comparison operators 1132
Basic comparison operators (< = >) 1132
LIKE and NOT LIKE 1134
ISMATCH 1135
Logical operators 1137
AND, OR, and NOT 1137
IF 1138
IN 1141
Parentheses ( ) 1143
Square brackets [ ] 1144
Set operators 1145
ASSOCIATEMAX 1148
ASSOCIATEMIN 1149
AVERAGE 1151
CONCATENATE 1152
COUNT 1154
HAS 1155
MAX 1156
MIN 1157

Contents
SUM 1159
OuterContext (^) 1160
Grouping and sorting in set expressions 1161
Mathematical functions 1163
ABS 1163
EXP 1164
LOG 1164
MAX and MIN 1165
MOD 1165
MULT 1166
RANDOM 1167
Rounding functions (quantity) 1167
SQRT 1168
Text functions 1168
ESCAPE 1170
EXPAND 1170
LCASE 1171
LEFT 1172
LENGTH 1172
LISTASSET 1173
LISTASSETOFPAIRS 1174
LISTASSETWITHINDEX 1175
LISTCONTAINS 1176
LISTCOUNT 1177
LISTGET 1177
LISTGETFROMEND 1178
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT 1179
LISTINDEXOF 1180
LISTLEFT 1181
LISTMID 1182
LISTRIGHT 1183
LISTSET 1183
MID 1184
QUOTE 1184
REPEAT 1185
REPLACE 1186
RIGHT 1188
TRIM 1188
TRIMLEADING 1189
TRIMTRAILING 1190
UCASE 1191
Conversion functions 1191
BOOLEANVALUE 1192
CanonicalScenarioId and ScenarioProperty 1193
DATEVALUE 1194
DATETIMEVALUE 1195
NUMERICVALUE 1197
TEXT (date/time) 1198
TEXT (numbers) 1202

Contents
TIMEBUCKET 1203
TIMEVALUE 1203
Currency functions 1204
ASSOCIATEDDATE 1205
CONVERTONDATE 1206
MONEYVALUE 1207
RAWCURRENCY 1208
RAWVALUE 1209
Statistical functions 1209
NORMDIST 1210
NORMINV 1210
NORMSDIST 1211
NORMSINV 1212
Lookup and reference functions 1213
ISNULL 1213
LOOKUP 1214
LOOKUP (table) 1223
NULL 1223
SELF 1224
Miscellaneous functions 1224
ASSERT 1225
Attribute 1226
Environment 1226
EVAL 1227
IsChildScenario 1228
KEYVALUES 1230
LOD 1230
PREVIOUS 1231
RecordId 1232
RESPONSIBILITY 1233
RowIndex 1234
TimeStamp 1239
UserInGroup 1240
MonoIncSequence 1241
ChangedInScenario 1242
Comments in query expressions 1243
Recursive queries 1243
Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax 1244
Setting query language compatibility levels 1251
CHAPTER 51: Date calculations 1255
Calendars available to you 1255
Specifying the calendar used in date calculations 1257
Calendars and date arithmetic 1257
DateTime calculations 1258
CHAPTER 52: Variables 1261
Workbook variables 1262
Create a list variable 1265
Create a date variable 1270
Create a Boolean variable 1273

Contents
Create a quantity variable 1277
Create a text variable 1280
Create a filter variable 1283
Use a workbook variable in a query expression 1285
Example of using a variable in a column expression 1286
Example of using variables in a filter expression 1288
Example: Hiding worksheets using an action button 1291
Profile variables 1296
Creating profile variables 1296
Using profile variables in query expressions 1299
Adopting a user profile 1301
System variables 1301
System variables included with RapidResponse 1301
CHAPTER 53: Macros 1305
Creating macros 1305
Calling macros 1307
Index 1309

Contents
Part 1: Overview
l Introduction to resource authoring in RapidResponse
l About Kinaxis
l Customer Support
l Accessing help and documentation
l New and changed features in RapidResponse
CHAPTER 1: Introduction to resource authoring
in RapidResponse
Intended for use by resource authors, this documentation set (Help and Authoring Guide) provides
information about creating and managing resources in RapidResponse®.
RapidResponse integrates key functional processes in supply chain management (SCM), sales and
operations planning (S&OP), and other associated areas. It is a cloud solution that allows companies to
dramatically reduce the time it takes to identify plan deviations and make critical course corrections.
Expanding beyond SCM and S&OP, RapidResponse measures the impact of changes (current and future)
and allows teams to collaborate on response scenarios across interrelated functions, inside and outside
the company.
Resources in RapidResponse are tools that you can use to view, monitor, and work with data. They are
broken down into several types, each with a different function. For example, you can use workbooks to
view and modify data, filters to limit the data displayed in workbooks, and alerts to monitor changes in
the data.
Depending on their job functions, individual users are granted permission to use different subsets of the
available resources. For information about the types of resources you can create, see "Resource types" on
page 96.

CHAPTER 2: About Kinaxis
Kinaxis® delivers cloud-based S&OP and supply chain applications for discrete manufacturers and brand
owners with complex supply chain networks and volatile business environments.
Leaders across multiple industry verticals, including A&D, Automotive, High Tech, Industrial and Life
Sciences rely on RapidResponse® applications to create a foundation for concurrent planning,
continuous performance monitoring, and coordinated responses to plan variances across multiple areas
of the business. All founded on a single product, RapidResponse’s configurable applications encompass a
full spectrum of supply chain processes, including such functions as S&OP, supply planning, capacity
planning, demand planning, inventory management, MPS, and order fulfillment.
As a result, Kinaxis customers have replaced disparate planning and performance management tools and
are realizing significant operations performance breakthroughs in planning cycles, supply chain response
times and decision accuracy. From a single product, customers are able to easily model varying supply
chain conditions to make both long-term and real-time demand and supply balancing decisions quickly,
collaboratively, and in line with the shared business objectives of multiple stakeholders.
For more information, visit www.kinaxis.com or the Supply Chain Expert community at
http://community.kinaxis.com.

CHAPTER 3: Customer Support
The Kinaxis Customer Support team understands demand and supply chain planning, monitoring and
response, and is experienced in applying RapidResponse to real-world business scenarios. Areas of
expertise include:
l RapidResponse functionality
l Data extraction and mapping issues
l Technical software compatibility
l Coordination of integration
l Product implementation
To submit a support case, you need to log into the Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community. You can also
contact Kinaxis Customer Support by phoning 1-866-463-7877 or by sending a message to
support@kinaxis.com.
Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community

The Supply Chain Expert Community serves as a resource for supply chain professionals, industry analysts,
consultants, media, and others who want to tap the vast knowledge base of their peers. This community
acts as a sounding board for ideas and opinions, and is a place to share tips, techniques and supply chain
best-practices. And because we can't be serious all the time, there's even an entertainment section that
brings out the lighter side of supply chain.
As a RapidResponse user, you have exclusive privileges and resources available to you within the Supply
Chain Expert Community. Not only can you network with your peers to learn RapidResponse best
practices and gain access to support, but you can also leverage our extensive Knowledge Base for self-
service, utilize our Upgrade Center, and submit support cases directly to Kinaxis Customer Support.
To submit a support case to Kinaxis Customer Support through the Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert
Community, you require a user ID and password.
For more information, visit http://community.kinaxis.com. You can also access the community from the
RapidResponse client by clicking Kinaxis Community from the Help menu.

CHAPTER 4: Accessing help and documentation
Determining which help system or guide to use 30

Documentation conventions 32
Finding the content you need in HTML help 32
Comments and tips in HTML Help topics 33
Your feedback 34
Help embedded in resources 34
Other ways to learn about RapidResponse 39
The RapidResponse documentation set includes several different help systems and guides, each dealing
with a different area of knowledge. Help for individual resources, such as workbooks is also available.
In addition to the RapidResponse documentation, you can access a variety of other resources to help you
learn about the capabilities and features in RapidResponse. These include an online community where
you can view how-to videos and find advice, a mailing list that you can use to keep up to date on supply
chain news and upcoming events, and instructor-led training courses.
Accessing RapidResponse help systems and guides

You can access RapidResponse help systems and guides two ways:
l Access documentation directly from the Help menu in RapidResponse.

l For links to all of the available help systems and guides, see "Determining which help system or
guide to use" on page 30.
Account permissions and the contents of your Help menu

The list of options you see when you click the Help menu in RapidResponse depends on the permissions
associated with your RapidResponse account. The more permissions you have in RapidResponse, the
more options you see on the menu. For example, resource authors have more permission than general
users.
Links to documentation that you are less likely to need, based on your permissions, are not shown on the
Help menu. For example, users without administrator permissions do not see Administration Help.

Documentation formats
Most RapidResponse documentation resources are available as both HTML help systems and PDF
documents. Some documentation is only available in PDF format.
HTML help systems are optimized for viewing in a web browser. While it is possible to print individual
topics from HTML help, you will get better results if you print the topic or topics from the equivalent PDF
guide.
PDF guides are optimized for printing. They can be viewed and printed using Adobe Reader®. You can
download Adobe Reader from the Adobe site at www.adobe.com.
Accessing help for RapidResponse resources

Help is often available in the RapidResponse application window for individual resources of the
following types:
l Dashboards and widgets

l Worksheets and workbooks
l Scorecards
l Forms
l Scripts
l Responsibility definitions
For more information, see "Help embedded in resources" on page 34.
Determining which help system or guide to use

The RapidResponse documentation set includes several help systems and guides, each dealing with a
different area of knowledge. The following table summarizes the available documentation, some of
which you can access from the Help menu in RapidResponse.
Title Description
RapidResponse User Guide This guide provides RapidResponse users with basic reference and procedural
information. It covers topics such as viewing data, modifying data as part of
simulation, solving business problems, and customizing the user interface.
RapidResponse User Guide This guide provides information on how to view and edit data in the
(Mobile Client) RapidResponse mobile client.
RapidResponse Applications Practical ways to use RapidResponse and the applications that can be deployed
Guide to support business processes and make decisions. It also includes instructions
aimed at RapidResponse administrators that outline how to install and
configure applications.
RapidResponse Fundamental RapidResponse product overview, which includes key capabilities and the
Concepts Guide deployment methodology.
RapidResponse Resource This guide provides information on creating and managing resources, such as
Authoring Guide dashboards, workbooks, and filters. Detailed information about RapidResponse
Query language is also included.

Title Description
RapidResponse Analytic and Description of the RapidResponse data model and associated analytics. All
Data Model Guide tables and fields in the data model are listed and described. This guide also
notes changes to the data model corresponding to the RapidResponse release.
Data model posters A series of posters illustrating the structure of tables and fields in
RapidResponse, and the relationships between fields. For more information, see
"Data Model Posters" on page 31.
RapidResponse Administration Information for administrators, covering installation, upgrades, maintenance,

Guide system settings, and user administration.
RapidResponse Scripting Guide Information about building custom applications using scripting language
objects, functions, and methods to automate some RapidResponse processes.
RapidResponse Web Services Information on using RapidResponse Web services to create users, resources,
Guide and Web service client programs.
RapidResponse Data Information about integrating enterprise data sources with RapidResponse,
Integration Guide including mapping data from source tables and fields, customizing the
RapidResponse database, extracting data from enterprise sources, performing
data updates to bring new and updated data into RapidResponse, moving data
between RapidResponse instances, and moving data changes between
RapidResponse and business partners in real-time.
RapidResponse Gadgets Guide Information about linking and embedding RapidResponse data in web pages.
Release summary Outlines all of the changes that have been made in RapidResponse in the last
few releases. This document is a compilation of the What's New sections from
all RapidResponse guides.
Custom Help Your company might have also created custom help specific to your
RapidResponse implementation.
The permissions associated with your RapidResponse account affect the list of guides that you can
access from the Help menu. For more information, see "Account permissions and the contents of your
Help menu" on page 29.
Data Model Posters

Users who have permission to create resources such as workbooks and dashboards have access to the
following posters on their RapidResponse Help menus:
l RapidResponse Data Model for Import poster—displays the relationship between the tables and fields
used in the RapidResponse data import process.
l RapidResponse Calculated Data Model poster—displays the relationship between the main
RapidResponse database calculated tables and fields. Calculated fields in the RapidResponse data
model input tables are also displayed.
l RapidResponse Sales & Operations Planning poster —displays the relationship between the tables
used to support the Sales & Operations Planning application.
l RapidResponse Inventory Planning and Optimization poster —displays the relationship between the
tables used to support Inventory Planning and Optimization application.
l RapidResponse Integrated Project Management poster —displays the relationship between the tables

Determining which help system or guide to use
used to support Integrated Project Management application.
l RapidResponse Historical Supply poster and RapidResponse Historical Demand poster—displays the
relationship between all tables (input, control, and calculated) that are used to store historical
supply data and historical demand data, respectively.
Documentation conventions
To help you quickly locate and interpret information, Kinaxis guides use conventions noted in the
following table.
Convention Description
bold Bold is used for user-interface elements in procedures. For example:
On the File menu, click New.
italic Italic is used when citing other documents. For example:

For more information, see the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
Courier Courier New is used for programming examples and text that is entered in Microsoft
New Windows Command Prompt window or command lines.
CAUTION: Identifies a caution message (critical information).
NOTE: Identifies a note.
TIP: Identifies a tip.
If you are using a Mac OS, procedures that use the Windows CTRL key should be replaced with the Mac
OS Command key.
Finding the content you need in HTML help

You can find information in any RapidResponse HTML help system by searching or by browsing in the
contents or the index.

Searching the help
You can find the information you require by entering a term in the Search box. You can also refine your
search by using AND or OR to search for a combination of words, and you can put quotation marks
around your search word or phrase to search for that exact phrasing only. For example, "sort" would
return any topics with the word "sort", but not the words "sorted" or "sorting".
▶Search for content
l Type a search term in the search bar and then click .
NOTE: If you do not want the words you searched for highlighted in the help topic, click Remove
Highlights .
TIP: If the browser window is small, the search bar might not be displayed. To see a search bar
click or enlarge the window.
Browsing the contents and the index

You can also find information by browsing in either of these panes:
l Contents—Browse through the topics in the table of contents.

l Index—Find a topic through the index. Scroll through the index or type a word or phrase in the
Search Index box to find an index entry.
TIP: If the browser window is small, the Contents and Index panes might not be displayed. To see
them, click or enlarge the window.
Comments and tips in HTML Help topics

The comments you might see at the end of a Help topic are written by other RapidResponse users, and
you too can contribute. If you need clarification about a Help topic, you can submit a question. If you
can provide an answer to someone else's inquires, you can do so. Also, you might have an innovative
way of using RapidResponse to complete the task described in the topic and would like to share it with
other users in the RapidResponse community.
▶Submit a comment
1. At the bottom of a Help topic page, click Add comment.

2. Provide your name, a subject, and comment details.
3. Click Submit.

Comments and tips in HTML Help topics
▶Reply to a comment
1. Select the comment you want to reply to, and then click Reply to comment.
2. Provide your name, a subject, and reply details.
3. Click Submit.
NOTE: When you submit a comment, it is reviewed by a Kinaxis documentation team member
before it is posted in the RapidResponse Help.
NOTE: Depending on how the RapidResponse Help system is hosted, you might not be able to
add or view comments. For more information, contact your RapidResponse administrator.
Your feedback
Kinaxis Inc. takes great pride in developing user-friendly applications and we hope that our
documentation resources ensure a high level of usability. We welcome your feedback about the topics
you access in HTML help. You can rate topics using a star rating system.
The first star to the left represents the lowest rating:
The star farthest to the right represents the highest:
You can also provide comments and suggestions about improvements. Comments that include details,
such as any information that might be missing for you to complete a specific task, can help us improve
the help topic and enhance usability. For information about leaving comments, see "Comments and tips
in HTML Help topics" on page 33.
▶Rate a topic
l In the RapidResponse Help, click on a star in the toolbar.
NOTE: If you have comments or suggestions about other Kinaxis documentation, the
RapidResponse application, or training materials, you can email them to education@kinaxis.com.
Help embedded in resources

Many openable RapidResponse resources have help embedded within the resource. The form the help
takes depends on the type of resource.

When help is available for a resource, you can view it from the open resource. You can also view the help
for some types of resources from the Explorer, without having to open the resource first. These
resources include workbooks, scorecards, widgets, forms, and scripts. Viewing resource help from the
Explorer can help you to determine if a resource is the right one to use, without having to wait for it to
load.
▶View resource help without opening the resource
l In the Explorer, select a resource and then click beside the name of the resource.
View and print worksheet and workbook help

RapidResponse worksheets can include a help page that is displayed in a pane on the right-hand side of
the worksheet. Workbooks might also include a help page, in which case, the help pane includes two
tabs: Workbook Help and Worksheet Help.
▶Show or hide the help pane
l On the Help menu, click Show Workbook/Worksheet Help.
NOTE: This command is not available for workbooks that do not have workbook help or help for
at least one worksheet defined.
TIP: You can also show or hide the help pane by clicking Show Workbook/Worksheet Help on
the toolbar.
▶Print the worksheet or workbook help

You can print the worksheet or workbook help when the help pane is displayed.
1. On the File menu, click Print.

2. Click Worksheet help or Workbook Help, and then click OK.
NOTE: The worksheet and workbook help are printed as they appear in the help pane. Widen the
help pane before printing to maximize the amount of information printed on a page.

TIP: You can also print the worksheet help by right-clicking in the help pane, and then clicking
Print.
View and print scorecard help

Each scorecard in RapidResponse includes a help page that is displayed in a pane on the right-hand side
of the scorecard. You can show and hide the scorecard help pane.
l On the Help menu, click Show Scorecard Help.
NOTE: This command is available only for scorecards that have help defined.
TIP: You can also show or hide the scorecard help pane by clicking Show Scorecard Help on
the toolbar.
▶Print the scorecard help

You can print the scorecard help when it is displayed.
1. On the File menu, click Print.

2. Click Scorecard help, and then click OK.
NOTE: The scorecard help is printed as it appears in the help pane. Widen the worksheet help
pane before printing to maximize the amount of information printed on a page.
TIP: You can also print the scorecard help by right-clicking in the help pane, and then clicking
Print.
View dashboard and widget help

Dashboard help is often available for a dashboard as a whole, and you might also be able to view help
for individual widgets.
Dashboard help
Some dashboards might have an Information tab with a text widget that shows dashboard help.
Dashboard help contains information about how the dashboard is intended to be used, and can include
links to related resources, websites, or help videos.
Widget help
Most widgets on dashboards that are supplied with RapidResponse have widget help, and some
custom widgets might also include help. Widget help typically describes the metrics displayed in a
widget, and might include links to other resources such as workbooks and websites. You can access
help for widgets directly from the widget controls on a widget on your dashboard.

▶View widget help
l On a widget title bar, click Actions , and then click Help.

The widget help displays in a dialog box.
View form help

Forms can display two types of embedded help:
l Text on the form itself can provide information such as what action is run by the underlying script,
the purpose of the form, or how best to use the form.
l Individual controls on the form might also display help specific to the control, such as the purpose
of the control or what types of values it accepts.

On an open form:
l To view form help, click .

l To view help for a control, hover over the control and next to the control title, click .
View script help

Some scripts might have embedded help. If a script has embedded help, a Script Help tab is shown when
you run the script.

View help for a responsibility definition
You might be able to access embedded help for an open responsibility definition. If help is available, a
Responsibility Help button is available near the top left of the tab.
Resources without embedded help

Some types of resources, such as filters, cannot have embedded help, and not every resource that could
have embedded help does have embedded help. Resource authors decide whether or not to include
help when they create new resources that can have embedded help.
Sometimes, the information needed to use that resource might be available elsewhere. For example, if
you access a dashboard by opening it from a task flow, the information you need to understand the
purpose of the dashboard might be included in the task flow. Another example is a custom resource
created for your company, which might be documented in company procedures that are maintained
outside of RapidResponse.
Other ways to learn about RapidResponse

In addition to the RapidResponse documentation set, there are several other ways to learn about
RapidResponse.
Supply Chain Expert Community

Visit the Supply Chain Expert community at https://community.kinaxis.com to access features including:
l Upgrade Center—Learn what's new in each version of RapidResponse. Read release notes and
watch videos about new features.

Other ways to learn about RapidResponse
l Training videos—Familiarize yourself with the basic capabilities of RapidResponse by taking an
introductory course, delivered as a series of short videos. You can also view videos on some more
advanced topics.
l Help videos—See how to use RapidResponse predefined resources for a variety of applications.
l Discussion Forums—Discuss RapidResponse with other users.
l Blogs—Learn how others are using RapidResponse and solving supply chain problems.
Some content is only available after you create a Supply Chain Expert Community user account and sign
in.
News mailing list

Subscribe to the mailing list to stay up-to-date on news and upcoming supply chain events, such as
Kinexions, the annual Kinaxis training and user conference. You can find the subscription form at
http://info.kinaxis.com/customer-subscription-page.
Instructor-led training
Kinaxis offers instructor-led training courses to help you develop in-depth RapidResponse knowledge.
These courses are usually delivered online in a virtual classroom, but on-site instruction can also be
arranged. To see a list of available courses, visit https://www2.kinaxis.com/rapidresponse-
training/courses.cfm.

CHAPTER 5: New and changed features in
RapidResponse
New Feature videos 42

This section describes all the new authoring features introduced in RapidResponse since version 11.1.
There are similar chapters in other guides. For more information, see "Determining which help system or
guide to use" on page 30.
You can also earn more about the new features and changes included in RapidResponse from the
RapidResponse Release Summary Guide.
This document is available for download from the Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community and
summarizes the changes to RapidResponse. It is a compilation of changes gathered from every
RapidResponse guide and help system.
RapidResponse users, authors, administrators, and developers can also take advantage of New Feature
videos available from Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community. The videos demonstrate new and changed
RapidResponse features. By viewing the videos you will understand how to use the new features and
improve your RapidResponse capabilities.
▶To access the RapidResponse Release Summary Guide and New Feature videos
1. On the Help menu, click Kinaxis Community.

2. Sign into the Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community and navigate to the Upgrade Center.
You can create a new Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community account if you do not have one.
However, an account is not required.
TIP: You can also access the Upgrade Center by clicking the following link:
https://community.kinaxis.com/community/supply_chain_management_kinaxis_
rapidresponse/upgrade_center.

New Feature videos
RapidResponse users and administrators can take advantage of New Feature videos available from the
Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community. The videos demonstrate new and changed RapidResponse
features. By viewing the videos you will understand how to use the new features and improve your
RapidResponse capabilities.
▶Access the new feature videos
1. On the Help menu, click Kinaxis Community.

2. Sign into the Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community and navigate to the Upgrade Center.
You can create a new Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community account if you do not already have
one.
What's new and changed in RapidResponse

2016.2
Working with resources
New prompt to view resources after import
When you import a resource, you are now prompted to select an action. You can:
l open the resource if it is a type of resource that can be opened

l view the resource's properties
l continue without opening the resource or viewing its properties
This prompt saves you the effort of searching in the Explorer if you want to inspect or test a resource
immediately after importing it.
Expressions
Column references in set expressions
For expressions that use a set function, the logical expression used to filter the result set can now no
longer contain a reference to another column in the worksheet. This replaces the previous behavior of
allowing references to columns outside the set, and ensures the values used to filter the set are taken
from the set, and are therefore valid. If you require a value from the worksheet, you can use the ^
operator to specify the value is taken from outside the set.
For more information, see "Set operators" on page 1145 and "OuterContext (^)" on page 1160.

CHAPTER 5: New and changed features in RapidResponse
Creating profile variables
Profile variables are now uniquely identified by the combination of the variable name and the user or
group the variable is defined for. This replaces the previous behavior of allowing multiple variables to be
defined with the same name, and ensures multiple variables for a user cannot be defined with the same
name but different values, which prevents conflicts. When you upgrade to RapidResponse 2016.2, any
profile variables with duplicate names are kept, so you should review the profile variables and delete
duplicates to ensure the correct value is used for the variable. For more information, see "Creating
profile variables" on page 1296.
Workbooks
Speed up task editing in large projects
A new worksheet setting speeds up task editing in very large projects by limiting validation of
predecessor relationships. This setting is available in worksheets that are based on the Task table and
have enhanced task editing selected.
Selecting this new option is only recommended if the worksheet is used to edit projects with many
thousands of tasks and users are noticing a delay each time they make a change to a task.
This feature was introduced in a service update (October 2016). For more information, see "Improving
editing performance in large projects" on page 351.

2015.3
RapidResponse Database
Key field changes on tables
Tables can now contain multiple key fields, which can be of any of the following data types:
l String
l Reference
l Date
l DateTime
l Time
l Boolean
l Integer
These changes replace the previous behavior of allowing only a single String key field and up to two
reference keys on a table, and allows you to configure resources using any identifying fields that are
available. For example, for a table that uses a Date field as a key field, you can create worksheets that
identify records by date without requiring a data type conversion.

What's new and changed in RapidResponse 2015.3
This increased flexibility in identifying records requires additional considerations for creating
worksheets. Because tables no longer all contain a single String key field, any reference fields you add to
worksheets should typically be configured as references, which ensures the values from the referenced
table are returned properly. For example, if a table contains two String key fields, the reference field
returns the values from both fields. If the reference field is not configured as a reference, you must
include columns for each of the referenced table's key fields. For more information, see "Add and
remove columns" on page 358.
This change also affects the following:
Importing data into workbooks
When you configure a worksheet to import data, the option to generate a unique data value for a key
field is available only if the table contains a single String key field. For tables that contain multiple String
key fields or do not contain a String key field, you must ensure the key field values specified for the
import data uniquely identify records being inserted. For more information, see "Specify default values
for imported data" on page 692.
Customizing data insertion
For insert definitions you create for tables that contain multiple key fields, the option to generate a
unique key field value is now available only if the table contains a single String key field. For tables that
either do not contain a String key field or that contain multiple String key fields, you must ensure the
combination of key field values uniquely identify records.
In addition, rules about adding reference fields to an insert definition have been tightened to ensure
the insert definitions you create are valid and behave as expected. For references to tables that you
want to allow users to insert reference records into, you must enable the option to insert reference
records and specify the insert definition on only the first reference to that table. This ensures the option
to add the record is displayed on the first reference to that table in the insert definition, regardless of
how many key fields that table has.
For reference fields that are displayed as lists, you can display the list only if the referenced table
contains a single String key field. The table can contain any other key fields and reference key fields, but
only one String key field. This ensures the values in the list can be displayed properly, because the value
selected in one list is used to filter the other lists and there might not be a relationship between the
values in String fields. Allowing lists on only a single String key field ensures the lists can display values
properly.
For more information, see "Create an insert definition" on page 565.
Non-unique scenario names

You now create a private scenario with the same name as a shared scenario or another user’s private
scenario. However, you can never own multiple private scenarios with the same name, and multiple
shared scenarios with the same name cannot exist. This feature might not be available immediately after
upgrade from RapidResponse 2014.4 (or earlier) to RapidResponse 2015.3 (or later), because it must be
activated by your RapidResponse administrator. Some administrators might delay activation of this
feature.
Scenarios in resource definitions
To avoid ambiguity in situations where two or more scenario share a name, both the name and the
scope (private or shared) of a scenario are now used in resource definitions to identify scenarios. For
example, you could specify that a workbook uses the shared Baseline scenario as the baseline scenario
in multi-scenario columns. If a private scenario named Baseline exists, the workbook does not use it as
the comparison scenario, even if a shared Baseline scenario does not exist.

Resource updates during upgrade
When a RapidResponse system is upgraded from RapidResponse 2014.4 (or earlier) to 2015.3 (or later),
RapidResponse automatically updates existing resources to specify the scopes of scenarios in resource
definitions. Scenarios referred to in resource definitions are assumed to be shared unless the following
conditions are met:
l The resource is private.

l A shared scenario with the specified name does not exist at the time of upgrade.
l A private scenario with the specified name exists at the time of upgrade.
l Private scenarios are allowed in the context in which the scenario is specified. For example, in a
workbook definition, you can only select shared scenarios when you limit the available scenarios,
but in a private workbook, you can select a private scenario as the baseline scenario for multi-
scenario columns.
If all of the above conditions are met, the resource is scoped as private.
After the upgrade, it is recommended that you review the resources that you own to determine if the
appropriate scope has been assigned to scenarios in the resource definitions.
Resource updates during import
Each time you import a resource that was created and most recently edited using RapidResponse 2014.4
(or earlier), RapidResponse adds a scope to any scenarios specified in the resource definition. The same
rules used to determine the scopes of scenarios during upgrade are used when you import a resource.
It is recommended that you review the resource after you import it to ensure that the appropriate scope
has been assigned to each scenario in the resource definition.
For more information about importing resources, see "Import and export resources" on page 133.
Changes to resource authoring after upgrade
The following changes occur immediately after upgrade, even if the non-unique scenario feature has
not yet been activated by your RapidResponse administrator.
l Some drop-down lists in resource authoring dialog boxes that previously included both private
scenarios and shared scenarios now only include shared scenarios.
l If a resource refers to a private scenario, and you share that private scenario, the resource stops
working. You must edit the resource so that it refers to the shared scenario or create a new private
scenario with the same name before you can use the resource
l Before you can add a resource to the versioned repository, all scenarios referred to in the resource
definition must now be shared. Exceptions exist for scenario overrides in alerts and scheduled
tasks. If your RapidResponse system does not have version control turned on, this restriction
applies when you share the resource.
l The $Scenario# system variable now returns scenarios in the format
?(scope):(scenario name)
instead of only returning scenario names. Scope can be "private" or "shared".
Changes that might be required in expressions using the $Scenario# variable

During the upgrade process, RapidResponse does not make any automatic changes to expressions
where this variable is used. Workbooks that use this variable will often continue to function normally,
but there are two situations in which you will see a change in behavior.

l The $Scenario# variable is compared to a constant.
In these cases, you need to change the constant to match the format in which scenario names are
now returned by the $Scenario# variable. For example, you might change '$Scenario1 =
Baseline' to '$Scenario1 = ?shared:Baseline' if you want to compare the first
comparison scenario selected by the user to a shared scenario named Baseline.
l The scenario returned by $Scenario# is displayed in a worksheet column.
In these cases, you can do nothing, and allow the scenario name to be displayed in the ?
(scope):(scenario name) format.
If you only want the name of the scenario to be displayed, you can replace the $Scenario# variable
with an expression that returns only the name of the scenario:
ScenarioProperty(CanonicalScenarioId($Scenario#), "Name")
For example, if you want the name of the scenario used as the baseline in a worksheet to be
displayed, replace $Scenario0 with ScenarioProperty(CanonicalScenarioId
($Scenario0), "Name")
For more information, see "$Scenario#" on page 1302 and "CanonicalScenarioId and ScenarioProperty"
on page 1193.
You can locate workbooks that use the $Scenario# variable by selecting Search Resources from the
Tools menu, and searching for $Scenario in expressions. For more information about searching for
resources, see "Search for resources that contain a specific text string" on page 152.
Workbooks
New worksheet type—Reference worksheets
You can now create reference worksheets that provide enhanced reuse of resources and promote
consistency and reduce potential errors across workbooks. The reference worksheet only needs to be
defined in its source workbook and it can be used multiple times in other workbooks. You can add
reference worksheets from any standard workbook that is made a referenced workbook dependency.
The reference worksheet is maintained in its source workbook and when you add it to another
workbook, you can set the worksheet to be always visible, conditionally visible, or only visible when
drilled to. When used as a drill to details worksheet, reference worksheets can maintain the flow of
context for a user as they drill to multiple worksheets.
Referenced workbooks are similar to library workbooks in that the reuse of worksheets promotes
consistency and reduces the possibility of errors. However, unlike library workbooks, referenced
workbooks are not component worksheets and can be used independently in other workbooks.
For more information, see "Creating reference worksheets" on page 547.
Allow data modification commands to proceed on error

You can now configure whether a data modification command fails when the first error occurs or
completes successfully even though some errors have occurred. When you allow some errors to occur,
you set an error limit for the worksheet, which is the number of records or the percentage of records in
the worksheet that can return errors before the data modification operation fails, causing the command
to fail. This gives you more precise control over when a command should fail, while also allowing useful

data modification commands to complete successfully more often. For more information, see "Create
workbook commands that modify data" on page 730.
If the error limit is not exceeded, the command can complete successfully. If users confirm a command's
changes, they can view the number of errors that occurred when the command ran along with the
number of records that were inserted, modified, or deleted by the command.
RapidResponse logs information about the errors that are returned when a data modification command
runs. This information is reported in the Error Details worksheet, which you can access from the
Workbook Command Log worksheet in the Automation Details and Log workbook. You can also open
this worksheet when you test a data modification operation that fails. The information logged by the
Error Details worksheet can help you locate and then fix the operation's errors so that a command can
complete successfully. For more information, see "Test an operation" on page 727.
Change workbook filtering options after adding worksheets

You can now change workbook filtering options after worksheets have been added to a workbook,
even if the workbook has already been saved. These options include enabling or disabling the filter
control and changing the table with which filters must be compatible. You are warned if changing
workbook filtering options introduces errors, and you can fix the errors or cancel the change. For more
information, see "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225.
Combining data in component worksheets that have no columns the same

You can now create composite worksheets that are based on component worksheets that have no
columns that are the same. This flexibility allows you to use component worksheets that do not have
hierarchy or grouped columns either. All of the data from the component worksheets display in the
composite worksheet.
This feature was introduced in a service update (December 2015). For more information, see "Merging
worksheet data by no columns" on page 480.
Orange placeholder text in workbook variable controls

When you make a list variable control available on a workbook toolbar, you can now format the first
value as orange placeholder text to draw attention to it. Select this option when users must choose a
different value from the list to see data in the workbook. For more information, see "Create a list
variable" on page 1265.

Specify if alternate rows are colored in worksheets
You can now specify if alternate rows are colored in worksheets. Selecting this option can make it easier
for workbook users to distinguish rows in the worksheet. However, for some crosstab worksheets and
worksheets with a lot of conditional formatting, you might want to reduce visual clutter by not selecting
this option. For more information, see "Specify worksheet display options" on page 281.
After you upgrade to RapidResponse 2015.3, all workbooks that were created or edited in
RapidResponse 2014.4 have alternate rows colored. Workbooks from earlier versions of RapidResponse
do not have alternate rows colored. You can review the workbooks that you own to determine if these
default settings should be changed.

Default value for empty date fields is Undefined
In RapidResponse 2014.4 (and earlier), the default value for empty date fields was either Past or
Undefined, depending on the context. As of RapidResponse 2015.3, when you create a new workbook,
the default value for empty date fields is always Undefined. By default, workbooks that were created in
RapidResponse 2014.4 (or earlier) continue to work the way they used to, in case you have processes
that depend on the workbook's existing behavior.
You can improve the consistency of your results by editing these older workbooks to always use
Undefined for empty date fields. This can be done using controls on the Compatibility tab of the
Advanced workbook settings. In new workbooks and workbooks that have been saved with the
Undefined (recommended) option selected, these controls controls are not available.
Forms
Create dynamic forms
You can now create forms that have controls with custom visibility and availability settings. By setting
how visible or available controls are based on the current context of the form, you can have the form
dynamically respond to user inputs. For example, you can simplify complex processes by segmenting
controls into groups and then having only controls relevant to the current step in the process display.
For more information, see "Manage how controls display" on page 967.
Add form dependencies to workbooks

The interaction between forms and workbooks has been expanded by allowing you to now add forms
as dependent resources in workbooks. Dependent forms allow you to create workbook commands and
worksheet drill links that open a form from a workbook.

Mapping values between the form controls and any compatible workbook variables ensures that the
workbook context is passed to the form. For more information, see "Create commands that open a
form" on page 734 and "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
Create form commands

In addition to creating workbook commands that modify data and run scripts, you can now also create
commands that open forms. As a single form can run multiple operations on a worksheet, using a form
command can streamline or expedite tasks. For example, you can create a command to insert a new
order that opens a form. Instead of filling out individual worksheet cells or adding records to multiple
worksheets for the order, users can easily add all the required information in the form and when the
form runs, the relevant records are created in the appropriate locations.

You can select to display the form command on the Commands button on the workbook toolbar or
from a custom button you define properties for. The custom button can display with text or an image or
with both. Workbook variables can be mapped to the form controls to pass the data context directly
from the workbook to the form.
For more information, see "Create commands that open a form" on page 734.
Drill to a form
You can now create drill links in worksheet cells or column headers that open a form when clicked.
Opening the dependent form from a worksheet allows users to carry out actions directly related to the
worksheet data. If you map values between worksheet columns and form controls, you can have that
data passed directly from the worksheet to the form, simplifying the form tasks for the user.

For more information, see "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
Custom messages in forms

To provide more specific support and guidance for users, forms can now display custom messages from
the underlying script. These messages can display on the form or on form controls. For more
information, see "Custom messages on a form" on page 1014.

Scorecards
Scorecards now available in mobile client
Users who are accessing RapidResponse using the mobile client can now view scorecards. The following
illustration shows an example of a scorecard viewed using the mobile client.
No new authoring options have been added for scorecards to control the way they function in the
mobile client, but authors should be aware of the differences in scorecard function between the
RapidResponse desktop client and the RapidResponse mobile client. Some features of scorecards, such
as charts and scorecard help, are still only available in the desktop client. For more information about
scorecards in the mobile client, see "Scorecards in the mobile client" on page 1064 and the
RapidResponse User Guide (Mobile Client).
More bucketing options in time-based scorecards

The date that serves as the reference point for the scorecard's time period, which used to be called the
start date, is now called the anchor date. This is because you can now add date buckets prior to this
date, and therefore the scorecard does not necessarily start on this date. Including prior date buckets
provides scorecard users with context to help them interpret results for current and future periods.
Adding buckets prior to the anchor date in scorecards works the same way as it does in basic workbook
bucketing. You specify how the date for the first bucket is calculated, and RapidResponse automatically
adds buckets cover the time period between the first date and the anchor date.
The default behavior for scorecards is not to include date buckets prior to the anchor date.
This feature was introduced in a service update (December 2015). For more information, see "Create a
time-based scorecard" on page 1049.

Drill to any form or worksheet from a scorecard
You can now create scorecards that allow users to drill to worksheets that are not in the same metric
workbooks as the metric worksheets used to calculate the scorecard's results. This is done by creating
drill links in metric worksheets, using a process similar to creating drill links in other worksheets. For
example, you could create a scorecard where clicking on a metric result showing the number of late
customer orders in a scenario would open a workbook where users can make changes to supply and
demand orders to reduce the number of late customer orders.
You can also create scorecards that allow users to drill to forms. For example, you could create a
scorecard with a link to a form for committing a scenario. After evaluating the potential courses of
action, users could follow the link to commit the scenario with the best results.
This feature was introduced in a service update (December 2015). For more information, see "Adding
drill links to metric worksheets" on page 1086.
Expressions
New query syntax options for date and time arithmetic
Syntax options have been added, giving you new ways to work with existing operators and functions.
l Subtract a time from a time, to return the number of seconds between the two times. For more
information, see "Arithmetic operators" on page 1129.
l Convert a quantity to a time. (The quantity is the number of seconds after midnight.) For more
information, see "Syntax for quantity conversion" on page 1204.
l Convert a time to a quantity. (The quantity is the number of seconds after midnight.) For more
information, see "Syntax for date and time conversion" on page 1198.
Query function to determine scenario relationship

The Boolean function, IsChildScenario, returns Y if a specified scenario is a descendant of another
specified scenario, or N if it is not.
You can use this function with the $Scenario# system variable to determine whether a scenario selected
by the user in the workbook data controls is a descendant of a specified scenario. For example, you can
construct an expression that hides a column if the user selects a specific scenario or one of its
descendants.
Generate unique sequence numbers

You can now use the MonoIncSequence function to generate sequence numbers that are unique
across all scenarios. You can use this function in an automatic data modification to ensure unique
sequence numbers are used for inserting records, and ensure the values are unique and incrementing if
multiple users are modifying the data in multiple scenarios.
This feature was introduced in a service update (October 2015).
For more information, see "MonoIncSequence" on page 1241.

Transformation worksheet functions
ATP To Demand Match function
A new function, ATP To Demand Match, can be used when building transformation worksheets. This
function is used to perform a simple matching of available-to-promise supply against customer requests
based on the prioritized order in which those customer requests are sorted and presented in a
worksheet. These calculations are done in the context of, and respect standard policies within, order
promising zones. This function supports the Order Fulfillment application available with RapidResponse.
For more information, see "ATP To Demand Match function" on page 746.

2014.4
New look to RapidResponse
The appearance of the RapidResponse desktop client has been updated with a more modern look.
Changes include different colors, updated styles, and new icons. For more information, see the
RapidResponse User Guide.
New way to access resources

All resources are now accessed from a single, centralized location: the Explorer pane. All the resources
you have access to display in the pane and you can filter through the list of resources using the filter
groups on the pane toolbar and in the extended pane. You can also group resources using tags and
search through resources using a text string. Scenarios, add-ons, and extensions are still accessed
through separate panes.
For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.

Automatically open and edit all resource types
You can now open and edit all types of resources directly from the Explorer pane. Depending on the
type of resource, either the resource properties opens for editing or the resource itself opens in design

mode. For example, for a filter, the Filter Properties pane opens whereas for a dashboard, the
dashboard opens in design mode. Public resources are checked out before opening for editing.
Extending the RapidResponse user interface with forms

Forms are a new resource in RapidResponse that help users get work done faster and on the go.
Through a customized user interface, forms guide users through tasks such as resolving a product case.
Similar to dashboards, forms only need to be authored once but they can be consumed on a variety of
platforms and devices. A user can easily open up a form to run an alert or scheduled task on their
desktop computer, on a tablet, or from their mobile phone. With forms, users can now edit data in the
RapidResponse database from a mobile device and easily complete required tasks away from their
desktops. For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide (Mobile Client).

Forms are the interface users interact with and input values into. The actual execution of the task or
series of tasks in carried out by a linked, underlying script. Values from required controls on the form are
passed to mapped arguments in the script when the form runs. Any action that can be scripted can
have a form interface for users. For more information, see "Forms and scripts" on page 942.
You can create forms to accomplish a variety of business tasks, such as responding to a scenario or
finishing an activity. Forms provide a streamlined experience by displaying only the information and
controls needed by the user to complete the form. This focused approach can help users avoid common
mistakes, such as accidentally editing data with the wrong data settings selected. For more information,
see "Authoring forms" on page 939.
Depending on your role at your company, you might be responsible for author forms and their
underlying scripts, or just forms. If your expertise is focused on the business domain, you might design
forms and then pass them to form-scripts authors to complete. For more information, see "Form
authoring permissions" on page 940.
New type of resource lets users assign responsibility for data

You can now create a type of resource, called responsibility definitions, which allows non-administrators
to assign responsibility for data to users. This new resource can be used to assign responsibility for
many different types of data.
For example, a planner could be responsible for parts with a certain planner code, or a customer service
representative could be responsible for a range of products for a particular customer, while a different
customer service representative could be responsible for the same range of products for a different
customer.
You can place limits on who can be assigned responsibility for data, or you can allow responsibility to be
assigned to anyone.
For more information, see "Authoring responsibility definitions" on page 1035.

Caching worksheet data to reduce worksheet load times
You can now create worksheets that display data faster to users by caching the worksheet results.
Worksheets that display cached data do take up system memory, so only frequently used worksheets
that most users have view-only access might be the best candidates to cache results for.
Source worksheets for widgets that perform intensive calculations might also be good candidates to
cache results for. The faster opening times for the widget also result in fast opening times for any
dashboard the widget is placed on.
Worksheet authors are responsible for designing worksheets to display cached results, however,
because the cached worksheets affect system memory, only RapidResponse administrators can turn
caching on or off for a worksheet. For more information, see "Caching worksheet results" on page 329.
Optional dependencies and linked resources

You can now specify optional dependencies and linked resources for workbooks, widgets, and task
flows. By specifying a dependency or linked resource as optional instead of required, users can open
and use the resource with or without the dependency or linked resource.
By default, all new or upgraded workbooks, widgets, and task flows have dependencies or linked
resources specified as required. For more information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page
247, "Set up linking to a resource from a widget" on page 888, and "Suppress optional actions in a task
flow" on page 936.
You can also import or export workbooks, widgets, and task flows with missing linked or dependent
resources if those resources are specified as optional. For more information, see "Import and export
resources" on page 133.
Optimizing detailed records with vectors

Worksheets can now be based on tables that contain vector data, which consists of series of detailed
records for a record in another table. These can be used to optimize table structures consisting of one
table that contains header records and another that contains detail records over a number of date
periods. By using a vector, the detail records are stored as set of data values for each record in the
header table, and values in vectors can be shared between tables, allowing you to reduce memory
consumption and improve worksheet performance. Because the detail tables are available in memory
and the records are stored as a single header record value, you can reuse values and look up vector
values without recalculating values, and store values for the vector records by inserting or updating only
the fields that do not have values, reusing values for the key values as needed.
Tables that contain vector data are represented as vector set fields on the table that owns the vector.
Tables that contain vector data can contain multiple key fields of any data type, which provides greater
control over how the records are inserted and managed, and to ensure vector records are uniquely
identified within the vector set. Each key field in a vector table is stored in a memory pool, which allows
you to look up or reference the same sets of values for multiple vectors without recalculating values or
referencing values in tables.

For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358 and "Create a vertical worksheet to
import records" on page 691.
New DateTime function

RapidResponse 2014.4 introduces the TimeStamp function. This function returns the current date and
time as a DateTime value. Unlike the Text(Now) expression, it returns a unique value for each data row.
This can be useful when needing to create a unique and increasing key. For more information, see
"TimeStamp" on page 1239.
System variables
RapidResponse 2014.4 includes several changes regarding system variables. You can use system
variables to create expressions that use the selected resources to filter worksheet data.
l In previous versions, system variables were known as standard variables.

l Along with profile variables and workbook variables, system variables are now available from the
Expression Builder dialog box.
l A new system variable named $AuthenticatedUser has been introduced. It returns the user ID of
the current user. If a user adopts another user's profile, this system variable continues to return
the user ID of the signed in user. The $User variable continues to return the user ID of the signed
in user. If the user has adopted another user's profile (usually for testing purposes) then this
system variable returns the user ID of the adopted profile.
For more information, see "System variables" on page 1301, "System variables included with
RapidResponse" on page 1301, and "Adopting a user profile" on page 1301.
Use a workbook variable to specify field values

You can now use workbook variables to specify default values for imported data in a worksheet. This
allows you to create unique keys for populating fields such as a base key field. For more information, see
"Specify default values for imported data" on page 692. This feature was introduced in a March 2015
service update.
Automatically generate required reference records

For some worksheets used to automate business processes, you can now automatically generate any
required reference records. Specifically for record insertions or updates that include record insertions,
you can set destination worksheets to generate any missing reference records that are required for
successful insertions. For more information, see "Create worksheets for inserting records" on page 723
and "Create worksheets for updating records" on page 716.

Search for automated data modification worksheets
You can now search for automated data modification worksheets. This search can be used to find
worksheets based on vector tables, as several existing input tables were converted to vector tables in
RapidResponse 2014.4. Because base key fields on vector tables cannot be modified, automatic data
modifications in worksheets based on vector tables might not function properly, resulting in errors. This
search option allows you to quickly find automated data modification worksheets so you can edit their
automation properties if necessary. For more information, see "Search for automated data modification
worksheets" on page 157.
Search for workbooks using worksheet or column identifiers

Resource authors can now search for workbooks containing specific text in worksheet and column
identifiers. You can include these in a search by checking the Other properties box in the Search
Resources dialog box. For more information, see "Search for resources that contain a specific text string"
on page 152. The following images show worksheet and column identifiers in worksheet properties.
Performance improvements for statistical forecasting

Prior to RapidResponse 2014.4, statistical forecasts were generated by applying statistical forecasting
functions to input worksheets to produce transformation worksheets. The statistical forecasting
process has been streamlined: forecasts are now generated by analytics, which perform calculations
using your input data to generate calculated output. Like transformation worksheets, analytics allow
you to select forecast items, define forecast parameters, and manage disaggregation rates. Analytics
calculations are more efficient, yet simpler to produce than transformation worksheet calculations, and
the calculated data is easier to maintain.
Demand Planning profile variables are no longer used to set forecasting and disaggregation
parameters. These parameters are now set using the new SOPAnalyticsConfiguration control table. This
table can be modified on a scenario-by scenario basis, so you can model various forecast and
disaggregation scenarios.
Additionally, several new forecasting models are now available for use. To learn more about these
models and the upgrade steps required to take advantage of the new statistical forecasting process,
see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.

RapidResponse continues to support the use of transformation worksheets to calculate statistical
forecasts. For information about the previous method of calculating statistical forecasts, see "Creating
transformation worksheets" on page 743.
More flexibility limiting available scenarios in workbooks

You now have an additional option when limiting the available scenarios in a workbook. Previously, you
could specify the available scenarios and optionally allow private scenarios based on the specified
scenarios to be used in the workbook. Now you can also allow any private or shared scenarios based on
the specified scenarios to be used with the workbook. For more information, see "Limit scenarios
available in a workbook" on page 218. This feature was introduced in a March 2015 Service Update.
TRIM and TRIMTRAILING functions can remove characters

other than spaces
Previously, you could use the TRIM and TRIMTRAILING functions to remove leading and trailing spaces
from a text string. You can now also use them to remove other characters that you specify.
For example, you could use the TRIM function to remove zeroes from the beginning and the end of a
string. This could also be done using the Replace function, but using TRIM instead will make the
operation faster.
This change was introduced in an April 2016 Service Update.
For more information, see "TRIM" on page 1188 and "TRIMTRAILING" on page 1190.
New function removes spaces or other characters from the

beginning of a string
You can use the new TRIMLEADING function to remove unwanted spaces or other specified characters
from only the beginning of a text string.
For example, you could use the TRIMLEADING function to remove zeroes from the beginning of an
order ID or a BaseKey. This could also be done using the Replace function, but using TRIMLEADING will
make the operation faster.
For more information, see "TRIMLEADING" on page 1189.
Viewing records modified in a scenario

You can use the new ChangedInScenario function to filter a worksheet so it excludes records that have
not changed between the selected scenarios. This allows you to perform an automatic data modification
on only records that have been modified in the active scenario, which can improve worksheet
performance by running operations only on records that need to be modified.

This function requires the workbook to allow you to select multiple scenarios, either by including at
least one multi-scenario column in a worksheet, or by configuring the workbook to always display the
multi-scenario selection.
For more information, see "ChangedInScenario" on page 1242.

2014.2
Hiding worksheets
Prior to RapidResponse 2014.2, you could create worksheets that were always visible, or worksheets
that were hidden unless drilled to from another resource. You can now create worksheets with greater
control over the worksheet's visibility to users. You can create worksheets that are always hidden and
never visible to users, or are conditionally hidden. When you conditionally hide a worksheet, you can
specify:
l That it remain hidden or only display when a condition is met.

l That it remain hidden unless drilled to from another resource.
l That it is conditionally hidden. This option applies only to display worksheets used in controller
worksheets. For more information, see "Create a controller worksheet" on page 552.
For worksheets that you do not want users to ever modify, such as the source worksheet for a treemap,
you can specify that the worksheet remain always hidden from users. For more information, see "Always
hidden worksheets" on page 273.
Conditionally hidden worksheets provide you with the flexibility to create workbooks with different
worksheets that display to different users, depending on their role or permissions. For example, a
workbook that shows forecast data only displays the relevant worksheets to each user based on which
department the user works for, such as finance or marketing. For more information, see "Conditionally

New icons identify the different types of hidden worksheets in workbooks. For more information, see
"Worksheet icons" on page 272.
Upon upgrade, all worksheets previously specified as hidden are set to either conditionally hidden or
always hidden states. For workbooks that can support conditionally hidden worksheets, such as
standard and responsibility workbooks, worksheets are set to be conditionally hidden. For other
workbooks that you do not want any users modifying, such as Library workbooks, worksheets are set to
be always hidden. It is recommended that your review all previously hidden worksheets to determine
the type of hidden state you want to define for them. For workbooks that users should not modify, such
as Library workbooks, the worksheets are set to always hidden. It is recommended that you review all
previously hidden worksheets to determine the type of hidden state you want to define for them.
Display worksheets in controller worksheets must be specified as conditionally hidden. For more
information, see "Specifying controller display worksheets as conditionally hidden" on page 276.
Stacked bar charts with multi-scenario columns

You can now display multi-scenario columns in bar charts as stacked data series.
For more information, see "Create a stacked chart" on page 625.
Treemap authoring enhancements

You can now create treemaps with category labels in the form of bars. Bars help to clearly distinguish
between category and subcategory rectangle labels and is now the default option for new and existing
treemaps. For more information, see "Customize the appearance of a treemap" on page 539.

Treemaps display data from grouped or hierarchy columns in the source worksheet. Users drill down in
the treemap through hierarchy levels or from grouped column to grouped column. The default drill
order of grouped columns follows the column order in the source worksheet. You can now specify a
custom drill path for grouped columns to create defined data views as users drill down. For more
information, see "Set up drill down paths" on page 537.
Treemap widgets supported in dashboards

You can now create treemap widgets to display on dashboards in both the RapidResponse desktop and
RapidResponse mobile clients. Users can change the data view by changing the categories,
subcategories, and measures displayed, in addition to applying filters to the data by drilling down in the
treemap. For more information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on page 884.

Workbook toolbar action buttons
In workbooks that contain variables, you can now create action buttons that set values for multiple
variables at one time. These action buttons are always displayed on the workbook toolbar, and allow
you to configure specific views of the workbook, or to reset a workbook to its initial appearance if
worksheet visibility is controlled using variables. For example, you could use an action button to hide or
show worksheets.
For more information, see "Create workbook toolbar action buttons" on page 229.
Create more complex task flows

With the addition of new options, you can now create more sophisticated task flows to guide users
through complex business processes. The list of actions that you can add to a task flow step has been
expanded to include opening other task flows, opening dashboards, and sharing, updating,
committing, or deleting scenarios. For scenario creation actions, you have a new option to specify a
scenario that the parent scenario must be a descendant of. Similarly, for other scenario actions, you can
require that the scenario be a descendant of a specified scenario. For more information, see "Add an

action to open a resource from a step title" on page 931 and "Add a scenario action to a step title" on
page 934.
You can now open a selected dashboard, workbook, or scorecard directly from the New Task Flow pane,
so you can verify that it is the correct resource and make sure that data settings work as expected.
To keep track of resources that task flows link to, you can now view resource usage for task flows. For
more information, see "View resource dependencies" on page 182.
In addition, you now have the option to remove the introduction step from a task flow. For more
information, see "Create a task flow" on page 930.
Use annual plan targets in scorecards

If your company maintains an annual plan in RapidResponse, you can use those values as scorecard
targets. This saves you the effort of looking up and typing in targets, and when a new annual plan is
available, it is automatically used in the scorecard, so you do not have to spend time maintaining
scorecard targets.
Annual plan targets also increase flexibility by providing a way for scorecard users to evaluate a scenario
and find out how well it meets your company's goals, without having to use exactly the same data
settings that were used when the targets were entered. For more information, see "Create a targeted
scorecard" on page 1046.
Display String columns as user names

When a String column contains RapidResponse user IDs, you can format it to display those values as
user names, accompanied by buttons that can be clicked to get contact information for each listed user.
You might use this format in a column that shows who is responsible for parts, to help users quickly
contact the right people to resolve issues. For more information, see "Format String columns" on page
294.
Inserting multiple records

When you create crosstab worksheets that insert multiple records, you can now configure the
spreading worksheet to use references to other tables. This can improve worksheet performance in
cases where thousands of records are considered, by following the reference instead of looking up the
key values. By mapping references, you can also customize the insert definition used by the worksheet
to remove any referenced key fields. This replaces the previous behavior of always requiring the key
fields from referenced tables, and allows you to use the reference to insert records. For more
information, see "Enable insert of multiple records in a crosstab worksheet" on page 440.
Tiled bullet charts

Bullet charts display large amounts of data in a single view for users to compare metrics. You can now
create tiled bullet charts that provide you with the flexibility to display different metrics in multiple bullet

charts that users can compare across single or multiple scales. Up to eight rows of worksheet data, or
eight bullet charts, can be included in a tiled bullet chart. Tiled bullet charts can display on individual
axes or on a single axis for all charts, thereby allowing users to compare across multiple metrics or
compare those metrics on the same scale. You can display multi-scenario indicators in each tiled chart.
For more information, see "Create a tiled bullet chart" on page 636.
Bullet chart positioning

Instead of positioning a bullet label at the top of a chart, you can now specify that the label display at
the top-center or the top-left of the chart, thereby providing you with greater adaptability of design
when creating bullet charts. For more information, see "Add a bullet label on the bullet chart" on page
640.

2014.1
Version control for resources
You can now track and regulate RapidResponse resource development in multi-authoring
environments with version control. Version control is a resource management system that supports
resource development by:
l Controlling and tracking changes to resources.

l Tracking ownership of those changes.
l Preventing conflicts when changes to a single resource are made by multiple authors.

l Storing and providing a restore option for past versions of a resource.
l Exploring the changes made to a resource.
Public resources are no longer editable by any user, instead, only authors with the appropriate
permissions can modify a public resource. For more information, see "About version control" on page
95.
When upgrading from RapidResponse 2013.4 (or earlier), version control is turned off. For more
information, contact your RapidResponse administrator.
Comparing resources
You can now compare any two resources you have access to in RapidResponse to identify the
differences between them. Viewing the differences can help you to understand the structure of the
resource and the impact of any modifications being made. For example, you can compare resources to
explore why a workbook might not be functioning correctly in a production environment by comparing
it to the workbook version that was created and tested successfully in the development environment.
For more information, see "Comparing resources" on page 141.
Comparing resources also allows you to save a text file of the resource differences you are viewing, so
that you can continue modifying a resource without losing track of past modifications. The text file can
also be used to support successful merging of resources. For more information, see "Create a
comparison report" on page 147.
You can also compare unsaved changes in a workbook or worksheet as you are actively modifying it. For
more information, see "Compare unsaved worksheet changes from a workbook's properties" on page
144.

Limiting scenarios in workbooks
Now you can limit the scenarios that are available in a workbook, simplifying the user experience and
reducing the potential for errors. Consider this approach when designing a specific process or task flow.
For more information, see "Limit scenarios available in a workbook" on page 218.
Minimized Data Settings pane for dashboards.

New dashboards now always open with the Data Settings pane minimized. Users expand the pane to
view and modify the settings and their last display preference for the pane will be remembered when the
dashboard is opened again.
Sharing site filters

When you create and share a site filter, the site filter is now always shared, and cannot be made private
again. This ensures that site filters are always available to the users they have been shared with, and
ensures other alerts or scheduled tasks belonging to other users always have the resources they
require. For more information, see "Share a site filter" on page 198.
Searching resources based on a specific table

You can now perform a search for a text string in resources based on a specific table. Before this
enhancement was introduced, you could search for text or for resources based on a table but not at the
same time. For more information, see "Search for a text string in resources" on page 155 and "Search for
resources based on a specific table" on page 156.
Hidden columns in charts

For some types of charts, you can now select hidden columns for specific chart properties. Only columns
that are conditionally hidden, or are set to let users choose to hide or show the column might be
displayed in a chart. Some charts might require that at least one column not be a hidden column in
order to display data in the chart. Some hidden columns might only be visible on the chart when
unhidden. For more information, see, "Hidden columns in charts" on page 609.
Drilling to detail from column headers in crosstab worksheets

You can now drill to details worksheets from column headers in grouped, crosstab worksheets that
have more than one visible data column. For worksheets where you cannot map all of the columns to
the details worksheet, you can avoid a drill to detail link that opens data without the full context by
placing the link on the column header. In addition, the visual display on the worksheet can be enhanced

by reducing the number of links visible. For more information, see "Set up drill links from a column
header" on page 677.
Default values for importing data

In workbooks that are used for importing data, you can now specify values to be used for matching
records for modifying and deleting records. This allows you to specify values for key fields and not
include those columns in the import file, which ensures the correct values are always modified by the
import. You can also specify if a default value defined for a field is used for inserting or modifying values.
This allows you to specify a default value for inserting a record, but use the default value for that column
type if a value is not provided for modifying the worksheet data.
In addition, the process of defining default values for fields has been modified, and allows you to specify
if a specified value is used for a field, or if the data model default value for the data type is used. This
allows you to customize the import values if you require a specific value for a field, and provides more
control over whether to import the blank values included in the import file.
For more information, see "Specify default values for imported data" on page 692.
View-only columns in a worksheet now are not modified during a data import. This replaces the
previous behavior of making all data changes as specified in the import file, and ensures view-only
worksheet data is not modified. As of RapidResponse 2014.1, if you want to modify these columns, you
must either make the column editable, or use a controller worksheet to import data into an editable
column and display the data in a view-only column. For more information, see "Creating controller
Hide base key fields in insert definitions

You can now hide base key fields in insert definitions in cases where the insert is set to always take a
fixed value (for example, if there is a requirement for the field to always take a blank value). Previously,
base key fields could only be hidden if the insert was set to always generate a unique value for the base
key field, or if the base key field was set to take a value from another field or constructed from specified
other values. For more information, see "Create an insert definition" on page 565.

Using table references in automatic data modifications
Worksheets you create for automatically inserting or updating records can now include table references
as columns. This replaces the previous behavior of requiring a column for each field in a reference, and
allows you to ensure all required reference values are passed from the source worksheet to the
destination worksheet. However, if a reference field is part of the key fields of the table the worksheet is
based on, you must still provide individual columns for the reference fields.
For more information, see "Create worksheets for updating records" on page 716 and "Create
worksheets for inserting records" on page 723.
Query language enhancements

l The new EXPAND function inserts spaces in text strings and replaces underscore characters with
spaces, which allows you to format text so it is easier to read. For example, if you create a column
that displays a forecast category, such as 'ConstrainedDemandValueTarget', you can use the
EXPAND function to display this text as 'Constrained Demand Value Target'. For more information,
see "EXPAND" on page 1170.
l The BOOLEANVALUE function converts text strings into Boolean 'true' or 'false' values. You can
use this function to convert String values to Boolean values, which allows you to use these values
for comparisons and filtering. For example, instead of comparing the string value to either 'Y' or 'N'
for true or false values, you can use the Boolean value without a comparison operator in your
expression. For more information, see "BOOLEANVALUE" on page 1192.
l The RAWCURRENCY function returns the currency a record is stored using. You can use this
function in place of the Attribute function to return the currency of a record, and allows you to
include the currency in a worksheet or filter a worksheet to only display records stored in a specific
currency. For more information, see "RAWCURRENCY" on page 1208.
l The Environment function allows you to retrieve the name of the RapidResponse environment
data is obtained from, and allows you to determine system data comes from and limit automated
processes to running only in a production or test system. For more information, see "Environment"
on page 1226.
l The UserInGroup function determines if a user is a member of a specific group. This allows you to
improve data security by hiding columns depending on a user's group memberships, such as
hiding revenue information from users in an external customer group. You can also use this
function to display different data values for users in different groups, such as displaying reference
part names for external partners. For more information, see "UserInGroup" on page 1240.
l The LOD (Line of Descent) function specifies a table reference to use as the starting point for
filtering records. This allows you to configure a filter expression to begin with a table reference
that contains a smaller number of records, and use the results of that small set of records to filter
for the rest of the filter expression. You can use this function to improve worksheet performance.
For more information, see "LOD" on page 1230.

Limitations on ambiguous query syntax
The RapidResponse Query language has been modified to prevent occurrences of ambiguous query
syntax which could lead to unintended or unexpected results. Expressions that use columns as
references now require the column to contain the complete value for the reference. A new query
compatibility level has been added to provide backwards compatibility for workbooks containing
previously support syntax. For more information, see "Query language compatibility and ambiguous
syntax" on page 1244.
Allowing assumptions in workbooks

You can now create workbooks that allow users to create and view assumptions on data. These
workbooks can be used to enter and view assumptions about operations or processes, and to
coordinate with other users. Allowing assumptions requires the workbook's filter compatibility to match
tables that are compatible with tables assumptions can be entered in, and must contain a hierarchy
panel. For more information, see "Allow assumptions for workbook data" on page 238.

The Time Phased Safety Stock transformation worksheet function has been added and provides the
ability to calculate recommended safety stock levels and reorder points that change over time based on
demand variability and other parameters calculated for defined calendar periods. The recommendations
calculated are meant to satisfy a given service level, and are similar to those produced by the existing
Safety Stock transformation worksheet function which makes stationary safety stock
recommendations.The Time Phased Safety Stock function is typically appropriate for items whose
demands exhibit seasonality or trend. For more information, see "Functions for transformation
Predefined resources reference information now in

RapidResponse Solutions Guide
In version 2013.4, the RapidResponse Predefined Resources Reference was introduced. Information about
these resources is now included in the new RapidResponse Solutions Guide, which discusses practical ways
to use RapidResponse, and the resources that come with it, to support business processes and make
decisions. You can access the RapidResponse Solutions Guide by clicking Help on the main RapidResponse
menu and selecting RapidResponse Solutions Help.

2013.4
Filter variables
You can now create filter variables, which are workbook variables that contain filters compatible with a
specified table. You can use these variables to define a second level of filtering on a worksheet, or to
filter a worksheet using a filter based on a table other than the worksheet's table or the workbook's
compatibility table. Filter variables also replace workbook customizations that added a second filter
control, which required XML configurations. By replacing these configurations with filter variables, you
can validate the variable and ensure the control is added to the workbook toolbar in the position you
want. For more information, see "Create a filter variable" on page 1283.
Worksheet bucketing
In worksheets or dashboard widgets that display simple buckets, you can now display buckets earlier
than the worksheet's anchor date. This allows you to display historical and planning data in the same
worksheet or widget, and allows the users to show or hide the earlier buckets as needed. For more
information, see "Define worksheet date buckets" on page 405 and "About data settings on a
dashboard" on page 910.

2013.2
The following changes pertaining to transformation worksheet functions have been made:
l Transformation worksheet functions that allow you to analyze series of data have been added. The
new functions—Autocorrelation, Histogram, Kurtosis, Median, Mode Multiple, Mode Single, and
Skew— provide the ability to analyze data for repetitiveness, symmetry, or flatness, and also to
determine the middle of a series or the most common values in the set. You can use these
functions to analyze the output of other functions, or to determine if data points are normally
distributed. For more information, see "Functions for transformation worksheets" on page 744.
l The SafetyStock transformation worksheet function has been added and provides the ability to
calculate a recommended safety stock level and reorder point based on a given service level and
other configuration parameters. This function also takes requires historical demand data, future
demand data, and historical supply lead time data, as inputs.For more information, see "Functions
for transformation worksheets" on page 744.
l The input worksheet for statistical functions now allows parameters for new product introduction
(NPI) forecasts to be specified in the Additional Parameters column. These new parameters allow
you to specify the NPI properties to apply to the forecast points, which fits the forecast to the NPI

profile you specify. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting
functions" on page 762.

l The new mathematical function, Mod, allows you to calculate the remainder of a division
operation. For more information, see "MOD" on page 1165.
l Two new statistical functions, NomDist and NormsDist, allow you to calculate the cumulative
distribution function for a specified point in a normal distribution or the standard normal
distribution, respectively. For more information, see "NORMDIST" on page 1210 and "NORMSDIST"
on page 1211.

11.2
New resource type—processes
RapidResponse now includes a new resource type that you can author and share: processes.
RapidResponse offers the capability to define processes, compiling and scheduling the activities and
performers of a given process in a logical manner, allowing for a consistent execution of processes that
occur frequently within a company. For more information about processes, see the RapidResponse User
Guide and "Authoring business processes" on page 1021.
Widget styles on dashboards

Styling control over widgets has expanded to now include enhanced options for customizing widget
backgrounds, color schemes, alignment, and labeling. You can create dashboards with greater usability
and improved aesthetics, thereby improving dashboard user experiences.
Widget titles and borders can now be applied separately and you can specify additional or new options
for widget margins, borders, and padding. Styles can still be applied at the dashboard level and
overridden at the individual widget level.

In addition, the Dashboard Properties and Widget Styles dialog boxes display an interactive preview of
applied widget styles.
For more information see, "Widget styles" on page 891.

Dashboard data settings
Users can now view and modify hierarchy settings, data bucketing, and variables in the Data Settings
pane to view data and solve problems faster. You can now also author widgets with simple or advanced
bucketing, depending on how you want data displayed in the widget. For more information, see "About
data settings on a dashboard" on page 910.

Accessing a widget's source workbook
In dashboard design mode, you can now access a widget's source workbook from the Actions button.
This functionality is unavailable once you leave design mode.

To retain access to the widget's source workbook from the toolbar for authors outside of design mode
and for users, select to include a link to the source worksheet from the widget's properties. For more
information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on page 884.
Set manual refresh on a workbook

You can now set workbooks to manually refresh worksheet data. This prevents worksheets from
automatically reloading each time data is changed in the underlying scenario. This is recommended for
workbooks that process large amounts of data.
In addition to providing users with the option to refresh workbook data when they want, you can
prompt them when a worksheet might be displaying outdated data. For more information, see "Specify
workbook refresh options" on page 243.

Automatically calculate a worksheet
You can set a worksheet to automatically updated calculated fields as the worksheet is being edited.
This setting can apply to one worksheet or all the worksheets in a workbook. For more information, see
"Automatically update calculated fields" on page 396.
Include a Boolean check box in a column header

For Boolean columns set to display as check boxes, you can include a check or clear all check box in the
column header. Users can easily toggle between the checked and unchecked states for all rows in a
column. For more information, see "Formatting worksheet and column data" on page 291.

Enable notes on a worksheet
You can now author crosstab and composite worksheets with a notes column so users can attach notes
to records. Notes can support additional information such as customer communication and preferences
on orders.
For crosstab and composite worksheets, you can enable an editable column to display notes. Records
with an attached note display the notes indicator, a red triangle in the upper corner of a cell. Users add
and view notes by clicking Add or View Notes on the workbook toolbar. For more information, see
"Enable notes on a worksheet" on page 302.
Currency selection
You can now allow workbook users to specify the currency they want to use to display Money values in
workbooks. This allows you to provide users with more control over how data is displayed in workbooks
and to display data in the currency of their choice.
If you create multiple workbooks that allow users to select the currency, the user's selection is used for
each successive workbook they open.
For more information, see "Specify the currency for a workbook" on page 224.

Insert definitions with currencies
When you create insert definitions for tables that use a custom field to determine the record currency,
that field is now automatically included in the insert definition's field list. This ensures the currency is set
properly when users insert records, and inserts the Money values in that currency without performing
conversions. You can allow the users to select the currency in the Insert Record dialog box, or use the
worksheet's currency selection to set the currency. For more information, see "Create an insert
definition" on page 565.
Importing resources with duplicated linked and dependent

resources
RapidResponse resources such as dashboards and workbooks are often developed on test or
development systems and then moved to production systems. The moving process involves exporting
the resource from one system and then importing the resource into another system. RapidResponse
11.2 improves the process of migrating resources which include linked resources and dependencies
between RapidResponse systems.
The process in RapidResponse 11.1 (and earlier) to update a shared resource that included linked
resources and dependencies was as follows:
l Import the top-level resource (for example, dashboard or workbook) as a private resource. The
linked resources and dependencies were also imported as private resources.
l Share the resource so that it replaces the existing shared top-level resource.
l Correct the conflicts that result from linked resources and dependencies already existing as shared
resources.
With RapidResponse 11.2, you no longer are confronted with the tedious and error-prone task of
importing all the resources as private, deleting the ones not needed and then updating the others to
reference the shared versions. You now control how linked and dependent resources are treated during
the resource import. For more information, see "Import and export resources" on page 133.

The attribute function has been extended to allow returning a concatenated string reporting all
applicable attributes and their values for each record in a table. The syntax attribute<*>is used for
this purpose. Note that this only returns details of custom attributes created for use in attribute-based
planning; details of the standard currency attribute are excluded when using this syntax. For more
information, see "Attribute" on page 1226.
Drilling to details enhancements

You can now create drill to details links to hidden worksheets that are in the same workbook. For more
information, see "Setting up drill links" on page 666.

Transformation worksheet and statistical function
enhancements
Enhancements have been made to transformation worksheets and functions.
l A new Insert Buckets transformation function is now available, which inserts values into buckets
that do not contain records. You can use this function to ensure the values used in an average
function return the proper values. For more information, see "Insert Buckets function" on page
751.
l New standard deviation functions, STDEV With Dates and STDEVP With Dates, are now available.
These calculate the standard deviation of a set of values in a worksheet that contains a date
column, and allows you to calculate the standard deviation of values using the same input
worksheet as other functions. For more information, see "STDEV With Dates function" on page 760
and "STDEVP With Dates function" on page 761.
Importing data into workbooks

In worksheets that you can use to import data, the worksheet might have columns and default values
defined for the field that column is based on. In this case, the value specified for the field is used if no
value is specified for the column in the import data. Otherwise, the column value is imported, which
ensures the correct value is imported. You can also specify a default value for a column in the worksheet,
which is used when no value is provided. For more information, see "Create a vertical worksheet to
import records" on page 691.
Charting enhancements and new chart types

A variety of charting enhancements are now available including displaying more information on chart
legends, applying transparency settings to more charting elements, and exercising more control over
data labels.
The following charting enhancements are now available:
Chart legends
l On a combined bar, line, and area chart, you can now:

l Format the text for the Group By labels.
l Remove the Group By labels.
l On a gauge chart, you can now select to display the intervals in the legend.
Data labels
l Select the line color for pie chart labels.
Transparency settings

l Apply transparency to the bars or areas on a summarized bar or area chart.
l Apply transparency to the needles and intervals on a gauge chart.
Titles
l Add a title to a pie chart and select the title font.
Gridlines
l The zero gridline is now set with the same color and visibility as the base axis in a line, bar, and area
chart.
New chart type - bullet

RapidResponse now includes bullet charts for workbooks and dashboards. Designed for quick and easy
monitoring of current data that must be understood at a quick glance, bullet charts display multiple
levels of information in compact spaces.
Bullet charts are a linear display of data that compares a featured measure to one or more
complementary measures. Similar to a gauge chart, bullet charts are scaled on a background divided
into target ranges indicated by color. Capable of rich data displays in small spaces, bullet charts allow for
easy and rapid interpretation of data. For example, you can design a bullet chart to compare actual
revenue to forecast and target revenue so users can track how far they are from the target revenue and
if they're on track to meeting or surpassing it. Ranges colored in shades of gray indicate critical,
warning, and acceptable ranges.
The following image illustrates components of a bullet chart:
For more information, see "Creating bullet charts" on page 632 and "Create a bullet chart" on page 634.
New chart type - calendar

RapidResponse now includes calendar charts, which allow you to display information in a calendar, in a
monthly, weekly, or daily format. They are particularly useful for process orchestration, allowing process
participants to see the activities within a process that they are responsible for. They can also be used to
display other information, such as constraints on the date that they become overloaded, as shown
below.

11.1
Dashboard authoring enhancements
RapidResponse now displays dashboards with new layouts and functionality. Widgets are now placed in
flexible row and column formations on the dashboard that allow for easy resizing and spanning of
widgets over more than one row or column. You can now create layouts that might include:
l Widgets grouped on multiple tabs by theme, type, or content.

l Widgets with fixed dimensions that maintain their size when the dashboard changes size through
the use of locks or containers.
l Hidden widget title bars and borders. Users hover over the top of the widget to display the widget
toolbar.
l Padding around widgets that affects dashboard space.
Dashboard authoring takes place in Design Mode and you can preview the user view of the dashboard
in Preview Mode. The image below displays an example of the new dashboard authoring interface:

Data settings for each widget are specified when the widget is place on the dashboard. All changes to
data settings for widgets on the dashboard now take place in the Data Settings pane. You no longer
have to open individual data setting dialog boxes for each widget or take an extra step to specify
scenario settings for a widget. You can choose to update widgets one setting at a time, or update
widgets after multiple data settings have been changed by clicking Change Multiple Data Settings in
the Data Settings pane.
You can also now choose to warn users if they might not be viewing the most current widget data by
enabling a warning message to display on the potentially out of date widgets. The widget tray is no
longer available and only dashboard users with authoring permission can modify a dashboard's layout.
Dashboards can also be created to view on the RapidResponse mobile client.
Dashboard changes after upgrading

Because of changes in the underlying dashboard technologies, the upgrade from RapidResponse 11.0
(or earlier) impacts pre-existing dashboards. The upgrade program converts the format of existing
dashboards to a new internal format.
If users of your shared dashboards had modified the layout, the upgrade program creates a copy of the
modified dashboard, retaining the changes. User layout changes can include resizing widgets, adding
widgets from the tray, and removing widgets from a dashboard.
This section describes the conversion process and is dependent on the state of dashboard at the time
of the RapidResponse upgrade.
Private dashboards

If you have created dashboards that you have not shared (a private resource), the upgrade performs the
following actions:
1. If the layout had not changed while you were using the dashboard, the upgrade program
converts the old dashboard to the new format.
2. If you changed the dashboard layout while using it, the upgrade program creates two
dashboards in the new format.
l The first dashboard uses the same name as the original dashboard. It also uses the same
original layout of the original dashboard you had created.
l The second dashboard has the same name as the original dashboard with your User ID
appended to it. For example, MyDashboard_UserID. This dashboard uses the changed layout
settings applied to the original dashboard before the upgrade.
In both cases, user preferences are maintained. Preferences include items such as bucket settings, chart
settings, and hidden columns.
Shared dashboards
If you have created dashboards and shared them, the upgrade performs the following actions:
1. The original dashboard is converted into the new format and retains the original name. It also
maintains the original sharing properties so that all users who had access to the dashboard
continue to have access. However, user preferences such as bucket settings, chart settings, and
hidden columns are reset to the original dashboard preference settings. Preferences are not
reset if users who had access to the dashboard did not modify their personal layouts.
2. For users who changed the layout of the shared dashboard, the upgrade program creates a new
dashboard that belongs to the owner, but is shared with the user that modified the layout. The
new shared dashboard carries its original name with the User ID appended to it.
For example, assume two users (User1 and User2) modified the layout of a dashboard you
created. The upgrade program creates MyDashboard_UserID1 and MyDashboard_UserID2
dashboards. As the original owner, you also own the MyDashboard_UserID1 and MyDashboard_
UserID2 dashboards. The MyDashboard_UserID1 is shared with User1 and MyDashboard_
UserID2 is shared with User2.
After the upgrade, you need to work with individual users and determine whether the user
should be using the dashboard with the original layout or their customized layout version. To
maintain consistency across your organization, you might want to delete the shared dashboards
with the customized layouts.
3. Although you are an author, you might have also changed the layout of a dashboard while using
it. If so, the upgrade program creates another dashboard with the same name as the original
dashboard with your User ID appended to it. For example, MyDashboard_UserID. This dashboard
uses the layout settings applied to the original dashboard before the upgrade and is shared with
all administrators.
In the second and third cases, user preferences are maintained. Preferences include items such as
bucket settings, chart settings, and hidden columns.
Worksheets for project management

RapidResponse 11.1 introduces integrated project management, a solution that incorporates your
supply chain data with your project information, giving you visibility into how they affect one another. In
RapidResponse, you can create a project following the same processes as in other widely used project

management programs. What makes RapidResponse unique is that it allows you to link supply and
demand information to your projects, simulate project changes and supply chain events, and determine
how one affects the other.
Included in this version of RapidResponse is a somewhat automated method for creating worksheets
for working with project data. These worksheets are displayed in a tree-like view and include a Gantt
chart. For more information, see "Create a worksheet for project management" on page 348.
Treemap authoring enhancements

When authoring treemaps, you can now provide an alternate divisor value for treemap color measures
that are calculated by dividing the value in one data column by a value in another. In previous versions, if
the divisor column contained only blank or zero values, the resulting treemap color measure was 0 for
every rectangle in the treemap, which resulted in a treemap displaying only one color. By providing an
alternate divisor value, which can either be another data column in the source worksheet or a value that
you provide, you ensure that the treemap displays valid, helpful results for the worksheet user.
You can now set an aggregate rule for treemap tooltips that determines how the data values displayed
in the tooltip are calculated. In previous versions, the tooltip displayed the sum of values for each
measure in the nested or container rectangle. This option is still available by default, or you can choose
to display the rectangle values as an average, the minimum or maximum value, a count of the records,
the standard deviation, or a blank value.
For more information, see "Set up color and size measures" on page 527.
Charting additions and enhancements

You can now create summarized bar, line, or area charts that display multiple data groups compiled in
one chart or series of charts. These summarized charts provide an overview of grouped data to use in
comparative analysis.
Combined bar, line, and area charts now offer greater customization of the chart legend. You can
choose which data series to display on the legend, and for multi-scenario columns, you can select to
display only the scenario name. In addition, combined bar, line, and area charts can display with varying
degrees of transparency when the charts are saved and exported as an image. This allows the
underlying background color or image to show through the chart when it is exported to another
program.
Stacked area charts now chart all zero values to promote consistency in chart display by starting all data
series at the same point. This applies to combined area charts and summarized area charts that display
stacked data series.
Gantt charts are a new chart type available in RapidResponse that display the progress of a project and
its associated tasks over time. Specific to project management, Gantt charts in RapidResponse can
display up to two scenarios for a project, allowing you to simulate the differing impact on tasks,
resources, and timelines. For more information see, "Create a worksheet for project management" on
page 348.

Transfer personal workbook settings into design mode
In RapidResponse 10.1 (and earlier), you might be prompted to transfer your personal settings to a
workbook when entering design mode. You had the choice to transfer all or none of your personal
settings to the workbook definition. Now you can choose which settings to transfer. For more
information, see "Design mode for workbooks" on page 241.

l A new list function, ListAsSetWithIndex, is added. This function is similar to the existing ListAsSet
function in that it returns a list of text string items formatted as a set, but also returns an
associated Index value that identifies the numerical position of each item in this list. This allows for
the sorting and/or filtering based on the original position of items within the list. For more
information, see "LISTASSETWITHINDEX" on page 1175.
l A new pseudo-column, RowIndex, is added and returns a numerical index value associated with
each output record returned by given worksheet. This can be used to support filtering in
worksheets where you want to return, or exclude, only the top number of records according to
the worksheet's sort criteria. For more information, see "RowIndex" on page 1234.
l The lookup function is extended and can now be used to report summary information based on
the final results from other columns in the same worksheet. This can prove more efficient than
requiring the use of set operators to return summary information from a set of previously
calculated column results. For more information, see "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
l This guide now includes discussion of the RecordId pseudo-field available on all input tables and
used to identify the numerical sequence in which records were added to a given table. This can be
useful for simplifying certain types of record comparisons in query expressions. For more
information, see "RecordId" on page 1232.
Item control changes

You can now add a new Project item control to a workbook that is compatible with the new Project
table. You can also now add a label beside the item control to emphasize it on the workbook toolbar.
For more information, see "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225.
Freeze columns in a worksheet

You can freeze columns in a worksheet so that certain data columns remain visible as you scroll through
the worksheet. In RapidResponse 11.1, you can now set worksheets to open with specific columns
frozen. Users can override a worksheet's freeze column setting and delete or modify which columns are
frozen. For more information, see "Freeze columns in a worksheet" on page 375.

Hiding columns enhancements
In previous versions of RapidResponse, you could hide columns permanently, meaning users could
never display hidden columns. Several enhancements have been made in this version to give you
different options for hiding columns. You can now:
l Hide columns only when a specified condition is met in the worksheet. This allows you to control
the information that is displayed to users. For example, you might want to show different columns
in a worksheet to different user groups in RapidResponse.
l Prevent users from hiding specific columns. You might want to do this if a column is essential to
the understanding or functionality of the worksheet.
l Hide columns initially but give users the option of displaying them.
For more information, see "Hide columns in a worksheet" on page 371.
Columns based on other column results

When you create columns that are calculated using the final results of other columns, you can now
specify whether the calculation is performed before or after column searches are applied to the column
data. This allows you to create result-based columns that are calculated using only rows that match the
search conditions on columns, which can improve worksheet performance over result-based columns
that calculate using all column values. You can also use these columns to create summarizations or set
operations that reflect the data displayed in the worksheet as users apply searches.
For more information, see "Create a column based on the result of other columns" on page 363.
Displaying empty row header cells

Previously, if you hid the row numbers in a worksheet, users could not select an entire row because
there was no row header to click. This could make it difficult to delete rows of data. In RapidResponse
11.1, you have the option of displaying empty header row cells, making it easier for users to select entire
rows when row numbers are hidden. For more information, see "Specify worksheet display options" on
page 281.

Spreading worksheet changes
When you create crosstab worksheets that insert multiple records, you can now customize how the
spreading values are used to insert records. This allows you to control how hierarchy columns are used
to spread values, whether editing is allowed over bucket calendar sizes, and how bucket dates are used.
You can modify these settings to improve worksheet performance, for example, if you specify the entire
edited date range for the start and end dates for the edited period, all records are inserted as a single
insert operation. For more information, see "Customize spreading" on page 452.
Auto-completion for creating expressions

When creating expressions, you can now view lists of applicable fields, functions, variables, worksheet
identifiers, and column identifiers and add them to your expression. This allows you to create
expressions by selecting the expression items you want, without typing the entire expression or
searching through the lists of fields or functions in Expression Builder.
The expression items available from the auto-complete list depends on the type of resource you are
creating, and displays all items that are valid for the expression you create. For example, worksheet
identifiers are available only for worksheet column or filter expressions, and all worksheet identifiers
from the workbook are available.
In addition to creating expressions, you can use the auto-complete list to replace fields and functions in
the expression. This allows you to modify expressions by selecting the new fields, functions, and so on
from the auto-complete list and replaces the previous behavior of selecting the replacement from
Expression Builder and then deleting the old syntax.
For more information, see "Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.
Adding variables using Expression Builder

When you add variables to expressions using Expression Builder, all variables are now listed together.
This replaces the previous behavior of having workbook and profile variables in separate lists, and

allows you to search and sort the variables to find the one you want to add. For more information, see
"Creating expressions with Expression Builder" on page 1117.
Formatting Boolean values as check boxes

When you add Boolean columns to a worksheet, you can now format the column as a check box. This
allows you to create Boolean columns that users can scan to see the values, and modify the values by
selecting or clearing the check box. For more information, see "Display a check box for a Boolean
column" on page 293.
Transformation worksheet and statistical function

enhancements
Enhancements have been made to transformation worksheets and functions.
l A new Insert Buckets transformation function is now available, which inserts values into buckets
that do not contain records. You can use this function to ensure the values used in an average
function return the proper values. This function was added in a service update in December 2012.
For more information, see "Insert Buckets function" on page 751.
l New standard deviation functions, STDEV With Dates and STDEVP With Dates, are now available.
These calculate the standard deviation of a set of values in a worksheet that contains a date
column, and allows you to calculate the standard deviation of values using the same input
worksheet as other functions. This function was added in a service update in December 2012. For
more information, see "STDEV With Dates function" on page 760 and "STDEVP With Dates
function" on page 761.

Part 2: Working with resources
l Working with resources
l Creating and editing resources
l Managing resources
l Comparing resources
l Searching resources
l Using text editing tools
l Analyzing resource usage
CHAPTER 6: Working with resources
Resource types 96
Resource states 101
Developing resources 102
Resources that only administrators can create 104
Predefined resources 105
Resources in RapidResponse are used to solve your company's business challenges. As a RapidResponse
author, you can modify existing resources and create new resources to meet your company's evolving
needs. Depending on the permissions you have been granted, you might be able to create one or more
types of resources. For more information, see "Resource types" on page 96.
All of the private and public resources you have access to display in the Explorer pane. You can view the
properties for any public resource you have permission to create, and modify any public resources that
you own. For more information, see "Resource states" on page 101.
If you also have sharing permission for a resource, you can share it with other users depending on their
resource permissions and roles in your company. For more information, see "Share resources" on page
128.
About version control

Version control is a resource management system that tracks changes to resources and allows you to
regulate how those resources are developed in multi-authoring environments. Only one author at a time
can modify a resource by checking out it out from a centralized, versioned repository, locking it from
changes by anyone else. The versioned repository is part of the RapidResponse database. Each copy of a
resource that is saved back into the versioned repository is assigned a version number that you specify.
Changes are tracked and details about the changes are provided in the form of comments. Authors can
use version control to modify private resources and public resources they own, whereas authors with
administrator permissions can modify all resources in your system. For more information about private
and public resources, see "Resource states" on page 101.
Version control supports resource development by:
l Controlling and tracking changes—You can make multiple changes to a resource, and then test
and revise your work before other users are affected by your changes. Authors include notes
explaining changes made to the resource, so you can track how a resource evolves over time.

l Tracking ownership—You can track who made changes to a resource and when those changes
were made. Each version of resource displays who modified it and a time stamp to record when the
changes were made.
l Preventing conflicts—Resources cannot be modified by more than one author at the time, which
ensures that no conflicts occur in the resource's development.
l Storing and restoring backup—You can restore to an earlier version of a resource if any of the
changes made to it were unsatisfactory, caused conflict, or required a quick fix.
l Exploring changes made to resources—You can compare different versions of a resource to
understand what has been modified and how those changes might affect the resource.
Your administrator is responsible for turning version control on or off in your RapidResponse system.
For more information, contact your RapidResponse administrator.
Resource types
You might be able to create and modify the following types of resources:
Reports
l "Dashboards" on page 97
l "Workbooks" on page 97
l "Scorecards" on page 98
Tasks
l "Forms" on page 98
l "Processes" on page 99
l "Responsibility definitions" on page 100
l "Task flows" on page 100
Automation
l Automation chains (See the RapidResponse User Guide.)

l Alerts (See the RapidResponse User Guide.)
l Scheduled tasks (See the RapidResponse User Guide.)
l Scripts (See the RapidResponse Scripting Guide.)
Filtering
l "Filters" on page 100

l "Hierarchies" on page 101
l Site Filters (See "Filters" on page 100.)
Other
l Widgets (See "Dashboards" on page 97.)

Dashboards
Dashboards display data and charts in components called widgets, which are assembled in one easy-to-
understand control panel view. You can use dashboards as a starting point for a drill-to-detail process
in which users click in a widget to open another resource, such as a treemap or a worksheet, to view and
correct the root cause of problem areas. For more information, see "Dashboards" on page 873.
Workbooks
Workbooks are used to view, analyze, and modify data. Each workbook contains worksheets, which
display data in a spreadsheet-like environment. For more information, see "Authoring and managing
workbooks" on page 215 and "Authoring worksheets" on page 257.

Resource types
Scorecards
Scorecards are used to view data summarized by various metrics, which show how data varies between
scenarios or how closely data meets a set of targets. Comparing results between scenarios allows you to
choose the most beneficial course of action. For more information, see "Authoring scorecards" on page
1043.
Forms
Forms are used to accomplish business tasks faster through a graphical user interface that you design.
User specified values pass from the form to the underlying script that the form is based on. For more
information, see "Authoring forms" on page 939.

Processes
Processes are logically designed sequences of activities that accomplish a specific goal in the most
efficient manner. In RapidResponse, the processes are defined by process authors and can be shared
with process owners. The process owners are the people responsible for ensuring the processes are
performed when required. For more information, see "Authoring business processes" on page 1021.

Resource types
Responsibility definitions
Responsibility definitions allow users to assign responsibility for data. You can create worksheets with
responsibility columns that show who has been assigned responsibility for records in a worksheet. For
more information about creating responsibility definitions, see "Authoring responsibility definitions" on
page 1035.
Task flows
Task flows are procedures users can follow to perform a task. Each step of the task flow typically
provides the resources required to complete the step. For more information, see "Authoring task flows"
on page 929.
Filters
Filters are used to limit the data shown in a worksheet or scorecard. Filters allow you to see a
manageable amount of data in a worksheet, or to view data specific to your job. A site filter lets you view
data from two or more pre-selected sites. Unlike other resource types, site filters cannot be given,
imported, or exported. For more information, see "Authoring and managing filters" on page 191 or
"Create a site filter" on page 198.

Hierarchies
Hierarchies are used to view data at different levels of detail, and allow users to view both high-level
data—such as forecasts for an entire product line—and low-level data—such as forecast for a single
part—in the same worksheet. For more information, see "Authoring hierarchies" on page 201.
Resource states
Depending on whether version control is turned on in a system, resources might exist in different states.
Version control turned on

In a system with version control turned on, resources are private or public.
Private resources, displayed as gray icons, are only visible to the resource’s owner in the Explorer.
Public resources, displayed as blue icons, are visible to the resource’s owner and to administrators in
the Explorer.
Private resources are made public when they are added to the versioned repository. For more
information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108.
For other users to have access to the resource, the public resource must be shared with those
users. For more information, see "Share resources" on page 128.
Version control turned off

In a system with version control turned off, resources are private or shared.
Private resources, displayed as gray icons, are only visible to the resource’s owner in the Explorer.

Resource states
Shared resources, displayed as blue icons, are visible in the Explorer for the owner, administrators,
and users with whom the resource has been shared. Any reports, tasks, or Automation resources visible
in the Explorer can be opened.
Developing resources
Resources are often developed in one RapidResponse system, deployed to a test system, and then
deployed for active use to a production system. In the development system, one or more authors might
be responsible for creating, modifying, and upgrading different resources. Completed resources might
be tested in the development system, or deployed to a test system that checks the resource's
functionality and design. Resources that fail testing are sent back to the development system to be
fixed. Resources that pass testing are deployed to the production system to be actively used.
▶Developing resources as a single author

The flow diagram below illustrates how to modify a versioned resource as a single author.

▶Developing resources in a multi-authoring environment
The flow diagram below illustrates how to modify a versioned resource in a multi-authoring
environment.

Developing resources
Resources that only administrators can create
Some resources can be created only by a RapidResponse administrator. These are typically used in
processes and might not be intended for widespread usage.
Resources that can be created by administrators include:

l Change Data Capture (CDC) workbooks and worksheets. For more information and how to create
these resources see the RapidResponse Web Services Guide.
l Add-ins and extensions. For more information and how to create these resources, see the
RapidResponse Administration Guide.
Predefined resources
When you create resources, you might want to use one of the predefined resources included with
RapidResponse as a starting point. For information about the resources included with RapidResponse,
see the RapidResponse Applications Guide.
If you are a resource author and you require, but do not have access to, a workbook, you might be able
to retrieve a private copy of that workbook. For more information, see "Retrieve predefined workbooks"
on page 244. If you do not have permission to retrieve predefined workbooks or you require a different
type of resource, contact your RapidResponse administrator.

Predefined resources
CHAPTER 7: Creating and editing resources
Create a new resource 107

Add a resource to the versioned repository 108
Editing a private resource 110
Editing a public resource 111
Editing public resources you do not own 115
Identify and resolve resource conflicts 115
Version control and links to dependencies 117
Restore a resource 118
Save a resource as a new, private resource 119
Discard a check out 120
Add or modify a comment 120
Version numbering 122
Version history 123
Check in details 124
Applying fixes to deployed resources 125
You can create and edit all resource types you have authoring permission for. When you create a
resource, it is created as a private resource that only you can view and edit. To share the resource with
administrators who can edit it and users who can view it , you must add it to the versioned repository and
then share it. For more information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108.
With version control you can keep track of resources with version comments, history, and numbering. For
more information, see "Create a new resource" on page 107.
Create a new resource

You can create a new resource by:
l Generating a new resource that is not based on an existing resource.

l Copying an existing resource, including predefined resources. For more information, see "Copy
l Saving a resource under a different name. For more information, see "Save a resource as a new,
private resource" on page 119.
When you create a new resource, a default check in comment is added to the resource's version history.
For more information, see "Add or modify a comment" on page 120.

You can modify the new private resource and add comments about the changes you are making. To
make the resource publicly accessible, you must add it to the versioned repository and then share it with
users. For more information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108 and "Share
All RapidResponse resources, including reports can use the versioned repository except site filters. They
exist independently and are created and shared without being part of the versioned repository. Add-
ins, extensions, scenarios are not considered resources.
Each time you save a resource, the changes made are logged and tracked in the resource's version
history. You can add comments about the changes. For more information, see "Version history" on page
123.
Add a resource to the versioned repository

You can add any private resource you create to the versioned repository, making it a public, unshared
resource. The new resource is saved with the date it was last added and the name of the user who
added it. Resources are added in the Check In Resources dialog box and display a default action: Add.
You cannot change the default action for a private resource because it is not part of the versioned
repository.

When you add a resource, you can view your selected resource and its private dependents or you can
view all the private resources in your system that you can add to the repository. For more information
about private dependents, see "About resource dependencies" on page 179. For each resource, you can
view its resource usage and specify a version number. For more information, see "Version numbering"
on page 122.
If the Action field displays Conflict, hover over the Conflict field to view a tooltip identifying why you
cannot add that resource to the versioned repository.
For more information, see "Identify and resolve resource conflicts" on page 115.
It is recommended that you add a check in comment identifying why the resource was created. For more
information, see "Add or modify a comment" on page 120.
NOTE: Comments specific to the selected resource are carried over from the private resource's
version history, and appear public once the specific resource is checked in to the versioned

Add a resource to the versioned repository
repository.
NOTE: When the Action field displays Conflict , this means that you cannot add that resource
to the repository. A conflict might occur when the public resource is not checked out, but you are
trying to add a private resource with the same name to the versioned repository.
NOTE: You must add a private resource to the versioned repository before you can share it. For
more information, see "Share resources" on page 128.
NOTE: In a RapidResponse system with version control turned off, resources cannot be added to
the versioned repository. However, they are still stored in the RapidResponse database. Private
resources are made public by sharing the resource with users.
NOTE: If a resource refers to a private scenario, you must share the scenario and then modify the
resource so that it refers to the shared scenario before you can check in the resource.
▶Add a resource to the versioned repository
1. Select the private resource in the Explorer pane.

2. On the Actions menu, click Add to Versioned Repository .
3. Type a comment for the resource in the Check in comment box.
4. To check the resource out after adding it to the repository, select Check Out Again for the
resource.
5. To view the resource's dependencies, click Resource Usage.
6. Select the Version type: Minor, Major, or Other. For more information about version types, see
"Version numbering" on page 122.
7. Click OK.
NOTE: You cannot add a resource to the repository if it shares the same name as an existing
public resource. You must rename the private resource before it can be added to the versioned
repository. For more information on renaming a resource, see "Rename resources" on page 128.
NOTE: For other users to have access to the workbook, you must share the workbook with that
user or the group the user belongs to. For more information, see "Share resources" on page 128.
Editing a private resource

You can edit any of your private resources by opening their properties. Each time you save a private
resource, you should add a comment describing the changes. Comments for the resource are
maintained as you progress in developing the resource. For more information, see "Add or modify a
comment" on page 120.
To share you resource with another user, you must first add it to the versioned repository. For more
information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108.
Editing a public resource requires different steps. For more information, see "Editing a public resource"
on page 111.

▶Edit a private resource
1. Select the private resource in the Explorer pane.

2. On the Actions menu, click Properties .
3. Edit the resource properties.
NOTE: To save your changes as you are working on a resource, press CTRL + S.
TIP: You can also edit a resource by selecting it in the Explorer and then pressing ALT + ENTER
or right-clicking on the resource and selecting Properties.
Editing a public resource

You can edit any public resource that you own by checking it out of the versioned repository, making
your changes and then checking the resource back into the repository. If you are an administrator with
authoring permissions, you can modify public resources that you do not own. All other authors can only
view the version history for public resources they do not own. To learn about the recommended work
flow for users editing public resources they do not own, see "Editing public resources you do not own"
on page 115.
Editing a private resource requires different steps. For more information, see "Editing a private resource"
on page 110.
In RapidResponse systems with version control turned off, to edit a shared resource you own, you do
not have to check it out. You can directly edit the resource's properties.
Check out a resource from the versioned repository

When you check out a public resource, a private copy of the resource is created and the public copy is
locked from editing by other authors.
The locked, public resource can still be used and viewed by users. Make your edits to the private copy
and with each save, you can add comments about the changes being made. For more information, see
"Add or modify a comment" on page 120.
Once a resource is checked out, it cannot be checked out again until it is checked back in to the
versioned repository or the check out is discarded. For more information, see "Check in a resource to
the versioned repository" on page 113 or "Discard a check out" on page 120.

NOTE: For dashboards and workbooks, you have the option to transfer your personal settings to
the private copy of the checked out public resource.
NOTE: A resource cannot be edited by more than one author with administrative permissions at a
time. If the resource is already checked out, you must wait for it to be checked back in to the
repository.
▶Check out a resource
1. Select the resource in the Explorer.

2. On the Actions menu, click Check Out .
You can also click Versioning on the RapidResponse toolbar and click Check Out .
A private copy of the resource is created with the same name. The public resource is now locked
and displays the checked out symbol .
3. Make your changes to the private copy of the resource.
CAUTION: If you are editing source workbooks that provide data for other resources to function,
calculations in those other workbooks might be affected. For more information, see "About
resource dependencies" on page 179.
NOTE: You cannot have two private resources with the same name. If you attempt to check out a
resource and have a private resource with the same name on your system, you are prompted to
use the existing private resource, replace it with a private copy of the public resource, or cancel the
check out. You can compare the existing private resource with the public resource to identify any
differences and accordingly keep or replace the private resource. For more information, see
"Comparing resources" on page 141.
NOTE: Resource properties are view only until you check out that resource.
NOTE: Only RapidResponse administrators can edit resources they do not own.
NOTE: To save your changes as you are working on the resource, press CTRL + S.
TIP: For resources checked out by other users, hover over the resource in the Explorer to display
who checked out the resource and when it was checked out.
TIP: You can also check out a resource by right-clicking on the resource in the Explorer and
clicking Check Out .

Check in a resource to the versioned repository
After you have completed your changes to a resource, you must check the resource back in to the
versioned repository for the changes to display in the public resource. When you check in a public
resource, the private edited copy is saved as the current version of the resource and is no longer
displayed in the Explorer. Earlier versions of the resource are maintained as subsets of the resource and
you can restore any earlier version of a resource as needed. For more information, see "Restore a
resource" on page 118.
When you are editing resources that depend on other resources, you might need to make changes in
multiple resources. If you have permission to share those resources, you can check in multiple private
resources and comment on the related changes in a single check in comment. The check in comment is
applied to all of the resources selected to be added or checked in to the versioned repository.
Comments made as changes were saved in the private copy of the resource are also displayed. You can
keep, edit, or delete these comments.
When you check in a resource, all of its dependent resources that are also checked out are displayed.
You can toggle between viewing selected resources and their dependencies or all of your private
resources on the system and then select which resources you want to include in the check in.
Depending on whether the private copy of the resource is different from the public version, a default
action is applied to the resource:

l Check In —The resource is checked in to the versioned repository.
l Discard & delete—The check out is discard and the private copy of the public resource is
deleted.
l Discard & keep—The check out is discarded and the private copy of the public resource is not
deleted.
l Add —The resource is added to the versioned repository. This action only displays for private
resources and cannot be changed.
l Conflict —The resource cannot be added or checked in to the repository because of a conflict.
For more information, see "Identify and resolve resource conflicts" on page 115.
You can specify a different action when the default action is Check In, Discard & delete, or Discard &
keep.
If you have any open resources during check in, you will be prompted to save any changes. Private saved
resources are automatically closed and any resources you choose not to save are not included.
During check in, you can also compare different versions of a resource, view the resource's
dependencies, and check the resource out again to prevent other authors from modifying it before you
test your changes. For more information, see "Compare resources" on page 142 and "Analyzing
resource usage" on page 177.
NOTE: If you want to keep a copy of the private resource after you have checked it in, make a copy
of the resource with a new name, or select that version in the resource's version history and save it
under a new name.
NOTE: Resources with a conflict cannot be checked in and display as view only in the Check In
dialog box.
NOTE: If a resource refers to a private scenario, you must share the scenario and then modify the
resource so that it refers to the shared scenario before you can check in the resource.
▶Check in a resource
1. Select the resource in the Explorer.

2. On the Actions menu, click Check In .
You can also click Versioning on the RapidResponse toolbar and click Check In .
By default, all selected resources are displayed. When you are checking in a resource with
dependencies, the dependent resources that are also checked out display in the Check In
Resources dialog box. For more information, see "About resource dependencies" on page 179.
3. Type a comment in the Check in comment box.
4. To check the resource out after checking it in, select Check Out Again.
5. To view all private resources click Show and select All Private Resources.
6. To compare the resource with the public version, click Compare. For more information, see
"Compare resource versions" on page 144.
7. To view the resource's dependencies, click Resource Usage.
8. Select the Version type: Minor, Major, or Other. For more information about version types, see
"Version numbering" on page 122.
9. Click OK.

NOTE: If the resource is open, it will be closed when you check it in to the versioned repository.
NOTE: If a resource refers to a private scenario, you must share the scenario and then update the
resource to refer to the newly shared scenario before you can check in the resource.
TIP: Keep version comments and numbers updated so other users can easily navigate the
changes made to a resource.
TIP: You can also check in a resource by right-clicking on the resource in the Explorer and clicking
Check In .
TIP: To exclude a resource from the check in, clear the check box in front of that resource.
Editing public resources you do not own

In some situations, authors might need to edit public resources they do not own. The recommended
work flow is outlined below:
1. An administrator gives the public resource to the author, making the author the resource owner.
2. The author makes edits to the public resource. For more information, see "Editing a public
resource" on page 111.
3. The author gives the updated public resource to an administrator, making the administrator the
resource owner.
CAUTION: If an author creates a private copy of a public resource, makes their edits, and then
gives that update private resource to an administrator to replace the public copy, there is a risk of
losing the version history for the public resource. It is recommended that administrators copy the
version history from the public resource and paste it in the version comments in the updated
private resource before replacing the public resource.
Identify and resolve resource conflicts

To resolve a conflict in adding a resource to the version repository, hover over Conflict in that row to
view the tooltip identifying the reason for the conflict. Depending on the reason for the conflict, exit the
Check In Resources dialog box and try one of the following solutions.

Editing public resources you do not own
If you do not have permission to share all of the dependent resources for the
conflicted resource
1. Identify what resources the conflicted resource depends on in the Resource Usage dialog box.
2. Remove dependent resources you do not own or do not have permission to access or share.
3. Try again to add the resource to the versioned repository.
If a public copy of this resource already exists

l Do one of the following:
l When possible, check out the public copy of the resource and then make your changes in it.
l Give the conflicted resource a new name and then try again to add the resource to the
versioned repository.

If the resource is open with unsaved changes
1. Save or revert the changes.
2. Try again to add the resource to the versioned repository.
Version control and links to dependencies

When you check a workbook in or out of the versioned repository, or add a new workbook, some of its
dependencies might have been deleted or edited. Use the Resource Usage dialog box to view the
dependencies for the workbook and fix any broken dependencies through the workbook properties.
For more information, see "Modify resource dependencies" on page 186 and "Add dependencies to
workbooks" on page 247.

Version control and links to dependencies
Restore a resource
You can replace a current version of a resource with an earlier version of the resource. For example, you
might want to return to an earlier version in situations where some functionality of the resource is no
longer required, the design is not appropriate, or performance issues are discovered when the resource
is tested. When you restore a resource, you select a new version number, add a comment, and can check
the resource back out immediately after you restore. During the restore process, that resource cannot
be checked out or edited by anyone else.
The restored resource becomes the current resource, with the check in comment displaying what
version the resource was restored to. You can add additional text to the comments, such as an
explanation of the reasoning for the restore.
Restoring a resource is also useful for situations where timing might affect how edits are made. For
example, when creating workbooks in a multi-authoring environment, you might have checked a
workbook in but not tested the changes before another author needs to edit the resource. You can
restore to the latest version of the workbook, keeping your changes saved in a private copy of the
workbook. The public resource does not contain your untested changes and after the other author is
finished, you can check the workbook back out and merge the changes. For more information, see
"Manually merge resources" on page 148.
▶Restore to an earlier version of a private resource
1. Select the resource to restore in the Explorer pane.

2. On the Actions menu, click Version History .
3. In the Version History dialog box, select the version to restore to.

4. Click Restore.
5. To add a comment, such as why you are restoring to an earlier resource, type text in the
Comment box.
By default, the Comment box displays the time stamp for the version you are restoring to.
6. Click OK.
▶Restore to an earlier version of a public resource
1. Select the resource to restore in the Explorer pane.

3. In the Version History dialog box, select the version to restore to.
4. Click Restore.
5. To compare the restore version with the current version of the resource, click Compare.
6. Select a new version number.
7. Type text in the Comment box., such as why you are restoring to an earlier resource.
By default, the Comment box displays comments for version you are restoring to.
8. Select the Check out after restore check box to continue working on the resource or to prevent
other authors from modifying the restored resource.
9. Click OK.
NOTE: You cannot restore a checked out public resource. It must be checked in to the versioned
repository before you can restore to another resource version.
NOTE: When you give a resource to another author and the author restores it to an earlier
version, the ownership of the resource does not change back.
NOTE: When you rename a resource and then restore it to an earlier version, the resource's name
does not change back to its previous name.
Save a resource as a new, private resource

You can save any version of a resource as a new, private resource. The new resource can be used as a
base for developing other resources or to test resource development. Comment histories and any linked
resources are not carried over to the new resource. For any comments you want to retain, you must
copy and paste the comments to the new resource.
▶Save a resource version as a new private resource
1. Select the resource you want to save in the Explorer pane.

3. In the Version History dialog box, select the resource version to save with a new name.
4. Click Save As.
5. Type the name of the new resource in the Name box.
6. Click OK.

Save a resource as a new, private resource
NOTE: If you use the Save As command with a public resource and do not type a different name, a
private copy of the public resource is created.
NOTE: The name of the new resource must be unique. You cannot use the Save As command to
overwrite a private resource.
Discard a check out

You can cancel a resource check out by discarding the check out. Changes to the resource are not saved
and a new version is not created. When you discard a check out, you have the option of keeping or
deleting the private resource copy that was created when you checked the resource out. For example,
an emergency fix might be required for a resource you have checked out. If you are not working on the
fix, you can discard your check out so the assigned author can continue with the fix. You can retain the
private copy of the resource with your changes that you can later merge with the public resource when
it is available to check out.
If you are a RapidResponse administrator, you can also discard another author's check out of a
resource. The author will receive a message in Message Center telling them that their check out has
been discarded. For more information about how to discard another author's check out, see the
▶Discard a check out
1. Select the checked out public resource in the Explorer pane.

Checked out resources display the checked out symbol .
2. On the Actions menu, click Discard Check Out .
3. Select to keep or delete the private copy of the resource, or to cancel the discard.
NOTE: If you select the private copy of the resource, the Discard Check Out option is not
available. You can only discard a check out for a public resource.
TIP: For open dashboards and workbooks, you can discard a check out by clicking Versioning
on the RapidResponse toolbar and then selecting Discard Check Out .
Add or modify a comment

You can add and maintain a record of comments on edits you make to a resource as it is developed.
Comments might include a description of the edits being made to the resource, list upgrades based on
another resource, or outline what core elements of the resource must never be changed. Any relevant
details for the resource's development should be recorded in the comments.
As you save your changes to a private resource, you can add comments as you save your changes or add
them later in version history. When you add or check the resource in to the versioned repository, those
comments are displayed as comments for that selected resource. You can keep, edit, or delete those
comments. A general check in comment is applied to all resources that are added or checked in at any
one time.

▶Add comments to a private resource
l In the Properties dialog box, after making your changes, select Add a comment and then click OK.
TIP: For open workbooks and dashboards, you can also select Add a comment and then click OK
when you exit design mode.
▶Add comments to a public resource
1. In the Check In Resources dialog box, type a comment in the Check in comment box.
2. For an individual resource, select that resource in the Resources box.
3. Comments made as you edited the resource display in the Comment for selected resource box.
You can edit or delete this text.
▶View comments
1. Select the resource in the Explorer pane.

You can also click Versioning on the RapidResponse toolbar and clicking Version History .

Add or modify a comment
Edit comments
In the Version History dialog box, you can edit comments for any of your private resources. For public
resources, you can only eit your own comments if comment modification has been enabled in your
system. For more information, contact your RapidResponse administrator.
▶Edit a comment
1. In the Version History dialog box, select the comment to edit.

2. Click Edit Comment.
Version numbering
When a resource is stored in the versioned repository, either by adding it to the repository or by
checking it back in, you must select an identifying version number for the new version.
You can specify three types of version numbering for resources: Minor, Major, and Other.
l Minor—Select to number the new version in a numerical X.Y format that increases in increments of
Y. For example, you can save a resource as version 1.4 or 3.16 or 10.32.
l Major—Select to number the new version in a numerical X.Y format that increases in increments of
X. For example, you can save a resource as version 2.0 or 16.0.

l Other—Select to type a version number for the workbook that does not follow a numerical X.Y
format. For example, you can save a resource as version X10-52 or Wb-AP.
With each successive version of the resource, RapidResponse continues with the version numbering
type you last selected. For example, if you save a resource as version 2.1, the next time you check in the
resource, the minor version option displays as 2.2 and the major version option displays as 3.0. If you
have specified the other increment type, the next time you check in the resource, you will be prompted
to type in a version number.
It is recommended that you establish a version numbering convention for all your resources to ensure
consistency, especially if resources are moving across different RapidResponse systems.
NOTE: You can change version numbering types at any resource check in. For example, you can
change from version August2014 to version 6.0 the next time you check in the resource.
Version history
You can view the version history for any private or public resource. For private resources, a time-
stamped version with comments displays for each save of the resource. For public resources, more
information is provided in the history, such as the version number, check in and specific resource
comments, and which author edited each version. Comments specific to the selected resource are
carried over from the private resource's version, and appear public once the specific resource is checked
in to the versioned repository.
From the Version History dialog box, you can:
l View earlier versions of a resource and all comments made for that resource.
l Compare any two versions of a resource. For more information, see "Compare resources" on page
142.
l Return to an earlier version of the resource. For more information, see "Restore a resource" on
page 118.
l Save a version with a new name, thereby creating a new private resource. For more information,
see "Save a resource as a new, private resource" on page 119.
l Edit existing and blank comments for private resources. You can edit your comments on a public
resource only if comment modification is enabled in your system. For more information, see "Add
or modify a comment" on page 120.
l For public resources, you can view check in details for a selected version. For more information, see
"Check in details" on page 124.

Version history
▶View a resource's version history

You can also click Versioning on the RapidResponse toolbar and click Version History .
Check in details
You can view details for a resource version selected in the Version History dialog box. Comments for
each resource display and you can compare the checked in resource with the current resource in your
system. For more information, see "Compare resources" on page 142.
Item Description
Check in Displays the general comment that applies to all resources that are a part of this check in group. For
comment more information, see "Add or modify a comment" on page 120.
Resource Displays the name of the resource.
Type Displays the type of resource it is, such as a dashboard or a workbook.
Version Displays the version number for the resource.
Version Displays comments specific to this resource. For more information, see "Add or modify a comment"
comment on page 120.
Compare Click to compare the selected resource with the current version of the resource. For more
information, see "Comparing resources" on page 141.

Applying fixes to deployed resources
You might have situations where a resource already deployed to your production system requires a fix.
The resource should be fixed in the development system and a new, fixed version deployed to
production. In situations where time is limited and an emergency fix is required, the resource must be
fixed in the production system.
▶Apply a fix to a deployed resource
1. Clear all check outs from the development system by checking in or discarding all resource check
outs.
2. If new versions of the resource have been created since the deployment, restore to the last
version before deployment.
3. Check out the resource and all dependent resources.
4. Apply the required fixes to the resource.
5. When you check the resources back into the versioned repository, check them back out again for
testing.
6. Migrate the fixed resource to the production system where a new version of the resource is
created.
7. Merge the changes between the two resources. For more information, see "Manually merge
8. Confirm that the changes have been applied to the resource.
▶Apply an emergency fix to a deployed resource
1. Notify users that a resource requires an emergency fix.

2. Check out the resource and all dependent resources.
3. Apply the required fixes to the resource.
4. When you check the resources back into the versioned repository, check them back out again for
testing.
5. After the resources have been tested and checked back in, notify users that they must close and
reopen the resource to see the most current version of the resource.

Applying fixes to deployed resources
CHAPTER 8: Managing resources
Copy resources 127

Rename resources 128
Share resources 128
Share linked resources 130
Give resources 132
Delete resources 133
Import and export resources 133
Send a resource link 139
You can copy, rename, share, give, delete, and import or export all resource types that you have
permission to author and share.
Copy resources
You can create private copies of any private or public resource you have access to. For example, you might
use a resource as a template to develop other resources. After you have copied the resource, you can
modify the properties of the new, private resource.
When you copy a resource, a default check in comment is added to the resource's version history. For
more information, see "Add or modify a comment" on page 120. In RapidResponse systems with version
control turned off, you cannot add comments to the resource.
▶Copy a resource

2. On the Actions menu, click Copy .
3. Type a name for the new resource.
4. To add a comment about the new resource, select Add a comment.
5. Click OK.
NOTE: Copied resources will display the original resource's default settings unless you make
changes to the settings.

NOTE: If you are copying a workbook that contains linked workbooks and want to include the
linked workbooks in the workbook copy, you must then copy each linked workbook separately.
Rename resources
You can rename any private resources that are not currently open in RapidResponse. Resources can be
renamed in the resource properties or, for some resources, from the Explorer pane. Site filters, alerts,
and scheduled task can only be renamed in from their properties. When you rename a resource, its
version number and history remain unchanged.
Some resources you rename might be dependent on other resources. The list of resources affected by
the change in name will be displayed in a warning. If you proceed with renaming the resource, you must
manually relink the dependent resources to the renamed resource.
▶Rename a resource
1. In the Explorer pane, select the private resource you want to rename.
2. On the Actions menu, click Rename .
3. Type a new name for the resource, and then press Enter.
▶Rename a resource by modifying properties
1. In the Explorer pane, select the private resource you want to rename.
2. On the Actions menu, click Properties .
3. In the Name box, type a new name for the resource.
4. Click OK.
NOTE: You cannot rename a resource you are currently using, or any public or shared resources
that you own.
NOTE: If you rename the private copy of a public resource, the renamed resource cannot be
checked in and the public resource remains checked out with no private copy. You must discard
the check out.
TIP: You can also right click on a private resource in the Explorer pane and select Rename.
Share resources
If you have permission to share a type of resource, you can share any public resources of that type that
you own. Sharing a resource lets other users view and possibly modify the resource. You can do this to
provide other users with access to the resources they require to perform their jobs. When you share a
resource you own with another user, you retain control over the resource. Users with whom you share a
resource cannot modify the properties of the resource, delete the resource, prevent you from accessing
the resource, or give control of the resource to someone else. If you want to give full control of a

resource to another user, see "Give resources" on page 132. If a group or user you have shared the
resource with no longer requires it, you can remove their access to the resource.
When you share a private resource, you are prompted to add it to the versioned repository. You cannot
share private resources until they are made public resources. For more information, see "Add a resource
to the versioned repository" on page 108. In RapidResponse systems with version control turned off,
private resources can be directly shared with other users. You can also choose to share a resource with
only RapidResponse administrators.
CAUTION: If you are sharing a dashboard with a user who has widget authoring permission, the
user will have access to the widgets and all the workbooks that contain worksheets used as the
base for widgets in the dashboard. That user will be able to create widgets based on these
worksheets. Before sharing a dashboard, you should verify that these workbooks do not display
worksheets that contain sensitive or confidential information. As a best practice, workbooks with
worksheets for worksheet widgets should be role-based to ensure that all of the worksheets in
the workbooks are appropriate for viewing and re-use by dashboard users.
CAUTION: If you share a dashboard with a user who has permission to create alerts, that user can
create alerts based on the worksheets underlying any of the widgets on the dashboard, and any
other worksheets that are in the same workbooks as those widgets.
Sharing resources with administrators

You might want to share a resource with RapidResponse administrators so that they can have access to
it for the purpose of coordinating processes. When you add a resource to the versioned repository, it is
automatically shared with administrators.
In a system with version control turned off, when you share a resource with another user, it is then
shared with RapidResponse administrators too. You can share a resource with administrators only if you
share the resource but do not specify any users to share it with. If a resource's Share list is empty and
the resource icon is blue , it means the resource is shared with RapidResponse administrators only.
Sharing the resource with RapidResponse administrators cannot be undone. Even if you initially specify
other users to share the resource with, then remove all the names from the Share list, you cannot make
your resource private again; administrators will always have access to it.
▶Share a resource
1. In the Explorer , select the resource you want to share.

2. On the Actions menu, click Share .
3. Click Select Names.
4. In the Select Names dialog box, do any of the following:
l On the Users tab, select each user you want to share the workbook with, and then click Share
with.
l On the Groups tab, select each group you want to share the workbook with, and then click
Share with.
5. Click OK.
NOTE: After you share a workbook and dashboard and subsequently modify if, the changes are

Share resources
not available to users until they refresh the workbook or dashboard layout. After making the
modifications, you should contact the users and instruct them to close and reopen the resource
to see the latest changes.
NOTE: Sharing site filters requires a different process. For more information, see "Share a site
filter" on page 198.
TIP: You can also share a resource by right-clicking the resource in the Explorer and then clicking
Share.
TIP: In the Select Names dialog box you can search for a specific name by typing the name you
want to find. You can also use the * and ? wildcards to search for text fragments and use the arrow
keys to scroll through the items in the box that match the search criteria. To close the search box
that displays at the top of the dialog box, press ESC.
TIP: To find out more about the people you can share resources with, move the pointer over their
names.
▶Remove access to a resource
1. In the Explorer , select the shared resource.

2. On the Actions menu, click Share .
3. In the Groups and users with access to this resource list, select each user or group whose
access to the resource you want to remove.
4. Click Remove.
5. Click OK.
Share linked resources

When you create a resource, you might link it to other resources to provide a more simplified user
experience. For example you might link a widget to a workbook so users can open the workbook from
the widget title bar. More commonly, linked resources are used to enhance the function of a resource.
For example, a workbook might be linked to a dependent form that enables users to drill to that form
from a worksheet cell.
When you share a resource, all of its linked resources are also shared. However, the linked resources are
only accessible from the shared resource. They do not display in the Explorer pane. For example, when
you share a dashboard, the source workbook for a widget on that dashboard is also shared. If you have
enabled that widget to display the link to its source workbook, then users can only access the
workbook from the widget.
Task flows and Processes are the only resources that share linked resources differently. When you share
a task flow or process, all of its linked resources are accessible from both the Explorer pane and from the
task flow.
It is recommended that you verify which linked resources are shared before you share a resource. This is
to ensure you do not unintentionally share resources that a user or group should not access. For more
information, see "View resource dependencies" on page 182.
The following table summarizes the RapidResponse resources that can be linked.

Main resource Can link to
Alert l Workbooks
l Scorecards
Automation chain l Alerts

l Automation
chains
l Scheduled tasks
Form l Scripts
Process l Dashboards
l Workbooks
l Scorecards
l Forms
Script l Scripts
l Workbooks
l Forms
Scorecard l Workbooks
Scheduled task l Scripts

l Workbooks
Task flow l Dashboards

l Workbooks
l Scorecards
l Forms
l Task flows
Widget l Dashboards
l Workbooks
l Scorecards
l Forms
l Task flows
Workbook l Scripts
l Workbooks
l Forms
NOTE: Most of these resource types are dependent resources and are required by the shared
resource to function.
l If you share individual resources, such as workbooks that are required for processes or task flows,
these resources are available in a user's Explorer pane. As such, be cautious about sharing these
resources, to ensure that you do not inadvertently make sensitive information available to people
outside your company. For example, if a task flow uses a financial workbook, you should not share
it with a group that includes external users.
l If the resource you are sharing links to resources that you do not own, give the resource to your
RapidResponse administrator who can then share it for you. If you intend to do more work on the

Share linked resources
resource after it has been shared, you should request that your administrator give it back to you
after they have shared it. For more information about giving a dashboard, workbook, scorecard, or
task flow, see "Give resources" on page 132.
l When you share a scorecard, the metric workbooks it uses are not visible to the scorecard
recipient.
Give resources
You can give resources you own to another user who has authoring permission for that resource type.
You might give a resource if you are no longer responsible for maintaining it, you are changing job
functions, or you are passing the resource along for more work to be completed on it. The version
number remains the same when the resource is given.
Some resources have specific conditions as described below:
l If you give a task flow, alert, or scorecard, the resources required by the task flow, alert, or
scorecard are not given to the new owner, and must be given separately.
l If you give a scenario, its parent scenario is shared with the recipient with the View Only
permission.
l If you give a workbook that has other workbooks linked to it, you are prompted to give the linked
workbooks. If you give a resource to an administrator, you do not need to give the linked
workbooks to them.
l If you give a private resource you are currently using, such as a filter in a workbook, the resource is
shown with a red X icon , and no records will be visible. You must select a different resource
from the list to view data.
l You cannot give a site filter to another user.
▶Give a resource to another user
1. In the Explorer pane, select the resource you want to give.

2. On the Actions menu, click Give .
3. In the Give Resource dialog box, do the following:
l In the Owner list, click the user you are giving the resource to.
l If you want to rename the resource, in the New Name box, type a name for the resource.
l Optionally, in the New owner notification area, type a message to notify the new owner that
the resource has been given to them.
l Click OK.
CAUTION: If the resource you are giving is used as a dependency by other resources, that
resource might not function as expected after the resource is given. It is recommended that you
review the resource's dependencies before giving it to another user. For more information, see
"View resource dependencies" on page 182.

NOTE: If the resource is a public resource, you cannot specify a new name.
NOTE: If the new owner already has a resource with the same name as the one you are giving
them, you must specify a new name for the resource.
NOTE: If you are giving an alert that checks conditions according to a private schedule, a copy of
the schedule is given to the new owner.
NOTE: Some resources cannot display without a scenario. For example, if you give a workbook to
a user who does not have access to the scenario specified by the workbook, no data will display in
the workbook.
TIP: You can also give a resource by right-clicking the resource and then clicking Give.
TIP: To find out more about the person you have selected in the Owner list, hover the pointer
over their name.
Delete resources
You can delete any of your private resources and any public or shared resources you own. Once you
delete a public resource, it is no longer available to any users it was shared to.
1. In the Explorer pane, select the resource you want to delete.

2. On the Actions menu, click Delete .
CAUTION: When you delete a resource, all versions of the resource are deleted.
NOTE: Deleting a hierarchy does not delete the custom tables or fields used by the hierarchy and
none of the data is deleted.
Import and export resources

RapidResponse resources such as dashboards and workbooks are often developed on test or
development systems and then moved to production systems. The moving process involves exporting
the resource from one system and then importing the resource into another system.

Delete resources
You might also be provided RapidResponse resources from external sources such as a customer, a
supplier, or third-party developer that can be imported into your RapidResponse system.
If you want to share a resource with a user who signs in to a different installation of RapidResponse,
such as a user at a different site, you can export the resource and then send the exported file to that
user. You can also export resources to create backup copies of the resources you have created, and
then import the backup if the original is damaged or deleted.
You can import and export any type of resource that you have permission to both author and share,
except site filters. Each resource type has a different file extension, as shown in the following table.
Resource type Extension

Alert .alt
Automation Chain .acn

Dashboard .dbd
Filter .wfl
Form .frm
Hierarchy .hry
Process .prc
Responsibility .rsp
Scheduled task .stk
Scorecard .scd
Script .scp
Task Flow .tsk
Widget .wgt
Workbook .wwb
If you have administrator permissions, you can also perform bulk imports and exports of resources
using resource packages. For more information, see the RapidResponse Administration Guide.

Linked and dependent resources
Some resources can include linked resources. For example, dashboards include links to widgets and
widgets include links to workbooks. When a resource that includes linked resources is shared with
another user, the linked resources can only be opened from the main resource and do not display in the
user’s Explorer pane. For example, when you share a dashboard with another user, the user cannot
directly open the workbooks that the dashboard widgets are based on.
Resources can also include dependencies. For example, a workbook can include images, insert
definitions, profile variables, and more. Forms that are exported or imported include the underlying
script for the form as a dependent resource.
You cannot import or export resources that have missing linked or dependent resources, unless you
specify that those resources are optional. When resources have optional linked or dependent resources,
you can still export or import the resource when the linked or dependent resources are missing. For
more information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247, "Set up linking to a resource
from a widget" on page 888, or "Suppress optional actions in a task flow" on page 936.
Exporting resources
When a resource is exported from RapidResponse, all required linked resources and dependencies are
included in the export file.
▶Export a resource
1. In the Explorer pane, select the resource you want to export.

2. On the File menu, click Export .
3. Specify the location where you want to save the file.
4. In the File name box, type the name of the file.
5. If you are exporting a scorecard and want to include the scorecard's targets, select the Include
targets check box.
6. Click Save.
NOTE: If you are exporting a scorecard or task flow, the resources utilized by the resource (such
as workbooks or filters) are not exported. You can export the resources separately.
NOTE: If you are exporting a workbook, insert definitions, including custom insert definitions,
used in its worksheets are also exported. However, default insert definitions are not exported. If a
worksheet uses default insert definitions, the default insert definitions in the system the
workbook is imported into are used. For more information, see "Export an insert definition" on
page 579.
NOTE: If an exported workbook contains an invalid or non-existent insert definition, the

workbook will export properly but will be invalid when imported.
NOTE: The user importing the exported resource must be using the same or later version of
RapidResponse.

NOTE: Version comments and tags are not exported with the resource.
Importing resources
If you have been provided with a resource, such as a workbook, from an external source, such as a
customer, a supplier, or third-party developer, you can import that resource into your RapidResponse
system. The most common use case is to import resources from a test or development system to your
production system.
When a resource is imported, all of the required linked and dependent resources in the resource file are
also imported. If any linked and dependent resources already exist in the system to which you are
importing, you are prompted on how to process each item.
When importing a resource from a test system to your production system, you might be prompted
about duplicate resources. The production system might already have the underlying linked and
dependent resources but you might want to only update the modified top-level resource. For example,
you might import an updated version of a shared dashboard from a test system. The updated
dashboard has had display properties modified but the underlying workbook settings remain
unchanged. Upon import of the dashboard, you can choose whether to only import the dashboard
without updating the underlying workbooks and sharing settings.
You have options on how to process duplicate linked and dependent resources, and the options
depend on the import conflict type:
l Private conflict—A private resource with the same name already exists on the target system. You
can use the existing private resource, replace the private resource, or rename the resource you are

importing.
l Shared conflict—A shared resource with the same name already exists on the target system. You
can use the existing shared resource or import the new version of the shared resource.
l Shared and private conflict—A private and shared resource with the same name already exists on
the target system. You can use the existing shared resource, use the existing private resource,
replace the private resource, or rename the resource you are importing.
If you are importing a hierarchy, workbook, filter, or any other resource that requires custom tables and
fields, your RapidResponse administrator must create the required tables in your production
environment, if they do not already exist.
When a resource is imported, it is designated as a private resource. If you are replacing an existing
public resource, the imported resource must be added to the versioned repository and shared to
become a public resource. For more information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on
page 108 and "Share resources" on page 128.
▶Import a resource
1. On the File menu, point to Import, and then click the resource type you want to import.
2. In the Import Resource dialog box, do the following:
l In the Look in list, browse to the location where the resource is saved.
l Select the resource, and then click Open.
l If you already have a private resource with the same name, you are prompted to type a unique
name.
3. Click one of the following:
l Open—opens the resource you just imported or runs it if it is an automation task. This option
is not available for resources, such as filters, that cannot be opened or run.
l Properties—opens the properties of the resource you just imported
l Continue—closes the Imported Resources dialog box.
The resource is now available in the Explorer.
NOTE: If you are importing a scorecard or task flow, any resources utilized by the resource (such
as workbooks or filters) are not imported. You must import the resources separately. That is to
say, because of the dependency of scorecards on metric workbooks, to import a scorecard, you
must first import the metric workbooks it uses and then import the scorecard.
NOTE: If you are importing a static-value filter from an RapidResponse 2014.4 or earlier and the
table used by the filter has at least one valid string key field, that key field is used as the default for
the filter. If the table the filter uses has no valid string key values, you must remove the static
values or select a table with a key field to base the filter on.
NOTE: You can import workbooks exported from RapidResponse 8.0 and later. To import
workbooks created in an earlier version, first import it into another RapidResponse system
(versions 8.0 and later) and then export it again.
NOTE: Insert definitions are only imported with a workbook if you have the necessary permission.
For more information, see "Import an insert definition" on page 579.

NOTE: You can import RapidResponse resources that have been exported from a RapidResponse
system with the same or earlier version as your system. For example, if you are using
RapidResponse 11.1, you can import resources from RapidResponse 11.1 and earlier.
NOTE: The only comment that displays for the resource is a default comment in the version
history identifying the resource as having been imported.
▶Specify how duplicate resources are managed when importing resource
1. In the Import Resource - Duplicate Resource Names dialog box, for each resource, in the Action
column click one of the following:
l Use existing shared—The resource is not imported, and the existing shared resource is used.
l Use existing private—The resource is not imported, and the existing private resource is used.
l Use existing —The resource is not imported, and the existing resource is used. Applies to
macros, profile variables, images, and insert definitions.
l Replace—The resource being imported replaces the existing resource.
l Rename—The resource's name is changed. The new name is automatically used in the
resource. The new name is typed in the New Name column of the dialog box.
l Import—The resource is imported as private. Available when there is not a duplicate conflict
in the system.
2. Click OK twice.
CAUTION: If you replace a macro, it is replaced for all other workbooks, filters, and so on that use
the macro. This can result in workbooks and filters not returning the data you expect, or possibly
not returning any data. Before you replace a macro, you should ensure the new macro is similar to
the existing macro.
NOTE: If the resource contains a profile variable that was defined for a user or group that does
not exist in your RapidResponse system, the variable is defined for you instead. For more
information, see "Profile variables" on page 1296.
Importing resources from RapidResponse 2014.4 (and earlier)

In RapidResponse 2014.4 (and earlier), no two scenarios on a RapidResponse system could have the
same name, so scopes (private or shared) of scenarios were not included in most resource definitions.
Now, both a name and a scope are required, so if the resource that you are importing was created and
most recently edited using RapidResponse 2014.4 or earlier, RapidResponse adds a scope to any
scenarios specified in the resource definition during the import process.
The scope that is added to each scenario in the resource definition depends on the context and what
scenarios exist when you import the resource. A scenario is assumed to be shared unless the following
conditions are met.
l A shared scenario with the specified name does not exist at the time of the import.
l A private scenario with the specified name exists at the time of the import.
l Private scenarios are allowed in the context in which the scenario is specified. For example, in a
private workbook definition, you can only use shared scenarios when you limit the available
scenarios, but you can use a private scenario as the baseline scenario for multi-scenario columns.

In some cases, these assumptions might not give the results you want, and you might need to edit the
resource definition after import to change the scope of one or more scenarios.
Send a resource link

Users can send a link to other users to share a predefined view of a resource. The context of the live
resource is shared, providing users with a another way to engage others in solving business problems.
For example, a user examining data in the S&OP Dashboard for Demand Planners might notice a
discrepancy in the backlog volume when certain data settings are applied to the data. The user can then
send a link of the dashboard in that exact state to a colleague to discuss and resolve the problem.
Resource links are sent by clicking Send Link on the RapidResponse toolbar. Users receive the link in
a message in Message Center or in their email. When clicked on, the link will open and display the
resource with certain data settings applied. The resource referenced in the link must be a shared
resource and the recipient must have permission to view the resource. Users can also edit links to
modify the attributes of the link in the message, specifying the title, workbook, worksheet, and data
settings applied to the resource.
Resource links can be sent for:
l Workbooks
l Dashboards
l Scorecards
l Forms
Resource links of workbook and scorecard views are similar to shortcuts. Only data settings are
displayed when the link is opened, settings like column and worksheet help are not displayed. When a
link to a form is opened, the form is displayed with its default settings. For dashboards, resource links
display a view of the dashboard with all settings applied, including bucket and chart settings.

Send a resource link
For more information on resource links, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
NOTE: Users must have permission to send resource links. For more information, see the

CHAPTER 9: Comparing resources
Compare resources 142

Identify resource differences 145
Create a comparison report 147
Manually merge resources 148
You can compare any resources of the same type you have access to in RapidResponse, and identify any
differences between them. Understanding the differences between resources can help you understand a
resource's structure and development, and explore modifications that cause data to display or react
differently in related resources. For example, you might have two workbooks that were developed from
the same base workbook but display unexpected results. By comparing resources, you can determine
that the different data displays are because of a modified filter expression on one workbook’s worksheet.
You can also compare resources to better understand past and current development of those resources,
especially when resources are moved between environments, such as from development to production.
You can compare:
l Two different resources. For example, compare a private dashboard to a RapidResponse predefined
dashboard to incorporate enhancements from the predefined dashboard or to determine which
dashboard to keep during an upgrade.
l Private and shared resources. For example, comparing changes between a private workbook in
development and a shared workbook in a production environment. When two authors are working
in parallel, comparing resources allows them to determine the changes in their respective private
copies of the workbook so they can successfully merge their changes in the shared workbook.
l Unsaved changes in a resource with the resource's last saved state. For example, compare changes
you are making in a private worksheet as you are modifying it. For more information, see "Compare
unsaved worksheet changes from a workbook's properties" on page 144.
l Two versions of a resource in a RapidResponse system with version control enabled. For more
information, see "About version control" on page 95.
Similar to a hierarchy, when you compare two resources, all of the specific properties that make up the
resource are displayed at different levels, such as workbook to worksheet to column. Properties are
organized in a tree structure, with property fields displayed as branches of the main property. For more
information, see "Identify resource differences" on page 145.

Property fields that display a “Yes” in the Details column have more information that you can view in the
Detailed Differences dialog box. For more information, see "View detailed resource comparisons" on
page 144.
You can also use compare resources to merge them. When you manually merge the differences between
resources, use compare to first generate a report of the differences. Saved as a text file, use the report
to guide you as you manually incorporate changes in the resources. For more information, see
"Manually merge resources" on page 148.
NOTE: The Compare dialog box only opens if there is a difference between resource properties. A
name change does not qualify as a difference and you cannot compare two identical resources
where the only difference between them is the resource name.
NOTE: You cannot compare two different types of resources, such as a dashboard and a
workbook. The Compare dialog box will only open for resources that are of the same type.
NOTE: If you have administrator permissions, you can also compare resources in a resource
package that you are importing into a system. For more information, see the RapidResponse
Administration Guide.
Compare resources
When you first select to compare a resource, you must decide which resource to compare it to. The
baseline resource displays in the left pane of the Compare dialog box and represents the resource
standard that you are comparing against. The compare resource displays in the right pane and
represents the resource that has been modified. Look at the modifications in the compare resource and
check with the baseline to understand what was modified and how it was modified. There are a number
of indicators to guide you in identifying the differences between resources. For more information about
how to identify those differences, see "Identify resource differences" on page 145.

When you compare two resources, you must select which resource will display as the baseline resource
and which will display as the compare resource.
Based on the state of your resource when you click Compare, the Compare resource dialog box will
display different default options. You can change the resource selection in the Baseline and Compare
drop-down menus.
NOTE: If you select a resource to compare and a private resource with the same name exists, the
resource with the same name displays as the baseline option.
NOTE: If you reselect a resource to compare in a single RapidResponse session, the baseline
option displays the same resource you last selected.
NOTE: Although you might have only one resource of a resource type and cannot compare it to
other resources of that type, you can still compare the resource to earlier versions of itself. For
example, if you have only one dashboard, you can still compare the latest version of the dashboard
with an earlier version. For more information, see "Compare resource versions" on page 144.
NOTE: In a RapidResponse system with version control turned off, you can compare private and
public resources to one another, and any two resources that are the same resource type.

Compare resources
▶Compare a resource
1. Select the resource to compare in the Explorer pane.

2. On the Actions menu click Compare .
NOTE: Depending on the resource's state: public or private, checked in or out, unsaved changes;
different options are available when you select which resources to compare.
▶Compare resource versions

You can compare different versions of a private or public resource from the resource's version history or
when you check in or add the resource to the versioned repository. You can also compare versions
when you are viewing check in details. For more information, see "Check in details" on page 124.

2. On the Actions menu, click Version History or Check In .
3. In the dialog box, select the resource to compare and click Compare .
4. In the Baseline list, select the resource.
5. Click OK.
▶Compare unsaved worksheet changes from a workbook's properties

Specifically for worksheets, you can compare unsaved changes in the worksheet from its workbook
properties. For example, you can compare changes you are making in a worksheet to address an error
with the same worksheet before you made the changes. By comparing unsaved changes, you can test
solutions without having to reverse all the changes.

l In the Workbook Properties dialog box, on the General tab, click Compare.
l In the Workbook Properties dialog box, on the Worksheets tab, select the worksheet to
compare and click Compare.
NOTE: Specifically for open workbooks or dashboards in design mode, clicking Compare
compares all unsaved changes in the resource to the resource's last saved state.
View detailed resource comparisons

For some properties, you can drill down to a more detailed view of that property field and then compare
any changes. For example, you might view what has changed in a worksheet's filter expression or the
changes made to a resource's author notes.

▶View a detailed comparison
l In the Property pane of the Compare dialog box, click "Yes" in the Details column for the property
field you want to view.
The Detailed Differences dialog box opens, displaying a detailed view of the property field for that
resource.
Identify resource differences

When you compare two resources, a number of indicators are provided to help you identify the
differences between the resources. As you scroll down the resource property list, any differences are
highlighted:
Purple identifies properties that have changed.
Green identifies properties that have been inserted.
Orange identifies properties that have been deleted.

Identify resource differences
To move from difference to difference in the property list, click on the navigation arrows.
Visual indicators mapped along the property list identify the type, number, and location of differences.
Clicking an indicator jumps to that specific location in the property list. Row numbers identify each
property. You can use row numbers to track properties and to cite the location of a specific difference in
the resource. Conditional highlighting is also displayed next to the row numbers to match each row
with its corresponding row for the other resource.

You can also create a report based on the comparisons, keeping a permanent record of differences
between the resources. For more information, see "Create a comparison report" on page 147.
Create a comparison report

When you compare a resource, you can generate a report of the differences saved as a tab-delimited
text file. The comparison report is especially useful when you are comparing and merging two resources.
For example, if you are comparing two resources before you do a manual merge, you might save a copy
of the list of differences to aid with the merge process. For more information about manually merging
resources, see "Manually merge resources" on page 148.

Create a comparison report
TIP: It is recommended that you use a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel to view the
comparison report.
▶Create a comparison report on resource differences

2. On the Actions men, select Compare .
3. In the Compare dialog box, click Save.
4. Optionally, type a new name for the file.
5. Select a location to save the text file.
6. Click Save.
Manually merge resources

You can compare two resources to view and merge some or all of the differences between them. For
example, you might compare an existing workbook that has been customized with an enhanced version
of a predefined RapidResponse workbook and then merge the workbooks by incorporating changes
from one workbook in to the other.
When you merge resources, you must first compare the two resources to view the differences and
generate a report of the differences. The use the comparison report to guide you in the changes you
want to manually incorporate. For more information, see "Create a comparison report" on page 147.
▶Merge two resources

2. On the Actions menu, click Compare .
3. Select the resource to compare as the Baseline.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Save.
By default, the file name will display as the Compare resource's name. You can type a new name
to save as the file name.
6. Select a location to save the text file.
7. Click Save.
8. Open the text file and use the differences displayed as a guide for modifications to the workbook.
TIP: It is recommended that you use a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel to view the
comparison report.

CHAPTER 10: Searching resources
Search for resources that contain a specific text string 152

Search for resources based on a specific table 156
Search for resources that contain errors 158
View search results 161
Search an individual workbook 162
Navigate workbook search results 163
As a RapidResponse user with authoring permissions, you can search in resources to find any of the
following:
l Resources that contain a specific text string in their definitions.

l Resources that are based on, or compatible with, a specific table.
l Resources that contain errors in their expressions or structure.
You can search in the resources you have permission to create. The following table provides some
examples of searches you can perform for each resource type.
Resource Search details Search examples

Alerts Determines if the specified string is searched for in alerts. l Search for alerts that
monitor a specific scenario
or workbook.
l Search for alerts that send
notification messages to a
specific user.
l Search for alerts that run a
specific other alert or
scheduled task.
Automation Determines if the specified string is searched for in automation l Search for a specific alert,
Chains chains. scheduled task, or
automation task.
Dashboards Determines if the specified string is searched for in dashboards. l Search for a specific phrase
in a dashboard's name,
author notes, or widgets.

Filters Determines if the specified string is searched for in filters. You can l Search for all filters that
also search for errors in the resource definition. use a specific macro.
l Search for all filters that
use a specific field in their
query expressions.
l Search for all filters based
on a custom table.
l Search for filters that
contain query errors.
Forms Determines if the specified string is searched for in forms. l Search for a specific phrase
in a form's name, author
notes, help, or its
underlying script name.
l Search for a specific phrase
in a form control's ID,
label, description,
placeholder text, argument
mapping, or initial value.
in the expressions of a data
list control or in the items
of a fixed list control.
Hierarchies Determines if the specified string is searched for in hierarchies. You l Search for all hierarchies
can also search for errors in the resource definition. based on a specific table.
l Search for all hierarchies
that use a specific field in
their query expressions.
l Search for all hierarchies
that use a specific macro.
l Search for hierarchies that
contain query errors.
Insert Determines if the specified string is search for in insert definitions. l Search for a specific table's
Definitions These include only the insert definitions defined for a table, not insert definitions.
custom insert definitions defined in worksheets. To search fro a l Search for insert
custom insert definition, select the Other workbook properties definitions that contain a
check box. specific database field.
l Search for insert
definitions that contain an
expression that uses a
specific field.

Scheduled Determines if the specified string is searched for in scheduled tasks. l Search for scheduled tasks
Tasks that run workbook
commands, publish data
from specific workbooks,
or run a script.
l Search for scheduled tasks
that send notification
messages to a specific
user.
l Search for scheduled tasks
that run a specific alert or
scheduled task.
Scripts Determines if the specified string is searched for in scripts. l Search for a specific phrase
in a script's name,
argument, codes, author
notes, or help.
in a referenced
dependency or included
script library.

Widgets Determines if the specified string is searched for in widgets. l Search for a specific phrase
in a widget name, title,
author notes, or help.
in the workbook and
worksheet on which a
widget is based.
in the linked resources for
a widget.
Workbooks Determines if the specified string is searched for in workbooks. You l Search for all workbooks
can also search for errors in the resource definition. that contain a specific
macro.
l Search for all worksheets
that use a specific field or
operator in their query
expressions.
based on a custom table.
l Search for transformation
worksheets that take a
specific variable as input.
that contain query errors.
in workbook help or
author notes.
l Search for worksheets that
use a specific field in a
custom insert definition.
l Search for workbooks that
link to a specific
workbook.
l Search for worksheets that
automatically modify data.
RapidResponse users who do not author resources can perform simple text searches in workbooks. For
more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
Search for resources that contain a specific

text string
You can search resources for a specific text string in their definitions. For example, you might be aware
of a macro that needs to be modified. You can find all the resources that use the macro in expressions,
so you know which resources you might have to modify to reflect the changes to the macro.
You can search in any of the resources you have permission to author.

You can choose to search in only the resources you can modify (resources you own), or all resources you
have access to. In addition, you can specify where in the resources you want to search. For example, you
can search in only expressions, or expressions and visible text such as column headers and worksheet
help.
The options available for searching are shown in the following illustration.
Each option in the Search section searches specific parts of each resource. These are explained in the
following table.

Search for resources that contain a specific text string
Search option Searches in
Expressions l Workbooks—Includes the following:
l The worksheet column and filter expressions
l The workbook variable definitions
l Filters—Includes the following:
l Filter expressions used in a Data List control
l Expressions used in display or data values in Data List controls
l Forms—Includes the following:
l Conditional expressions for controls
l Filter expressions for Data List controls
l Hierarchies—The hierarchy level expressions.
l Insert definitions—The expressions that define each field in the insert definition.
Visible text l Workbooks—Includes the following:

l The workbook and worksheet names
l The column headers
l The workbook, worksheet, and column help
l The titles of charts
l The names of commands that modify worksheet data and run scripts
l The values contained in workbook variables
l Filters—The filter name.
l Forms—Includes the following:
l Form and control names
l Form and control help
l URLs for Image controls
l Labels on buttons
l Control IDs
l Initial values, labels, descriptions, and placeholder text for controls
l Name of script arguments controls are mapped to
l Display and data values in Fixed List controls
l Hierarchies—The hierarchy and level names.
l Insert definitions—The insert definition name and field labels.
l Dashboards—The dashboard's name or widgets.
l Scripts—Includes the following:
l The script's name
l The names, labels, and descriptions of script arguments
l The script help
l Widgets—The name, title, text, or help for the widget.
Author Notes l Workbooks—The Author notes fields in workbooks, worksheets, and columns.
l Filters—The Author notes field in filters.
l Forms—The Author notes field in forms.
l Hierarchies—The Author notes field in hierarchies.
l Dashboards—The Author notes field in the dashboard.
l Scripts—The Author notes field in the scripts.
l Widgets—The Author notes field in the widget.

Search option Searches in
Advanced options l Workbooks—The XML code defined in the Advanced dialog box for workbooks and
and worksheets. This option applies only to workbooks.
extended
configuration
(XML)
Other properties l Forms—The name of the script the form is based on.
l Scripts—Includes the following:
l The names of script libraries
l The names of referenced resource dependencies
l Java script text
l Widgets—Includes the following:
l The workbooks and worksheets on which the widget are based
l The names of linked resources
l Workbooks—Includes the following:
l The function and input parameters used in transformation worksheets
l The currency used to display column data
l The calendars used in crosstab worksheets
l The scenario name and action worksheet name used in modify worksheet data
commands
l The name of commands that run scripts
l The images in worksheet columns
l The fields that filter, site, model, pool, and part selections apply to
l The name, field labels, and expressions in custom insert definitions embedded in
worksheets.
l Worksheet and column identifiers
NOTE: If you search for text in filters, you can search only in the filter expressions, not in the static
values.
NOTE: If you search for text in alerts, every alert property is searched, including the alert name,
resources, notification message, report options, message recipients, and post-processing options.
For more information about alerts, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
NOTE: If you search for a text string that includes multiple words, results are returned for the
complete phrase, and not for the individual words in the text string. For example, if you search for
'Ship Set Available', you get results only for columns or help entries that contain the full text string
'Ship Set Available', such as "Ship Set Available Date". This search does not match columns or help
that contain 'Ship', 'Set', or 'Available' individually.
NOTE: The Search Resource Settings dialog box does not support the Processes resource.
▶Search for a text string in resources
1. On the Tools menu, click Search Resources.

2. In the Search Resources Settings dialog box, type the string you want to search for in the Text
box.
3. In the Resources area, select each type of resource you want to search.

Search for resources that contain a specific text string
4. In the Search area, select where in the resources you want to search.
5. In the Include area, click one of the following:
l Only resources I can modify—Searches only in the resources you own. If you are an
administrator, searches in resources you own and shared resources you can modify.
l All resources—Searches in all resources you have access to. If you are an administrator, this
includes private resources owned by other users.
NOTE: When searching for a text string, you can specify that the search only review resources
based on a specific table by clicking the Only in resources based on table box. This type of search
only reviews expressions in workbooks, filters, hierarchies, and insert definitions.
NOTE: If you search for an automation task notification recipient, you must search for the user ID,
not the user's name.
NOTE: To search for a string in a macro expression, you must do a worksheet search in the
Macros worksheet of the Macros and Profile Variables system workbook. For more information,
see the RapidResponse User Guide.
TIP: To select all of the applicable types of resources, click Select All. To clear all selected resource
types, click Clear All.
▶Cancel a search
After you start searching for resources, you can cancel the search before it completes. A canceled search
returns a partial list of results.
l In the Searching Resources dialog box, click Cancel.
Search for resources based on a specific table

You can perform searches in resources that are based on a specified table. This searching applies to
workbooks, filters, hierarchies, and insert definitions. For example, your company might have a custom
table that contains information about your company's divisions. If fields are being removed from this
table, you can find all worksheets based on that table so you know which worksheets might be affected
by the change.
You can search in any resource type you have permission to author.
You can choose to search in only the resources you can modify (resources you own), or all resources you
have access to.
NOTE: You also have the option to search for text included in an expression based on a specific
table. For more information, see "Search for a text string in resources" on page 155.
▶Search for resources based on a table

2. In the Search Resources Settings dialog box, click Resources based on table, and then in the list,
click the table you want to search for.

TIP: To select all of the applicable types of resources, click Select All. To deselect all resource types,
click Clear All.
▶Cancel a search
Search for automated data modification worksheets

You can search for automated data modification worksheets that are based on a specific table. This
search can be used to find worksheets based on tables that contain vector data that might contain
automatic data modifications, which might no longer be valid. When you upgrade to RapidResponse
2014.4 (or later) from RapidResponse 2014.2 (or earlier), the following tables can be converted to contain
vector data::
l ForecastDetail
l HistoricalDemandActual
l HistoricalDemandSeriesDetail
l HistoricalSupplyActual
l HistoricalSupplySeriesDetail
For more information about these tables, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Because vectors contain base key fields that are not modifiable, you should review worksheets that
automatically modify data to ensure that worksheets based on converted tables do not generate errors
by modifying data in key fields.
This search returns worksheets that have the Use this worksheet to check box selected in the
Automation tab of the Worksheet Properties dialog box, as shown in the following illustration.

Search for resources based on a specific table
For more information about automated data modification, see "Creating workbooks to automate
business processes" on page 715.
▶Search for automated data modification worksheets

2. In the Search Resources Settings dialog box, click Resources based on table, and then in the list,
click the table you want to search for.
3. Select the Only automated data modification worksheets check box.
Search for resources that contain errors

You can search in workbooks, filters, or hierarchies to find resources that contain errors in their
expressions or structure. For example, a component worksheet of a composite worksheet might have
had a column removed, which causes an error in the composite worksheet. You can search for errors to
find this worksheet, and then correct the error.
If you have recently upgraded to a new version of RapidResponse, you can search for workbooks that
have not yet been upgraded because their resource definitions do not comply with the latest validation
rules used by RapidResponse. By choosing to validate workbook query expressions using the latest
compatibility version, you can find workbooks that have failed the validation test, and repair them as
needed.
The following table outlines some of the errors you might find in resources.
Error type Description

Worksheet A dependent worksheet is missing, such as a component worksheet in a composite worksheet
or an input worksheet in a transformation worksheet.
Drill to details The details worksheet that a worksheet drills to is missing.

worksheet
Drill to form The dependent form that a worksheet drills to is missing.

Column A column expression contains a query error.
expression
Filter expression A worksheet's filter expression contains a query error.
Worksheet A worksheet variable is missing.

variable
Spreading A worksheet used to determine how records inserted in a crosstab worksheet are spread is
worksheet missing.
Spreading A variable used to determine the dates used in records inserted into a crosstab worksheet is
worksheet missing.
variable

When you view the properties for a resource with an error, a message provides details about the error.
You can use this information to determine how to correct the error.
You can search in any of the resources you have permission to author. You can choose to search in only
the resources you can modify (resources you own), or all resources you have access to.
The options available for searching are shown in the following illustration.
If you search for resources that are compatible at a specific compatibility version, you can choose to
search only the workbooks that are valid at a lower compatibility level. This allows you to view only the
workbooks that might contain errors because of an upgrade.

Search for resources that contain errors
▶Search for resources with errors

2. In the Search Resources Settings dialog box, click Errors in resource definitions and click one of
the following:
l Compatibility setting for each workbook—Searches for errors in workbook definitions
currently in your system using the compatibility settings defined in each workbook.
l Compatibility version—Searches for errors in workbook definitions currently in your system
using the compatibility version selected from the list.
l Limit search to workbooks valid at compatibility version—Searches for errors in workbook
definitions currently in your system using a compatibility version selected from the list. This list
contains only compatibility levels earlier than the level selected in the Compatibility version
list. Workbooks that pass this limited compatibility test are then searched using the version
selected from the Compatibility version list. Workbooks that fail the limited compatibility
search are not searched for the more recent compatibility.
TIP: Select Compatibility version if you have recently upgraded your system to a newer version of
RapidResponse. Select 2014.1 and later from the drop-down list to validate workbooks with the
most recent compatibility version. To validate only those workbooks that are valid at an earlier
compatibility level, select Limit search to workbooks valid at compatibility version as well. In all
other cases, select Compatibility settings for each workbook.
▶Cancel a search

For more information, see "Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax" on page 1244.
View search results

The search results are displayed in the Search Resources window. This lists the resources that match the
search criteria and displays how many times the search string or table is found in each resource. For
example, if a worksheet has the search string in a column expression, a filter expression, and the
worksheet help, three occurrences are reported. If the search string is present more than once in a
single expression, it is reported as one occurrence.
The results for each resource tell you where in the resource the search term or table was found.
l Worksheet—For workbook results, shows you which worksheet the result is found in.
l Found In—Shows you where in the worksheet, filter, or hierarchy the result is found.
l Item—Shows you which column, variable, hierarchy level, and so on the result is found in.
An example of text string search results in the Search Resources window is shown in the following
illustration.
In the illustration above, the String 'OnTimeQuantity' was found in three worksheets in the Revenue
Opportunities workbook, with eleven occurrences of the string between the three worksheets. In two
of the worksheets, the string was found in multiple column expressions. In the other worksheet, the
search string was found in multiple column expressions and once in the worksheet filter expression.
From the search results, you can open resources or view their properties. You can also copy the result
list and then paste it into Microsoft Excel, or another program, to create and distribute the list of
resources. This allows you to retain a record of where a particular string was used in your workbooks, or
to create a list of tasks you need to do to update your resources.

View search results
▶Modify a resource
1. In the list of results, click the arrow beside a resource to see each occurrence of the search
text, table, or error.
2. Click an occurrence.
3. On the Search Results toolbar, click Properties .
4. Modify the properties, as discussed in "Edit workbook properties" on page 240, "Edit a
worksheet" on page 262, or "Modify a filter" on page 196.
NOTE: When you open a resource's properties, it opens to the location where the search string
was found.
NOTE: After modifying a resource's properties, you should verify your changes are correct by
opening the workbook or using the filter or hierarchy in a workbook.
TIP: If you are modifying a workbook, you can navigate through all the results in that workbook.
For more information, see "Navigate workbook search results" on page 163.
▶Open a workbook
1. In the list of results, click the arrow beside a workbook to see each occurrence of the search
text or table.
2. Click an occurrence.
3. On the Search Results toolbar, click Open .
NOTE: If you open a workbook from the search results, it displays the worksheet containing the
occurrence you selected. If the worksheet containing the occurrence is hidden, you must activate
Design Mode to view the worksheet. For more information, see "Design mode for workbooks" on
page 241.
▶Copy search results
1. On the Search Results toolbar, click Copy search results to the Clipboard .
2. Paste the results into another application, such as Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word.
▶Modify a search
1. On the Search Results toolbar, click Search Settings .

2. Specify search options. For more information, see "Search for resources that contain a specific
text string" on page 152, "Search for resources based on a specific table" on page 156, or "Search
for resources that contain errors" on page 158.
Search an individual workbook

You can search individual workbooks that you have permission to author for text strings and for errors
in resource definitions, expressions, or structures.

Text strings are searched for in workbook and worksheet names, column headers, workbook help,
worksheet help, column help, chart titles, commands that modify worksheet data and run scripts, and
workbook variable values. If you search for a text string that includes multiple words, results are
returned for the complete phrase, and not for the individual words in the text string. For example, if you
search for 'Ship Set Available', you get results only for columns or help entries that contain the full text
string 'Ship Set Available', such as 'Ship Set Available Date'. This search does not match columns or help
that contain 'Ship', 'Set', or 'Available' individually .
You can find all broken worksheets in a workbook by searching for errors in the workbook's definitions.
This is useful if you have recently upgraded to a new version of RapidResponse. In this case, you can
search the workbook for resource definitions that do not comply with the latest validation rules used by
RapidResponse. By choosing to validate workbook query expressions using the latest compatibility
version, you can find worksheets that have failed the validation test, and repair them as needed.
For more information, see "Search for resources that contain a specific text string" on page 152 and
"Search for resources that contain errors" on page 158.
▶Search an individual workbook for a text string
1. In the Explorer pane, click the workbook you want to search, and then click Properties .
2. In the Workbook Properties dialog box, click the General tab, and then click Search.
3. In the Search This Workbook dialog box, type the text string you want to search for in the Find
box.
4. In the Look In area, select where in the workbook you want to search.
TIP: To view search results, double-click any entry in the Search Results dialog box.
▶Search an individual workbook for errors
1. In the Explorer pane, click the workbook you want to search, and then click Properties .
2. In the Workbook Properties dialog box, click the General tab, and then click Search.
3. In the Search This Workbook dialog box, select Errors in this workbook definition, and select
one of the following:
l Workbook compatibility version—Searches for errors in workbook query expressions using
the compatibility level defined in the workbook's current definition.
l Compatibility Version—Searches for errors in workbook query expressions using the
compatibility version you select from the drop-down list.
Navigate workbook search results

If a search finds multiple results in one workbook, you can navigate through each of the results in one
workbook. For example, if you find a column expression that needs to be updated in multiple columns of
one worksheet, you can view each of the results in order.
You can navigate through results using the Search Results dialog box, which is shown in the following
illustration.

The Search Results dialog box displays every result found in a workbook, and allows you to either select
the occurrence you want to view, or to navigate through results in the order they were found. When
you navigate to a result in a different worksheet, you are prompted to save any changes you made in
the current worksheet.
If you are searching for errors in resources, you can navigate to a different worksheet without
correcting the error. However, if you modify any of the worksheet's properties, then you must either
correct the error or undo your changes before navigating to a different worksheet.
You can position the Search Results dialog box where you want it on the screen, and every time you view
worksheet results, it opens in that position. This dialog box is always displayed on top of other dialog
boxes and windows.
▶Navigate through search results
1. In the Search Resources window, double-click a worksheet result

2. In the Search Results dialog box, click one of the following:
l Previous—Displays the previous result in the list. Available only if the selected result is not the
first in the list.
l Next—Displays the next result in the list. Available only if the selected result is not the last in
the list.
3. If you modified the worksheet, in the confirmation dialog box, click one of the following.
l Yes—Saves your changes and then moves to the next result.
l No—Undoes your changes and then moves to the next result.
l Cancel—Returns to the worksheet.
NOTE: The Search Results dialog box closes when you close the Workbook Properties dialog box.
NOTE: If you close the Search Results dialog box and want to view it again, you must close and
then re-open the workbook properties from the Search Resources window.

▶Jump to a search result
1. In the Search Results dialog box, double-click the result you want to view.
2. If you modified the worksheet, in the confirmation dialog box, click one of the following.
l Yes—Saves your changes and then moves to the next result.
l No—Undoes your changes and then moves to the next result.
l Cancel—Returns to the worksheet.

CHAPTER 11: Using text editing tools
Managing images 167

Editing text 170
Formatting text 173
As a RapidResponse user with authoring permissions, you can search in resources to find any of the
following:
You can use rich text editing tools to enhance or support the help text you add to any of the following
resource types:
l Task flows
l Text widgets for dashboards
l Workbooks
l Worksheets
l Scorecards
With these tools, you can control fonts, color, symbols and formatting, and add graphics and links to web
sites. Advanced editing options include inserting and editing tables, spell-checking, and finding and
replacing text. You can also copy rich text from other applications like Microsoft Word or websites, and
paste it into the text editor box.
Managing images
In the help section for resources such as a task flow or widget, you can include images to enhance or
support the help text. You can also store and manage commonly used images in an image library.

Insert an image
You can enhance workbook, worksheet, and scorecard help, task flows, and text widgets on
dashboards by adding images. For example, in a task flow, you can include a screen capture of a
RapidResponse resource in the step that references it.
1. Place the insertion point where you want to insert the image.
2. On the toolbar, click Insert Image .
3. To insert an image from the image library included with RapidResponse, click Image Library, and
then click one of the images in the list.
4. To insert an image located on your computer, click Local Image, and then click Browse. In the
Insert Image dialog box, locate the file you want to insert, and then click Insert.
Note that inserting an image this way does not add the image to the image library. For more
information, see "Manage images using the image library" on page 169.
5. To insert an image from a Web server or Web site, type the image's URL in the Address box.
Inserting an image this way does not add the image to the image library. For more information,
see "Manage images using the image library" on page 169.
6. Click OK.
NOTE: You can insert images in the following file format: BMP, GIF, animated GIF, JPEG, PNG, PNM,
and TIFF
NOTE: If you want to display a tool tip when the pointer is paused over the image, type the tool
tip text in the Alternative text box.
TIP: You can also paste an image into the text editor.
▶Change image size
1. Double-click an image.
2. In the Size area, select the Specify size check box.
3. Type a value in the Width and Height boxes.
NOTE: If you do not want to maintain the height-to-width ratio, click to clear the Keep aspect
ratio check box before typing the values.
TIP: You can also resize an image by dragging its borders in the text editor.
TIP: It is a best practice to make size modifications in a graphics editing program before you insert
an image into RapidResponse.
▶Change the image border
2. In the Layout area, in the Border thickness box, type a value.
l This value is expressed in pixels.

▶Change image alignment
2. In the Layout area, in the Alignment list, click the alignment you want for the image.
3. If you want to have a space between the image and the border, do the following:
l In the Horizontal spacing box type a value. This is the space between the border and the top
and bottom of the image.
l In the Vertical spacing box, type a value. This is the space between the border and the left
and right sides of the image.
▶Change the image tool tip
2. Type the tool tip text in the Alternative text box.
Manage images using the image library

RapidResponse includes an image library where commonly used images can be stored for quick access
when creating resources such as workbooks, workbook help, and task flows. By default, the image
library includes images that can be found on the RapidResponse toolbar, in the Navigation pane, or in
various RapidResponse resources.
If you are a resource author, you can add images to RapidResponse, and edit, delete and export those
already in the image library.
▶Add an image to the image library

The images you add are available to you and other resource authors.
1. On the Tools menu, click Manage Images.

2. In the Manage Images dialog box, click Add.
3. In the Add Image dialog box, click Browse.
4. In the Choose File dialog box locate the image you want to add, and then click Open.
5. Optionally, in the Name box, type a different name for the image.
6. Optionally, in the Description box, type a brief description of the image. The description is
displayed as a tooltip if the image is used in a worksheet column.
7. Optionally, in the Owner box, you can select a person other than yourself as the owner of the
image. Only the image owner or a RapidResponse administrator can edit or delete an image.
8. Click OK.
NOTE: You can add the following file types: BMP, GIF, JPEG, JPG, and PNG.
NOTE: Images that are over 16 pixels high cannot be used in worksheet columns.
▶Edit an image's properties

You can edit an image's properties only if you are the image owner or a RapidResponse administrator.
The properties of images owned by the Master Administrator user can be edited by that user only .

1. On the Tools menu, click Manage Images.
2. In the Manage Images dialog box, select the image you want, and then click Properties.
3. In the Image Properties dialog box, you can change the Name and Description of the image and
give ownership of the image to another RapidResponse user.
4. Click OK.
▶Export an image file

You can export any of the images in the image library if you would like to use them in another program
or presentation.
1. On the Tools menu, click Manage Images

2. In the Manage Images dialog box, select the image you want to export and then click Export
File.
3. In the Export Data dialog box, specify the location to save the file.
4. In the File name box, type the name of the file.
5. In the File of type box, click the file type you want the image saved as.
6. Click Save.
▶Delete an image from the image library

You can delete images from the image library if they are no longer used.
You can delete images that you own. Administrators can delete all images except those owned by the
Master Administrator user—these can be deleted only by the Master Administrator.
1. On the Tools menu, click Manage Images

2. In the Manage Images dialog box, select the image you want, and then click Delete.
3. In the dialog box that displays, click Yes.
NOTE: Take caution when deleting images. If you delete an image that is used in a resource, a red
X will display in place of the image in some resources, such as task flows or workbook help. In
worksheets, the image is replaced with the data value that the images was mapped to.
Editing text
You can edit the text in a resource's help section, including inserting hyperlinks, symbols, and tables.
Check spelling
▶Fix spelling mistakes as you write
Incorrectly spelled words are automatically underlined with a red line. You can fix the spelling errors as
you work by doing the following:
l Right-click an underlined word, and then click the correct word.

▶Check spelling
1. Place the insertion point in the text editor, and then click Spelling .
2. In the Check Spelling dialog box, the first misspelled word displays in the Not in dictionary list.
You can resolve the error in the following ways:
l Click the correct word in the Suggestions list, and then click Change to change this instance
of the word, or click Change All to change the misspelled word each time it appears.
l In the Change to box, type the word you want to replace the incorrect word with, and then
click Change to change this instance of the word, or click Change All to change the misspelled
word each time it appears.
l If the word is correct, click Ignore to ignore this instance of the word, or click Ignore All to
ignore the word each time it appears.
l If the word is correct and used frequently, click Add to avoid it being marked as misspelled by
the spell checker in the future.
Find and replace text

You can find specific text in the task flow step you are currently editing and replace it with another text
string.
▶Find text
1. Place the insertion point in the text editor, and then click Find .
2. In the Find what box, type the text you want to find.
3. If you want to find words with a specific letter case, select the Match case check box.
4. If you want to omit word fragments that match your search criteria, select the Whole word only
check box.
5. Click Find Next.
▶Find and replace text
1. Place the insertion point in the text editor, and then click Find .
2. In the Find what box, type the text you want to find.
3. In the Replace with box, type the replacement text.
4. If you want to replace words with a specific letter case, select the Match case check box.
5. If you want to omit word fragments that match your search criteria, select the Whole word only
check box.
6. Do any of the following:
l To find text, click Find Next.
l To replace one instance of the text, click Replace.
l To replace all instances of the text, click Replace All.
In a task flow, this replaces the text in the step currently being edited. To replace text in other
steps, you must select them in the Step list, and edit them.

Editing text
Add a hyperlink
1. In the text editor, select the text that you want to use as a link.
2. On the toolbar, click Insert Hyperlink .
3. In the Address box, type the address of the file or web address to which you want to link.
If you have already added hyperlinks in this text editor box, you can select the address of these
hyperlinks from the Current Document box.
4. Click OK.
NOTE: To customize the text that appears when you rest the pointer over the hyperlink, click
Screen Tip and then type the text that you want in the Screen tip text box. If you do not specify a
screen tip, the address of the file appears as the tip.
▶Edit a hyperlink
l In the text editor, right-click the hyperlink you want to edit, and then click Hyperlink Properties.
▶Remove a hyperlink
l In the text editor, right-click they hyperlink you want to remove, and then click Remove Hyperlink.
Insert a symbol
1. Place the insertion point where you want to insert the symbol (a non-alphanumeric character).
2. On the toolbar, click Insert Symbol .
3. Click a symbol to add it to the box.
4. Click OK.
NOTE: To remove the symbol that was most recently added to the box in the Insert Symbol dialog
box, click Clear.
Insert and edit a table

▶Insert a table
1. Place the insertion point where you want to insert the table.
2. On the toolbar, click Insert Table , and then use your pointer to define the number of rows
and columns.

▶Add a row to a table
1. In the table, place the insertion point in the row above where you want to add a new row.
2. On the toolbar, click Insert Row .
▶Add a column to a table
1. In the table, place the insertion point in the column to the right of where want to add a new
column.
2. On the toolbar, click Insert Column .
▶Delete a row from a table
1. In the table, place the insertion point in the row you want to delete.
2. On the toolbar, click Delete Row .
▶Delete a column from a table
1. In the table, place the insertion point in the column you want to delete.
2. On the toolbar, click Delete Column .
Formatting text
You can format the appearance of text that displays in a resource's help section, including creating lists,
highlighting text, and modifying the appearance of the text.
Set text appearance

l In the text editor, select the text, and do any of the following:
To Do the following
Paragraph style In the Style list, click a paragraph style.
Specify font In the Font list, click a font.
Make text bold On the toolbar, click Bold .
Make text italic On the toolbar, click Italic .
Underline text On the toolbar, click Underline .
Specify the size of In the Font size list, click a font size.
text
Specify the color of Click Font Color , and then click a color on the color palette. If you want to choose form
text a wider selection of colors, click More Colors.

Formatting text
To Do the following
Apply strikethrough On the toolbar, click Strikethrough .
formatting
Apply superscript On the toolbar, click Superscript .

formatting
Apply subscript On the toolbar, click Subscript .

formatting
Align text
l In the text editor, select the text, and then click one of the following:
l Align Left
l Align Center
l Align Right .
Create a bulleted or numbered list

▶Create a list
1. In the text editor, click where you want to add a list.

2. Click Unordered List or Ordered List and then type your text.
3. Press Enter to add another item to the list.
4. When you finish adding all list items, click Unordered List or Ordered List .
▶Change list properties
1. Right-click a list and then click List Properties.

2. On the Bulleted or Numbered tab click a list style.
3. Click OK.
Change text indentation

1. In the text editor, click at the beginning of the paragraph you want to indent.
2. On the toolbar, click Increase Indent or Decrease Indent .

Cut, copy, and paste text
▶Cut or copy text
1. In the text editor, select the text.

2. Click Cut or Copy .
▶Paste text
1. In the text editor, place the insertion point where you want to paste the text.
2. Click Paste .
If you don't want the text to retain its formatting, click Paste Special , select the Plain Text
option, and then click OK.
Copy and apply text formatting

1. In the text editor, select the text to copy the formatting from.
2. Click Format Painter .
3. Select the text you want to apply the formatting to.
Highlight text
1. In the text editor, select the text.
2. On the toolbar, click Highlight .
3. Click a color on the color palette. If you want to choose from a wider selection of colors, click
More Colors.
4. If you want to specify a color different than those available in the color palette, you can adjust the
values on the HSB and RGB tabs.
Undo and redo changes

▶Undo changes
l In the text editor, click Undo Typing .
▶Redo changes
l In the text editor, click Redo Typing .

Formatting text
Show or hide formatting marks
l On the task flow text editor toolbar, click Show Paragraph Markers .

CHAPTER 12: Analyzing resource usage
About resource dependencies 179

View resource dependencies 182
Dependency types 184
View resource usage 185
Modify resource dependencies 186
Find unused worksheets 188
If you have authoring permission for a resource, you can view resources that depend on the selected
resource and resources that use the selected resource. When you modify a resource, you can check
dependencies to see how other resources might be impacted by any modifications you make to the
resource.
Resource usage can be viewed for the following resource types:
l Alerts
l Automation chains
l Dashboards
l Forms
l Processes
l Scheduled tasks
l Scripts
l Task Flows
l Widgets
l Workbooks/worksheets

The selected resource is displayed as the root of a tree structure with its dependent resources displayed
as the branches of that tree. If the dependent resources have dependencies, you can expand the tree to
view each resource’s dependencies. This allows you to see the complete makeup of every resource the
top resource depends on. Viewing resource dependencies enables you to understand the structure for
that resource and the impact that modifying or deleting it would have on other resources. For more
You can choose which types of dependencies are visible in the tree. For example, if you are interested
only in the components of a composite worksheet, you can view only component dependencies. Expand
the entire tree to view multiple levels of dependent resources or collapse the tree to concentrate on
directly dependent resources. For example, view how the input worksheets for a transformation
worksheet work together, or view the components of a composite worksheet. For more information,
see "Dependency types" on page 184.

About resource dependencies
Resources might depend on other resources for their functionality, or might be used by other resources
as dependencies. For example, a dashboard might display a widget based on a crosstab worksheet and
the crosstab worksheet, if it drills to details, depends on details worksheets. When you modify one of
the details worksheets, it might affect the crosstab worksheet, which in turn might affect the widget
and the dashboard. The crosstab worksheet itself might also be the basis for several other widgets, so
changes to the dashboard might have impacts on seemingly unrelated resources as well.

When you are modifying resources you should review the resource dependencies and usage to see how
other resources might be affected by any modifications you make to the main resource. It is
recommended that you check out all the direct and indirect dependent resources that might be
affected. Resources that the selected resource directly first in the resource usage tree. Indirect
dependencies are the resources that those first level, direct resources depend on. For example, the
direct dependencies for a widget is the source workbook the widget is based on. That source workbook
might then have multiple dependencies itself, such as drill to details workbooks or linked workbooks.

The Resource Usage dialog box can also be used to determine what dependent resources you should
also check out when editing the primary resource. This prevents other authors from editing the
dependent resources and introducing changes that might conflict with your resource changes.
Depending on the resource you are modifying, you might also need to check out resources that use it,
controlling how changes might impact those other resources. For more information, see "Analyzing
resource usage" on page 177.
When you check a resource in to the versioned repository, all of its checked out dependent resources
also display for check in. For more information, see "Check in a resource to the versioned repository" on
page 113.
For some resource dependencies, modifying the dependent resource might modify the parent resource.
For example, if you delete an alert schedule, the alert the schedule is dependent on will be modified and
a new version of the alert is created.

View resource dependencies
View resource dependencies for a selected resource to understand the structure of the resource and
the impact of any modifications to the resource. You can focus on the type of direct dependencies that
are shown, focus on just one resource, or view the properties of a resource.
For worksheets, resource dependencies are accessed differently. You must open the workbook or
worksheet properties to view dependencies for the worksheet. To learn more about the different
resource types that can be direct or indirect dependencies, see "Dependency types" on page 184.

▶View resource dependencies for a resource
1. Select the resource to check dependencies for in the Explorer pane.

2. On the Actions menu, click Resource Usage .
The Resource Usage dialog box opens displaying the dependencies for that resource.
NOTE: Worksheet resource dependencies are accessed from the Workbook Properties or
Worksheet Properties dialog boxes.
NOTE: You can only view resource dependencies or resource usage for scorecards and task flows
if they are the dependent resource of a workbook, worksheet, process, dashboard, or widget.
Therefore, you cannot check resource usage for scorecards as you can only see scorecards as
resources used by other resources.
TIP: You can quickly show or hide all of a resource's dependents by clicking Expand or Collapse.
TIP: You can also right-click a resource in the Explorer and select Resource Usage to open the
Resource Usage dialog box.
▶View resource dependencies for a worksheet

Worksheet resource dependencies are accessed through the Workbook or Worksheet Properties
dialog box.
1. In the Explorer pane, right-click the workbook that contains the worksheet you want to check
dependencies for.
2. Click Properties .
3. Click the Worksheets tab.
4. Select the worksheet to check dependencies for.
5. Click Usage.
NOTE: The Usage button is only enabled if the selected worksheet has a dependency.
NOTE: When you open the Worksheet Usage dialog box, the New Worksheet or Worksheet
Properties dialog box closes. If you had unsaved changes in the worksheet, you are prompted to
save them before the dialog box closes.
NOTE: If a column expression contains a string value that ends with an exclamation point (!), that
string might be interpreted as a worksheet reference. In this case, the string is displayed in the
Worksheet Usage dialog box with the red X icon . For more information about column
expressions, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358.
NOTE: Column, worksheet filter, and secondary filter expressions display as "Expression" in the
Worksheet Usage dialog box.
TIP: You can also open the worksheet’s properties and click Usage on the General tab to view the
resources the worksheet depends on or is used by.

View resource dependencies
▶Specify the type of dependencies to view
l In the Resource Usage or Worksheet Usage dialog box, in the Show list, click the type of
dependency you want to see.
NOTE: You can select only a type of dependency that exists in the worksheet. For example, if the
worksheet contains component and LOOKUP expression dependencies, you can select only
Component or Expression in the Show list.
▶View dependencies for one resource only
1. In the Resource Usage dialog box, select the resource you want to investigate.
2. Click Focus On.
The Resource Usage dialog box updates to display only the selected resource and its
dependencies.
Dependency types
Depending on the type of resource you are viewing, you will see different dependency types. You can
show all of the dependent resources for a selected item, or narrow your selection to display one of the
following dependency types:
Resource Description of Dependency

dependency
Automation An automated task that forms part of an automation chain. For more information, see the
task step RapidResponse User Guide.
Component A worksheet from which data is combined with other worksheets to display in a composite
worksheet worksheet. For more information, see "Creating composite worksheets" on page 467.
Drill to details A workbook that can have links defined to details worksheets in the workbook from the selected
workbook resource. For more information, see "Defining workbook dependencies" on page 245 and
"Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
Expression A filter expression that references the selected resource. This expression can be a worksheet filter
expression, column expression, or a secondary filter expression. For more information, see
"Worksheet filtering" on page 386 and "Filter worksheets that display cached results" on page
331.
Form A form that allows you to open the form from a workbook command or from a drill link in a
worksheet in the selected workbook. For more information, see "Defining workbook
dependencies" on page 245.
Library A workbook that allows you to reuse content from its worksheets. For more information, see
workbook "Library workbooks" on page 254.
Linked A resource linked to a widget and accessed from the Actions button on the widget toolbar. A
resource linked resource can be a dashboard, workbook, scorecard, or task flow. For more information, see
"Set up linking to a resource from a widget" on page 888.

Resource Description of Dependency
dependency
Linked A workbook linked to another workbook for sharing purposes. When the selected workbook is
workbook shared with a user, the linked workbook is also shared. This option is available for backwards
compatibility of legacy workbooks. For more information, see "About linked workbooks" on page
253.
Monitored A resource monitored by an alert. For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
resource
Parameter A resource used as an input parameter in a transformation worksheet function. For more
information, see "Creating transformation worksheets" on page 743.
Process An activity performed in a business process that you can link to the selected resource. For more
activity information, see "Authoring process and activity notifications" on page 1029.
Reference A workbook or script used by a script to modify data or perform additional tasks. For more
resource information, see the RapidResponse Scripting Guide.
Referenced A workbook that allows you to reuse its worksheets. For more information, see "Creating
workbook reference worksheets" on page 547.
Run script A script that a form executes. For more information, see "Authoring forms" on page 939.
Run script A script that runs from a workbook command. For more information, see "Create commands that
command run scripts" on page 738.
Script library A script that provides functions for another script. For more information, see the RapidResponse
Scripting Guide.
Source A resource that the selected scheduled task performs a process or data modification on. For more
resource information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
Source A workbook that contains the worksheet that the selected worksheet widget is based on. For
workbook more information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on page 884.
Task Flow A resource opened in a task flow step. For more information, see "Authoring task flows" on page
<resource> 929.
Action
Widget A widget that displays on the selected dashboard. For more information, see "Widgets" on page
881.
View resource usage

Resources that use the selected resource can also be viewed in the Worksheet Usage or Resource
Usage dialog box. For example, for widgets, you can view the resource usage to determine whether the
widget is included in other dashboards. This is particularly helpful when you want to modify a widget
and you want to see how your changes might affect other dashboards. For more information, see
"Analyzing resource usage" on page 177.

View resource usage
▶View resources used by a selected resource
1. In the Resource Usage or Worksheet Usage dialog box, select the resource you wish to view.
2. Select Relationship: Used By.
The resources that use the selected resource will display in the Resource window.
NOTE: The Used By button is only enabled if the selected resource is used by another resource.
TIP: You can also view resources that use that worksheet by clicking Used By on the General tab
in Worksheet Properties or on the Worksheets tab in Workbook Properties.
TIP: Click Expand or Collapse to quickly show or hide all of the resources used.
Modify resource dependencies

You can open the properties for many resources to view more information about the resource. If you
have authoring permission for a dependent resource, you can access its properties while viewing its
resource usage or dependencies. For example, you can modify a worksheet widget by determining
which workbook contains the worksheet used by the widget, and then opening the properties for its
source worksheet.

When you modify a resource, you can check dependencies to see how other resources might be
impacted by the modification or any resources that are no longer available. Resources that are not
available are marked with a red , as displayed below.
As you modify a workbook over time, some worksheets might no longer used. For more information, see
"Find unused worksheets" on page 188.
▶View the properties for a resource

You can open the Properties dialog box for many resources to view more information about the
resource. If you have the appropriate authoring permission, you can also modify the resource from the
Properties dialog box.
1. In the Worksheet Usage or Resource Usage dialog box, select a private resource.
NOTE: You cannot view or modify the properties for linked resources on a widget.
▶Modify a dependent resource

When you access the Resource Usage dialog box by right-clicking on the resource in the Explorer, you
can modify private resources and private copies of public resources that you have checked out. You
cannot modify any properties when you check resource usage from the Check In Resources dialog box.
This is to prevent any changes to dependencies that might affect the check in. For more information, see
"Check in a resource to the versioned repository" on page 113
1. In the Worksheet Usage or Resource Usage dialog box, select the dependent resource to
modify.

Modify resource dependencies
3. Make your changes to the dependent resource.
4. Click OK three times.
5. Select the resource and reopen the Resource Usage dialog box to view your changes.
NOTE: You can modify the source workbooks to which you have authoring permission, although
you cannot view or modify the properties for linked resources.
NOTE: For information about modifying workbooks, see "Edit workbook properties" on page 240
and about modifying worksheets, see "Edit a worksheet" on page 262.
TIP: A dependent resource might be included in more than one resource. When you modify it, the
changes might affect other resources.
Find unused worksheets

As a workbook is modified over time, the worksheets used as components of composite worksheets,
input parameters to transformation worksheets, data for LOOKUP functions, and so on might no longer
be used in worksheets. These worksheets are typically hidden, and if they are not used, they do not
serve a purpose in the workbook.
You can view a list of all hidden worksheets that are not used by other worksheets, and then use this list
to determine which worksheets, if any, you want to delete.
▶Find unused worksheets
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Worksheets tab.
2. Click Not Used.
▶Modify an unused worksheet
1. In the Not Used dialog box, click the worksheet you want to modify.
2. Click Properties.
NOTE: For information about modifying worksheets, see "Edit a worksheet" on page 262.
▶Delete an unused worksheet
1. In the Not Used dialog box, click the worksheet you want to delete.
2. Click Delete.

Part 3: Filters and hierarchies
l Authoring and managing filters
l Site filters
l Authoring hierarchies
CHAPTER 13: Authoring and managing filters
Create an expression-based filter 192

Examples of filter expressions 192
Create a BOM filter 193
Modify a filter 196
Filters specify conditions that restrict the data displayed in RapidResponse worksheets. When viewing a
worksheet, a user selects a filter to determine the data displayed in the worksheet. This is in addition to
any filtering included in the worksheet definition. For more information, see "Filters" on page 100 and
"Worksheet filtering" on page 386. By default, RapidResponse includes a number of standard filters (for
example, the Buy Parts filter returns only purchased parts). However, if your organization requires filtering
conditions beyond those provided in the standard filters, more can be created.
Depending on the permissions associated with your user account, you might be able to create filters. If
you have been granted basic filter authoring permissions, you can create the following types of filters:
l Static-value filters—Contains a list of values, which are the only values that are displayed in the
worksheet. For example, if you are responsible for a set of parts, you can create a filter that contains
only those parts. This type of filter can be created by typing in a list of items (for example, parts) to
be returned by the filter or copying values from a worksheet into the filter. For more information,
see the RapidResponse User Guide.
l BOM filters—Contains the parts indicated in a bill of material (BOM) structure. Only the parts in the
BOM are displayed in the worksheet. This type of filter can be created by selecting one or more bill
of material structures whose relationships and criteria are used to determine the parts returned by
the filter. For more information, see "Create a BOM filter" on page 193.
If you have been given full filter authoring permissions, you can create static-value and BOM filters, as well
as the following types of filters:
l Expression-based filters—Uses a query expression to determine which records are displayed in the
worksheet. This type of filter can be created by typing in a valid query expression or using
Expression Builder to define the items to be returned by the filter. These types of filters are typically
dynamic in nature (for example, you can create a filter that shows each buyer only those parts for
which he is responsible. For more information, see "Create an expression-based filter" on page 192.
l Site filters—Contains a list of sites, which are used to filter the worksheet. This type of filter can be
created by selecting one or more sites for which you want to analyze date (for example, you can
analyze data for a group of sites instead of a single site at a time). For more information, see "Create
a site filter" on page 198.

Each static-value or expression-based filter you create is based on a table in the RapidResponse data
model, and can only be used with compatible workbooks. Tables are considered compatible if one table
has a field that references the other. For example, the PartSource table has a Part field that references
the Part table, so these tables are compatible. Therefore, a filter based on the PartSource table can be
used in a worksheet based on the Part table.
NOTE: Except for site filters, all filters are versioned and to modify the filter, it must be added,
check in, and checked out of the versioned repository.
Create an expression-based filter

Expression-based filters are created with a valid logical expression using the RapidResponse Query
language. Typically, these filters use a set of conditions that records must match. For example, a filter
might return only purchased parts. For more information, see "Query language syntax" on page 1115.
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click New Filter .
2. In the Filter name box, type a name for the filter.
3. In the Table list, click the table you want to base the filter on.
4. Optionally, add a description of the filter in the Author Notes box.
5. Click the Expression tab, and type a logical query expression in the box.
6. Click Validate Expression to determine if there are any errors in your expression.
NOTE: You can also add static values to your filter. Any values matching the expression or the
static values you enter are returned by the filter. For more information, see the RapidResponse User
Guide.
NOTE: Using profile variables, you can create a single filter that returns different records to
different users or groups. For example, a single filter could be built to return only those parts that
each individual buyer is responsible for. This would be more efficient than building a different filter
for each buyer. For more information, see "Profile variables" on page 1296.
TIP: You can also create a new filter by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar,
or by right-clicking on a resource in the Explorer, and then clicking New.
TIP: You can also select fields, functions, and variables from a list in the Expression box. For more
information, see "Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.
TIP: You can also click Expression Builder to open the Expression Builder, which assists in adding
RapidResponse fields and operators to your expression. For more information about using
Expression Builder, see "Creating expressions with Expression Builder" on page 1117.
Examples of filter expressions

You can use the following examples to help you create filter expressions. You can copy and paste these
expressions into filters, and then modify them to suit your requirements.

The examples use the RapidResponse query language, including comparison operators, arithmetic
operators, and wildcards. The operators used in the examples are described in more detail in the
following sections:
l "Comparison operators" on page 1132

l "LIKE and NOT LIKE" on page 1134
l "Date calculations" on page 1255
l "Arithmetic operators" on page 1129
l "Parentheses ( )" on page 1143
The following table contains examples that compare data values to strings of characters or numerical
values. For more information about the RapidResponse query language, see "Query language syntax"
on page 1115.
Filter purpose Expression

Displays all parts with a buyer code that begins with R. For example, RM, RK, or BuyerCode like 'R*'
RBR.
Displays all parts that contain the word 'wheel'. For example, wheel, wheels, Name like '*wheel*'
wheel cover, or steering wheel.
Displays all parts with a planner code that begins with 'Chris' and ends with a PlannerCode like
single character. For example, ChrisG or ChrisM. 'Chris?'
Displays all parts from the HQ, New York, or Germany sites. Site IN ('HQ', 'New
York', 'Germany')
Displays all parts with an ABC code value of 'A' from site HQ ABCCode = 'A' AND Site =
'HQ'
Displays all parts that have demand. TotalDemand > 0
Displays all parts that do not have any on hand inventory. TotalNettableOnHand = 0
Displays all parts that have a lead time of five days or less. CumLeadTime <= 5
Displays all parts that have no supply and no on hand inventory, that is, the (TotalSupply +
sum of supply and inventory is zero. TotalNettableOnHand) = 0
Displays all parts that have a demand and supply mismatch, that is, if total TotalDemand <>
supply and total demand are not equal. TotalSupply
Create a BOM filter

Bill of material (BOM) filters return parts based on specific bill of material relationships and criteria.
These filters can then be applied to different worksheets and reports when you need to analyze those
parts. There are two basic types of BOM filters.
Filters that return parts found in a BOM

You can create BOM filters that return all parts found within a BOM structure. For example, suppose you
needed to reduce the lead time associated with a product. A BOM filter that returns all of that product’s

Create a BOM filter
components can be used when looking at different reports to better understand where cost and lead
time are incurred in the building of the product.
When creating BOM filters to return all parts within a BOM structure, you select the part(s) and site(s)
whose BOM structures you are interested in, as well as the effective dates for BOM records to be
considered by the filter. The resulting filter returns the root part and all its components (including inter-
site relationships).
Filters that return common or unique parts from a BOM

You create BOM filters that return all parts found to be common or unique between two or more BOM
structures. For example, suppose you have a product for which an end-of-life plan is being developed,
and you want to see the obsolete component materials that will be created by this plan. You could
create a BOM filter that returns all parts unique to that product’s BOM structure (that is, parts not
found within any other BOM structures). The resulting filter can then be applied to various reports and
scenarios to help determine the most satisfactory and cost-effective plan for phasing out the product.
When creating BOM filters to return common or unique parts, you must define two sets of parts whose
BOM structures are used in the filter comparison as follows.
l Set A—set of parts to be used as the basis for the filter comparison. It is defined by selecting the
part(s) and site(s) whose BOM structures are to be evaluated by the filter.
l Set B—set of parts to be compared against the first set. It is similarly defined by selecting the part
(s) and site(s) whose BOM structures are to be evaluated by the filter. You can further specify only
parts whose BOM structures you specifically want excluded from the comparison (for example,
obsolete parts).
Once defined, the two sets of parts then have their BOM structures analyzed by the filter. If the filer is
set to return common parts, then only parts found within the BOM structures of both set “A” and set
“B” are returned. If the filter is set to return unique parts, then only parts found within the BOM
structures of set “A”, but not within the BOM structures of set “B” are returned.
NOTE: BOM filters are created by making a series of selections in the BOM Filter Settings dialog
box. These selections generate a query expression which can be seen on the Expression tab of the
Filter Properties dialog box. In certain advanced cases, you may want to copy some or all of this
expression for use elsewhere (however, you will then not to be able to see the selections which
generated the expression).
▶Return all parts found in a BOM
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click New Filter.
2. Select the BOM filter check box, and then click Settings.
3. Click All parts in BOM.
4. In the A area, define the set of parts to be returned by the filter:
l From the Site list, select the site or site filter considered when this filter is applied.
l To return all parts belonging to a given BOM structure, click Part and then select a part from
the list.

l To return all parts belonging to at least one in a group of BOM structures, click Parts in filter
and then select an appropriate filter from the list. For example, you might have a filter which
contains a number of product names.
5. Set the effective date(s) for which BOM records are considered by the filter, by doing one of the
following:
l To use BOM records effective on a particular date, click On date, then click the down-arrow
and select a date from the calendar.
l To use BOM records effective over a range of dates, click From, then click the down-arrow and
from the calendar select the start of the date range. In the To box, click the down-arrow and
from the calendar select the end of the date range.
▶Return parts common or unique to a BOM
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click New Filter.
2. Select the BOM filter check box, and then click Settings.
3. Do one of the following:
l If you want the filter to return only parts found in the BOM(s) of both set “A” and set “B”, click
Common parts.
l If you want the filter to return only parts found in the BOM(s) of set “A”, but not in the BOM(s)
of set “B”, click Unique parts.
4. In the A area, define the first set of parts whose BOMs are used in the filter comparison:
l From the Site list, select the site, or site filter, for which parts are considered.
the list.
and then select an appropriate filter from the list. For example, you might have a filter that
identifies all parts belonging to a specific product group.
5. In the B area, define the second set of parts whose BOMs are used in the filter comparison:
l From the Site list, select the site, or site filter, for which parts are considered.
the list.
and then select an appropriate filter from the list.
l If you want certain parts excluded from this set, select the Exclude parts in filter check box
and then select a filter from the list. For example, you might have a filter that identifies all of
your company’s obsolete parts.
6. Set the effective date(s) for which BOM records are considered by the filter, by doing one of the
following:
l To use BOM records effective on a particular date, click On date, then click the down-arrow
and select a date from the calendar.
l To use BOM records effective over a range of dates, click From, then click the down-arrow and
from the calendar, select the start date of the range. in the To box, click the down-arrow and
from the calendar, select the end of the date range.
NOTE: If using the Exclude parts in filter option, you can click Confirm Excluded BOMs to verify
the number of BOMs excluded by that filter (as well as the total number of BOMs returned by the
selection from the Parts in filter list).

Create a BOM filter
TIP: You can also create a filter by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar.
▶Create other filters for use in BOM filters

When creating BOM filters, you can either select individual parts whose BOM structures are to be used,
or you can select filters representing groups of two or more parts whose BOM structures are to be
used. In the latter case, you should first create the filters to be used by the BOM filter. You can define
groups of parts through either static value filters (for example, if you want to group two or more parts
together), or through expression based filters (for example, if you want to define a product group). For
more information, see "Create an expression-based filter" on page 192.
For example, suppose you wanted a BOM filter to return all components globally unique to a given part
(that is, you wanted to compare that part’s BOM structure against all other parts). This would require
use of a filter that returns all parts in order to perform the necessary comparison. Filters can also be
used in order to exclude groups of parts from being considered during a BOM filter comparison (for
example, you might want to exclude obsolete parts).
In some cases, you might also need to create a BOM filter for use in another BOM filter. For example,
suppose you required a filter that returns all parts common to assemblies X, Y, and Z. You could first
create a filter that returns all components common to X and Y, and then create a second filter that
returns all components found both in Z and in the previously defined filter.
CAUTION: When defining an expression-based filter for subsequent use in a BOM filter, ensure it
does not include site references as these may lead to unexpected results (since sites are also
selected when creating a BOM filter).
Modify a filter
1. In the Explorer pane, select a filter to edit.
2. On the Actions menu, click one of the following:
l Edit if the filter is a private resource.
l Check Out and Edit if the filters is a public resource.
3. In the Filter Properties dialog box, do any of the following:
l On the General tab, you can rename the filter, change the table, or add author notes.
l On the Static Values tab, you can add or remove static values and if there is more than one
key field for the table, you can select a new value from the list.
l If you have permission to author all filter types, click the Expression tab, and then click add or
modify a logical expression. For more information, see "Create an expression-based filter" on
page 192.
l On the General tab, click the Settings button to modify the properties of a BOM filter. For
more information, see "Create a BOM filter" on page 193.
TIP: You can also open the Properties dialog for a filter by right-clicking on the filter in the
Explorer, or by selecting the filter and then pressing ALT + ENTER.

CHAPTER 14: Site filters
Create a site filter 198

Share a site filter 198
Modify a site filter 199
Each RapidResponse user must have access to at least one site to view data. Administrators control users’
access to data by granting permissions to sites. Sites are managed by RapidResponse data and system
administrators.
A user that has been given access to only one site does not have the option to change the Site setting in
a RapidResponse resource. In fact, the Site control does not display in the workbook toolbar. Here is an
example.
If the user has access to two or more sites, the Site control displays in the workbook toolbar. In this
example, the user has access to the Ottawa and Pittsburgh sites.

You will also notice the user has an All Sites option which is a site filter. Every RapidResponse user with
access to two or more sites can filter data based on every site available to them using the All Sites site
filter. This site filter is automatically created.
RapidResponse users with filter authoring permissions can create custom site filters. Site filters are used
to group data from multiple sites. Site filters provide RapidResponse users with the ability to view
aggregated data based on logical groupings (for example, geography or manufacturing plants). For
example, assume your company has five sites:
l United States
l Canada
l Mexico
l Japan
l China
You could create two site filters based on geography: North America (three sites) and Asia (two sites).
These two site filters could then be shared with every user in your organization.
However, a user having access to a site filter does not provide them with access to all the underlying
sites. Site filters respect RapidResponse data security settings. For example, a user might have access to
the United States and Canada sites. When the user applies the North American site filter, only United
States and Canada site-based data is returned. Data for the Mexico site is not returned.
Create a site filter

Site filters are used to analyze data for a group of sites. When creating a site filter, you should include at
least two sites. The sites you can include in a filter are limited to those to which you have been granted
access. Site filters are unique in that they are not versioned like other resources. You cannot add, check
in, or check out a site filter from the versioned repository. Unlike other filters, you cannot import, export,
or give site filters.
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Site Filter .
2. In the Name box, type a name for the filter.
3. Click Add Sites.
4. In the Select Sites dialog box, select each site you want to add to the filter and then click Add.
5. Click OK.
6. Type descriptive notes about the filter in the Author Notes box.
TIP: You can also create a site filter by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar,
or by right-clicking on a resource in the Explorer, and then selecting New.
TIP: You can search for a specific site by clicking inside the Sites box and typing the name of the
site you want to find. To close the search box that displays at the top of the dialog box, press ESC.
Share a site filter

You can share site filters that you create. Sharing a site filter makes it available to all users who have
access to at least one site specified in the site filter.

CHAPTER 14: Site filters
1. In the Explorer pane, select the site filter to share.
2. On the Actions menu, click Properties.
3. Select the Shared check box.
CAUTION: After saving a site filter with the shared check box selected, you cannot make the site
filter a private resource again.
Modify a site filter

Unlike other filters, site filters are not versioned. You do not have to check them in or out of the
versioned repository to modify them.
1. In the Explorer, ensure that site filters are shown. You can do this by clicking to show
advanced filtering options, and then selecting Site Filters .
2. Select a site filter.
4. Add or remove sites from the filter as necessary. For more information, see "Create a site filter" on
page 198.
TIP: You can also modify a site filter by selecting it in the Explorer and then pressing ALT
+ ENTER.

Modify a site filter
CHAPTER 15: Authoring hierarchies
Planning hierarchies 202

Tables for hierarchies 202
Create a hierarchy 204
Include the hierarchy panel in a workbook 205
Create worksheets with reference forecasts 206
Hierarchies are used to display data at different levels of detail within a workbook. For dashboard widgets
and scorecards, if the workbook they are based on has a hierarchy, then that hierarchy is accessible in the
widget or scorecard.
A hierarchy typically represents one aspect of your company’s data, such as product structures or
geographical regions. For example, you can create a product structure represented as a hierarchy with
levels for divisions of your company, product families, product lines, and individual parts. Any users with
access to this hierarchy can then use it to view data summarized by division, product family, and so on.
Each level in a hierarchy represents a field in the RapidResponse data model. The values in that field are
displayed in the hierarchy, listed under each higher-level entry that has a reference from that field to the
field representing the higher level. For example, consider the following hierarchy of product families.

The Division level is the top of the hierarchy, and represents a division of the company. The Product
Family level represents each product family the company produces, but only the product families in a
division will be listed under that division. For example, the Product division might have families for
bearings, brakes, and cables, and multiple other product families. In the hierarchy, only the families
carried by the Product division are listed under that division, as shown in the following illustration.
Worksheet users can use the hierarchy to find and view only the information relevant to them. For
example, a demand manager can use the hierarchy to see summarized demand for the entire Product
division, the Brake product family, or each product line within the family.
Hierarchies are shown in the Explorer. After you create a hierarchy, you can share it with the users or
groups that require it. Those users and groups can then use the hierarchy in any workbook that
includes hierarchies.
For existing hierarchies, you can modify the name, description, order of levels, names of levels, or level
expressions. For more information, see "Create a hierarchy" on page 204.
Planning hierarchies
Before creating a hierarchy, you must determine the following:
l What the hierarchy represents.

l How many levels will be in the hierarchy.
l What each level represents.
l The table the hierarchy is based on.
l The tables and fields required for the expressions that define each level.
To make the hierarchy applicable to your company’s data, you will likely require an administrator to
create custom tables and fields for you to use in the hierarchy. These fields might match the data in your
enterprise data source, or represent an internal process. For more information, contact your
RapidResponse administrator.
Tables for hierarchies

Hierarchies represent tables in the RapidResponse database. Each hierarchy has a base table, which
determines some of the tables that levels can be based on, and determines the workbooks the hierarchy
can be used with. Each level in a hierarchy is based on a field in a table. These fields are often not part of
the standard database, and must be custom fields defined by your company.

Base tables for hierarchies
Every hierarchy must be based on a table that defines the data filtered and summarized by the hierarchy.
Every level of the hierarchy is defined with an expression that includes fields on this table. For example, if
the hierarchy is based on the Part table, every level of the hierarchy must be defined with an expression
that uses a field on the Part table or is referenced by the Part table.
The tables on which you can base a hierarchy are the same as the tables that a filter can be based on. In
addition, the table on which you base the hierarchy dictates the types of workbooks and filters the
hierarchy is compatible with. If the hierarchy is based on the Part table, it can be used in workbooks
compatible with part-based filters. If the hierarchy’s base table does not match the workbook’s filter
compatibility, it cannot be applied to the data in the workbook.
Because the majority of workbooks are compatible with the Part table, it is recommended that you base
your hierarchies either on the Part table, or a table with a direct reference to the Part table, such as the
ReferencePart or PartCustomer tables.
Custom tables for levels

You define each level of a hierarchy using an expression that defines a path between the base table and
a field that represents the values used in the hierarchy. Typically, the data defined by the hierarchy is not
reflected in the RapidResponse data model, and the fields must exist in custom tables. Custom tables
and fields can be defined for you by a data administrator.
An example of custom tables created to support a hierarchy is shown in the following illustration.
These custom tables define the divisions, product families, and product lines for each part. Expressions
that refer to these tables can be used to define the hierarchy levels. The custom fields and tables in this
example are created by using a reference from the ReferencePart table, which typically contains fewer
records than the Part table, and therefore consumes less memory. For a hierarchy based on the Part
table, each custom table can be reached by using a reference to the ReferencePart table.
For more information about your company’s custom tables, contact your RapidResponse administrator.

Tables for hierarchies
Create a hierarchy
To create a hierarchy, you must specify a base table for the hierarchy and create at least one level. A
hierarchy level is defined by an expression, which identifies data that meets the reporting requirements
of a group of users. Each level in the hierarchy displays the values defined in the field returned by its
expression. For example, an expression that refers to the BuyerCode field on the Part table creates a
hierarchy value for each buyer code.
The expression that defines a level uses the fields on the table the hierarchy is based on. Each
expression follows data model references to the table and field that defines the data the level
represents, so the expressions that define the levels should contain reference fields. For more
information about expressions, see "Query language syntax" on page 1115.
Expressions that define hierarchy levels should be written to not return blank values if possible, which
ensures the values displayed in the hierarchy are not blank. For example, an expression that contains an
IF condition should have values specified for both the true and false cases. You should also avoid
expressions that construct string values by concatenating fields, which can result in performance issues
if a significant number of values are returned in the hierarchy. Instead of concatenating values, you
should add another level to the hierarchy for each field.
When you create a hierarchy, you should include a description of the hierarchy for other authors. If the
hierarchy is used in defining forecast items for a statistical forecast, you should indicate the hierarchy
should not be deleted or modified.
The levels in the hierarchy are, by default, defined in the order they are created. That is, the first level you
create represents the top of the hierarchy. The levels must be in the correct order for the hierarchy to
work as you expect. You can define the levels in any order you want, and then rearrange them.
After you create the hierarchy, you should test it in a worksheet to verify it is correct.
▶Create a hierarchy
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Hierarchy .

2. In the New Hierarchy dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the hierarchy.
3. In the Table list, click the table that the hierarchy is based on.
4. In the Author Notes box, type a description of the hierarchy.
5. Click the Levels tab.
6. Click New Level.
7. In the Name box, type a name for the level.
The level’s name cannot contain a pipe (|) character or begin with a double quote (") character.
8. In the Expression box, type an expression to define the level.
You can also click Expression Builder to open the Expression Builder, which assists in adding
9. Click Validate Expression to ensure your expression is valid.
10. Repeat steps 6 to 9 for each level you want to define.
11. If necessary, drag the levels in the Levels list into the proper order.
NOTE: You cannot save a hierarchy with an invalid level expression.

TIP: You can also create a hierarchy by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar,
or by right-clicking a resource in the Explorer, and then selecting New.
TIP: You can also select fields, functions, and variables from a list in the Expression box. For more
information, see "Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.
▶Test a hierarchy
1. In the Explorer pane, double-click a workbook that includes hierarchies.

You can use the Forecast Analysis or Supply Analysis workbook.
2. In the Hierarchy list, click the hierarchy you want to test.
3. Expand each level of the hierarchy to ensure the correct values are shown.
4. If the hierarchy does not show the values you expected, close the workbook, and then modify the
hierarchy. For more information, see "Editing a public resource" on page 111.
Include the hierarchy panel in a workbook

To use a hierarchy, you must enable a workbook to use the hierarchy panel. Data in every worksheet in a
workbook that includes the hierarchy panel is filtered by the selected hierarchies, along with your
selected site and filter. You can only use hierarchies with workbooks that include the hierarchy panel,
and that are based on tables that are compatible with the workbook's filter compatibility table. For
more information, see "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225.
In widgets based on a workbook with a hierarchy panel, the hierarchy displays as a data setting option
in the Settings pane. For scorecards created from a metric workbook with a hierarchy panel, the panel
also displays in scorecards that are authored to also display the hierarchy panel. For more information,
see "About data settings on a dashboard" on page 910 and "Specify scorecard options" on page 1056.
You can include the hierarchy panel in the workbook either when you are creating the workbook or by
modifying the workbook’s properties. For complete information about creating or modifying
workbooks, see "Authoring and managing workbooks" on page 215.
Some worksheets can include the selected hierarchy values as columns. For workbooks that contain
these worksheets, you can specify which hierarchies can be included as columns. You can specify that
only the first hierarchy in the workbook can provide columns, or every hierarchy. A hierarchy that inserts
columns into a worksheet can have only one value selected. For more information about using hierarchy
values in columns, see "Add columns based on a hierarchy" on page 285.

Include the hierarchy panel in a workbook
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Filtering tab.
2. Select the Include the hierarchy panel check box.
3. In the In worksheets containing hierarchy columns, display columns for area, click one of the
following:
l Only the first hierarchy—The selected value in the first hierarchy is included in the
worksheet. All other hierarchies added to the workbook are used to filter data.
l All hierarchies—The select value in every hierarchy is included in the worksheet. Each
additional hierarchy added to the hierarchy panel adds another column.
NOTE: If a workbook with the hierarchy panel is used without a hierarchy, the data displayed is
filtered only by the worksheet filter and other data viewing controls.
Create worksheets with reference forecasts

A reference forecast provides a baseline to which other forecasts can be compared. Reference forecasts
must be connected to a level of a hierarchy or hierarchies, which are then used to compare other
forecasts at that level to the reference forecast. Reference forecasts are not affected by the worksheet’s
filter or site selections, and always show the summarized forecasts for all parts at all sites. The following
illustrations show the Forecast Analysis workbook, which contains worksheets that display reference
forecast data.
In the above example, the Reference Forecast row shows the reference forecast for the Cruiser product.
The values in this row are typically supplied by a sales or marketing team.
In the following example, the Reference Forecast row shows the reference forecast for all parts in the Off
Road product family that are supplied by the SOP supplier.

The reference forecast is defined by a set of tables. Data in these tables must be created specifically for
each hierarchy that uses the reference forecast. Typically, reference forecast worksheets are based on
the ReferenceForecastDetail table, which contains references to tables that link the reference forecast
to the hierarchy. The examples in this section use expressions based on the ReferenceForecastDetail
table. For more information about the reference forecast tables, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data
Model Guide.
To create a worksheet that includes the reference forecast, you must create a composite worksheet with
component worksheets to define the reference forecast and the forecasts you are comparing the
reference to. Each worksheet must be grouped by the Date or Due Date column, depending on the
table the worksheet is based on. For more information about composite worksheets, see "Creating
composite worksheets" on page 467.
Reference forecasts are used in worksheets by specifying variables in the worksheet filter expression.
These variables are used only to display the reference forecast values, if one has been defined, for the
selected hierarchy value or values. You can specify if only a single hierarchy is used to display reference
forecast data by including specific variables in the worksheet filter expression. For example, if you want
to display reference forecasts for a single hierarchy, use a variable that begins with "$SelectedHierarchy".
In this case, if a user adds a second hierarchy, the reference forecast is not displayed. To display
reference forecasts for multiple hierarchies, use a variable that begins with "$SelectedHierarchies".
You can use any of the following variables to display reference forecasts:

Variable Description Sample Expression
$SelectedHierarchiesAndLevels The names of the selected Header.Target.Dimension.Id =
levels in each hierarchy. You $SelectedHierarchiesAndLevels
might use this variable if the
reference forecast is defined
using multiple hierarchies.
Using this variable, the
for only the specified levels.
$SelectedHierarchiesAndPaths The full path of each value Header.Target.Id =
selected in each hierarchy. $SelectedHierarchiesAndPaths
You might use this variable if
the reference forecast is
defined using multiple
hierarchies. Using this
variable, the reference
forecast is defined for only
the specified values.
$SelectedHierarchiesAndLevelsAndBelo The names of the selected Header.Target.Dimension.Id =
w level and levels below the $SelectedHierarchiesAndLevelsAndBelo
selected level in each w
hierarchy. You might use this
variable if the reference
forecast is defined using
multiple hierarchies. Using
this variable, the reference
forecast is defined for the
selected level and every level
under the selected levels.
$SelectedHierarchiesAndPathsAndBelo The full path of each value Header.Target.Id =
w selected in each hierarchy $SelectedHierarchiesAndPathsAndBelo
and all values below the w
selected values. You might
use this variable if the
using multiple hierarchies.
Using this variable, the
for the selected values and
every value under the
selected values.

$SelectedHierarchyActive Indicates whether the $SelectedHierarchyActive = 'Y'
selected hierarchy is the only
hierarchy active in the
workbook or the value
selected in the hierarchy is
the only selected value. If
more than one hierarchy is
used or if more than one
value is selected, this
variable’s value is 'N', and the
other $SelectedHierarchy
variables in this table
contains a blank string ' ',
except for
$SelectedHierarchyLevelInde
x, which contains -1. In this
case, the reference forecast is
not displayed.
$SelectedHierarchyId The selected hierarchy’s Header.Target.Dimension.Id =
identifier. You might use this $SelectedHierarchyId
variable if you expect the
hierarchy to be renamed.
$SelectedHierarchyLevelIndex The index of the selected Header.Target.Id =
level of the hierarchy. You $SelectedHierarchyLevelIndex
for each hierarchy level, and
the level names are expected
to change.
$SelectedHierarchyLevelName The name of the selected Header.Target.Id =
level of the hierarchy. You $SelectedHierarchyLevelName
for each hierarchy level, and
the level names are not
expected to change.
$SelectedHierarchyName The selected hierarchy’s Header.Target.Dimension.Id =
name. You might use this $SelectedHierarchyName
variable if the hierarchy’s
name is not expected to
change.
It is recommended you use
this variable for defining the
selected hierarchy.

$SelectedHierarchyTreePath The full path of the selected Header.Target.Id =
hierarchy value, separated by $SelectedHierarchyTreePath
a delimiter character. By
default, the delimiter is the
pipe (|) character but it can
be modified by a
RapidResponse system
administrator in cases where
the RapidResponse data
includes this character.
You might use this variable if
the hierarchy is not expected
to change, and if the
hierarchy has the same value
multiple times in a level, or in
multiple levels. For example,
if the Telephones level is used
in both the Consumer and
Business divisions, you can
use this variable to ensure the
correct reference forecast for
the Telephones value is used
(Consumer|Telephones or
Business|Telephones).
It is recommended you use
this variable for defining the
selected hierarchy value.
$SelectedHierarchyValue The selected hierarchy value. Header.Target.Id =
You might use this variable if $SelectedHierarchyValue
each value is expected to be
used only once in the
hierarchy, and the hierarchy
is not expected to change.
If the hierarchy has the same
value at multiple levels, this
variable might return
unexpected results in the
worksheet.
For more information about variables, see "System variables" on page 1301.
▶Create the reference forecast worksheet
2. Click New.
3. In the New Worksheet dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the worksheet.
4. In the Table list, click ReferenceForecastDetail.
5. Click the Columns tab.
6. Click Add Fields, and then do the following:
l Select the Date field, and then click Add.
l Select the Quantity field, and then click Add.
l Click OK.
7. Click the Group tab.

8. Select the Group data check box.
9. In the list of columns, specify the Group By grouping function for the Date column.
10. If you want to make the reference forecast editable, select the Quantity column, click Data
Editing, and then specify the editing properties. For more information see "Enable editing for
grouped data" on page 423.
11. Click the Filter tab.
12. In the Expression box, type an expression that defines how the selected hierarchy variables
match the reference forecast fields.
For example,
13. Click OK.
▶Create the forecast worksheet
2. Click New.
4. In the Table list, click IndependentDemand.
6. Click Add Fields, and then do the following:
l Select the Due Date field, and then click Add.
l Select the Quantity field, and then click Add.
l Click OK.
9. In the list of columns, specify the Group By grouping function for the Date column.
10. If the data in this worksheet is not intended to be editable, go to the next step.
Otherwise, click the Quantity column, click Data Editing, and then specify the editing properties
for this column. For more information, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.
11. Click the Filter tab.
12. Specify a filter expression that limits the worksheet to only the forecasts you want to display in
the worksheet.
13. Click OK.
14. Repeat this procedure for each forecast worksheet you want to use in the composite worksheet.
▶Create the composite worksheet
2. Click the arrow beside the New button, and then click Composite Worksheet.
3. In the New Composite Worksheet dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the worksheet.
4. Click Add, and then add the worksheets you created for the reference and other forecasts.

5. Optionally, click the Columns tab, and then do any of the following:
l Change the column labels to describe the different forecast types.
l Rearrange the columns to display the forecast rows in a different order.
l Add columns to show the sums or balances of forecast types.
l Format the data columns to hide zero values.
For more information about these tasks, see "Add a column or field from a component
worksheet" on page 490 and "Formatting worksheet and column data" on page 291.
7. Select the Bucket data by date and Crosstab view check boxes.
8. Click Bucket Settings, and then specify the buckets to use in the worksheet.
9. Optionally, select the Add chart check box and specify charting options. For more information,
see "Adding charts to reports" on page 581.
10. Optionally, enable the crosstab rows to open a drill link. For more information, see "Creating drill
dependencies and links" on page 663.
11. Optionally, hide the component worksheets so only the composite worksheet is shown in the
workbook. For more information, see "Creating hidden worksheets" on page 271.
12. Click OK.

Part 4: Workbooks and worksheets
l Authoring and managing workbooks
l Authoring worksheets
l Creating table-based worksheets
l Creating crosstab worksheets
l Creating composite worksheets
l Creating treemap worksheets
l Creating reference worksheets
l Creating controller worksheets
l Customizing data insertion
l Adding charts to reports
l Creating drill dependencies and links
l Importing data
l Creating workbooks to automate business processes
l Creating transformation worksheets
l Analyzing worksheet performance and processing times
CHAPTER 16: Authoring and managing
workbooks
Workbook types 216

Workbook development overview 216
Creating workbooks 217
Managing workbooks 239
Defining workbook dependencies 245
Library workbooks 254
Use worksheets from a library workbook 255
Workbooks serve as containers for groups of worksheets displaying related enterprise information. For
example, you might have a Customer Satisfaction workbook that has worksheets for all customer orders,
customer forecasts, late orders, and so on. Although RapidResponse includes a number of predefined
workbooks, these workbooks might need to be modified, or new workbooks created, to address your
company’s specific needs. If you have been granted the necessary permissions, you can create, modify,
import, and export workbooks.

Workbook types
You can create the following types of workbooks.
Workbook Description
type
Standard A workbook used for everyday operations. These workbooks are typically used for displaying and
simulating changes to data, and can be made available to users who require them.
Library A workbook that contains component worksheets that are intended for reuse in other workbooks,
in the form of composite worksheets. Library workbooks can be linked to many workbooks, which
allows authors to update business logic in a library workbook and have that change proliferate to
all workbooks that are linked to the library workbook.
For more information, see "Library workbooks" on page 254.
Metric A workbook used by scorecards to calculate performance in specific areas of your company. Each
worksheet in a metric workbook defines a measurable area of your company’s business, and can
be reported in a scorecard.
For more information about metric workbooks, see "About metrics" on page 1077.
Data A workbook used to publish data to a data subscriber. You can create workbooks of this type only
Publish by copying an existing Data Publish workbook. These workbooks are applicable only if your
company has at least one subscriber defined. For more information, see the RapidResponse User
Guide.
You might need this type of workbook if your company started tracking responsibility in
Responsibility RapidResponse 2014.2 or earlier. For more information, visit help.kinaxis.com and view the
RapidResponse Administration Guide for RapidResponse version 2014.2.
Change A workbook that reports changes made to data in a monitored scenario. This option is available
data capture only to RapidResponse administrators. For more information, see the RapidResponse Web Services
Guide.
Workbook development overview

RapidResponse includes a number of predefined workbooks and worksheets that your company might
use, either in their default form or with some modifications; however you might need to create new
workbooks to address specific reporting or decision support needs. The following table outlines the
basic steps for creating a workbook and provides links to more information about each step.
Step Description
Identify A workbook typically fulfills a specific business purpose. Once you determine what business
workbook purpose the workbook should fulfill, you must decide what type of workbook to create.
type Workbooks can be used for viewing, modifying, exporting, or importing data, or for comparing
data in scenarios. For more information, see "Workbook types" on page 216.
Workbooks used for importing data can be customized to receive data from Microsoft Excel, and
can be exported as Microsoft Excel files. These workbooks require special considerations at both
the workbook and worksheet level. For more information, see "Importing data" on page 685.
Create After you have determined what type of workbook is required, you can begin building the
workbook workbook.
For more information, see "Create a standard workbook" on page 218.

CHAPTER 16: Authoring and managing workbooks
Step Description
Specify If the worksheets in the workbook need to be able to display and compare data from more than
comparison one scenario, you can specify the scenarios that comparisons are done against.
options For more information, see "Select the comparison scenario" on page 220.
Specify You can specify how the workbook is displayed when users open it, such as also opening the
display workbook help or locking the workbook's layout so users cannot change the order of worksheets.
options For more information, see "Specify workbook display options" on page 222.
Set filtering Typically, when people use a worksheet they apply a filter to limit the amount of data presented to
controls them. You can specify which types of filters can be used with worksheets in the workbook.
In addition, you can specify other filtering controls, such as site, part, and so on. The filtering
controls are available for every worksheet you add to the workbook.
For more information, see "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225.
Create If the worksheets in the workbook need filtering options beyond the part, site, and filter, you can
workbook create variables that can be shown on the workbook toolbar. These variables can be used in filter
variables and column expressions to display the records that match the variable settings.
These variables are defined as part of the workbook, and cannot be used outside of the workbook.
For more information, see "Define workbook variables" on page 226.
Add or After creating the workbook, you must add or create the worksheets that supply users with the
create functionality required.
worksheets You can create new worksheets for your workbook, or copy worksheets from other workbooks.
For more information, see "Add or remove worksheets" on page 232. For complete information
about creating worksheets, see "Worksheet development overview" on page 258.
Create As you develop workbooks, you can add help text directly in the Workbook Properties dialog box.
workbook This text is automatically formatted into an HTML page that displays when a user accesses the
help worksheet help.
For more information, see "Adding help to workbooks and worksheets" on page 333.
Add After you have created a workbook and added or created the appropriate worksheets, you can add
workbook to the it to the versioned repository. To make your private workbook publicly accessible to other
the users, it must first be added to the repository and then shared with users.
versioned For more information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108.
repository
Share Next, share the workbook with the users who require it.
workbook For more information, see "Share resources" on page 128.
Export If the workbook will be used to import data from Microsoft Excel, you can export it in Excel format.
workbook Data can then be entered into this Excel file, which can be imported into RapidResponse.
For more information, see "Export a workbook or worksheet to import Microsoft Excel data" on
page 689.
Creating workbooks
Standard workbooks are used to display and simulate changes to data. Used for everyday operations,
standard workbooks are shared with users and groups.
For more information on creating:
l Library workbooks, see "Create a library workbook" on page 255.

l Metric workbooks, see "Create metric workbooks" on page 1078.

Creating workbooks
l Data publish workbooks, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
l Responsibility and Change data capture workbooks, see the RapidResponse Web Services Guide.
Create a standard workbook

1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Workbook.
2. In the New Workbook dialog box, on the General tab, do the following:
l In the Name box, type a unique name for the workbook.
l In the Type area, ensure Standard is selected.
l Optionally, specify display options such as:
l If workbook help and data settings dialog box opens with the workbook
l General layout settings.
l Currency settings. For more information, see "Specify the currency for a workbook" on
page 224.
l How data is refreshed. For more information, see "Specify workbook refresh options" on
page 243.
l The scenario used for comparisons in worksheets. For more information, see "Select the
comparison scenario" on page 220.
For more information, see "Specify workbook display options" on page 222 and "Select the
3. On the Filter tab, specify workbook filtering options. For more information, see "Specify
workbook filtering options" on page 225.
4. On the Worksheets tab, add worksheets. For more information, see "Add or remove worksheets"
on page 232.
5. If required, on the Variables tab, create workbook variables to be used in worksheet expressions.
6. Optionally, on the Exporting tab, specify how data in the workbook can be exported. For more
information, see "Customize a workbook to export a report" on page 234.
7. On the Workbook Help tab, type a description of the workbook. For more information, see "Add
workbook help" on page 334.
8. On the Author Notes tab, type notes from other workbook authors. For more information, see
"Add author notes" on page 339.
9. If the workbook is intended to be used to import data from Microsoft Excel, export the workbook
as an Excel file. For more information, see "Export a workbook or worksheet to import Microsoft
Excel data" on page 689.
TIP: You can also create a workbook by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar,
or right-clicking on a resource in Explorer and selecting New to open the list of resources you can
create.
Limit scenarios available in a workbook

You can ensure that users have access only to appropriate scenarios in a workbook, thereby simplifying
the user experience and reducing the potential for errors. Limiting the available scenarios means users

cannot see any other scenarios in the scenario control in the workbook, whether they are using single-
or multi-scenario worksheets.
If only one scenario is available in a workbook, you can hide the scenario controls. This action further
simplifies the user experience.
▶Limit scenarios available in a workbook
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
2. In the Scenarios area, select the Limit the available scenarios check box.
3. Click Scenarios.
4. In the Scenarios dialog box, do the following:
l To add scenarios to the scenarios available in this workbook area, select them from the list
on the left and click Add. Only shared scenarios are available; private scenarios cannot be
added to the scenarios available in this workbook.
l To remove scenarios, select them and click Remove.
5. When you are satisfied with the list of scenarios available in this workbook, click OK.
6. If you want users to also be able to use child scenarios of the selected scenarios available in the
workbook, select the Include child scenarios check box, and then select whether you want to
allow only the user's private scenarios, or both private and shared scenarios.
NOTE: Selecting the Limit the available scenarios check box does not limit the scenarios that you
can specify as comparison scenarios in multi-scenario worksheets. For example, you could make
only the Approved Actions scenario available in the workbook, and then specify Yesterday as the
comparison scenario. For information about selecting the comparison scenario, see "Select the

Creating workbooks
NOTE: Adding a scenario to the list of scenarios available in this workbook does not automatically
share the scenario with users of this workbook. This means that different users might have access
to different subsets of the scenarios available in this workbook, depending on which scenarios are
shared with them. Users who do not have access to any of the scenarios that you have made
available will not be able to open the workbook. For information about sharing scenarios, see the
NOTE: When you fix the number of scenarios for multi-scenario worksheets to exactly the number
of scenarios that you have made available, users will not be able to select the scenarios to use on
multi-scenario worksheets. However, they will be able to use the scenario controls to change the
order in which the scenarios display in the worksheet. For information about fixing the number of
scenarios, see "Select the comparison scenario" on page 220.
▶Hide scenario controls
1. Ensure that the following conditions are met:

l The Limit the available scenarios check box is selected.
l There is a single scenario on the list of scenarios available in this workbook.
l The Include child scenarios check box is not selected.
2. Select the Hide the scenario control check box.
NOTE: Even if you hide the scenario controls, if the workbook includes a multi-scenario worksheet
that compares the available baseline scenario to a second scenario, the users will see the names of
both scenarios in the column headers of the worksheet.
Select the comparison scenario

Scenario compare worksheets in a workbook let users compare column data from one scenario against
other scenarios. You can choose whether the user can specify multiple scenarios for comparison (either
unlimited or a specific number) or a single scenario is compared to the user's selected scenario. The
scenario or scenarios specified are used in all scenario compare worksheets in the workbook.
As shown in the following illustration, if you are comparing to a single scenario you can specify the
user’s selected scenario always be compared against its parent, or you can select a specific scenario to
be used for comparisons in this workbook. For example, if your company has a scenario that always
shows yesterday’s Approved Actions scenario, you can select it if the workbook is to be used to show
what has changed since yesterday.

In multi-scenario worksheets, one scenario is the baseline scenario, which is the scenario listed first in
multi-scenario columns. All other scenarios are compared to the baseline scenario. In addition, the
baseline scenario is the scenario used in single-scenario columns. For example, if the worksheet
compares a user's selected scenario to its parent and the user's selected scenario is the baseline
scenario, the value in a single-scenario column is taken from the user's selected scenario.
If you allow users to specify scenarios, you can specify a fixed number of scenarios to use in the
workbook. In this case, the users must always select the number of scenarios you specify. You might
want to limit the workbook to a fixed number of scenarios if, for example, you want to compare one
scenario to one other scenario, but you want the users to select both scenarios. If you fix the number of
scenarios used in a workbook, you should add a note to the workbook help to indicate how many
scenarios users require. For more information, see "Add workbook help" on page 334.
If you allow users to select the scenarios used in the worksheets, you can choose whether the users can
add as many scenarios as they have access to or if a specific number of scenarios are required.
Regardless of which you choose, the first scenario in the worksheet is the baseline scenario, and all
other scenarios are compared to it.
If you compare the user's selected scenario to one other scenario, you can specify which scenario is used
as the baseline scenario.
2. In the Scenario comparison area, click one of the following:
l Allow user to select scenarios—the users can add as many scenarios as they want to
compare.
l Compare user's selected scenario to—the user's selected scenario is compared to one other
scenario, which you specify.
3. If you clicked Allow user to select scenarios in step 2 and want to fix the number of scenarios
allowed in the worksheet, do the following:
l Select the Fix the number of scenarios to check box.
l In the box, type or select the number of scenarios to use in the workbook. If you have limited
the number of scenarios in this workbook, this number cannot be lower than the number of
scenarios that you have made available.

Creating workbooks
4. If you clicked Compare user's selected scenario to in step 2, select the comparison scenario by
clicking one of the following:
l Parent scenario—the user’s selected scenario is always compared against its parent.
If you are creating a group responsibility workbook, you must select this option. For more
information about group responsibility workbooks, see “Enabling group responsibility” in the
RapidResponse Administration Guide, or contact your administrator if you do not have access to
this guide.
l Scenario—the user’s selected scenario is always compared against the scenario you select
from the list on the right. If you select this option, ensure that the comparison scenario is
shared with all users who will have access to this workbook. Users cannot open workbooks
that use a comparison scenario they do not have access to or that has been deleted.
5. If you clicked Compare user's selected scenario to in step 2, specify the baseline scenario by
doing one of the following:
l To make the user's selected scenario the baseline scenario, select the Baseline is user's
selected scenario check box.
l To make the scenario you selected in step 4 the baseline scenario, clear the Baseline is user's
NOTE: For more information about scenario compare worksheets, see "Creating multi-scenario
Specify workbook display options

When you create a workbook, you can specify how the workbook is displayed, such if the workbook and
worksheet help is displayed when the workbook is opened. You can combine these options to
customize the appearance and behavior of the workbook. The options you can specify are explained in
the following table.
Option Description
Show Specifies whether the workbook help is displayed the first time a user opens the workbook. Help is
workbook displayed in a pane on the right side of the workbook, and users can choose to view either the help
help for the workbook or for the active worksheet. For more information, see "Adding help to
workbooks and worksheets" on page 333.
l To display workbook and worksheet help when a user opens the workbook, select the Show
workbook help check box.
Require user Specifies whether users are required to specify data settings when they open the workbook. This
to select allows the user to choose the worksheet, filter, and site they need to view data.
data If you do not prompt for data settings, the filter, site, and so on the user had selected previously is
settings used when they open the workbook.
l To prompt users to specify data settings when they open the workbook, select the Require user
to select data settings check box.

Option Description
Lock Specifies whether users can rearrange the order and position of the worksheets in the workbook.
workbook If you do not allow the worksheets to be rearranged, you can use the workbook to drill to hidden
layout worksheets. For more information, see "Setting up drill links" on page 666.
This setting only applies to Standard, Responsibility, and Change Data Capture workbooks.
l To ensure the worksheets cannot be rearranged, select the Lock workbook layout check box.
NOTE: The lock workbook layout setting does not apply to worksheet columns. Users can still hide,
show, or reorder worksheets. For more information, see "Specifying worksheet options" on page
277.
Hide single Specifies whether the worksheet name is displayed if the workbook contains only one worksheet in
worksheet its top pane. You can use this to create a simplified workbook and to maximize viewing space. An
tab example of a worksheet with a hidden tab is shown in the following illustration.
This option is available only if the workbook layout is locked and the setting only applies to
Standard, Responsibility, and Change Data Capture workbooks.
l To hide the name of a single worksheet in the top pane of the workbook, select the Hide single
worksheet tab check box.
Currency Specifies the currency used to calculate, insert, and display Money values in worksheets. If your
RapidResponse system supports more than one currency, you can specify a currency for the
workbook if you want to ensure all worksheets in the workbook display the same financial data,
and to reduce loss of precision from performing conversions between multiple currencies.
You can also specify different currencies for worksheet columns, and you can allow users to
specify a currency for inserting records.
If your RapidResponse system supports only one currency, only that currency and the user's
preference are available for the workbook currency. In this case, both options specify the same
currency. For more information, see "Specify the currency for a workbook" on page 224.
l To display each user's preferred currency in the worksheets, select User setting in this list.
Allow user Specifies if the user can change the default currency. When this option is selected, the currency
to choose the user select is also used in other workbooks the user opens. For more information, see "Specify
currency the currency for a workbook" on page 224.
l To allow users to change the default currency, select Allow user to choose the currency.

Creating workbooks
Option Description
Require Specifies if users must manually refresh the worksheet to update the worksheet data. This option is
users to recommended for workbooks that process large amounts of data. When this check box is cleared,
manually the worksheet data updates automatically. For more information, see "Specify workbook refresh
refresh options" on page 243.
worksheet l To have users manually refresh open worksheets, select Require users to manually refresh
data worksheet data.
Warn users Specifies whether the users will be signaled to potential out of date data in a worksheet. Users
when should manually refresh the worksheet when they are warned that the data might be out of date.
worksheet For more information, see "Specify workbook refresh options" on page 243.
data might l To warn users or potentially outdated data, select Warn users when worksheet data might be
be out of out of date.
date
Specify the currency for a workbook

You can specify the currency used to display all money values in worksheets, to insert records, and to
perform all calculations. If your RapidResponse system supports multiple currencies, you can specify a
currency for the workbook if you want to ensure all worksheets in the workbook display data using the
same currency, and allow users to insert or modify values using the same currency. For more
information, see "Displaying money data in worksheets" on page 305.
If you specify a currency for a workbook, that currency is used for all columns in the workbook's
worksheets. Each workbook user sees the data in that currency, and not in their preferred currency. If
you want users to see data in their preferred currency, you can specify the user's setting for the
workbook currency. You can also specify a different currency for a column, which overrides the
workbook's currency. For more information, see "Convert currency values" on page 307.
You can also allow workbook users to select the currency to view Money data in. By allowing this, any
column that you do not specify a currency for is displayed using the currency the user selects. This also
adds the Currency data control to the workbook's toolbar, which is placed to the right of all other
controls and workbook variables. In addition, the workbook opens with the last currency the user
selected. However, if the user has not opened any workbooks since they signed in, the currency you
have specified in the workbook is used.
If your RapidResponse system supports only one currency, both that currency and the user's preference
are available for the workbook currency, however, both options specify the same currency. If additional
currencies are added to your RapidResponse system, workbook users might use a currency that does
not return the same values required by the filter expressions. If the worksheets in the workbook depend
on specific Money values for filtering purposes, you should specify the currency, which ensures
worksheets always return the required values regardless of the user's preferred currency.
If you subsequently change the workbook currency, all columns that display the workbook currency are
updated to use the new currency. Any columns that you have overridden the currency in are not
changed.
▶Specify a workbook's currency
2. In the Currency list, select the currency you want to use for calculating money values and
displaying money data.

To display values in each workbook user's preferred currency, select User setting in the Currency
list.
3. To allow users to specify the currency used in the workbook, select the Allow user to choose the
currency check box.
TIP: To view information about the selected currency, click the button.
Specify workbook filtering options

You can use filtering options to specify whether the worksheet includes a Filter control, a hierarchy
panel, or a Site control. You might also be able to include an item control.
Including a filter control and selecting the filter table

After opening a workbook, users select a filter to determine the records that display in their worksheets.
You need to specify the type of filter that can be used with it. For example, workbooks are typically built
to be compatible with Part-based filters (that is, filters based on either the Part table or any table that
can be referenced through the Part table). Under specific circumstances, you might also want filtering
disabled for a workbook.
If you have already added worksheets to the workbook, disabling the workbook's filter control or
changing the table with which filters must be compatible might cause errors, such as a worksheet being
unable to display data. You are warned if either of these actions causes errors, and given an opportunity
to correct them before saving the workbook.
Including a hierarchy control

If the workbook includes the hierarchy panel, the filter selected in the workbook affects how the
hierarchy is populated. For example, a workbook that uses a filter based on the PartCustomer table
must consider every PartCustomer record to determine which values appear in the hierarchy. Depending
on your data, this could result in performance issues as the PartCustomer table can contain a significant
number of records. In this case, a filter compatible with the Part or Customer tables might improve
performance, because those tables typically contain fewer records than the PartCustomer table. You
must ensure the workbook is compatible with the filters that allow the hierarchies to be populated in
the most efficient manner. For more information about hierarchies, see "Include the hierarchy panel in a
workbook" on page 205.
Including an item control

You can also include an item control (for example, a part control) in a workbook compatible with one of
the following tables: Constraint, Part, ProcessInstance, Project, and WorkCenter. This is useful, for
example, if you expect to include worksheets where users will want to look at data one part at a time.
You can also add a label to the item control. The label is the name of the table with which the workbook
is compatible. For example, if the table name is Part, the label displayed is also Part.
▶ Allow filtering in a workbook
2. Ensure the Include the Filter control check box is selected.

Creating workbooks
3. Specify the type of filter that can be used with the workbook by clicking a table in the List filters
compatible with table list.
NOTE: You can also specify that a workbook always open with a given filter selected.
▶Specify filtering options for a workbook
l To specify a filter the workbook always opens with, select the Always open this workbook
with filter check box, and then select a filter from the list.
l To include an item control in the workbook, select the Include the item control (for
example, Part control) check box.
l To include the hierarchy panel in the workbook, select the Include the hierarchy panel check
box.
l To include the site control in the workbook, select the Include the Site control check box.
CAUTION: If you do not select the Include the Site control check box, users are able to view data
from sites they do not have access to. To ensure users can view only the data they should have
access to, select this check box.
NOTE: If the workbook always opens with a specific filter, ensure the filter is shared with all users
who have access to this workbook.
NOTE: If you select the Include the item control (for example, Part control) check box, the
Include the Site control check box is automatically selected for you.
▶Add an item control label to a workbook
2. Select the Show label check box.
▶Disable filtering in a workbook
2. Clear the Include the Filter control check box.
Define workbook variables

You can use workbook variables to customize the data that appears in each worksheet in your
workbook. These variables typically exist only in the workbook, and cannot be used in other workbooks
unless they have the same variables defined. If two workbooks contain variables with the same name
and of the same type, the value defined in one workbook can be used in the other.
Each variable you define can be used in column and filter expressions in the worksheets in the
workbook. You can specify default values for the variables, or workbook users can specify values in the
Data Settings dialog box. If you do not specify default values, you should choose to always display the
Data Settings dialog box, as described in "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225. You can also

use variables to define if columns are editable, for hiding columns, for hiding worksheets, or for
displaying a particular worksheet in a controller worksheet.
Variables can be displayed on the workbook toolbar. You can change the order in which these variables
are displayed. If you want to allow users to set the values of several variables at one time, you can create
an action button, which is displayed on the workbook toolbar. For more information, see "Create
workbook toolbar action buttons" on page 229.
Variables on the toolbar that are used in conditionally hidden worksheets are always visible, even for
worksheets that do not use those variables. For more information, see "Conditionally hidden
You can also bring variables into a workbook by adding worksheets from workbooks that use variables.
For more information about adding worksheets from other workbooks, see "Add or remove
▶Add a variable to a workbook
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Variables tab.
2. Click New, and then click the type of variable you want to create.
3. In the New Variable dialog box, do the following:
l In the Name box, type a name for the variable.
l In the Description box, type a description of what the variable represents.
l If you do not want users to be able to specify a value for this variable, clear the Available to
users check box.
l If you want the variable to be visible on the workbook toolbar, select the Add to workbook
toolbar check box.
This option is available only for List, Date, and Boolean variables.
l Optionally, to show the variable's label on the workbook toolbar, select the Show label on
toolbar check box.
This option is available only for List and Date variables.
4. Specify the minimum, maximum, and default values (for Quantity variables), the default value (for
Date or Text variables), the list values and default value (for List variables), or the true and false
values (for Boolean variables).
5. Click OK.
NOTE: For complete information about creating workbook variables, see "Workbook variables" on
page 1262.
NOTE: Boolean, List, and Data variables might display in the data settings pane of a dashboard if
they are added to the workbook toolbar.
▶Copy a variable
2. Select the variable you want to copy.
3. Click Copy.
4. In the New Variable dialog box, specify a unique name for the new variable, and then specify its
values.

Creating workbooks
NOTE: For complete information about creating workbook variables, see "Workbook variables" on
page 1262.
TIP: If there are already variables defined in another workbook that you want to use, you can copy
them to the current workbook by adding a copy of any worksheet that references them as
discussed in "Add a copy of a worksheet from another workbook" on page 234. The variables then
become available the current workbook's Variable tab and are available for use. If you
subsequently delete the copied worksheet, the variables are preserved.
▶Change the order of variables and action buttons on the workbook toolbar
2. Drag the variables or action buttons up or down in the list.
The variable or action button at the top of the list appears first on the workbook toolbar.
▶Edit a variable
2. Click the variable you want to edit, and then click Edit.
3. In the Variable Properties dialog box, make the required changes.
4. Click OK.
▶Rename a variable
2. Click the variable you want to rename, and then click Rename.
3. In the Rename Variable dialog box, type the new name for the variable.
4. Click OK.
NOTE: When you rename the variable, the name is automatically updated in all expressions and
drill mappings that use the variable.
▶Remove a variable from the workbook
2. Click the variable you want to remove.
3. Click Delete.
If the variable is used in worksheets, you are given a list of worksheets that use the variable. You
must remove the variable from expressions in these worksheets, otherwise users will not be able
to view data in the worksheets.
4. Click OK.
▶Determine where a variable is used
2. Click the variable for which you want to view usage information.
3. Click Usage.

The Variable Usage dialog box displays which worksheets and action buttons use the variable
you selected. If you delete this variable, you must also modify the worksheets or action buttons
that use it.
Using workbook variables to customize calculations

You can customize how analytic results are calculated in worksheets based on calculated tables by using
workbook variables to specify values for the parameters of the analytics. For example, in a worksheet
based on the InventoryAnalysis table, you can create variables that define a custom set of worksheet
buckets, which are used instead of the buckets defined for the Inventory Analysis analytic. Variables that
supply parameter values modify the analytic for every worksheet in the workbook.
You can customize calculations for worksheets based on the following tables.
l Activity
l FlatBillDown
l FlatBillUp
l InventoryAnalysis
l InventoryCTPAnalysis
Variables you create for customizing analytic calculations must have names that match the analytic
parameters. These variables do not have to be used in worksheets. If you want the workbook to always
calculate the analytic using the same parameter values, you can choose to not allow users to modify the
value by making the variable unavailable to them.
For information about the parameter values and variable names required to configure calculations, see
"Configuring analytic calculations using parameters" in the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
For more information about creating variables, see "Workbook variables" on page 1262.
Create workbook toolbar action buttons

After creating variables, you can create workbook toolbar buttons that set the values for multiple
variables at one time. This can include variables that are not available to users and variables that control
whether worksheets are visible. Using an action button can set the user's view of the workbook to a
preset view, or can reset the workbook to its initial state. Action buttons are always displayed on the
workbook toolbar, and are not displayed in the Data Settings dialog box. The action button is placed on
the toolbar relative to the other variables that define toolbar controls, and depends on the order
variables and action buttons are listed in the workbook properties. An example of an action button is
shown in the following illustration.

Creating workbooks
You can use an action button to configure a worksheet to set variables to display a preconfigured set of
data, or to set variables that control whether worksheets are visible, which you can use to display a set
of worksheets or reset a workbook to its default display if it contains multiple worksheets that drill to
details in hidden worksheets.
When you create an action button, you specify its label, the variables it sets values for, and the values to
use for those variables. You should also include descriptions of the buttons, which can be included in
the workbook help.
Variable values are typically set by typing the value you want. For example, for a list variable, you specify
the value you want. When a user clicks the button, the specified value is set in the list. If you specify a
value that does not appear in the list, the variable value is not set. Similarly, if you specify a filter that a
user does not have access to for a filter variable, the variable is not set. Variable values are specified the
following ways.
Variable How to set

type
Quantity Type a value in the Value box. The value must be within the range specified in the variable.
Boolean Select the variable's True or False value from the Value list.
Date Either type the date in the Value box or click the down arrow to select the date from the
calendar.
Filter Select the filter from the Value list.
List Type the value in the Value box.
Text Type the value in the Value box.
If you set a value in the button, but the variable is subsequently modified, any invalid values are marked
with the red X icon. For example, if you have specified a 'True' value for a Boolean value, but the
variable's values are modified to be 'Yes' and 'No', the 'True' value is no longer valid. You cannot save the
workbook with invalid values specified in an action button. Only variable types that are specified by
selecting a value are validated in the action button. For example, if you specify a value for a text variable,
that value is not validated.
If you rename a variable, it is automatically renamed in the button, however, if you delete a variable, you
must also manually remove it from the button.
For an example of using an action button to set variable values, see "Example: Hiding worksheets using
an action button" on page 1291.
NOTE: Action buttons are not compatible with metric worksheets. If you add a metric worksheet
to a workbook with an action button, the button is removed from the toolbar.
▶Create an action button
2. Click New, and then click Action Button.
3. In the Name box, type a name for the button.
4. In the Label box, optionally type a label to display on the button. If you do not specify a label, the
value you specified in the Name box is used.
5. In the Description box, type information about what the button does.

6. In the Set variables area, do the following for each variable you want the variable to set.
l Click Add.
l In the Variable Name column, select the variable to set a value for.
l In the Value column, type or select the value for the variable.
Depending on the variable type, this might require you to select a date from the calendar, select a
value from a list, or type a value in the Value box.
NOTE: The value you specify for the variable must be valid, otherwise it is not set when the button
is clicked. For example, a value for a quantity variable must be within the valid range specified in
the variable.
▶Copy an action button
2. Click the action button you want to copy.
3. Click Copy.
4. In the New Action Button dialog box, in the Name box, change the name of the action button.
5. Modify any of the action button's properties.
▶Edit an action button
2. Click the action button you want to edit.
3. Click Edit.
l In the Label box, change the button's label.
l In the Description box, change the button's description.
l In the Set variables list, modify the values for the variables.
l Click Add to add a new variable to the button.
5. Click Remove to remove the selected variable from the variables set by the button.
▶Rename an action button
2. Click the action button you want to rename, and then click Rename.
3. In the Rename Action Button dialog box, type the new name for the action button.
4. Click OK.
▶Remove an action button from the workbook
2. Click the action button you want to remove.
3. Click Delete.

Creating workbooks
Add or remove worksheets
You can create new worksheets to include in workbooks, or you can add copies of worksheets from any
workbook available to you. You can also add a worksheet pane, or tab group, to a workbook, which
allows you to group worksheets by their type, such as placing summary worksheets in the top pane and
detail worksheets in the bottom pane. Any worksheets added can subsequently be removed from the
workbook (this deletes the worksheet entirely).
If you want users to be able to apply filters to a worksheet, ensure it is compatible with the workbook’s
filter type. This means the worksheet needs to be based on a table that has a reference to the table
which defines the workbook filter type. For example, suppose a workbook is compatible with Part-based
filters. You could add worksheets built on tables such as Part, ScheduledReceipt, and
IndependentDemand, and they would all allow filtering. For more information, see "Specify workbook
filtering options" on page 225.
You can add a worksheet that is not compatible with the workbook’s filter type, however, filtering will
not be allowed on the worksheet. For example, if you add a worksheet based on the BuyerCode table to
a workbook compatible with Part-based filters, any selections made from the Filter control will be
ignored for that worksheet.
Worksheets are listed in the order they appear in the workbook, and can be one of the following types:
l Table-based —The data displayed in the worksheet is obtained from a table in the
RapidResponse database.
l Composite —The data displayed in the worksheet is obtained from one or more other
worksheets.
l Transformation —The data displayed in the worksheet is calculated by a mathematical or
statistical function.
l Treemap — Displays a treemap visualization of data obtained from a source worksheet.
l Controller —Displays one of several potential other worksheets based on specified conditions
being met.
l Reference—Displays a worksheet based in a source workbook that has been added as a
referenced workbook dependency.
Worksheets can be specified as hidden, and either remain always hidden from users or be hidden only
some of the time, displaying to users under certain conditions. All types of hidden worksheets are visible
when you are creating or modifying a workbook. For more information about the different ways to hide
worksheets, see "Creating hidden worksheets" on page 271.
As of Version 9.2, the RapidResponse client hides all tables and fields associated with optional modules
that have not been enabled by your company. As such, workbook authors do not have access to tables
and fields that have not been enabled. Workbook authors cannot create a report based on a table that
has not been enabled or use a field that references a table that has not been enabled.
Worksheets based on tables that have not been enabled cannot be edited except for presentation
attributes such as column headers, sorting, grouping, worksheet help, and fonts. Column expressions
cannot be modified, and columns cannot be added or deleted.
For complete information about creating and formatting worksheets, see "Authoring worksheets" on
page 257.
NOTE: You can continue to use tables and fields that have not been enabled , and edit

worksheets based on these tables if your company was using RapidResponse 9.1 or earlier.
NOTE: For display worksheets in a controller worksheet, it is recommended to hide the

worksheets. For more information, see "Specifying controller display worksheets as conditionally
hidden" on page 276.
▶Create and add a new worksheet
l To create a table-based worksheet, click New, and then click Worksheet (Table-based).
l To create a composite worksheet, click New, and then click Composite Worksheet.
You can create a composite worksheet only if the workbook contains at least one table-
based worksheet.
l To add a reference worksheet, see "Add a reference worksheet" on page 547.
l To create a transformation worksheet, click New, and then click Transformation Worksheet.
You can create a transformation worksheet only if the workbook contains at least one other
worksheet.
3. In the New Worksheet, New Composite Worksheet , or New Transformation Worksheet
dialog box, define the worksheet's properties. For more information, see "Create a table-based
worksheet" on page 347, "Create a composite crosstab worksheet" on page 486., or "Create a
transformation worksheet" on page 820.
NOTE: You can only add a reference worksheet if the workbook already has a referenced
workbook dependency. For more information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page
247.
▶Add a worksheet pane
2. Click the worksheet after which you want to insert the new pane.
3. Click New, and then click Tab Group.
NOTE: All worksheets located after the new pane display in that pane.
NOTE: You can insert only a horizontal pane. However, if the worksheet already contains a vertical
pane, the pane you insert will also be a vertical pane.
▶Add a copy of a worksheet from the same workbook
2. In the worksheet list, click the worksheet you want to copy.
3. Click Copy, and then click Selected Worksheet.
4. In the Copy Selected Worksheet dialog box, type a name for the new worksheet, and then click
OK.

Creating workbooks
5. If necessary, drag the new worksheet up or down in the worksheet list to change its position in
the workbook.
NOTE: The worksheet is always inserted immediately following the worksheet you copied.
▶Add a copy of a worksheet from another workbook
2. In the worksheet list, click the worksheet after which you want the new worksheet to be inserted.
3. Click Copy, and then click Worksheet from Other Workbook.
4. In the Copy Worksheets dialog box, select the worksheet you want to copy.
5. Click Copy.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for any other worksheets you want to copy.
7. Click OK.
▶Show or hide hidden worksheets

l To hide always hidden worksheets in the worksheet list, clear the Show hidden check box.
l To show always hidden worksheets in the worksheet list, select the Show hidden check box.
▶Specify that a workbook always open with a specific worksheet
2. Ensure the first worksheet in each pane of the workbook is the one you want displayed each time
the workbook is opened.
3. Select the Always open the first worksheet check box.
NOTE: If a workbook with the Always open the first worksheet check box selected is shared with
other users, users can still re-order worksheets and create panes, however, they cannot save
these changes.
NOTE: If the first worksheet in the workbook is hidden, the first visible worksheet is opened.
▶Delete a worksheet
2. Select a worksheet, and then click Delete.
NOTE: You can also change the order in which worksheets display in a workbook. For more
information, see "Format worksheet appearance" on page 301.
Customize a workbook to export a report

You can specify how workbook data is exported, and create a report using the exported data. You can
define which worksheets are exported, and how the data in the worksheets is represented.

You can define a report template for exporting data to a Microsoft Excel file. You can use a report
template to do the following:
l Export data from multiple RapidResponse worksheets to one Microsoft Excel worksheet,
l Customize the worksheet names in the Microsoft Excel file.
l Customize the placement of data in the Microsoft Excel worksheets.
l Add charts, graphics, and so on to customize the appearance of the report
When creating a report template file, you must specify where in the Microsoft Excel worksheet the
RapidResponse data is exported. You can do this by naming a range to match the worksheet identifier
of the RapidResponse worksheet, as shown in the following illustration.
In this example, the RapidResponse worksheet with identifier 'MonthForecast' is exported into the
Microsoft Excel worksheet, with the top left cell of the RapidResponse worksheet placed in cell B3.
You can name additional ranges to export multiple RapidResponse worksheets into one Microsoft Excel
worksheet, and then add graphics, titles, charts, or other customizations to the template to create the
report. An example of a report created from a template is shown in the following illustration.

Creating workbooks
The example above includes the RapidResponse column headers in the exported file. However, you can
also specify that only the data is exported.
You can also specify how data is exported from the workbooks you create. You can specify if worksheet
formatting is included, if column headers are included, and how hidden duplicate columns are displayed
in the exported data. You could choose to include formatting if you did not specify formats in the report
template, or to not include column headers if you have defined headers in the report template.
You can also specify if the report template is always used when users export data from this workbook.
Otherwise, users can specify how the worksheets are exported, and can specify if the formatting and
column headers are included.
In addition to exporting formatted reports, you can also create a report template to specify
relationships between data in the Microsoft Excel file and the RapidResponse database. Workbooks
using this type of report template can be used to import data for the records defined in the report
template into a scenario. For more information, see "Creating workbooks for importing data into
scenarios" on page 704.
NOTE: For workbooks, you can only export data from worksheets that are always visible or
conditionally visible.
▶Create a report template
1. In Microsoft Excel, create a new file.

2. In the worksheet, click the cell that you want to begin inserting the worksheet data into.
3. Right-click the cell, and then click Name a Range.
4. In the New Name dialog box, in the Name box, type the worksheet identifier (ID) of the
RapidResponse worksheet you want to insert into this worksheet.
5. In the Scope list, ensure Workbook is selected.
6. Click OK.
7. Repeat steps 2 - 6 for each RapidResponse worksheet you want to include in the Microsoft Excel
file.
8. If desired, add graphics, titles, summary worksheets, or charts.
9. Save the file.
CAUTION: Do not create more than one named range on one row of the Microsoft Excel
worksheet. This can cause worksheet data to overwrite data from other worksheets. You must
create named ranges on different rows.
NOTE: When data is exported into the worksheets specified by the report template, the entire
worksheet is inserted. If the Microsoft Excel worksheet contains named ranges on different rows,
new rows are inserted to ensure the data from the second worksheet is inserted properly.
▶Specify a report template and exporting options
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Exporting tab.
2. Click Attach Template.
3. Navigate to the location where you saved the report template file.
4. Click the report template file, and then click Open.

5. If you want the report template to be used every time a user exports data from this workbook,
select the Always use the template when exporting this workbook's data check box.
6. In the Default file name box, type a name for the file.
7. To include the worksheet’s column headers in the exported file, select the Include column
headers check box.
8. To include the worksheet’s formatting in the exported file, select the Include formatting check
box.
9. In the Format hidden duplicate data values list, click Clear, Hide, or Show.
For more information about these options, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
NOTE: Users can modify only the file name when they export data using the template.
▶Test a report template
1. Open the workbook that contains the report template.

2. On the Data menu, click Export Data.
3. In the Export Data dialog box, in the Export area, click Workbook data using the report
template.
4. In the File name box, type a name for the exported file, and then click OK.
5. Open the exported file in Microsoft Excel.
6. Examine each worksheet in the Microsoft Excel file to determine if the report template is
producing the results you want.
▶Modify a report template
2. Click Export Template.
3. Navigate to the location you want to save the report template file, and then click Save.
4. Do not close the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box.
5. Open the template file in Microsoft Excel, and then make the modifications you want.
6. Save your changes, and then return to RapidResponse.
7. On the Exporting tab, click Attach Template.
8. Navigate to the location where you saved the report template file.
TIP: In Microsoft Excel, if you want to modify or delete a named range, press CTRL+F3 to open the
Name Manager dialog box.
▶Remove a report template
2. Click Remove Template.

Creating workbooks
Allow assumptions for workbook data
Some RapidResponse tables support assumptions. An assumption is a data-specific comment you
assign to a set of hierarchy values. For example, an assumption assigned to the Part level of a Product
hierarchy states that the unit price for LCD-3735 is reduced by 50% for the next two months.
Assumptions provide information and context for decisions made about data.
For workbooks that are compatible with filters based on these tables, you can allow users to view and
enter assumptions for the data displayed in the workbook. By allowing assumptions in the workbook,
the New Assumption and Assumptions buttons are added to the workbook toolbar, as shown in
the following illustration.
To add assumptions, the workbook's filter compatibility must be with a table that is compatible with one
of the assumption tables, such as one of the following:
l Constraint
l Part
l PartCustomer
l PartSource
The workbook must also include the filter control on the workbook toolbar and include the hierarchy
panel. For more information, see "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225 and "Include the
hierarchy panel in a workbook" on page 205.
Allowing assumptions are part of the workbook's extended configuration, and is available only if the
workbook includes the filter control and the hierarchy panel. If the workbook is modified to not include
these, the assumptions are also removed.
For more information on how to create or review an assumption, see the RapidResponse Applications
Guide.

▶Allow assumptions in a workbook
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, on the Filtering tab, ensure the
Include Filter control and Include hierarchy panel check boxes are both selected.
2. On the General tab, click Advanced.
3. Click the Extended Configuration tab.
4. Select the Allow assumptions check box.
5. Optionally, in the Limit records associated with a new assumption using filter expression box,
create an expression to control the records that the assumption can be created on.
6. Click Validate Expression to determine if there are any errors in your expression.
Managing workbooks
You can modify many properties of your private workbooks and any public workbooks that you own
and have checked out from the versioned repository. You cannot edit public workbooks that were
created by other users, or workbooks that are defined to do automatic data modification.
If you have unsaved data changes in any worksheet in the workbook, you must save them before you
can modify the workbook properties or activate design mode.
If you have modified any of the worksheet display settings, such as selecting a filter or changing a
column’s width, you are prompted to save these changes in the workbook definition when you either
activate design mode, open the workbook’s properties, or save a copy of the workbook. You can choose
one of the following options:
l Yes—Saves all of your worksheet display customizations, such as column widths, data settings,
chart settings, and so on, in the workbook definition. Every workbook user will see these settings
in the workbook.
l No—Ignores your worksheet display customizations. Only you will see these settings in the
workbook.
l Cancel—Cancels the workbook modification and either exits design mode or does not save the
copy of the workbook.
If you are modifying a shared workbook, it is recommended that you first make a private copy of the
workbook (with the same name as the shared workbook), and make your changes there. If the
workbook contains linked workbooks, you should create a private copy of each linked workbook as well.
When you are satisfied with the changes, you can then share the modified workbook, which shares each
of the linked workbooks as well, and overwrite the previously shared version. For information about
linked workbooks, see "View workbook dependencies" on page 252.
If you are working in a RapidResponse system with version control turned on, different steps are
required to modify a public workbook. For more information, see "Editing a public resource" on page
111.

Managing workbooks
Edit workbook properties
1. For a private workbook, continue to step 2. If the workbook is a public resource, you must first
check it out of the versioned repository, For more information, see "Check out a resource from
the versioned repository" on page 111.
2. Open the workbook you want to edit.
3. If necessary, save data changes in any worksheets.
4. Optionally, on the View menu, click Design Mode.
5. Do either of the following:
l On the File menu, point to Properties, and then click Workbook Properties.
l On the toolbar, click Properties , and then click Workbook Properties.
6. In the Workbook Properties dialog box, make any of the following changes:
l Add worksheets. For more information, see "Add or remove worksheets" on page 232.
l Remove worksheets. For more information, see "Add or remove worksheets" on page 232.
l Change workbook filtering options. For more information, see "Specify workbook filtering
options" on page 225.
l Add or edit workbook help. For more information, see "Add workbook help" on page 334.
7. Click OK.
8. Save your changes by doing one of the following:
l On the File menu, click Save Workbook.
l On the File menu, click Save Workbook As, type a name, and then click OK.
l Exit design mode, and when prompted, click Yes.
NOTE: You can also edit the workbook and then use the Save Workbook As command to save
the modified workbook with the same name, which creates a private copy of the workbook.
NOTE: Administrators can modify the properties of any shared workbook.
NOTE: If you edit a shared workbook, the users with access to the workbook do not see your
edits until they reset their workbook layout. You should contact the users and instruct them to
reset their workbook after you finish your edits.
TIP: You can also access the Workbook Properties dialog box by selecting a workbook in the
Explorer, and then either clicking Properties on the Actions menu or pressing ALT + ENTER.
However, changes made when accessing the Workbook Properties dialog box in this manner are
not visible until the next time the workbook is opened. This option is not available for any
workbook that is already open.
TIP: To save a workbook as you are editing it, press CTRL + S. It is recommended that after you
are finished your edits, return and add comments for the changes in the workbook's version
history.

Design mode for workbooks
If you have the appropriate permission, you can modify the properties of a workbook by entering design
mode. Design mode allows you to modify the properties for the resource, such as adding worksheets,
modifying columns, and changing worksheet filters. When you enter design mode, you are asked if you
want to save your personal settings on the workbook, such as worksheet column widths.
When you are in design mode you cannot edit the data in a worksheet. You can enter design mode on
private resources and on private copies of public resources you have checked out. For more information,
see "Resource states" on page 101.
When in design mode, worksheet column headers turn green, indicating that its properties are editable,
as shown in the following illustration.
Once you have made your changes to the resource, you need to save (or discard) them before exiting
design mode.

Managing workbooks
▶Enter design mode on a workbook
1. In the Explorer pane, select the workbook.

2. On the Actions menu, do one of the following:
l For a private workbook, click Edit....
l For a public workbook, click Check out and Edit....
3. On the File menu, point to Properties, and then click Workbook Properties, Worksheet
Properties, or Column Properties.
4. To transfer your personal worksheet settings to design mode, select the personal workbook
settings you want to transfer to design mode and click OK. The following personal settings can
be transferred to design mode and saved in the workbook definition:
l Chart settings
l Column search
l Column widths
l Hidden columns
l Hierarchy panel width
l Print setup
l Workbook layout
l Workbook/worksheet help
l Worksheet form/table view
l Worksheet frozen column position
NOTE: You cannot activate design mode if you have unsaved data changes in any worksheets in
the open workbook.
NOTE: Zoom settings cannot be saved in the workbook definition.
NOTE: If you have re-ordered the columns in a workbook, the columns return to their default
order when you enter design mode. If you do not make any changes to the workbook, your
custom column order is restored when you exit design mode.
TIP: For an open workbook, you can click Design Mode on the workbook toolbar. If the
workbook is a public resource, you are asked if you want to check out the workbook to modify it.
Selecting yes automatically opens the private copy of the checked out public workbook.
▶Exit design mode

l On the View menu, click Design Mode.
l On the RapidResponse toolbar, click Design Mode .
2. When prompted, click one of the following:
l Yes—Saves any changes you have made and exits design mode.
l No—Discards any changes you have made and exits design mode.
l Cancel—Returns you to design mode.
3. To add a comment about the modification you just made, select Add a comment. For more

NOTE: You can edit comments for a private worksheet at any time by opening the worksheet's
version history.
Specify workbook refresh options

You can specify if a workbook refreshes data automatically or only when manually prompted by a user.
Which refresh option you set in a workbook might depend on the frequency with which the workbook
is used, updated, and the amount of data it processes.
When you set a workbook to automatically refresh, it updates on a regular basis as users are performing
tasks in RapidResponse. During periods of inactivity, data is updated every five minutes.
When you set a workbook to manually refresh, the data is only updated when a user selects to refresh
one or more worksheets in the workbook. When data is changed in the underlying scenario,
worksheets do not automatically reload. This allows users to make edits to one or more worksheets and
then refresh the data in the workbook. For workbooks that process large amounts of data, it is
recommended that they be set to manually refresh to prevent overly long load times for the worksheets.
You can also choose to warn the user if the data might be out of date on the worksheet, prompting the
user to manually refresh the active worksheet in order to view the most current data. If you choose to
set the workbook to manual refresh, you should add a note to the workbook help to inform users that
to see the most current data they will have to refresh the worksheets.
It is a good practice to include information about manually refreshing worksheets in the workbook if
you have set the workbook to manual refresh.
▶Set a workbook to manually refresh
l In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select Require
users to manually refresh worksheet data.

Managing workbooks
When Require users to manually refresh worksheet data is selected, Warn users when
worksheet data might be out of data is also selected by default. Clear the check box to disable
this warning to users.
NOTE: When you have selected to have a worksheet automatically calculate as users move
between rows or cells, you cannot set the workbook to manually refresh if Automatically
calculate in all worksheets is selected. For more information, see "Automatically update
calculated fields" on page 396.
Retrieve predefined workbooks

RapidResponse includes predefined workbooks that can be modified to fit your company’s
requirements or used as the basis for the workbooks and worksheets you create. If you want to undo
the changes made to a predefined workbook, or if a predefined workbook is accidentally deleted, you
can retrieve the original version.
If you retrieve a predefined resource that contains linked workbooks, you also retrieve each of those
workbooks. To determine which workbooks contain linked workbooks or to see if a workbook is linked
from another workbook, you can read the author notes in the workbook properties. For more
information about linked workbooks, see "View workbook dependencies" on page 252.
For a complete list of resources and workbooks included with RapidResponse, see "Predefined

▶Retrieve a predefined workbook
1. In the Explorer, select any workbook.

2. On the Actions menu, click Retrieve Predefined Workbook.
3. In the Predefined Workbooks box, select the workbook(s) to import.
4. Click OK.
A private copy of the predefined workbook is added to the Explorer. You can then optionally
choose to share the workbook with other users or groups.
NOTE: You can only retrieve predefined workbooks if your administrator has granted you
permission to do so.
TIP: You can select multiple workbooks by holding CTRL and then clicking each workbook you
want to select, or by clicking the first workbook, then holding SHIFT and clicking the last
workbook you want to select.
Save a copy of a workbook with a different name

1. From the Explorer, open the workbook you want to copy.
2. Optionally, modify any of the worksheet display settings.
3. On the File menu, click Save Workbook As.
4. If you modified display settings in step 2, click Yes to save those changes in the new workbook or
No to use the workbook's default settings.
5. In the Name box, type a name for the new workbook.
6. Click OK.
NOTE: You can modify the workbook before saving a copy of it with a different name.
Modifications are saved in the new workbook and not in the original.
NOTE: If you use the Save Workbook As command with a shared workbook and do not type a
different name, a private copy of the shared workbook is created.
NOTE: The name of the new workbook must be unique. You cannot use the Save Workbook As
command to overwrite a private workbook.
Defining workbook dependencies

Some workbooks have underlying links to other workbooks or to forms. These underlying links are
called workbook dependencies and are required for certain functionality, such as viewing details for a
selected record or modifying data in the worksheet.
You can add any workbooks or forms you have access to as a workbook dependency. Defining
dependencies between workbooks and other resources creates a simplified user experience in which a
user has access to just one workbook (or dashboard), but can open other workbooks or forms from

there. Dashboards take advantage of workbook dependencies through worksheet widgets. For more
information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on page 884.
When you link a workbook to another workbook, you can define three types of dependencies:
l Drill to details workbook—allows you to define links from a column, variable, or workbook filter in
one worksheet to detailed records in another workbook. For more information, see "Creating drill
l Referenced workbook—allows you to use a worksheet from a source workbook in other
workbooks. The reference worksheet is maintained in the source workbook and all instances of it
are updated when the worksheet is updated in its source workbook. For more information, see
"Creating reference worksheets" on page 547.
l Library workbook—allows you to reuse content from a worksheet in a library workbook. For more
information, see "Library workbooks" on page 254.
Using a workbook dependency can be part of a process flow where users follow drill to details links
starting from one workbook where they view data at a high level, and then drill down to worksheets in
other workbooks to access increasingly more detailed data.
For example, in the following illustration, a chart in a dashboard shows monthly gross margin data.
When a link is followed by clicking one of the bars in the chart, a new workbook opens with a treemap
worksheet showing specific customer and part-based margin data for the selected month. And, when a
link is followed from one of the sections in the treemap, a new workbook opens with a tabular
worksheet showing detailed margin data, filtered down to the relevant part and customer.
When you link a form to a workbook, you can then use that form in a workbook command or as a drill
link. For example, in the following illustration, a dependent workbook was used to create a drill link that
opens a form to edit a worksheet record.

For more information, see "Create commands that open a form" on page 734 and "Mapping drill links to
forms" on page 672.
Add dependencies to workbooks

Some workbooks might directly or indirectly depend on another resource to function properly. For
example, a workbook might have worksheet columns that drill to a details worksheet in another
workbook or it might have one or more reference worksheets that are based in another workbook.
You can add multiple dependencies to a workbook and different workbooks can link to the same
workbook or form. You can link to any private or public workbook or form you have access to, however
you cannot link to private and public workbooks or forms that have the same name.
Each workbook or form you add as a dependency displays with its name and a reference ID, as shown in
the following illustration. The identifier is editable in the Edit dialog box, but is initially set to the
resource's name with any spaces and special characters removed. The link identifier is used to define the
links to a given workbook, and does not automatically change if the linked resource is renamed. The
type of dependency is also listed. The Required column identifies if the dependency link is optional or
required.

If you share a workbook that has dependent resources, the dependent resources are also shared but
will not be available to the user in the Explorer pane. The dependent resources can only be accessed by
clicking a drill link in the workbook. Library workbooks cannot be accessed by users. They are only
shared to allow the workbook to reuse worksheets from the library workbook. For more information,
see "Share resources" on page 128.
By default, each new dependency you add to a workbook is required. Workbooks with required
dependencies that are broken or missing cannot be shared or saved. You can make the dependency
optional so the workbook can be shared and saved with or without a functioning dependent resource.
In some of your company's existing workbooks or RapidResponse predefined workbooks upgraded
from RapidResponse 2013.4 or earlier, you might see an additional option for workbook dependencies:
linked workbook. For more information, see "About linked workbooks" on page 253.
▶Add a form dependency
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Dependencies tab.
2. Click Add.
3. In the Add Dependency dialog box, select Form.
4. From the Form list, select the form you want to add as a dependent resource.
5. To make the dependency optional, clear the Required check box.
6. Optionally, edit the form link identifier in the Reference ID field.
7. To map controls from the dependent form to any workbook variables, select the Map controls in
the form to this workbook check box. For more information, see "Map form controls to workbook
variables" on page 251.

▶Add a workbook dependency
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Dependencies tab.
2. Click Add.
3. In the Add Dependency dialog box, select Workbook.
4. Click the type of workbook dependency to add:
l Drill to details workbook
l Referenced workbook
l Library workbook
5. From the Workbook list, select the workbook you want to add as a dependent workbook.
6. To make the dependency optional, clear the Required check box.
7. Optionally, edit the workbook link identifier in the Reference ID field.
8. To map variables between the dependent workbook and the current workbook, select the Map
variables in the dependent workbook to this workbook check box. For more information, see
"Map variables between dependent workbooks" on page 249.
NOTE: You can only add drill to details, referenced, and library workbook dependencies that use
the same filter table.
NOTE: When you add a Drill to details or Library workbook dependency that uses a filter control
to a workbook that does not have a filter, data might not filter as expected when users view the
dependency. To prevent unexpected filtering, you can remove the filter from the dependent
workbook or remove the workbook dependency.
NOTE: Remove the filter in the dependent workbook to prevent the potential for unexpected
data filtering.
NOTE: Referenced workbooks can only be added as dependencies to standard workbooks.
NOTE: Some workbooks upgraded from RapidResponse 2013.4 might display a linked workbook
dependency option. For more information, see "About linked workbooks" on page 253.
TIP: You can also make dependent workbooks optional or required by clearing or selecting the
check box in the Required column in the Dependencies tab.
TIP: Administrators can also configure the workbook link menu for worksheets that include part,
reference part, constraint, project, or work center columns. For more information, see
"Customizing the workbook link menu" in the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
Map variables between dependent workbooks

For workbook dependencies that use workbook variables, you can map the variables to any compatible
variables in the current workbook, as shown in the following illustration. For example, if you add a link
to a worksheet in a drill to details workbook, you can map variables between the workbooks to ensure
the data displayed in the drill to details workbook matches the settings and context of the workbook
with the drill link.

After you define workbook dependencies, you can use the dependent workbooks together in resources
you create. For example, you can create drill definitions that let users drill from values in a worksheet
(such as crosstab, chart, and treemap) to more detailed worksheet records in any of its drill to details
workbooks. For more information, see "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
When you add a referenced workbook as a dependency, you can use any of the worksheets from that
workbook as a reference worksheet. Reference worksheets provide you with a way to define a
worksheet once and then use that worksheet in multiple locations. For more information, see "Creating
reference worksheets" on page 547. When variables are mapped between the dependent referenced
workbook and the source workbook, the mappings remain up-to-date. For example, when a variable in
the referenced workbook is changed, the variable it is mapped to in the source workbook updates to
match the changed variable.
You can also use worksheets in a library workbook to create a worksheet that displays data from the
library workbook. For more information, see "Library workbooks" on page 254 and "Use worksheets
from a library workbook" on page 255.
▶Map variables between dependent workbooks
1. On the Dependencies tab of the Workbook Properties dialog box, select the dependent
workbook whose variables you want to map.

2. Click Edit.
3. Select the Map variables in the dependent workbook to this workbook check box.
4. For each variable that you want to map, make a selection from the Variable in this Workbook
list.
This list only contains variables that belong to a data type compatible with the variable being
mapped in the dependent workbook. That is, date variables can be mapped to other date
variables, quantity variables can be mapped to other quantity variables, and string variables (text,
list, and Boolean) can be mapped to other string variables.
Map form controls to workbook variables

You can map controls in a dependent form to any compatible workbook variables in the workbook you
are linking from. For example, if you will be drilling to the form from a worksheet cell, you can map form
controls to workbook variables to ensure that data is automatically passed from worksheet to the form.
As shown in the illustration below, you can map controls to compatible variables in the workbook.
You can only map form controls to workbook variables that are of a compatible data type. The table
below outlines the controls compatible with each type of workbook variable.

Form control Compatible workbook variable
Text Any string variable:
Multi-line Text l Text
Data List l List
Fixed List l Boolean
Check Box
Number Quantity
Date Date
After you define the mapping between form controls and workbook variables, you can use the
dependent form in a workbook command or as a drill to details resource. For more information, see
"Create commands that open a form" on page 734 and "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page
663.
NOTE: Scenario and file controls cannot be mapped to any workbook variables.
▶Map form controls to workbook variables
1. On the Dependencies tab of the Workbook Properties dialog box, select the dependent form
you want to map controls from.
2. Click Edit.
3. Select the Map controls in the form to this workbook check box.
All controls in the form that can be mapped are listed. This list cannot be modified.
4. For each control you want to map, make a selection from the Variable in This Workbook list.
Only workbook variables of a data type compatible with the form control being mapped display in
the list.
View workbook dependencies

You can view a workbook's dependencies to determine if the workbook has any dependent workbooks
or forms defined. Viewing workbook dependencies is recommended if you want to share or export the
workbook, as dependent resources are also shared or exported.
You can only share a workbook with dependent resources if you own all the dependent resources. If
you want to share a workbook but cannot share a dependent resource, you can give the workbook to
an administrator and have them share it.
Dependent resources are visible in the properties dialog box for a workbook. For more information, see
"Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
▶View workbook dependencies
l In the Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Dependencies tab.

About linked workbooks
Some of your company's existing workbooks and some RapidResponse predefined workbooks
upgraded from RapidResponse 2013.4 or earlier might display two additional options only accessible in
those specific workbooks:
l Linking to an unrelated workbook that has an incompatible filter table.

l Adding a drill to detail link to a linked workbook.
If you have permission to modify these resources or are using them as a template to create new
workbooks, be aware that:
l Clearing Include workbooks with an incompatible filter table or Linked workbook and then
saving the workbook permanently removes that option from that workbook.
l Keeping Include workbooks with an incompatible filter table checked and selecting another
unrelated workbook retains that option for that workbook.
l Selecting another workbook to add as a linked workbook and saving the workbook will retain the
linked workbook option for that workbook.

Library workbooks
Library workbooks contain worksheets that are intended for use in worksheets in other workbooks,
called target workbooks. Worksheets in library workbooks are not intended for direct use by
RapidResponse users; rather, they act as a source for business logic and calculations that can be used
across multiple target workbooks, in the form of table-based, composite, and transformation
worksheets. Library workbooks can only be opened by the workbook owner or a RapidResponse
administrator.
Unlike standard workbooks, when you update a worksheet in a library workbook, the change is applied
to all target workbooks that use a worksheet from the workbook. This eliminates the need to manually
reapply the change in each affected worksheet, and reduces the possibility of error.
For example, if you have a requirement for multiple workbooks in which forecast values are entered at
an aggregate level, and you want the same disaggregation rates applied to each workbook, you can
create a spreading worksheet in a library workbook that defines how inserted records are spread when
values are entered at the aggregate level. You can then use this worksheet in each forecast value
workbook.
Library workbooks can also be used to maintain one core worksheet that can be tailored to different
groups or users. For example, you can create a component worksheet in a library workbook that
displays demand orders with late supplies. You can then create a target workbook for demand planners
that uses this worksheet in a composite worksheet that also displays unit costs and part customers, and

another target workbook for buyers that uses the same data but also displays the supplier ID for each
component.
Create a library workbook

Library workbooks contain component worksheets in the form of composite worksheets that are
intended for use in other workbooks. Because the worksheets in library workbooks are often used in
composite worksheets, you should be familiar with the different methods of merging records in
composite worksheets. For more information, see "Understanding how component worksheets are
combined" on page 469.
When adding worksheets to a library workbook, only visible worksheets can be used by target
workbooks so worksheets should not be hidden. Library worksheets are used as component
worksheets or are referenced in expressions or spreading worksheets in target workbooks. For more
information, see "Use worksheets from a library workbook" on page 255.
You can add charts to worksheets in library workbooks. Component worksheets from a library
workbook that display charts should be added as the first worksheet in the target workbook's
composite worksheet, to ensure that the chart settings are copied to the target workbook.
When you are creating a library workbook dependency, you must have accessible library workbooks to
successfully create the dependency. For more information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on
page 247.
Library workbooks are identified with the workbook icon .
▶Create a library workbook

2. In the New Workbook dialog box, on the General tab, do the following:
l In the Name box, type a unique name for the workbook.
l In the Type area, select Library.
3. On the Filter tab, specify workbook filtering options. For more information, see "Specify
workbook filtering options" on page 225.
4. On the Worksheets tab, add worksheets. Library workbooks can only contain table-based,
composite, and transformation worksheets. For more information, see "Add or remove
5. If required, on the Variables tab, create workbook variables to be used in worksheet expressions.
6. On the Workbook Help tab, type a description of the workbook. For more information, see
"Adding help to workbooks and worksheets" on page 333.
7. On the Author Notes tab, type notes for other workbook authors. For more information, see
"Add author notes" on page 339.
Use worksheets from a library workbook

Worksheets in library workbooks can be referenced by as many workbooks as required, which is
achieved using the following process:

Use worksheets from a library workbook
1. Create the library workbook. You must have permission to author library workbooks to complete
this step. If you do not have permission to create library workbooks, you can still reuse
worksheets from a library workbook, but it must be shared directly with you and you must have
permission to author workbooks. For more information, see "Create a library workbook" on page
255.
2. Create the target workbook, which must be based on the same table as the library workbook.
3. Add the library workbook as a workbook dependency to the target workbook. For more
information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
4. Optionally, after adding a dependent library workbook, you can map variables between the
target workbook and the library workbook, if required. Variables in a library workbook should
have a valid default value that will be used if you do not choose to map variables. For more
information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247 and "Define workbook
5. Reuse the library workbook worksheets in target workbooks, which can be done in one of three
ways:
l As a component worksheet in a composite worksheet in the target workbook. For more
information, see "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
l Referencing the library workbook and worksheet in an IN or LOOKUP expression. For more
information, see "IN " on page 1141 and "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
l Referencing a the library workbook and worksheet in a spreading worksheet. For more
information, see "Creating crosstab worksheets for inserting multiple records" on page 437.
NOTE: Once a library workbook has been added as a dependency to another workbook,
renaming or deleting the library workbook and changing the workbook type breaks the
dependency, resulting in an error when a workbook user attempts to view library worksheets in
the target workbook. When you make any of these changes to a library workbook that has been
added as a dependency, a warning message appears listing the affected target workbooks.

CHAPTER 17: Authoring worksheets
Worksheet development overview 258

Worksheet processing 261
Display reference part data in worksheets 262
Edit a worksheet 262
Creating multi-scenario worksheets 265
Specify comparison options in a workbook 269
Creating hidden worksheets 271
Specifying worksheet options 277
Formatting worksheet and column data 291
Displaying money data in worksheets 305
Applying conditional formatting to worksheets 317
Caching worksheet results 329
Adding help to workbooks and worksheets 333
Validating a worksheet 340
Worksheets are similar to spreadsheets and are used to view, and in some cases, edit data in the
RapidResponse database. Worksheets can be added to workbooks you created, or to any of the
predefined workbooks included with RapidResponse. For more information, see "Retrieve predefined
Worksheets can be one of the following types:
l Table-based—The data displayed in the worksheet is obtained from a table in the RapidResponse
database. For more information, see "Creating table-based worksheets" on page 343.
l Composite—The data displayed in the worksheet is obtained from one or more other worksheets.
For more information, see "Creating composite worksheets" on page 467.
l Transformation—The data displayed in the worksheet is obtained from a mathematical or statistical
function. For more information, see "Creating transformation worksheets" on page 743.
l Treemap — Displays a treemap visualization of data from a source worksheet, which helps users
detect the root cause of problem areas in a hierarchical data set. For more information, see "About
treemap worksheets" on page 522.
l Controller—Used to display other, typically related, worksheets within a single worksheet view
where query expressions define the conditions that determine which worksheet displays at a given
time. For more information, see "Creating controller worksheets" on page 551.
l Reference—Displays a worksheet from a another workbook. The worksheet is maintained in its
source workbook and can be used in multiple standard workbooks. For more information, see

l Metric—Returns a single record showing a quantitative summary value that can be measured
against actual targets, based on a table. Metric worksheets can be created only in metric
workbooks. For more information, see "About metrics" on page 1077.
l Composite metric—Returns a single record showing a quantitative summary value that can be
measured against actual targets, based on other metric worksheets. Composite metric worksheets
can be created only in metric workbooks. For more information, see "Create composite metric
Depending on the type of workbook you create, different types of worksheets are available to you.
Some worksheet types can be created only if you have created at least one other worksheet in the
workbook. For information about the types of workbooks you can create, see "Workbook types" on
page 216.
Worksheet Exists in Prerequisite to create

type
Table-based All workbook types.
Composite Standard, Metric, and Another worksheet exists to be used as a component.

Responsibility
workbooks.
Transformation Standard, Metric, and Another worksheet exists to be used as input to the
Responsibility transformation function.
workbooks.
Treemap All workbook types. Another worksheet exists to be used as a source worksheet,
either in the same workbook or from a linked workbook.
Controller Standard, Metric, and Another worksheet exists to be displayed.

Responsibility
workbooks.
Reference Standard workbooks. Another worksheet exists to be displayed from a referenced

workbook dependency.
Metric Metric workbooks.
Composite Metric workbooks. Another metric worksheet exists to be used as a component.

metric
Table-based, composite and transformation worksheets can provide a list of records, which can be
viewed either as a table or a form, or can provide a horizontal summary of data grouped by similar
criteria (such as dates), called a crosstab worksheet. For more information, see "Creating crosstab
Worksheet development overview

RapidResponse includes a number of predefined workbooks and worksheets that your company might
use, either in their default form or with some modifications; however you might need to create new
worksheets to address specific reporting or decision support needs. The following table outlines the
basic steps for creating a worksheet and provides links to more information about each step.

Task Description
Identify Once you have identified the specific business need to be supported by a new worksheet, you can
information begin to identify its information requirements. This involves considering what data you want to
requirements present in the worksheet, and where it will come from. You might find it helpful to contact
potential users to find out what type of information the worksheet should display. These
preparation steps will assist you greatly as you begin to build the actual worksheet.
Determine When you have identified the information you want to present in your worksheet, you need to
worksheet choose the most appropriate source of data on which to base the worksheet. The new worksheet
base can be based on one of the following:
l A table in the RapidResponse database
l Another worksheet or worksheets
l A function that calculates results using the data in another worksheet
This is a very important consideration. If you choose to base the worksheet on a table, you must
choose the table carefully because similar information can often be returned from multiple tables.
Once you have saved a worksheet you cannot change the table it is based on.
If you choose to base the worksheet on other worksheets, the first worksheet you choose
determines the criteria other worksheets must match to be added to the worksheet, including
required columns or grouping rules.
If you choose to populate the worksheet with the results of a function, you must first create the
worksheet that acts as an input for the function. The function determines some of the columns
displayed in the worksheet.
For more information about basing worksheets on tables, see "Commonly used tables for building
worksheets" on page 344. For more information about basing worksheets on other worksheets, see
"Create a composite worksheet" on page 483. For information about basing worksheets on
functions, see "Creating transformation worksheets" on page 743.
Create Once you have determined the appropriate table or worksheets to use, you can begin to build the
worksheet worksheet.
If the worksheet is a composite worksheet, the worksheets used for the base should be created
specifically for the composite. These worksheets can be table-based or composite worksheets.
If the worksheet is intended to be used to import data from Microsoft Excel, it must contain all its
table’s key fields and key fields for referenced tables, and its name and columns must match the
name and columns in the Microsoft Excel worksheet.
For more information, see "Create a table-based worksheet" on page 347 or "Create a composite
worksheet" on page 483.
Determine if In cases where you need to present summarized and grouped data by date buckets in multi-
crosstab dimensional crosstab format similar to Microsoft Excel, you can create crosstab worksheets.
presentation Crosstab worksheets require data to be grouped and bucketed, usually by date. For more
is required information, see "Create a crosstab worksheet" on page 401 or "Create a composite crosstab
Determine if If you are creating a crosstab worksheet, you can create links that show details of the records
crosstab summarized in the crosstab. Each link populates a worksheet with the records matching the
worksheets crosstab worksheet’s Group By values.
drill to a The detail worksheets can be created before the crosstab worksheet. Each data column in the
details crosstab can link to only one detail worksheet. For more information, see "Creating drill
worksheet dependencies and links" on page 663.
Specify After determining what data the worksheet should display, you can customize the appearance of
display the worksheet. You can choose to hide parts of the worksheet such as the row numbers or grid
options lines, and you can control some worksheet functions, such as not allowing users to hide columns.
You can also specify whether the worksheet displays in Table view or Form view, and optionally
lock it so the users cannot change the view.
For more information, see "Specify worksheet display options" on page 281.

Worksheet development overview
Task Description
Add Once you have created a worksheet, you can add columns to it. Each column in a table-based
columns to worksheet contains data based on fields in the RapidResponse data model. Columns can display
the fields from the worksheet’s table, fields from tables referenced by the worksheet’s table, as well as
worksheet calculated and conditional data created using the RapidResponse query language.
Each column in a composite worksheet contains data from the columns in the component
worksheets, as well as calculated and conditional data created using the RapidResponse query
language.
For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358 or "Add or remove composite
worksheet columns" on page 488.
Determine if You can include worksheet columns that display data from two different scenarios. For example,
multi- you might want to be able to compare a particular data value in a scenario in which you are
scenario simulating a change to the corresponding data in the parent scenario.
column data Multi-scenario columns can be included in table-based, composite, and crosstab worksheets.
is required Displaying multi-scenario data involves considerations at the workbook, worksheet, and column
level as discussed in "Creating multi-scenario worksheets" on page 265.
Add By default, your worksheet displays all records found in the worksheet’s table or component
worksheet worksheets. However, if only a subset of this data is required in the worksheet, you can define a
filter worksheet filter using the RapidResponse query language. For example, a worksheet might show
only late customer orders as opposed to all customer orders.
For more information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
Evaluate use When developing query expressions for worksheet columns and filters, profile variables allow a
of profile single report to be configured to support the differing information needs of multiple users or
variables to groups. For example, within a single worksheet, profile variables can be used to ensure each buyer
store sees data pertaining to only those parts he is responsible for.
business For more information, see "Profile variables" on page 1296.
rules
Evaluate use When developing query expressions for worksheet columns and filters, macros allow frequently
of macros to used expressions to be stored and maintained in a single location, and called from multiple
store worksheets.
commonly For more information, see "Macros" on page 1305.
used
calculations
Determine if By default, columns are sorted from left to right, and each column is sorted in ascending order.
sort order However, you can define a custom sort order if required. When using sorting, you should be aware
needs of the influence it has on grouping and sub-totaling rules.
adjusting For more information, see "Sort columns" on page 370.
Add any Grouping allows you to present a summarized view of your worksheet data. For example, instead of
required showing all scheduled receipts, you might want to group and summarize all receipts by part. A
grouping number of grouping functions (for example, sum and average) are available for this purpose.
rules Grouping is required for crosstab worksheets.
For more information, see "Group column data" on page 382.
Add any Column totals can be added when you want to show summary data for a column along with the
required detailed records in the column. For example, in addition to showing the quantity of each part
column order, you might also want to show the total number of orders for each part.
totals and For more information, see "Add column totals and subtotals " on page 377.
sub-totals

Task Description
Determine if Sometimes your worksheet might require a level of filtering beyond what is supported through the
additional worksheet filter.
filtering is You can add a level of filtering by applying a filter expression to a composite worksheet.
required Worksheet search conditions can also be used to further filter the data that displays in a worksheet
column. For example, they are the only means by which you can filter data displaying in multi-
scenario columns that display differences.
For more information, see "Filter data from a component worksheet" on page 496 and "Add a
worksheet search" on page 288.
Adjust The default appearance of a worksheet and the data it displays can be customized in a number of
worksheet ways. For example, you can display a worksheet in form view, resize column widths, and set the
formatting color used to display a column’s data.
For more information, see "Formatting worksheet and column data" on page 291.
Determine if If the worksheet displays summarized data, you can add a chart to give users a graphical view of
charting is the data. You can specify which columns or rows are charted and define a style, and worksheet
required users can define their own chart styles.
For more information, see "About bar, line, or area charts" on page 610.
Validate Before using a workbook to help you make decisions or sharing a workbook with other users, you
worksheet should validate the data it returns. Incorrect worksheet filter or column expressions can result in
incomplete or inaccurate data, thereby leading to inappropriate decisions. The more complex a
worksheet is, the greater the attention should be paid to its validation.
For more information, see "Validating a worksheet" on page 340.
Add As you develop worksheets, you can add help text directly in the Worksheet Properties dialog box.
worksheet This text is automatically formatted into an HTML page when a user accesses it from a worksheet.
help For more information, see "Add worksheet help" on page 335.
Worksheet processing
Data displayed in worksheets is taken from tables, processed, and then formatted for display. The order
of processing steps is provided below. You can use this information to determine when a particular
processing step is performed, and apply settings at the step where it has the most benefit.
1. Data records are taken from the source table or worksheet.

2. The worksheet filter expression is applied to source records. Records matching the filter
expression are included in the worksheet. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering" on
page 386.
3. Column expressions are performed to calculate and populate columns with data. For more
information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358.
4. Columns are grouped and summarized according to the grouping rules. For more information,
see "Group column data" on page 382.
5. Missing buckets are filled with empty values. For more information, see "Define worksheet date
buckets" on page 405.
6. Results are sorted according to the worksheet sort order. For more information, see "Sort
columns" on page 370.
7. Summarization functions and columns based on the final results of other columns are calculated.
For more information, see "Apply a summarization function to a column" on page 384 or "Create
a column based on the result of other columns" on page 363.

Worksheet processing
8. Saved search conditions are applied. For more information, see "Add a worksheet search" on
page 288.
9. Columns based on the search results of other columns are calculated. For more information, see
"Create a column that uses the search results of other columns" on page 364.
10. Final results are displayed with the worksheet formatting applied. For more information, see
"Formatting worksheet and column data" on page 291.
Each step in this process either calculates data values or limits the number of records used in
calculations. By reducing the number of records, the calculations can be performed faster, improving
worksheet performance. If you intend your worksheet to display a limited set of records, you should use
the worksheet filter to remove the records you do not want. If you remove the unwanted records using
a worksheet search, all records are used to calculate the column values and then filtered out, which can
result in decreased performance from processing a large number of records.
Display reference part data in worksheets

In some cases you might want your worksheets to include reference part data. This is typically done in
worksheets that have a reference to the ReferencePart table (typically, worksheets are not built on the
ReferencePart table).
There are a number of cases where you may want to display reference part data in a worksheet, such as:
l A brand owner who outsources manufacturing might need to see supply or demand data in
RapidResponse by either their part number or the contract manufacturers part number. In this
situation, the contract manufacturer may store their part numbers in the Part table and the brand
owners part numbers in the ReferencePart table, before publishing the data to the brand owner.
l Any manufacturer might want to cross-reference two or more parts to show they are really the
same part. For example, if company divisions have different part naming conventions.
l A worksheet author might want to remove the impact of the Site key from parts (that is, treat all
parts with the same value in the Name field as one part). This is accomplished by cross-referencing
all the identical Part name values to a single common value in the ReferencePart table.
If you want to display reference part data in a worksheet, ensure the following:
1. Data has been loaded into the ReferencePart table.

2. The Reference Part toggle has been enabled (in On-Demand RapidResponse, this requires
assistance of a RapidResponse Master Administrator at Kinaxis).
3. The worksheet is added to a workbook in which the Include the item control (for example, Part
control) check box is enabled.
4. The worksheet is based on a table that can reference the ReferencePart table (for example, the
Part table or a table that references the Part table).
Edit a worksheet
You can edit the properties of worksheets and columns in your private workbooks, or worksheets and
columns in public workbooks that you own and have checked out. For example, you can add or remove
columns, or apply formatting to the data in a worksheet. You cannot edit a workbook that is defined to
do automatic data modifications.

To edit a worksheet in an open workbook, you must be in design mode. In design mode, any hidden
worksheets are visible. Design mode is activated automatically when you view the worksheet’s or
column's properties. For more information, see "Design mode for workbooks" on page 241.
If you have unsaved data changes in any worksheet in the workbook, you must save them before you
can edit the worksheet or column properties or activate design mode.
If you have edited any of the worksheet display settings, such as selecting a filter or changing a column’s
width, you are prompted to save these changes in the workbook definition when you either activate
design mode or open the worksheet’s properties. You can choose one of the following options:
l Yes—Saves all of your worksheet display customizations, such as column widths, data settings,
chart settings, and so on, in the workbook definition. Every workbook user will see these settings
in the worksheet.
l No—Ignores your worksheet display customizations. Only you will see these settings in the
worksheet.
l Cancel—Cancels the workbook modification and exits design mode.
When you edit a worksheet, it is important to view it's resource dependencies to understand the impact
editing the worksheet might have on other resources. For more information, see "View worksheet
dependencies" on page 341.
▶Modify worksheet properties
1. For a worksheet in a private workbook, continue to step 2. If the workbook is a public resource,
you must first check it out of the versioned repository, For more information, see "Check out a
resource from the versioned repository" on page 111.
2. Open a workbook, and select the worksheet you want to edit.
l On the File menu, point to Properties and then click Worksheet Properties.
l On the toolbar, click Workbook Properties , and then click Worksheet Properties.
6. In the Worksheet Properties dialog box, make any of the following changes:
l Rename the worksheet. For more information, see "Rename resources" on page 128.
l Add or remove columns. For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358.
l Rename columns. For more information, see "Define column headers" on page 299.
l Sort column data. For more information, see "Sort columns" on page 370.
l Group column data. For more information, see "Group column data" on page 382.
l Add column totals. For more information, see "Add column totals and subtotals " on page
377.
l Modify worksheet filtering options. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page
386.
l Show or hide the worksheet.For more information, see "Creating hidden worksheets" on
page 271.
l Format column data. For more information, see "Formatting worksheet and column data" on
page 291.
l Modify worksheet help or column help. For more information, see "Add worksheet help" on
page 335 and "Add column help" on page 339.

Edit a worksheet
7. Click OK.
l On the File menu, click Save workbook. To add a comment about the edits, click Yes.
l On the File menu, click Save Workbook As and type a name. To add a comment about the
edits, select Add a comment and then click OK.
l Exit Design mode. To add a comment about the edits, select Add a comment and when
prompted click Yes.
▶Edit column properties
1. In an open worksheet, click the column you want to edit.

l On the File menu, point to Properties, and then click Column Properties.
l On the toolbar, click Workbook Properties , and then click Column Properties.
The Worksheet Properties dialog box opens to the Columns tab, and displays the properties of
the column you selected.
5. Edit any of the column properties.
l Rename the column. For more information, see "Define column headers" on page 299.
l Change the column's identifier. For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on
page 358.
l Hide the column. For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358.
l Change the column's expression. For more information, see "Creating expressions with
Expression Builder" on page 1117.
l Compare the column's data to another scenario. For more information, see "Add multi-
scenario columns" on page 267.
l Make the column read-only. For more information, see "Specify if a column can be edited" on
page 289.
l Change the column's formatting. For more information, see "Formatting worksheet and
column data" on page 291.
l Apply conditional formatting to the column. For more information, see "Applying conditional
formatting to worksheets" on page 317.
l Add or modify column help. For more information, see "Add column help" on page 339.
6. Click OK.
l On the File menu, click Save workbook. To add a comment about the edits, click Yes.
l On the File menu, click Save Workbook As and type a name. To add a comment about the
edits, select Add a comment and then click OK.
Exit design mode. To add a comment about the edits, select Add a comment and when
prompted click Yes.
NOTE: You can also change aspects of the worksheet’s appearance. For more information, see
"Format worksheet appearance" on page 301.

NOTE: You cannot edit worksheets based on system tables except for presentation attributes
such as column headers, sorting, grouping, worksheet help, and fonts. For more information
about system tables, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
NOTE: Administrators can edit the properties of worksheets in any shared workbook.
Creating multi-scenario worksheets

You can create worksheets that display data from multiple scenarios to compare the data. For example,
a worksheet that displays late customer orders can compare how many days late an order might be
between different scenarios.
Settings for multi-scenario data happens at the workbook and worksheet levels. Access to scenarios is
determined at the workbook level, where you specify whether the worksheets display multiple scenarios
specified by the workbook user or just two different scenarios. When only two scenarios are specified
for the worksheet, data in one scenario, either the user's selected scenario or a scenario specified by the
author, is set as the baseline against which data in the other scenario is compared. For more
information, see "Specify comparison options in a workbook" on page 269.
The scenario specified in the workbook can be any scenario the user has access to, including the parent
of the user's selected scenario. For more information, see "Select the comparison scenario" on page 220.
At the worksheet level, data columns are set to display multi-scenario data. For each multi-scenario
column added to a worksheet, you can further specify how data in the comparison scenario is displayed
relative to the baseline scenario. For more information, see "Determine the records shown in a scenario
compare worksheet" on page 269.
The comparison scenario columns can show actual values, the differences between the baseline
scenario and the comparison scenario, or the percentage difference, as discussed in "Add and remove
You can include all records in the worksheet, or only records that differ between scenarios. For example,
if users are simulating a response to a change they might want to see only new problems introduced by
a particular course of action. For more information, see "Specify options for multi-scenario worksheets"
on page 269.

The following illustration shows a scenario comparison worksheet that includes only late customer
orders where the number of days late or the quantity is different in the two scenarios. The multi-
scenario columns show the difference between the data in the baseline scenario (Yesterday) and the
comparison scenario (the user’s selected scenario).
You can use multi-scenario columns in both component and composite worksheets. For more
information, see "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
NOTE: You cannot sort a worksheet by a multi-scenario column. You should indicate which
columns cannot be sorted in the worksheet help.
When to use multi-scenario columns

Multi-scenario columns in a worksheet are one of three resource types capable of displaying multi-
scenario views of data. Depending on the requirements of your business process, you can also choose
to use dashboards or scorecards.
With multi-scenario columns, you can:
l Display data as actual values, differences, or percent differences.

l Compare data between scenarios in columns or against a baseline scenario.
l Create multi-scenario columns in composite worksheets where you can also include second pass
summarizations and run sub-balance sub-total rows.
l Have flexible drill-to-details where cell content, including time buckets, can be mapped to the
target worksheet.
l Apply hierarchies from the hierarchy pane or from dynamic hierarchy columns.
l Apply advanced bucketing options, such as:
l Telescopic bucketing, where dates can be bucketed as a progression; for example, from weeks
to quarters to years.

l Displaying time-based sub-totals.
l Adding past and future buckets to the multi-scenario columns.
Add multi-scenario columns

You can add multi-scenario columns to worksheets, and depending on the options specified in the
workbook, the worksheet can contain multiple scenarios specified by the user or two different scenarios
where the values in the scenario selected by the user is compared to a scenario specified by the
workbook author.
In this case, the user's selected scenario can serve as the baseline against which the other scenario is
compared, or the other way around. The scenario specified in the workbook can be any scenario you
have access to, or the parent of the user’s selected scenario. For example, you can compare the user's
selected scenario to the Approved Actions scenario. For more information, see "Select the comparison
scenario" on page 220.
Columns you specify as multi-scenario should display data that might change between scenarios.
Typically, columns with numeric data or values should be set to multi-scenario, such as the number of
days late for an order, excess inventory, or available dates. The remaining columns in the worksheet that
are still single scenario should be reserved for the table’s key fields, or other fields used to identify
records or which are not expected to change from scenario to scenario.
As shown in the following illustration, each multi-scenario column in a worksheet can be configured to
show either show the actual data values for the comparison scenarios, or to show the difference
(change) from the baseline scenario to the comparison scenarios. For example, is the baseline scenario
displays a quantity for a part and the comparison scenario displays 55, you can set the column to display
the comparison quantity as 55, 5, or 10% depending on whether you selected actual values, differences,
or % differences.
Any worksheet that contains multi-scenario data is for display only, because it cannot be used to edit,
delete, or insert data.
If conditional formatting is applied to a multi-scenario column, the same formatting is applied to both
the baseline scenario and the comparison scenarios.

If you create a multi-scenario column that is calculated using the final results of other columns, you can
display the value for only one scenario. For more information, see "Create a column based on the result
of other columns" on page 363.
If you want to add multi-scenario columns to a composite worksheet, each component must contain
only single-scenario columns. For more information about composite worksheets, see "Creating
composite worksheets" on page 467 and "Specify multi-scenario columns in a composite worksheet" on
page 491.
▶Add a multi-scenario column
1. In the New Worksheet, Worksheet Properties, New Composite Worksheet, or Composite

Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Columns tab.
2. Do one of the following to add a column:
l In a table-based worksheet, click Add field, and in the Add Fields dialog box, select a field
and then click Add.
l In a composite worksheet, click Add, and in the Add Columns and Fields dialog box, select a
field or column and then click Add.
l Click New Column and in the Expression Box type a valid column expression.
3. Click the Data Options tab.
4. In the Scenario comparison area, select the Multi-scenario check box.
5. In the Show area, click one of the following:
l Actual value—for each record, the actual data value in the baseline scenario and the
comparison scenario scenarios is shown.
l Difference—for each record, the difference between the data value in the baseline scenario
and the corresponding value in the comparison scenario is shown (for example, +5). This
option is available only for columns that contain quantity or integer values.
l % Difference—for each record, the percentage difference between the data value in the
baseline scenario and the corresponding value in the comparison scenario is shown (for
example, +2%). This option is available only for columns that contain quantity or integer
values.
NOTE: In some cases, you might want a multi-scenario column to show only those records where
the difference between the baseline scenario and the comparison scenario is beyond a certain
level. This can be accomplished using a worksheet search as discussed in "Add a worksheet
search" on page 288.
NOTE: If you bring a multi-scenario column into a composite worksheet from a component
worksheet, the composite worksheet contains the same multi-scenario column. You can modify
the multi-scenario settings in the composite worksheet if you want the multi-scenario data
displayed differently. For more information, see "Specify multi-scenario columns in a composite
NOTE: Multi-scenario columns can also be added to crosstab worksheets. For more information,
see "Create a multi-scenario crosstab worksheet" on page 403.

Specify options for multi-scenario worksheets
You can specify which records display in a worksheet with multi-scenario columns, only records that
display a difference between scenarios or all of the records.
Multi-scenario columns can also be set to display only the values from a single scenario, such as when
you want to use one scenario as a baseline to compare to other scenarios. For more information about
displaying results from only one column, see "Create a column based on multi-scenario column results"
on page 365 or "Specify multi-scenario columns in a composite worksheet" on page 491.
▶Determine the records shown in a scenario compare worksheet

Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Filtering tab.
l All records—the worksheet shows all records that meet the worksheet filter condition.
l Only records with different comparison values—the worksheet shows only those records
that meet the worksheet filter condition, and where the value in at least one multi-scenario
column differs between the two scenarios being compared.
NOTE: For an introduction to creating multi-scenario columns in worksheets, see "Creating multi-
scenario worksheets" on page 265.
Specify comparison options in a workbook

Depending on the options specified in the workbook, the worksheet might display multiple scenarios
specified by the workbook user or two different scenarios where values in the user’s specified scenario
are compared to values in a scenario specified by the workbook author.
For example, in the illustration below, a worksheet that displays late customer orders, the multi-scenario
columns showing Quantity and Days Late values have been set to use the author's specified scenario as
the baseline and the user's selected scenario as the comparison.

Specify comparison options in a workbook
For workbooks that allow users to add multiple comparison scenarios, the first scenario added is the
baseline scenario, and all values in the other scenarios are compared to it. For example, the following
workbook compares the quantities and on time quantities of orders between scenarios. The Yesterday
scenario is the baseline, and the Demand Increase and Demand Decrease scenarios are compared to
Yesterday to determine how the data in those scenarios has changed since the previous day.
2. In the Scenario comparison area, select the comparison scenario by clicking one of the following:
l Allow user to select scenarios—the users can add as many scenarios as they want to
compare.
l Compare user's selected scenario to—the user's selected scenario is compared to one other
scenario, which you specify.
3. If you clicked Allow user to select scenarios in step 2 and want to fix the number of scenarios
allowed in the worksheet, do the following:
l Select the Fix the number of scenarios to check box.
l In the box, type or select the number of scenarios to use in the workbook.
4. If you clicked Compare user's selected scenario to in step 2, select the comparison scenario by
clicking one of the following:
l Parent scenario—the user’s selected scenario is always compared against its parent.

If you are creating a group responsibility workbook, you must select this option.
l Scenario—the user’s selected scenario is always compared against the scenario you select
from the list on the right. If you select this option, ensure that the comparison scenario is
shared with all users who will have access to this workbook. Users cannot open workbooks
that use a comparison scenario they do not have access to or that has been deleted.
5. If you clicked Compare user's selected scenario to in step 2, specify the baseline scenario by
doing one of the following:
l To make the user's selected scenario the baseline scenario, select the Baseline is user's
l To make the scenario you selected in step 3 the baseline scenario, clear the Baseline is user's
NOTE: If a numeric value in a single-scenario column changes between scenarios, the sum of the
values displays in the column.
NOTE: If conditional formatting is applied to a multi-scenario column, the same formatting is

applied to both the baseline scenario and the comparison scenario.
NOTE: For filter or column expressions, #0 is used to represent the baseline scenario and #1 is
used to represent the comparison scenario. For more information, see "Create a column based on
multi-scenario column results" on page 365.
Creating hidden worksheets

By default, new worksheets are always visible. You can modify new or existing worksheets to be always
hidden or conditionally hidden. When you conditionally hide a worksheet, you can make it hidden or
shown based on a condition, hide it until it is drilled to from another resource; or specify it as
conditionally hidden when it is a display worksheet in a controller worksheet.
When you specify a worksheet as hidden, it is recommended that you lock the workbook layout. For
more information, see "Specify workbook display options" on page 222.
Controller worksheets also display worksheets based on a condition, however, only one worksheet at a
time displays in the workbook. For more information, see "Creating controller worksheets" on page 551.

NOTE: Metric worksheets can only display worksheets that are always hidden.
Worksheet icons
In Design Mode, all worksheets display to authors, including worksheets specified as hidden. Icons
identify how the worksheet is hidden. You can also view the hidden icons on the worksheet tabs in the
workbook when in Design Mode.
—Always hidden worksheet. This worksheet does not display to users. For more information, see
"Always hidden worksheets" on page 273.
—Conditionally hidden worksheet. This worksheet only displays to users under defined conditions,
when drilled to, or when functioning as a display worksheet. For more information, see "Conditionally
In the Workbook Properties dialog box, hover over the icon to display a tooltip with information about
the table, ID, and how the worksheet is hidden: always or sometimes (conditionally).

NOTE: When viewing worksheets in the Worksheets tab of the Workbook Properties, selecting
Show Hidden includes all worksheets that are always hidden in the worksheet list.
NOTE: Controller worksheets cannot display worksheets that are always hidden.
NOTE: Only worksheets that are always visible or conditionally hidden can be imported or
exported with a workbook.
NOTE: You cannot specify reference worksheets to be always hidden. For more information, see
"Defining properties for reference worksheets" on page 548.
TIP: It is recommended that reference worksheets from optional workbook dependencies should
be set to hidden unless drilled to.
Always hidden worksheets

You can specify that a worksheet remain always hidden from users. For example, a source worksheet of
a workbook command that inserts records in a table should always be hidden from users. You can also
show always hidden or conditionally hidden worksheets by clearing the Hide worksheet check box.
▶Always hide a worksheet
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box for the specific worksheet type, click
the General tab.
2. Select Hide worksheet.
CAUTION: You cannot specify every worksheet in a workbook as always hidden. At least one
worksheet must be visible to display data for users.

TIP: You can also specify a worksheet as always hidden by clicking Hide in the Worksheets tab of
the Workbook Properties dialog box. For a worksheet that is the target of a drill link or is a display
worksheet in a controller worksheet, clicking Hide conditionally hides the worksheet. For more
information, see "Conditionally hidden worksheets" on page 274.
▶Show a hidden worksheet

You can make any type of hidden worksheet visible by clearing the Hide worksheet check box.
the General tab.
2. Clear the Hide worksheet check box.
TIP: You can also show hidden worksheets by clicking Show in the Worksheets tab of the
Workbook Properties dialog box.
Conditionally hidden worksheets

When you create a conditionally hidden worksheet, any changes a user makes to the data settings or
workbook controls might make the worksheet hidden or shown. Accordingly, using conditionally
hidden worksheets in widgets is not recommended because users might not be able to see the widget
data.
You can specify three types of conditionally hidden states for worksheets:
l Hide or show the worksheet based on a specified condition.

l Hide the worksheet until a user drills to it from another resource.
l For display worksheets, specify the worksheet as conditionally hidden.
If a workbook has no visible worksheets, because worksheets are conditionally hidden, the workbook
will not open until a condition is met. It is important to ensure that if the worksheet uses values that
users cannot change, that users are still able to see the worksheet and open the workbook.
For display worksheets and worksheets that are a drill target, when you hide the worksheet, the Show
worksheet only on drill to details option is automatically selected.
NOTE: In Design Mode, conditionally hidden worksheets are always visible in the Worksheets tab
of the Workbook Properties, even when Show Hidden is cleared.
NOTE: In the Worksheets tab of the Workbook Properties dialog box, clicking Hide on a
conditionally hidden worksheet opens the worksheet's properties where you can view the details
about how it is hidden.
NOTE: Specific to display worksheets in a controller worksheet, the Show worksheet only on
drill to details option is selected but grayed out.

Hiding or showing a worksheet based on a condition
You can create worksheets that remain hidden or shown based on a specified RapidResponse query
expression. For example, you can create hidden worksheets that only display to members of a specified
group, such as Planners. Users only see the worksheets relevant to their role.
Or you can created a hidden worksheet that is hidden only from members of an external group. Such as
when you want those users only view worksheets they have permission for in a general-use workbook.
▶Hide or show a worksheet based on a condition
the General tab.
2. Select the Hide worksheet check box.
3. Select Conditional.
l To hide the worksheet only when a specified condition is met, select Only hide when, and
then type the query expression that defines the condition that must be met to hide the
worksheet.
l To show the worksheet only when a specified condition is met, select Only show when, and
then type the query expression that defines the condition that must be met to show the
worksheet.

5. Optionally, click Expression Builder to help in constructing the query expressions.
6. Optionally, click Validate Worksheet to ensure the expression is valid.
NOTE: Variables on the workbook toolbar that are used in conditionally hidden worksheets are
always visible, even for worksheets that do not use that variable.
NOTE: Fields, worksheet IDs, and column IDs are not available in Expression Builder to build query
expressions for hiding worksheets.
Hiding a worksheet except when drilled to

You can specify that a worksheet remain hidden until a user drills to it from another resource. The
hidden worksheet only displays data when the context exists and when the user wants to view that level
of detail.
For the worksheet to display, it must be the target of a drill link and be specified as shown when drilled
to. You can create drill links to worksheets that are conditionally hidden. The Drilled to label identifies
the worksheet as a drill link and is automatically updated when a drill link is added or removed from the
worksheet. Only links within the same workbook are identified by the Drilled to label.
It is recommended that you hide the worksheet before setting up the drill link to it. So when you are
creating the target link, the conditionally hidden worksheet displays in the worksheet list. For more
information about drill links, see "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
▶Hide a worksheet except when drilled to
the General tab.
3. Select Show worksheet only on drill to details.
4. Set up the drill link in the source worksheet. For more information, see "Setting up drill links" on
page 666.
TIP: For a hidden worksheet that displays only when drilled to, clicking Hide in the Worksheet tab
of the Workbook Properties dialog box opens the worksheet's properties where you can view the
worksheet details and then decide whether to specify the worksheet as always hidden.
NOTE: If you hide a worksheet that is the target of a drill link, you are prompted to lock the
workbook layout. For more information, see "Create details worksheets" on page 680.
NOTE: The Drilled to label does not affect the Show worksheet only on drill to details check
box.
▶Specifying controller display worksheets as conditionally hidden

Display worksheets in controller worksheets should be specified as conditionally hidden worksheets. In
the controller worksheet, a condition is applied so the display worksheet is only seen by users only
when the appropriate condition is met. For more information about controller worksheets, see
"Creating controller worksheets" on page 551.

▶Specify a controller display worksheet as conditionally hidden
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box for the table-based or composite
worksheet, click the General tab.
3. Select Show worksheet only on drill to details.
Specifying worksheet options

When creating a worksheet, you can control different settings such as how the worksheet displays, its
default print settings, or which columns can be edited by users.
Worksheet settings only authors specify

You can enable or disable some worksheet settings to control users interact with the worksheet.
l Arrangement of worksheet tabs
Users can change the order of worksheets in the workbook to better suit their use of the workbook.
You can lock the workbook layout to prevent users from rearranging the worksheet tabs. When
worksheets in the workbook have drill links to hidden worksheets, making sure the worksheet tab
order stays fixed can help ensure that when drilling, the data flow and context remains clear for users.
For more information, see "Lock workbook layout" on page 223.
l Bucket settings
Users can change the date bucket settings in crosstab worksheets to explore and change their view of
the data. You can lock bucket settings for crosstab worksheets. For example, if users change the bucket
settings in the component worksheet for a composite worksheet, the composite worksheet might not
display data as expected. For more information, see "Lock bucket settings" on page 412.
l Chart appearance
Users can customize the appearance of a chart. For example, they can change colors, include or exclude
data series or indicators, or change date buckets. You can prevent users from changing the chart
appearance to keep the display focused on the default view you have provided. For more information,
see "Allow users to modify charts" on page 594.
l Column searches
Users can search in a column to focus on a certain set of records. You can prevent users from searching
in a column as one way to limit how they reorganize information in the worksheet. For more
information, see "Allow searching" on page 279.
l Column sorting
Users can sort the data in a worksheet to view the data in different ways. For example, they might sort a
quantity column to display records with the greatest quantity first. You can turn off sorting in a
worksheet if the sort order is important in understanding the data in the worksheet. For more
information, see "Allow sorting" on page 279.
l Hide/show columns

Users can hide or show columns based on what information they need to see at any given time. You can
turn off hiding for all columns if all the columns should be viewed to understand the data, or to ensure
that reports generated from the worksheet are more consistent. You might also want some columns to
remain hidden, such as columns used for intermediate steps in a calculation. For more information, see
"Allow hiding columns" on page 279.
l Default view
Users can switch between table and form view of data, or show a worksheet chart by changing the
worksheet view. You can keep users on a fixed default view of the worksheet if you want to
communicate the data in a specific format. For example, you might want the worksheet data to always
display as a grid instead of a form because data trends don't display as well in the form. For more
information, see "Default view" on page 281.
Worksheet settings always available to users

There are some settings that are always available to users. Users can reorder columns, change columns
widths, freeze columns, and zoom in to data. Any changes a user makes to a worksheet can be reset to
the original worksheet layout and settings.
l Column order
For some types of worksheets, such as crosstab worksheets, columns cannot be reordered. However for
other types, such as table-based or composite worksheets, users can reorder columns for comparative
purposes. For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
l Column width
Users can resize the column to maximize how many columns display on their screen or to make column
data easier to view. For more information, see "Format column appearance" on page 297.
l Freeze/Unfreeze columns
Users can freeze columns so those columns remain visible as they scroll through the worksheet. When
you create the worksheet, you can specify frozen columns in the worksheet so it opens with those
settings. For more information, see "Freeze columns in a worksheet" on page 375.
l Zoom level
Users can zoom closer and farther from data in worksheet grids and in some worksheet charts to better
explore the data. For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
NOTE: Some legacy workbooks might include columns formatted as check boxes or hyperlinks. In
these workbooks, formatting options for check boxes or hyperlinks are shown on the Data
Options tab.
Customizing a worksheet
For each worksheet you create, you can specify how it is displayed and the functions users can perform
to customize their personal view of the data. For example, you can determine if the worksheet displays
gridlines, if users can sort or search for data, and so on. The options you can specify are described in the
following table.

Option Description
Allow Specifies whether users can search for specific data in the worksheet. If searching is not allowed, the
searching worksheet does not have a search row. You should turn off searching in worksheets that are
configured to show only a small number of records. An example of a worksheet with and without
searching is shown in the following illustration.
Allow Specifies whether users can sort the data in the worksheet. You should turn off sorting if the
sorting worksheet's sort order is important to understanding the data, or if the worksheet is grouped. An
example of a worksheet that does not allow sorting is shown in the following illustration.
Allow Specifies whether users can hide columns in the worksheet. You can turn off hiding if you want
hiding reports generated using the worksheet to be more consistent, or if viewing every column is essential
columns to the worksheet's function. An example of a worksheet that does not allow hiding columns is shown
in the following illustration.

Option Description
Show Specifies whether grid lines are displayed in the worksheet. A worksheet with no grid lines appears
gridlines with a plain background. An example of a worksheet with and without grid lines is shown in the
following illustration.
Hide row Specifies whether the row numbers are displayed on the left side of the worksheet. You can hide the
numbers row numbers if you need extra space for data, or if the numbers do not apply to the data in the
worksheet. An example of a worksheet with no row numbers is shown in the following illustration.
Include This check box is available only when the Hide row numbers check box is selected. It displays the
row header row cells without the row numbers. You might want to display the header row cells if you
header want users to be able to delete records. An example of a worksheet with no row numbers but with the
cells row header cells displayed is shown in the following illustration.
Highlight Specifies whether the column header and row number (if visible) of the selected cell are displayed
selection with a different color. You can choose to not highlight the column headers if the worksheet is
column intended as a summary of data and users are not expected to click in cells. An example of a worksheet
header with no column header highlighting is shown in the following illustration.

Option Description
Default Specifies whether the worksheet initially displays in Table view or Form view, or if the worksheet data
view displays as a chart. If you choose to display only the chart, users cannot view the worksheet data.
Lock You can prevent users from changing the default view you specify. You might do this if you are
view creating a worksheet intended for viewing only a single record at a time or if you want users to always
see a chart view of the data. An example of a worksheet that cannot have its view changed is shown
For more information about Table and Form views, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
You can combine the options described above to create a worksheet that looks and performs the way
you want. For more information, see "Specify worksheet display options" on page 281.
Specify worksheet display options

You can use worksheet display options to limit options for reorganizing data in the worksheet, to
change the appearance of the worksheet cells, and to adjust the appearance of column and row
headers. You can also make decisions about the default worksheet view, such as whether to display the
worksheet data grid, a chart, or both.
Limiting users' ability to reorganize information in worksheets

You can limit the ways that users can reorganize information in a worksheet in a few ways. These include
applying column searches, changing the sort order of the columns, and hiding visible columns. If you do
not allow column searches, the search row is not shown in the worksheet, as shown in the following
image, and the search option is not available on the RapidResponse toolbar or the Data menu when
that worksheet is selected.

Changing the appearance of worksheet cells
You can select display options to change the appearance of the worksheet cells. You can specify
whether to show the gridlines that separate the cells in the worksheet, and whether to color alternate
rows with light blue shading. Coloring alternate rows is also known as zebra-striping. If your worksheet
includes conditional formatting, you might choose not to color alternate rows to reduce visual clutter
and potential for confusion. Some crosstab worksheets might also look better without alternate rows
shaded.
Changing the appearance of column and row headers

You can select display options to change the display settings for column and row headers. You can
specify whether to highlight the column and row headers for the columns and rows included in the
user's current cell selection, as shown in the following image.

You can also specify whether to display row numbers. You might hide row numbers if you need extra
space for data, or if the numbers do not apply to the data in the worksheet. If you hide the row
numbers, you have the option to include empty row header cells, which allow users to select the entire
rows—something users must be able to do to delete records from a worksheet.
Selecting the default worksheet view

You select whether the default view of the worksheet includes just the worksheet data grid, just a chart,
or both. To display a chart, you must define a chart. For more information about defining charts, see the
chapter, "Adding charts to reports" on page 581.
If the default view includes a worksheet, select whether it is displayed in table view or form view. In table
view, a worksheet is laid out like a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, and users can view many records at
once. Table view is used most often, and makes it easier to skim records and view data trends. In form
view, users view one record at a time. Form view can help users to focus on single records without
getting distracted by the other records or accidentally reading information from the wrong row or
column. Some of the display options, such as Show gridlines, do not apply to the form view of the
worksheet.

If you want users to only be able to see the worksheet using the default view, you can lock the
worksheet view.
▶Specify worksheet display options
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
2. For some worksheet types, click the Settings sub-tab to display the worksheet options.
3. Select or clear the following check boxes to specify the options you want.
l Allow searching— Allow users to apply column searches in this worksheet.
l Allow sorting— Allow users to change the sort order of the columns using the Sort
Ascending and Sort Descending buttons on the RapidResponse toolbar.
l Allow hiding columns—Allow users to hide worksheet columns, unless you have specified
otherwise in a column's formatting options.
l Show gridlines—Show the gridlines that separate rows and columns in the worksheet.
l Color alternate rows—Shade alternate rows in the worksheet (also known as zebra-striping).
l Hide row numbers—Do not display the row numbers at the left of the worksheet grid.
l Include row header cells—If you have selected to hide row numbers, you can select this
option to include an empty row header cell for each row, which allows users to select the
entire row.
l Highlight selection column header—Highlight the column and row headers for the columns
and rows included in the user's current cell selection.
4. In the Default view area, do one of the following if you want to display either the worksheet or
the chart:
l Select the Worksheet check box and then click Table or Form
l Select the Chart check box.
5. If you want to display the worksheet and the chart, select the Worksheet check box and the
Chart check box.
6. To prevent users from changing the default view, select the Lock view check box.
NOTE: If you select only the Chart check box or you select the Lock view check box, the Chart

button is not displayed on the workbook toolbar, and users cannot choose to hide or view the
chart.
Specify default print settings

You can specify print settings for each worksheet you create. When the worksheet is printed, the print
settings you specify are used, unless the user has overridden the print settings.
For more information about available print settings, see the RapidResponse User Guide.

Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
2. Click Print Setup.
3. In the Print Setup dialog box, specify the page layout, paper size, amount of information per
page, headers and footers, font options, and so on you want.
4. Click OK.
Add columns based on a hierarchy

In workbooks that include a hierarchy panel, you can include columns based on the user's selection in
the hierarchy. These columns are always added to the left of the columns you define in the worksheet.
You can specify how the hierarchy selections are added as columns.
Hierarchy columns are named using the hierarchy name as a spanning header and the name of the
selected level as the column header. For more information about spanning headers and naming
hierarchy levels, see "Define column headers" on page 299 and "Create a hierarchy" on page 204.
You can choose to add columns in the following ways:
l Each level in the hierarchy—A column is inserted for every level in the hierarchy. If this option is
used, the hierarchy columns do not change if the user selects a different value in the hierarchy. For
example, the following illustration shows all hierarchy levels as columns.
l Each level to the level of the user's selection—A column is inserted for the user's selected level and
every level above it. For example, the following illustration shows only the levels up to and
including the selection as columns.

l Each level to the level below the user's selection—A column is inserted for the level below the
user's selection and every level above it. For example, the following illustration shows the levels up
to and including the level under the selection as columns.
l Only the level of the user's selection—A single column is inserted for only the level the user has
selected. For example, the following illustration shows only the selected level as a column.
l Only the level below the user's selection—A single column is inserted for only the level below the
user's selection. For example, the following illustration shows only the level under the selection as
a column.

You can define hierarchy columns in table-based, composite, and transformation worksheets. However,
for composite and transformation worksheets the following conditions must be met for the worksheet
to display the hierarchy columns.
Worksheet Criteria
type
Composite l Hierarchy columns must be created on the component worksheets.
l All component worksheets require hierarchy columns.
l Component worksheets must use compatible hierarchy column settings, which all display the
same last (rightmost) hierarchy column.
All component worksheets must display either the user's selected column as the last hierarchy
column, or the level under the user's selected column as the last hierarchy column.
Transformation l Hierarchy columns must be created on the input worksheets.

l All input worksheets require hierarchy columns.
You can specify which levels of the hierarchy display as columns and the formatting of the hierarchy
columns in the composite or transformation worksheet. These settings override the settings specified in
the component or input worksheets.
If the worksheet is grouped, the hierarchy columns act as grouping columns. For more information, see
"Group column data" on page 382.
Information about the hierarchy columns is not automatically included in the worksheet's help. To
provide information about the columns, you should include an explanation of the hierarchy columns
and how they are used in the worksheet help. For more information, see "Add worksheet help" on page
335.
If you define summarization functions, such as a running sum, on columns in the worksheet, you can
choose to reset the summarization when the values in the hierarchy columns change. Only the right-
most hierarchy column is used for resetting the summarization, so if you want to show summarizations
for multiple hierarchy values, you should ensure a column is added for the level below the user's
selected level. For more information, see "Apply a summarization function to a column" on page 384.
▶Add hierarchy columns
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Columns tab.
2. Select the Include hierarchy columns check box.
3. Click Settings.

4. In the Hierarchy Column Settings dialog box, click one of the following:
l Each level in the hierarchy—A column is inserted for every level in the hierarchy.
l Each level to the level of the user's selection—A column is inserted for the user's selected
level and every level above it.
l Each level to the level below the user's selection—A column is inserted for the level below
the user's selection and every level above it.
l Only the level of the user's selection—A single column is inserted for only the level the user
has selected.
l Only the level below the user's selection—A single column is inserted for only the level
below the user's selection.
5. If required, format the column data. For more information, see "Formatting worksheet and
The formatting you specify is applied to all hierarchy columns. The width you specify for the
columns is used for all worksheets the hierarchy adds columns to, so you should set it to be wide
enough to display the values. When workbook users change their hierarchy selections, the
default size for the hierarchy column is applied.
You can define conditional formatting for the hierarchy columns, however, the same conditions
are used for every hierarchy column. For more information, see "Applying conditional formatting
to worksheets" on page 317.
NOTE: Users can select only a single value in hierarchies that add columns to any worksheet in the
workbook.
NOTE: Users cannot change worksheet sorting in worksheets that contain hierarchy columns.
When you add hierarchy columns, the Allow sorting check box on the General tab is cleared. For
more information, see "Specify worksheet display options" on page 281.
NOTE: To display hierarchy columns in a treemap worksheet as category or subcategory

rectangles, the Hierarchy Column Settings must be Each level in the hierarchy.
Add a worksheet search

A worksheet search can be used to specify a condition that data in a given column must meet in order
to be shown in the worksheet. Typically, it is used by users to focus in on a particular problem or filter
down to a more manageable data set than is provided by the worksheet filter. You can also save a
search condition on a worksheet you are creating.
For example, if your worksheet contains a multi-scenario column showing differences between
scenarios, a worksheet search is the only way to filter those difference values. The following illustration
shows an example of a multi-scenario column showing differences in the quantity between scenarios,
with a search added so that only parts with quantities greater than 500 units in the comparison
scenario are shown. For more information about multi-scenario columns, see "Add multi-scenario

If the column you add a search for is a money column, depending on the currency used, the value you
specify might not produce results for all users. For example, if the column displays the user's preferred
currency and you are searching for greater than a specific value, the value you enter is not converted
and might be less than any value in the column.

2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the column you want to add a search to.
4. In the Always open with search area, do one or both of the following:
l In the Baseline scenario search box, type the search condition you want to apply to either
the baseline scenario in a multi-scenario column or the user's selected scenario in a single-
scenario column. You can also click the down arrow at the right of the box for assistance in
selecting operators and building your search.
l In the Comparison scenario search box, type the search condition you want to apply to the
comparison scenario in a multi-scenario column. You can also click the down arrow at the
right of either box for assistance in selecting operators and building your search. This option
is available only for multi-scenario columns.
If the worksheet contains multiple comparison scenarios, the search you specify is applied to
every comparison scenario.
NOTE: For more information about searching and search syntax, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
TIP: You can also save search conditions on a worksheet by typing them directly in a column’s
Search cell while in Design Mode.
Specify if a column can be edited

Data in columns in a RapidResponse worksheet are by default either view-only or editable. You can
override the default to make data in any editable column view-only. For example, if you create a
worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table, a Quantity column is editable by default. If you do
not want your worksheet to be used for changing quantities, you can make that column view-only. If
you later want to allow worksheet users to change quantities, you can make that column editable again.

You can also specify a column to be conditionally editable, so that its data is editable only when a
condition is met. The conditions are controlled by workbook or profile variables that resolve to either 'Y'
or 'N'. If the variable resolves to 'Y', the data can be edited. For example, you can define that the data in a
Quantity field be editable only when there is a single hierarchy active by using the
$SelectedHierarchyActive variable. If only one hierarchy is active, the data is editable, otherwise, it is
read-only.
You can also create variables to control editability based on the criteria you want. For example, you can
create a variable to return 'N' if a specific user is using the worksheet. The column will be view-only for
that user, and editable for all other users. For more information about creating variables, see "Creating
profile variables" on page 1296.

2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, select a column.
4. Select the Override default data editing permission check box.
l To make an editable column view-only, click View only.
l To make a column conditionally editable, click Conditionally editable based on variable, and
then type the variable name that controls whether the column is editable in the box. Do not
include the '$' character in the variable name.
For example, in the following image, the New Worksheet dialog box is shown. When this
worksheet is complete, a user will only be able to edit data in the Buyer Code column if the
profile variable ConditionalEdit with a value of Y applies to the user.
NOTE: If the data in a column is view-only by default, you cannot make it editable. If you make a
view-only column conditionally editable, it appears editable in the worksheet. However, if a user
changes the value in a cell and then saves their changes, the cell reverts to its previous value.

NOTE: For more information about variables, see "Profile variables" on page 1296 and "System
Formatting worksheet and column data

By default, users can set their own number, date, time, and currency formats that are used to display
data in all worksheets. If it is important that all users have the same view of the data in a particular
worksheet, you can set options that determine how number, date, time, and money data types display
in the worksheet and override the user’s setting. For example, if you specify a currency to be used in a
currency column, the column displays that currency for all users, regardless of their settings.
When creating a worksheet, you can specify unique formats on a column-by-column basis. For example,
you could specify the format to be used for a given date column or set a column to display a check box in
the header. The formats you can apply to a column depend on the type of data in the column.For
information about formats available for specific data types see "Format Quantity columns" on page 291,
"Format Date columns" on page 293, "Format String columns" on page 294. For information about
formatting options available for all columns, see "Format column appearance" on page 297.
If you have set formatting options and you decide that you want the users to see their own formats in
columns, you can reset the formatting on a column.
▶Determine a column's data type
2. Click the Formatting tab.
The column's data type is displayed in the Data type box.
▶Reset to default formats for a column
3. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select a column.
4. Click Reset Formatting.
The worksheet column now uses the default formats of each user who accesses it.
Format Quantity columns

For Quantity columns, you can choose whether the column is formatted as a number or a money value.
You might want to format a Quantity value as a money value to display a calculated result in a currency,
such as displaying the money value of a calculated margin. You can also format a Money value as a
number. For more information, see "Convert quantity values to money" on page 311.
▶Set data formats for numbers

4. If you want to format the column data as a percentage, select the Display as percentage check
box. The percentage is calculated by multiplying the value by 100. For example, a value of 0.45
displays as 45 in the worksheet.
5. To display scaled numbers, select the Scaling check box and then select how to scale the
numbers. For example, if the data value is 2,000, and scaling is set to thousands, the data value
displays as 2 in the worksheet. It is recommended that you indicate that the values in the column
are scaled either in the workbook help, in the column header, or in the axis label. For more
information, see "Define column headers" on page 299.
6. In the Format as list, click Number.
7. In the Format list, click the format you want to apply.
For information about the selected format, click the button.
8. In the Decimal places list, select the number of decimal places to display.
▶Add a currency symbol to numeric column data
3. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select a numeric column.
4. In the Format as list, click Currency.
5. In the Symbol box, type or select the currency symbol to display on the column data.
6. In the Format list, select a currency format.
7. In the Decimal places list, select the number of decimal places to display.
CAUTION: Changing the currency format associated with a column does not change or convert
the data in that column.
NOTE: For information about creating and formatting money columns, see "Format money
▶Display the positive symbol on positive numbers
3. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select a numeric column.
4. Select the Always display + symbol for positive numbers check box.
▶Display all zero quantity values as blank cells
4. Select the Hide zero values check box.

Format Date columns
You can specify the format for dates in a worksheet column so that dates are always displayed the same
way, regardless of user settings.
▶Set data formats for dates and times
4. Depending on the column’s data type, make a selection from the following lists:
l Date format—sets the format used for date values and the date portion of datetime values.
l Time format—sets the format used for time values and the time portion of datetime values.
Format Boolean columns

Boolean columns in worksheets can be formatted to display as Y or N values, or as a check box. You can
create Boolean columns that users can scan to see value, and modify values by selecting or clearing a
check box. In addition, you can also can include a check or clear all check box in the column header
allowing users to easily toggle between the checked and unchecked states for all rows in a column.
▶Display a check box for a Boolean column
3. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select a Boolean column.
4. Select the Format as check box check box.
NOTE: This formatting is available only for Boolean fields or expressions that return a 'Y' (Yes) or
'N' (No) value. Columns based on a Boolean variable cannot be formatted as check boxes. For
more information, see "Create a Boolean variable" on page 1273.
NOTE: When you select this check box, the Font style and Text color options are not available.
▶Include a Boolean column check box in the column header

To enable this option, the Format as check box option must be selected for a Boolean column in the
worksheet.
2. Click the Formatting sub-tab.
3. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the Boolean column that has Format as check box
enabled.
4. Select Include check box in header.
5. Click OK twice.

NOTE: Include check box in header cannot be enabled on columns based on a Boolean variable.
For more information, see "Create a Boolean variable" on page 1273.
NOTE: If the column cannot be edited, the Boolean check box in the header is unavailable.
Format String columns

In a String column, you can optionally display data as small images instead of text, or as RapidResponse
user names. You cannot, however, select both options at once.
Display as image
You can better convey trends or draw attention to critical information by adding images to worksheet
columns. For example, you might want to add images that visually indicate order status—green for on
time orders, yellow for orders late by a few days, and red for orders late by two weeks or more.

To add images that change according to the value displayed in a column, you must include a column
expression that defines String values that can be mapped to images. The following procedure describes
how to include images that indicate order status.
▶Format a column to display images

2. Click New Column, and then in the Header box type the name of the column.
3. In the Expression box, type the expression that defines the values you want to map to images.
For example, to show red for orders late by two weeks, yellow for orders late by a few days, and
green for on-time orders, type the following:
IF (DaysLate > 14, 'Very Late', (IF (DaysLate > 0, 'Late', 'OK')))
5. In the String area, select the Display as image check box, and then click Images.
6. In the Images dialog box, click Add.
7. In the Data Value column, type the data value that you want to represent as an image.
8. Click in the Image column to display the list of images, and then click an image. Only images from
the RapidResponse image library, and only those that have a maximum height of 16 pixels are
available in the list of images. For more information, see "Manage images using the image library"
on page 169.
9. Optionally, in the Tooltip column type text of the tool tip displayed when a user pauses the
pointer on the image.
10. Repeat steps 6-9 for each data value you want to map. In the case of mapping order status, your

list might look as shown in the following illustration.
NOTE: Images over 16 pixels high cannot be used in worksheet columns.
NOTE: If a data value does not have an image defined for it, that data value appears in the image
column. To prevent this, ensure every data value defined in your expression has an image defined.
NOTE: You can add the following file types for images: BMP, GIF, JPEG, JPG, and PNG.
Display as User Name

When a String column contains RapidResponse user IDs, you can format it to display those values as
user names, accompanied by buttons that can be clicked to open the contact card for each listed user.
You might use this format in a column that shows who is responsible for certain data, such as parts, to
help users quickly contact the right people to resolve issues.
When you format a column to display as user names, if the value in a cell matches the user ID of an
existing RapidResponse user, the user's name appears in the column with a button beside it. If a
name is not specified for the user, the user ID remains displayed in the cell.
When the button is clicked, a pop-up displays the profile picture and contact information for the user
whose name or ID appears in the cell. The pop-up also contains two buttons. The Compose button can
be used to send the user a message in RapidResponse Message Center. The Share Scenario button can
be used to share the current scenario with the user. The Share Scenario button appears only if the user
has permission to share scenarios.
If the value in the cell does not match the user ID of any existing RapidResponse user, the cell contents
are displayed as a plain text string and contact information is not provided. The following image shows a
column that is formatted to display as user names and a user's contact card.

▶Format a column to display user names
2. Click the Formatting sub-tab.
3. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select a String column.
4. Select the Display as user name check box.
NOTE: If a worksheet with a column that is formatted to display user names appears in form view,
or in a worksheet widget on the RapidResponse mobile client, valid user IDs still display as user
names, but buttons are not displayed.
NOTE: When a column search is applied to a column that is formatted to display user names, the
visible text in the column is searched, rather than the underlying user IDs.
See also "Formatting worksheet and column data" on page 291 and "Format column appearance" on
page 297.
Format column appearance

You can adjust column formatting for each column in the worksheet in several ways that are
independent of the type of data in the column. These include:
l Background color of the cells

l Text style and color
l Column width
l Text alignment
A column's default width is initially based on the column's data type. For example, a String column is
wider than a Quantity column. Column widths are represented by the number of standard-sized
characters the column can display, which might vary slightly depending on the type of data (for example,
upper or lower case characters, numerals, symbols, and so on). For example, a column 12 units wide can
display 12 standard-sized characters. The following table shows the default widths for each data type.

Data type Default column width
Boolean 8
Date 8
DateTime 18
Money 9
Note 25
Quantity 9
QuantitySingle 9
String 12
Time 8
You can also define formats that apply to the column only when a certain condition is met. For example,
you could change the background color to red if the value in a Days Late column is greater than zero.
Conditional formats can be applied to any column, and the formatting applied according to criteria you
specify. For more information, see "Applying conditional formatting to worksheets" on page 317.
▶Set column text and background
4. Select options from the following lists:
l Font style
l Text color
l Background
If you want to select a color not available from the Text color or Background list, click More
Colors, and then select the color you want.
▶Set column width
4. In the Width box, type a value between 1 and 255.
The units in the Width box represent the number of standard-sized characters the column can
display.
NOTE: To ensure the column headers can be read by users, you should make the columns in your
worksheets wide enough to display the entire column header.

TIP: You can also set column widths by dragging the boundary of a column’s header row while in
Design mode. When you resize a header in this manner, the column's size is displayed in a tooltip,
which allows you to set the column to the specific width you want, as shown in the following
illustration. For more information about Design Mode, see "Design mode for workbooks" on page
241.
▶Set alignment of cell data
4. In the Alignment list, click one of the following:
l General
l Left
l Center
l Right
Define column headers

When a field value is added as a column, the column is named the same as the field but with spaces
added where logical (for example, DueDate becomes Due Date). You can change the column name
(header) by typing a new one. If you have several related or similarly named columns next to each other,
you can add a second level or tier of columns spanning across multiple columns.
You can also specify column headers using variables. These headers change when the workbook user
selects a new value for the variable. If you specify variable column headers, you should describe each
possible header the column can have in the column help. For more information, see "Include column
help" on page 336. For example, if the header is defined using a variable with three possible values, you
should explain what the column contains when the variable is set to each value. For more information
about variables, see "Variables" on page 1261.
In multi-scenario worksheets, you can use variables to include scenario names in column headers. These
variables are specified using the $Scenario# syntax, where # is the number of the scenario you want
to include in the header. The baseline scenario is number 0 ($Scenario0), the first comparison scenario
is number 1 ($Scenario1), and so on. For more information, see "Add multi-scenario columns" on page
267.

▶Change column headers
2. Click the Data tab.
4. Type a new column name in the Header box.
▶Format multi-row column headers
1. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the first column you want to use as the spanning
column header.
2. In the Header box, add a pipe character (|) between the text you want to appear as the main
header and the text you want to appear as the sub-header.
3. For each subsequent column you want to inherit the main header, add double-quotes and a pipe
character (''|) before the sub-header text in the Header box.
NOTE: You can add more than two rows of column headings by adding additional pipe characters
(|).
NOTE: The | (pipe) character can only be used in a column header to span. It cannot be used as an
actual character. You cannot use an escape format with the pipe character.
Example of formatting spanning headers

An example of a worksheet showing multi-tiered (spanning) column headings is shown in the following
illustration.
To achieve this column header display, type text in the Header box as follows:
For the column name Type

Part Name Part|Name
Part Site "|Site
Due Date Due Date
Quantity Quantity
Crosstab worksheets can contain multi-tiered headings in rows. An example of these rows is shown in

To achieve this column header display, type text in the Header box as follows:
For the column name Type

Part Name Part|Name
Part Site "|Site

Due Date Due Date
Quantity Quantity
Order Type Order|Type
Order Site "|Site
Order Number "|Number

Order Line "|Line
For more information, see "Creating crosstab worksheets" on page 399.
▶Format a column header with a variable
4. In the Header box, type the name of the variable you want to use as the header, preceded by the
$ symbol.
For example, $VariableName.
Format worksheet appearance

You can customize the appearance of the worksheets you create by making any of the changes outlined
in the table below .
Change Description
Resize columns Column widths can be changed to better suit the data they display.
Reorder worksheets Worksheets can be dragged within a workbook to change the order in which
they appear.

Change Description
Display multiple worksheets Workbooks can be setup to show two or more worksheets simultaneously (one
simultaneously on top of another).
Resize the help pane The width of the workbook and worksheet help pane can be changed to show
more or less of the worksheet data.
NOTE: Before modifying the display of a worksheet in a shared workbook, enter Design mode.
This ensures your changes are saved as part of the workbook definition viewable to worksheet
users, instead of just your personal view. However, worksheet users can still change these settings
in their personal views of the worksheets you create.
NOTE: For more information on setting the display options discussed above, see the
Enable notes on a worksheet

You can enable some worksheet types to display notes attached to records. Notes allow for greater
collaboration between the users of a worksheet. For example, suppliers that have access to workbooks
might add a note providing status on an order or notes can be added to a sales order to keep a record
of customer communication and preferences.
There are two ways that notes for a record can be indicated on a worksheet:
l In a Notes column in a table-based worksheet.

l As a notes indicator on a cell in an editable crosstab worksheet or for some types of composite
worksheet.
Users can add new notes, and view and search existing notes in the Notes dialog box that opens when
they double-click a cell in the Notes column or select a cell with the notes indicator and then clicking
Add or view notes .

You can enable notes for the following worksheet types:
l Table-based
l Crosstab
l Composite
To enable notes on a worksheet, you must first add a Notes column to the worksheet. For crosstab and
composite worksheets, you can then select the notes indicator option in the Worksheet Properties
dialog box. There are five standard tables that contain a "Note" field that you can add to a worksheet to
create a Notes column:
l EngineeringChange
l ForecastParameter
l IndependentDemand
l MFG SupplyOrder
l ScheduledReceipt
l SupplyAllocation
l Task
To add a Notes column to a worksheet:

l The table that the worksheet is based on has to have at least one "Note" field and at least one key
field.
l The column cannot be multi-scenario.
l The column cannot be a grouped column.
l The crosstab worksheet must have at least one editable column.
l For table-based and composite worksheets, the Notes column should be unhidden.
l For crosstab worksheets, the Notes column must be hidden to enable the notes indicator
function.
Notes that are attached to records are stored in the hidden Notes column.
Certain additional conditions must also be met to display notes in a composite worksheet:
l Component worksheets have consistent bucketing.

l Component worksheets have no multi-scenario columns.
l Component worksheets are merged using the UNION option.
l All of the Group By columns specified in component worksheets are used in the composite
worksheet.
NOTE: Column notes cannot be enabled on a transformation worksheet.
NOTE: You can only access the EngineeringChange table if your company has enabled the
Engineering Change Manager module.
▶Add a Notes column to a worksheet
2. Click Add Fields.

3. Double-click the "Notes" field.
4. Click OK.
5. For a crosstab worksheet, select Hide on the Data sub-tab.
For a table-based worksheet, keep the column unhidden.
6. Click OK.
▶Enable notes indicator on a crosstab worksheet
2. If the Notes column is not hidden, select Hide column.
3. Then, select a column to enable notes for.
4. Click the Formatting sub-tab for that column.
5. Select the Display notes indicator check box.
6. Select the notes field in that table from the drop-down menu.
The drop-down menu is only available if the Display notes indicator check box is selected. If the
worksheet is based on a table that has more than one "Notes" field, you can select the field to
use from the drop-down menu.
NOTE: The Add or View Notes button is only enabled when the user clicks in a cell related to a
notes indicator column
NOTE: If a notes field no longer exists, the drop-down menu displays a red X icon .
Displaying money data in worksheets

You can create worksheets that display money data in columns. If your RapidResponse system supports
multiple currencies, for each money column, you can define the currency it displays and the currency
format applied to it. You can choose from any currency available to you, or you can allow workbook
users to see the money data in the currency of their choice.
Money values are stored in the RapidResponse database with an associated currency, and are
converted to the currency a workbook or worksheet column uses. For more information, see "Convert
currency values" on page 307. For more information about workbook currency, see "Specify the currency
for a workbook" on page 224.
You can use money values to do any of the following.
l Display financial information in each worksheet user's preferred currency.

l View total revenue for a period and compare to corporate targets.
l Create a report of purchase costs and compare them to order revenues.
l Compare the purchase costs of parts that could be built.
l View a cost roll-up of components from a site.
Money data can be represented as a database field with the Money data type, or by an expression that
evaluates to a Money value. Money fields in the RapidResponse data model typically include 'Price' or
'Cost' in their names, such as the UnitSellingPrice field on the IndependentDemand table or the
LaborCost field on the PartSource table. For more information, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data
Model Guide.

Format money columns
When you create money columns, you can specify the currency format applied to the money values, or
display them in each user's preferred format. The currency format specifies where the currency symbol
displays, the thousand separators symbol, the decimal symbol, and positive and negative formats. It
does not include the number of decimals. Specifying a format overrides the user's preferred format, and
can be used to ensure the money values in the worksheet have a uniform appearance.
In addition, you can choose whether the column is formatted as a money value or a number. You might
want to format a Money column as a number to improve readability by not displaying the currency
symbol on every value. If you format a Money value as a number, the value is still converted to the
specified currency.
If your company has implemented a currency system using custom tables and perform currency
conversions using expressions or calculated fields, you can replace the selected currency's symbol. In
this case, all Money values are stored in one currency, and displayed with different symbols or
formatting depending on the column expression and formatting. Overriding the currency symbol on a
Money column does not convert the values in the column.
▶Specify the currency format to use in a column
2. Select a Money column.
4. In the Format as list, click Currency.
5. In the Format list, select the format to apply to the column.
6. In the Decimal places list, select the number of digits to display after the decimal point.
▶Format a money value as a number
4. In the Format as list, click Number.
5. In the Format list, select the format to apply to the column.
NOTE: If you format Money values as numbers, you might want to include the currency symbol in
the column header so worksheet users know the column contains money values and the currency
those values are displayed in.
NOTE: For more information about number formatting, see "Formatting worksheet and column
data" on page 291.

▶Override the currency symbol
4. Select the Override currency symbol check box.
5. In the list, select or type the symbol to display in the column.
Convert currency values

You can create columns that display values in any of the currencies defined in your RapidResponse
system. When a record's stored currency is different from the workbook's currency, values are converted
to the currency you specified. For example, you can create a report that displays financial data in a
common currency, and records in the table the worksheet is based on are converted to the currency you
specify.
All worksheet columns that use input Money fields are calculated in the workbook currency, which is
either the user's preferred currency or the currency specified for the workbook. For more information
about workbook currency, see "Specify the currency for a workbook" on page 224. For more information
about field types, see "Fields" on page 1124. Money values in each record are converted to the
workbook currency if required, and then the results are converted to the currency you specify for a
column, as shown in the following illustration.
For example, if records are inserted using Canadian dollars, those records are converted in a workbook
that uses euros, and then converted again in a worksheet column that uses yen, as shown in the
following illustrations.

Conversion dates
When currencies are converted in a worksheet column that uses an input Money field or an expression
that returns a Money value, the most recent conversion rate is used to convert values by default. You
can also specify the date to be used for the conversion. This allows you to convert values using the same
conversion rates as a historical or forecasted value, or using the same conversion rate as another value.
If you know the date you want to use for conversions, you can include the date in your column
expression. An example of converted currency values is shown in the following illustration.
Calculated Money fields have an associated conversion date, which is used to convert all calculated
Money fields in the table. You can use a calculated field's associated date to convert other values. For
example, if you are creating a report to compare the purchase cost of a part to the possible revenue for
an order, you can convert the revenue values using the calculated purchase cost's conversion date.

When you specify a date for a conversion, the conversion rate saved on or before the specified date is
used to convert the value. For example, if the rate is defined on the first of each month, specifying any
date in that month uses the rate from the first of the month, as shown in the following illustration.
You can specify the date to use for converting values as part of your column expression. This uses the
specified date to convert the record's currency to the workbook's currency. This conversion is done
using the CONVERTONDATE function. For more information, see "CONVERTONDATE" on page 1206.
If you change the workbook's currency, the values returned by calculated fields that are converted in
columns might not return the same values. Each calculated money field's associated conversion date
might be different for each currency. To ensure the columns based on calculated fields always return the
same converted values, you can use the CONVERTONDATE function to convert all values using the same
date.
You can add a column that returns the associated date from a calculated Money field, and then convert
the other values using the associated date. You can also return the associated conversion date for an
expression that returns a Money value. You might want to include these columns to verify the Money
values are being converted with the correct dates.
▶Specify a column's currency
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, click a Money column.
4. In the Currency area, do one of the following:
l To display the workbook's currency in the column, click Workbook setting.
l To display another currency, click Other currency, and then in the list, select the currency you
want to display.
TIP: To view information about the selected currency, click the button.
TIP: If you display a currency other than the workbook setting, you should include the currency in
the column header. For more information, see "Define column headers" on page 299.

▶Create a column to display the date used to convert a calculated Money field
2. Click New Column.
3. In the Header box, type a name for the column.
4. In the Expression box, type ASSOCIATEDDATE (field), where field is the calculated Money
field. For example:
TIP: You can also use the ASSOCIATEDDATE function to return the date used to convert a Money
column. In this case, you specify the column identifier instead of the calculated Money field name.
For example, ASSOCIATEDDATE (!Revenue) returns the date used to convert a column with
the identifier Revenue. For more information, see "ASSOCIATEDDATE" on page 1205.
▶Specify a conversion date in a column expression
3. In the Expression box, include the following function in the expression:
CONVERTONDATE(field, date)
where field is the database field you want to convert, and date is the date to use the
conversion rate from. You can specify a date, a date field, a date expression, or a calculated field's
associated date. For example:
For more information, see "CONVERTONDATE" on page 1206.
NOTE: If you specify an undefined date, such as a Past date for a conversion table that does not
include a rate for Past or the Undefined date constant, the earliest conversion rate is used.

Convert quantity values to money
You can create columns that calculate quantity values, and then display the result as a Money value. You
might do this if your column expression produces a quantity value and you want to display it as a Money
value, or if you want to create a Money constant value or compare a Quantity value to a Money value.
You cannot add Quantity and Money values or subtract one from the other, so to perform these
operations you must convert one of the values so both are the same data type. For example, if you want
to create a conditional expression that compares a part's cost to a constant value, you can convert the
constant to a Money value.
When you convert a Quantity value to a Money value, the specified value is converted to the workbook's
currency. You can specify the currency to convert the value from. However, if you do not specify a
currency, the value is converted from RapidResponse's default currency to the workbook's currency, and
then converted to the currency you have specified for the column, if necessary.
You can compare Money and Quantity values only if you are comparing the value to zero. Because a zero
value is zero regardless of which currency is used, you can always compare values to zero.
You can also convert a Money value to a Quantity value. For more information, see "NUMERICVALUE" on
page 1197.
▶Convert a Quantity value to a Money value
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, add or select a column that contains a Quantity value.
3. In the Expression box, add the following expression:
MONEYVALUE (quantity)
where quantity is the Quantity value you want to convert to a Money value.
4. On the Formatting tab, specify the currency format you want to apply to the column. For more
information, see "Format money columns" on page 306.
NOTE: If you want to convert the Quantity value from a specific currency to the workbook
currency, specify the currency code after the Quantity value. For example,
MONEYVALUE (Quantity, 'EUR')
converts the value in the Quantity field from euros to the workbook currency. You can also specify
a conversion date for this operation. For example,
MONEYVALUE (Quantity, 'EUR', 01-02-12).
For more information about specifying conversion dates, see "Convert currency values" on page
307
▶Add or subtract a constant to a Money value
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, add or select a column that contains a Money value.
3. In the Expression box, do one of the following:
l To add a constant to a Money field, add the following to the column expression:
+ MONEYVALUE (constant)
where constant is the value you want to add to the Money value.
l To subtract a constant from a Money column, add the following to the column expression:

- MONEYVALUE (constant)
where constant is the value you want to subtract from the Money value.
▶Compare Quantity and Money values
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Filtering tab.
2. In the Worksheet filter expression box, do one of the following:
l To compare a Quantity value and Money value, add an expression similar to the following:
Money_value comparison_operator MONEYVALUE(Quantity_value)
where Money_value is a Money field or expression, comparison_operator is the comparison
you want to perform, and Quantity_value is a Quantity field or expression. For information
about the comparisons you can perform, see "Comparison operators" on page 1132.
l To compare a Money value to zero, add an expression similar to the following:
Money_value comparison_operator 0
where Money_value is a Money field or expression and comparison_operator is the
comparison you want to perform. For information about the comparisons you can perform, see
"Comparison operators" on page 1132.
Display unconverted money values

You can create columns that display the unconverted Quantity value of a Money field, which is also
known as the field's raw value. These columns do not perform currency conversions, and display the
value as it was stored in the RapidResponse database. You might do this to verify data values imported
properly. If your RapidResponse system supports only one currency, this section does not apply.
You can create these columns to if you want to create worksheets that are intended to be used to
export data changes to your enterprise data sources. The enterprise data source contains the currency
information for each record, so the currency is not required for changes that are sent back to the data
source. In addition, if the worksheet is displayed in a specified currency and changes are sent to the
data source, values saved in other currencies might be modified incorrectly. Similarly, worksheets that
are exported and intended to be used to import data back into scenarios should also use raw values.
You could also use these columns to apply searches to columns or create filter expressions that ensure
the worksheet always returns results, regardless of the user's preferred currency. If you apply a search
to a column, the values visible in the column are searched. If you search a column that displays your
preferred currency, the value you search for might not be visible to a user with a different currency, and
no results will be returned in the worksheet. If you search a raw value column, the values displayed are
the same for all users regardless of currency preferences.
If you include raw value Money columns, you can include another column that displays the currency the
value is displayed in. This is determined using the table's currency attribute, which reports the currency
a record was saved in. This is a reference to the Currency table.
Examples of raw Money values and the currency they are saved in are shown in the following illustration.
Orders for the Germany site have their unit price saved in euros.

▶Create a column that displays raw values
3. In the Expression box, add the following to the expression.
RAWVALUE (field)
where field is the Money field that defines the column.
NOTE: For more information, see "RAWVALUE" on page 1209.
NOTE: You can also use the RAWVALUE operator in worksheet filter expressions. For more
information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
▶Display a record's currency
3. In the Expression box, type Attribute<Currency>.
TIP: You can also add the currency attribute in Expression Builder by clicking Currency in the
Category list, and then double-clicking Attribute (Currency) in the Function list. For more
information about attributes, see "Attribute" on page 1226.
Example: Creating a worksheet to convert currencies

You can create a worksheet that converts Money values from their stored currency to the workbook
currency using a conversion date that users can adjust. This uses a workbook variable to specify the
date, and a column that uses the CONVERTONDATE function to convert the currencies.
First, create a workbook and specify the currency. In this case, the workbook is using euros.

Create the workbook variable to specify the conversion date. Add the variable to the toolbar to allow
worksheet users to specify the conversion date. For more information about variables, see "Define
workbook variables" on page 226.

Create the worksheet, and include the CONVERTONDATE function in a Money column. This function
takes two parameters, the field to convert and the conversion date. For more information, see
"CONVERTONDATE" on page 1206.
When you view the worksheet, the value you specify for the Conversion date variable determines the
date used to convert the Revenue values, which produces different results.

Example: Creating a worksheet to export raw values
If you want to create a worksheet for exporting data to your enterprise data sources and to perform
closed loop operations, you can create a worksheet that returns the raw value of money fields. This
allows you to export data to and import data from your enterprise data sources without performing
currency conversions.
Because the money values will be presented as raw values, the workbook's currency has no effect on the
worksheet data. Create a new workbook, and the worksheet that will be used to export the order
changes, including all columns that are required.
To export changes to the UnitSellingPrice field to your enterprise data source, apply the RAWVALUE
function to the expression.
Next, include a column that returns the currency used to store the UnitSellingPrice field values. The
expression for this column uses the Attribute function to return the currency.

The worksheet shows the unit selling price without a currency symbol, and the currency is US dollars.
You can now use this worksheet to export data and push any changes into your enterprise data
sources, and then import data back into a scenario. For more information, see "Creating workbooks for
importing data into scenarios" on page 704.
Applying conditional formatting to worksheets

You can apply conditional formatting to worksheet data to make critical information stand out in a
report, identify changes in data, or highlight exceptions or trends. Conditional formatting allows you to
apply text and background attributes based on a data condition you define.
You can define conditional formats that apply to any of the following:
l A single column.
l Multiple columns.
l Every column in the worksheet. Conditions that apply to all columns can be used to format an
entire row of data.
l Columns added to a worksheet based on a user's selection in a hierarchy.
l Cells in a crosstab worksheet.

You can apply conditional formatting using rules, which define the column the rule applies to, the
condition that must be met to apply the formatting, and the formatting to be applied. For more
information, see "Create a conditional formatting rule" on page 323.
You can use a conditional formatting rule to modify the column's font style (bold, italic, or bold italic),
the text color, and the background color. You can specify all three attributes in one rule, or create rules
that apply only one or two of these attributes. You can create rules that apply the format attributes
separately, allowing you to combine attributes without creating a separate rule for each combination of
styles, text colors, and background colors.
When applying conditional formatting, consider including an explanation about when and why the
formatting is used in the worksheet help. This helps the workbook user understand the significance of
the formatting you apply. For more information, see "Add worksheet help" on page 335.
Conditional formatting examples

You can apply conditional formats to do any of the following.
For information about the rules shown in these examples, see "Create a conditional formatting rule" on
page 323.
Highlight days late in a crosstab cell

You can produce a report in which the days late for orders over 10 days late are shown in white text with
a red background, and orders five or more days late are shown with a yellow background. An example of
the rules that apply this formatting is shown in the following illustration.
An example of a worksheet using these formats is shown in the following illustration.

Highlight actual orders that are late or have not shipped
You might have a worksheet that displays actual and forecast orders, but you only want to apply
formats to the actual orders. In this case, you can create a rule that applies no formats to forecast
orders, and then specify if that condition is met, no other formats are applied to those columns. For the
other order types, if the value in the Quantity On Time column is zero, the font is shown in bold red, and
if the value in a specific set of columns is zero, the background for those cells is set to light pink. An
example of rules that apply this formatting is shown in the following illustration.
An example of a worksheet with this conditional formatting is shown in the following illustration.

Highlight different revenue levels in a crosstab worksheet
You can create a crosstab worksheet that uses the value in a Revenue row to apply a background color
to the crosstab cells. An example of rules that change the background color is shown in the following
illustration.
In this example, if the value in the Revenue column is greater than or equal to 4,000,000, the cells are
formatted with a red background. If the value is less than 4,000,000 but greater than or equal to
2,500,000, the cells are formatted with a green background, and so on. An example of a worksheet with
this formatting is shown in the following illustration.
Because the condition is based on a pivoted crosstab row, the 'All columns' setting for the rules applies
to only the crosstab rows.
Highlight late quantities and late revenues

You can create a worksheet that sets a background color on cells based on the value in a pending
revenue column, and applies text colors based on the value in a forecasted quantity column. An example
of these formats is shown in the following illustration.

Using these formats, the background and text colors show differing severity in how much pending
revenue or forecasted quantity is below expected levels. For orders with the same background color in
the Pending Revenue columns, you can use the color and style of the text to determine which of them is
more urgent. For example, for two orders for the same part with a purple background ($50,000 or
greater pending revenue), one with blue text (forecasted quantity 300 or below) is more urgent than
one with orange text (forecasted quantity 100 or below).
An example of a worksheet using these formats is shown in the following illustration.

Highlight late orders based on different conditions
You can create worksheets that apply different formats based on different conditions, but apply only
one condition to each worksheet row. After a format is applied to a row, no other rules are applied. An
example of rules that are mutually exclusive is shown in the following illustration.
In this example, the orange italic format is applied to rows in which the value in the
Quantity column is greater than or equal to 50, and no other conditions are checked after
that format is applied. The blue background is applied to rows in which the revenue is
greater than $10,000, and no other conditions are checked after that format is applied.
The bold text is applied to rows in which the order is more than 10 days late.
An example of a worksheet with this formatting is shown in the following illustration.
Highlight orders from a specific customer using a variable

You can also create rules that are applied based on a workbook variable's value. For example, if you
include a list variable that contains part names, you can use the selected part to format the worksheet,
such as highlighting orders for that part with a green background and making the selected part bold.
An example of rules that are applied based on a variable value are shown in the following illustration.

An example of these formats is shown in the following illustration.
Create a conditional formatting rule

Conditional formats are applied by rules, which define the conditions under which a format is applied to
a column and the format that is applied when the condition is true. For example, you can define a rule
that applies a bold red font to a Days Late column if the value in the column is greater than zero.
You can apply a conditional format to one column, multiple columns, or all columns in the worksheet. In
addition, you can base the conditions on values in other columns. For example, you can apply a
background color to all columns in the worksheet when the value in a Days Late column is greater than
zero. This highlights all rows that represent late orders.
You can define multiple rules on a column, which are checked in the order you specify. For each cell in
the column, the rules are checked in sequence, and the first condition that is met applies that rule's
format to the cell. After a rule sets a specific format attribute, no other rule can also set that attribute.
For example, if a rule sets the text color to red, no other rule can set the text color. Specify the rules in
the order you want the formats to be applied, and ensure the rule with the most restrictive condition is
first.
If a rule applies to multiple columns, you can specify whether the formats are applied according to a
value in each column, or each column has the same formatting applied based on the value in another
column. For example, if you create a rule that applies bold red text to multiple quantity columns, you can
apply the formatting to all of those columns if the value in one column is negative, or you can apply the
formatting to each column individually if the value in that column is negative.
For Money columns, depending on the currency applied to columns, the formats you specify might not
display the way you intend. For example, if the column displays the user's preferred currency, the values
you specify for conditional format rules might not be applicable to all currencies. To ensure the
conditions display how you intend, you can specify the currency displayed in the column you drill from.

For more information, see "Convert currency values" on page 307. You can create rules that compare
Money values and Quantity values.
In some cases, you might want only one rule to apply to a column, or for no further formatting to be
applied once a specific condition is met. When that condition is met, you can specify not to check the
other rules' conditions and that rule will be the last one applied to the column.
For crosstab worksheets, the columns that the formatting is applied to depend on which column the
condition is defined on. For example, if the condition is defined on one of the data rows, the formatting
is applied only to the rows. However, if the condition is defined on one of the dimension columns, the
formatting can be applied to both dimension columns and rows.
▶Create a conditional formatting rule
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Conditional Formatting
tab.
2. On the Conditional Formatting tab, click New Rule.
3. In the New Rule dialog box, in the Applies to area, click one of the following:
l All columns—Applies the formatting to every column in the worksheet. Selecting this option
formats an entire worksheet row.
l Hierarchy columns—Available only if the worksheet contains columns added by the user's
selection in a hierarchy. Applies the formatting to each column added by selecting a value in a
hierarchy.
l Columns—Applies the formatting to the specified columns. For more information about
selecting columns, see "Specify which columns a rule applies to" on page 325.
4. If you want to base the condition on the value in another column, in the Condition area, select a
column and a comparison phrase.
If you want to base the condition on the value in the column or columns you selected in step 3, in
the Condition area, select Cell Value in the column list and a comparison phrase. You should use
this option if you want each column to be formatted separately.
l Click Value, and then type an appropriate value
l Click Value in column, and then select an appropriate column
If you select the is between or is not between comparison phrase, there are two Value options
and two Value in column options available, as illustrated in the image in step 6. You can compare
a value to a value in a column.
6. In the Format area, specify the formatting that is applied when the condition is true.
The following displays the New Rule dialog box. In the Applies to area, you select the columns
the rule applies to. In the Condition area, you specify the condition that must be met. In the

Format area, you define the visual elements applied to cells when the condition is met.
NOTE: The values you type in the Value boxes are validated and you are notified if they are found
to be invalid.
NOTE: If you specify values to compare to a Money column, after you click OK, those values are
formatted using the worksheet column's currency format.
▶Specify which columns a rule applies to
1. In the New Rule or Edit Rule dialog box, in the Applies to area, click Columns.
2. Click Select.
3. In the Select Columns dialog box, in the Select from this list box, click the column you want the
rule applied to, and then click Add.
4. Repeat step 3 for each column you want the rule applied to.
5. To remove a column, select the column in the Rule applies to columns list, and then click
Remove.
▶Specify whether a rule is the last one applied
tab.

2. For the rule that you want to be the last one applied when its condition is met, select the Stop If
True check box.
NOTE: You can select the Stop If True check box for multiple rules. If you select it for every rule,
only one rule can be applied to a column.
▶Create a condition based on a column expression

Formatting a column based on another column's expression is useful when you want to highlight cells
in a column based on the results of a column that you do not want to display. To apply formatting in this
manner you must create a hidden column with the appropriate expression, then when setting the rule
for the column where conditional formatting is applied, use the hidden column to set up the condition.
For information about hiding columns, see "Hide a column" on page 371.
For example, suppose you want to highlight the order number for orders that are due within the next
week. This requires the following steps:
1. Create a hidden column called Due in next week with the appropriate expression. In this case, it
could be
IF (DueDate - Today <=7 and DueDate - Today >=0, 1, 0)
This expression states that if the due date is within the next seven days, then the value in the
column is 1 (true). If not, then the value is 0 (false).
2. For the Order Number column, create a new rule. In the New Rule dialog box, in the Condition
area, specify that the data value in the Due in next week column equals 1. Then, in the Format
area, define the formatting that is applied when this condition is met.
This rule is shown in the following illustration.

Review and manage conditional formatting rules
After defining the rules that apply conditional formats to columns, you should review the columns to
ensure the correct conditions are applied. You can review the rules for every column in the worksheet,
or for a single column at a time. You can also change the order of or modify the rules.
You can review the rules applied to columns on the Conditional Formatting tab of the worksheet's
properties. You can choose to view rules applied to all columns in the worksheet, or to view the rules
that apply to a specific column. An example of rules for all columns is shown in the following illustration.
An example of the rules for a specific column is shown in the following illustration.
You can modify any of the rules applied to a column, and also apply the formatting rules to other
columns. If a rule applies to multiple columns and you are focusing on one column, the changes you
make to the rule apply to every column the rule applies to. If you want one column to be formatted
differently, you can copy the rule and make the modifications you want to the copy.
If a rule is not needed, you can delete it. Deleting a rule removes the formatting from all columns that
the rule applied to.
▶View rules defined for all columns
tab.
2. In the Show rules for area, click All columns.
▶View rules defined for a specific column
tab.
2. In the Show rules for area, click Column.
3. In the list, select the column you want to view rules for.
TIP: You can also view a column's conditions on the Formatting sub-tab of the Columns tab.

▶View which columns a rule applies to
tab.
2. Locate a rule with a 'Multiple columns' value in the Applies to column.
3. Move the pointer over the 'Multiple columns' value to view the columns in a tooltip.
▶Change the order of rules

If more than one rule's condition is true, the formatting for the first true rule is applied. If the other rules
set the same attribute, that formatting is ignored. Otherwise, the next true rule applies its format, and
other rules that apply the same format are ignored. Therefore, you might want to change the order of
conditions according to their priority or how restrictive the conditions are.
tab.
2. Optionally, in the Show rules for area click Column, and then select the column you want to
modify rules for.
3. In the list, drag the rules into the order you want.
▶Copy a rule
tab.
2. Select the rule you want to copy.
3. Click Copy Rule.
4. In the Edit Rule dialog box, modify the condition or format. For more information, see "Create a
conditional formatting rule" on page 323.
▶Modify a rule
tab.
2. Click the rule you want to modify.
3. Click Edit Rule.
4. Modify the condition, formats, or columns the rule applies to. For more information, see "Create a
conditional formatting rule" on page 323.

▶Apply a rule to different columns
tab.
2. Click the rule you want to apply to different columns.
3. Click Apply to Columns.
4. In the Select Columns dialog box, do either or both of the following:
l To apply the rule to other columns, in the Select from this list box, select a column and then
click Add.
l To no longer apply the rule to a column, in the Rule applies to columns box, select a column
and then click Remove.
5. Repeat step 4 for each column you want the rule to apply or not apply to.
▶Delete a rule
tab.
2. Click the rule you want to delete.
3. Click Delete Rule.
Caching worksheet results

For frequently used worksheets that perform intensive calculations and take longer to load, you can
speed up workbook opening times when you create worksheets that cache results. In a worksheet with
cached results, the data displayed is calculated the first time the worksheet is opened and then saved in
the cache. Each time the worksheet is opened again, as long as no data is changed in that scenario, the
data displays directly from the cache. Whenever data is changed in the scenario that worksheet results
were cached, then the cache results are cleared and the worksheet is recalculated and the results
cached again. Cached worksheet results are specific to a scenario.
You can also use cached worksheet results to speed up dashboard opening times. For example, a
widget based on a source worksheet with time-consuming calculations might slow the opening of any
dashboards the widget is placed on. Caching results for the source worksheet can display data faster in
the widget and thereby, display data faster on a dashboard.
To create a worksheet that displays cached results, two steps are required:
1. First the worksheet must be designed to meet the requirements to display cached results.
Worksheet authors are responsible for designing the worksheet to meet the requirements. For
more information, see "Create worksheets compatible with caching results" on page 330.
Worksheets designed and verified to display cached results display with the icon
2. Then, caching must be turned on in the worksheet. As caching results impacts RapidResponse
system memory, RapidResponse administrators are responsible for turning caching on or off in a
worksheet. For more information, see the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
Worksheets with results caching turned on display with the icon.
Authors are responsible for creating the worksheets that meet the requirements to display cached
results. For more information, see "Create worksheets compatible with caching results" on page 330.

Worksheet requirements to display cached results
Table-based and composite worksheets can be designed to display cached results. Multi-scenario
worksheets cannot display cached results, but they can use worksheets that display cached results.
When you create a composite worksheet to display cached results, all of its component worksheets
must also be authored to display cached worksheet results.
To create a worksheet that displays cached results, the worksheet must meet the following
requirements:
l The first column sorted in the worksheet must be a reference column and must have Use as
reference selected. For more information, see "Add a table reference as a column" on page 360.
l The first column cannot reference a system table. For more information, see the RapidResponse
Analytic and Data Model Guide.
l Any summarized columns must specify a reset column. For more information, see "Apply a
summarization function to a column" on page 384.
l For worksheets based on a calculated table, the first column in the worksheet must be an “owner”
reference field. For more information, see "Filtering on calculated tables" on page 389.
l The worksheet cannot contain:
l Bucketing on the worksheet
l Hierarchy columns
l Multi-scenario columns
l Column or filter expressions that refer to “Today” or “Now”
l If the worksheet is grouped, the first column and any columns used in the worksheet filter must
have the Group By function applied.
l If a filter control has been added to the worksheet, the path to the field the filter control applies to
must start with the same field a reference column is based on.
l To create a composite worksheet that displays cached results, all of its components worksheets
must also be designed to display cached results.
l If applicable, the component worksheets must also have the same filter control settings and
secondary filter settings.
l For a composite worksheet that does not display cached results, all or some of its component
worksheets can be designed to display cached results. For more information, see "Group and
bucket data from component worksheets" on page 496.
l For component worksheets that display cached results, the component worksheets and the
composite worksheet cannot contain hierarchy columns.
Create worksheets compatible with caching results

To create a worksheet that displays cached results, follow the steps below:
1. Create or modify a worksheet to meet the requirements to display cached results. For more
information, see "Worksheet requirements to display cached results" on page 330.
2. Check that all of the worksheet requirements have been met. For more information, see "Verify
that a worksheet can display cached worksheet results" on page 331.

3. Add filtering to the worksheet. For more information, see "Filter worksheets that display cached
results" on page 331.
4. Have your RapidResponse administrator turn on results caching on the worksheet. For more
information, see the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
Verify that a worksheet can display cached worksheet

results
After creating a worksheet that can display cached results, you can check that all of the worksheet
requirements have been met. RapidResponse checks the validity of the worksheet and identifies any
missing requirements. For more information, see "Worksheet requirements to display cached results" on
page 330.
Once the worksheet has been verified, your RapidResponse administrator must turn on caching for the
worksheet. For more information, see the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
▶Verify a worksheet can display cached results
1. In the Worksheet Properties, on the General tab, click Advanced.

2. On the Extended Configuration tab, select the Ensure worksheet is eligible to cache results
check box.
If any worksheet requirements for displaying cached results are not met when you select Ensure
worksheet is eligible to cache results, these missing requirements are identified. Otherwise, the
worksheet is ready to display cached results
NOTE: Any filtering on the worksheet must be applied after the worksheet has been verified to
display cached worksheet results.
NOTE: If you are modifying an existing worksheet to display cached results, the worksheet filter
might have to be modified to meet the requirements. For more information, see "Filter worksheets
that display cached results" on page 331.
Filter worksheets that display cached results

After you have verified that a worksheet can display cached results, you can add filtering to the
worksheet to display more focused data for users. You can add worksheet filters, filter controls, and
secondary filters to the worksheet.
Worksheet filter
You can add a worksheet filter to refine the scope of the cached data displayed in the worksheet. The
filter cannot contain any elements that users can modify. For example, the worksheet filter expression
cannot include a workbook or profile variable. For more information, see "Define worksheet filtering" on
page 386.
To add filter elements to the worksheet that users can modify, add a secondary filter to the worksheet.

NOTE: Expression Builder for a worksheet filter on a worksheet designed to display cached results
does not display a Variables tab.
NOTE: You can include a variable in the worksheet filter expression if the variable will be hidden
from users and have a fixed value. Type the variable directly in the filter expression box. For
example, you can create a filter expression in a text variable and then use the text variable in the
worksheet filter. The variable must have a unique name and not be used in other workbooks.
Filter controls
You can make filter controls available to users. You must select the field the filter is applied to and the
path to the field must start with the same field that a reference column is based on. If the worksheet is
grouped, the reference column must be Group By. For more information, see "Specify worksheet
filtering controls" on page 388.
Secondary filter
You can add a secondary filter to the worksheet that includes elements that users can modify. The
secondary filter is applied after the worksheet results are cached, so the filter expression must be based
on columns in the worksheet. Fields from the underlying table cannot be used in the secondary filter
expression.
If you are adding a secondary filter to a worksheet, it is recommended that the $SelectedFilter be
applied to the first column sorted in the worksheet and if the worksheet is grouped, other $Selected
filters be applied to the other Group By columns. For more information, see "System variables included
with RapidResponse" on page 1301.
For composite worksheets that display cached results, a secondary filter can only be applied to the
component worksheets. All secondary filters applied to the component worksheets must be identical.
NOTE: The Fields tab in Expression Builder for a secondary filter displays the columns in the
current worksheet.
NOTE: When you search expressions in a workbook with worksheets designed to display cached
results, the secondary filter is the filter that is checked.
▶Add a secondary filter
2. In the Secondary filter expression (user-specific filtering) box, type a logical expression.
3. Click Validate Expression to verify the syntax in your expression. RapidResponse does not allow
worksheets to be saved with invalid syntax.
NOTE: Secondary filters display as "Expression" in the Worksheet Usage dialog box. For more

Adding help to workbooks and worksheets
You can add help to the workbooks you create to ensure that users understand how best to leverage
the workbook. The help is displayed in the right pane of the RapidResponse window as shown in the
illustration below.
For information about using workbook help, see "Accessing help and documentation" on page 29.
NOTE: Each of the predefined workbooks included with RapidResponse contains workbook,
worksheet, and column descriptions. If you modify any of these workbooks, you should update
the corresponding help.
Understanding how workbook help is authored and generated

The workbook and worksheet help is authored in several different places and displayed together when
the workbook is opened. The components of the help come together as follows:
l The workbook help is authored in the workbook properties and displayed on the Workbook Help
tab.
l The worksheet help is authored in the worksheet properties, and displayed in the Worksheet Help
tab.
l The column help is authored in the column properties. You can choose to display it on the
Worksheet Help tab.
l The data control table is included with RapidResponse, or could be defined when an author
creates variable-based controls for a workbook. You can choose to display it on the Workbook
Help tab or Worksheet Help tab.

When do workbook help and worksheet help panes and tabs
displayed?
If help is defined for the workbook, the workbook help pane displays. If help is defined for at least one
worksheet in the workbook, then the worksheet help pane displays. When both workbook and
worksheet help are defined, the help pane displays each help as a tab.
Add workbook help

You can add help to a workbook. For example, you can describe the basic purpose of the workbook and
who should use it.
▶Add workbook help
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Workbook Help tab.
2. Type the workbook help.
NOTE: For information about using the text editing tools, see "Using text editing tools" on page
167.

▶Include the data control table
In the workbook help, you can include a table that describes the data controls available to users.
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Workbook Help tab.
3. Type <<Help for Data Controls>>.
To preview the table, click OK and view the help for this worksheet.
NOTE: Data controls available only from the Data Settings dialog box are also listed in the data
control table.
NOTE: The data control table text for the controls included with RapidResponse (for example the
Scenario and Site controls) is provided for you and cannot be changed. The text for controls
defined through workbook variables is typically written by the workbook author. For more
information, see "Define workbook variables" on page 226.
NOTE: This table contains the data controls visible when the user first opens the workbook. If the
user clicks a worksheet that displays different controls, the table is not updated to show those
controls.
Add worksheet help

You can add help to a worksheet. For example, you can describe the data it displays, and how it can be
used. You might also want to describe some of the worksheet properties you set (for example, if you
have set grouping functions or added a complex worksheet filter).
▶Add worksheet help
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Worksheet Help tab.
2. Type a description of the worksheet in the box provided.
▶Include the data control table

In the worksheet help, you can include an auto-generated table that describes the data controls found
at the top of the worksheet. The data control table text for the controls included with RapidResponse
(for example, the Scenario and Site controls) is provided for you and cannot be changed. The text for
controls defined through workbook variables is typically written by the workbook author. For more
information, see "Define workbook variables" on page 226.

The data control table above describes the following data controls, for example.
3. Click Insert Help for Data Controls.
The text tag <<Help for Data Controls>> is inserted in place of the table. To preview the table,
click OK and view the help for this worksheet.
NOTE: Data controls available only from the Data Settings dialog box are also listed in the data
control table.
NOTE: This option is not available for controller worksheets.
▶Include column help

In the worksheet help, you can include tables that describe the worksheet columns of either tabular or
crosstab worksheets.

Unlike tabular worksheets, crosstab worksheets show columns, buckets, and rows.

2. Select the Insert Help for Columns check box. This inserts column, bucket, and row tables.
The text tag <<Help for Columns>> is inserted in place of the table. To preview the table, click
OK and view the help for this worksheet.
NOTE: The column help text is written as part of the column definition. For more information, see
"Add column help" on page 339.
NOTE: This option is not available for controller worksheets.
▶Delete a help table from the worksheet help
2. Delete the text tag for the table you want to remove.

Add column help
You can add help to a worksheet column. If you have added a field value as a column, you might add a
description of the field. Or, if you have defined the data with a column expression, you might add notes
describing the calculation and the value or values it returns.
▶Add column help
2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the column to which you want to add help.
3. Click the Column Help tab.
4. Type a description of the column in the box provided.
NOTE: If you choose to hide a column, its help is not displayed.
Add author notes

In addition to workbook help for users, you can also add notes and help specifically for yourself or other
workbook authors. This information can be viewed only in the workbook's properties, and is not visible
to workbook users. You can define author notes for workbooks, worksheets, and columns.
For example, you could use these notes to record any of the following:
l Workbook variable descriptions and usage

l Worksheet dependencies for composite worksheets
l Usage of functions in transformation worksheets
l Conditional formatting rules and conventions used across multiple worksheets
l Description of the report template attached to the workbook
l Column descriptions, explanations of expressions, and relationships between columns
l Description of the worksheet filter
l Expressions that you have replaced
l Incomplete column expressions that you intend to complete at a later date
l Any other information about the workbook's configuration
▶Add an author note for a workbook or worksheet
1. In the New Workbook, Workbook Properties, New Worksheet, or Worksheet Properties dialog
box, click the Author Notes tab.
2. In the box, type the information you want to record.
▶Add an author note for a column
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, click the column you want to add a note for.
3. Click the Column Help and Notes tab.
4. In the Author notes box, type the information you want to convey to other authors.

Validating a worksheet
Although RapidResponse alerts you to any errors in your expressions, it cannot tell you if the results
returned by a syntactically correct expression are the ones you intended. Therefore, before using a
worksheet or sharing it with others, you should validate the data it returns. This is especially important
for complex worksheets that have very detailed column or worksheet filter expressions. Without
validation, mistakes in filtering or column formulas can result in reported data that is incomplete or
inaccurate, and might lead to poor decisions being made.
Worksheet validation guidelines

The following basic steps should be performed when validating a worksheet.
1. Identify (or create) a set of records representing the records you expect to be included in the
worksheet, and a set of records representing those you expect to be filtered out. If possible, you
may want develop a filter returning only those records expected to be included in the worksheet.
2. Manually calculate the results you expect to be returned, and compare those to the data
returned in the worksheet.
3. If the data returned by a worksheet filter or column expression does not match the intended
results, consider the possible causes as outlined below.
Common worksheet problems

The following table identifies common worksheet problems.
Problem Likely cause(s) and solution(s)

More l A problem with the worksheet filter expression. You should identify the extra records returned, and
records identify the element that is in conflict with the intended worksheet filter expression. For more
returned information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
than
expected.
Fewer l A problem with the worksheet filter expression. You should identify the missing records, and the
records element that is in conflict with the intended worksheet filter expression. For more information, see
returned "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
than
expected.

Problem Likely cause(s) and solution(s)
Calculated l At least one aspect of the column expression might be incorrect. If possible, you should verify each
column component of the expression independently. This can be done by temporarily adding a separate
does not column for each major component of the equation to determine if a specific element of the
return expression is at fault.
expected
l The order of operations might be incorrect for the desired results. By default, RapidResponse query
results.
language calculations follow standard order of operations rules, and are calculated from left to
right. The use of parentheses can force the order in which calculations are performed. For more
information, see "Parentheses ( )" on page 1143.
l Set logic might have been used incorrectly. If any of your worksheet column expressions contain
set operators, check the filter component of each to ensure the appropriate range of records is
considered in the returned value. To do so, you can build a worksheet on the same table as the set
logic statement, apply the same filter conditions, and ensure the right set of records is returned.
You should also manually calculate the desired set result (for example, average) on this worksheet
to see if it matches your previous result. For more information, see "Set operators" on page 1145.
l If a macro has been used in the column expression, ensure that the macro’s parameters have been
correctly defined for the column. For more information, see "Macros" on page 1305.
Grouped l The correct grouping rule might not be applied. You should verify that both the group by columns
column and the grouping rule for the column is set correctly. For more information, see "Group column
does not data" on page 382.
return
l The right set of records might not be included in the grouped result. To verify this, temporarily add
intended
a column for the purposes of determining the number of records in the group. This column should
results.
have 1 as its column expression, and be assigned the grouping rule of Sum. You can then
determine if the right number of records are included in the group. If it is not, you should then turn
off Grouping for the worksheet, and analyze all records to identify the problem.
l Grouped column(s) might not be sorted correctly. You should ensure that the “Group By” fields in
a worksheet are sorted before the other. Otherwise, you might receive unexpected results. For more
information, see "Sort columns" on page 370.
Expression l You should consider if the table the worksheet is based on is the best one for returning the desired
is getting results. If it is not, consider creating a new worksheet on a different table. For more information,
too see "Commonly used tables for building worksheets" on page 344.
complex
to return
desired
results.
View worksheet dependencies

Worksheets can depend on other worksheets for their functionality. For example, a composite
worksheet depends on its components, or a crosstab worksheet that drills to details depends on its
detail worksheets. If you modify a worksheet, you can check for dependencies or to see where and how
the worksheet is used to determine how other worksheets will be affected. For more information about
worksheet dependencies, see "Analyzing resource usage" on page 177.

Validating a worksheet
CHAPTER 18: Creating table-based worksheets
Commonly used tables for building worksheets 344

Create a table-based worksheet 347
Create a worksheet for project management 348
Edit the table a worksheet is based on 354
Creating worksheet columns 357
Formatting columns 370
Worksheet filtering 386
Inserting records 395
Editing records 397
Worksheets are similar to spreadsheets and are used to view, and in some cases edit, data from a table in
the RapidResponse data model, or from another worksheet. Worksheets can be added to workbooks you
created, or any of the predefined workbooks included with RapidResponse. For more information, see
"Retrieve predefined workbooks" on page 244.
The following illustration shows an example of a table-based worksheet.

Commonly used tables for building worksheets
When developing worksheets, you must decide which table contains the information you want to
report. The following describes some of the more common tables used for building worksheets. For
complete information about these tables, and an introduction to the RapidResponse data model, see
the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Table Description Usage

Part Contains a record describing the attributes To show a single record for each part. This
associated with each part. Also includes table is useful for viewing part properties (for
many reference fields (for example, Site) example, type, unit cost, and lead time) or in
and set fields (ScheduledReceipts) for cases where it is acceptable to return
access to the information held in other summary information from tables having a
tables. many-to-one relationship with the Part table
(for example, a count of the number of
scheduled receipts for each part).
ReferencePart Contains a record describing the attributes To show a single record for each of your
associated with each part, using your supplier’s or customer’s parts. This table is
supplier’s or customer’s part names. Can useful for viewing a customer’s or supplier’s
contain generic part names used by parts using your part names.
different company divisions that identify
the same parts using different naming
conventions.

ScheduledReceipt Contains a record for each scheduled To show information about parts that have
receipt (quantity and due date) associated scheduled receipts (work orders or purchase
with a given supply order. Also has a direct orders). Although grouping can be used to
reference to the part table which provides produce summarized results, typically
set field access to most other tables. worksheets based on this table return
multiple records per part.
PlannedOrder Contains a record for each recommended To show information about only those parts
new supply order to be generated. There is that have planned order recommendations
never more than one planned order (as calculated by RapidResponse). Although
generated for a given part on the same grouping can be used to produce
TimeUnits interval. summarized results, typically, worksheets
based on this table return multiple records
per part.
IndependentDemand Contains a record for each independent To show information for only those parts that
demand schedule (quantity and due date) have independent demands. Typically,
associated with a given demand order. For worksheets based on this table return
demands that are expected to be late, this multiple records per part.
table also identifies the gating part for the
demand. Also has a direct reference to the
part table which provides set field access to
most other tables.
Supply Contains both scheduled receipt and To show information for all supply orders,
planned order information. There is one that is, both planned orders and scheduled
record in this table for each supply receipts.
schedule (quantity and due date) for a The use of this table can be replaced by
given supply order (planned or firm). Also creating a composite worksheet that
has a direct reference to the part table combines data from the ScheduledReceipt
which provides set field access to most and PlannedOrder tables.
other tables.
Demand Contains both independent demand and To show information for all demand orders,
dependent demand (allocations and that is, both independent and dependent
planned allocations) information. There is (allocation and planned allocation) demand
one record for each demand schedule data.
(quantity and due date) per given demand The use of this table can be replaced by
order (planned or firm). Also has a direct creating a composite worksheet that
reference to the part table which provides combines data from the
set field access to most other tables. IndependentDemand and
DependentDemand tables.
HistoricalDemand Contains forecast and actual demand To show how forecasts and actual orders
Waterfall information from the past. For each part from a customer for a specific part have
and customer, there are records for each differed over time. This table is useful for
forecast and actual demand quantity for determining quantities you should commit to
each date these quantities were recorded. delivering to the customer, and is useful for
adjusting forecasts to match the customer’s
previous requests.
OnHand Contains detailed on hand inventory To show individual storage quantity records
quantity records for each Part, Warehouse, for each part which has inventory stored in a
and Location combination. Includes both particular warehouse location.
nettable and non-nettable records. When interested only in total on hand data,
summary totals for both nettable and non-
nettable inventory records are also available
from the Part table.

Commonly used tables for building worksheets
BillOfMaterial Contains detailed bill of material records To show BOM relationships, and detailed
describing the relationships between records that are wanted for display (that is,
components and parent assemblies. each Component and Assembly relationship).
Due to the size of this table, it is important
that appropriate filters are used to limit the
records returned to just those BOM
relationships of interest.
Summary bill of material information can also
be acquired through set fields and recursive
queries. For more information, see "Fields"
on page 1124 and "Recursive queries" on
page 1243.
WhereConsumed Pegs supply records to end item demands To show pegging information across all
which consume them. A single supply levels in the structure, focusing on the
record may be linked to several demand supply that is being consumed by the
records in this table. activity. This table is very calculation
intensive; therefore, appropriate filters
should always be used with worksheets
based on this table.
WhereConsumed Pegs independent demand records to the When you are interested in pegging
ForDemand set of supplies that they consume. information across all levels in the structure,
and focusing on the demand that is driving
this activity. This table is very calculation
intensive; therefore, appropriate filters
should always be used with worksheets
based on this table.
For performance reasons, ensure that the
Filter tab for worksheets based on this table
have the Use Selected Filter list set to
IndependentDemand.Part, and the Use
Selected Site list set to
IndependentDemand.Part.Site.
WhereConsumed Pegs supply records to the higher level When you want to see all materials, at all
ForSupply production orders that require them. levels, required for a given production order.
All active supply records are reported as
drivers in this table, so you can see all
material required for any order in the supply
structure. This table might typically be used
for building an indented supply tree.
SupplyDemand Contains records linking the supply of To match demands to the allocated supply at
components to the next level demands that a single part level. Can be used to identify
consume them. clear to build conditions for production and
the list of component shortages with the
associated supply information.
SupplyAllocation Contains records linking the supply of parts To match supplies of parts to the orders that
to forecasts and orders that consume them. consume them. Can be used to manually
allocate supplies to a specific order.

CTPActivity Contains all supply and demand records When you want to calculate capable to
which affect the inventory balance. promise (CTP) information such as the
available date of supply. Due to its size, this
table should be used with caution. Unless
your reporting requirement is CTP
information, you should use another table.
Activity Contains all supply and demand records When you want to calculate forecast
which affect the material requirements consumption or available to promise (ATP)
planning activity. information.
Due to its size, this table should be used with
caution. Unless your reporting requirement is
forecast consumption or ATP information,
you should use another table.
The use of this table can be replaced by
creating a composite worksheet that
combines the data you are interested in.
CAUTION: Worksheets based on certain tables in the RapidResponse data model can return a
large number of records and potentially consume a significant amount of server memory. To help
limit the number of records returned, you should ensure that appropriate worksheet filter
expressions are created. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
Create a table-based worksheet

When creating a worksheet, you need to name it, select the table to base it on, and add at least one
column. You can then set other worksheet attributes.
The table you base the worksheet on determines the data it can display. This table can be changed after
you add columns, however, changing the table invalidates the columns, so you must modify each
column expression to refer to fields in the table you select. Therefore, before creating a worksheet, you
should carefully consider the data you want to display. You can base a worksheet on any
RapidResponse table. For more information about changing a worksheet's table, see "Edit the table a
worksheet is based on" on page 354.
Each worksheet you create has an identifier, which is used to identify the worksheet internally in
RapidResponse. The worksheet identifier is typically used when basing a worksheet on other
worksheets. The identifier for a worksheet is, by default, the worksheet name with spaces removed, and
must begin with a letter.
▶Create a worksheet
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, on the Worksheets tab, click New,
and then click Worksheet (Table-based).
2. In the New Worksheet dialog box, click the General tab.
3. In the Name box, type a name for the worksheet. The name given to the worksheet must be
unique within the workbook.
4. Optionally, in the ID box, type a new identifier for the worksheet.
5. In the Table list, click the table to base the worksheet on.

Create a table-based worksheet
6. On the Columns tab, add one or more columns to the worksheet. For more information, see
"Add and remove columns" on page 358.
7. On the Sort tab, specify a sort order for the worksheet columns. For more information, see "Sort
8. On the Group tab, add any required grouping functions. For more information, see "Group
9. On the Subtotal tab, add any required column subtotals. For more information, see "Add column
totals and subtotals " on page 377.
10. On the Filtering tab, type a filter expression if you want to display only a subset of the data in the
worksheet’s table. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
11. Add worksheet and column help for users. For more information, see "Adding help to workbooks
and worksheets" on page 333
12. Adjust the formatting of the worksheet as required. For more information, see "Formatting
worksheet and column data" on page 291.
NOTE: Each worksheet based on an Input table has an associated Insert definition through which
users can insert records. If necessary, you can specify that a different Insert definition be used in
any given worksheet. For more information, see "Customizing data insertion" on page 561.
NOTE: Identifiers can contain only letters, numbers, and the underscore character (_), and must
begin with a letter. When you type the worksheet's name, invalid characters are not included in
the identifier.
NOTE: You cannot create worksheets based on system tables. For more information about system
tables, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
TIP: For guidelines on selecting a worksheet’s table as well as descriptions of some of the
common tables used to build worksheets, see "Commonly used tables for building worksheets" on
page 344.
Create a worksheet for project management

RapidResponse includes project management capabilities that allow for the integration of project
management and supply chain data. Included with RapidResponse are several predefined workbooks
intended for project management tasks. To create new project management workbooks, you can copy
the predefined workbooks and customize the copies as needed, or you can create them from scratch.
Creating a worksheet for project management involves creating a tree view worksheet along with a
Gantt chart to view project progress. The process for creating this worksheet is different than other
worksheets in that it is somewhat automated. Once you choose the correct filtering for the workbook
and the right table, you are prompted to automatically create the worksheet.
▶Create a tree view worksheet and Gantt chart

2. In the Name box, type the name of the workbook.
3. On the Filtering tab, in the List filters compatible with this table list, click Project.
4. On the Worksheets tab, click New, and then click Worksheet (Table-based).

5. In the New Worksheet dialog box, in the Name box, type the worksheet name.
6. In the Table list, click Task.
7. In the dialog box that displays, click Yes.
The following table outlines the automatically performed steps required to create the worksheet.
Enables the following in the worksheet Which provides the following in the Gantt
properties worksheet
On the General tab, sets the worksheet name in If you haven't typed a worksheet name, the worksheet name is
the Name box. automatically set to task. If you have provided a worksheet
name, it remains unchanged.
On the General tab, selects the Use enhanced Turns on enhanced task editing, which provides the following
task editing check box. functions:
l Adds a workbook toolbar for various task functions, such as
buttons to indent and outdent the tasks.
l Includes a column from which you can access the Task
Information dialog box.
l Allows users to modify data in specific calculated fields.
l Allows users to edit data and immediately see the
calculated results.
On the General tab, selects the Hide row Hides the row numbers but keeps the row header cells so that
numbers and Include row header cells check users can select and delete records.
boxes.
Adds the required columns Adds the following columns, with the column expressions
required for project management functionality:
l Project Name
l Project Site
l Task Name
l TaskPropertiesButton—the column includes an image that
opens the Task Properties dialog box when clicked.
l Task Duration
l Task StartDate
l Task FinishDate
l Task PercentComplete
l Task Predecessors
l Task Successors
l Links—users can use this column to add links to webpages.
When a link has been added, this columns includes an
image that, when clicked, opens the list of links defined for
the task.
Adds the following hidden columns:
l Task Summary
l Task PredecessorInfo
l Task PredecessorRows
l Task SuccessorInfo
l Task SuccessorRows

Enables the following in the worksheet Which provides the following in the Gantt
properties worksheet
In the Advanced dialog box (accessed from the Creates the tree view of tasks in the project.
General tab), selects the Show tree view in
column check box and selects Task in the list.
Also, selects Parent in the Parent reference field
list.
Creates a condition on the Conditional The condition specifies that if the value in the hidden Task
formatting tab Summary column is Y, then all of the visible columns in the
worksheet use bold formatting. This displays the summary
tasks in bold formatting so that they stand out.
On the Chart tab, selects the Include chart Creates the Gantt chart that displays in the worksheet, and
check box and selects the Gantt chart type. Also, sets the colors of the Gantt chart bars.
specifies the settings for the Gantt chart as
shown in the following image.
On the General tab, in the Chart position list, Places the Gantt chart on the right hand side of the
selects Right of the worksheet. worksheet.

Improving editing performance in large projects
When users edit tasks in projects that have many thousands of tasks, validating predecessor
relationships can take several seconds after each change, slowing down editing. If this happens, you can
speed up editing in the worksheet by limiting validation of predecessor relationships.
However, there are trade-offs. To protect project data integrity, a validation step normally blocks users
from creating circular predecessor relationships when editing tasks in RapidResponse. If you limit
validation, users can create circular predecessor relationships, which make the project data invalid.
Therefore, limiting validation of predecessor relationships is only recommended if the default validation
step is actually slowing down editing—a problem that only occurs when projects are very large.
User experience when validation is limited

Users see a warning message when they edit a task in the worksheet and the task is involved in a
circular predecessor relationship after the change. The change is not blocked, though. The project data
can be saved without fixing the error.
If users edit tasks using the Task Information dialog box, changes that result in circular predecessor
relationships are still blocked.
▶Improve editing performance by limiting validation
1. Open the Worksheet Properties of a worksheet that is based on the Task table.
2. On the General tab, under Data editing, ensure that Allow enhanced task editing is selected.
3. Select Improve editing performance by limiting validation.
4. Click OK and save your changes to the workbook.
Recommended setup when validation is limited

To help users notice and fix any circular predecessor relationships, include these features any time you
limit validation in a worksheet:
l A drill-to worksheet for viewing and fixing circular predecessor relationships

l Visual indicators in the worksheet with limited validation to highlight tasks with this type of error
These features can also be useful if imported project data might contain circular predecessor
relationships.
You can implement the recommended setup by performing the following procedures in order.
▶Add a worksheet for viewing and fixing circular predecessor relationships

The Circular Predecessor Relationships worksheet in the Project Plan workbook displays only tasks with
circular predecessor relationships. It provides a simplified view to facilitate viewing and fixing these
errors. This worksheet is designed to be copied into other workbooks as needed.
1. Open the Workbook Properties of the workbook containing the worksheet in which you have
selected the Improve editing performance by limiting validation option.
2. On the Worksheets tab, click Copy and then select Worksheet from Other workbook.

3. Select the Circular Predecessor Relationships worksheet from the Project Plan workbook, click
Copy, and then click OK.
4. On the Worksheets tab of the Workbook Properties, place the Circular Predecessor
Relationships worksheet in the lower pane of your workbook. If necessary, add a new pane. For
more information, see "Add a worksheet pane" on page 233.
The worksheet is conditionally hidden, and will only be displayed when it is drilled to.
5. Save your changes to the workbook.
▶Add a column that displays a red x if a task is involved in a circular predecessor relationship
1. Open the Worksheet Properties of the worksheet in which you have selected the Improve
editing performance by limiting validation option.
2. On the Columns tab, create a new column named x. Use the column expression IF (HAS
Predecessors [IsRecursive], 'x', ''). For information, see "Define a new column
using a query expression" on page 361.
3. For column x, go to the Formatting tab and select Display as image. Click Image and, for the
Data Value x, select the Error image. In the ToolTip column, type, Circular predecessor
relationship. For more information, see "Display as image" on page 294.
4. For column x, on the Formatting tab, set the Width to 4.0 and set the Alignment to Center.
5. For column x, go to the Drilling tab and click New, then select Drill to Worksheet.
6. In the Drill to workbook box, leave This Workbook selected, and in the Worksheet box, select
Circular Predecessor Relationships.
7. Under Condition, select Allow drilling to the worksheet if and set the condition x is exactly x.

8. Click OK. If the workbook layout is not already locked, you must click OK again to lock the
workbook layout.
9. For column x, click the Column Help and Notes tab and add a note to indicate that the red
x indicates a circular predecessor relationship.
10. Save your changes to the workbook.
▶Add conditional formatting and a drill link to the column that displays predecessors for tasks
1. Open the Worksheet Properties of the worksheet in which you have selected the Improve
editing performance by limiting validation option.
2. On the Conditional Formatting tab, click New Rule.
3. Under Applies to, select Columns, and then click Select and Add the column that displays tasks'
predecessors. Remove any other columns from the Rule applies to columns list, and then click
OK.
4. Set the Condition to x is exactly x.
5. In the Format area select Font style: Bold and Text color: , and then click OK.
6. Go to the Columns tab and select the column that displays tasks' predecessors.
7. On the Columns tab, click the Drilling tab and click New, then select Drill to Worksheet.
8. In the Drill to workbook box, leave This Workbook selected, and in the Worksheet box, select
Circular Predecessor Relationships.
9. Under Condition, select Allow drilling to the worksheet if and set the condition x is exactly x.
10. Click OK and save your changes to the workbook.

The following image shows the recommended setup in a finished workbook.
Edit the table a worksheet is based on

For a table-based worksheet, you can change the table the worksheet is based on. For example, if you
have a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table that contains columns you want to use to
show supply data, you can make a copy of the worksheet and then edit the copy to be based on the
ScheduledReceipt table.
When you change a worksheet's table, the columns in the worksheet might no longer have access to
the fields they require. In this case, you must edit the column expressions to refer to fields in the table
you selected, or remove those columns.
For example, assume you have the following worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table.
You want to use similar columns in a supply worksheet, so you make a copy of the worksheet and name
it Supply Orders.

You then edit the worksheet to be based on the ScheduledReceipt table, and then validate the
expressions in the columns to see which columns need to be edited.

Edit the table a worksheet is based on
The Customer and Days Late columns refer to fields that do not exist in the ScheduledReceipt table, so
you replace the Customer column with a Supplier column and the Days Late column with an On Time
column, based on the Order.Supplier and OnTimeQuantity fields in the ScheduledReceipt table.
You can now view supply orders in the worksheet.

▶Change the table a worksheet is based on
1. In the Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the General tab.

2. In the Table list, select the table you want to base the worksheet on.
3. To validate the column expressions, click OK.
4. If columns are invalid, modify the columns to use fields in the table.
Creating worksheet columns

Worksheets are made up of columns which can contain any of the following:
l Base fields added directly from a worksheet’s table. For example, in a worksheet based on the
ScheduledReceipt table, you can add Quantity and DueDate fields.
l Reference fields added from any tables that a worksheet's table points to. For example, in a
worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table, you can add individual fields from the Part and
SupplyOrder tables. If building a component worksheet to be used as input into a composite
worksheet or a lookup worksheet to be used with a lookup expression, you can also add a full
table reference in a single column. This ensures that records can be grouped by the full set of key
field values on the referenced table and then combined with other component worksheets that
also include the same table reference. Table references also provide access to all field values on the
referenced table for subsequent use in the worksheet that contains the lookup expression or the
composite worksheet if required. For example, in a component worksheet based on the
ScheduledReceipt table, you can add a full reference to the Part table and all Part table fields would
then be available in any composite worksheets using that component. For an example of a column
with a full table reference used in a composite worksheet, see "Example: Creating a composite
worksheet by merging records (with use as reference)" on page 510. For more information about
lookup worksheets, see "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
l A calculated expression defined by the RapidResponse query language and any fields based on, or
referenced by, the worksheet’s table. These allow the display of data not otherwise stored by the
RapidResponse data model. For example, in a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table,
you could calculate the revenue associated with an order by multiplying its quantity and selling
price. For more information, see "Query language syntax" on page 1115.

l Values in other columns in the worksheet. These allow you to reuse common expressions, or to
perform mathematical operations with the values calculated in other columns. For example, if the
worksheet contains a column that calculates late quantities, you can create another column that
multiples the value in that column by the part's selling price to calculate late revenue.
You can create columns that use the final result calculated in other columns. This uses the value in the
column after all sorting, filtering, and grouping rules have been applied. For example, if you have a
column that is grouped with the Sum function, you can use that sum in another column in the
worksheet. These columns must be to the right of the columns they depend on.
You can use these columns instead of creating a composite worksheet to perform specific operations
using the data from a single worksheet. For example, instead of creating a composite worksheet to
perform mathematical operations using grouped data, you could create a column that uses the results
of the grouped columns in the same worksheet. For more information, see "Creating composite
Add and remove columns

When you add a column to a worksheet, you can specify where in the worksheet it is displayed, relative
to other columns. For example, if you have a worksheet that contains a Part column and a Due Date
column, you can add a Site column between them by adding the new column after the Part column.
You can also add a column by copying an existing column. You might do this if you want to display
similar data in two columns but format them differently, or if you want two columns to use the same
formatting for different data. Copying a column copies every attribute of the column, including its
expression, formatting, and data options.
You can add all of a table’s key fields simultaneously, for example, if you are creating a worksheet to be
used for importing data. When you add key fields, you have the option of adding only the key fields for
the table, or adding key fields from the table and each table it references. The key fields from the table
are the fields that uniquely identify records, and are the fields required in the table's insert definition.
When you add key fields from referenced tables, in some cases you might need to add additional fields,
such as when the worksheet is based on a table with more than one reference to the Site table. For
example, if your worksheet is based on the PartSource table, you must add the TransferPart.Site field in
addition to the Part.Site field. This allows your worksheet to be used to import data when the site fields
do not contain the same value.
Each column in a RapidResponse worksheet has a unique internal identifier associated with it. In some
situations, you might need this value (for example, when adding a column to a composite worksheet or
using the RapidResponse OpenAPI). The column identifier is, by default, the column header with spaces
removed, however, you can modify the column identifier to make it easier to remember and use.
You can also include the value calculated by a column in another column. For example, if you have a
column that calculates the late quantity of an order, you can divide that column value by the total
quantity to calculate the late percentage. You can include a column's value in another column using the
column's identifier preceded by an exclamation point, for example !DueDate. This allows you to
perform mathematical operations using column values, without needing to re-create the column
expressions. The column you refer to must come before the column you create.
Some tables contain vector set fields, which point to tables that contain series of detailed records for
the records in the table. Vector sets are identified with the icon, and you must use a set operator to
access the records in the vector. For more information, see "Set operators" on page 1145. For more
information about vectors, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.

Columns that are calculated using the RapidResponse query language can contain any number of fields,
operators, column identifiers, or variables. Variables can be defined as part of the workbook (workbook
variables) or can be defined for the entire system, a group, or a specific user (profile variables). Values for
workbook variables are typically supplied by the worksheet user, and values for profile variables are
typically part of the variable's definition. For more information about query expressions that include
workbook variables, see "Use a workbook variable in a query expression" on page 1285.
If you are intending the worksheet to be used for exporting data for use in other applications or
systems, you can also include a variable to report the scenario that the worksheet data is taken from.
The $Scenario0 variable represents the baseline scenario in a multi-scenario worksheet, or the only
scenario in a single-scenario worksheet. You can use this variable in either the column expression, as
shown in the following illustration, or in the column header, as described in "Define column headers" on
page 299.
▶Add a base field as a column
3. In the Add Fields dialog box, select a field to add, and then click Add.
4. Repeat the previous step for each field you want to add.
CAUTION: Set fields cannot directly be displayed in a worksheet. They can only be included in an
expression using set operators. For more information, see "Fields" on page 1124 and "Set
operators" on page 1145.
NOTE: The column header for each field added is set to the name of the field (with spaces added
where appropriate). For example, a Part field column is named “Part”, and an OriginalQuantity
column is named “Original Quantity”. You can modify the column headers as necessary.
NOTE: Each field you add is, by default, set to be either view-only or modifiable. However, you can
set a column to be view-only. For more information, see "Specify if a column can be edited" on
page 289.
NOTE: Tables also contain set fields, which reference multiple records in another table. Set fields
are identified in the Add Fields dialog box with the icon, and are hidden by default. For more
information, see "Fields" on page 1124.

TIP: You can also select fields from a list in the Expression box. For more information, see
"Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.
TIP: To show set fields, select the Show set fields check box. Showing set fields in the Add Fields
dialog box also shows them in Expression Builder.
▶Add a field from a referenced table as a column
3. In the Add Fields dialog box, click to expand a given table, select the field you want to add and
then click Add.
4. Click OK.
TIP: You can also select fields from a list in the Expression box. For more information, see
"Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.
▶Add a table reference as a column
3. In the Add Fields dialog box, select the referenced table you want to add a reference to and then
click Add. Ensure that only the table is referenced and not any of its fields. For example, the
column expression should read Part rather than Part.Name, or Customer rather than
Customer.Id.
4. Click Add.
5. Click the Data Options tab, and then select the Use as reference check box.
The newly added column displays on the worksheet as a delimited list of all key fields on the
referenced table (for example, C125|HQ|Actual|Default), and the full table reference is available for
any composite worksheets or lookup expressions which subsequently use this worksheet. It is
not recommended to display the key fields in this manner on worksheets intended to be viewed
by end users. For final display worksheets intended for users, the fields should be added and
displayed individually in their own columns.
NOTE: If grouping a worksheet, it is recommended that any columns being used as a reference
also use the "Group By" grouping function. Any other grouping functions might generate
unexpected results if used with columns that have the Use as reference check box selected. For
more information about grouping worksheets, see "Group column data" on page 382.
NOTE: If the referenced table contains multiple base key fields, you must select the Use as
reference check box. Otherwise, the worksheet cannot be used to view data.
NOTE: If you do not select the Use as reference check box, if the referenced table contains a
single base key field, that key field on the referenced table is returned. This behavior is intended to
provide backwards compatibility with how previous versions handled references, and its
continued usage is not recommended. If you only want a key field from the referenced table, it is
recommended to add that field value directly (for example, Part.Name). For more information, see
"Add a field from a referenced table as a column" on page 360.

NOTE: If the referenced table contains only one key field, the column is automatically considered
to be a reference. However, the Use as Reference check box is not selected.
NOTE: You cannot use a column as a reference if the worksheet contains a multi-scenario column.
For more information, see "Creating multi-scenario worksheets" on page 265.
▶ Add all key fields from a worksheet’s table
2. Click Add Key Fields, and then click one of the following:
l All Key Fields—Adds the key fields for the table the worksheet is based on and all tables it
references.
l Primary Key Fields—Adds the key fields for only the table the worksheet is based on.
▶Define a new column using a query expression
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, click the column you want to insert the new column after.
4. In the Header box, type a display name for the new column.
5. In the Expression Box, type a valid column expression. For more information, see "Query
language syntax" on page 1115.
NOTE: If your column expression includes a String value that ends with an exclamation point, that
String might be interpreted as a worksheet reference. In this case, the worksheet is reported as a
missing dependency, but the worksheet continues to function. For more information, see "View
worksheet dependencies" on page 341.
NOTE: If your column expression uses a set field, the selected filter is not applied to the results of
the expression. To filter the expression results, you must specify the filter in the column
expression.
TIP: You can also select fields, functions, variables, column identifiers, and worksheet identifiers
from a list in the Expression box. For more information, see "Expression assistance and auto-
completion" on page 1120.
TIP: If you want to save a worksheet without fixing the syntax errors found in a worksheet column
(for example, you want to fix them later), enclose the column expression in single quotes. The
expression is then treated as a valid string, and the worksheet can be saved.

▶Include a column value in another column
2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the column you want to include in another column.
3. Take note of the value in the ID box.
4. Create a new column or select the column you want to include the other column's value in.
5. In the Expression box, type an expression that includes the other column's identifier, using the
syntax !ColumnID.
NOTE: You can perform operations using column values and fields in the RapidResponse
database, other column values, variables, or constant values.
TIP: You can also select column identifiers from a list in the Expression box. For more information,
see "Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.
▶Copy a column
2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the column you want to copy.
3. Click Copy Column.
4. In the new column's Header box, type a unique header for the column.
NOTE: If the column you are copying has conditional formatting applied to it, the same
conditional formatting is applied to the copied column. For more information, see "Applying
conditional formatting to worksheets" on page 317.
▶Specify a column’s identifier
The ID box displays the identifier value. By default, the identifier is the column header with spaces
removed. Column identifiers must begin with a letter.
4. In the ID box, type an identifier for the column.
CAUTION: If the column identifier is used in a column expression or in another worksheet, that
expression will fail and the worksheet will not be able to be displayed if the column identifier is
modified. If you do modify a column’s identifier, you must modify the identifier in every other
column and worksheet that references it.
NOTE: Identifiers can contain only letters, numbers, and underscore characters (_), and must
begin with a letter. When you type the column's header, invalid characters are not included in the
identifier.

▶Reposition a column
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, select a column and then drag it up or down to reposition
it within the worksheet column order.
▶Remove a column
2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the column you want to remove, and then click
Delete Column.
TIP: You can also delete a column by pressing Delete.
Create a column based on the result of other columns

You can create columns that use the results of other columns to summarize values, similarly to the
summarization functions available for columns. However, by calculating results based on other columns,
you can customize the calculation and produce summarizations using values from multiple columns. For
example, you can create a column that calculates a running total (cumulative total) by adding each
record's quantity to the total in another column, calculate a percentage by dividing the sum of two
columns' quantities by the total in another column, or calculate a forecast based on demand quantities
in previous periods. For more information about summarizations, see "Apply a summarization function
to a column" on page 384.
You can also specify whether the column is calculated using the result of another column before or after
worksheet searches are applied. For example, you can create a column that calculates sums of previous
values, but only includes the rows that match a worksheet user's search criteria. If you use the search
results in a column, you cannot search that column, and any searches you had applied are cleared.
The expression that defines a column that uses the result of other columns can use any of the
RapidResponse set operators. For example, you can use the SUM operator to calculate the total of a
column, or the AVERAGE operator to calculate the average of values in a column. For more information,
see "Set operators" on page 1145. In addition, a PREVIOUS operator is available for these columns, and
allows you to perform operations using the previous record in the set of results. For more information,
see "PREVIOUS" on page 1231.
Final result columns do not affect the worksheet's sorting, and cannot be grouped. For more
information, see "Sort columns" on page 370 and "Group column data" on page 382. If worksheet users
change the sorting on the worksheet, the final result columns must be recalculated based on the new
sort order. To prevent this, you can turn off sorting. For more information, see "Specify worksheet
display options" on page 281.
Columns that use the results of other columns can refer only to column identifiers, and cannot access
the fields from the table the worksheet is based on. Other columns in the worksheet are denoted using
an exclamation point followed by the column identifier. For example, to refer to the value in a column
with the identifier DueDate, type !DueDate.
For examples of columns that can be created based on other columns' results and the results of column
searches, see "Example: Creating columns based on other columns' results" on page 366.
You can also use the set functions and previous values in columns to determine which record is the last
in a set. For more information, see "Example: Determining the last record in a set" on page 378.

You can create columns that use the calculated results of multi-scenario columns. In this case, the final
result column is also multi-scenario, and calculates results for each scenario displayed in the worksheet.
However, you can set the column to return results from only one scenario. For more information, see
"Create a column based on multi-scenario column results" on page 365.
NOTE: If you create a column that uses the final result from a column that is bucketed by date,
you must ensure that the worksheet does not include past or future date buckets, because this
can result in unexpected data in the calculated column. For more information, see "Define
worksheet date buckets" on page 405.
NOTE: You cannot sort a worksheet by a column that is based on another column's result. You
should indicate which columns cannot be sorted in the worksheet help.
▶Create a column based on the results of other columns
2. Click New Column, and then type a header for the column.
3. Select the Calculate using final results from other columns check box.
4. In the Expression box, type an expression that uses other columns.
column identifiers and operators to your expression. For more information about using
▶Create a column that uses the search results of other columns
3. Select the Calculate using final results from other columns check box.
4. Select the Calculate using the result of searches on other columns check box.
▶Process previous records in a column
2. Select or create a column that is calculated using the result of other columns.
3. In the Expression box, type an expression similar to the following.
PREVIOUS (!column, initial)
where !column is the column to process, and initial is the value to use if there is no
previous record in the column
4. Optionally, you can reset the calculation based on the value in another column, using an
expression similar to the following.
PREVIOUS (!column, initial, !reset)
where !column is the column to process, initial is the value to use if there is no
previous record in the column, and !reset is the column used to reset the calculation
when the value in the column changes.

▶Calculate the result of a set of column values
2. Create or select a column that is calculated using the result of other columns.
3. In the Expression box, type an expression similar to the following.
SetOperator By(!column) {expression}
where SetOperator is the set operator, !column is a column that determines the set
of result records the set operation is applied to, and expression defines the values the
set operator runs on. Depending on the set operator used, you can optionally include a
filter condition, surrounded by square brackets ([ ]) to limit the records processed by
the set operation. The filter expression must be between the column and expression.
For more information, see "Set operators" on page 1145.
You can also use the entire record set with the set operator by not specifying a column in
the By() syntax. For example,
SetOperator By() {expression}
TIP: You can also use a LOOKUP operator to find values within the set of results. For more
information, see "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
Create a column based on multi-scenario column

results
In worksheets with at least one multi-scenario column, you can calculate results based on a multi-
scenario column and then have the column return results for only one of the scenarios. For more
information about multi-scenario columns, see "Creating multi-scenario worksheets" on page 265.
▶Display the value from only one scenario
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, click the multi-scenario column you want to view results
for.
4. On the Data sub-tab, select Calculate using final results from other columns.
6. Add one of the following to the end of the column expression.
l #0—only the value in the baseline scenario is displayed in the column.
l #1—only the value in the comparison scenario is displayed in the column.
NOTE: For example, the expression might read !Type#1.
NOTE: If the workbook allows users to specify comparison scenarios, you can display the value in
each additional scenario by continuing the numbering for the scenario. For example, to use the
value in the third scenario (the second comparison scenario), add #2 to the end of the expression.
To use the value from the fourth scenario, add #3 to the expression, and so on.

NOTE: You can also specify that only results from the baseline scenario display by including a set
operator in the expression. If you are using a set operator in the expression, you cannot use the #
syntax. For more information, see "Set operators" on page 1145.
Example: Creating columns based on other columns'

results
Suppose you want to create a worksheet that performs summarizations on order data, including a
running total (cumulative total) of revenues for a customer, the average and grand total of part
quantities, and the total of late revenue for each part. These columns are calculated using the results
from other columns.
First, create the columns that will be used in the other columns, and to define the records displayed in
the worksheet.
Add a column to calculate the running total (cumulative total) of revenue for each customer. This value
is calculated by creating a Running Total Revenue column that uses the results from other columns, and
adds the previous value in the column to the value in the Revenue column, using the expression shown

Next, add columns that calculate the total and average order quantity for each part. These columns can
use set operators to calculate results based on the set of results returned for the columns.
Finally, add a column to calculate the total late revenue for each part, using the following expression.

The final worksheet is shown in the following illustration.
For customer Berlin, a running total (cumulative total) of revenue for all orders is calculated, and the
total and average of order quantities is displayed for each part. For the Cruiser and Mountain parts, no
late revenue is calculated because no orders are late.

You now want the worksheet to display the sum and average of only the records displayed in the
worksheet. To do this, you set the Orders columns to calculate using the results of column searches.
The final worksheet is shown in the following illustration. Only orders due before July 10 are displayed.
In this case, the total values for the orders for customer Berlin are calculated using only the orders due
before July 10, 2013. The value for the Orders Late Revenue column does not change, because the only
record used to calculate the result is still displayed in the worksheet.

Formatting columns
You can specify how columns display in a worksheet by hiding or freezing the columns or sorting the
order of columns in a worksheet. You can also add totals and subtotals to a column, or group the
column data to summarize the data.
Sort columns
Worksheet data is, by default, sorted according to column order (and the data in each column is sorted
in ascending order). However, you can also specify a custom sort order. When column data is sorted, a
large number of consecutive column cells often show the same value. To improve column readability,
you can suppress duplicate values (only the first occurrence of each value is shown).
▶Sort by column order
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Sort tab.
2. Click Sort data by column order.
▶Sort by custom order
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Sort tab.
2. Click Custom sort order.
3. In the Sort by list, drag columns up or down to determine the order in which they are sorted.
4. For each column, select one of the following:
l Ascending—Sorts text strings from a-z, quantities from lowest to highest, and dates from
earliest to latest.
l Descending—Sorts text strings from z-a, quantities from highest to lowest, and dates from
latest to earliest.
NOTE: Records that begin with special characters are sorted ahead of other records. If a record
begins with a dash (-), the dash is ignored by the sorting process.
NOTE: If you apply a custom sort order and then add a column to the worksheet, the new column
is sorted last.
NOTE: Columns that use the final results of other columns have a sort order of None, and cannot
affect the worksheet sort order. For more information, see "Create a column based on the result of
other columns" on page 363.
▶Suppress duplicate column values
2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the column.
4. Select the Hide duplicate values check box.
NOTE: If you are hiding duplicate values in a crosstab worksheet, you should hide duplicates only

in the vertical (dimension) columns, not in the crosstab rows. Hiding duplicate values in the rows
can cause unexpected results in the worksheet. For more information about crosstab worksheets,
see "Create a crosstab worksheet" on page 401.
Hide columns in a worksheet

When you add or create a column in a worksheet, by default, the column is visible to users. You can
specify that the column be always hidden or conditionally hidden from users. Columns that are
conditionally hidden are shown or hidden from users based on a condition you specify. In addition, you
can customize each column to allow users to change the hidden state of a column, either hiding or
showing that column. For more information, see "Specify whether users can hide and show a column"
on page 372.
Always hidden columns tend to be informational columns that are required for the worksheet but might
not be useful for users, such as a label column used in a worksheet chart. Conditionally hidden columns
are used for data columns. For example, in a worksheet that displays data as a grid and as a scatter
chart, you might always hide the columns that display start and end values for the chart and set a
column that displays the average value as conditional. The average value will only display when the
column value exceeds a specified value, otherwise the column remains hidden.
Depending on the visibility state of the column, different icons display in the Columns list in the
Worksheet Properties dialog box. Columns that are always visible or are visible and can be hidden or
shown by users do not display an icon.
—Always hidden column. This column does not display to users.
—Conditionally hidden column. This column displays to users when a specific condition is met.
For some worksheet chart types, you can specify hidden and conditionally hidden columns for different
chart properties. For more information, see "Hidden columns in charts" on page 609.
▶Hide a column
You can hide any worksheet column from displaying. For example, you might want a column to be used
as part of a worksheet’s sort order, but not be viewable by worksheet users.For more information, see
"Sort columns" on page 370.
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, select the column to hide.
3. Select the Hide column check box.
NOTE: Fields, worksheet IDs, and column IDs are not available in Expression Builder to build query
expressions for hiding columns.
TIP: You can also hide a column by clicking Hide Column on the Data menu while in design mode.
For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
▶Hide a column when a specific condition is met in the worksheet

You can hide a column when certain conditions in a worksheet are met. For example, you can design a
worksheet in which columns are hidden when users belonging to a specific user group are viewing it.

Formatting columns
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, select the column to hide.
3. Select the Hide column check box.
4. To hide the column when a specified condition is met, select Only hide when, and then type the
Boolean expression that defines the condition that must be met to hide the column.
5. To show the column when a specified condition is met, select Only show when, and then type
the Boolean expression that defines the condition that must be met to show the column.
6. Optionally, click Expression Builder to help in constructing the query expressions. For more
information, see "Creating expressions with Expression Builder" on page 1117 and "Comparison
operators" on page 1132.
7. Optionally, click Validate Worksheet to ensure the expression is valid.
▶Specify whether users can hide and show a column

By default, all columns can be hidden and displayed by users. However, you can prevent users from
hiding columns and also allow them to show columns that you hide.
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, select a column and do the following:
If you want to... Do the following...

Prevent users from hiding a column. Clear the Allow users to hide and show column check
box.
Allow users to hide and show a column. Select the Allow users to hide and show column check
box.
Hide a column and prevent users from showing it. Select the Hide column check box and clear the Allow
users to hide and show column check box.
Hide a column but allow users to subsequently show Select the Hide column check box and the Allow users
it. to hide and show column check box.
Conditionally hide a column and prevent users from Select the Only hide column when check box and clear
showing it the Allow users to hide and show column check box.
Conditionally hide a column but allow users to show Select the Only hide column when check box and the
and hide the column when the condition is not met. Allow users to hide and show column check box.
NOTE: If you hide columns but allow users to subsequently display them, it is recommended that
you mention the columns in the worksheet help so that users are aware that they can be
displayed.
▶Example: Add a workbook variable that hides and shows columns

Conditionally hiding columns can be especially useful in combination with a workbook variable. For
example, you can include a Boolean variable, and add it as a button on the workbook toolbar to hide
and show columns.
This example walks you through the steps of using a Boolean variable for hiding and showing columns
in a crosstab worksheet that displays supply and demand information by due date. For the initial view,
you want to display fewer columns, but make it possible to quickly access cost and revenue data when
required.

1. Create the worksheet. In this example, the worksheet originally displays the following
information.
2. You want to initially hide the Revenue and Cost columns because they are not required by all
users of this worksheet. To provide a quick way of displaying the columns you create a Boolean
variable called ShowHide, that can be used in the worksheet expression for conditionally hiding
columns. The variable will display as a button on the workbook toolbar. The following displays
the variable settings.

Formatting columns
3. In the Worksheet properties, on the Columns tab, you must specify the hidden column condition
for the Revenue and Cost columns. You want the columns to be hidden initially, and to be
displayed once the user clicks the button. To do so, you specify the following:
l Select Hide column and Conditional.
l Then select Only hide when.
l In the text box, type the following condition: $ShowHide. "$ShowHide" references the variable
name.
4. The workbook toolbar now includes a button to show and hide columns. The following image
shows the initial view of the worksheet with the columns hidden.

The following image shows the worksheet with the Revenue and Cost columns shown.
CAUTION: Even if a column is hidden, the column expression associated with it is calculated each
time the worksheet is opened. This means a large number of hidden columns, particularly if they
contain complex expressions, might affect the time it takes a worksheet to display.
NOTE: You can show a hidden column at any time by clearing the Hide column check box.
Freeze columns in a worksheet

You can set a worksheet to open with specific columns frozen. Applying the freeze column setting can
maximize space on the window or ensure that data in key columns are visible as the user scrolls through
the worksheet. Workbook users can override the freeze column setting and add, delete, or modify which
columns are frozen on a worksheet.
When you freeze a column or set of columns, a separator line appears in the Columns in this worksheet
list on the Columns tab on the Worksheet Properties dialog box.

Formatting columns
NOTE: For Project Management worksheets where a worksheet is displayed beside a chart, it is
recommended that some informative columns be frozen in the worksheet.
▶Freeze a column
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, select the Columns tab.
2. Choose which column or columns you want to freeze.
3. Right-click on the column to the right of the column you want to freeze.
4. Click Freeze Columns .
A separator line appears between the frozen and unfrozen columns.
NOTE: You can only freeze one set of columns in a worksheet.
TIP: You can freeze a set of consecutive columns by right-clicking on the column to the right of
the last column you want to freeze.
▶Modify which columns are frozen
l Click, drag, and drop the separator line after another column or set of columns in the Columns in
this worksheet list.
l Before all of the columns in the list -- no columns are selected to be frozen.
l After the last column in the list -- all the columns cannot be frozen.
l Before the first Group By column or after the last Group By column in a crosstab worksheet.
NOTE: You cannot drag and drop a separator line:
▶Unfreeze a column
1. Select and right-click the separator line.

2. Click Delete Column.
3. Click Yes.
The separator line will disappear from the Columns in this worksheet list.

TIP: You can also select the separator line and press Delete or right-click and then click Freeze
Columns .
TIP: You can also freeze or unfreeze columns directly on the worksheet by right-clicking and then
clicking Freeze Columns .
Add column totals and subtotals

Using subtotals, you can automatically include summary data for a group of records in a column, while
still displaying the detailed records that comprise the group. For example, in a worksheet showing sales
orders, you might display subtotals such as the total number of orders for each customer or the average
order size for each part. Grand totals can also be added that summarize all records in a column.
Subtotals are defined based on worksheet columns, and are reset when the value in that column
changes. For example, a worksheet that calculates subtotals for parts can show the total quantity of
orders for each part or the average revenue from orders for each part. When the part value changes, the
subtotals reset to calculate the values for the next part.
Subtotals always summarize values from columns that come after a selected column in the worksheet's
sort order. For example, if the worksheet sorts by part, then due date, then quantity, quantity subtotals
can be calculated for each part or each due date.
The following illustration shows subtotals calculated for the Customer column, showing average
revenue, average days late, total quantity, and total revenue for orders from each customer.

Formatting columns
▶Add column subtotals
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Subtotal tab.
2. In the On value change in column box, select the column for which to trigger the insertion of a
subtotal row.
3. In the Insert subtotals grid, for each column you want to include a subtotal, select one or more
of the following functions:
l Sum—returns a total value.
l Average—returns an average value.
l Count—returns the number of records.
l Minimum—returns the minimum value.
l Maximum—returns the minimum value.
l Running Total—returns a running total (cumulative total) for all records in the column.
CAUTION: Subtotals are connected to a worksheet’s sort order. If you change the sort order to
sort a column after the columns it summarizes, the subtotals for that column are removed. You
can add, delete, or move other columns without removing subtotals, except if you delete a column
with subtotals defined.
NOTE: If you want page breaks inserted after each set of subtotals when printing the worksheet,
select the Page break after subtotals check box.
▶Add column grand totals
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Subtotal tab.
2. In the On value change in column box, select Grand Totals.
3. In the Insert subtotals grid, for each column you want to add grand totals for, select one or
more of the following functions.
l Sum—returns a total value.
l Average—returns an average value.
l Count—returns the number of records.
l Minimum—returns the minimum value.
l Maximum—returns the minimum value.
Example: Determining the last record in a set

If you have created a worksheet that calculates the running totals (cumulative totals) of previous
columns, you can use a set operation to determine which record is the last one in a set of values.
Determining the last record in a set requires a column to determine the count of records in a set, and a
column to provide a count of records.
For example, assume you have a worksheet that calculates the running totals of quantities and
revenues, as shown in the following illustration.

Next, add a column to determine the number of records in each set, resetting by site. The expression for
this column is shown in the following illustration.
Next, add a column that counts each record in the set, again resetting by site, as shown in the following
illustration.

Formatting columns
These columns are shown in the following illustration.
In this example, there are seven records for part AC001 at site Direct and 17 records for part AC002 at
site 600.
Next, add a column that identifies the column where the record count matches the total of records in
that set, as shown in the following illustration.

The result of adding this column is shown in the following illustration.
To improve the worksheet's readability, hide the Site Count and Record Count columns. The final
worksheet is shown in the following illustration.

Formatting columns
You could use this column to perform additional tasks. For example, you could format the last record in
a set, perform a different calculation on the final record of the set, or use only the last record in each set
in another column's expression.
Group column data

Grouping data summarizes data from multiple records into a single record. Summary functions are then
applied to the data in the remaining columns. For example, in a worksheet showing sales orders, you
might group data by customer and site. You can then return summary order information for each
customer and site combination (such as the total number of orders and the revenue associated with
those orders).
Any grouping options you specify are applied after the "Worksheet filtering" on page 386. This means
that if you want to filter the grouped records, you should create a composite worksheet based on this
worksheet and then apply the filter to it. You cannot group the worksheet using a column that has a
summarization function applied to it. You must either disable the summarization or group the
worksheet by a different column. For more information, see "Apply a summarization function to a
If the worksheet contains multi-scenario columns, data from both scenarios is used when calculating
the sum or count of values in columns that are not multi-scenario columns. If the worksheet contains
any multi-scenario columns, each column you group by Count or Sum should be a multi-scenario
column to ensure the values returned by the worksheet are correct.
Worksheets that contain grouped data cannot be used to delete records, import data, split records, or
perform automatic data modifications. For more information, see "Creating workbooks to automate
business processes" on page 715. If a worksheet contains grouped data, it can be used to edit data only
if the worksheet is bucketed by date, and the Sum grouping function is applied to the columns you
want to make editable. For more information, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.

If you intend the worksheet to be used in a composite worksheet, the grouping columns should be the
first columns in the worksheet, and be adjacent in the worksheet and in the sort order. Otherwise, the
worksheet cannot be used to merge records in the composite worksheet. In addition, if you are not
allowing data to be edited in the composite worksheet, you should apply date bucketing on only the
composite worksheet. For more information, see "Designing component worksheets" on page 481 and
"Group and bucket data from component worksheets" on page 496.
You can also format the visibility of grouped column headers, choosing to hide or display the top row or
calendar names of column headers. Hiding column headers maximizes the number of rows visible on the
worksheet. In grouped crosstab worksheets with bucketing, it is recommended that you hide calendar
names when individual bucket labels provide sufficient information. For example, when bucket labels
display actual dates, the column header identifying the calendar name “month” is not required. For
grouped crosstab worksheets, when the worksheet name sufficiently describes the data being
displayed in the worksheet, the top column header row might not need to be displayed.
NOTE: Hiding the top row is not recommended for worksheets with only one column displayed
after the last Group By column unless the name of the top row is included in the worksheet name.
▶Group column data
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Group tab.
3. Select the Group by function for at least one column. If the last Group By column is a date, you
can also define date buckets for the data. For more information, see "Define worksheet date
4. For all other (data) columns, select one of the following grouping functions:
l Associate—returns a value based on the Minimum or Maximum summary value returned in
another column. If there are multiple Minimum or Maximum functions, the associate value is

Formatting columns
calculated based on the Minimum or Maximum column that most immediately preceded it in
the Column list. If no Minimum or Maximum column precedes this column, the Minimum value
is returned by default.
l Average—returns the average value found in each set of grouped records.
l Count—returns the total number of records in each set of grouped records.
l Maximum—returns the maximum value found in each set of grouped records.
l Minimum—returns the minimum value found in each set of grouped records.
l Product—returns the product of all values within each set of grouped record (for example,
effective end-to-end yield).
l Running Total—displays an incremental running total (cumulative total) for all values in the
column.
l Sum—returns the total value for each set of grouped records (for example, total order
quantity).
5. If you want to display data in a horizontal crosstab view, select the Crosstab view check box.
Typically, date-bucketed worksheets are presented in crosstab view. However, you can also leave
this check box blank and display a bucketed vertical worksheet.
6. To hide header rows identifying calendar names such as Month, select Hide calendar names.
The worksheet must be a bucketed crosstab worksheet to enable this option.
7. To hide the top column header row, select Hide top row (includes name of last Group By
column).
The worksheet must be a crosstab worksheet to enable this option.
NOTE: If you do not assign at least one Group by function, a grouped worksheet will return only a
single summary value.
NOTE: In some cases, the Associate function can return one of several potential values. For
example, suppose a worksheet grouped by Part with the Minimum function applied to a DueDate
column, and Associate applied to Order Number. If several orders share the earliest due date for a
given part, then the Associate function would randomly return one of these possible values.
NOTE: If you have upgraded from a version of RapidResponse prior to 9.2, you might have
worksheets that use a post-query filter expression to filter grouped data. These worksheets
cannot have worksheets based on them, and to modify the filter settings you must edit the post-
query filter expression.
NOTE: Columns that use the final results of other columns have a grouping rule of None, and
cannot be grouped or affect the grouping of other columns. For more information, see "Create a
column based on the result of other columns" on page 363. These columns cannot be used to
modify data, but can drill to a details worksheet or a form. For more information, see "Creating drill
NOTE: For crosstab worksheets that are bucketed, you can hide column headers for both the top
row and for calendar names.
Apply a summarization function to a column

You can apply a summarization function to a quantity column to make the information easier to
understand. For example, you can display values in a column as a fraction of the total sum of a group of

records. Or, you can calculate a column as a running sum (cumulative sum) if you want its value to
increase incrementally with each record.
You can also reset the summarization function when a value in a specific column changes. Each column
you apply a summarization function to can reset on a value change in a different column. If the
worksheet contains columns defined by hierarchy selections, the summarization can reset on changes in
the hierarchy column. If multiple hierarchy columns are included, the summarization reset on changes in
only the right-most hierarchy column. For more information, see "Add columns based on a hierarchy" on
page 285.
In the following worksheet, four quantity columns with an identical expression have been inserted. The
Quantity column does not have a summarization function applied, and displays the actual part quantity.
The other three columns, with the summarization functions applied, are represented as a Running Sum,
Average, and Maximum. When the value in the Part column changes, the summarization functions are
reset.
You can also use summarization functions in place of set operations. For example, you can use a
summarization function to calculate the average of values for a part instead of using the AVERAGE
operator. For more information, see "Set operators" on page 1145. Set operators are typically used to
summarize values from tables other than the one the worksheet is based on, so you can use the
summarization function in a composite worksheet that displays data from multiple tables. For more
information, see "Creating composite worksheets" on page 467. Using summarization functions instead
of set operators can improve worksheet performance.
If you are also grouping the data in the worksheet, you cannot group the data by a column that you
have defined a summarization function for. You must either remove the summarization function or
group the worksheet by a different column. For more information, see "Group column data" on page
382.

Formatting columns
2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select a quantity column you want to calculate a running
sum for.
4. In the Summarization area, select the Show check box, and then from the list, click one of the
following:
l Running Sum—the current running sum (cumulative sum).
l Fraction—the value divided by the sum of all the values.
l Average—the average of all the values.
l Minimum—the lowest value.
l Maximum—the highest value.
l Total—the total of all the values.
5. In the Reset on change in column list, select the column you want to use to reset the
summarization function. Only the columns to the left of the summarized column are listed.
NOTE: Running sums are calculated before worksheet searches are applied.
NOTE: If you choose to group columns, the summarization function is applied after the grouping
functions. Running sums on grouped columns do not reset when a value changes.
NOTE: If you choose to reset on a change in the hierarchy columns and a worksheet user does
not select a hierarchy value, the summarization does not reset.
NOTE: Summarizations are calculated after the final result of the column is produced. If a column
is calculated using the final result of a column that has a summarization applied to it, the
summarization is not included in that result. For more information, see "Create a column based on
the result of other columns" on page 363.
Worksheet filtering
You can limit the scope of data that displays in a worksheet by adding a worksheet filter. A worksheet
filter is a logical expression specifying conditions that data in the worksheet’s table must meet in order
to be shown in the worksheet. This ensures a more focused and manageable set of records. For
example, instead of showing all records from the ScheduledReceipt table, a worksheet could show only
purchase orders.
Define worksheet filtering

When you add a filter to a worksheet, you can also select which of the selectable item-filtering controls
are available to worksheet users and in some cases specify the specific field against which the filter is
applied. For example, you can enable use of the Filter control and, assuming a part-based filter, if the
worksheet is based on a table with multiple references to the Part table you can then select which of
these reference fields the filter should be applied against.
NOTE: When creating worksheets based on calculated tables, item-filtering controls should

typically only be applied on or through the owner reference field. This can significantly improve
worksheet performance and ensure the intended set of records is returned by the worksheet. For
more information, see "Filtering on calculated tables" on page 389.
▶Add a worksheet filter
2. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type a logical expression.
NOTE: If you require filtering beyond the worksheet filter expression, you can create a composite
worksheet and apply a filter expression to it. For more information, see "Filter data from a
component worksheet" on page 496.
TIP: If the expression you want already exists in a filter, you can reference that filter in your logical
expression instead of typing in the expression again.
▶Call an existing filter in an expression

Sometimes the conditions you want to specify in a worksheet filter expression already exist in an existing
filter. Instead of re-creating the expression, you can reference that filter instead. The syntax for calling
an existing filter in a worksheet depends on whether the filter is based on the same table as the
worksheet or on a different table as outlined below.
If the filter is based on Syntax

The same table as the worksheet. s'filterName'
A different table than the worksheet. TableName[s'filterName']
In some cases there may be two filters with the name specified in the query expression. That is, there
may be both a public filter and a given user’s private filter having the same name. A RapidResponse
query expression will first look for and use a user’s private filter with the specified name and, if not
found, will then look for and use a public filter with the specified name. If necessary, however, you can
specify that RapidResponse looks for and uses only a named private filter or only a named public filter as
outlined below.
To use Syntax
Only the named private filter. private s'filterName'
Only the named public filter. public TableName[s'filterName']
For example, suppose a filter called “My Parts” is based on the Part table and returns only the parts
“Cruiser”, “ProCruiser”, and “Racer”. The following table shows examples of calling this filter from a
worksheet filter expression.

Worksheet filtering
To return Type
Only the parts Cruiser, ProCruiser, and Racer. s'My Parts'
Assume a worksheet based on the Part table.
Only orders for Cruiser, ProCruiser, or Racer that are expected to be Part[s'My Parts'] AND DaysLate >
late. 0
Assume a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table.
Only the parts defined by the My Parts filter. private s'My Parts'
Assume the My Parts filter must be a user’s private filter.
CAUTION: Users receive an error message if they attempt to open a worksheet calling a filter to
which they do not have access.
▶Specify worksheet filtering controls
2. Depending on the controls you want available to worksheet users, select any of the following
check boxes:
l Use the Filter control—allows worksheet users to select a filter from the Filter control.
Available only if the Include the filter control option was selected when the workbook was
created, and the worksheet is based on a table that has some connection to the workbook’s
table.
l Use the Site control—allows worksheet users to select a site from the Site control. Available
only when there is at least one path to a site field from the table on which the worksheet is
based.
l Use the Model control—allows worksheets users to select a model from the Model control.
Available only if your company has enabled the Model-Unit Effectivity module, and the
worksheet is based on a table that has some connection to the Model table.
l Use the Pool control—allows worksheets users to select an inventory pool from the Pool
control. Available only if the worksheet is based on a table that has some connection to the
Pool table.
3. For each check box selected in the previous step, make a selection from the Apply to field list to
specify the field the corresponding control is applied to (only necessary if there are multiple fields
to which the control can be applied). For example, in a worksheet based on the
IndependentDemand table, you can specify that part-based filters are applied to either the Part
or GatingPart fields.
4. If you selected the Use the Model control or Use the Pool control check boxes, in the Apply the
Model and Pool settings area, click one of the following:
l Always—The selections you make in the Use the Model control and Use the Pool control
areas are always applied to the worksheet data.
l Only if they affect part netting—The selections you make in the Use the Model control and
Use the Pool control areas are only applied if they affect Netting for a given part. If the table
the worksheet is based on has multiple paths to the Part table, you must select one of these
in the Part field list.
5. If the worksheet contains multi-scenario columns, in the Scenario comparison area, click one of
the following.

l All records—Every record is shown in the worksheet.
l Only records with different comparison values—Only the records that have different values
in the scenarios are shown in the worksheet.
NOTE: Depending on the table the worksheet is based on and how the columns are defined, the
field the worksheet controls apply to might not produce the intended results. In this case, you
should ensure the field in the Apply to field list for each control matches the field used in the
column definition.
NOTE: If the worksheet is bucketed by date, you cannot show only records with differences
between scenarios. For more information, see "Define worksheet date buckets" on page 405.
NOTE: If you have applied controls to specific fields and then modify the worksheet, you should
ensure the fields you have selected can still be reached. If the path to a specified field is not valid, it
is displayed with the red X icon .
Filtering on calculated tables

A calculated table in the RapidResponse data model might typically contain many calculated reference
fields and can include more than one reference to the same table. However, only one reference field per
calculated table is designated as the "owner" reference (the item that owns all calculated results for the
table). On a given calculated table, the owner reference points to the particular input table where the
underlying analytic calculation that generates its records begins. For example, a number of calculated
tables have the Part table as their owner and as such their underlying calculations are triggered by Part
records.
The owner reference for a calculated table takes on particular importance when specifying worksheet
filtering options. This is because there can be many different paths to the table that holds the item
being filtered (such as Part or Site), and the path selected will impact which records get returned as well
as worksheet performance. For example, the following illustration shows the list of fields against which
the Part filter can be applied on a particular calculated table.

Worksheet filtering
When creating a worksheet based on a calculated table, worksheet item controls such as Filter or Site
should typically only be applied to fields on or accessed through the owner reference. This allows the
filtering conditions specified in a worksheet user's selected item controls to be applied directly to the set
of records represented by the owner reference. As a result, only a subset of all potential records defined
by the owner reference need to be processed by analytic calculation in order to generate the
worksheet's records. Note that it is possible to apply Part and Site controls to reference fields other
than the owner; however in such cases all records need to be retrieved and processed by analytics
before the part item controls could be applied which results in generally slower worksheet
performance. As well, this practice might not always return the intended collection of records based on
the table's expected usage.
NOTE: Fields and references other than the owner can be used in worksheet filter expressions to
ensure the worksheet's intended scope of records is displayed. However, only filter controls or
worksheet filter expressions made on or through the owner reference impact the worksheet
processing time attributable to analytic calculations.
NOTE: To understand how long a worksheet is taking to load as well the number of records
processed and the table/field paths taken by worksheet calculations to access those records, the
worksheet performance tool can be used. For more information, see "Analyzing worksheet
performance and processing times" on page 857.
Examples
The WhereConsumedForSupply table is populated by full-level pegging calculations and is used to
report all component supplies, across all levels, that are required to fill a given production order
(scheduled receipt, planned order, and so on). This table contains several references to the Part table,
including the DriverPart field which is the owner reference and indicates the top-level part that is
ultimately driving the supply allotment reported on a given record. If building a worksheet based on the
WhereConsumedForSupply table, Part and Site filters should be applied through the DriverPart

reference (that is, DriverPart and DriverPart.Site). This ensures that the table's underlying analytic
calculations only need to be run for those driver parts that satisfy the conditions defined by user's
selected part and site controls and the only records processed by the worksheet would be those having
the selected part(s) as the driver.
Instead, consider if the Part and Site filters were applied against the Part reference field which defines
the specific component whose supply allotment is being reported on a given record. In this case, the
table's underlying analytic calculations would have to be run for all possible driver parts and only after
those calculations completed would the selected filters be applied through the Part reference. Thus,
many more records would typically be processed (though not necessarily displayed as they might get
discarded after applying the filter controls) and longer worksheet load times incurred than if the filter
had been applied through the owner reference. As well, applying the filter through this non-owner
reference would lead to the worksheet's records being returned in the context of where particular
components are used in production orders rather than showing the components used to satisfy
particular production orders.
Similarly, the WhereConsumedForDemand table is populated by full-level pegging calculations and is
used to report all supplies used to satisfy a particular independent demand. The owner reference for
this table is IndependentDemand. If Part and Site filters are used in worksheets based on
WhereConsumedForDemand they should be applied through this reference (that is,
IndependentDemand.Part and IndependentDemand.Part.Site). This ensures that the table's
underlying analytic calculations only need to be run against independent demands for parts satisfying
the conditions defined by the user's selected part and site controls. Similarly, worksheet filter
expressions made through the IndependentDemand reference could also be used to limit the scope of
the independent demands for which the associated full level pegging calculations need to be run.
Calculated table owners

The following table lists the owner reference field for each calculated table in the RapidResponse data
model.
Calculated Table Owner Reference Field

Activity Part
AvailableToPromise Part
BillOfMaterialFeatureRule BillOfMaterial
BlowThroughNewAllocation Part
BlowThroughPlannedAllocation Part
BOM_MUECUMLead BillOfMaterial
CoByProductSupply Part
Conflict Project
ConsensusForecast Part
ConsensusForecastDetail Part
ConsensusForecastWeightByHeader Header (HistoricalDemandHeader)

ConstraintLoad Constraint

Worksheet filtering
ConstraintUsed Constraint
ConstraintSpreadLoad Constraint
CostOfGoodsSold Part
CostRollUp Part
CriticalPath Project
CTPActivity Part
CTPCoByProductSupply Part
CTPForecast Part
CTPForecastCost Part
CTPPlannedOrder Part
CTPSubstituteSupply Part
Demand Part
DemandException Part
DependentConsensusForecast Part
DependentDemand Part
DirectComponent Part
DisaggregationRateByPartCustomer PartCustomer
FeatureBOMForIndependentDemand IndependentDemand
FlatBillDown Part
FlatBillUp Part
FlatComponent Part
FlatConstraint Part
FLPConstraint Constraint
Forecast Part
ForecastConsumption Part
ForecastItemParametersActual ForecastItemParameter
HistoricalDemandWaterfall Header (HistoricalDemandHeader)
HistoricalSupplyWaterfall Header (HistoricalSupplyHeader)
IndependentDemandByFeature Part
IndependentDemandCost IndependentDemand
IndependentDemandFeature IndependentDemand
IndependentDemandFeatureSummary Part

InProcess Part
InventoryAnalysis Part
InventoryCTPAnalysis Part
InventorySummary Part
LateSupply IndependentDemand
LoadDailyCurrent WorkCenter
LoadDailyPlanned WorkCenter
LoadDetailCurrent WorkCenter
LoadDetailPlanned WorkCenter
LoadFLPPlanned Operation
LoadOperationNewOrderPlanned Routing
LoadOperationReceiptsCurrent Routing
LoadOperationsReceiptsPlanned Routing
LoadWeeklyCurrent WorkCenter
LoadWeeklyPlanned WorkCenter
MaximumInventoryResult Part
MEIODriverPart Part
MEIOFamilyResult Family (Part)
MEIOHistoricalSupply Item (MEIOLeadTime)
MEIOParentPart Part
MEIOStage Part
MEIOStageLink Part
MEIOStageResult Part
MEIOStageHistoricalDemand Part
MEIOStageHistoricalForecast Part
MEIOStageTimePhasedResult Part
NewAllocation BillOfMaterial
NewTransferAllocation PartSource
Part_MUECumLead Part
Part_MUEPoolValidation Part
PartSourceCTPPlannedOrder PartSource
PartSourcePlannedOrder PlannedOrder

Worksheet filtering
PartSourceScheduledReceipt PartSource
PeriodConstraintLoad Constraint
PeriodsOfCoverage Part
PeriodsOfCTPCoverage Part
PlannedAllocation BillOfMaterial
PlannedOrder Part
PlannedTransferAllocation PartSource
ResourceDataByDate Resource
ResourceLoad Resource
SafetyStockHistoricalDemand SafetyStockItem
SafetyStockHistoricalForecast SafetyStockItem
SafetyStockHistoricalSupply SafetyStockItem
SafetyStockItemDemandParameter Item (SafetyStockItem)

SafetyStockItemFutureDemand SafetyStockItem
SafetyStockResult Part
SafetyStockTimePhasedResult Part
ScheduledReceiptCost ScheduledReceipt
StatisticalForecast ForecastItemParameters
StatisticalForecastDetail ForecastItemParameters
StatisticalForecastDisaggregationRate ForecastItemParameters
StatisticalForecastFitOutput ForecastItemParameters
StatisticalForecastPredictActual ForecastItemParameters
SubstituteSupply Part
Supply Part
SupplyDemand Part
ValidatePlannedOrder Part
WhereConsumed Part
WhereConsumedForDemand IndependentDemand
WhereConsumedForForecast DriverPart (Part)
WhereConsumedForSupply DriverPart (Part)
WhereConsumedToHighVolumeOrder Part

Inserting records
Any worksheets you create are by default configured to allow record insertion, provided that the
worksheet is based on a table that allows record insertions. The definition used for inserting data is the
default assigned to the table.
Specify the insert definition for inserting data for a

worksheet
You can use a different insert definition that has already been defined for the table or you can create a
definition specifically for the worksheet.
2. Ensure the Allow inserting records check box is selected and then do one of the following:
l To use the default insert definition defined for the table, click Default insert definition.
l To use another insert definition already defined for the table, click Insert definition and then
click a definition from the list.
l To define an insert definition for this worksheet only, click Custom insert definition, click
Settings, and then specify the fields and default values for the definition. For information
about creating an insert definition, see "Create an insert definition" on page 565.
NOTE: A custom definition is automatically exported and imported with the workbook when you
export and import the workbook. For more information, see "Import and export resources" on
page 133.
Disable insert for a worksheet

By default, insert is enabled for worksheets based on input tables; however, you can disable it. Users can
insert records into only table-based worksheets.
2. In the Data editing area, click to clear the Allow inserting records check box.
NOTE: Inserting is not available for worksheets in a metric workbook or for worksheets based on
a calculated table.
NOTE: You can also allow users to insert records by modifying data in a grouped or crosstab
worksheet using a custom insert definition. If you enable inserting through editing grouped data,
users can always insert, even if you clear the Allow inserting records check box. For more
information, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.

Inserting records
Automatically update calculated fields
You can set worksheets to automatically update calculated fields each time a data change is made in the
worksheet. You can apply this setting so that when users make a data change, and then move to a
different row or to a different cell, the results in calculated fields update immediately instead of when
worksheet changes are saved. Only table-based and composite worksheets can be set to automatically
calculate. Setting worksheets to automatically calculate is only recommended for worksheets that load
quickly.
The worksheet can also show how the data changes made in the active worksheet affect the rest of the
worksheets in the workbook when you also select Automatically calculate in all worksheets. This
option however might slow worksheet loading and performance, so it is only recommended if all
worksheets in the workbook load quickly.
▶Set a worksheet to automatically calculate
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select
Automatically calculate when moving between.
2. Select on of the following options:
l Rows—updates calculated fields when a user moves to a different row after editing a value.
l Cells—updates calculated fields when a user moves to a different cell after editing a value.
This option can impact performance more significantly than if you select to calculate when a
user moves to a different row and should be used carefully.
3. To show the impact of data changes in all other worksheets, select Automatically calculate in all
worksheets.
NOTE: When you select Automatically calculate in all worksheets, you can only edit one
worksheet at a time. To edit in another worksheet, you must first save your data changes.
NOTE: You cannot set the workbook to manually refresh if Automatically calculate in all
worksheets is selected. For more information, see "Specify workbook refresh options" on page
243.
NOTE: If the Use enhanced task editing option is selected in a worksheet's properties,
Automatically calculate is unavailable.
NOTE: If a worksheet is set to automatically calculate results, deleted records disappear from view
immediately rather than being marked in blue on the worksheet. Users can still recover the
deleted records until they save their changes.
Allow inventory transfers in a worksheet

You can enable inventory transfers on worksheets you create. This allows users to transfer on hand
inventory from one part and site combination to another. For example, this might be done to help
resolve a supply shortage or excess situation.
When inventory transfers are enabled on a worksheet, the Transfer Inventory button is added to the
worksheet toolbar, and provides access to the Transfer Inventory dialog box. This dialog box is used to

specify the details of inventory transfers as discussed in "Transfer inventory" in the RapidResponse User
Guide.
l In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, select the Allow inventory transfer
check box.
NOTE: The Allow inventory transfer check box is inactive on worksheets based on tables that do
not have a path to the Part table. For example, this check box is not available if you are creating a
worksheet based on the Constraint table.
Editing records
You can allow users with appropriate permissions (such as permissions to edit data and access to a
scenario the user can modify) to edit records in a worksheet, by either deleting the records or splitting
records.
Allow record deletion in a worksheet

Deleting records in a worksheet also causes records in referenced tables to be deleted. Depending on
the table the worksheet is based on, users who delete records might receive a warning message about
the other tables records are deleted from. Your RapidResponse administrator can specify which tables
or worksheets display the warning message by selecting or clearing the Warn if any referencing records
will also be deleted check box.
2. Select the Allow deleting records check box.
NOTE: Deleting is not available for worksheets in a metric workbook, grouped worksheets, or
worksheets based on calculated tables, and if this worksheet is intended to be used in a
composite worksheet, deleting is allowed in the composite worksheet only if you selected the
Allow deleting records check box on this worksheet.
NOTE: Only RapidResponse administrators can modify the Warn if any referencing records will
also be deleted check box.
Allow record splitting in a worksheet

You can allow users to split records in any worksheet that you create based on the
IndependentDemand or ScheduledReceipts table. It is recommended that you select this option only if
the worksheet displays actual orders or work orders, not forecast orders or planned orders.
2. Select the Allow record splitting check box.
NOTE: You cannot allow record splitting if the worksheet data is grouped or the worksheet

Editing records
contains multi-scenario columns. For more information, see "Group column data" on page 382 or
"Add multi-scenario columns" on page 267.

CHAPTER 19: Creating crosstab worksheets
Create a crosstab worksheet 401

Create a multi-scenario crosstab worksheet 403
Define worksheet date buckets 405
Lock bucket settings 412
Define subtotals for date buckets 412
Add column totals and subtotals to crosstab worksheets 418
Calculate data summarizations with hierarchy columns 420
Drill to details in a crosstab worksheet 422
Enable editing in crosstab worksheets 422
Creating crosstab worksheets for inserting multiple records 437
Crosstab worksheets let you display summarized and grouped data in a horizontal bucketed layout that
is typically date-based. The buckets are populated with data, such as supply, demand, or balance
quantities. In RapidResponse, you can create multi-dimensional crosstabs with multiple data columns.
The following show examples of crosstabs created in RapidResponse.
▶One-dimensional crosstab (example)

The following illustration shows a one-dimensional crosstab displaying multiple data columns.
▶Two-dimensional crosstab (example)

The following illustration shows a two-dimensional crosstab displaying multiple data columns.

▶Three-dimensional crosstab (example)
The following illustration shows a three-dimensional crosstab displaying a single data column.
▶Four-dimensional crosstab (example)

The following illustration shows a four-dimensional crosstab displaying multiple data columns.\
NOTE: Because crosstab worksheets show summarized and bucketed data, some standard
worksheet features might not be available. For example, users cannot delete or sort data
displayed in a crosstab worksheet, and can only edit data if the crosstab has editable data

specified. Also, search functionality is supported in crosstab worksheets, but not for bucketed
columns.
NOTE: Crosstab worksheets cannot display more than 100,000 records.
Create a crosstab worksheet

Crosstab worksheets are defined through the Group tab of the Worksheet Properties dialog box as
shown in the following illustration. Each crosstab worksheet requires at least one dimension column
and one data column, though they can have an unlimited number of each.
Crosstab worksheets cannot contain multi-scenario columns, but can contain multi-scenario data rows,
which display data for different scenarios. For more information, see "Create a multi-scenario crosstab
worksheet" on page 403. The data rows cannot be hidden, and when you enable the crosstab view, you
are prompted to disallow users from hiding the rows. For more information, see "Hide columns in a
worksheet" on page 371. You can also choose to hide the top row or calendar names of column
headers. For more information, see "Group column data" on page 382.
Each dimension column must use the Group By grouping function, and the last dimension column
(typically, a date) is used to create the buckets for the crosstab worksheet. Data columns are added after
dimension columns and can use any grouping function other than Group By (for example, Sum). Fore
more information, see "Group column data" on page 382.
If the dimension columns are all based on database fields, data grouped by Sum can be made editable in
a crosstab worksheet. Other grouping functions do not allow for editing. For example, if a column is
grouped using the Max grouping function, its data cannot be edited.
Crosstab worksheets can be table-based or composite worksheets. If the crosstab worksheet is a
composite worksheet, the grouping and editability settings for each column must be set in the
worksheet that column is taken from. The grouping settings can be changed and editability can be
turned off, but a column that was not editable in its original worksheet cannot be made editable in the
composite worksheet. For more information, see "Create a composite crosstab worksheet" on page 486.
The following illustration shows examples of grouping options set for a three-dimensional worksheet
with one editable column.

Create a crosstab worksheet
For an example of creating an editable crosstab worksheet, see "Example of creating an editable
crosstab worksheet" on page 427.
▶Create a table-based crosstab worksheet
1. In the Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Columns tab and add columns using the
following guidelines:
l Add the columns that you want to use as crosstab dimensions first. The dimension column
that you want to pivot in the crosstab worksheet must be the last dimension column
displayed (typically, this is a date column).
l Add the data columns used to populate the crosstab worksheet after the dimension columns.
2. On the Sort tab, ensure the specified sort order is the Sort data by column order sort option.
For more information, see "Sort columns" on page 370.
The sort and display order of the columns must be identical.
3. On the Group tab, select the Group data check box, and then do the following:
l Apply the Group By function to all dimension columns. The last Group By column is pivoted
to create the crosstab view.
l Apply the desired grouping functions to all data columns. For more information, see "Group
l Select the Crosstab view check box.

4. For each data column grouped by Sum that you want to make editable, do the following:
l Select the column in the Group tab.
l Click Data Editing.
l Select the Allow data editing check box.
l Specify how increases and decreases affect the records in the date buckets. For more
l Click OK.
5. If the crosstab you are creating is date-bucketed (the last Group By column is a date), select the
Bucket data by date check box.
You can also define the size of the date buckets used to group crosstab data. For more
information, see "Define worksheet date buckets" on page 405.
6. If required, add subtotal rows or columns. For more information, see "Add column totals and
subtotals to crosstab worksheets" on page 418.
7. If required, on the Chart tab you can add a chart to the worksheet. For more information, see
"Adding charts to reports" on page 581.
NOTE: For complete information about creating worksheets, see "Create a table-based
worksheet" on page 347 and "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483. For complete
information about making grouped data editable, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page
423.
NOTE: You can resize crosstab columns and column headers by hovering your pointer over the
border of the column header and clicking and dragging it to the desired size. The pivoted bucket
columns resize together. You can resize data columns and all other columns individually.
NOTE: Users cannot sort columns in a crosstab worksheet. When you select the Bucket data by
date or Crosstab view check boxes, the Allow sorting check box on the General tab is cleared.
For more information, see "Specify worksheet display options" on page 281.
TIP: To improve worksheet readability, you can hide duplicate values. On the Columns tab, click
the Formatting tab and select the Hide duplicate values check box for all dimension columns up
to the last Group By column (the column you want to pivot in the crosstab).
Create a multi-scenario crosstab worksheet

You can create crosstab worksheets that display data for multiple scenarios. Depending on the options
specified in the workbook, the worksheets can contain multiple scenarios specified by the workbook
user, or two different scenarios where the values in the user's selected scenario is compared to a
scenario specified by the workbook author. In this case, the user's selected scenario can serve as the
baseline against which the other scenario is compared, or the other way around. The scenario specified
in the workbook can be any scenario you have access to, or the parent of the user’s selected scenario.
For example, you can compare the user's selected scenario to the Approved Actions scenario. For more
information, see "Select the comparison scenario" on page 220.
In crosstab worksheets, all multi-scenario data is displayed in rows. The multi-scenario rows always
display actual values for all scenarios.
Multi-scenario crosstab worksheets can be table-based or composite worksheets. Each multi-scenario
row displays a row of data for each scenario. For example, the following illustration shows a multi-

Create a multi-scenario crosstab worksheet
scenario crosstab worksheet that shows demand, supply, and days late for two scenarios. In this
example, the Demand Decrease scenario is the baseline scenario.
For workbooks that allow users to specify comparison scenarios, each scenario adds a row to the
worksheet. For example, the following illustration shows a crosstab worksheet that displays demand
data in the Yesterday, Demand Increase, and Demand Decrease scenarios.
For more information about multi-scenario worksheets, see "Creating multi-scenario worksheets" on
page 265.
▶Create a multi-scenario crosstab worksheet


2. Add columns to the worksheet, including dimension columns to group the worksheet data and
the column or columns to make multi-scenario by doing one of the following:
l In a table-based worksheet, click Add field, and in the Add Fields dialog box, select a field
and then click Add.
l In a composite worksheet, click Add, and in the Add Columns and Fields dialog box, select a
field or column and then click Add.
l Click New Column and in the Expression Box type a valid column expression.
3. In the Columns in this worksheet list, click the column you want to make multi-scenario, and
then click the Data Options tab.
4. In the Scenario comparison area, select the Multi-scenario check box.
6. If required, select the Group data, Bucket data by date, and Crosstab view check boxes.
If you are creating a composite crosstab worksheet, these check boxes might be selected based
on the properties of component worksheets. For more information, see "Create a composite
crosstab worksheet" on page 486.
7. In the Grouping Function column, ensure the worksheet's dimension columns are using the
Group By function, and then specify the function for grouping each of the crosstab rows.
NOTE: For information about creating multi-scenario worksheets, see "Add multi-scenario
Define worksheet date buckets

Typically, crosstab worksheets are bucketed by date. Buckets in a crosstab worksheet are defined
relative to an anchor date, which you specify. The possible anchor dates are shown in the following
table.

Date Description and Example
The The planning date represents the date when data from an enterprise data source was last imported
planning into RapidResponse. If your company has multiple sites, the planning date that you see in a
date worksheet might not be accurate for the site that you have selected.
For example, assume you are viewing data from the Chicago site, for which data was last updated
on July 3, 2014. The data for site Atlanta, however, was updated on July 7, 2014; therefore, the
planning date displayed in the worksheet is July 7, 2014.
The Today The first date in the bucket that contains the Today date constant is used as the anchor date.
date For example, in a scorecard that shows results for weekly buckets, if today is July 10, the anchor
constant date is July 7, the beginning of the week.

The The beginning of the current calendar period is the first date in a calendar you choose.
beginning of For example, you can choose the beginning of the current month, and the buckets will be defined
the current relative to the first day of the month.
period
One of the Any of the above dates can have a number of calendar periods added to or subtracted from it. This
above dates offsets the date by the specified number of periods, and can be used to report data from the
with an middle or end of a calendar period.
offset For example, if your company reports forecasts or revenue on Wednesdays, but the week begins
on Monday, you can define the anchor date as the beginning of the current week plus two work
days..
By default, each date-bucketed worksheet has 2 weekly buckets displayed before the anchor date, and
13 weekly buckets after the anchor date. If necessary, you can modify the buckets that display in a
worksheet. For example, if you are doing longer term planning you might want to add more buckets to
be displayed after the anchor date. You can also use different bucket units within the same worksheet.
For example, if you require more detailed data in the short term, you can initially use weekly buckets,
and then switch to monthly or quarterly buckets after a specified period of time.
Regardless of what you select as the anchor date, you can choose to highlight the bucket that contains
either the planning date or Today. This bucket is marked with a black triangle marker in the top right
corner of the column header. You can use this highlight to show where the current date is in relation to
the anchor date. For example, if you set the anchor date as the beginning of the current quarter, all
buckets will be defined from that point. As the quarter progresses, the anchor date moves farther into

the past, and Today marks the boundary between historical data, which cannot be modified, and
planning data, which can be modified.
You can specify the buckets that display for a given worksheet, and you can also specify a workbook
default to be applied to all worksheets that do not have their buckets explicitly set. The following
illustration shows a crosstab worksheet with customized bucket settings.
A bucket marked with a marker in the top right corner does not contain the expected amount of data.
The bucket could contain data for more than one period, such as the last bucket in a calendar period
with additional periods after it. These additional periods come after the last bucket but before the next
bucket, and their data is displayed in the last bucket of that period. For example, if you have buckets for
weeks and months, you might have multiple weeks of data displayed in the last weekly bucket, as shown
To prevent a bucket from containing more than one period of data, you can automatically add buckets
to ensure that transitions between calendars always display the correct data for each period.
The bucket could also contain data for less than a full period, such as the last bucket in a calendar
period with dates that overlap the first period of the next bucket size. For example, if you have buckets

for weeks and months, the last weekly bucket might end on the last day of the month but before the
end of the week, causing the bucket to not contain the entire week as shown in the following
illustration.
If your company has defined labels for buckets, you can show those labels in the worksheet instead of
the dates. For example, if the dates in your Month calendar use the month name and year as labels, your
worksheet will show 'August 2008' instead of '08-01-08' for a monthly bucket for August. For more
Worksheet users can apply their own bucket settings to worksheets you create. However, if you do not
want the buckets to be modified, you can choose to not allow users to change the buckets you specify.
If the worksheet is used as the base of an editable composite crosstab worksheet, you can specify the
range of dates to be used in the composite worksheet by not allowing the buckets to be changed. For
more information, see "Group and bucket data from component worksheets" on page 496.
Worksheet users can also switch between worksheet-specific buckets or use buckets for the entire
workbook. To allow users to switch, both the worksheet and workbook buckets must use advanced
bucketing. For more information, see "Define advanced bucketing for a worksheet or workbook" on
page 411.
▶Define basic bucketing for a worksheet or a workbook

You can define basic bucket settings that limit the workbook user to setting the bucket size and
number of future buckets to display. This simplified user experience does not allow workbook users to
set different bucket sizes in the same workbook, and they can only view future buckets. This approach is
recommended for workbooks in which users will edit forecast data.
When you define basic bucketing, you can choose whether buckets before the anchor date are
displayed. If you display these buckets, you can specify when the buckets begin, and a bucket for each
calendar period from the period you specify to the anchor date are displayed.
1. In the Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Group tab.

2. Ensure the Group data and Bucket data by date check boxes are selected.

3. Click Bucket Settings, and then in the Apply area, click one of the following:
l Workbook bucket settings—defines default buckets for the workbook. These bucket
settings will be used for any worksheet that you do not create specific bucket settings for.
l Bucket settings specific to this worksheet—defines buckets for only this worksheet.
4. In the Anchor date list, click one of the following:
l Planning Date.
l Today.
l Beginning of current, and then select a calendar period from the list.
5. If you want to offset the anchor date, do the following:
l Select the Adjust by check box.
l In the Adjust by box, type the number of calendar units to adjust the anchor date by.
l In the list, select the calendar to use to adjust the anchor date.
For example, type 2 in the Adjust by box and then select Workday from the list to move the
anchor forward by two work days, or type -1 in the Adjust by box and then select Week from the
list to move the anchor date back one week. For more information about adding and subtracting
dates, see "Date calculations" on page 1255.
6. In the Bucketing area, click Basic.
The Available buckets area lists the bucket sizes already specified for the workbook. By default,
week, month, quarter, and year bucket sizes are included for the workbook.
7. To add a bucket size to the workbook, do the following:
l Click the Add Row button.
l In the Available buckets area, in the Bucket size column, click the new entry and select a
bucket size from the list.
l In the Number of buckets column, click the new entry and specify the number of buckets to
display.
l Optionally, in the Subtotals column, click the new entry and select a subtotal calendar.
8. To delete a bucket size from the workbook, select the bucket size in the Available buckets area
and click the Delete Row button.
9. To change the default bucket size, select the bucket size in the Available buckets area and click
the Set as Default button.
10. To include date buckets prior to the anchor date, do the following:
l Select the Include buckets for periods prior to the anchor date check box.
l In the First bucket list, select a date for the first bucket in the worksheet. If you select
Beginning of current from this list, select a calendar from the second list.
l To offset the first bucket date, select the Adjust by check box, specify the number of periods
to offset the bucket date by, and then in the list, select the calendar to use for offsetting the
date.
If you select Anchor Date in the First bucket list, you must provide a negative offset for the first
bucket.
11. If your company has defined labels for dates in some calendars, in the Bucket labels area, click
Alternate labels. Otherwise, click Actual dates.
12. To indicate which bucket contains the planning date or the current date, in the Highlight area,
click either Planning Date or Today.
If you do not want a date highlighted, clear the Highlight check box.

13. If you want to lock the worksheet bucket settings, select the Lock bucket settings check box.
Selecting this check box is recommended when the worksheet is a component worksheet being
used in a composite. For more information, see "Lock bucket settings" on page 412.
NOTE: To restore the workbook’s bucket settings to the worksheet, click Workbook bucket
settings from within the Bucket Settings dialog box.
NOTE: The calendars (bucket sizes) available in your RapidResponse system are specified by data
administrators. Calendars can be defined to be excluded from the Bucket Settings dialog box. For
more information, see the Calendar.PlanningOnly field in the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model
Guide. This is available to resource authors and administrators.
▶Define advanced bucketing for a worksheet or workbook

You can define advanced bucketing settings for a worksheet or workbook in which you want to include
multiple bucket sizes and historical data.
1. In the Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Group tab.

2. Ensure the Group data and Bucket data by date check boxes are selected.
3. Click Bucket Settings, and then in the Apply area, click one of the following:
4. In the Anchor date list, click one of the following:
l Planning Date.
l Today.
5. If you want to offset the anchor date, do the following:
l In the Adjust by box, type the number of calendar units to adjust the anchor date by.
For example, type 2 in the Adjust by box and then select Workday from the list to move the
anchor forward by two work days, or type -1 in the Adjust by box and then select Week from the
list to move the anchor date back one week. For more information about adding and subtracting
6. In the Bucketing area, click Advanced.
7. On the Buckets tab, in the Before anchor date area, specify the number and size of buckets you
want to display before the anchor date.
A Past bucket that contains all dates earlier than any specified bucket is also included. If you do
not want to display the Past bucket, clear the Include Past bucket check box.
8. In the After anchor date area, specify the number and size of buckets you want to display after
the planning date. You must have at least one bucket after the anchor date.
The first bucket specified after the anchor date contains the anchor date. For example, if it is a
Weekly bucket, then the bucket will include data from the week containing the anchor date.
A Future bucket that contains all dates later than any specified bucket can also be included. If
you want to display the Future bucket, select the Include Future bucket check box.

9. To insert buckets when changing calendars, select the Automatically add buckets when
transitioning between bucket sizes check box.
10. If your company has defined labels for dates in some calendars, in the Bucket labels area, click
Alternate labels. Otherwise, click Actual dates.
11. To indicate which bucket contains the planning date or the current date, in the Highlight area,
click either Planning Date or Today.
If you do not want a date highlighted, clear the Highlight check box.
12. If you want to lock the worksheet bucket settings, select the Lock bucket settings check box.
Selecting this check box is recommended when the worksheet is a component worksheet being
used in a composite. For more information, see "Lock bucket settings" on page 412.
13. If desired, add subtotals for the crosstab rows. For more information, see "Define subtotals for
date buckets" on page 412.
NOTE: To restore the workbook’s bucket settings to the worksheet, click Workbook bucket
settings from within the Bucket Settings dialog box.
NOTE: If you automatically add buckets when changing calendars, your worksheet will typically
contain partial buckets at the end of each calendar period.
NOTE: The calendars (bucket sizes) available in your RapidResponse system are specified by data
administrators. Calendars can be defined to be excluded from the Bucket Settings dialog box. For
more information, see the Calendars.PlanningOnly field in the RapidResponse Analytic and Data
Model Guide. This is available to resource authors and administrators.
TIP: You can also specify the number and size of buckets by clicking the Worksheet Settings
button on the toolbar while in Design mode.
Lock bucket settings

If you are applying bucket settings to a worksheet that is intended to be used as a component in a
composite worksheet, there are some considerations you should keep in mind to ensure that the
worksheet user does not encounter unexpected bucketing behavior.
When a component worksheet is used in a composite worksheet, the bucket settings applied to the
composite worksheet override the bucket settings applied to the component worksheet. For this
reason, if you are creating a component worksheet and you would like its bucket settings to override
any bucket settings applied to a composite worksheet that is using it, you must select the Lock bucket
settings check box.
For more information, see "Define worksheet date buckets" on page 405 and "Group and bucket data
from component worksheets" on page 496.
Define subtotals for date buckets

You can define subtotals for each date bucket size in your worksheet or workbook. These subtotals are
displayed as columns in the worksheet, and are displayed immediately following the buckets they
summarize. You can add bucketed subtotals to show monthly or quarterly results alongside the data in

the month or quarter. For example, you can specify monthly subtotals for your weekly buckets, which
will insert a monthly subtotal column after the last weekly bucket in each month.
When you insert bucket subtotals, the subtotals are inserted at the end of the bucket period. If the
ends of periods in your calendars do not fall on the same date, you will see partial buckets on either side
of a subtotal bucket. For example, if you have a monthly subtotal at the end of June, the subtotal bucket
is inserted after June 30. The bucketing then resumes with the rest of that week, beginning on July 1.
These are both partial buckets because one bucket was split into two buckets by the subtotal. An
example of a worksheet with subtotal buckets is shown in the following illustration.
If you did not insert buckets between calendar transitions, splitting a bucket with a subtotal counts as
two buckets against the number you have specified. For example, if your worksheet contains six weekly
buckets, splitting a bucket with a subtotal will show five weeks of data in six buckets. You can prevent
subtotals from splitting buckets by always using calendars with coordinating start and end dates, such
as a fiscal calendar. In this type of calendar, every week, month, quarter, and so on ends on the same
date, so buckets are never split to insert a subtotal.
If you define subtotals for any bucket, worksheet users will only be able to modify the number of
buckets they can see in their personal bucket settings.
When you define subtotals, you can choose whether the subtotals are calculated using only the values
displayed in the worksheet, or all values for the period regardless of whether they are included in the
worksheet. For example, if your worksheet displays data for two months and you add a quarterly
subtotal, you can include the values from all three months of the quarter in the subtotal, as shown in

If all buckets are not visible for a subtotal, the subtotal column is marked to indicate that an incomplete
period is summarized or the subtotal contains values not displayed in the worksheet.
Your worksheet might contain rows that you do not want to calculate a subtotal for, or that you want
to display a single value instead of the subtotal. For example, if the worksheet contains a row formatted
as a percentage, you can choose to not calculate the subtotal for that row. If you have a row that
calculates a running total (cumulative total) or that contains starting inventory, you can display only the
value from the last or the first bucket in a period.
You can also define subtotal buckets that summarize the data for an entire calendar period, up to the
beginning of a specific period. For example, you could calculate a year-to-date total for demand orders
to see the total demand for the year so far, up to the beginning of the current week. In any crosstab
worksheet, you can define two calendar-to-date totals, which must use different calendars.
For each calendar to date total, you can specify the names displayed in the worksheet, the calendar
period to begin calculating from, the period to calculate up to, and whether the remainder for the
period is also displayed. You can choose any calendar for the period to calculate up to, and you can
choose to finish calculating the total at the period that contains the worksheet's anchor date, the
current date, or the planning date.
An example of a worksheet with a calendar to date total that calculates from the beginning of the year
up to the week that contains the worksheet's anchor date is shown in the following illustration.

The Total Year to Date column shows the sum of all quantity values for each part from the beginning of
the year to the beginning of the week of June 28. The data in the Total Year to Date column uses all
values for each part, not just the values displayed in the worksheet buckets.
You can also add a column to display the remainder of the values for the specified calendar. For example,
a remainder column for the Year to Date column in the previous example is shown in the following
illustration.

The Total Rest of Year column displays the sum of all values from the week beginning June 28 to the end
of the year.
Your worksheets can contain bucketed subtotals and calendar to date subtotals, as shown in the
However, only rows that calculate a sum of the values in the period can be used with calendar-to-date
totals. If the subtotals for a row show the first or last value in the period, the calendar-to-date subtotal
for that row is blank.
▶Define subtotals for a bucket
2. Click Bucket Settings.
3. In the Bucket Settings dialog box, click Advanced.
4. In the first subtotal column, select the calendar to be used for subtotals.
This calendar must contain periods longer than the smallest bucket. For example, if the smallest
bucket size in the worksheet is monthly, you cannot add a weekly subtotal.
5. Select the check box for each bucket size you want this subtotal to apply to.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the rest of the subtotal columns.
For each successive subtotal you add, only calendars with periods longer than the preceding
subtotal's calendar are available.
7. In the Subtotals include area, click one of the following:

l All data for the time period—The subtotals are calculated using every data value in the
period, regardless of whether that value is shown in the worksheet.
l Only data in worksheet buckets—The subtotals are calculated using only the values
displayed in the worksheet.
NOTE: Bucketed subtotals do not affect subtotals added through the Subtotal tab of the

Worksheet Properties dialog box.
▶Define calendar to date subtotals
1. In the Bucket Settings dialog box, click Advanced.

2. Click the Calendar-to-Date Subtotals tab.
3. Select the Calendar 1 or Calendar 2 check box.
4. In the Bucket label box, type the name you want to display for the subtotal column.
5. In the Include data from the beginning of current list, click the calendar you want to evaluate
the subtotal for.
6. Define the period that the subtotal is calculated to by specifying the following:
l To beginning of the - The calendar that defines the period length.
l That includes - The date that defines the specific period to stop calculating the subtotal.
For example, if you specify Week in the To beginning of the list and Anchor date in the that
includes list, the calendar to date subtotal is calculated for the week that contains the
worksheet's anchor date.
7. To include the remainder for the calendar, in the Include remainder bucket list, click Yes, and
then in the Remainder bucket label box, type a name for the remainder bucket.
NOTE: The date specified for the calendar to date subtotal must be within the worksheet's
buckets. Otherwise, the calendar to date subtotal is not displayed in the worksheet.
NOTE: The Bucket label and Remainder bucket label boxes define a single column header level,
and cannot contain quotation marks (") or pipe characters (|).
NOTE: The values you specify in the Bucket label and Remainder bucket label boxes must be
unique, and cannot match other subtotal calendars.
▶Specify a subtotal type for a row
2. For each row, click the value in the Bucket Subtotals column, and then click one of the following:
l Sum—The subtotal columns are calculated using the row's grouping rule. For example, the
subtotal for a row grouped by Sum contains the sum of all values in the period. The subtotal
for a row grouped by Average contains the average of all values in the period.
l Last bucket—The subtotal columns contain the value from the last bucket in the period.
Calendar-to-date subtotal columns do not contain a value.
l First bucket—The subtotal columns contain the value from the first bucket in the period.
Calendar-to-date subtotal columns do not contain a value.
l None—The subtotal columns do not contain a value.
NOTE: The Bucket Subtotals column is visible only if the worksheet has bucketed subtotals
defined.

Add column totals and subtotals to crosstab
worksheets
In a crosstab worksheet, you can format a quantity column to include a running balance (cumulative
balance) if you want the column value to increase incrementally with each record. For information about
adding running balances, see "Add column totals and subtotals " on page 377.
Crosstab worksheets support subtotals by bucket. Subtotals can be displayed as rows or columns. The
procedure to add row or column subtotals is the same whether the worksheet is a crosstab or standard
worksheet; see "Add column subtotals" on page 378.
However, when adding subtotals in a crosstab worksheet, some conditions apply depending on
whether you render the subtotal as a column or row.
NOTE: You cannot include subtotals in a one-dimensional crosstab worksheet.
Subtotals as columns
In a multi-dimensional crosstab worksheet, subtotals are shown as columns for the second to last
Group By dimension column. For example, in a three dimensional crosstab worksheet, you can add
column subtotals for only the second dimension column. Each type of subtotal that you set results in a
subtotal column at the end of the worksheet columns.
The following illustration shows settings that display subtotals as columns for a three-dimensional
crosstab and the resulting worksheet.

Subtotals as rows
In a multi-dimensional crosstab worksheet, subtotals are shown as rows for all Group By columns
before the second to last Group By column. For example, in a three dimensional crosstab worksheet,
you can add row subtotals for only the first dimension column. In a four dimensional crosstab
worksheet, you can add row subtotals for the first and second dimension column. Each subtotal check
box that you set results in one output row when the “On value change in column” changes.
The following illustration shows settings that render subtotals as rows for a three-dimensional crosstab
and the resulting worksheet.

Add column totals and subtotals to crosstab worksheets
Grand totals
You can add grand totals to a crosstab worksheet in the same way that you would add them to a
standard worksheet. Grand totals are shown as rows. For information about adding grand totals, see
"Add column grand totals" on page 378.
Calculate data summarizations with hierarchy

columns
You can calculate data summarizations (running sums (cumulative sums), fractional totals, and so on) in
crosstab worksheets. However, the summarizations in these rows typically reset in every bucket.

If the worksheet contains hierarchy columns, you can calculate the running sum (cumulative sum) for
the selected hierarchy values before resetting the sum in the next bucket. This calculates the
summarization for all the values in each bucket, using the hierarchy values.
To calculate summarizations for hierarchy columns, you must create the crosstab worksheet with only
one dimension column, which will typically be a date column. If you add more dimension columns, the
summarizations cannot be calculated using the hierarchy columns and continue to reset in each bucket.
An example of a crosstab worksheet that calculates summarizations for hierarchy columns is shown in
The hierarchy columns in this example display only the level below the user's selected level, which
displays every value underneath the selected level and ensures multiple values are present in the
hierarchy columns. For example, if the selected level was displayed instead, the hierarchy column would
contain only the 'Mfg' value. Displaying the level under the selected level is the recommended setting for
these worksheets.
▶Create a crosstab worksheet with hierarchy summarizations
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box for a workbook that contains a
hierarchy panel, click the Worksheets tab.
2. Click New, and then click the type of worksheet you want to create.
4. Add the column to group the worksheet data by.
5. Add the data columns, and apply summarizations to the columns that require them. For more
information about the summarization functions, see "Add column totals and subtotals " on page
377.
6. Select the Include hierarchy columns check box, and then click Settings.
7. In the Hierarchy Column Settings dialog box, do the following:
l Click the display option you want to use for adding hierarchy columns. For more information,
see "Add columns based on a hierarchy" on page 285.

Calculate data summarizations with hierarchy columns
l Select the When computing column data summarizations calculate across the hierarchy
columns check box.
l Optionally, format the hierarchy columns.
NOTE: If the summarizations reset on a value change in the hierarchy columns, selecting the
When computing column data summarizations calculate across the hierarchy columnscheck
box causes the summarizations to reset in each row. To prevent this, you should select a different
column to reset the summarizations. For more information, see "Apply a summarization function
to a column" on page 384.
Drill to details in a crosstab worksheet

If you want to allow worksheet users to view the detailed records being summarized in a crosstab
worksheet, you can allow the crosstab worksheet cells to drill to a details worksheet. For example, the
Demands worksheet shown in the following illustration contains Quantity and On Time rows that drill to
details. When a user clicks a link in a Quantity row, the Demand Details worksheet opens and displays
the records that are summarized in the bucket. For information about setting up drill to details, see
You can also create a drill link on a crosstab worksheet that opens a form. For some grouped, crosstab
worksheets, you can drill to details from a column header. For more information, see "Set up drill links
from a column header" on page 677.
Enable editing in crosstab worksheets

In a grouped worksheet that is bucketed by date, you can make numeric data columns editable that
have the Sum or Average grouping function applied. You can make a column editable if:

l The column directly references an editable field on the table.
l The column is defined with an expression that includes an editable field.
For example, in a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table, a Quantity column or a column
that calculates revenues from quantities and selling prices can be made editable, but a Days Late column
or a column that calculates the difference between the effective demand and on time quantity cannot.
Enable editing for grouped data

Any numeric column (Quantity or Money) that has the Sum or Average grouping function applied can
be made editable. You can allow negative values in the editable column and specify how increases and
decreases are handled. If you are enabling editing for numeric data columns that have the Average
grouping function applied, there are some additional authoring considerations. For more information,
see "Enable editing in average values" on page 435.
NOTE: You cannot enable editing if the worksheet is grouped using an expression-based column.
▶Make a data column editable
2. Ensure the Bucket data by date check box is selected.
3. For the data column you want to make editable, change the grouping function to Sum or
Average.
4. Click Data Editing.
5. In the Data Editing dialog box, on the General tab, select the Allow data editing check box.
6. If the column you are making editable contains an expression instead of a field name, you must
choose the field to apply the data edits to. For example, you can modify revenue values (Quantity
multiplied by UnitSellingPrice) by applying the edits to the Quantity field. To do so, on the
General tab, in the Apply data edits to field list, click the field the edits are applied to.
When data in this column is edited, the value in the editable field is modified to produce the
desired result. Changes made in columns defined by mathematical expressions can only be
spread across the records in the bucket, and cannot insert new records.
NOTE: All numeric fields in the table are listed in the Apply data edits to field list. When you
select a field, ensure you select the editable field that is used in the column expression, and test
the worksheet to ensure modifying the values in the column produces the correct results.
NOTE: Data columns that can be made editable are identified with a “Yes” or “No” in the Editable?
column on the Worksheet Properties dialog box’s Group tab. All grouped columns are by default
not editable. Columns that cannot be made editable, such as ones not using the Sum or Average
grouping functions or ones that are calculated with non-editable fields, have nothing in the
Editable? column.
▶Specify if negative values are allowed in a grouped column and detail records
You can allow users to insert negative values into a grouped column. You can also allow for negative
values to be inserted into the detailed records that are summarized in the edited bucket.

When you allow for negative values in a grouped column but not in the detailed records, if the decrease
is too great to be spread across the detailed records in the bucket without creating negative values, the
value in the grouped column is changed to 0.
1. In the Data Editing dialog box, on the General tab, select the Allow negative data values check
box if you want users to be able to insert negative values into the grouped column.
2. If you want to create new negative detail records or change current positive values of detail
records to negative values on a change in the bucket, select the Allow negative data values in
detail records check box.
▶Specify how increases are handled for a grouped column

Because the data columns are summations of the column’s values for the specified date bucket, you
must specify how increases are handled.
1. To spread the increase across all records in the bucket, in the Data Editing dialog box, on the
Modifying Data tab, in the Increase area, click one of the following:
l Spread increase across all records in bucket, and then click either Proportionally or
Equally—adds a portion of the increase to every quantity in the bucket.
If you clicked Proportionally, records with higher data values are assigned a larger portion of the
increase. A record that has a zero quantity is not increased, except if every record in the bucket
has a zero quantity, in which case the increase is spread evenly across the bucket. If all records in
the bucket have the same quantity, the increase is spread evenly.
If you clicked Equally, the increase is spread evenly across the bucket.
l If you want to insert a new record when there are no records in the bucket, click Insert a new
record.
l If you do not want empty buckets to be edited, click Do not allow editing.
2. To always insert a new record with a quantity equal to the difference between the old value in the
cell and the new one, click Always insert a new record. The record is inserted using the insert
definition specified on the New Records tab. This option is not available if the column you are
making editable is defined by a mathematical expression.
3. If you selected Always insert a new record in step 1 or Insert a new record in step 2, specify how
the new records are inserted.
NOTE: If the workbook includes the hierarchy panel, it is recommended you choose the Spread
increase across all records in bucket and Do not allow editing options. This ensures that when
records are inserted, the worksheet user must use the Insert Record dialog box and provide the
correct context for the new records.
NOTE: A record is inserted only if the bucket does not contain any records. If the bucket contains
records, but every record contains zero values, those values are modified. If you enable records to
be inserted, you should include a note in the worksheet help indicating the situations in which a
record will be inserted.
NOTE: If your company has a policy for numbering orders or lines, you should choose the Spread
increase across all records in bucket option to ensure additional records are not inserted.

▶Specify how decreases are handled for a grouped column when negative values in detail records
are not allowed
Because the data columns are summations of the column’s values for the specified date bucket, you
must specify how decreases are handled. If you have not selected the Allow negative data values in
detail records check box, follow this procedure for specifying how decreases are handled.
l In the Data Editing dialog box, on the Modifying Data tab, in the Decrease area, click one of the
following:
l Spread decrease across all records in bucket—subtracts a portion of the decrease from every
quantity in the bucket. Click Proportionally to subtract larger portion of the decrease from
records with higher data values. Click Equally to subtract an equal portion from all records.
l Decrease from beginning of bucket—quantities are reduced starting with records on the first
day of the bucket. If the first record is reduced to zero and further decreases are required, the
next record in the bucket is decreased, and so on.
l Decrease from end of bucket—quantities are reduced starting with records on the last day of
the bucket. If the last record in the bucket is reduced to zero and further decreases are
required, the previous record in the bucket is decreased, and so on.
NOTE: The value in a cell cannot be negative unless you allowed negative values.
▶Specify how decreases are handled for a grouped column when negative values in detail records
are allowed
If you have selected the Allow negative data values in detail records check box, follow this procedure
for specifying how decreases are handled.
1. To spread the decrease across all records in the bucket, in the Data Editing dialog box, on the
Modifying Data tab, in the Decrease area, click one of the following:
l Spread decrease across all records in bucket, and then click either Proportionally or
Equally—subtracts a portion of the decrease to every quantity in the bucket.
If you clicked Proportionally, records with higher data values are assigned a larger portion of the
decrease. A record that has a zero quantity is not decreased, except if every record in the bucket
has a zero quantity, in which case the decrease is spread evenly across the bucket. If all records in
the bucket have the same quantity, the decrease is spread evenly.
If you clicked Equally, the decrease is spread evenly across the bucket.
l If you want to insert a new record when there are no records in the bucket, click Insert a new
record.
l If you do not want empty buckets to be edited, click Do not allow editing.
2. To always insert a new record with a quantity equal to the difference between the old value in the
cell and the new one, click Always insert a new record. The record is inserted using the insert
definition specified on the New Records tab. This option is not available if the column you are
making editable is defined by a mathematical expression.
3. If you selected Always insert a new record in step 1 or Insert a new record in step 2, specify how
the new records are inserted.
NOTE: If the workbook includes the hierarchy panel, it is recommended you choose the Spread
decrease across all records in bucket and Do not allow editing options. This ensures that when
records are inserted, the worksheet user must use the Insert Record dialog box and provide the
correct context for the new records.

NOTE: A record is inserted only if the bucket does not contain any records. If the bucket contains
records, but every record contains zero values, those values are modified. If you enable records to
be inserted, you should include a note in the worksheet help indicating the situations in which a
record will be inserted.
NOTE: If your company has a policy for numbering orders or lines, you should choose the Spread
decrease across all records in bucket option to ensure additional records are not inserted.
▶Delete records with quantities of zero

If editing the summarized data results in records that have a quantity of zero, you can automatically
delete those records.
l In the Data Editing dialog box, on the Modifying Data tab, select the Delete records with zero
value after change check box.
CAUTION: Deleting a record with a zero value removes all records associated with that record
from tables that reference the deleted record. Record deletion cannot be undone.
NOTE: Records that had zero values before the decrease are not deleted.
▶Specify if decimal values are allowed

When a value is modified, the changes made across the bucket might result in decimal values. You can
specify whether the values for the records in the bucket are rounded to the nearest whole number.
l In the Data Editing dialog box, do one of the following:

l To enable decimal values, select the Allow decimal values in detail records check box.
l To disable decimal values, clear the Allow decimal values in detail records check box.
NOTE: This option applies to the amount by which each record in the bucket is increased or
decreased. If decimal values are not allowed, the amount by which to increase or decrease the
values in the bucket is calculated so no decimal values are added or subtracted. If a decimal value
is entered in the editable worksheet, it is modified so no records in the bucket are increased or
decreased to a decimal value.
NOTE: If you do not allow decimal values, the amount each record is modified by might be
rounded up or down. This might cause the total value in the bucket to not match the value
entered in the cell.
▶Protect a record
You can designate some records in a worksheet as protected, which means they cannot be modified by
changes in the grouped worksheet. You can specify the criteria for protecting records. For example, you
can protect records in particular date buckets or orders from specific customers. Records are protected
only in the worksheet that you specified the protection criteria for, and can be modified in other
worksheets.
1. In the Data Editing dialog box, click Advanced.

2. In the Advanced Editing dialog box, type the expression that defines the protected records.

You can also click Expression Builder to open the Expression Builder, which assists in adding
3. Click Validate Expression to ensure the expression is valid.
4. Click OK.
NOTE: If the worksheet is based on the IndependentDemand table, the expression that defines
protected records automatically includes the phrase ProtectQuantity = 'Y'. However, you can
allow these records to be edited by removing this phrase from the expression. For more
information about the ProtectQuantity field, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
NOTE: You cannot close the Advanced Editing dialog box with an invalid expression.
Example of creating an editable crosstab worksheet

Assume you are a worksheet author for Company X, a brand owner. You are creating a new workbook
named Forecasting, which is to be used to examine and update monthly forecast information for the
upcoming year. This workbook requires a worksheet that can display forecast quantities over time, and
also allow its user to modify those quantities. An editable crosstab worksheet fulfills both requirements.
Creating the worksheet

In the New Worksheet dialog box, type a name for the worksheet, in this case 12-Month Forecast, and
base it on the IndependentDemand table. Next, add the required columns on the Columns tab. You
decide that you need columns for the part, site, and due date for the grouping, and quantity for the
data the worksheet displays.
You only want forecast information to be displayed, so on the Filtering tab you add a filter expression to
include only orders whose type is “Forecast”.

Only forecast records are included in the worksheet, and you now specify the grouping and crosstab
settings.
Grouping and bucketing the worksheet

On the Group tab, you enable grouping, bucketing, and crosstab view, and then set the grouping
options for each column in the worksheet. Because the Part, Site, and Due Date columns are the
worksheet’s dimension columns, you set each of them to use the Group By function. The Quantity
column contains the data you want to summarize, so you set it to use the Sum function.
After specifying the grouping settings, you define the date buckets for the worksheet. Because you
want the worksheet to display 12 months of forecast demand, you specify 12 monthly buckets after the
planning date, and no others. You also do not allow users to modify the buckets, so that 12 months of
data is always displayed in the worksheet.

Making the data editable
After setting the buckets, you can make the data column editable. On the Group tab, any column you
can make editable is shown with a 'Yes' or 'No' in the Editable? column. In this case, only the Quantity
column can be made editable.
To make the Quantity editable, you select it and then click the Data Editing button. In the Data Editing
dialog box, you decide to have increases and decreases spread across the forecast records in the
bucket, to insert a record if the bucket being edited is empty, and to not allow any decimal values in the
forecast records.

Creating the insert definition
Next you must create an insert definition, which is used to insert records when a cell with a zero value is
edited. You click the New Records tab and specify that the records are inserted on the date shown on
the bucket labels. You do not have an insert definition created for inserting records into a crosstab
worksheet, so you create a custom definition. You click Settings to define the values that will be used to
insert records.

Each record inserted into the worksheet will use the values you define, and not prompt the worksheet
user to enter values.
The IndependentDemand table requires unique records and contains a single String key field, so you
decide to always create a unique key value. Records inserted by editing crosstab worksheets do not

allow worksheet users to specify values for any fields, so you must automatically generate values in the
fields not specified in the insert definition.
You then define the values that inserted records will use. The Line value is incremented with every record
that is inserted, and you define a value of 1 for it. You define a value of “NewForecast” for the Order ID
field and “Forecast” for the Order Type field, and use the value determined by RapidResponse for the
Order Site field.

Testing the worksheet
After specifying the grouping, bucketing, and editable data, you can test the worksheet to ensure it
returns the results you are expecting. You format the columns so the Part column does not show
duplicate values and the Quantity columns do not show zero values, and then finish creating the
worksheet. When you are asked to open the workbook, you click Yes to view the worksheet.
The worksheet displays the forecasted quantities for each part over the next 12 months.
Enable editing in average values

You can allow runtime users to edit crosstab worksheets in average values, which is particularly useful
for editing targets and consensus forecast weights. The value entered at an aggregate level is an
average of all the detail records summarized in that level; when the worksheet user enters an average
value, the average value is disaggregated equally to all detail records. The user can then modify the
detail record values as needed.
When a user edits an existing value, the detail records are updated by the same percentage. For
example, if a user changes an aggregate value from 150 to 165, that is an increase of 10%. That change
of +10% is then disaggregated to all detail records summarized by the aggregate value.
To display quantities in average values, you set the column's Grouping function to Average. There are a
few considerations you should keep in mind when enabling editing in average values:
l Whether or not you allow decimal values depends on the worksheet's intended use. If the
worksheet is being used to create comparable ratios, then you can allow decimals values if desired.
If the worksheet is being used to edit quantities or revenues in whole values, and the number of
detail records is not important, you should prevent the use of decimal values.
l If you choose to not allow decimal values, it is recommended that you allow zero values. If neither
decimals or zeros are allowed, then it is possible that an aggregate value could be rounded down
to zero, which will then be deleted. This would change the overall number of records, which in turn
would change the average of the detail record values.
l If you allow detail records with zero values to be deleted as the result of a modification, the rest of
the values are recalculated to maintain the same average.
For more information, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.

Enabling editing in percentages
You can set up a crosstab worksheet to allow users to edit aggregate values in percentage format. This
is particularly useful for worksheets in which users will be editing forecast disaggregation rates, as it
allows users to think of numbers in terms of percentages, as opposed to actual quantities. It also
prevents users from having to calculate percentage values as they make their changes at different levels
in the hierarchy.
To enable percentage editing, in addition to the criteria outlined in "Enable editing for grouped data"
on page 423, your worksheet must include the following:
l The worksheet must contain only one group-by column, and it must be the date column that is
being bucketed.
l The worksheet must contain hierarchy columns.
Allowing edited percentage totals that do not equal 100%

You can allow users to save edited buckets in which the total does not equal 100%. When this is allowed,
RapidResponse will normalize the percentage values to ensure that the total quantity does not change.
For example, if a user attempts to save an edited bucket where the percentage value totals more than
100%, then the individual percentage values will be decreased until the total bucket value equals 100%.
This means that, upon saving, the user will see different percentage values than he or she initially
entered.
You prevent this potentially confusing situation by enforcing an edited bucket total of 100%. When a
user attempts to save an edited bucket where the total does not equal 100%, an error message informs
the user of the current total and prompts them to correct their mistake.
Allowing users to edit empty buckets

To allow users to edit percentages in empty buckets, you must define a default source worksheet and
column that will be used to calculate values for the empty bucket. The default worksheet must align with
the editable worksheet; their definitions must have matching group-by columns, in number and data
type, and both worksheets must be bucketed. If the workbook has a dependent library workbook, you
can define a default source worksheet from the library workbook. For more information, see "Add
dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
When a user edits a percentage in an empty bucket, the value entered overrides the value from the
default source worksheet. Although users cannot edit the default value, you can display the default
column in the editable worksheet to provide a reference for users as they enter values in the override
column.
▶Enable editing in percentages

When a worksheet meets the criteria for enabling editing in percentages, a Percentage values area is
visible in the General tab of the Data Editing dialog box.
1. In "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423, complete the steps in the Make a data column
editable procedure.

2. In the General tab, in the Percentage values area, select Display calculated percentage values.
3. To enforce an exact total of 100% for edited values, select The sum of edited values must be
100%.
4. To specify whether users can edit in empty buckets, select one of the following:
l To prevent users from editing in empty buckets, select Do not allow editing.
l To allow users to edit in empty buckets, select Calculate data values using default source,
and then specify a default source worksheet and column from the Worksheet and Column
lists. If the workbook has a dependent library workbook, a Workbook list is also visible for you
to select the library workbook that contains the default source worksheet you want to use.
NOTE: When selecting a default source worksheet for editing in percentages, you should ensure
that it does not cause performance issues at runtime. Every time the worksheet user opens the
crosstab worksheet, the default source worksheet also opens. The time required for the default
source worksheet to open is added to the time it takes for the crosstab worksheet to open; if the
default worksheet takes an average of 30 seconds to load, this can result in a frustrating
experience for the worksheet user.
Creating crosstab worksheets for inserting

multiple records
You can create a crosstab worksheet in which multiple records are inserted when you edit a data value.
This is typically required for worksheets used to edit forecast data. A demand planner often inputs new
forecast data for a product family or a group of parts. When a forecast value is modified, the value must
be disaggregated to multiple records that provide more detail, which are inserted into RapidResponse.
To enable this type of editing, you must create a workbook that contains the crosstab worksheet and a
spreading worksheet. A spreading worksheet defines how a quantity is spread over the inserted
records. It also determines how many records are inserted and provides key values for the new records.
The spreading worksheet and crosstab worksheet must be based on compatible tables. For example, in
the illustration below the highlighted quantity for ACKIT-02 in the Part Demand worksheet is spread
into three quantities in the Demand Details spreading worksheet.

Creating crosstab worksheets for inserting multiple records
When you create a crosstab worksheet and its corresponding spreading worksheet, when applicable
the filtering options applied to the crosstab worksheet must be the same in the spreading worksheet.
For example, if the crosstab worksheet has the part, site, and pool filter selections applied, the
spreading worksheet must also have the part, site, and pool filtering options enabled. For more
information, see "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225.
If the crosstab worksheet contains hierarchy columns, it is recommended that the same hierarchy
columns also be used in the spreading worksheet to improve the worksheet performance. For more
information about hierarchy columns, see "Add columns based on a hierarchy" on page 285.
A spreading worksheet can also be used from a library workbook. To use a spreading worksheet from a
library workbook, you must first create the spreading worksheet in the library workbook, then add the
library workbook as a dependent resource to the workbook that contains the crosstab worksheet. For
more information about adding library workbook dependencies, see "Add dependencies to workbooks"
on page 247.
Depending on the data requirements of your worksheet, you can insert records by mapping values to
fields or to references to tables. By using references you can automatically reference the required value
for inserting the record, which can improve worksheet performance by following the reference instead
of matching key values in the table. Spreading values using references requires a custom insert
definition, which must also contain the fields that are mapped from the spreading worksheet. If you do
not use references for mapping values, you must map a value to each of the referenced table's key fields.
For more information, see "Example: Using reference fields for spreading" on page 454.
If you use references for spreading values, the spreading worksheet must provide the values for all the
reference fields. Otherwise, values for the new records can be specified in the insert definition, defined
by the spreading worksheet, or taken from the worksheet used to edit data.
If any of the records cannot be inserted (for example, if a data value is invalid), no records are inserted.
You are notified why the insert failed, so you can adjust the values in the spreading worksheet.

Spreading methods
You can define how the quantity is spread across the newly inserted records. You can spread a quantity
in the following ways:
l Equally over the new records: The records in the spreading worksheet determine the data values
used to insert the records with an equal amount of the quantity assigned to each record. The
spreading worksheet in this case should not contain date or quantity columns.
l According to a defined ratio: The records in the spreading worksheet determine the ratio of
quantities inserted for each record. The spreading worksheet must contain a quantity column.
l Across different dates in the bucket: The records in the spreading worksheet determine the dates
assigned to each record. The spreading worksheet must contain a date column.
l Across different dates in the bucket and according to a defined ratio: The records in the spreading
worksheet determine the ratio of quantities and the dates assigned to each record. The spreading
worksheet must contain date and quantity columns.
NOTE: When you insert records using date spreading, the date values and bucket size (using
either values from the crosstab worksheet or date and calendar variables) are passed to the
spreading worksheet, and the result used to define the time period for inserting records. These
values are not reflected in the data displayed in the spreading worksheet. If you want to test the
spreading worksheet, you must insert records, and then use a detail worksheet to view the values
that were inserted. For more information, see "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
Steps for allowing insertion of multiple records

1. For date or date and ratio spreading, if necessary, create workbook variables to contain date
variables. Date variables are used to limit the dates displayed in the spreading worksheet. The
following are required:
l A date variable to contain the beginning bucket date.
l A date variable to contain the ending bucket date.
l A string or list variable to contain the bucket calendar name.
2. Create the crosstab worksheet where the data values will be edited. Do not make any cells
editable.
3. Create a worksheet to be used for spreading the inserted values. This worksheet defines how the
records are inserted and should contain only the columns required to insert records and to
provide any additional data values. If records will be inserted using references for mapping, the
reference columns should have the Use as reference option selected, or references can be
defined using columns based on the table's key fields.
4. Enable editing in the crosstab worksheet. This includes selecting the spreading worksheet and
identifying the fields in the new record that are populated from the spreading worksheet. If the
spreading worksheet is contained in a linked library workbook, you must select the library
workbook and the spreading worksheet from a workbook list in the Data Editing dialog box
before identifying the fields to be populated.
5. For date or date and ratio spreading, map the bucketing date variables to the beginning and end
of the bucket.

6. Test the insert.
7. Remove any fields from the spreading worksheet that are not needed.
8. Hide the spreading worksheet.
Spreading examples
The best way to learn about enabling the insertion of multiple records is to review the following
examples of the different spreading methods:
l "Equal spreading" on page 442

l "Ratio spreading" on page 444
l "Date spreading" on page 446
l "Date and ratio spreading" on page 449
Examples of worksheets that perform each type of spreading are available for download from the
Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community. Click the following link to download the workbook that
contains these examples:
https://community.kinaxis.com/docs/DOC-6572
Inserting records using references provides similar results to spreading using key field values. For an
example of creating a worksheet that spreads values using references, see "Example: Using reference
fields for spreading" on page 454.
Enable insert of multiple records in a crosstab

worksheet
Review "Creating crosstab worksheets for inserting multiple records" on page 437 before completing
the following procedures.
The columns in the spreading worksheet must be mapped to fields of the same data type. For example,
if a spreading worksheet column is a quantity, you must map a quantity field to it. If the column is a
reference, you must allow the worksheet to map values using references, and then specify a reference
field on the table the worksheet is based on.
If you map values using references, you must use a custom insert definition to define how the records
are inserted. If you modify a worksheet to map using references, you must edit the insert definition to
ensure the reference field is included and no field is duplicated in the insert definition. References that
are mapped from the spreading worksheet must also be included in the insert definition.
If the spreading worksheet includes columns for the table's key fields, these values can be used for
mapping references. In this case, the insert definition can include the reference field, and the values
from the spreading worksheet are used to define the reference field values that records are inserted for.
When references are used for mapping values, values are not taken from the edited worksheet, and all
values must be mapped from the spreading worksheet. If you modify a worksheet to use references
instead of key fields, any values that were specified in the editing worksheet or insert definition must be
added to the spreading worksheet.
In addition, if you map values using references, reference records can be automatically created only if
the values from the spreading worksheet are mapped using the key fields of the referenced table.

However, this does not create records in other tables, so you must ensure either those records already
exist or values are provided for the fields in the insert definition. If you have mapped the reference field
instead of the key fields, all values required for inserting records are contained within the reference field,
so no reference records are created.
▶Define mappings for a worksheet
1. In Enable editing for grouped data, complete the steps in the Make a data column editable
procedure. For more information, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.
2. On the Modifying Data tab, do either of the following:
l If you want to insert new records only when no records exist in the bucket, click Spread
Increase across all records in bucket, and then click Insert a new record.
l If you want to always insert new records, click Always insert a new record.
3. On the New Records tab, click Insert multiple records.
4. In the Bucketing date area, click one of the following:
l Bucket date—inserts the record using the first date in the bucket.
l Bucket date adjusted by—inserts the record using the date calculated using the number of
periods and the period length you specify.
l Last in bucket—inserts the record using the last period you specify in the bucket.
l Get date values from spreading worksheet—inserts the records using the data values from
a spreading worksheet you specify.
5. If you selected Bucket date adjusted by in step 4, specify the number of periods, and then in the
list, click the calendar that specifies the length of the periods.
If you selected Last in bucket in step 4, in the list, click the calendar that specifies the period to
insert the record on.
6. In the Spreading worksheet list, click a worksheet that you want to use to define the values that
are inserted for each record.
If the spreading worksheet is in a library workbook, you must first select the library workbook
from the Workbook list. This list is only visible if a link to a library workbook has been defined. For
more information about library workbooks, see "Library workbooks" on page 254.
7. In the Field column click the button in the Field column to map the Column ID to a field.
8. In the Select Field dialog box, click the field you want to map the column to, and then click OK.
9. In the Field value definitions area, choose an insert definition. For more information, see
"Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.

▶Define mappings using references
1. In Enable editing for grouped data, complete the steps in the Make a data column editable
procedure. For more information, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.
2. On the Modifying Data tab, do either of the following:
l If you want to insert new records only when no records exist in the bucket, click Spread
Increase across all records in bucket, and then click Insert a new record.
l If you want to always insert new records, click Always insert a new record.
3. On the New Records tab, click Insert multiple records.
4. In the Bucketing date area, click one of the following:
l Get date values from spreading worksheet—inserts the records using the data values from
a spreading worksheet you specify.
6. In the Spreading worksheet list, click a worksheet that you want to use to define the values that
are inserted for each record.
If the spreading worksheet is in a library workbook, you must first select the library workbook
from the Workbook list. This list is only visible if a link to a library workbook has been defined. For
more information about library workbooks, see "Library workbooks" on page 254.
7. Select the Allow mappings using references check box.
8. In the Field column click the button in the Field column to map the Column ID to a field.
For the columns that identify records, only reference fields are available.
9. In the Field value definitions area, click Settings.
10. In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, add any reference fields the insert requires.
If you add a reference field, you cannot subsequently add any other fields from that table.
11. If necessary, remove any of the key fields from the referenced tables.
12. Add any additional fields the insert requires, and optionally, specify the value to be provided for
that field.
Equal spreading
The most basic way to insert multiple records into a crosstab worksheet is using equal spreading. Equal
spreading spreads the new quantity across all new records and uses the bucket date. The following is
an example of how to set up equal spreading.
1. Create the crosstab worksheet that will be edited.

2. Create a spreading worksheet that defines the records to spread the changes over.

3. Make the crosstab worksheet editable. In the Data Editing dialog box, on the New Records tab,
click Insert multiple records
4. In the Spreading worksheet list, select the worksheet you created in step 2, and then map the
spreading worksheet columns to fields in the table the crosstab worksheet is based on, as shown

In this example, the Name column does not have to be mapped because the Part Name context is
taken from the cell being edited.
5. Define the insert definition for the crosstab worksheet.
Ratio spreading
When inserting multiple records into a crosstab worksheet you might want to spread the new quantity
according to a ratio. For example, you can use the quantities of records in another table to define how
the quantities of the new records are spread.

2. Create a spreading worksheet that calculates values or ratios for spreading quantities across the
inserted records.
In this example, the total quantity for each part and site is calculated.

click Insert multiple records
4. In the Spreading worksheet list, select the worksheet you created in step 2, and then map the
columns as shown in the following illustration. You must map the Quantity column to enable
ratio spreading

When the quantity is increased in a quantity cell of the crosstab worksheet, a new record is
inserted into the IndependentDemand table for each part that is displayed in the spreading
worksheet that matches the site of the Part Site column being edited. The quantity of each
independent demand record is proportional to the quantity of the scheduled receipts in the
spreading worksheet.
Date spreading
You can define date spreading when inserting records into a crosstab worksheet. This is useful for users
who need to insert multiple records with different dates that span the bucket being edited. For
example, when inserting records within a monthly bucket you might want to insert a record for every
week within the month.
The spreading worksheet for date spreading can be based on any worksheet with a Date field. However,
to ensure the calendar reference can be passed to a variable, it is recommended the worksheet be
based on the CalendarDate table. You can add a worksheet filter expression to display only dates from
the specified calendar, and display only dates in the range of start and end dates specified in the
variables. A record is inserted for all dates in the range that are defined in that calendar.
To enable date spreading, you must map the date field being bucketed to a column from a spreading
worksheet. You can use workbook variables to map the start date, end date, and bucket calendar to the
spreading worksheet. Variables are used to limit the dates displayed in the spreading worksheet. Using
workbook variables on the spreading worksheet also ensures optimum performance for users. The
workbook variable can also be used for testing the insert before you make the workbook available to
users. The following example uses workbook variables.
1. Create workbook variables to store the bucket start date (date variable), bucket end date (date
variable), and bucket calendar (text variable).
3. Create a spreading worksheet that includes the variables that define the bucket being edited and
the start and end date of the bucket. Also, create a worksheet filter expression so that only one
calendar and values within the buckets start and end dates are displayed in the worksheet.
In this example, the date spreading worksheet is based on the CalendarDate table.

The variables that define the date bucket and start and end date on the spreading worksheet.
The worksheet filter expression for the spreading worksheet.

The filter expression uses the variables already created in the worksheet. By using the variables in
the filtering, you can easily determine the dates used when records are inserted using the
worksheet. This ensure that the values inserted always fit within the selected bucket.
If variables are not used, the user will have to specify the calendar and start and end dates each
time a record is inserted.

click Insert multiple records.
2. Click Get date values from spreading worksheet. Then, map the columns as shown in the
following picture.
3. Select the Set worksheet variables using the bucket date check box, and then click Set
Variables.
4. In the Set Worksheet Variables dialog box, map the bucket values to the variables you created in
step 1.

When the quantity is increased in a quantity cell of the crosstab worksheet, a new record is
inserted into the IndependentDemand table on each date that is displayed in the spreading
worksheet, as determined by the values passed to the workbook variables from the crosstab
worksheet bucket.

Date and ratio spreading
You can create a crosstab worksheet that spreads the quantities of newly inserted records across dates
and according to specific ratios.
The spreading worksheet used for date and ratio spreading must provide the quantities to use for
spreading quantities and the date range to use for spreading over dates. This can be a composite
worksheet that combines previous order quantities with calendar dates, which allows you to map
variables to the calendar name and dates, and spread quantities based on a ratio of historical quantities
calculated for the same parts, sites, customers, or suppliers. For more information, see "Creating
composite worksheets" on page 467. The spreading worksheet can also be a worksheet that contains
quantities bucketed by date, which uses the buckets defined in the spreading worksheet and the values
in those buckets to calculate the dates and quantity ratios for inserting the new records.
You can also create a worksheet for date and ratio spreading by creating a composite worksheet using
worksheets for date spreading and ratio spreading. For more information, see "Ratio spreading" on
page 444 and "Date spreading" on page 446.
To enable date spreading, you must map the date field being bucketed to a column from a spreading
worksheet. You can use workbook variables to map the start date, end date, and bucket calendar to the
spreading worksheet. Variables are used to limit the dates displayed in the spreading worksheet. Using
workbook variables on the spreading worksheet also ensures optimum performance for users. The
workbook variable can also be used for testing the insert before you make the workbook available to
users.
1. If you want to map variables to dates, create workbook variables to store the bucket start date
(date variable), bucket end date (date variable), and bucket calendar (text variable)
3. Create a spreading worksheet that contains the dates and ratios used to spread values. Whether
this is a composite worksheet that merges the calculated ratios for spreading quantities with
calendar dates, is a bucketed worksheet, or uses workbook variables to define the dates used to
insert records depends on your business requirements.
For example, the spreading worksheet in the following illustrations is a composite worksheet
that merges a worksheet based on the HistoricalDemandActual table with a worksheet based on
the CalendarDate table. This example combines each historical demand record with each calendar
date, and when data is edited, uses only the values in the specified date range.

The worksheet filter expression for the worksheet based on the CalendarDate table uses the
following variables to limit the dates displayed in the spreading worksheet.
The filter expression uses the variables already created in the worksheet. By using the variables in
the filtering, you can easily determine the dates used when records are inserted using the
worksheet. This ensure that the values inserted always fit within the selected bucket.
If variables are not used, the user will have to specify the calendar and start and end dates each
time a record is inserted.
click Insert multiple records.
5. Click Get date values from spreading worksheet. Then, map the columns as shown in the
following illustration. You must map the Quantity and Value columns to enable ratio and date
spreading respectively.

For example, column mappings for the crosstab and spreading worksheets are shown in the
6. If you are mapping variables to dates, select the Set worksheet variables using the bucket date
check box, and then click Set Variables.
7. In the Set Worksheet Variables dialog box, map the bucket values to the variables you created in
step 1.
For example, the variable mappings for the spreading worksheet are shown in the following
illustration.

When the value in a quantity cell of the crosstab worksheet is modified and a new record must be
inserted, a new record is inserted into the table the crosstab worksheet is based on for each part
that is displayed in the spreading worksheet that matches the site of the Part Site column being
edited, and on each date that is displayed in the spreading worksheet, as determined by the
values passed to the workbook variables from the crosstab worksheet bucket. The quantity of
each inserted record is proportional to the quantity values in the spreading worksheet.

Customize spreading
You can configure how spreading worksheets obtain the values used to insert records. For example, for
worksheets that include hierarchy columns, you can specify whether the hierarchy column settings from
the spreading worksheet or the editing worksheet are used for inserting records. For worksheets that
map variables to bucket dates, you can specify how the bucket dates are used for inserting records, and
specify whether edits are allowed to cross over a bucket calendar size.
These customizations can be used to resolve performance issues. For example, if you are editing data in
multiple buckets, you can choose to use the date range for the entire edited period instead of the date
range for each bucket. This allows you to insert records for the entire period at one time, instead of
performing separate insert operations for each bucket.
▶Customize how records are spread
1. In the Data Editing dialog box, click the New Records tab.
2. Ensure Insert multiple records is selected and the spreading worksheet columns are mapped.
3. Click Advanced.
4. To specify which worksheet's hierarchy columns are used, in the Use hierarchy column settings
from area, click one of the following:
l Editing worksheet—The hierarchy column setting from the worksheet you modify data in is
used to determine values for the inserted records.
l Spreading worksheet—The hierarchy column setting from the spreading worksheet is used
to determine values for the inserted records.
5. To specify how date buckets are handled, select any of the following:
l Use each bucket's date range for spreading—If selected, when multiple buckets are
modified, the start and end dates for each bucket are used to insert the records in the bucket.
If cleared, the start and end dates for the entire edited bucket range are used to insert
records over the entire period.
l Allow editing only if all buckets are the same size—If selected, when multiple buckets are
modified, the edited buckets must all be the same size. If cleared, the selected buckets can be
different sizes.
6. If the spreading worksheet values do not depend on the editing worksheet values, select the Use
same spreading worksheet values for all edits check box to reuse the spreading worksheet
result for all edits, instead of re-calculating the worksheet for every edit.
Spreading worksheet performance issues

The Advanced Spreading Worksheet Settings dialog box also provides a summary of potential
performance issues. The performance issues and how you can solve them are described in the following
table.

Performance Description Solution
issue
Hierarchy The spreading worksheet does not include l Modify the spreading worksheet to
columns hierarchy columns, but the editing worksheet include hierarchy columns.
missing does. l Select the Use same spreading values for
all edits check box if the spreading
worksheet values do not relate to the
editing worksheet values.
Hierarchy The editing worksheet and spreading l In the Use hierarchy column settings
column setting worksheets both include hierarchy columns, from area, click Editing worksheet.
and the spreading worksheet's hierarchy l Select the Use same spreading worksheet
columns are used for inserting records. values for all edits check box if the
spreading worksheet values do not relate
to the editing worksheet values.
Mapped group The editing worksheet's group by columns are l Add columns to the spreading worksheet
by columns not mapped in the spreading worksheet. and map them to the editing worksheet's
This warning is also displayed if the editing group by columns.
worksheet uses an expression in a group by l Remove the unmapped columns from the
column. editing worksheet.
l Select the Use same spreading worksheet
values for all edits check box if the
Bucket date The start and end bucket dates are mapped to l Clear the Use each bucket's date range
range variables used in the spreading worksheet and for spreading check box.
the worksheet is configured to insert into each
edited bucket.
Bucket field The start and end bucket dates are mapped to l Add a column to the spreading worksheet
not mapped variables used in the spreading worksheet and to map the bucket dates.
the bucket field is not mapped to a column in l Select the Use same spreading worksheet
the editing worksheet. values for all edits check box if the
Bucket size The bucket calendar is mapped to a variable l Select the Allow editing only if all buckets
used in the spreading worksheet. are the same size check box.
Worksheets can report multiple performance issues. Depending on your data requirements, you might
not be able to correct them.
Resolve issues with inserting multiple records

When you create a crosstab worksheet that inserts multiple records, you might encounter some of the
following issues with your spreading worksheet.

Issue Solution
The spreading worksheet Ensure the filter expression in the spreading worksheet is not too restrictive,
contains no records and modify the filtering to allow for more records to be displayed.
This problem can also happen if the table the spreading worksheet is based on
does not contain any records. Ensure at least one set of values have been
inserted.
The values passed to the View the spreading worksheet, and then use the error message displayed in the
spreading worksheet cause an worksheet to determine which column contains the error.
error. If the worksheet does not return an error, you can modify worksheet values
and variable values to simulate a record insertion. You can then determine
which value causes the error, and correct the appropriate expression.
The values returned from a Verify that all fields included in the column expression contain non-zero
spreading worksheet result in a values and the spreading worksheet does not return a zero value.
calculated zero value. Also, ensure the worksheet's filter expression is not too restrictive, the table
records do not contain zero values, and the worksheet column expressions are
defined properly.
The worksheet does not allow Modify the spreading worksheet column to remove the negative value.
negative values, but the If the values in the column are calculated, modify the calculation so a negative
spreading worksheet contains a value is not produced. You can also review which field edits are applied to,
negative value. and then modify the column expression to ensure a negative value is never
required.
For more information about correcting issues in worksheets, see "Edit a worksheet" on page 262.
Example: Using reference fields for spreading

You want to create a worksheet that can be used to edit forecasts, and insert records for multiple
customers, sites, and categories. To do this, you create an editable crosstab worksheet that displays
forecasts, and a worksheet of historical demands that is used to obtain ratios for spreading records.
Because there are potentially thousands of records that can be used for inserting the records, you
decide to map the spreading worksheet columns using reference fields.
First, create a worksheet to display the forecasts. This is a crosstab worksheet based on the
ForecastDetail table, and displays forecast totals for each part, referenced using the PartCustomer field
in the forecast header. This worksheet will be edited later to allow editing.

Next, create the worksheet that is used for spreading values. This worksheet is based on the
HistoricalDemandActual table, and contains references to the Category and PartCustomer values for the
historical demands. These columns are used as references.
Next, edit the crosstab worksheet to make the quantity rows editable, and insert records. To insert
multiple records, set the historical demand worksheet as the spreading worksheet, allow mapping by
reference, and then map the reference columns to the ForecastDetail table's header reference fields. To
spread the records by ratio, map the Quantity column as well.

Finally, configure the insert definition. By default, the key fields for the Category and PartCustomer
references are included. Remove these fields, and then add the Header reference field. The only fields
that are required for inserting records are the Header and Id fields. In this case, the value for the header
is provided by the Category and PartCustomer reference fields in the spreading worksheet, and the
value for the Id field is generated by the insert.
To show the records that are summarized in the crosstab worksheet, create another worksheet based
on the ForecastDetail table, do not group it, and establish a drill to detail link from the crosstab
worksheet.
When you edit a value in the Forecasts worksheet, the part you enter the value against is used to
determine which forecast headers are defined for that part and the ratio of quantities for those
headers, and the quantity split accordingly. In this example, the quantity for the Cell-Phones part is
edited as shown, and forecasts are inserted for the customers and categories displayed in the detail
worksheet.

Example: Modifying a spreading worksheet to use
references
Assume you have a worksheet configured to insert multiple records, and it uses key fields to define the
records inserted. To resolve an issue with performance, you want to convert this worksheet to use
references. This requires you to modify the spreading worksheet to define all required values for the
new records, and to update the insert definition the editing worksheet uses.
First, review the columns required for the insert and the columns defined in the spreading worksheet.
The editing worksheet contains a column that provides the site for the new records, the spreading
worksheet maps values for the part and quantity, and the insert definition defines the part, order
information, and line number for the inserted records.

To use references, replace the part and site columns in the spreading worksheet with a reference to the
Part table, modify the editing worksheet to map using references, and edit the insert definition to
replace the part fields with a Part reference.
First, make a copy of the spreading worksheet. This ensures the key field method of spreading is still
available, provides a backup of the worksheet, and does not cause validation issues with the editing
worksheet. In this case, the spreading worksheet is a composite worksheet, with two component
worksheets, one that provides historical demands, and one that provides dates.
To convert this worksheet to use references, copy the historical demands worksheet, and convert the
Part Name and Site columns with a Part reference.

Next, create a new composite worksheet, and join the Demand Actuals worksheet with the Date
Spreading worksheet. Combine the worksheets by the first columns, and specify zero to include all
columns from all worksheets, which attaches a date to every demand.

Next, modify the editing worksheet to use the Reference Spreading worksheet, allow mapping using
references, and map the spreading worksheet columns to fields.

Because a Part reference is mapped, the ProductGroup column from the spreading worksheet, which
represents the Part.ProductGroup field, cannot be mapped. By mapping the Quantity and Date columns,
the spreading worksheet performs ratio and date spreading.
Finally, edit the insert definition to insert records using references to the Part table, and to modify the
Order fields to either use the values mapped from the spreading worksheet or construct a value. This
requires you to remove the existing fields in the insert definition, and to replace them with the
references.

When records are inserted, the values specified for the Part column in the spreading worksheet are used
to specify the part and site a record is inserted for. Test the worksheet.
Insert 9500 into the Cruisers product group for the 05-01-14 bucket.

Next, you can convert the other fields to use references instead of key values. For example, you can
replace the Order key fields in the insert definition by mapping an Order reference, or convert the
Customer Name and Customer Site fields from the historical demands to a Customer reference.

CHAPTER 20: Creating composite worksheets
Understanding how component worksheets are combined 469

Specifying how data is combined 469
Merging worksheet data 471
Specifying which component records to display 472
Merging worksheet data by no columns 480
Designing component worksheets 481
Create a composite worksheet 483
Create a composite crosstab worksheet 486
Add or remove composite worksheet columns 488
Specifying options for composite worksheets 491
Examples of creating composite worksheets 499
A composite worksheet displays combined date from one or more worksheets, called component
worksheets. You specify how the data is combined, and which records and columns display in the
composite worksheet. The merged data can be used to create new column expressions, including
expressions that perform operations with data from two or more different tables.
You can create composite worksheets when you want to view data from multiple tables in the same
worksheet, or when you want to apply a worksheet filter or another level of grouping to grouped data.
For example, you can display supply and demand for a part in the same worksheet, or display only date
buckets that have demand quantities greater than zero.
The relationship between the component and composite worksheets is shown in the following
illustration.

Component worksheets created to act as a base for composite worksheets should be simple, and
contain only the columns required in the composite worksheet. The component worksheets can be
vertical or horizontal. Typically, composite worksheets are based on table-based worksheets, however,
you can create composite worksheets based on other composite worksheets.
You can create composite worksheets based on component worksheets in the same workbook, or
component worksheets from a library workbook. Component worksheets in the same workbook should
be created specifically for the composite worksheet that uses them. The component worksheets should
also be set to always hidden so users do not modify source data in those worksheets. For more
information, see "Creating hidden worksheets" on page 271.
Library workbooks contain worksheets that are intended for reuse in many workbooks, called target
workbooks. Adjustments made to a component worksheet in a library workbook affect every target
workbook that reuses that worksheet. To create a composite worksheet from a worksheet in a library
workbook, you must first add a link to the library workbook. For more information, see "Library
workbooks" on page 254 and "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
You can also configure a composite worksheet to be used for editing data. For more information, see
"Enable data editing in a composite worksheet" on page 498.

Understanding how component worksheets are
combined
When you create a composite worksheet, you must specify how the records in the component
worksheets are combined. You can merge data from multiple records in the component worksheets into
a single record in the composite worksheet, or you can include individual records from multiple
component worksheets in the composite worksheet.
When you merge data from component worksheets, you must choose which worksheet records will be
included in the composite worksheet, and then how the data from those worksheets is combined. The
choices you make depend on which records you want to include in the composite worksheet. For more
information, see "Specifying how data is combined " on page 469 and "Specifying which component
records to display" on page 472.
You should create the component worksheets so they contain only the columns required for combining
worksheets and the data you want to merge or append. These worksheets should be filtered to return
only the records you want to merge or combine, which can help improve the composite worksheet's
performance.
For worksheets that use a custom sort order, the sort order is used to determine the columns to match
for merging or appending records. You must ensure all worksheets used in the composite worksheet
use the same sort order.
Specifying how data is combined

When you merge data records, you must select how the data from the composite worksheets is
combined to display in the composite worksheet. You can merge data from multiple records in the
component worksheets into a single record in the composite worksheet, or you can include individual
records from multiple component worksheets in the composite worksheet.
Appending data records

This option combines the component worksheets by adding the records returned by one worksheet to
the records returned by other component worksheets.
The records you can append must be taken from component worksheets that have the same number of
columns, with the same data types, and with the same column order and sort order.
Merging data records

This option combines the component worksheets by merging records. Records can have the same
values in their Group By or first columns with data columns from each component worksheet supplying
more data.
Appending data records

When you append records from one component worksheet to the records in another component
worksheet, the worksheets must be defined with the same number of columns, which must have the
same data types, be in the same order, and have the same sort order. For example, if you have one

Understanding how component worksheets are combined
worksheet that displays forecast orders, and another worksheet that displays actual customer orders,
you can append the records because the worksheets have the same number of columns, the columns
contain the same data types, and the columns are sorted in the same order. The resulting composite
worksheet lists every forecast and actual order.
Component worksheets that contain grouped columns summarize numeric values from records that
exist in multiple component worksheets. For example, if the worksheets contain a grouped Part column
and a Quantity column, the Quantity values for each Part value that exists in each component worksheet
are added.
Assume you have two worksheets based on the IndependentDemand table. One displays actual
demand records, the other forecast records. These worksheets are shown in the following illustrations.
These worksheets can be appended because they both have the same number of columns, with the
same data types. When you append the records, you get the following composite worksheet.

The records displayed in the Appending Records worksheet are the records from both the Demand
Records and Forecast Records worksheets.
NOTE: Depending on the workbook's query compatibility level, zero values in Quantity and Money
fields might be considered equivalent. However, Money and Quantity fields in component
worksheets cannot be appended, regardless of the values they contain. For more information, see
"Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax" on page 1244 and "Displaying money data
in worksheets" on page 305.
Merging worksheet data

When you merge data from component worksheets, you must choose which worksheet records will be
included in the composite worksheet, and then how the data from those worksheets is combined. The
choices you make depend on which records you want to include in the composite worksheet. For more
information, see "Specifying which component records to display" on page 472
If you decide to merge the records, you can change how the records are merged. This can be changed
when you are adding a new component worksheet, or any time you view the worksheet's properties. If
you change how records are merged, the option you select is used to merge every component
worksheet, which can result in different data being displayed in the composite worksheet. If you want
only one component worksheet to be merged differently, you can create a new composite worksheet
and merge the records from the existing composite worksheet and the component worksheet.
You can select from three different ways to combine the worksheet data records. Hierarchy columns are
optional for the first two methods, however, if the first component worksheet has hierarchy columns,
each of the subsequently added component worksheets must have at least one of the same hierarchy
columns. To merge data from worksheets with and without hierarchy columns, use the no hierarchy
columns method.
Combining data based on hierarchy columns and all Group By columns

You can combine data records from component worksheets that are grouped by the at least one of the
same columns. These worksheets can include hierarchy and grouped columns or only grouped columns.

Merging worksheet data
A result for each combination of data values is reported in the composite worksheet.
For more information, see "Merging worksheet data by all grouped columns" on page 475.
Combining data based on hierarchy columns and one or more Group By columns
You can combine data records from component worksheets by merging hierarchy columns and a
specified number of columns. The component worksheets do not need to have hierarchy columns.
The specified columns must contain data of the same type in each component worksheet. Otherwise,
the values in those columns cannot be merged. For more information, see "Merging worksheet data by
a specified number of columns" on page 477.
Combining data based on worksheets with no hierarchy columns

You can combine data records from component worksheets that have no hierarchy or grouped
columns. All of the data is combined in the composite worksheet.
This type of data merging does not require hierarchy columns, however, if you are merging a
component worksheet that has hierarchy columns and a component worksheet that does not have any,
you must add the worksheet with hierarchy columns as the first worksheet. For more information, see
"Merging worksheet data by no columns" on page 480.
NOTE: After you add the first component worksheet, each additional component worksheet must
have two or more columns to be valid. See each type of merge for more columns requirements.
Specifying which component records to display

Only records in the first worksheet (LEFT JOIN)
You can create a composite worksheet that only displays data for records from the first component
worksheet you selected. Additional columns are added from each component worksheet, but only
values from records that are also in the first worksheet are included.
For example, when component worksheet displaying demand and supply data are merged, columns for
both demand and supply quantities are included in the resulting composite worksheet, but only records
for parts that are in first component worksheet display in the composite worksheet.

You can use this method of merging records to create a worksheet that can be added to another
composite worksheet to include the column values in the other worksheet. This worksheet is calculated
once, regardless of how many composite worksheets it is included in. This can be used as an alternative
to a lookup worksheet. For more information, see "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
Only records that are in all component worksheets (INNER JOIN)

You can create a composite worksheet that only displays records found in all the component
worksheets. Any records that exist in just some (but not all) of the worksheets, are excluded from the
both demand and supply quantities are included in the resulting composite worksheet, but only records
for parts that are in both component worksheets display in the composite worksheet.

If you want to limit the records available for use in a composite worksheet, you should create a
worksheet filter that uses an IN function to determine the available records in the component
worksheet instead of using the merging to limit the records returned in the worksheet. For more
information, see "IN " on page 1141.
All records in all component worksheets (OUTER JOIN)

You can create a composite worksheet that displays all the records from every component worksheet.
For records that do not have corresponding values for a given worksheet, the value is set to the default
for the column's data type.
both demand and supply quantities are included and all records for parts from all the component
worksheets display in the composite worksheet.

Merging worksheet data by all grouped columns
When you merge component worksheets by combining data based on all Group By columns, all of the
worksheet columns from the component worksheets display in the composite worksheet. The
component worksheets do not need to have hierarchy columns, however, if the first worksheet has
hierarchy columns, each of the subsequently added component worksheets must have at least one of
the same hierarchy columns. For more information, see "Hierarchy columns" on page 482.
The grouped columns in the component worksheets must be in the same order and sorted in the same
direction. For example, if the first worksheet added is grouped by part and site, each additional
component worksheet you add must also be grouped by part and site, in that same order. The first
component worksheet must have the most Group By columns and each worksheet you add must have
the same or fewer Group By columns than the first worksheet.
You can also use this option to merge worksheets that have hierarchy columns, but are not grouped.
Each column in the worksheet is treated as a Group By column. The other component worksheets you
add must have at least one column that is the same as the first column in the first component
worksheet.
If the component worksheets contain grouped data, the grouping columns should be the first columns
in the worksheet, and be adjacent in the worksheet and in the sort order. If the grouping columns are
not the first in the worksheet, or if there is a non-grouping column between two grouping columns, you
cannot use the component worksheet to merge records in the composite worksheet using the
Hierarchy columns and Group By columns option. Instead, you will have to use the No columns options
which can result in a large number of records being returned in the composite worksheet which might
impact system performance. For more information about grouping, see "Group column data" on page
382. For more information about merging records, see "Understanding how component worksheets are
combined" on page 469
When you merge records from worksheets that are grouped by columns that contain references to
other tables, each component worksheet should contain an explicit reference to the referenced table,

and not to that table's base key field. For example, the column expression for a reference to the Part
table should be 'Part', not 'Part.Name', and the column should be configured to use "Use as reference"
setting. This ensures that the worksheets Group By columns contain compatible data types, and also
allows for additional fields from the referenced table to be used in the composite worksheet. However, if
one component worksheet uses 'Part' as an explicit table reference and another uses 'Part.Name', then
the worksheets cannot be merged together because the reference and string data types are
incompatible. For more information, see "Add a table reference as a column" on page 360.
NOTE: In RapidResponse versions prior to 10.1, it was possible to combine two worksheets where
one was grouped by a reference (for example, Part) and the other was grouped by the base key
field on that referenced table (for example, Part.Name). To combine values in this way,
RapidResponse would downgrade the reference value to the string data type and return the
referenced table's base key field. This ensured compatibility between the worksheets as both part
values were set as strings, but didn't always allow the expected results were returned (because the
full set of key values on the reference were no longer being considered). This functionality is not
supported at the latest compatibility level, but it can be maintained in workbooks sets to use
earlier compatibility levels. However, this is not a recommended practice. For more information, see
"Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax" on page 1244.
NOTE: To be used together in a composite worksheet, corresponding grouped columns must be

sorted in the same direction. For example, if two grouped component worksheets contain Part
and DueDate columns, the Part columns must both be sorted in the same order and the DueDate
columns must both be sorted in the same order.
NOTE: Each additional worksheet you add to the first component worksheet must have the same
number or fewer grouping columns as the first worksheet.
For example, you have two component worksheets with part records. The first worksheet is based on
the ScheduledReceipt table and displays total firm order quantities grouped by Part Reference.
The second component worksheet is based on the PlannedOrder table and shows total planned order
quantities grouped by Part reference.

Because each worksheet is grouped by the Part reference, you can merge them in a composite
worksheet.
For more information, see "Example: Creating a composite worksheet by combining all columns" on
page 499.
Merging worksheet data by a specified number of

columns
You can merge data from component worksheets based on a set number of columns you specify. The
specified columns must contain data of the same type in each component worksheet to merge the
values in those columns.
The component worksheets do not need to have hierarchy columns, however, if the first worksheet has
hierarchy columns, each of the added component worksheets must have at least one of the same
hierarchy columns. For more information, see "Hierarchy columns" on page 482.

To merge data from worksheets with and without hierarchy columns, use the No columns option. For
more information, see "Merging worksheet data by no columns" on page 480.
You can merge records using only the records in the first worksheet, only the records in every
worksheet, or all records in all worksheets. Records are combined by creating a row in the composite
worksheet that contains each combination of values in the first columns. The first columns must be the
same in each component worksheet, otherwise you cannot use them to combine records.
The worksheets you use for merging records can be grouped or ungrouped. The number of columns in
the worksheet affects the number of records in the composite worksheet, because each column
provides another data value to be combined with the other data values.
For example, suppose you have two worksheets, one based on the ScheduledReceipt table, the other
based on the IndependentDemand table. Both worksheets contain Part and Site columns, and provide
information about the suppliers and customers for orders for a part, respectively. Examples of these
worksheets are shown in the following illustrations.

To view all combinations of suppliers and customers for each part at each site, you can create a
composite worksheet that merges these worksheets using the first two columns to combine the
records. An example of a composite worksheet produced this way is shown in the following illustration.
For more information, see "Example: Creating a composite worksheet by merging specific columns" on
page 506.

Merging worksheet data by no columns
When you select to merge records from component worksheets based on no columns, the composite
worksheet displays data for all the records in the component worksheets. Merging records by
combining values is similar to a database cross product join operation.
The component worksheets do not need to have any columns in common and this option allows you to
combine data from worksheets that have hierarchy columns with worksheets that don't have hierarchy
columns. While this type of data merging does not require hierarchy columns, if you are merging a
component worksheet that has hierarchy columns and a component worksheet that does not have any,
you must add the worksheet with hierarchy columns as the first worksheet.
The first column in the second component worksheet is not included in the composite worksheet, so it
is recommended that you use an unneeded column as the first column in that worksheet.
For example, you have two worksheets, one with hierarchy columns displaying part data and another
worksheet without hierarchy columns that displays data for date quarters.
You can create a composite worksheet that combines all of the columns from both worksheets,
including the Supplier Group and Supplier hierarchy columns.

NOTE: This can result in a very large number of records which can impact system performance. As
such, it is recommended that only the essential columns be included in the component
worksheets.
Designing component worksheets

A composite worksheet is based on component worksheets. Component worksheets should be created
specifically for the composite worksheet that is based on them. They should be simple, with only the
columns required in the composite worksheets. Each worksheet you create has an identifier, which is
used to identify the worksheet internally in RapidResponse. The worksheet ID is typically used when
basing a worksheet on other worksheets. The identifier for a worksheet is, by default, the worksheet
name with spaces removed, and must begin with a letter.
If you will be combining the data records based on grouped or specified columns, the first component
worksheet you base the composite worksheet on determines which other component worksheets can
be added to the composite worksheet.
The first component worksheet provides the following settings for the composite worksheet:
l worksheet display settings

l bucket settings
l column currencies
l hierarchy column settings
l hierarchy column formatting
l chart settings
l grouping and crosstab settings

Designing component worksheets
Depending on how you decide to combine the component worksheets, the list of worksheets you can
add is restricted to those that match either the grouping settings or the column definitions defined in
the first worksheet. Each additional worksheet you add uses the same method of combining data.
You can add a component worksheet from the same workbook or from a library workbook. Library
workbooks contain component worksheets that are intended for reuse in other workbooks. You must
first add a link to a library workbook before you can add component worksheets from the library
workbook. For more information, see "Library workbooks" on page 254 and "Add dependencies to
You can use a component worksheet multiple times in a composite worksheet, but the worksheet's
result is calculated one time and the result reused. For each table you need to represent in your
composite worksheet, you should create one worksheet based on that table and then create composite
worksheets based on those worksheets. For example, if you need a summary and detailed view of the
same data, you can base the detailed worksheet on the table, then create a composite worksheet that
summarizes the data. You can then use the summary worksheet in other composite worksheets.
You should also hide all of the component worksheets so users do not modify the source data for the
composite worksheet and to prevent repetitive worksheets from displaying in the workbook. The
component worksheets can be vertical or horizontal.
Hierarchy columns
In workbooks that contain a hierarchy panel, you can include columns based on the user's selection in
the hierarchy to the composite worksheet. If you are combining data records from component
worksheets that include these columns and are grouped or have a specified number of columns, each
component worksheet you add must also have the hierarchy columns. Any formatting you apply to the
hierarchy columns is taken from the first component worksheet you add. For more information, see
"Add columns based on a hierarchy" on page 285 and "Include the hierarchy panel in a workbook" on
page 205.
If any data values in the composite worksheet are calculated by macros, analytics, or set operators, you
should define the columns that use the calculations in a component worksheet. This allows the value to
be calculated once in the component worksheet, and then brought into the composite worksheet,
where it can be used in multiple columns. If the calculation is used in columns defined in the composite
worksheet, it must be calculated for every column it is used in. If the calculation is complex, this can
cause the worksheet to be very slow to open. For more information about using macros in column
expressions, see "Macros" on page 1305
Money columns
If the component worksheets contain Money columns, columns can be combined regardless of the
currency displayed in the columns. When the worksheets are combined, all money calculations are
performed using the workbook's currency, and are then converted to the column's currency, if specified.
For each composite worksheet, the currencies specified in the columns from the first component
worksheet are carried through to the composite worksheet. You can modify the currencies the
composite worksheet columns display. Currencies specified in other worksheets are ignored when the
worksheets are combined.
Money columns cannot be combined with Quantity columns, so you must ensure each component
worksheet contains the correct column types. However, if the Quantity column contains only zero
values, you can combine the Quantity column with a Money column. You might want to include a zero-
value column if your composite worksheet combines all columns from the component worksheets, and
one component contains a Money column and the other a Quantity column. You can add a zero-value
column to each worksheet.

Notes columns
Composite worksheets can also display records with notes if component worksheets have been
authored with a hidden Notes column and the notes indicator option enabled. Additional conditions
must be met to display notes in a composite worksheet. The component worksheets must:
l Have consistent bucketing.

l Have no multi-scenario columns.
l Combine data by appending records.
l Have all of the same Group By columns that are used in the composite worksheet.
Reference fields
If you are grouping by reference fields in your component worksheets, ensure that each reference can
uniquely identify all records in the referenced table through its key field(s). For example, if a worksheet
based on the IndependentDemand table referenced and grouped Part table records just by the
Part.Name field, then all Part records would be used without a site context and Part records from
multiple sites would be grouped into a single record. This would likely result in unexpected grouping
and sorting results in the composite worksheet. Instead, if both Part.Name and Part.Site fields were
included, then all Part table values could be uniquely identified based on these key field values.
The recommended process for using reference fields in composite worksheets is to add a single
reference to the table (for example, the column expression should contain just Part and not Part.Name)
in the component worksheets and then enable the Use as reference setting. This ensures the full table
reference and all key fields from that table are carried through to the composite worksheet, and ensures
expected grouping and comparison results. It also provides access to all fields on the referenced table.
In the final composite worksheet intended for display to users, you should then specify the individual
fields you want to display to the users (for example, add separate columns for both Part.Name and
Part.Site instead of the single Part reference that strings these values together). For an example of
building a composite worksheet based on components that use this setting, see "Example: Creating a
composite worksheet by merging records (with use as reference)" on page 510.
Formatting
Any formatting applied to the columns in a component worksheet are applied to the same columns in
the composite worksheet. For example, if you define a Quantity column that is formatted to hide zero
values in a component worksheet, the zero values in that column in the composite worksheet are also
hidden. For more information, see "Create a table-based worksheet" on page 347 or "Create a crosstab
If the first component worksheet you base the worksheet on includes conditional formatting, the
formatting rules are copied into the composite worksheet. However, only rules from the first worksheet
are added, and all additional worksheets you add include only the formatting defined directly in the
column, not the conditional formatting. For more information, see "Applying conditional formatting to
Create a composite worksheet

A composite worksheet functions similarly to the table-based worksheet. The majority of formatting
options available for composite worksheets are identical to table-based worksheets. Composite
worksheets can be based on vertical or crosstab worksheets, and can be made into crosstabs.
Component worksheets in a library workbook should not be hidden. For more information, see

"Specifying worksheet options" on page 277, "Format worksheet appearance" on page 301, and "Create
a crosstab worksheet" on page 401.
If the first component worksheet's column sort order does not match its display order, the columns are
added to the composite worksheet in their display order. Additional columns that are added by merging
the worksheets are added in their sort order. For more information, see "Understanding how
component worksheets are combined" on page 469.
▶Create a composite worksheet
2. Click New, and then click Composite worksheet.
3. In the New Composite Worksheet dialog box, click the General tab.
4. Type a name for the worksheet in the Name text box.
5. Optionally, in the ID text box, change the worksheet identifier.
6. In the Components sub-tab, click Add.
7. In the Add Component Worksheet dialog box, click the worksheet you want to add, and then
click OK.
8. To add the next component worksheet, click Add again and do one of the following:
l Select a worksheet from the list.
l Click the Show all worksheets check box and then select a worksheet from the list.
9. Select how to combine the data from the component worksheets by clicking one of the following:
l Merge data records (JOIN)
l Append all records from all component worksheets (UNION)
10. If you selected Merge data records (JOIN), select how the records will be included in the
composite worksheet:
l Only records in the first worksheet (LEFT JOIN)—The records that are in the first
component worksheet are the only records included in the composite worksheet.
l Only records that are in all component worksheets (INNER JOIN)—The records that are in
every component worksheet are the only records included in the composite worksheet.
l All records in all component worksheets (OUTER JOIN)—All records from the component
worksheets are included in the composite worksheet.
11. Then, in the Combine records based on: area, select how to combine the data records in the
composite worksheet:
l Hierarchy columns and Group By columns—data records from the component worksheets
are combined by their Group By columns and by any hierarchy columns that are the same.
l Hierarchy columns and the next ___ columns—data records from the component
worksheets are combined by creating combinations of values based on the specified number
of columns and any hierarchy columns that are the same. After selecting this option, you must
specify how many columns are used to combine the records.
l No columns—data records from component worksheets with no columns that are the same
are combined. All of the data records display in the composite worksheet. This option can
result in a very large number of records, and can impact system performance.
12. Click OK.
13. If required, click Add to add another component worksheet. You cannot change any of the data
combination options now because the options you specified in steps 7-10 have already

determined how it will be combined in the composite worksheet. You can however change which
data is included in the composite worksheet, see "Change how records are merged" on page 485.
14. Select the worksheet from the list.
15. Click OK.
16. Repeat steps 13-15 fore each additional component worksheet you want to add.
17. If required, add other worksheets. For more information, see "Add or remove worksheets" on
page 232.
18. To hide the worksheet, click the Settings sub-tab and select Hide worksheet. For more
information, see "Always hidden worksheets" on page 273.
19. On the Columns tab, add any additional columns you require. For more information, see "Add or
remove composite worksheet columns" on page 488.
20. On the Group tab, apply or change any grouping functions. For more information, see "Group
and bucket data from component worksheets" on page 496.
21. On the Filter tab, add a filter expression. For more information, see "Filter data from a component
22. On the Subtotal tab, add any desired subtotal or running balance (cumulative balance) columns.
For more information, see "Add column totals and subtotals " on page 377.
23. If required, specify any additional worksheet options. For more information, see "Specifying
worksheet options" on page 277.
24. Validate that the worksheet displays the correct information. For more information, see
"Validating a worksheet" on page 340.
25. Apply formatting to columns. For more information, see "Formatting worksheet and column
data" on page 291.
26. Add worksheet and column help. For more information, see "Add worksheet help" on page 335.
NOTE: Identifiers can contain only letters, numbers, and underscore characters (_), and must
begin with a letter. When you type the worksheet's name, invalid characters are not included in
the identifier.
NOTE: Depending on which type of data record combination option you select, you might see
worksheets display or disappear from the Worksheets list.
NOTE: If you selected Hierarchy columns and the next __ columns and the first component
worksheet is grouped, you are prompted to turn grouping off in the composite worksheet
NOTE: For an example of creating a composite worksheet, see "Example: Creating a composite
worksheet by appending records" on page 516.
▶Change how records are merged
1. In the New Composite Worksheet or Composite Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the
General tab.
2. In the Content list, click one of the following:
l Only records in the first worksheet—The records that are returned by the first component
worksheet are the only records included in the composite worksheet.
l Only records that are in all component worksheets—The records that are returned by every
component worksheet are the only records included in the composite worksheet.

l All records from all component worksheets—Every record from the component worksheets
are included in the composite worksheet.
Why is my component worksheet not in the list?

By default, the list of component worksheets shows only the worksheets that are compatible with the
first worksheet. However, you can also choose to view all of the worksheets in the list of worksheets to
add. When you view all worksheets, the list indicates which worksheets are valid. If you try to add a
worksheet that is not valid, you receive a message explaining why the worksheet cannot be added to
the composite worksheet. You can use this to determine why a worksheet does not appear in the list of
valid worksheets. For example, if you have created a worksheet to add to a composite worksheet but it
does not appear in the list, you can choose to show all worksheets, and then try to add the worksheet
you have created. You can then use the message that is displayed to determine why the worksheet is
not valid, and correct the error.
▶Determine why a worksheet cannot be added to the composite worksheet
1. To see every worksheet in the Worksheets list, select the Show all worksheets check box.
Selecting this check box adds a Valid? column to the Worksheets list. A worksheet with a 'Yes'
value in this column can be added to the composite worksheet.
2. In the Worksheets list, locate the component you want to add.

The worksheet should have a 'No' value in the Valid? column.
3. Click the worksheet you want to add, and then click Add.
4. Read the error message to determine why the worksheet cannot be added to the composite
worksheet.
NOTE: You can modify the worksheet to make it compatible with the first component worksheet.
For more information, see "Edit a worksheet" on page 262.
Create a composite crosstab worksheet

Composite worksheets can be made into crosstab worksheets. If the composite worksheet merges
records from the component worksheets, each data column from the component worksheets is
represented as a row in the crosstab worksheet. Columns that are editable in the component
worksheet are editable in the crosstab worksheet. All worksheets that provide data for the crosstab
worksheet must have similar grouped columns. For more information, see "Understanding how
component worksheets are combined" on page 469.
If you are grouping by reference fields in the component worksheets, the references refer to the base
key field on the referenced table. For example, if you specify the Part field on the IndependentDemand
table, the field used for grouping is Part.Name. To uniquely identify referenced records, you must either
specify the column is used as a reference, or add columns for the referenced table’s other key fields.
Otherwise, the reference cannot uniquely identify the records, which can give you unexpected grouping
and sorting results in the composite worksheet. For example, if a Part reference is used without a Site
context, the records are effectively grouped into a single record. By including the Part.Site field or

selecting the Use as reference check box for the Part column in the component worksheet, the correct
records are returned.
An example of a crosstab worksheet based on two different worksheets and using separate Part and
Site columns is shown in the following illustration.
In this example, data in the Supply row is taken from a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table,
and data in the Demand row is taken from a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table.
If one or more component worksheets drill to details, the composite crosstab worksheet does not
automatically drill to the same detail worksheet as the component worksheets. You must enable the
composite worksheet to drill to details. If you have several detail worksheets that you want to drill to,
you can create a new composite worksheet to combine the detail worksheets, and modify the drill to
details links in your composite worksheet to link to the new composite worksheet.
If one or more component worksheets can be used to import data, you can also allow importing in the
composite worksheet. When data is imported, data values for each editable row in the composite
crosstab worksheet are modified. The importing options specified in the component worksheet are
used for the composite worksheet. For more information, see "Create a crosstab worksheet for
importing data" on page 703.
For an example of creating a composite crosstab worksheet, see "Example: Creating a composite
worksheet by combining all columns" on page 499.
▶Create a composite crosstab worksheet
1. In the New Composite Worksheet dialog box, on the General tab, add the worksheets that
contain the data you want to display in the crosstab, using the following guidelines:
l If no worksheets have been added, the first worksheet contains the grouping rules other
worksheets must match or the columns other worksheets must match.
l When you add a second worksheet, you must choose either to merge records with similar
Group By fields (each worksheet you add provides additional data columns, with the same
Group By columns) or to append records with the same columns (each worksheet you add
provides additional rows of data in the columns defined by the first worksheet). For more
information, see "Designing component worksheets" on page 481.
l If you merge records, you must choose whether the composite worksheet displays only the
records from the first worksheet, only the records that are common to all worksheets, or all
the records from all the worksheets.
2. On the Columns tab, remove any columns you do not want to be displayed in the crosstab
worksheet.

Create a composite crosstab worksheet
3. On the Group tab, ensure the Group data check box is selected, and then do the following:
l Ensure the Group By function is applied to all dimension columns. The last Group By column
is pivoted to create the crosstab view.
l If necessary, change any of the grouping functions applied to the data columns. For more
information, see "Group column data" on page 382.
l Select the Crosstab view check box.
4. If the crosstab worksheet you are creating is date-bucketed (the last Group By column is a date),
select the Bucket data by date check box.
To specify the buckets, click Bucket Settings. For more information, see "Define worksheet date
5. If you want to allow worksheet users to view the records that are summarized in the crosstab cell,
see "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
6. If you want to include a chart to show the crosstab data in a graphical format, select the Include
chart check box, and then specify the chart's settings. For more information about charts, see
"Adding charts to reports" on page 581.
7. If required, add subtotal rows or columns. For more information, see "Add column totals and
subtotals to crosstab worksheets" on page 418.
NOTE: For more information about crosstab worksheets, including adding charts and subtotal
rows, see "Create a crosstab worksheet" on page 401.
NOTE: For more information about creating composite worksheets, see "Create a composite
NOTE: Composite crosstab worksheets can also contain multi-scenario rows, which compare
values from different scenarios. For more information, see "Create a multi-scenario crosstab
▶Allow importing in a composite crosstab worksheet
General tab.
2. On the Settings sub-tab, select the Allow importing data check box.
Add or remove composite worksheet columns

Any columns that have been added to a component worksheet can also be included in the composite
worksheet.
Any component worksheet column that has been configured as a references to another table provides
access to all fields in that table, thus allowing you to add columns to your composite worksheets based
on any of the fields in the referenced table. In order for a component worksheet column to be
configured as a reference, the column must contain a proper reference to the table (for example, the
column expression should be Part or Supplier, and not Part.Name or Supplier.Id), and the
column must have the Use as reference setting enabled. For information about the columns or fields
you can add to a composite worksheet, see "Fields" on page 1124.
In addition, you can add columns to perform operations with data from component worksheets using
the RapidResponse query language.

When you add a column to a worksheet, you can specify where in the worksheet it is displayed, relative
to other columns. For example, if you have a worksheet that contains a Part column and a Due Date
column, you can add a Site column between them by adding the new column after the Part column.
You can also add a column by copying an existing column. You might do this if you want to display
similar data in two columns but format them differently, or if you want two columns to use the same
formatting for different data. Copying a column copies every attribute of the column, including its
expression, formatting, and data options.
You can also add columns to perform mathematical operations on data from different tables. Each
column that you add can calculate a result using data from the component worksheets, such as
multiplying values from different tables. By performing the column math in the composite worksheet,
the values from the component worksheets are calculated once, and can be used in multiple columns in
the composite worksheet without re-calculating. You can improve worksheet performance by
performing operations in composite worksheet column expressions instead of adding calculated
columns from component worksheets. For example, instead of using a column based on the Activity
table to calculate a balance between supply and demand, you can calculate the balance using columns
taken from worksheets based on the IndependentDemand and ScheduledReceipt tables.
Values obtained from calculated tables and fields in the RapidResponse database are recalculated
whenever data or worksheet filtering settings change, and every field in the table must be recalculated.
If the values are calculated in a worksheet column expression, only the values in the column have to be
recalculated, which allows the worksheet to display data more quickly.
If a column from a component worksheet calculates a running total (cumulative total), the dates used to
calculate the total might be different from the dates displayed in the composite worksheet. For example,
if the running total includes the Past and Future values, those values are included in the total even if the
composite worksheet excludes those dates.
When you add a column, its header, identifier, and grouping rule are copied into the composite
worksheet. Any formatting applied to the column is not copied. Depending on whether the worksheet
is contained in the same workbook or a library workbook, the column’s expression is converted to a
reference to the worksheet it came from, in one of the following formats:
l For worksheets in the same workbook, the column's expression format is

worksheetID!columnID, where worksheetID is the worksheet identifier and columnID is the
column identifier.
l For worksheets in a library workbook, the column's expression must also list the Reference ID, in
the format workbookID!worksheetID!columnID, where workbookID is the Workbook
Reference ID, worksheetID is the worksheet identifier and columnID is the column identifier.
You can also apply a summary function, such as a running sum or average, to the columns you add to a
composite worksheet. If you are summarizing a column, you should perform all summarizations in the
top level composite worksheet. If you summarize the columns in component worksheets, the
summarizations are performed multiple times. For more information, see "Apply a summarization
function to a column" on page 384.
If a column is no longer required, it can be removed from the worksheet.
CAUTION: If you modify a column identifier in a component worksheet, you must also edit the
identifier in the composite worksheet. If the column identifiers do not match, the composite
worksheet cannot be displayed.

Add or remove composite worksheet columns
▶Add a column or field from a component worksheet
Columns tab.
3. Click Add.
The Add Columns and Fields dialog box displays a list of columns in the component worksheets.
If the worksheet merges records with similar Group By columns, you can add columns from any
component worksheet. If the worksheet adds records with similar columns, you can add columns
only from the first component worksheet. Columns with a + beside them allow you add fields
from the table that column references.
4. In the Add Columns and Fields dialog box, click a column or field, and then click Add.
5. Repeat the previous step for each column or field you want to add.
6. Click OK.
CAUTION: If the composite worksheet adds records with similar columns and you add a field that
references another table, you must ensure that each table the composite worksheet is based on
references the same table through that field. For example, the Type field on the
IndependentDemand table references the DemandType table, and the Type field on the
ScheduledReceipt table references the SupplyType table. If your composite worksheet is based on
IndependentDemand and ScheduledReceipt, adding the Type field causes an error when you view
the worksheet.
TIP: To see which component worksheet a column comes from, move the pointer over the column
to see a tooltip with the component worksheet and column header.
▶Create a column
Columns tab.
4. In the Column Header text box, type a name for the column.
5. Optionally, in the ID text box, change the column’s identifier.
6. In the Expression area, type an expression for the new column.
You can use columns from component worksheets by referring to them by their worksheet and
column identifiers, separated by an exclamation point. For example, worksheetID!columnID.
Columns from component worksheets in a library workbook must also include the Workbook
Reference ID. For example, workbookID!worksheetID!columnID.
7. To validate your expression, click Validate Expression.
NOTE: If you include a multi-scenario column in the expression, the column you create is also
multi-scenario. For more information about multi-scenario columns, see "Specify multi-scenario
columns in a composite worksheet" on page 491 or "Add multi-scenario columns" on page 267.

▶Copy a column
2. In the Columns in this worksheet box, select the column you want to copy.
3. Click Copy Column.
4. In the new column's Header box, type a unique header for the column.
NOTE: If the column you are copying has conditional formatting applied to it, the same
conditional formatting is applied to the copy. For more information, see "Applying conditional
formatting to worksheets" on page 317.
▶Remove a column
Columns tab.
3. Click Delete Column.
NOTE: Removing a column that comes from another worksheet does not remove it from that
worksheet. If the column was created for the composite worksheet, it is deleted.
Specifying options for composite worksheets

You can modify options for composite worksheet to:
l Display multi-scenario columns. For more information, see "Specify multi-scenario columns in a
composite worksheet" on page 491.
l Filter the data displayed in the composite worksheet. For more information, see "Filter data from a
component worksheet" on page 496.
l Group the data displayed in a composite worksheet different from the component worksheet. For
more information, see "Group and bucket data from component worksheets" on page 496.
l Specify that users can edit data in the worksheet. For more information, see "Enable data editing
in a composite worksheet" on page 498.
Specify multi-scenario columns in a composite

worksheet
A composite worksheet can contain multi-scenario columns which display data for multiple scenarios.
Depending on the options specified in the workbook, the worksheets can contain multiple scenarios

specified by the workbook user, or two different scenarios where the values in the user's selected
scenario is compared to a scenario specified by the workbook author. In this case, the user's selected
scenario can serve as the baseline against which the other scenario is compared, or the other way
around. The scenario specified in the workbook can be any scenario you have access to, or the parent of
the user’s selected scenario. For example, you can compare the user's selected scenario to the Approved
Actions scenario. For more information, see "Select the comparison scenario" on page 220.
The multi-scenario columns in a composite worksheet can be defined in a component worksheet and
brought into the composite, however, it is recommended you define the multi-scenario column in the
composite worksheet. The worksheets are executed for each scenario, and if multiple component
worksheets contain multi-scenario columns, worksheet performance degrades. If your worksheet
requires the multi-scenario columns to be defined in the component worksheet, you can define the
multi-scenario columns in any component worksheet. You can define multi-scenario columns in a
composite worksheet only if the components do not contain multi-scenario columns.
When you specify a multi-scenario column in a composite worksheet, the worksheet is calculated once
for each scenario, and the results merged using the single-scenario columns as grouping columns. For
this reason, all columns that are expected to be different between scenarios should be specified as
multi-scenario, otherwise they are used to merge the results. This can cause unexpected results if the
values are different in each scenario, or if records exist in one scenario but not in the other.
If the composite worksheet contains multi-scenario columns, any columns that reference values in the
component worksheet are converted to string values. For example, if the worksheet contains a column
with a reference to the Part table, that column is changed to a Part.Name value.
If you define the multi-scenario columns in the component worksheet, you can modify how the multi-
scenario data is displayed in the composite worksheet. If you define the multi-scenario columns in the
composite worksheet, you cannot add multi-scenario columns to the component worksheets. For more
information, see "Add multi-scenario columns" on page 267.
You can create composite and composite crosstab worksheets with multi-scenario columns by merging,
combining, or appending records. For more information, see "Create a multi-scenario crosstab
You can create a composite crosstab worksheet that contains editable rows and multi-scenario rows.
This requires you to merge a worksheet that contains a multi-scenario column with a worksheet that
contains an editable column, and both component worksheets must be grouped by the same columns.
For more information, see "Enable data editing in a composite worksheet" on page 498.
If you want a multi-scenario column to display the value for only one scenario, you can specify which
scenario's value you want the column to display. You can view one scenario's value in any multi-scenario
column that is defined in a component worksheet. If you choose to display the value for only one
scenario in a multi-scenario column, any worksheets that use the worksheet as a component cannot
display multi-scenario results for that column.
▶Add a multi-scenario column from a component worksheet
Columns tab.
2. Click Add.
3. In the Add Columns and Fields dialog box, select a multi-scenario column.
Multi-scenario columns are identified with the icon.
4. Click Add.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each multi-scenario column you want to add.

▶Modify how multi-scenario columns display values
Columns tab.
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, click the multi-scenario column you want to modify.
4. In the Scenario comparison area, in the Show area, click one of the following:
l Actual value—for each record, the actual data value in the baseline scenario and the
comparison scenario scenarios is shown.
l Difference—for each record, the difference between the data value in the baseline scenario
and the corresponding value in the comparison scenario is shown (for example, +5). This
option is available only for columns that contain quantity or integer values.
l % Difference—for each record, the percentage difference between the data value in the
baseline scenario and the corresponding value in the comparison scenario is shown (for
example, +2%). This option is available only for columns that contain quantity or integer
values.
▶Display the value from only one scenario
Columns tab.
2. In the Columns in this worksheet list, click the multi-scenario column you want to view results
for.
4. On the Data sub-tab, select Calculate using final results from other columns.
6. Add one of the following to the end of the column expression.
l #0—only the value in the baseline scenario is displayed in the column.
l #1—only the value in the comparison scenario is displayed in the column.
NOTE: If the workbook allows users to specify comparison scenarios, you can display the value in
each additional scenario by continuing the numbering for the scenario. For example, to use the
value in the third scenario (the second comparison scenario), add #2 to the end of the expression.
To use the value from the fourth scenario, add #3 to the expression, and so on.
NOTE: If you use the value from additional comparison scenarios, the number of scenarios used in
the workbook is fixed to the number you specify. For example, if you use the value from the second
comparison scenario, the workbook is fixed to three scenarios. For more information, see "Select
the comparison scenario" on page 220.
NOTE: You can also use the value from one scenario in filter expressions of multi-scenario
worksheets. This filters the data only in the scenario specified. For example, the expression
'Component!DaysLate#0 > 2' returns only records that are more than two days late in the
baseline scenario. Using a single scenario from a multi-scenario column in a filter expression does
not remove the multi-scenario property for the column. For more information about worksheet
filtering, see "Filter data from a component worksheet" on page 496.

Examples of multi-scenario columns
This section provides some examples of how you can use multi-scenario columns to create customized
composite worksheets. Each example uses component worksheets that define multi-scenario columns
and workbooks that compare the user's selected scenario to one comparison scenario.
Example: Add a column to calculate differences between scenarios

You can add a column to your multi-scenario worksheets that calculates differences between the
scenarios. These columns use the #0 or #1 syntax to insert each scenario's value into the expression.
You can use these columns to calculate the difference or percentage difference, depending on how you
want the data to be displayed. You might add one of these columns if you want the multi-scenario
columns to show both actual values and differences, or if you want to calculate the difference between
two columns that show the result from only one scenario.
This example includes difference columns underneath the multi-scenario column's header. For more
information about creating multi-level column headers, see "Define column headers" on page 299.
An example of a difference column is shown in the following illustration.
An example of a percentage difference column is shown in the following illustration.
These columns are shown in the worksheet in the following illustration.

Example: Display multiple columns for one scenario
You can create multiple columns that display a value for one scenario, and collect them under a
spanning header that displays the names of the scenarios being compared. You can include the
scenario names in column headers by using the $Scenario0 and $Scenario1 variables. These variables
contain the names of the baseline and comparison scenarios, respectively.
Each column you add under this header must use the #0 or #1 syntax to display the value for only one
scenario.
For example, you can define column headers similar to the following illustration.
These headers create the worksheet in the following illustration.

Filter data from a component worksheet
You can limit the scope of data that displays in a worksheet by adding a worksheet filter. A worksheet
filter is a logical expression specifying conditions that data in the worksheet must meet in order to be
shown. This ensures a more focused and manageable set of records.
By filtering a composite worksheet, you can filter grouped data from the component worksheet. For
example, instead of showing all records from a grouped worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt
table, a worksheet could show values only in date buckets with quantities greater than 1,000. You could
also display only date buckets that have different total demand and supply quantities, with the values
taken from worksheets based on the IndependentDemand and ScheduledReceipt tables.
Typically, a worksheet used to filter grouped data has a single component worksheet. The filter
expression is then defined in terms of the columns in the component worksheet, with columns defined
using the worksheetID!columnID format, where worksheetID is the worksheet identifier and
columnID is the column identifier.
If the worksheet contains multi-scenario columns, you can filter data in only one of the scenarios by
adding #0 (the baseline scenario) or #1 (the comparison scenario) to the column you are filtering. For
example, the filter expression 'Component!DaysLate#0 > 2' displays only records that are more
than two days late in the baseline scenario. If you do not specify a scenario, the worksheet is filtered
using the values in the baseline scenario. For more information about multi-scenario columns, see
"Specify multi-scenario columns in a composite worksheet" on page 491.
You can also specify which of the selectable item-filtering controls (filter, site, part, and so on) are
available to worksheet users.
▶Filter data from a component worksheet
Filtering tab.
2. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type a logical expression.
4. If the worksheet contains multi-scenario columns, in the Scenario comparison area, click one of
the following.
l All records—Every record is shown in the worksheet.
l Only records with different comparison values—Only the records that have different values
in the scenarios are shown in the worksheet.
Group and bucket data from component worksheets

Columns in a composite worksheet typically have the same grouping settings as the columns in the
component worksheets. You can change the grouping settings applied to the columns in a composite
worksheet. If the composite worksheet is based on a single worksheet with grouped data, this is

equivalent to applying a second level of grouping. You can also create a crosstab worksheet from
vertical component worksheets. For more information about composite crosstab worksheets, see
"Create a composite crosstab worksheet" on page 486.
Depending on how you intend the worksheet to be used, you can configure the buckets in the
composite worksheet differently. If you want users to edit data in the composite worksheet, you must
define bucketing in each component worksheet that contains a column or row you want to make
editable. Otherwise, you should define bucketing only in the composite worksheet.
Defining bucketing in only one worksheet can improve worksheet performance. If each component
worksheet is bucketed, the bucketed results are calculated for each worksheet, and then the results
and combined and re-calculated in the composite worksheet. If the component worksheets are not
bucketed, the records are merged or appended, and then the bucketed results are calculated only once.
If you apply bucketing to the component worksheets, the bucket settings for the grouped data in the
composite worksheet are based on the first component worksheet. If the component worksheets do
not allow worksheet users to change the bucketing, those buckets cannot be modified in the composite
worksheet, and only the data in the buckets defined by the component worksheet is visible in the
If workbook users cannot modify the bucket settings, you must use the same buckets in all component
worksheets and the composite worksheet if you want the composite worksheet rows to be editable.
If one component worksheet does not allow users to modify bucket settings, every component
worksheet and the composite worksheet should also not allow users to modify buckets. Otherwise, a
worksheet user could change the bucketing to be inconsistent. In addition, every component
worksheet and the composite worksheet should use the same buckets. If the buckets are different, you
might see unpredictable results, such as weekly buckets that contain a full month of data or empty
buckets.
You can also use grouping functions to replace the use of set operators in worksheets. For example, you
can group a column using the Count grouping function instead of creating a column using the COUNT
operator. This allows you to use the worksheet's filter settings to limit the calculations, and can improve
worksheet performance. For more information, see "Set operators" on page 1145.
▶Specify grouping settings
Group tab.
2. Ensure the Group data check box is selected.
3. For each column you want to group differently, change the grouping rules. For more information,
see "Group column data" on page 382.
NOTE: Grouped columns cannot be made editable in this worksheet. Editable grouped columns
must be specified in the component worksheet. For more information, see "Enable editing for
grouped data" on page 423.
NOTE: If you want to filter a grouped worksheet, you must create a composite worksheet based
on the grouped worksheet, and then filter the data in the composite worksheet.
▶Specify bucket settings
Group tab.

2. Select the Bucket data by date check box.
3. To specify the buckets, click Bucket Settings. For more information, see "Define worksheet date
Enable data editing in a composite worksheet

You can allow workbook users to edit data in composite worksheets you create. Editable columns and
rows are carried through from the component worksheets, however, the worksheets must be designed
specifically for editing. Depending on whether your composite worksheet is tabular or crosstab, the
component worksheets and composite worksheet options must be configured differently. Only
composite worksheets that merge records can be used to edit data.
For crosstab composite worksheets, the component worksheets must be grouped and bucketed, using
the same bucket settings as the composite worksheet. Any editable rows in the component worksheets
are also editable in the composite worksheet. For more information, see "Enable editing for grouped
data" on page 423.
For tabular composite worksheets, the composite worksheet must merge records by the first columns.
In this case, the first component worksheet must not be grouped. All other component worksheets
must be grouped by the same number of columns used to merge the worksheets. All editable columns
from the first worksheet are editable in the composite worksheet.
▶Create an editable crosstab composite worksheet
1. Create the component worksheets with the following settings:

l Group the worksheets by the same number of columns of the same type.
l Apply the same bucketing settings to each worksheet.
l Enable editing for the columns you want to edit in the composite worksheet.
2. Create a composite worksheet, merging the worksheets by the group by columns.

3. Enable crosstab view.
NOTE: For more information, see "Create a composite crosstab worksheet" on page 486.
▶Create an editable tabular composite worksheet
1. Create one component worksheet, with the columns that other worksheets will use for grouping.
Do not group this worksheet.
2. Create the other component worksheets with the following settings:
l Create the worksheets with the same first columns as the first component worksheet you
created.
l Group the worksheets by the first columns.
3. Create a composite worksheet with the ungrouped worksheet as the first worksheet.
4. Add the other component worksheets, merging records by the first columns.
NOTE: If the component worksheets are grouped by a different number of columns than the
worksheets are merged using, multiple composite rows might be returned for each record, which

can result in columns not being editable.
NOTE: For more information, see "Merging worksheet data by a specified number of columns" on
page 477.
Examples of creating composite worksheets

Examples of the different ways to merge records from component worksheets to create a composite
worksheet are provided. Each example outlines a different way to merge component records.
Example: Creating a composite worksheet by

combining all columns
Suppose you want to be able to compare forecasted quantities to actual order quantities of parts
received for the same periods.
To see forecast quantities and actual order quantities in the same worksheet, you need to combine two
worksheets, one must be filtered to show forecast orders, the other filtered to show actual orders.
These worksheets can both be based on another worksheet that is based on the IndependentDemand
table. The composite worksheet must also calculate the difference between the forecast and actual
order quantities, so a worksheet user can see how different the values for a period are.
The composite worksheet can be constructed in this manner, so that the IndependentDemand table is
queried only once, and the result used in each of the composite worksheets. This structure can result in
improved performance in comparison to a structure that merges two table-based worksheets which
both query the IndependentDemand table.
Creating the component worksheets

Before you create the worksheets that display forecast or actual orders, you must create a worksheet
based on the IndependentDemand table. This worksheet can display all orders, or can be filtered to
show all actual and forecast orders. You can use these worksheets as the base of other composite
worksheets.
This worksheet can be named Demand Order Base, and contain the following columns.

You can then create composite worksheet that is based on the Demand Order Base worksheet, and
filters the data to show only the forecast orders and only actual orders, respectively. These worksheets
will be grouped to allow them to be merged. Create the forecast order worksheet first.
You want to filter this worksheet by order type, but to ensure the records in both composite
worksheets can be merged, the values in the grouping columns must be the same. To configure this,
you can remove the Order Type column, and then filter the worksheet using the value in the Order Type
column from the Demand Order Base worksheet.
Finally, you group the worksheet.

You now need a similar that returns only actual orders. You can copy the Forecast Demand Orders
worksheet and then modify the filtering to display actual orders instead.
To copy the worksheet, you select the Forecast Demand Orders worksheet, click Copy, and then click
Selected Worksheet. You cannot have two worksheets with the same name in a workbook, so you
change its name to Actual Demand Orders.
After adding the worksheet, you edit its properties. When you copied the Forecast Demand Orders
worksheet, you also copied its worksheet filter, which you change on the Filtering tab to only allow
actual orders.
No other properties of the worksheet need to be modified.
Creating the composite worksheet

After finishing with the two worksheets that you are combining, you can create the composite
worksheet that they will supply data for. In the workbook properties Worksheets tab, you click New,

and then click Composite Worksheet.
In the New Composite Worksheet dialog box, you give the worksheet a name, in this case Demand
Order Comparison, click Add, and then add the Forecast Demand Orders worksheet.
Any other worksheet you add now must match at least one of the grouping columns specified in the
Forecast Demand Orders worksheet. Because the only other worksheet you are adding is a copy of this
worksheet, you do not have to worry about incompatibility. You click Add, and then select the Actual
Demand Orders worksheet. Because you want the composite worksheet to display the order quantities
for parts that are being forecasted, you choose to merge all records that exist in the first component
worksheet.

This combines each worksheet’s data columns, grouped by the first worksheet’s grouping columns.
After adding the Actual Demand Orders worksheet, you click the Columns tab to make some changes to
the columns that have been combined from the two worksheets.
The Quantity columns taken from the component worksheets have the same column header, and the
same column identifier. You decide to change the column headers to reflect what type of quantity they
are reporting, and you change both column identifiers to make them unique.

Finally, you define worksheet buckets and pivot the data columns to show the data in a crosstab view.
You want to display a year of data in the worksheet, so you specify 12 monthly buckets and 4 quarterly
buckets, and users can choose which bucket size they want to view.

Adding a difference column
After adding the component worksheets, you can create a new column in the composite worksheet that
calculates the difference between the forecasted and actual demand for each bucket. You decide to
subtract the actual demand from the forecasted. You click the New Column button, call the column
Difference, and then create the expression using the worksheet and column identifiers.
The columns used in the expression use the identifiers they have in the component worksheets. This
expression subtracts the summarized values for each date bucket.

After specifying the bucket settings, you can test the worksheet to ensure it returns the results you are
expecting. You format the columns so the Part column does not show duplicate values and the Forecast
Quantity and Demand Quantity columns do not show zero values, and then finish creating the
worksheet.
The forecast quantities from the Forecast Demand Orders worksheet and actual demand quantities
from the Actual Demand Orders worksheet are displayed together, and the Difference column calculates
the difference between forecasted and actual demand for each bucket.

Before you share the workbook with other users, you can hide the Demand Order Base, Forecast
Demand Orders, or Actual Demand Orders worksheets. You can also create other composite
worksheets that use these worksheets, or add charts or additional formatting.
Example: Creating a composite worksheet by merging

specific columns
Assume you are a worksheet author for Company X, a bicycle manufacturer. You want to create a
worksheet that can be used to estimate supply allocations in a period for a set of parts. To estimate the
allocations, you must calculate the total demand and supply for a period, and then allocate a portion of
the supply to each demand.
To create this worksheet, you require worksheets to show the following:
l The total supply for a period

l The total demand for a period
l The percentage of the total demand for each demand in the period
After creating these worksheets, you can create a composite worksheet that merges by specific
columns. This worksheet matches the total supply for the period to each demand record, which you can
use to calculate how much supply to allocate to each demand.

You begin by creating component worksheets that show the demand quantities and supply quantities.
You want the supply quantities to calculate the totals for each period, so you group the worksheet and
sum the quantities.
For the demands, you create two worksheets, one table-based and one composite based on it. The
table-based worksheet contains each demand record, and is not grouped so all it displays all demands
for each part. The composite worksheet contains the same columns, but is grouped and sums the
demand quantities. To calculate the values in each period, you set up the date columns to show all the

results for a month by adding zero months to the due date, which sets the value to the beginning of the
month. For more information about date arithmetic, see "Date calculations" on page 1255.

You create a composite worksheet using these worksheets as its base, and merge records by combining
values from the first two columns, which are the Part and Due Date columns.
You then add a column to calculate the percentage of the total each demand record represents.

Once you have created the demand and supply worksheets, you can create the composite worksheet to
determine the supply allocations for each demand record. You create the composite worksheet based
on the Demands and Supply Quantities worksheets, and merge records by combining values from the
first two columns, which are the Part and Due Date columns. You want the worksheet to include records
that have both demand and supply records, so you include only records that are in all component
worksheets in the composite worksheet.
The composite worksheet combines the demand records and percentages of totals with the total
supply for each part. Because the Demands worksheet shows the total demand for the period, the new
composite worksheet also includes these values. You do not want these values in the final composite, so
you delete the Quantity Total column. You also decide to delete the Percentage of Total column, and
therefore show only the demand for each order and the total supply in the composite worksheet.
You then add a column to calculate the amount of supply to allocate to the demands. Depending on
how you want to allocate, the expression in this column can be different. However, to estimate
allocations, you decide to use the percentage of total demand to determine how much supply should be
allocated. For example, if a demand represents 10% of the demand, it should be allocated 10% of the
supply.

Formatting the worksheet
Finally, you format the Part and Due Date columns to hide duplicate values.

The completed worksheet shows the allocations for each demand.
Because the total supply is not sufficient for the demands in the period, each demand is allocated only a
portion of what is required. The demands that represent a greater percentage of the total demand are
allocated more of the supply.

Example: Creating a composite worksheet by merging
records (with use as reference)
Assume you want to create a composite worksheet to show bucketed planned, firm, and total order
quantities, broken down by part. This composite worksheet will be built on top of two component
worksheets based on the PlannedOrder and ScheduledReceipt tables respectively.
Creating the component worksheet for planned orders

As an first step, you create a component worksheet, based on the PlannedOrder table, that will display
planned order details. Because the worksheet is intended to be used as input into a composite
worksheet, you set the worksheet as hidden.
Next, you add three columns to the worksheet. The first is the Part reference field for which you enable
the Use as reference setting. This ensures that part values can be grouped and compared by the full set
of key fields on each referenced record (that is, both part name and site), and also allows for the
possibility of adding other Part table fields to composite worksheets where this component gets used.
You also add the DueDate field which you will later use to bucket data, and the Quantity field to report
the size of each order (and you name this column Planned Quantity so that it can be distinguished from
firm order quantities).

And finally you enable grouping in the worksheet, and group records by the Part and Due Date
columns, and sum by the Planned Quantity column. This ensures one record for each date on which a
given part has planned orders showing the total part order quantity on that date.
Creating the component worksheet for scheduled receipts

As a second step, you create a component worksheet, based on the ScheduledReceipt table, to display
firm order details. You also you set this worksheet to be hidden.

To this worksheet, you add three columns displaying the Part, Due Date, and Quantity fields which
contain data types compatible with the matching columns added to the first component worksheet. In
particular, you ensure that the Part field is a proper table reference (contains just the Part field and has
its Use as reference setting enabled). You also rename the column containing the Quantity field to Firm
Quantity so that it can be distinguished from planned order quantities)
And finally you enable grouping, and define the same grouping columns and functions as you did for
the first component worksheet.

After having created the component worksheets, you create the composite worksheet which you name
Supplies. In this composite you decide to merge all records from the ScheduledReceipt and
PlannedOrder component worksheets based on their Group By columns (Part and DueDate).
You also create a new calculated column in this worksheet to sum each part's planned and firm order
quantities together.
You then decide to bucket this final worksheet data by week, with monthly subtotals applied, and
display this data in a crosstab view.

You then close the Worksheet Properties dialog box to look at your new composite worksheet. As
expected, It shows planned, firm, and total order quantities reported for each part grouped and
presented weekly buckets. However, because the Use as reference setting is still applied to the Part
column, this column is showing the Part table's key fields (Name and Site) as a concatenated string.
Because this worksheet is intended for final display to users, you decide to make the part information
easier to read.

You return to the Worksheet Properties dialog box, and disable the Use as reference setting on the Part
column. This forces the column to report only the base key field on the Part table (Name). You then click
the Add Fields button, expand the Part reference, and add the Site value to ensure users can easily
identify the part referred to in each worksheet row. From the same reference, you also decide to display
the planner code associated with each part.

You then save your latest changes and return to view the worksheet. You can see the same bucketed
order quantities, but the part and site (along with associated planner code) are now reported in their
own columns in a more readable format for users.
Example: Creating a composite worksheet by

appending records
Suppose you have decided that a worksheet showing all of your supply orders will help allocate supplies
to demands. Your company has supply orders in both the ScheduledReceipt and PlannedOrder tables,
and you want to be able to see both types of orders in the same worksheet. To do this, you will create a
composite worksheet to add records from a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table and a
worksheet based on the PlannedOrder table.
You decide to create a new workbook named Supply Reporting for this worksheet, so that you can
expand it in the future to include worksheets for reporting other types of supply, or worksheets for
allocating supplies to demands.
To prevent the worksheet from returning too many records, you decide to focus on orders due within
one month of the part’s planning date.

The worksheet that displays ScheduledReceipt and PlannedOrder records together requires two
component worksheets, each with the same columns. You decide to report each order’s part, site, due
date, quantity, and order priority.

You first create a worksheet named Scheduled, which is based on the ScheduledReceipt table. You
decide to hide the worksheet so users cannot use it to modify the data that will be displayed in the
composite worksheet. However, a workbook must always contain at least one visible worksheet, so you
must hide the worksheets after you create the composite worksheet.
You then add the columns you want, and modify the headers so they are easier to read.
You then filter the worksheet so only orders due in the next month are displayed.
After creating the Scheduled worksheet, you create the other component worksheet. You name this
worksheet Planned, and base it on the PlannedOrder table. You decide to hide this worksheet as well.
You define the columns and filter for this worksheet to match the Scheduled worksheet.

With the component worksheets created, you now create the composite worksheet that will display
data from both tables. You name it Supply Orders, and add the Scheduled worksheet first.
Next, you add the Planned worksheet. You want to see the records from both tables listed in the
composite worksheet, so you choose to append records from the component worksheets.

Before you finish creating the worksheet, you decide to format the columns to make the worksheet
easier to read. In particular, you decide to hide duplicate values in the Part, Site, and Due Date columns.

After formatting the columns, you finish creating the worksheet, and then open the Supply Reporting
workbook to determine if it displays what you want.

CHAPTER 21: Creating treemap worksheets
About treemap worksheets 522

Create a source worksheet for a treemap 525
Create a treemap worksheet 527
Set up color and size measures 527
Set up default treemap dimensions 533
Set up drill to details links for a treemap worksheet 535
Set up drill down paths 537
Customize the appearance of a treemap 539
Best practices for authoring treemap worksheets 542
The following table outlines the basic steps for creating a treemap worksheet and provides links to more
information about each step.
Step Description
Create a source When adding a treemap worksheet to a workbook, you must first add a source worksheet to the
worksheet workbook. The source worksheet provides the data required to generate the treemap, from
hierarchy or Group By columns. For more information, see "Create a source worksheet for a
treemap" on page 525.
In addition, the organization in the source worksheet determines the drill down paths for the
treemap. For more information, see "Set up drill down paths" on page 537.
Create a Define the name and ID for the treemap worksheet and select the source data worksheet to base
treemap the treemap on from a list.
worksheet Optionally you can make the worksheet hidden unless it is conditionally hidden.
For more information, see "Create a treemap worksheet" on page 527 and "Conditionally hidden
Add color and Color and size is used in a treemap to help users detect patterns and outliers in large data sets.
size measures to Add size and color measures, selecting metrics from columns in the source worksheet.
the treemap For more information, see "Set up color and size measures" on page 527.
worksheet
Set dimensions Select two dimensions (default metrics) that determine what type of data will be represented by
for the treemap the rectangles. For more information, see "Set up default treemap dimensions" on page 533.
worksheet

Step Description
Define a drill For treemaps based on source worksheets with more than one grouped column, you can specify
down path a custom drill path for the treemap to follow. The default path for grouped columns is the
column order in the source worksheet. For more information, see "Set up drill down paths" on
page 537.
Modify the You can customize the appearance of your treemap by modifying the treemap style or effect and
appearance of by modifying label properties for dimensions. For more information, see "Customize the
the treemap appearance of a treemap" on page 539.
worksheet
About treemap worksheets

Treemaps are interactive visualizations of large data sets that help users recognize patterns and identify
outliers and problem areas. Data is grouped into categories and subcategories that can be viewed at
both hierarchical and linear, grouped levels.
Each category of data in a treemap is represented by container rectangles, which are further divided
into nested rectangles to represent subcategories of data. For example, in the treemap section below,
the container rectangle represents a product family (Cell-Phones) which is then further divided into
nested rectangles that represent customers for items in that product family.

The structure of the treemap is provided by a hierarchy or grouped worksheet column, and category
and subcategory data can be dynamically updated based on the options selected by a user. For more
information about how to use a treemap, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
Treemap measures and dimensions

l Group By—Used to select which data categories to display. The first Group By control specifies the
data category to display in the container rectangles. The second Group By control specifies the
data subcategory to display in the nested rectangles. For example, in the treemap below, the
Product hierarchy provides data for the container rectangles and the Item column provides data in
the nested rectangles.
l Hierarchy—For treemaps based on worksheets with a hierarchy, users can filter data by selecting
on values in the hierarchy. A hierarchy can also be selected as a Group By value. For example, in the
treemap below, the Product hierarchy is selected as the data category in the first Group By. Users
can also drill down the hierarchy from the hierarchy pane.

About treemap worksheets
l Size—A quantitative measure that identifies the size of the container and nested rectangles. Size is
usually measured as a summed quantity. For example, in the treemap below, the rectangle size is
determined by the gross margin for each subset of data. The larger the rectangle, the greater the
gross margin generated by that product family and customer. For more information, see "Setting
up size measures" on page 529.
l Color—A related quantitative measure displayed as a scale of values that identifies the
performance of data groups in the treemap. Color is usually measured as calculated percentage
values. For example, in the treemap below, color is calculated as the percentage difference
between the revenue generated and the revenue forecast target, where:
l Green identifies product families and customers in which revenue reached 100% of the
forecasted target
l White identifies revenues within 80% of the forecasted target
l Orange identifies revenues that were more than 70% below forecasted target
In this treemap, the user could look for large, red rectangles to identify product families and
customers that generated revenue that was well below revenue forecast targets. For more
information, see "Setting up color measures" on page 528.
Users can drill down to data that is filtered in the treemap by clicking on the bars, rectangles, or clicking
on values in the hierarchy. Depending on what Group By dimensions were selected, users might drill
linearly along a set of defined columns from the worksheet or through ranked levels of data from the
hierarchy. For more information, see "Set up drill down paths" on page 537.
Breadcrumb navigation at the top of the hierarchy rectangles helps users keep track of the filter layers
being applied to the treemap data as they drill down. The breadcrumbs are automatically generated as a
user drills down in the treemap. For more information about breadcrumbs, see the RapidResponse User
Guide.

Drilling to details in treemaps
Users can drill to details by clicking on a rectangle, opening a detailed resource with the specific data
context of the rectangle that was drilled from. For more information, see "Set up drill to details links for a
treemap worksheet" on page 535.
NOTE: Drilling to details and drilling down in a treemap are two different operations. Drilling to
details opens a details worksheet with additional data that displays with the same data context.
Drilling down in a treemap is adding filter layers over the data. For more information, see "Set up
drill down paths" on page 537.
Circular treemaps
You can also create circular treemaps, which organizes data into container and nested circles. The same
logic is applied to circular treemaps; the color and size of the circles are determined by measures that
you assign.
Create a source worksheet for a treemap

The source worksheet contains the data, in the form of either grouped or hierarchy columns, that can
be used as data sources for the rectangles in the treemap. A source worksheet must meet the following
criteria:

Create a source worksheet for a treemap
l The source data worksheet must be table-based or a composite worksheet.
l The source data worksheet cannot be bucketed.
l The source data worksheet must contain at least one grouped column, or contain hierarchy
columns for all levels in the hierarchy. For more information about adding columns for all levels in a
hierarchy, see "Add columns based on a hierarchy" on page 285.
l The source data worksheet must contain at least two non-grouped data columns, which will be
the data source that determines the color and size attributes.
For example, in the source data worksheet below, the Product Family, Part, Item, Item Location,
Customer, and Customer Location columns are grouped columns, and can be used as data sources for
the rectangle Group By categories in the treemap. The source data worksheet also contains non-
grouped summed columns, such as Total Demand, Total Revenue, Actual Quantity, and Actual Revenue,
which contain quantities that can be used to determine the size and color of the rectangles.
When creating a source worksheet, it is recommended that grouped columns be located in a logical
order. By default, the drill path for treemaps follows the order of grouped columns in the worksheet.
You can specify a different drill path for the treemap by creating a custom column order. For more
information, see "Set up drill down paths" on page 537.
Hierarchy columns display in the hierarchy pane when a user has selected a hierarchy. However,
hierarchies can only be selected in the Group By lists when the Hierarchy Column Settings are set to
Each level in the hierarchy in the source worksheet. For more information, see "Add columns based on
a hierarchy" on page 285.
When you add a treemap worksheet to a workbook, you must select the source worksheet from a list of
worksheets that have been added to the workbook. For more information, see "Create a treemap

Create a treemap worksheet
When creating a treemap worksheet, you must first add a source worksheet to the workbook and then
create your treemap worksheet, basing it on that source worksheet. For more information, see "Create a
source worksheet for a treemap" on page 525.
After adding a source worksheet, decide what measures will determine the size and color of the
treemap rectangles and decide which grouping by dimensions you want to include in the treemap. For
more information on the steps required to create a treemap worksheet, see "Creating treemap
▶Create a treemap worksheet
and then click Treemap Worksheet.
2. In the New Treemap Worksheet dialog box, select the General tab.
3. In the Name box, type a name for the treemap worksheet. This name must be unique within the
workbook.
4. Optionally, in the ID box, type a unique identifier for the treemap worksheet.
5. In the Source data worksheet list, click the worksheet on which to base the treemap.
6. Optionally, you can specify whether the worksheet displays to users. For more information, see
"Creating hidden worksheets" on page 271.
7. Next, click the Treemap tab and add measures and dimensions to the treemap. For more
information, see "Set up color and size measures" on page 527 and "Set up default treemap
dimensions" on page 533.
NOTE: You must add the source worksheet to the workbook before you create the treemap
worksheet.
Set up color and size measures

A treemap uses both size and color to help users detect patterns and outliers in large data sets. When
you create a treemap, you must define the measures that will drive the color and size of the rectangles in
the treemap, by assigning metrics from numeric columns in the source data worksheet.
You can define multiple size and color measures for the treemap, which allows the treemap user to
select which color and size measure to apply. If you define more than one color or size measure, you can
designate the default color and size measures. You can also add measures to the worksheet without
assigning them as a size or color measure. These measures display in a tooltip when the user hovers the
pointer over a rectangle.

Create a treemap worksheet
Treemap measures can display quantity or money values, depending on the fields from the treemap's
source worksheet that are used to calculate the measure. For money measures, the currency defined on
the source worksheet columns are used in the measure. For more information, see "Displaying money
data in worksheets" on page 305.
Setting up color measures

Color measures are typically percentage values that are calculated by dividing the value from one
numeric column by the value from another numeric column. For example, you can set up a color
measure to compare revenue against targets in an annual plan, by dividing the values in a Revenue
numeric column by values in an Annual Plan Target numeric column. In some cases, the divisor column
might only return 0 values, for example when targets have not been set in the annual plan. In this
situation, the treemap would only display one color, which is unhelpful to the user. To prevent this from
occurring, you can specify an alternate divisor value, which can either be another numeric column in the
source data worksheet, or a value that you specify.
After designating a color measure, you must select the colors for that measure. You must select at least
two colors for the measure, although selecting more than 3 colors is not recommended. By default,
color measures have three colors.
In addition to selecting which colors to use for the measures, you must assign boundaries for the colors.
This determines the quantitative range for each color in the measure. Color boundary units are typically
measured as a percentage. For example, if the color metric measures the percentage difference between
two scenarios, you might assign white for differences up to 10%, and red for differences over 10%.

Setting up size measures
Size measures are typically a summed quantity; RapidResponse automatically assigns a size to each
rectangle in the treemap that corresponds to the quantity for that rectangle.
When treemap users hover the pointer over a rectangle in a treemap, a tooltip displays with the
rectangle categories displayed in bold font.
Displaying tooltips in the treemap

When you add a measure to a treemap, you can specify how tooltip values are calculated. By default,
treemap tooltips display the sum of the values represented by a nested or container rectangle. You can
specify that tooltips display the average value, the minimum or maximum value, the standard deviation,
the count, or a blank value. You can also set display properties for the tooltip. For example, in the tooltip
above, the treemap author set the % of Annual Plan measure to display with a % symbol.

▶Add a measure
When adding measures, you can also specify formatting for tooltip information, which will appear when
the treemap user hovers the pointer over a rectangle.
1. In the Treemap Worksheet Properties or New Treemap Worksheet Properties dialog box,
select the Treemap tab.
2. Click New.
3. In the Name box, type a name for the measure. This name will appear to users beside the Size
and Color boxes.
4. In the Value area, select one of the following options:
l To use a single numeric column from the source worksheet, select the option button beside
the first list and then select a numeric column from the list. This option is recommended for
adding size measures.
l To compare two numeric columns from the source worksheet, select Calculate by dividing,
and then select a numeric column from each list. The metric will be calculated by dividing the
value from the first list by the value from the second list. This option is recommended for
adding color measures.
If you select a Quantity column in the first list, only other Quantity columns are available in the
second list. If you select a Money column in the first list, both Money and Quantity columns are
available in the second list. For more information about performing mathematical operations
with different data types, see "Arithmetic operators" on page 1129.
5. If you selected Calculate by Dividing in the previous step, you must specify an alternative divisor
value to use when the specified divisor column provides a value of 0. Select one of the following
options:
l To specify an alternate divisor column, select the From column option and select a column
from the list.
l To specify a divisor value, select the second option and type the value in the text field. You
must provide a numeric value with a maximum of four characters.

6. In the Tooltip area, select a value from the Aggregation rule list to specify how tooltip values are
calculated.
▶Define help for a measure

A measure's description is automatically displayed in the treemap's worksheet help. You should provide
a description for each measure, to ensure treemap users understand the data presented in the
treemap.
1. In the New Treemap Worksheet or Treemap Worksheet Properties dialog box, do one of the
following:
l Select the measure you want to define help for, and then click Edit.
l Click New, and then specify the measure properties as described in "Add a measure" on page
530.
2. In the Description box, type information about the measure.

3. Click OK.
▶Format a quantity measure
following:
530.
2. To display a + symbol for positive values, in the Formatting area, select Always display + symbol
for positive numbers.
3. To display values as a percentage, select Display as %.
4. To scale values, select Scaling and then select a scaling unit from the list.
5. To display values as a currency, select Currency in the Format as list. Then in the Symbol list,
select a currency symbol.
6. In the Format list, select the format to apply to the measure. To use each user's number format,
select User setting from this list.
7. To specify the number of decimal places to display, click the Decimal places list to select a
number from the list.
▶Format a money measure
following:
530.
2. In the Formatting area, in the Format as list, click Currency.
3. In the Format list, select the format to apply to the measure. To use each user's currency format,
select User setting from this list.

5. To change the currency symbol, select the Override currency symbol check box, and then in the
list select or type a symbol to use.
▶Edit a measure
1. In the New Treemap Worksheet or Treemap Worksheet Properties dialog box, select the
Treemap tab.
2. Select a measure in the Measures area.
3. Click Edit.
4. Make your changes to the measure and click OK.
▶Delete a measure
Treemap tab.
2. Select a measure in the Measures area.
3. Click Delete.
▶Designate the size and color measures

After adding measures from the source data worksheet, you can specify whether they measure size or
color, and you can designate default size and color measures for the treemap. If you have assigned
multiple size and color measures, users can select between the different measures on the treemap.
Treemap tab.
2. To designate a color measure, in the Measures area, select a measure in the list and then in the
Color column select the check box.
3. To designate a size measure, in the Measures area, select a measure in the list and then in the
Size column select the check box.
4. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all size and color measures have been designated.
5. To set a default size and color measure, select each measure in the list and click Set as Default.
▶Set color measure properties

After creating a color measure, you must select which colors will display, and set boundaries for
displaying each color.
Treemap tab.
2. In the Measures area, select a color measure.
3. By default, RapidResponse applies three colors to a color measure. If you want only two colors, in
the Colors for selected measure area, select one of the colors and click Remove.
4. Click the first color in the Colors for selected measure list, and click the down arrow to select a
color from the color palette.
5. Repeat step 5 for the remaining colors, to a maximum of seven color measures.
6. To set the color boundaries, in the Boundary column, click in a color row and type a number that
represents the maximum display quantity for the color. Depending on the metric for this color

measure, this number could be a percentage value or possibly an average value.
7. Repeat step 6 for the remaining colors.
NOTE: If you select a Money measure for the colors, the measure's currency is displayed. The
values specified for the measure are not converted if the currency is changed. For example, if you
specify 5,000 as a color boundary for a measure that displays the user's preferred currency, the
measure changes colors at 5,000 in whichever currency is used to view the treemap. In this case,
users with different preferred currencies see different results in the treemap.
Set up default treemap dimensions

You can specify the default metrics, or dimensions, that will define how the treemap information is
categorized into rectangles. The rectangles in a treemap are based on the following:
l The left Group By list defines the categories, represented as the larger, container rectangles.
l The right Group By list defines the subcategories, represented as the smaller, nested rectangles
within the container rectangles.
Treemap users can select metrics from the two Group By lists, which combined provide unique
perspectives of the same data set. For example, the user can select "Item" from the first list, and then
"Customer" from the second list, to generate a treemap view of each item subdivided into associated
customers.
When the treemap user selects a new subcategory from the second Group By list, the treemap is
dynamically updated to display the new view of the data. For example, if the user selects "Customer
Location" from the second list, the treemap updates to show a view of each item subdivided into the
location for each customer for that item.

Set up default treemap dimensions
When you set up the treemap categories, you can designate a default for each Group By list. You can
also set display properties for category and subcategory rectangles, such as labels and borders. For
information on best practices for setting category display properties, see "Best practices for authoring
treemap worksheets" on page 542.
Using hierarchy levels as treemap dimensions

If the source worksheet includes columns based on all levels in a hierarchy, then RapidResponse will add
the hierarchy to the Group By lists, in addition to the source worksheet's grouped columns. The
treemap user can select the hierarchy from one of the Group By lists, and then click on nodes in the
hierarchy pane to filter the data and drill down to problem areas.

For the hierarchy to appear in the dimensions list, the source worksheet must include hierarchy columns
for all levels in the hierarchy. For more information on adding hierarchy columns to a worksheet, see
"Add columns based on a hierarchy" on page 285.
▶Set up default treemap dimensions

The steps for setting default values are the same for both Group By categories; the default values for
container rectangles are defined as Dimension 1, and the default values for nested rectangles are
defined as Dimension 2.
2. In the Dimensions area, for either Dimension 1 or Dimension 2, select a value from the Default
value list. The values in this list are automatically populated with metrics from the source data
worksheet. Selecting None prompts the treemap user to select a category or subcategory to
display.
NOTE: You can also set border and label display properties for dimensions. For more information,
see "Customize the appearance of a treemap" on page 539.
Set up drill to details links for a treemap

worksheet
You can set up a treemap to drill to a details worksheet, which allows the treemap user to investigate
problem areas in greater detail. The details worksheet can be another worksheet in the workbook, or it
can be in a linked workbook. For more information on linking workbooks, see "About linked
When you specify a details worksheet for a treemap, you must map the grouped columns in the
treemap's source worksheet to columns in the details worksheet. Details worksheets must have
columns that match the data type of some or all of the treemap source worksheet’s Group By columns.

Set up drill to details links for a treemap worksheet
Depending on how you define drilling to details, the details worksheet opens in the lower pane, in a
new tab, or in a new workbook. The data context, for example the data range or selected hierarchy level,
from the treemap is passed to the details worksheet; the columns show only the relevant records for the
rectangle that was clicked. For more information on setting up drilling to details, see "Creating drill
▶Set up drill to details links for a treemap measure

2. Select a color measure that corresponds to a column in the details worksheet.
3. Click Drill to Details.
4. Select the Data values drill to details in worksheet check box.
5. From the Drill to workbook list, select the workbook containing the worksheet you want to drill.
6. From the Worksheet list, select the details worksheet.
7. In the Column in Details Worksheet column, click the corresponding column in the list that you
want each Group By column to search when a user clicks the drill to details link.
Only columns with the same data type are shown in the list.
If you do not want to link a Group By column to a column in the detail worksheet, leave the
Column in Detail Worksheet value blank.
8. Click OK.
9. Repeat steps 2-7 for each column you want to drill to details.
NOTE: You can only add drill to details links to columns used for color measures.
NOTE: You must add the detail worksheets to the workbook before you can drill to details. For
more information about setting up drilling to details, see "Creating drill dependencies and links"
on page 663.
Set up drill down paths

Depending on how the source worksheet for a treemap has been designed, users will be able to drill
down through the hierarchy levels or grouped columns in a treemap. For source worksheets with added
hierarchies, the treemap automatically displays the hierarchy pane. Users can drill through the hierarchy
levels using the pane or by selecting the hierarchy in a Group By list.

Set up drill down paths
For source worksheets with more than one grouped column, users can drill down a linear path in the
treemap when a column in selected as a Group By dimension. The default drill path follows the order of
the columns in the worksheet, however, you can specify a custom drill path for special cases when you
want users to drill down in a different order from the worksheet. For more information, see "Create a
custom drill path" on page 538.
Create a custom drill path

In some situations, you might want to specify a different order for users to drill down into a treemap
than the order specified in the treemap source worksheet. You can specify a custom drill path of the
grouped columns in the source worksheet.
▶Specify a custom drill path for Group By columns
1. In the Treemap Worksheet Properties or new Treemap Worksheet Properties dialog box, click
the Treemap tab.
2. Select Customize group by drill path.
All the Group By columns from the source worksheet display in the Group By box.
3. To change the order of the columns, select a column and drag it below or above another listed
column.
4. To add a new Group By column, click Add and select the new column from the drop down list.
5. To remove a Group By column, select the column and click Remove.

Customize the appearance of a treemap
There are several treemap display properties that you can select to customize the appearance of your
treemap. Some of these properties are a matter of personal preference, while some properties can make
your treemap easier for users to interpret. For example, as a personal preference, you can alter the visual
style of a treemap to display in circles as opposed to rectangles.
You can set label display properties, such as font, size, and color, to make labels easier for the treemap
users to read. For container rectangle labels, you can also add a glow or shadow outline to labels to
further differentiate container labels from nested labels.
For the first dimension, you can maximize the container labels to the size of the rectangle or circle to
display the largest label possible. Maximized labels are transparent and appear as an overlay over the
container area. You can also choose to make the treemap cells appear three-dimensional.

By default, container labels display as a bar at the top of the container rectangle. You can specify a color
for the bar or change the position of the label to display text inside the rectangle instead of text in a bar.

▶Customize the appearance of a treemap
2. In the Style area, select one of the following container shapes:
l Rectangular
l Circular
3. In the Effect area, select one of the following visual effects:
l Flat - colors are flat, creating a two-dimensional effect.
l Raised - colors are darkened around the edges of the rectangles or circles, creating a three-
dimensional effect.
NOTE: When the Raised effect is selected, borders do not appear around nested rectangles.
▶Set display properties for treemap labels
2. To include labels, select Yes from the Labels list.

If you are displaying labels on the treemap, specify the following label properties:
l From the Font list, select a font for the label.
l From the Font style list, select a font treatment, such as bold or italics, for the label.
l From the Font size list, select a font size for the label.
l From the Font color list, click the down arrow and select a font color from the color palette.
3. To add an outline to container rectangle labels, select one of the following outline types:
l None—no outline is applied.
l Glow—applies a white glow outline to label text.
l Shadow—applies a white shadow to label text.
4. From the Position list, select a position for labels relative to the rectangle borders. To display
labels as bars, select Position: Bar and then select a color from the Bar color palette list.
5. In the Border color list, click the down arrow and select a border from the color palette.
6. From the Border width list, select a width for the rectangle borders, in pixels.
7. To expand container rectangle labels to fill the rectangle or circle container, select Maximize
labels. This option does not apply to labels displayed as bars.
NOTE: The Bar position is only available for Dimension 1 and circular treemaps cannot display
bars.
NOTE: You cannot add a glow or shadow outline to container rectangle labels that have been
maximized to fill container spaces.

Best practices for authoring treemap
worksheets
When authoring treemaps, there are many things you can do to ensure that the treemap is easy for the
user to understand and navigate. This section provides some tips for selecting colors, defining borders,
and including labels in a treemap.
Assigning color and size measures

In general, the size of each rectangle reflects a quantitative measure that is based directly on a column
in the source worksheet, such as revenue. The color of each rectangle reflects a second quantitative
measure that is calculated by dividing one source worksheet column by another to generate a fraction
of a total, such as a rate of change or percent of target. When you add a color or size measure to a
treemap, you are prompted to either select a direct value or define a calculated value from the source
worksheet. For more information, see "Set up color and size measures" on page 527.
Selecting colors
When you assign colors to a treemap, it is essential that the colors provide a meaningful visualization of
outliers and problem areas in the data set. By default, RapidResponse sets three colors for a
treemap: green, white, and orange. This three color setup is best suited when the color is measuring
both positive and negative values, or for measuring values in which there is an ideal middle range. For
example, in the treemap below, color measures the percentage difference between actual revenue and
targeted revenue. Green has been assigned to values between 90 and 100, orange to values 60 and
below, and white to a range between 80 and 90.

If, however, the color measures a positive range of data where the values start at zero, a two-color
range is recommended. In the treemap below, white has been assigned to values closest to 0, and green
to values closest to 100%. RapidResponse will apply a gradient to the two colors so that rectangles will
be varying shades of green to indicate whether they are closer to 0 or 100%.
Color is best suited as a measure of performance, change, or as the percentage of difference between
two metrics. For example, when you assign a color measure, you can calculate the value by dividing the
metrics from one column in the source data worksheet by the metrics from another column.
The following tips provide some additional best practices for assigning colors in a treemap:
l Avoid using red and green color combinations, as color-blind people might not be able to discern
the difference.
l Ensure that there is sufficient contrast between each color in the treemap.
l If using dark colors, select a light color for rectangle borders and labels.
For more information on setting color measures, see "Set up color and size measures" on page 527.
Creating a distinction between container and nested rectangles

Treemap users must be able to differentiate between container and nested rectangles in the treemap,
as these rectangles represent categories and subcategories of data. You can create a visual distinction
using the following best practices for setting display properties:
l Select a wider, darker border for container rectangles, and a thinner, lighter border for nested
rectangles.
l Apply a larger font size to label container rectangles, and a smaller font size to label nested
rectangles.
l Set Dimension 1 to display as bars, clearly distinguishing between the container and nested
rectangle labels.

Best practices for authoring treemap worksheets
For more information on setting display properties for container and nested rectangles, see "Set up
default treemap dimensions" on page 533.
NOTE: Border width for container rectangles is not applied in circular treemaps.

Best practices for authoring treemap worksheets
CHAPTER 22: Creating reference worksheets
Add a reference worksheet 547

Defining properties for reference worksheets 548
Reference worksheets are worksheets defined in a source workbook that can be reused multiple times in
other workbooks. The source workbook is added as a referenced workbook dependency and any
worksheet in it that is not hidden or is itself a reference worksheet from another workbook can be used
as a reference worksheet. For more information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
The reference worksheet is maintained in its source workbook and all instances of the worksheet are
updated when a change is made in the source workbook. Users can edit data in reference worksheets
since data is maintained in scenarios, not worksheets. Any local changes a user makes to a referenced
worksheet, such as changing column widths, are restricted to the current workbook. For more
information, see "Add a reference worksheet" on page 547.
Referenced workbooks are similar to library workbooks in that the reuse of worksheets promotes
consistency and reduces the possibility of errors. Library worksheets can only be used as component
worksheets, referenced in an IN or LOOKUP expression, or be referenced in a spreading worksheet.
Reference worksheets can be used independently in any other standard workbook.
When you add a reference worksheet to a workbook, you can make the worksheet a drill to details target
or display it as another worksheet in that workbook. Using a reference worksheet as a drill to details
target can maintain the flow of context for a user as they drill to details in the workbook. Reference
worksheets can display as always shown, or hidden based on a condition or only when drilled to. For
more information, see "Defining properties for reference worksheets" on page 548.
Add a reference worksheet

Only worksheets in standard workbooks with compatible filter settings can be used as reference
worksheets. The workbook containing the reference worksheet must first be added as a workbook
dependency. For more information, see "Defining workbook dependencies" on page 245.
You can specify some properties for a reference worksheet that only apply to its use in the current
workbook. For more information, see "Defining properties for reference worksheets" on page 548.

▶Add a reference worksheet
and then click Reference Worksheet.
2. In the Add a New Reference Worksheet dialog box, click on a workbook to open its worksheet
list.
Only dependent workbooks defined as referenced workbooks display in this list.
3. Select the worksheet and click Add.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for each reference worksheet you want to add.
5. Click OK.
NOTE: You cannot reference a worksheet more than once in the current workbook.
NOTE: Reference worksheets cannot be used as source worksheets for widgets or as component
worksheets in a composite worksheet.
TIP: You can also double-click on the worksheet in the Add a New Reference Worksheet dialog
box to add it to the current workbook.
Defining properties for reference worksheets

You can define custom worksheet name, ID, Hide settings, and author notes for reference worksheets.
These properties are only applied in the current workbook. While you can view the full properties for the
worksheet and its source workbook, you can only edit those properties in the source workbook. All
instances of the reference worksheet are updated accordingly.
Depending on how the workbook dependency for the source workbook has been defined, you can
create reference worksheets that are always visible in the workbook or that only display when drilled to
or a certain condition is met. For example, in a workbook that displays data about order demand, you
can add a reference worksheet with customer information that only displays when drilled to from the
customer ID column.
You can use the hide settings and variables defined for the reference worksheet in its source workbook,
or you can specify custom settings that apply only to the reference worksheet when it is used in the
current workbook. Custom settings include both the new hide settings you specify and the workbook
variables used in the current workbook. By default, all referenced worksheets use the settings defined in

CHAPTER 22: Creating reference worksheets
their source workbooks and while you can conditionally hide a worksheet, reference worksheets cannot
be set to always hidden.
TIP: For reference worksheets from workbook dependencies defined as optional, it is

recommended that you specify the worksheet be hidden unless drill to.
▶Define properties for a reference worksheet
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, on the Worksheets tab, select the
reference worksheet.
2. Click Propertiesand click the General tab.
3. Optionally, type a new worksheet name or ID.
4. To specify custom Hide settings, click Use settings specified in: This worksheet.
l To define the worksheet as always visible, ensure the Hide worksheet check box is cleared.
l To define the worksheet as hidden until drilled to from another worksheet in the current
workbook, select the Hide worksheet and Show worksheet only on drill to details check
boxes.
l To define the worksheet as conditionally hidden or shown, select the Hide worksheet and
Conditional check boxes. Click Only hide when or Only show when and type the query
expression in the box. For more information, see "Conditionally hidden worksheets" on page
274.
6. Optionally, click Expression Builder to help in constructing the query expressions.
7. Optionally, click Validate Expressionto ensure the expression is valid.
NOTE: If you specify custom Hide settings, variables in the source workbook cannot be used in
the reference worksheet.
NOTE: If you change the worksheet name or ID of a reference worksheet, it still displays any
changes made to it in the source workbook.
NOTE: Reference worksheets cannot import data.
▶Add author notes to a reference worksheet
reference worksheet.
2. Click Propertiesand click the Author Notes tab.
3. In the box, type the information you want to record.
For more information, see "Add author notes" on page 339

Defining properties for reference worksheets
CHAPTER 23: Creating controller worksheets
Create a controller worksheet 552

Example: Creating a controller worksheet 554
A controller worksheet provides a switchable view of multiple worksheets within a single workspace.
Unlike other worksheet types, controller worksheets are not based on tables in the RapidResponse data
model, nor do they contain column definitions. Instead, as shown in the following illustration, each
controller worksheet is associated with two or more other worksheets. The controller worksheet then
has conditions defined on it to indicate when each of those display worksheets should be shown.
Typically, these conditions are set by user actions (for example, by making a selection from a control on
the workbook toolbar).
Providing the user with a single switchable worksheet can make for a better, more simplified experience
than having them navigate between a large number of similar worksheet tabs. Controller worksheets
might typically be used to display multiple different views into the same data, or to show different but
related data within a single workspace. For example, a controller worksheet might provide the option to
show sales data in terms of either revenue or units, or in either a detailed or summarized view. Similarly, a
controller worksheet might show different types of data errors, or different groups of inputs into a
forecast.

To display multiple worksheets that are dependent on a condition to hide or show the worksheet,
conditionally hidden worksheets are recommended. For more information, see "Creating hidden
With controller worksheets, you can use a common worksheet name and help for all the display
worksheets. When users modify worksheet formatting, such as how wide a column is or if it is hidden or
shown, this setting is applied to all the display worksheets.
You can also add controller worksheets to existing controller worksheets to better isolate the
conditions specified in the display worksheets. For example, you can create a top-level controller
worksheet that displays either SCM or S&OP worksheets. Each of these controller worksheets then
determine which worksheet to display, irrespective of the SCM or S&OP condition.
When you are creating a controller worksheet, all display worksheets are set to be conditionally hidden.
Whether the worksheet is shown or hidden in the controller worksheet is determined by the condition
specified when the display worksheet is added to the controller. For more information, see "Specifying
controller display worksheets as conditionally hidden" on page 276 and "Create a controller worksheet"
on page 552.
Create a controller worksheet

Controller worksheets are defined by adding the appropriate display worksheets, and then specifying
the conditions under which each display worksheet is shown. For example, the following illustration
shows a controller worksheet with four display worksheets added and the condition to display each
defined through the use of a workbook variable named "AssumptionView".

Before creating a controller worksheet, ensure that the display worksheets you want to associate with
the controller have been created and are in the same workbook to which you will be adding the
controller worksheet. Typically, your display worksheets will be either table-based worksheets or
composite worksheets. For more information about creating these types of worksheets, see "Create a
table-based worksheet" on page 347 or "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
When creating the required display worksheets, consider the conditions under which you want each of
the display worksheets to be shown in the controllers. You can then create the necessary workbook
variables or other resources that can be used to set these conditions. For example, you might define a
workbook variable that allows users to make a selection from a list control to determine the data (and
hence the display worksheet) that they want to view within the controller worksheet. For more
information about workbook variables, see "Variables" on page 1261.
Display worksheets are automatically specified as conditionally hidden worksheets by RapidResponse.
For more information, see "Specifying controller display worksheets as conditionally hidden" on page
276. Whether or not the worksheet displays in the controller worksheet is determined by the condition
specified when the worksheet is added to the controller. You cannot use a conditionally hidden
worksheet that is hidden or shown based on a condition in the display worksheet itself.
▶To create a controller worksheet
1. On the Worksheets tab in the Workbook Properties, click New and then Controller Worksheet.
2. In the Name box, type a name for this worksheet.
3. Optionally, in the ID box, type a unique identifier for the controller worksheet.
4. In the Show name of area, click one of the following options to define the text on the worksheet
title bar:
l This worksheet— the value provided in the Name box is displayed.
l Display worksheet—the name of the display worksheet being shown by the controller is
displayed.
5. Click the Add button.
6. In the Add Display Worksheet dialog box, select a worksheet you want associated with this
controller worksheet and then click Add(you can add any worksheet defined within the current
workbook). Repeat until all required worksheets have been added and then click OK.
7. In the Display worksheets area, do the following for each worksheet to set the conditions that
determines when it is displayed by the controller.
l In the Condition box, type a valid RapidResponse query expression that defines the
condition or conditions that must be satisfied for the worksheet to display. Your expression

Create a controller worksheet
can consist of RapidResponse operators and functions, profile variables, and workbook
variables defined in the current workbook.
TIP: You can also click at the far-right of the Condition box to launch Expression
Builder which provides access to all RapidResponse functions and operators, as well as
the variables that can be used in the current workbook. Expression Builder also gives
you the ability to define new variables if the ones you require have not already been
created. For more information, see "Query language syntax" on page 1115.
l Drag the worksheet up or down to set the sort order in which you want the worksheet's
conditions to be evaluated. The first worksheet in the sort order whose condition is satisfied
at any given time is the one displayed by the controller. The last worksheet in the sort order is
set as the default worksheet and displayed when none of the other worksheet's conditions
are satisfied (regardless of any conditions explicitly defined on it).
8. If you want to add help for this worksheet, click Worksheet Help and type the content.
Worksheet help displays for any of the display worksheets that do not have their own help
defined; otherwise the help from the display worksheet is shown.
NOTE: By default, the controller worksheet help displays for all worksheets. If there is no
worksheet help for the controller worksheet, the individual worksheet help for display worksheets
is used.
NOTE: If there are any visible display worksheets in the controller worksheet, you are prompted to
hide those worksheets. For more information, see "Specifying controller display worksheets as
conditionally hidden" on page 276.
Example: Creating a controller worksheet

This example provides a walkthrough of the steps involved in creating a simple controller worksheet
that can show either planned order or scheduled receipt data in both detailed record or summary
crosstab views.
Create the display worksheets

In this example, the controller worksheet can display four different worksheets.
The first two display worksheets are based on the PlannedOrder table. As shown in the following
illustration, one worksheet is named Planned Orders (detail) and shows the part, part site, due date,
and order quantity in a detailed record view. The other worksheet is named Planned Orders
(summary)and shows the same data but in a bucketed crosstab summary view. Both worksheets are
conditionally hidden.

The next two display worksheets are based on the ScheduledReceipt table. As shown in the following
illustration, one of these worksheet is named Firm Orders (detail) and shows the part, part site, due
date, and order quantity in a detailed record view. The other worksheet is named Firm Orders
(summary) and shows the same data but in a bucketed crosstab summary view. Both worksheets are
conditionally hidden.
Create the workbook variables

After the display worksheets have been created, create workbook variables to allow users to select the
options that determine which display worksheet is shown. In this example, two list variables are added
to the workbook toolbar.
The first workbook variable allows users to select the type of orders they want to view, either planned or
firm. As shown in the following illustration, this variable is named OrderType and has options of Firm
and Planned.

The second workbook variable allows user to select how they want to view data, as either detailed
records or in a summary crosstab format. As shown in the following illustration, this variable is named
View and has options of Detail and Summary.

Create the controller worksheet
Next within the same workbook in which the display worksheets were created, the controller worksheet
is created. As shown in the following illustration, this worksheet is named "Controller" and set to always
display the name of the active display worksheet. All four of the display worksheets created earlier in this
example are then added to the controller worksheet.

Define conditions for the display worksheets
After the required display worksheets are added, the conditions under which each should display are
specified in query expressions that make use of the workbook variables defined earlier. Each worksheet
is associated with a combination of selections from the two variables. For example, as shown in the
following illustration, the first condition defined indicates that the Controller worksheet should display
the Firm Orders (detail) worksheet when the user selects "Firm" from the OrderType list and "Detail"
from the View list.

View the finished worksheet
After completing the steps described above, the example worksheet displays as in the following
illustration. In this case, the controller is displaying the Planned Orders (summary) worksheet based on
the user selection of "Planned" from the Order Type list and "Summary" from the View list.
NOTE: All display worksheets as well as the controller can still be seen individually in design mode
as in the following illustration.

CHAPTER 24: Customizing data insertion
Guidelines for authoring Insert Record dialog boxes 564

Create an insert definition 565
Define default values for fields 568
Display reference field values as lists 571
Customize reference field list values 573
Remove fields from an insert definition 575
Edit insert definitions 575
Copy an insert definition 576
Share an insert definition with other worksheets 576
Insert records into crosstab worksheets 577
Define a default insert definition for a RapidResponse table 579
Delete an insert definition 579
Export an insert definition 579
Import an insert definition 579
Provided they have the required permissions, users can insert records into worksheets based on any
input or control tables in RapidResponse. The fields the user must fill in to insert the records are defined
in an insert definition, which displays in the Insert Record dialog box.

Users and groups who have been assigned the Manage Insert Definitions permission can create and
modify insert definitions.

System generated insert definitions
RapidResponse generates an insert definition for tables that do not have one defined, including custom
tables added by your company.
System generated insert definitions contain all input fields in a table, displayed in alphabetical order
with the key fields at the top of the dialog box. Any custom fields that you added to input tables are also
displayed, with the “U_” prefix removed (if applicable) from the field label. Also, these definitions support
recursive insert; that is, insertion of unique values in a reference field opens a new Insert Record dialog
box to enable creation of a reference record.
System generated insert definitions cannot be modified.
Predefined insert definitions

For commonly used tables, RapidResponse includes predefined insert definitions that contain fields that
are typically filled for a new record. A predefined insert definition typically does not include all the fields
available in table. Rather, it includes the most commonly used fields or specific fields used in a business
process. This can make the Insert Records dialog box easier to use.
If you have been assigned the Manage Insert Definitions permission, you can modify predefined insert
definitions. However, if predefined insert definitions are modified by Kinaxis, your modified predefined
insert definition will be over written when RapidResponse is upgraded. As such, it is recommended that,
instead of modifying a predefined insert definition, you copy a predefined insert definition and modify
the copy.
Reviewing system and predefined insert definitions

As previously mentioned the Manage Insert Definitions dialog box is used to modify and create insert
definitions. From this dialog box, you can determine if a table has predefined or custom insert definition
in addition to the system generated insert definition. The following example shows the Allocation table
supports three insert definitions.

The first insert definition (Allocation Default) is a predefined definition. The second definition is a custom
definition. The third definition (System) is a system generated insert definition.
Modifying and creating insert definitions

When modifying insert definitions or creating new insert definitions, you can control the following
aspects of record insertion:
l The fields visible in the dialog box

l Custom labels for field names
l Fields can be displayed in a specific order
l Default values can be defined for fields
l Control over which fields allow for the creation of new reference records
Guidelines for authoring Insert Record dialog

boxes
Follow these guidelines to improve the record insertion process.
1. Present reference fields as lists unless the list will be so long as to cause performance issues.
Longer lists take longer to load.
2. If you do not want to provide a default value for a list, set its default value to =Select=.
3. Put shorter lists before longer lists for easier filtering. The user's selection in each list filters the
values available in the following lists.

4. If you select Automatically generate all required data values and reference records, use a text
box for the reference field. Otherwise, use a list.
5. Site controls can automatically filter other controls, even if those controls display above the Site
control. Because of this, it is best to place the Site control before controls that it filters. If you are
upgrading to RapidResponse 11.0 from an earlier version, you might need to manually update
your existing insert definitions to ensure that the Site control appears before controls that it
filters. This will make the insert definition easier to use.
For more information, see "Create an insert definition" on page 565 and "Display reference field values as
lists" on page 571.
Create an insert definition

You can create insert definitions to specify values for any field in a table. When a workbook user inserts
records using the insert definitions you create, they can specify values for any of the fields in the
definition. For tables that include Money fields, you can allow users to specify the currency used to
insert values.
If the table uses a custom field to determine each record's currency, that field is automatically included
in the insert definition. You can hide this field, but cannot remove it. For these tables, you can allow
users to specify the currency that the records are inserted using, or you can use the currency from the
worksheet used to insert the records.
You can also specify default values for the fields in the insert definition. For more information, see
"Define default values for fields" on page 568.
If you add a field that references another table, you can allow users to insert records into that table. If
you have included multiple key fields from that table, only the first reference to that table in the insert
definition can be configured to insert records into the other table. If you change the order of the
references to the table, you must configure the field you specify as the first reference field to insert
records into the referenced table.
For referenced tables that contain a single String key field, you can configure the referenced key fields to
display values as a list. For more information, see "Display reference field values as lists" on page 571.
It is important to test all the insert definitions you create to ensure they operate as expected. After you
define the fields included in the insert definition, you can set properties for each field as required.
You can create an insert definition at any time from the Tools menu, or while creating or editing a
worksheet from the Worksheet Properties dialog box.
For insert definition authoring guidelines, see "Guidelines for authoring Insert Record dialog boxes" on
page 564.
For information about customizing insert definitions, see "Display reference field values as lists" on page
571 and "Customize reference field list values" on page 573.
▶Create an insert definition
1. On the Tools menu, click Manage Insert Definitions, or in the Worksheet Properties dialog box,
General tab, click Manage Insert Definitions.
2. In the Manage Insert Definitions dialog box, in the Table list, select the table for which you want
to create an insert definition, and then click New.

3. In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, type a name under which the definition is saved in
the Name box.
4. In the Title box, type the title you want displayed in the title bar of the insert dialog box.
5. Optionally, if the table contains a single String key field and you want RapidResponse to
guarantee the uniqueness of values inserted into the table, select the Always generate a unique
value for the key field check box.
This check box should be used with caution. When selected, and a value is inserted using this
dialog box, the key field's value is evaluated to ensure it is unique. If the value provided is not
unique, it is modified by incrementing a number at the end of the String (starting with 1) until a
unique value is guaranteed. Note that administrators can apply this setting globally to a table's
single String key field using a custom data model setting. When set globally for a table's key field,
this check box is grayed out and the key field is automatically excluded from all insert definitions
for the table (in this case, a globally unique identifier is assigned to the key field for each record
inserted).
This option is available only if the table contains a single String key field. For example, in a table
that uses a Date and two String fields as its key fields, you cannot guarantee uniqueness using
this option. If the table uses a single Date and a single String field as its key fields, this option is
available and applies to the String field.
6. If you are creating the insert definition to insert records in a crosstab worksheet or do not want
to force worksheet users to specify any more data values than are required, select the
Automatically generate all required reference records check box.
If you are creating a custom insert definition for a crosstab or grouped worksheet, this check box
must be selected. Crosstab worksheets can be configured to insert records or spread changes
across existing records when data is edited. However, if the option to allow record insertion is
selected and a cell that does not contain records is edited, a record is always inserted. Records
inserted by editing crosstab worksheets do not display an Insert Record dialog box, so all
records must be inserted with default or automatically-generated values, and all reference
records in other tables must be created automatically. For more information, see "Insert records
into crosstab worksheets" on page 577.
Records can only be created for tables that allow records to be automatically created. For more
8. In the Add Fields dialog box, select the fields you want in the Available fields list, and then click
Add.
If you are allowing the insert definition to insert records in referenced tables, you must add all of
the key fields from the referenced tables. To add the keys for referenced tables, click Add Key
Fields. For more information about inserting values for referenced tables, see "Allow users to
create new reference records" on page 567.
If you add a reference field, if the table contains a single base key field, that field is added to the
insert definition. For example, if you add the Part field on the IndependentDemand table, the
Part.Name field is added to the insert definition. If the table contains multiple base key fields, you
must add the fields individually.
9. Click OK.
NOTE: All of the table’s key fields are automatically included in the definition and cannot be
removed.
NOTE: The fields in the definition display in the order in which they are listed in the Fields box.
You can change the order of the fields by dragging them.

NOTE: Custom reference fields must be displayed in the definition. If they are not displayed, you
must provide a default value.
NOTE: If a key field was automatically generated from the RapidResponse Data Model, it is marked
as automatically generated and is hidden in the insert definition. The field cannot be altered from
the Insert Definitions Settings dialog box.
NOTE: The Manage Insert Definitions button displays on the Worksheet Properties, General
tab only if you have the correct permission.
NOTE: Insert definitions created by accessing the Manage Insert Definitions dialog box from the
Worksheet Properties dialog box are saved even if you click Cancel when exiting the Worksheet
Properties and Workbook Properties dialog boxes.
NOTE: If you do not immediately use a newly created custom insert definition, it is deleted when
you close the Workbook Properties.
TIP: You can also create an insert definition by copying an existing one. Select the definition you
want to copy in the Insert definitions list, and then click Copy.
▶Specify field labels
1. In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, select a field in the Fields box.
2. In the Label box, type the label for the field as you want it to appear.
NOTE: If the Display as % option is selected (only available with Quantity and QuantitySingle
fields), the field label should indicate to type a percentage value. For example, (%)
TIP: You can indent the field labels by including spaces before the label text. Spaces following the
text are removed.
▶Hide a field
You might want to hide a field if you have specified a default value for it.
2. Select the Hide field check box.
NOTE: You can hide a base key field only if either the Always generate a unique value for base
key field check box is selected, or if the field is configured to always take a set value using one of
the options available in the Data value area (for example, it might be set to always have a blank
value).
▶Allow users to create new reference records

You can let users create new records in another referenced table directly from the Insert Record dialog
box that they are currently using. If you select the Allow users to add new reference records check box,
an Add button is added next to the relevant field in the Insert Record dialog box, which users can click
to open another instance of the Insert Record dialog box to create the reference record. This option is
available on only the first field from the referenced table in the insert definition.

2. Select the Allow users to add new reference records check box, and then do one of the
following:
l To use the default insert definition for the table, click Default.
l To use another definition for the table, click an insert definition from the list.
NOTE: These options are unavailable if you selected the Automatically generate all required
data values and reference records check box. In this case, reference records are created using
automatically-generated data values.
▶Allow users to choose currency values for money fields
l In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, select the Allow users to choose the currency for
Money fields check box.
NOTE: If the table uses a specific field to determine the record currency, the Allow users to
choose the currency for Money fields check box is selected automatically. If you clear this check
box, the currency for the record is obtained from the worksheet's currency. If the worksheet
contains a Currency data control, the user must specify their currency before inserting records. For
more information, see "Specify the currency for a workbook" on page 224.
NOTE: The Allow users to choose the currency for money fields check box is not present if you
are creating a custom insert definition from the Data Editing dialog box. For more information,
see "Insert records into crosstab worksheets" on page 577.
Define default values for fields

You can specify default values for each field in an insert definition. Default values can be defined as one
of the following:
l An automatically calculated value.

l A value you specify.
l A value copied from another field of the same data type.
l A String value constructed from components you specify.
Using automatically calculated values

The automatically calculated value used to populate a field can depend on context. For example, if the
currently selected record has a Quantity field with a value of 30, and the user clicks insert record, the
default value for the Quantity field in the new record might be 30. Then, the user types 10 in the
Quantity field and saves the record. The default value for the Quantity field in the next record is 10. If
values cannot be determined from the context—for example, because no records are displayed in the
worksheet and the user is inserting the first record—the default value for the field's data type is used.
However, if the field is the only String key field in the table and the insert definition is set to always
determine a unique value for that field, the automatically-calculated value is incremented so it is unique.

If the insert definition is used to insert records in a crosstab worksheet, some automatically-calculated
values can be obtained from the worksheet. Only the values in the fields used to group the worksheet
data can be used as default values for those fields in the new record.
Specifying a default data value

If you specify a default data value, the field begins with that value each time the user begins inserting a
new record. That is, each time the user opens the Insert Record dialog box or begins entering another
record after saving the previous record, the field reverts to the specified default data value.
If you select this option, but do not type a default value for the field, the field starts out blank for each
new record.
Constructing a string value from components

A String value constructed from components can produce unique results. For each field you construct
values for, the Strings can contain combinations of the following components:
l The user's ID.

l Text you specify.
l The value in another field.
l A workbook variable.
l The date on which the record is inserted.
l The time at which the record is inserted.
After you choose a component to add to the String, you might need to specify the formatting applied to
that component. For example, if you add the date the record is inserted on, you must specify the date
format for that date. If you specify the value in a field, you must select the format for the value. For
example, if you select a Quantity field, you must specify the number format applied to the value in that
field.
As you construct the value, you can see an example of a String that is created by the components you
specified.
If the String you are constructing a value for is the table's only String key field and you specified that a
unique value is always generated for that field, you should ensure the String does not end with a
number. Otherwise, that number might be incremented when a record is inserted, which can cause
unexpected results in the String values constructed for the field. For example, if the String ends with a
date value, that date will be incremented when another record is inserted on the same day, resulting in
the wrong date being applied to the record.
If your insert definition contains fields that copy values from other fields, either directly or as part of a
constructed String, the fields cannot copy values from each other. This type of reference is not valid,
because it cannot produce a data value. You must ensure one of the fields either obtains its value from
the RapidResponse database or constructs a valid String.

Define default values for fields
▶Define a default value for a field
2. In the Data value area, click one of the following:
l Use value determined by RapidResponse—automatically determines a value.
l Data value—the specified value is used as the default. This option is not available for
reference fields.
l Same value as field—the value from the specified field is used as the default.
l Construct value—the specified expression defines a default value. This option is available only
for String fields.
3. If you clicked Data value in step 2, type the default value in the Data value text box. The value
specified must match the field’s data type.
If you clicked Same value as field in step 2, click the field in the list from which you want to copy a
value. You can specify only fields in the Fields list that have the same data type.
If you clicked Construct value in step 2, specify the Strings to be concatenated into a default
value.
NOTE: If the default value is invalid, it displays as a in the Insert Record dialog box, and the
user is required to select a valid value.
NOTE: If you specify a default value for the table's only String key field and have selected the
Always generate a unique value for the key field check box, the value you specify will be
incremented to ensure the inserted value is always unique. For more information, see "Create an
insert definition" on page 565.
▶Construct a default value for a String field
1. In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, in the Construct value area, click Details.
2. In the Construct Value dialog box, click Add.
3. In the Add Component dialog box, click one of the following:
l User ID—the user Id of the user inserting a record.
l Text—any text String.
l Value in field—the value contained in the selected field.
l Workbook variable—any workbook variable, including ones not visible to users.
l Current date—the date the record is being inserted.
l Current time—the time the record is being inserted.
l If you clicked Text in step 3, type a value in the box.
l If you clicked Value in field in step 3, click a field in the list.
5. If required, in the Format area, do one of the following:
l If you clicked Current date in step 3 or specified a Date field in step 4, in the Date format list,
click the format you want to apply to the date.
l If you clicked Current time in step 3, in the Time format list, click the format you want to
apply to the time.
l If you specified a DateTime field in step 4, in the Date format and Time format lists, click the
formats you want to apply to the DateTime values.

l If you specified a Quantity field in step 4, in the Number format list, click the format you want
to apply to the numbers, and then in the Decimal places list, click the number of decimal
places you want the number expressed in.
6. Click OK.
7. Repeat steps 2-6 for each String value you want to combine to form the default value.
8. To change the order in which the Strings are combined, select a component and drag it up or
down in the list.
NOTE: An example of a String that the selected components create is shown in the Sample box.
The sample cannot be modified.
Display reference field values as lists

You can display reference fields as lists in the Insert Record dialog box, and filter the content of those
lists based on the user's selections in previous lists. By filtering the content of lists based on previous
selections, users are only presented with valid values.
If the referenced table contains multiple String key fields, you cannot display the reference field values in
lists. This restriction applies only to String key fields. For example, if the table contains three Reference
keys and a single String key, the values can be displayed as lists.

Display reference field values as lists
For more information, see "Create an insert definition" on page 565 and "Guidelines for authoring Insert
Record dialog boxes" on page 564.
▶Display reference fields in a list
2. In the List area, select Show list of values.

NOTE: If the default value you choose for a list is not a valid option, = Select = displays in the
Insert Record dialog box, and the user must choose another option from the list.
NOTE: If you do not select Show list of values, the field displays as a text box in the Insert Record
dialog box.
NOTE: If Same value as field or Construct value are selected in the Data value area, or if the
Hide field check box is selected, the Show list of values option is unavailable. For more
information, see "Define default values for fields" on page 568.
NOTE: If you are creating a custom insert definition from the Data Editing dialog box, the List
area is not present in the Insert Definition Settings dialog box. For more information, see "Insert
records into crosstab worksheets" on page 577.
NOTE: The Show list of values check box is selected or cleared based on the Show list of values
in worksheets selection for the relevant table in the RapidResponse Data Model.
NOTE: If blank values are allowed for non-key reference fields, the blank value automatically
appears first in the list and is not affected by list filtering.
▶Limit list content based on previous fields
2. In the List area, select the Limit list content based on other field values check box.
NOTE: This option is available only for reference key fields.
NOTE: Site controls can automatically filter other controls, even if those controls display above
the Site control. Because of this, it is best to place the Site control before controls that it filters. If
you are upgrading to RapidResponse 11.0 from an earlier version, you might need to manually
update your existing insert definitions to ensure that the Site control appears before controls that
it filters. This will make the insert definition easier to use.
NOTE: If there are no fields in the same path listed above the selected field in the Fields list, the
Limit list content based on other field values check box is not available.
TIP: To have all reference field values display, clear the Limit list content based on other field
values check box.
Customize reference field list values

You can customize the reference field list values that display in the Insert Record dialog box.
You can specify how the data values are displayed. You might want to consider this option if the data
values are not easily recognized by users. For example, instead of displaying customer IDs you might
want to display the customer names. You can also limit the number of values in the list if required.
For more information, see "Create an insert definition" on page 565, "Display reference field values as
lists" on page 571, and "Creating expressions with Expression Builder" on page 1117.

Customize reference field list values
▶Customize values displayed in list
2. In the List area, select Show list of values, and click Details.
3. In the List Details dialog box, select Data values to have all reference field data values included in
the list.
4. To change the display values in the list, select Display values generated by expression, and type
an expression into the text area, or click Expression Builder and select Display Values.
5. To filter the values displayed in the list, type an expression in the Filter expression area, or click
Expression Builder and select Filter Expression.
NOTE: If Limit list content based on other field values is selected in the Insert Definition
Settings dialog box, the lists are filtered based on previous list selections as well as the filter
expression.
TIP: You can also select fields, functions, and variables from a list in the expression boxes. For
more information, see "Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.

Remove fields from an insert definition
1. On the Tools menu, click Manage Insert Definitions.
2. In the Table list, select a table.
3. In the Insert definitions list, select a definition and then click Edit.
4. In the Fields list, select a field and then click Remove Field.
NOTE: If the insert definition contains a field used to define the record currency, you cannot
remove this field.
▶Remove all fields

You can remove all non-key fields from an insert definition simultaneously. This also resets the order of
the key fields and removes any field definitions you specified, such as a field label.

3. In the Insert definitions list, select a definition and then click Edit.
4. Click Reset Fields.
Edit insert definitions

You can change existing insert definitions, for example, by including additional fields, removing existing
fields, and changing the order of fields.
You can edit insert definitions at any time from the Tools menu, or while creating or editing a worksheet
from the Worksheet Properties dialog box.
1. On the Tools menu, click Manage Insert Definitions or, in the Worksheet Properties dialog box,
General tab, click Manage Insert Definitions.
3. In the Insert definitions list, select an insert definition and then click Edit.
4. In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, make the changes you want.
NOTE: You cannot edit System insert definitions.
NOTE: The Manage Insert Definitions button displays on the Worksheet Properties General tab
only if you have the correct permission.
NOTE: The Manage Insert Definitions button is also located in the Data Editing dialog box, New
Records tab.

Remove fields from an insert definition
TIP: You can view details of a particular insert definition from the Worksheet Properties General
tab by selecting the Default insert definition, Insert definition, or Custom insert definition
radio button and then clicking Manage Insert Definitions. The selected insert definition will
automatically be selected in the Manage Insert Definitions dialog box.
Copy an insert definition

You can copy an insert definition to use as a custom insert definition in a worksheet. You can use this
insert definition as is, or modify it to meet your worksheet's needs.
1. In the Worksheet Properties, General tab, Data editing area, select Custom insert definition.
2. Click Settings.
3. In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, click Copy From.
4. In the Copy Settings From dialog box, select the insert definition you want to copy from the
Insert definition list.
The list of insert definitions includes all insert definitions from the same table, excluding the
System insert definition which cannot be altered.
5. In the Insert Definition Settings dialog box, change any settings required to customize the new
custom insert definition.
NOTE: The Insert Definition Settings dialog box can also be accessed from the Data Editing
dialog box, New Records tab.
NOTE: The Copy From button is unavailable if there are no valid insert definitions to be copied.
Share an insert definition with other

worksheets
After creating a custom insert definition for a worksheet, you can save the insert definition so that it can
be used in other worksheets. By doing this, the insert definition is listed in the Manage Insert
Definitions dialog box.
1. Create the custom insert definition. For more information, see "Create an insert definition" on
page 565.
2. In the Worksheet Properties dialog box, General tab, Data editing area, select Custom insert
definition.
3. Click Save As.
4. In the Name box, type a new name for the insert definition.
5. If you do not want the custom insert definition used in the current worksheet, clear the Use this
insert definition for this worksheet check box.
NOTE: The Save As button displays on the Worksheet Properties General tab only if you have the
correct permission.

NOTE: The Save As button is also located in the Data Editing dialog box, New Records tab.
Insert records into crosstab worksheets

When a value in a crosstab cell is increased, or decreased when negative values are allowed in the
worksheet, the increase or decrease can be handled by inserting records. You must specify values for
the fields required to insert the record. You can specify the default values for fields in a custom insert
definition for the crosstab worksheet.
When a record is inserted, values for some of its fields can be taken from the dimension columns that
define the cell it is inserted into. For example, in a worksheet grouped by part, site, and due date, the
new record's part, site, and due date can be taken from the dimension columns.
For date values, you can specify how the worksheet's bucket dates are used in the inserted records.
Depending on your requirements, you can use one of the following:
l The first date in the bucket.

l The first date in the bucket adjusted by a period of time.
l The last specified calendar period in the bucket.
Some examples of modified bucket dates are shown in the following table.
Bucket date Example

The worksheet contains weekly buckets that begin on Monday.
You want the inserted orders to be due on Friday of that week.
If Friday is a holiday, you want the orders to be due on
Thursday.
To do this, set the bucket date to the last work day in the
bucket.
The worksheet contains monthly buckets that begin on the first

work day of each month.
You want the inserted orders to be due at the beginning of the
second week of each month.
To do this, adjust the bucket date by one week.
If you choose to adjust the date of inserted records or to insert the records in the last period in a
bucket, you must be careful to specify a period that is smaller than the buckets in the worksheet. For
example, if the worksheet contains weekly buckets and you specify that the records are inserted in the
last month in the bucket, the records will be inserted in a different bucket than expected, which might
be confusing for users.
If you specify a date for inserting records, you should not allow users to modify the bucket settings. For
more information, see "Define worksheet date buckets" on page 405.

Insert records into crosstab worksheets
For more information about RapidResponse calendars and date calculations, see "Date calculations" on
page 1255.
▶Specify how records are inserted
2. Ensure the Bucket data by date check box is selected.
3. Select the column you want to make editable, and click Data Editing.
4. In the Data Editing dialog box, click the New Records tab.
5. In the Bucketing date field area, click one of the following:
7. In the Field value definitions section, click one of the following:
l Custom insert definition—uses an insert definition for which you specify fields and defaults.
If you select this option, you must specify the default values the insert definition uses when
inserting records.
This option is recommended if you do not have an insert definition for inserting records in this
manner.
l Insert definition—uses the specified insert definition. This option is recommended if you have
an insert definition for inserting records in this manner.
l Worksheet insert definition—uses the same insert definition as the worksheet. Typically, the
worksheet’s insert definition would not be suitable for inserting records by editing empty
buckets. This option is not recommended.
This option is unavailable if the worksheet does not allow record insertion. For more
information, see "Specify the insert definition for inserting data for a worksheet" on page 395.
8. If you selected Insert definition in step 7, click an insert definition in the list.
If you selected Custom insert definition in step 7, click Settings, and then specify the fields and
default values for the insert definition. For more information, see "Create an insert definition" on
page 565.
NOTE: You can create or edit an insert definition by clicking Manage Insert Definitions on the
Worksheet Properties General tab.
For more information about creating and specifying default values for fields in insert definitions, see
"Create an insert definition" on page 565. For information about editing an insert definition, see "Edit
insert definitions" on page 575.
For information about editing grouped data, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page 423.

Define a default insert definition for a
RapidResponse table
Setting an insert definition as the default for a table means that the definition is used in each worksheet
based on the table. Worksheet authors can set a specific insert definition per worksheet, overriding the
default. For more information, see "Specify the insert definition for inserting data for a worksheet" on
page 395.

3. In the Insert definitions list, select the definition you want to define as the default.
4. Click Set as Default.
Delete an insert definition

3. In the Insert definitions list, select a definition and then click Delete.
NOTE: You cannot delete a System insert definition.
Export an insert definition

2. In the Table list, select a table for which you want to export an insert definition.
3. In the Insert definitions list, select an insert definition.
4. Click Export.
5. Specify the location where you want to save the insert definition.
6. In the File name box, type a name for the file.
7. Click Save.
NOTE: You cannot export the System insert definition.
NOTE: Insert definitions are saved with a .ind extension.
Import an insert definition

2. Click Import.

Define a default insert definition for a RapidResponse table
3. Specify the location where the insert definition is saved.
4. Click Open.
NOTE: If the name of an imported insert definition conflicts with an existing insert definition, you
can choose to exclude, replace, or rename the imported insert definition if you have the correct
permission. If you rename the insert definition, all references to the definition are updated to
reflect the new name.

CHAPTER 25: Adding charts to reports
Chart types in RapidResponse 583

Data requirements for building charts 586
Creating charts 590
Customizing your chart 598
About bar, line, or area charts 610
Specialized bar, line, and area charts 621
Creating scatter charts 629
Creating bullet charts 632
Creating gauge charts 640
Creating pie charts 653
Creating calendar charts 657
Creating Gantt charts 660
You can display data in a worksheet table or as a chart in a report (dashboard, workbook, or scorecard),
providing a quick and compact view of data for users. Tabular data is best for displaying precise and
individual values whereas charted data allows for easy identification of data trends, patterns, and
exceptions. Creating charts to display in scorecards is covered in another chapter, for more information,
see "Add charts to a scorecard" on page 1057.
When you include a chart in a worksheet, it can be displayed in both a worksheet and a widget. In the
worksheet, you can display the data as both a worksheet grid and a chart, as displayed in the following
image.

Widgets display charts when they are based on worksheets that display data as a chart. For more
information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on page 884. The following image displays charts in
widgets on a dashboard.

NOTE: When you add a chart to a crosstab worksheet, a Chart button is added to the
workbook toolbar from which the chart can be opened.
Chart types in RapidResponse

Determining which chart type to use depends on what you are communicating about the data. For
example, some chart types display data changes or trends over time better than other chart types. In
addition, different chart types have different data requirements for the worksheet, thereby influencing
what types of charts you might create. For more information, see "Data requirements for building
charts" on page 586.
The table below describes the different chart types you can create in RapidResponse and how each
chart type most effectively displays data.
Chart Type Example

Description
Bar Chart
Use this chart type to
display data you want to
compare or rank,
measure deviation for, or
compare as parts of a
whole. Bar charts track
data changes over time
and display larger data
variations well. For
example, compare
forecast values over time
for different departments
to a baseline.
For more information,

see "About bar, line, or
area charts" on page 610.
Line Chart
track changes over time,
especially in cases where
changes are incremental.
For example, track the
changes for monthly
sales forecast over time
between two different
scenarios.


Chart Type Example
Description
Area chart
track cumulative changes
over time. For example,
compare important
quantity over time
between two different
scenarios.

Combination chart
Use this chart to display
data as any combination
of bar, line, or area types
of data series. For
example, compare
difference in quantity
and shipped quantity to
the unit selling price for a
specific part.

see "Create a
combination chart" on
page 627.
Scatter chart
explore the relationship
between two related
variables. For example,
examine the relationship
between demand volume
and the coefficient of
demand variation.

see "Creating scatter

Chart Type Example
Description
Bullet chart
compare data against a
target and against a
range of performance
values. For example,
compare revenue
between two scenarios,
with one scenario acting
as target, against a scale
of acceptable to critical
ranges.

see "Creating bullet
Gauge chart
compare data on a
performance scale.
Similar to bullet charts,
gauge charts are often
used to compare
scenarios against targets.
For example, compare
revenue in two different
scenarios on a scale of
acceptable to critical
ranges.

see "Creating gauge
Pie Chart
display data as parts of a
whole. For example,
display what fraction of
total revenue each family
of products represents.

see "Creating pie charts"
on page 653.

Chart Type Example
Description
Calendar chart
display tasks in a daily,
weekly, or monthly
calendar view. Calendar
charts are used in
process orchestration to
display tasks in a process.

see "Creating calendar
Gantt chart
display data in bar format
for a project schedule
with tasks and
dependencies. Gantt
charts can only be used
in project management
with the Task table.

see "Creating Gantt
Data requirements for building charts

Before adding a chart to a worksheet, you must define the worksheet to meet the data requirements for
the type of chart you want to add. Each chart type has different data requirements. Line, bar, and area
charts are the only type of chart that can be based on a crosstab worksheet.
The following section lists the data requirements for each chart type.
Data requirements for bar, line, area, and combination charts

To create a bar, line, area, or combination chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet must be a grouped crosstab worksheet. Line, bar, and area charts typically plot the
changes in one or more data series over time; the date buckets in a crosstab worksheet are used
to plot the time periods on the base axis.
l The worksheet must contain one or more numeric columns, which provide the data for each data
series. Each data series is separately plotted as either a line, bar, or area.You can choose to display
data series for bar and area charts as stacked data points.

l The number of rows in the worksheet affects how the chart is displayed. If the chart is intended for
use in a widget, or if the worksheet grid is not displayed with the chart, then you should include
only one row in the worksheet. Bar, line, and area charts can only display information for one row
at a time. If the worksheet is not displayed and it contains more than one row, then the chart will
only display information from the first row in the worksheet. If the worksheet user changes the
filtering controls, the data presented in the chart will represent the first line in the worksheet with
the new filter setting.
l The worksheet should contain at least one non-numeric column, which is used to group data. The
grouped columns provide meaning and context for the numeric columns. For more information on
grouped columns, see "Group column data" on page 382.
l If you select hidden columns for any data series, at least one column that is always visible must be
included for data to display in the chart. For more information, see "Hidden columns in charts" on
page 609.
l In a crosstab worksheet, you can assign a different data series type to each column. For more
information, see "Create a combination chart" on page 627.
For more information, see "About bar, line, or area charts" on page 610.
Data requirements for summarized bar, line, or area charts

To create a summarized line, bar, or area chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet must be a grouped crosstab worksheet with at least two Group By columns. One
Group By column provides the series labels for the chart.
l The worksheet must contain one or more numeric columns, which provide the data values.
l Worksheets that contain more than two Group By columns will display different charts for the
additional Group By columns.
For more information, see "Create a summarized bar, line, or area chart" on page 621.

Data requirements for scatter charts
To create a scatter chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet cannot be crosstab or bucketed.

l The worksheet must contain at least two numeric columns, which are used to plot one data series
on the x and y axes. Additional series can be plotted by including additional numeric columns. A
column can be used in multiple series.
For more information, see "Creating scatter charts" on page 629.
Data requirements for bullet charts

To create a bullet chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:

l The worksheet must contain numeric columns. Indicators that are used to chart the feature
measure and comparative measures are based on numeric columns. To display multiple indicators,
the worksheet must contain a numeric column for each indicator.
l Similarly, if you use multi-scenarios a new scenario column will be added to the worksheet and a
new indicator is created in the bullet chart. Therefore, there will always be one range and target.
l To include qualitative ranges, you can include columns that are numeric.
l If you select hidden columns for indicator values, at least one non-conditionally hidden column
must be included for data to display in the chart. For more information, see "Hidden columns in
For more information, see "Creating bullet charts" on page 632.
Data requirements for gauge charts

To create a gauge chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet must contain numeric columns. The needles in a gauge chart are based on numeric
columns; if you want to add a gauge chart with multiple needles, the worksheet must contain
numeric columns for each gauge needle. The example of a gauge chart below displays some chart
elements that are based on numeric columns.

l The worksheet should contain at least one non-numeric column, which is used for grouping. The
l Because gauge needles are based on a single row, the worksheet cannot be a crosstab worksheet,
which summarizes data from multiple rows.
l The number of rows in the worksheet affects how the gauge chart is displayed. If the gauge chart
is intended for use in a widget, or if the worksheet grid is not displayed with the gauge chart, then
you should add only one row in the worksheet. Gauge charts can only display information for one
row at a time; if the worksheet is not displayed and it contains more than one row, then the gauge
chart will only display information from the first row in the worksheet. If the worksheet user
changes the filtering controls, the data presented in the gauge chart will no longer match the first
row in the worksheet. However, if you intend to display both the worksheet and the gauge chart,
the worksheet user can scroll through the data rows and the gauge chart will update with each
selected row's data.
l You can begin to create the gauge chart before adding the required worksheet columns, but you
will not be able to save the worksheet until you have created the worksheet columns.
l If you select hidden columns for gauge needle values, at least one non-conditionally hidden
column must be included for data to display in the chart. For more information, see "Hidden
columns in charts" on page 609.
For more information, see "Creating gauge charts" on page 640.
Data requirements for pie charts

To create a pie chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet must contain at least one numeric column, which provides the data for the pie
slices. The numeric column must only contain positive values.

l The worksheet must contain at least one non-numeric column, which provides the data
categories.
l Because pie slices are based on a single row, the worksheet cannot be a crosstab worksheet,
which buckets data from multiple rows.
l You do not need to create the required worksheet columns before adding a pie chart to a
worksheet. However, you will not be able to save the worksheet until you have created the
worksheet columns.
l The data measured in a pie chart must only include positive values, and can measure only one data
series.
For more information, see "Creating pie charts" on page 653.
Data requirements for calendar charts

To create a calendar chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:

l For mapping purposes, the worksheet must contain at least one string based column and at least
one date column.
l To include an image in the calendar, the worksheet must contain an image column.
For more information, see "Creating calendar charts" on page 657.
Data requirements for Gantt charts

To create a Gantt chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:

l For mapping purposes, the worksheet must contain:
l At least three string based columns.
l At least two date columns.
l At least one Quantity column.
For more information, see "Creating Gantt charts" on page 660.
Creating charts
To create a chart, you must select that it be included on a worksheet in that worksheet's properties.
RapidResponse provides multiple chart types to select from. For help on deciding which chart type best
meets your user's needs, see "Chart types in RapidResponse" on page 583.
As charts are a property of worksheets, you must have workbook authoring permission to create a
chart on a worksheet.
After selecting the type of chart to create, you must select from predefined styles that determine the
display settings for the chart. The charts below display the same data, but with different style settings.
The axis, labels, colors, fonts, and backgrounds are some of the different display settings you can

modify. You can use a chart style as a template and make any modifications to the chart's properties to
create customized chart styles. For more information, see "Chart styles" on page 591.
How a chart displays data is also dependent on the worksheet columns selected to display in the chart.
Multi-scenario columns can be displayed as multi-scenario data series in certain chart types, such as a
bar chart. For more information, see "Display multi-scenario data in charts" on page 595.
Charts using worksheet columns that are defined as drill columns also transfer that property to the data
series on the chart. Instead of clicking on a worksheet cell, users click on specific data points on the
chart to drill to a details worksheet or a form. For more information, see "Drilling from a chart" on page
597.
You can define how a chart will display on the worksheet, such as if the worksheet displays the
worksheet grid and chart side by side. For more information, see "Select chart position and size in
By default, charts allow users can modify certain chart elements. You can turn off this permission. For
more information, see "Allow users to modify charts" on page 594.
Chart styles
When you add a chart to a worksheet, you first select a predefined chart style that provides the display
settings for your new chart.

Creating charts
Once you have selected a style, you can customize your chart by defining various chart options. For
example, you can change how each data series is charted and you change color, font, and border
properties. If you choose to apply a different style to your chart, the new style will override any color,
line, and border properties that you might have selected. After you have assigned columns to the chart,
you can customize the way each data series is charted. Each data series type has unique display
properties that you can set. For example, for bar data series, you can change the shape of the bars, and
the spacing in between. Similarly, for line charts, you can change the line style, width, and color.
NOTE: When you have included a chart on a worksheet and selected a style, then return to the
Columns tab and add a new column, the new column might not display with your selected style. It
is recommended that you configure all your columns before you include the chart and select a
chart style.
Select chart position and size in worksheets

In a worksheet, you have a number of display options when you include a chart in the worksheet. You
can select where the chart displays on the worksheet, the default view of the worksheet, and the chart's
size in relation to a worksheet grid when both are displayed together.
The following image shows a chart displayed with a worksheet grid where the default view is set to both
"Worksheet" and "Chart".
You can also display the chart on a separate worksheet tab, which is recommended for charts that are
intended for display in a dashboard widget. For more information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on
page 884. The image below shows a chart displayed on a separate worksheet tab where the default view
is set to just "Chart".

▶Select the chart position
2. In the Display area, select one of the following from the Chart position list:
l Below worksheet
l Above worksheet
l Right of the worksheet
l Left of the worksheet
TIP: For users that traditionally read from left to right, it might be beneficial to have the chart
display to the left of the worksheet.
▶Set the default view
2. In the Display area:
l To display the worksheet grid and worksheet chart, select both Worksheet and Chart.
l To display only the worksheet grid, select Worksheet.
Users have to actively select to view the chart by clicking Chart .
l To display only the chart, select Chart.
TIP: If the worksheet grid is not displayed with the chart, then you should include only one row in
the worksheet. Bar, line, and area charts can only display information for one worksheet row at a
time. If the worksheet is not displayed and it contains more than one row, then the chart will only
display information from the first row in the worksheet. If the worksheet user changes the filtering
controls, the data presented in the chart will no longer match the first row in the worksheet.

Creating charts
▶Select the chart size
1. With the worksheet active, on the View menu, click Design Mode .
2. If the chart is not displayed, on the workbook toolbar, click Chart and select Show Chart.
3. Depending on the chart position, do one of the following:
l If the chart is positioned above or below the worksheet, change the chart height by dragging
the horizontal border up or down.
l If the chart is positioned to the left or right of the worksheet, change the chart width by
dragging the vertical border to the left or right.
4. On the File menu, click Save Workbook.
5. On the View menu, click Design Mode.
NOTE: The worksheet will automatically resize itself in the window as the chart's size is changed.
▶Display a chart as a separate worksheet tab

You can choose to create a copy of the worksheet and set it to display only the chart. This is
recommended when you create a chart to display in a widget, as a worksheet grid and chart are too
large to display in a widget. For more information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on page 884.
1. In the Workbook Properties, copy the worksheet you want to display as a chart.
2. Open the Worksheet Properties for the copied worksheet and click the General tab.
3. In the Display area, by Default View, select the Chart check box and clear the Worksheet check
box.
Allow users to modify charts

You can allow users to modify charts to suit their personal preferences or to change the data that is
displayed in the chart. The following table lists the chart types users can modify and the changes they
can make:
Chart Type Chart modifications allowed

Bar, Line, and Users can add and remove data series from the chart, and change the data series colors.
Area Users can select which data series display on the chart, and they can change the data series
colors for summarized charts.
If date bucketing has been specified for the chart, then users can change the specified date
ranges for the data series.
Pie Users can change the pie slice colors.
Gauge Users can change the gauge needle colors.
Scatter Users can add and remove data series from the chart, and change the data series colors.
Gantt Users can show or hide bar text and dependency relationships.
Users can change colors for the bar and for the percentage complete indicator.
Users can highlight today's date and change the line color used to display it.
Bullet Users can add and remove indicators from the chart, and change the indicator colors.

NOTE: Users cannot modify any property of a calendar chart. For more information, see "Creating
calendar charts" on page 657.
NOTE: For some charts, you can select hidden columns for different chart properties. For more
information, see "Hidden columns in charts" on page 609.
▶Prevent users from changing chart settings

By default, users are allowed to modify charts. You can prevent users from modifying the chart settings,
such as changing colors and removing data series from the chart.
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Chart tab.
2. Clear the Allow users to configure chart check box.
Display multi-scenario data in charts

Some chart types can display data for more than one scenario if the worksheet contains a multi-scenario
column. You select the multiple colors that will represent each scenario charted and if you allow the
worksheet user to add scenarios, RapidResponse will automatically assign colors to scenarios that the
user adds.
The chart types that can display multi-scenario columns are:
l Bar, line, or area

l Combination
l Bullet
l Gauge
For crosstab worksheets that contain multi-scenario columns, you can select multiple colors that will
represent each scenario charted. If you allow the worksheet user to add scenarios, RapidResponse will
automatically assign colors to scenarios that the user adds. In order to add colors for multi-scenario
columns, you must first set up the multi-scenario crosstab worksheet. For more information, see
"Creating multi-scenario worksheets" on page 265.
To create a chart in which the scenarios are each assigned a different data series type, you must create a
composite worksheet and then create separate data columns that each display the value from only one
scenario, as illustrated in the chart below.

Creating charts
For stacked bar charts, multi-scenario columns display as stacked values in a data series.
▶Select colors for multi-scenario columns
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, in the Chart tab, click the Data
Series tab.
2. In the Data Series list, select the multi-scenario data column.

3. In the Fill area, click the arrow on the Color list to open the Multi-scenario Colors dialog box.
l To add a color, click Add.
l To change a color, select the color in the list and select a color from the palette.
l To remove a color, select the color in the list and click Remove.
NOTE: You must apply a solid fill to multi-scenario data series that are plotted as bars or areas.
Charting scenarios as different data series types

When you chart multi-scenario columns, the column is charted as multiple data series to represent each
scenario. The scenarios are all charted as the same type of data series, either bar, line, or area. To create
a chart in which the scenarios are each assigned a different data series type, you must create a
composite worksheet and then create separate data columns that each display the value from only one
scenario.
▶Create a chart in which scenarios are assigned unique data series
1. Create a crosstab worksheet with a multi-scenario column. For more information, see "Create a
multi-scenario crosstab worksheet" on page 403.
2. Add a composite worksheet to the same workbook, and add the multi-scenario column to the
composite worksheet. For more information, see "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
3. Create data columns that each display data for only one scenario. For more information, see
"Specify multi-scenario columns in a composite worksheet" on page 491.
4. Add a bar, line, or area chart to the composite worksheet. On the Data Series sub-tab, each
scenario is listed as a separate data column. Reassign data series types to the scenario columns
as needed.
NOTE: The Scenario only label option is only available when you have multi-scenario columns.
Drilling from a chart

When you include a worksheet column in a chart that drills to a details worksheet or a form, for all chart
types except scatter charts, the data series on the chart retains the drill capability. When users hover
over a data series, the pointer changes to link select mode (as a hand) and clicking on the data series
drills to the dependent resource. As shown in the image below, clicking on a bar in the chart drills to a
treemap worksheet.

Creating charts
CAUTION: If you are designing a chart to display in a widget on a dashboard that is viewed using
the RapidResponse Mobile client, you cannot drill to a details worksheet that displays both a
worksheet grid and a chart. Only the worksheet grid will display in the details worksheet.
NOTE: It is recommended that you add markers to area and line data series if you are enabling
drill links for the chart. Markers provide users with a visual cue for clicking on a data point in the
data series.
Customizing your chart

For each chart there are specific chart customizations that are specific to the chart type you have
selected, such as bevel formatting for bar data series. For each chart type, specific customizations are
outlined in the section specific to that chart type.
You can also customize a number of standard chart properties, such as text, axes, gridlines, and
backgrounds. For some chart types, you can also display data from hidden columns or multi-scenario
columns. The table outlines the different types of standard customizations you can make and which
chart types support that type of customization. Calendar and Gantt charts are not included in this table
as there are no standard customizations you can apply to those chart types. Specific customizations for
calendar and Gantt charts are found in the sections specific to those chart types. For more information,
see "Customize the appearance of a calendar chart" on page 659 and "Customize the appearance of a
Gantt chart" on page 661.

Type of customization Bar, line, or Combination Scatter Bullet Gauge Pie
area chart chart chart chart Chart chart
Add a chart title ● ● ● ● ● ●
See "Add a chart title and format
text" on page 599.
Format text ● ● ● ● ● ●
See "Add a chart title and format
text" on page 599.
Set axes properties ● ● ●

See "Define axis properties" on
page 600.
Set gridline properties ● ● ●

See "Define gridline properties" on
page 603.
Select the chart orientation ● ● ●

See "Select the chart orientation"
on page 604.
Format the chart area ● ● ● ● ● ●

See "Edit chart and plot area
properties" on page 605.
Format the plot area ● ● ● ● ●

See "Edit chart and plot area
Customize the chart legend ● ● ● ●

See "Customize a chart legend" on
page 608.
Display hidden columns ● ● ● ●

See "Hidden columns in charts"
on page 609.
Display multi-scenario columns ● ● ● ●

See "Display multi-scenario data in
Add a chart title and format text

You can add chart titles and set font properties for titles and labels on the following types of charts:

l Combination
l Scatter
l Bullet
l Gauge

▶Add a chart title
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, Chart tab, click the Chart Settings
sub-tab.
2. In the Title area:
l In the Chart title box, type a title for the chart.
l From the Font style list, select a font style for the chart title.
l From the Font size list, select a size for the chart title font.
l From the Font color palette, select a color for the chart title.
3. In the Font area, select a font from the list.
TIP: If the chart is intended to be displayed in a dashboard widget, you might not want to provide
a name for the chart, as widgets include title bars for this purpose.
▶Set font properties for titles and labels
1. To set font properties, in the Label, Axis values, or Text areas, select the following:
l From the Font style list, select a font treatment.
l From the Font size list, select a font size for the title.
l From the Font color list, click the down arrow and select a title color from the palette.
2. If the option is available, select a font from the Font list.
Define axis properties

You can set display properties for individual axes on the following chart types:

l Combination
l Scatter
l Bullet (For information about setting specific axis properties for tiled bullet charts, see "Create a
tiled bullet chart" on page 636.)
You can hide or show an axis, set line properties for the axis, and add axis labels and tick marks. If you
choose to display axis values you can adjust the angle and font of the values. For bar, line, area, or
combination charts, you can select from two options what the minimum start value is for the primary
axis. For scatter charts, you can also choose the start and end values of the axes.
In bar, line, area, and combination charts you can display up to three types of axis:
l Base axis
l Primary axis
l Secondary axes
Scatter charts display only two axis types:
l Horizontal
l Vertical
The following table provides a description of each axis type:

Axis Description
Base/Horizontal The X axis, which by default is the horizontal axis that spans the bottom of a chart. This axis
forms the base for the chart data series. The chart orientation you select - vertical or horizontal
- rotates the base axis, determining its position.
Primary/Vertical The primary Y axis, which is by default the left vertical axis. You can change the chart
orientation to move the primary axis to the bottom of the chart.
Secondary The secondary Y axis, which is the right vertical axis. This axis is optional, depending on the
number and type of data series plotted in the chart. This axis is only available for vertical charts
and by default it is hidden.
▶Hide or show an axis
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Chart tab, and click one of
the following sub-tabs:
l Base and Primary axis
l Secondary axis
l Horizontal and Vertical Axis
2. To show the axis, clear Hide axis.
3. To hide the axis, select Hide axis.
▶Set axis line properties

You can only modify axis line properties for axes that are unhidden.
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Chart tab, and click one of
the following sub-tabs:
l Base and Primary axis
l Secondary axis
2. In the Color list, click the down arrow and select a color for the axis from the color palette.
3. In the Width box, type a width for the axis line.
NOTE: If the axis is hidden, you cannot modify the axis color or width.
▶Add tick marks to an axis

You can include both major and minor tick marks on a chart, and you can select the color for each type
of tick mark. Tick marks are short perpendicular lines along an axis that indicate the position of axis
values in the chart. For bullet charts, you can modify the length and width of the tick marks.
2. Click one of the following tabs:
l Base Axis and Primary Axis
l Secondary Axis
l Axis
3. In the Tick marks area, select Major tick marks and/or Minor tick marks.

4. To set the tick mark color, click the Gridlines tab.
5. In the Tick marks area, in the Color list, click the down arrow and select a color from the color
palette.
6. To change the length and width of the tick marks, in the Length and Width boxes, provide new
values for the tick marks.
▶Add a label to an axis

You can add a label to an axis, and adjust the label's font, style, size, and color.
l Secondary Axis
l Axis
3. In the Text box, type text for the label.
4. To modify label font properties, see "Set font properties for titles and labels" on page 600.
NOTE: For a bullet chart, the axis label is applied only to the numeric axis.
▶Set axis value properties

You can customize the display of axis values for each axis on the chart.
l Secondary Axis
l Axis
3. To modify label font properties, see "Set font properties for titles and labels" on page 600.
4. In the Angle box, provide the angle for the axis values.
l to display labels horizontally, set the axis value to 0 degrees
l to display labels vertically, set the angle to 90 degrees
▶Set the minimum axis origin for bar, line, area, and combination charts
You can choose to start the primary axis with zero or with a value automatically generated by
RapidResponse based on the data being charted.
2. Click the Base and Primary Axis tab.
3. In the Origin area, select one of the following options:
l Zero
l Automatic

NOTE: You can modify the origin for line and area data series that are not stacked.
NOTE: Bar data series can only have an origin starting at zero because both the bar distribution
along the base axis and the bar height or length are needed to provide context for the data.
NOTE: For the Origin, Automatic is calculated from the data series. For example, if the smallest
data value is 500,000, Automatic will start the axis at a higher value than zero.
▶Set axis start and end values on bullet or scatter charts

For bullet and scatter charts, you can choose to generate automatic start and end values for the axis, or
select a column from the worksheet, including hidden columns. These columns must be numeric in value
and cannot be multi-scenario columns. For more information about the requirements of hidden
columns for start and end values, see "Hidden columns in charts" on page 609.
l For Start and end values, do one of the following:

l Select Automatic to have RapidResponse determine the axis' start and end values based on
the plotted data. (This is the default option.)
l Select Values in columns and select a worksheet column whose first value will determine the
axis start value and another worksheet column whose first value will determine the axis end
value.
NOTE: When using Values in columns, any data values that are greater than or less than the
chosen start and end values are not charted.
Define gridline properties

You can modify gridline display properties for the following chart types:

l Combination
l Scatter
Gridlines are lines that are aligned with axis values to help users read a chart. When you create a chart,
gridlines display according to the chart style you applied. Some chart styles include horizontal and
vertical gridlines, while others include only gridlines that are parallel to the X axis. You can add and
remove gridlines from a chart, and you can display minor gridlines, which can make the chart easier to
read when the major gridlines are spaced far apart. Minor gridlines are typically lighter in color than the
major gridlines, and are spaced evenly between the major gridlines. The zero gridline is set at the same
color and visibility as the base axis. This is visible on charts that display values below zero and if the base
axis is hidden, the zero gridline will also be hidden.
▶Define gridline display properties

You can define the color, width, and line style of gridlines for each axis in a chart. You can also choose to
include or exclude gridlines.
2. Click the Gridlines tab.

3. To include horizontal gridlines, in the Horizontal gridlines area, select the Major gridlines check
box.
l In the Width box, provide a width for the horizontal gridlines.
l In the Style list, select a line style for the horizontal gridlines.
4. To include vertical gridlines, in the Vertical gridlines area, select the Major gridlines check box.
l In the Width box, provide a width for the vertical gridlines.
l In the Style list, select a line style for the vertical gridlines.
5. To include minor horizontal or vertical gridlines, in the Horizontal gridlines or Vertical gridlines
area, select the Minor gridlines check box.
6. To select a color for gridlines, in the Gridline color area, click the Major gridlines or Minor
gridlines list to select a color from the palette.
Select the chart orientation

You can set the orientation of bar, line, area, combination, or bullet charts. Modifying the chart
orientation rotates the chart's base axis and axis positions are automatically determined by which chart
orientation you select. In a horizontal orientation, the base axis is located on the left side of the chart,
and the data series are displayed horizontally. In a vertical orientation, the data series are displayed
vertically, and the base axis is located on the bottom of the chart.
▶Select the orientation of a chart
2. Click the Chart Settings tab, and in the Orientation area, select one of the following:
l Vertical
l Horizontal
NOTE: For more information on chart axes, see "Define axis properties" on page 600.
NOTE: For vertical bullet chats, it is recommended that you display the chart to the left or right of
the worksheet. For more information, see "Select the chart position" on page 593.
NOTE: Depending on the orientation of your chart, and where it displays in relation to the
worksheet, you might want to change the legend position.

Edit chart and plot area properties
Some chart types feature two background areas that can be edited to produce different results for
dashboards with different backgrounds. The chart area represents the background of the chart pane
and any color or transparency changes applied are clearly visible. The plot area represents the
background behind the data charted and color and transparency changes applied to the plot area are
more subtle. You can also add borders to both chart and plot areas. Through a combination of editing
different properties for chart and plot areas, you can create a range of chart looks. For bar, line, area, or
combination charts, you can also highlight a section of the plot area to emphasize historical data or a
specific date, for example the planning date or today's date.
You can edit the chart and plot area properties for the following chart types:

l Combination
l Scatter
l Bullet
l Gauge
l Pie (only chart area)
NOTE: You can only modify the chart area background on a pie chart.
▶Change the background color of the chart area or plot area
1. On the Chart tab of the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, select the Chart
Settings sub-tab.

2. In the Chart area or Plot area, select one of the following fill types:
l None
l Solid
l Gradient
3. Depending on your selection from the Fill list, the properties available for the fill will vary:
l If you chose None, you do not have any properties to select.
l If you chose Solid, click the down arrow on the Color list and select a color from the palette.
l If you chose Gradient, in the Direction list, select a direction for the gradient fill. Then click the
down arrows in the Start color and End color palettes to select start and end colors for the
gradient fill.
4. Select the transparency level in the Transparency box. For more information, see "Chart
transparency" on page 607.
▶Apply a border to the chart or plot area

You can apply a border to the chart and plot areas, and select the border color and width.
2. Click the Chart Settings tab.
3. In either the Chart area or Plot area section, select the Border check box.
l To change the border color, click the down arrow on the Fill color palette and select a color.
l To change the border width, type the width in the Border width box.
▶Highlight a section of the plot area

For bar, line, area, or combination charts, you can highlight a section of the plot area by applying a
different background color to that area.
3. In the Plot area section, select the Highlight a section of the plot area check box.
4. Click Highlight Area.
5. In the Highlight Area dialog box, in the Date range area, in the Start date list, click one of the
following:
l Past
l Today
l Planning Date
l Anchor Date
6. If you want to offset the start date, do the following:
l In the Adjust by box, type the number of calendar units to adjust the start date by.
l In the list, select the calendar to use to adjust the start date.
l For example, type 2 in the Adjust by box and then select Workday from the list to move the
anchor forward by two work days, or type -1 in the Adjust by box and then select Week from
the list to move the start date back one week. For more information about adding and
subtracting dates, see "Date calculations" on page 1255.

7. To set an end date for the highlighted section, repeat steps 5 to 6 for the end date.
8. In the Appearance area, in the Fill list choose one of the following fill types:
l None
l Solid
l Gradient
l If you chose Solid, click the down arrow on the Fill color palette and select a color. Optionally,
you can apply a transparency value to the fill in the Transparency box.
l If you chose Gradient, click the down arrows in the Start color and End color palettes to
select start and end colors for the gradient fill. Optionally, you can apply a transparency value
to the fill in the Transparency box. In the Direction list, select a direction for the gradient fill.
10. To display a border around the highlighted area, select the Border check box.
l To change the border color, click the down arrow on the Fill color palette and select a color.
l To change the border width, type the width in the Border width box.
TIP: You can insert a line into a chart, instead of highlighting an entire area. To insert a line, set
the start and end dates to the same date. From the Fill list, choose None, and select the Border
check box.
Chart transparency
To create a layered effect on a chart, you can apply transparency values to chart area, plot area, and
other chart elements such as markers. Similar to sheets of colored glass, each layer of transparency will
produce a different visual effect. Transparency settings for the chart area, plot area, and other chart
options are set at the chart level when you create or modify the chart in the Worksheet Properties
dialog box.

▶Create a transparent chart
For bar, line, area, and combination charts, you can set transparency levels from 0% to 100% for both
plot and chart areas. Setting transparency levels can allow chart users to view any underlying
background colors or images when the chart is displayed in a widget on a dashboard.
When you save and export a chart as an image, from either a workbook or a dashboard, any specified
backgrounds and transparency settings display on the exported chart. If the chart area is set to 100%
transparency, a white background displays on the exported chart.
3. In the Transparency box, type a percentage value to make the plot or chart areas transparent.
4. On the File menu, click Save Chart.
5. From the Files of type menu, select to save as a PNG or JPEG.
You can now export the chart and it will carry all or almost all of its set transparency levels.
NOTE: For more information on exporting a chart, see "Import and export resources" on page
133.
Customize a chart legend

By default, the following chart types include a legend to help users better understand the information
presented in the chart:

l Combination
l Bullet
l Gauge
You can customize the legend properties by selecting which data series display in the legend and where
the legend is located on the chart. You can also remove a legend from a chart and format the legend
text.
For combination charts, you can format the text for both the legend and the Group By label, and remove
the Group By label from a chart. Multi-scenario columns in combination charts can display scenario
names. For more information about multi-scenario columns, see "Display multi-scenario data in charts"
on page 595.
For more information about formatting legend text and Group by labels, see "Add a chart title and
format text" on page 599.
Some legend options are specific to combination charts. For more information, see "Create a
combination chart" on page 627.
NOTE: Legends are not required for pie charts because they typically include a title and labels to
describe the data being measured by the chart.
NOTE: Irrespective of the legend position you specified, on mobile devices with smaller screens,
such as a mobile phone, all chart legends display at the bottom of the chart.

▶Choose the data series to display on the legend
2. The Chart tab opens to the Data Series sub-tab.
3. Select the data series to display in the Data Series area.
4. Check the Include in legend box.
NOTE: This setting is unavailable if the legend is removed from the chart.
▶Remove a legend from a chart
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, in the Chart tab, click the Legend
sub-tab.
2. Clear Legend.
▶Change the legend position
sub-tab.
2. Click the Position list and then select a position for the legend.
Hidden columns in charts

For some chart types, you can select hidden columns for specific chart properties. For example, you
might select three types of indicators on a bullet chart, basing two of the indicators on conditionally
hidden data columns. The indicator based on an unhidden column displays as the a standard measure
while the other two indicators only display when their conditions are met. Only columns that are
conditionally hidden, or set to let users choose to hide or show the column might be displayed in a
chart.
The table below outlines the different chart types you can select hidden columns for and whether or not
the column displays on the chart when hidden or if the chart requires at least one column that is not
conditionally hidden in order to display data.
Chart Type User can hide Conditionally When column is At least one column is
or show hidden hidden, the chart is not conditionally
column column hidden hidden
Bar, line, or area ● ● ●
Summarized bar, ● ● ●
line, or area
Combination ● ● ●
Gauge - needle ● ● ● ●
values
Gauge - range ● ●
values

Chart Type User can hide Conditionally When column is At least one column is
or show hidden hidden, the chart is not conditionally
column column hidden hidden
Gauge - start and ● ●
end values
Scatter - axis, ● ●
tooltip, and
quadrant values
Bullet - indicator ● ● ● ●
values
Bullet - range ● ●
values
Bullet - axis values ● ●
Calendar ● ●
Gantt ● ●
NOTE: Pie charts cannot display any hidden columns.
About bar, line, or area charts

You can add charts to crosstab worksheets to display one or more data series as either a bar, line, or
area.
The following illustration shows two data columns from a crosstab worksheet plotted as a bar chart and
as a line chart.

When you create a bar, line, or area chart, you select the worksheet data columns to include as data
series in a chart. All of the worksheet's available numeric columns are listed, although you do not have
to include each column in the chart. If you allow users to configure the chart, they can display data for
any numeric column that you do not display by default in the chart. To prevent users from displaying
data from a column, you must hide the column in the worksheet. For more information on hiding
columns, see "Hide columns in a worksheet" on page 371.
You can select conditionally hidden columns for data series in a bar, line, or area chart if at least one
data series is based on a column that is not hidden so that data will display in the chart. Columns that
are hidden will not display on the chart until unhidden. For more information, see "Hidden columns in
You can also display bar or area data series as stacked groups or as summarized bar, line, or area data
series in a single chart or series of charts. For more information, see "Create a stacked chart" on page
625 and Create a summarized bar, line, or area chart. In addition, RapidResponse provides you with the
option of displaying one or more data series as any combination of bar, line, or area on the same chart.
For more information, see "Create a combination chart" on page 627.

Create a bar chart
Bar charts are designed to display data you want to compare by rank, category, or scale of deviation
from a set of reference values. You can also use bar charts to compare data as parts of a whole. Bar
charts track data changes over time and display larger data variations well. For example, compare
monthly forecast values for different departments to one another or against a fixed baseline value.
After selecting the type and style of chart, and setting the series type to bar, you can modify display
properties specific to bar type data series. You can change the shape of the bar to cylindrical, 3-D, or
beveled and define the spacing between individual bars or groups of bars. For more information on
general chart customizations you can apply to a bar chart, see "Customizing your chart" on page 598.
You can also add different levels of transparency to the bars on a chart. When bars are overlapping,
adding a degree of transparency can make the data easier to read. For more information, see "Chart
To create a bar chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l In a crosstab worksheet that contains multi-scenario columns, you can assign a data series type to
each scenario column to compare the scenarios over time. For more information, see "Creating
multi-scenario worksheets" on page 265.
filtering controls, the data presented in the chart will no longer match the first row in the
worksheet.
l If you select hidden columns for any data series, at least one non-conditionally hidden column
▶Create a bar chart
2. Select the Include chart check box.
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, select Bar , and select a bar chart style. There are five chart
styles available: clean, enhanced, standard, basic, and 3-D.
4. In the Data Series area, select the check box beside each worksheet column you want to plot in
the chart.
5. In the Series type list, select Bar.

6. To display the series as stacked, select the Stack check box. For more information, see "Create a
stacked chart" on page 625.
7. In the Axis list, select which axis to plot the data series on.
8. In the Fill area, from the Fill list choose one of the following fill types:
l Solid
l Gradient
9. Depending on your selection from the Fill list, the properties available for the fill vary:
you can apply a transparency value to the fill in the Transparency box. Transparencies are
applied as a percentage value, with 0 being opaque and 100 being completely transparent.
10. To add a border to the bar, select the Border check box.
l To change the border color, click the down arrow on the Color palette and select a color.
l To change the border width, type the width in the Width box.
11. To add a gray shadow to the bar, select the Shadow check box.
12. Repeat steps 4 - 11 for each worksheet column you want to add to the chart. To create a
combination chart, select at least one of the data series as a line or area series type. For more
NOTE: When adding shadows to data series, you should apply a shadow to all the bar, area, and
line data series in the chart. If you do not, the data series with the shadow applied will appear in
front blocking the view of the other data series.
Bar chart customizations

You can define the format, shape, and spacing for bar data type series. A default bar shape is
determined by the chart style you select, however you can change this shape anytime on the Chart
Settings sub-tab and you can even mix some shape options, such as creating 3-D cylindrical bars.
For more information about general chart customizations you can apply to a bar chart, see
"Customizing your chart" on page 598.
▶Apply a bevel format to a bar chart

You can apply bevel formatting to bar charts as shown in the following illustration.

1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Chart tab, and then click
the Chart Settings tab.
2. In the Bar charts area, select the Bevel check box.
3. To increase or decrease the depth of the bevel, type a number in the Depth box.
▶Apply a 3-D format to a bar chart

You can apply three-dimensional formatting to bar charts. In a two-dimensional chart, all data columns
are displayed with a flat top, as shown in the following illustration.
In a three-dimensional chart, all data columns are displayed with a three-dimensional top to illustrate
width, as shown in the following illustration.
2. In the Bar charts area, select the 3-D check box.
3. To increase or decrease the perception of depth, type a number in the Depth box.

▶Change the shape and spacing of bar data series
You can change the shape of bars in a chart and set the spacing between them. These settings are
applied to all bar data series in the chart.
2. In the Bar Charts area, select one of the following shape options:
l Rectangle
l Cylinder
3. To change the spacing between the bars, type a numeric value in the Gap box. The gap is
calculated as a percentage of the space available for the bar. For example, a gap value of 20
means that 20% of the space available for the bar is used for the gap. The maximum value for a
gap is 99.
4. To change the spacing between bars in a group, for example for multi-scenario columns, type a
numeric value in the Series separation box. The series separation is calculated as a percentage of
the space available for the bar group.
Create a line chart

Line charts are designed to display data changes over time, especially in cases where changes are
incremental. For example, track the changes in monthly sales forecast over time between two different
scenarios. Specific to line type data series, you can smooth the lines to highlight data trends. For more
information about general chart customizations you can apply to a line chart, see "Customizing your
chart" on page 598.
To create a line chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
worksheet.

▶Create a line chart
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, select Line , and select a line chart style. There are four chart
styles available: basic, enhanced, standard, and basic.
the chart.
5. In the Series type list, select Line.
7. In the Line Appearance area, set the following properties:
l To change the line color, click the down arrow on the Color palette and select a color.
l To change the line width, type the width in the Width box.
l To change the line style, select a style in the Style list.
8. To add a shadow to the line, select the Shadow check box.
9. To add markers to the plotted line points, in the Markers area, select the Markers check box.
l To change the marker shape, select a shape in the Style list.
l To change the marker size, type the size in the Size box.
l To add a border around the marker, select the Border check box. To change the border color,
click the down arrow on the Color palette and select a color. To change the border width,
type the width in the Width box.
combination chart, select at least one of the data series as a bar or area series type. For more
NOTE: Selecting None from the Style list hides the line on the chart and displays only the plotted
points. If you select this line style, you must select the Markers check box to display the points.
TIP: It is recommended that you add markers to line data series if you are enabling drill links for
the chart. Markers provide users with a visual cue for clicking on a data point in a line data series.
▶Smooth the lines in a line chart
2. In the Line Charts area, select Smoothed line.

Create an area chart
Area charts are designed to display data changes over time where measure the magnitude of the
changes is important. For example, compare the sales volume over time between different scenarios.
Specific to area type data series, you can smooth the edges to highlight data trends. For more
information about general chart customizations you can apply to an area chart, see "Customizing your
chart" on page 598.
You can also add different levels of transparency to the area data series on a chart. When areas overlap,
adding a degree of transparency can make the data easier to read. For more information, see "Chart
To create an area chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
worksheet.

▶Create an area chart
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, select Area , and select a scatter chart style. There are four
chart styles available: clean, enhanced, standard, and basic.
the chart.
5. In the Series type list, select Area.
6. To display the series as stacked, select the Stack check box. For more information, see "Create a
stacked chart" on page 625.
8. In the Fill area, from the Fill list choose one of the following fill types:
l Solid
l Gradient
you can apply a transparency value to the fill in the Transparency box. Transparencies are
applied as a percentage value, with 0 being opaque and 100 being completely transparent.
10. To add a border to the area, select the Border check box.
11. To add a gray shadow to the area, select the Shadow check box.
12. To add markers to an area data series, in the Markers area, select the Markers check box.
l To change the marker shape, select a shape in the Style list.
l To change the marker size, type the size in the Size box.
l To add a border around the marker, select the Border check box. To change the marker
border color, click the down arrow on the Color palette and select a color. To change the
border width, type the width in the Width box.
combination chart, select at least one of the data series as a bar or line series type. For more

TIP: It is recommended that you add markers to area data series if you are enabling drill links for
the chart. Markers provide users with a visual cue for clicking on a data point in an area data
series. For more information, see "Drilling from a chart" on page 597.
TIP: You can use an area chart to create a distribution map effect if you add a secondary axis to
the chart and set the Fill transparency to 100%.
▶Smooth the edges in an area chart
2. In the Area Charts area, select Smoothed edge.
Define how zero values are charted

You can define how zero values will be plotted for each data series in any line, bar, or area chart that is
not a stacked chart.
For stacked area charts, zero values are all charted to promote consistency between the charted data
series. This applies to both combination charts and summarized area charts.
For all non-stacked charts, you can chart all zero values, as shown in the following illustration.

You can chart all zero values except at the ends of the chart. Zero values at the ends do not display a
point or bar. The chart begins with the first non-zero value and ends with the last non-zero value. A
chart with zero values except at end points is shown in the following illustration.
You can exclude all zero values from a chart. Zero values in the middle of a line chart are shown as a
break in the line. A chart with zero values displayed as gaps is shown in the following illustration.
▶Set charting preferences for zero values
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, in the Chart tab, click the Data
Series tab.
2. In the Data Series area, select a data series.

3. In the Zero Values area, click one of the following:
l Chart zero values except at end points
l Chart all zero values
l Do not chart zero values
NOTE: The Zero Values area is unavailable for stacked area series.
Specialized bar, line, and area charts

You can create specialized bar, line, and area charts that are formatted to display as stacked or
summarized data series, or as a combination of data series types on the same chart.
l Stacked charts group data by displaying data series one on top of another. For more information,
see "Create a stacked chart" on page 625.
l Summarized charts display grouped data for multiple rows of worksheet data. You can also stack
summarized data series. For more information, see "Create a summarized bar, line, or area chart"
on page 621.
l Combination charts display data as two or more different data series types. For more information,
see "Create a combination chart" on page 627.
Create a summarized bar, line, or area chart

Bar, line, and area charts only display information for one worksheet row at a time. With a summarized
bar, line, or area chart, you can display a single value, such as quantity, over time for a multiple rows in a
worksheet. Summarized bar, line, or area charts display data for multiple rows as grouped data series
that can be used to compare within data within the series, or data over time. For example, in the image
below, the quantities for multiple parts produced on a monthly basis is shown. You can compare the
quantities of specific parts produced in one month, or the quantities produced of one or more parts
over time.

To create a summarized line, bar, or area chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet must be a grouped crosstab worksheet with at least two Group By columns. One
Group By column provides the series labels for the chart.
l The worksheet must contain one or more numeric columns, which provide the data values.
l Worksheets that contain more than two Group By columns will display different charts for the
additional Group By columns.
To create a summarized chart, you must have at least two Group By columns in your crosstab
worksheet. One of the columns provides the series labels and the other provides the data series. On a
worksheet with more than two Group By columns, the Group By column at the farthest right will select
the series labels. Additional Group By columns will display on the chart legend. For more information,
see "Data requirements for building charts" on page 586.
The following illustrations show summarized bar charts with two Group By columns, and more than two
Group By columns.

For a crosstab worksheet with more than one data column, you can select which data series to display
on the summarized chart. For example, a worksheet for Part Demand might have two data columns:
Quantity and Unit Selling Price. The summarized chart you create can display either type of data column
when selected from the chart's properties. You can also choose to display the summary Group By labels
on the legend to provide further context for the chart.
If you choose to allow users to configure the chart, users can change the colors for data series and the
value for the displayed data column if the worksheet contains more than two Group By columns. The
axis labels are not automatically generated for charts. You must type the axis labels for users from the
Base and Primary Axis controls. For bar or area charts, you can set a transparency level to apply to all
bars or areas in the chart.
CAUTION: Axis labels for summarized charts do not change when the user changes the value for
the displayed data column. If you include axis labels on your summarized chart, it is a good
practice to note the unchanging axis labels for users in the worksheet help.
The following illustrations show the two summarized bar charts for the Part Demand summary
worksheet, one displaying the Quantity of parts and the other the Unit Selling Price of parts over time.

NOTE: The Primary axis label has been specified for each chart example.

▶Create a summarized line, bar, or area chart
1. Select the type and style of chart to create on the Chart tab on the New Worksheet or
2. Select Chart all summary (Group By) rows.
The Data Series controls will change for summary charts.
3. Select a value to chart as a data series from the Values list.
4. Set the bar, line, or area properties for the data series.
5. Repeat steps 3 to 4 for each data series.
6. On the Legend tab, select Show summary (Group By) label to display labels for each Group By
set.
7. Other chart settings will depend on the type of chart you selected. For more information, see
"About bar, line, or area charts" on page 610.
NOTE: You can add and remove colors for all data series in the Colors pane.
NOTE: The Include in legend and Scenario only label options are unavailable for summary
charts.
NOTE: A maximum of twelve data series at a time can be displayed on a summary chart.
NOTE: Multiple scenarios cannot be charted on a summary chart; only the baseline scenario will
be displayed.
NOTE: You cannot display hidden columns in a summarized line, bar, or area chart.
▶Add transparency to a summarized bar or area chart

You can add transparency
l On the Data Series tab, select the transparency level in the Transparency box.
Transparency is calculated as a percentage of the colors applied to the bars or areas.
Create a stacked chart

You can stack bar or area data series on top of one another in summarized and non-summarized charts.
Stacking data series can allow for easy comparisons between the series and might also save space and
enhance the readability of the chart. The images below show a stacked bar chart and a stacked
summarized bar chart. In the stacked bar chart, the bar displaying finance values is not stacked.

Specific to stacked bar charts, multi-scenario columns display as stacked scenarios, with bars displaying
next to one another.

▶Create a stacked line or area chart
1. Select the type and style of chart to create on the Chart tab on the New Worksheet or
2. On the Data Series sub-tab, select the data series you want to stack
3. Select Stacked.
4. Set the bar or area properties for the data series.
5. Repeat steps 3 to 4 for each data series.
"Create a bar chart" on page 612 and "Create an area chart" on page 617.
NOTE: You do not have to stack all of the data series.
Create a combination chart

Combination charts display two or more types of data series on the same chart. RapidResponse
provides you with the ability to include bar, line, and area data series in a combination chart, however it
is bar and line data series that are generally paired together. Combination charts can be used to
emphasize data trends and to compare different types of information. When you are comparing values
that are in different categories, such as revenue compared to forecasted demand, combining two
different data series types can provide a clearer view of which category is higher or lower.

To create a combination chart, select more than one type of data series type when creating a bar, line, or
area chart.
You can only create bar, line, and area charts on grouped crosstab worksheets with one or more
numeric columns. As the charts typically plot the changes in one or more data series over time, the data
buckets in the crosstab worksheet are used to plot the time periods on the chart's base axis. Each
numeric column is charted separately as a bar, line, or area data series. The non-numeric column(s)
provide meaning and context for the numeric columns. If the crosstab worksheet contains multi-
scenario columns, you can chart each scenario column to compare the scenarios over time. For more
information, see "Display multi-scenario data in charts" on page 595.
When you create a combination chart, you must have at least two data series of different types in the
chart. In addition, you can choose which data series are displayed in the legend and display Group By
labels as part of the legend. You can also display scenario names in the legend for multi-scenario data.
For more information about multi-scenario charts, see "Display multi-scenario data in charts" on page
595.
You can use hidden columns in your chart as long as one of the columns in the chart is always visible.
Otherwise no data with show in the chart. When users unhide any hidden columns, they will display on
the chart. If this chart will be displayed in a widget, do not include any hidden columns because users do
not have the option of displaying hidden columns in a widget.
▶Create a combination chart
1. Select bar, line, or area on the Chart tab on the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog
box.

2. On the Data Series sub-tab, select a data series.
3. In the Series type list, select Bar, Line, or Area.
4. Repeat steps 2 to 3 with each data series. You must have at least two different data series types in
the chart to make it a combination chart.
"About bar, line, or area charts" on page 610.
▶Remove the Group By label from a combination chart
sub-tab.
2. Clear Group By Label.
▶Display scenario names for multi-scenario columns in a combination chart
2. The Chart tab opens to the Data Series sub-tab.
3. Select the data series to only display the scenario name for in the Data Series area.
4. Check the Scenario only label box.
NOTE: This setting can only be applied to multi-scenario columns in combined bar, line, and area
charts. If the column changes from multi-scenario to single-scenario, this setting will be cleared
automatically and will be unavailable to select.
NOTE: Only the scenario name, and not the column name, will be displayed in the legend.
Creating scatter charts

Scatter charts are designed to display any relationship that might exist between two variables you have
selected. Data series display as points on a grid, with each point representing two corresponding data
values. Areas of concentrated points highlighting possible data trends that might be used for
forecasting and planning. Depending on the distribution and concentration of the points, the
relationship might display as positive or negative.

For more information, see "Create a scatter chart " on page 630 and "Customize the appearance of a
scatter chart" on page 631.
Create a scatter chart

To create a scatter chart you must first create a worksheet that is not crosstab or bucketed. For more
information about worksheet data requirements for scatter charts, see "Data requirements for building
To create a scatter chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:

l The worksheet must contain at least two numeric columns, which are used to plot one data series
on the x and y axes. Additional series can be plotted by including additional numeric columns. A
column can be used in multiple series.
NOTE: When you create a scatter chart using columns with drill links, the drill capability is not
transferred to the data series in the chart because each data point represents two corresponding
data values.
▶Create a scatter chart
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, point to Scatter , and select a scatter chart style. There are
three chart styles available: clean, enhanced, and basic.
NOTE: The Clean scatter chart and Enhanced scatter chart styles include a grid background,
while the Basic scatter chart style does not.

▶Add data series to a scatter chart
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, Chart tab, click the Data Series sub-
tab.
2. In the Series name field, type a name for the data series.
3. In the Data Values area:
l From the Horizontal axis value list, select a worksheet column that contains the data for the
horizontal axis.
l From the Vertical axis value list, select a worksheet column that contains the data for the
vertical axis.
4. In the Markers area, select a Style, Size, Color and Transparency level for the data point marker.
NOTE: New scatter charts automatically include one data series. To add additional data series,
click Add, and follow the above steps.
NOTE: Multi-scenario data cannot display in a scatter chart. If a multi-scenario column is selected,
only the data from the baseline scenario is charted.
NOTE: You can select hidden columns for tooltips, quadrants lines, and for the start and end
points of axis lines. However, hidden columns cannot be specified for horizontal and vertical axis
value lists. For more information, see "Hidden columns in charts" on page 609.
TIP: Data series are plotted in the order in which they are added to the chart and listed on the
Data Series sub-tab. This means that data series near the top of the list could potentially be
obscured by subsequent data series. To prevent data points from being obscured, apply a
transparency level to subsequent data series.
TIP: Data series can be dragged and dropped within the data series list to ensure that particular
series are plotted before others.
▶Remove a data series from a scatter chart
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, Chart tab, click the Data Series sub-
tab.
2. In the data series list, clear the check box for that data series.
TIP: You can also select the data series and click Delete.
For more information, see "Customize the appearance of a scatter chart" on page 631.
Customize the appearance of a scatter chart

You can add quadrant lines to a scatter chart to help users quickly interpret data trends. For example, if
you separate the chart into quadrants based on sales volume and unit cost, you can easily see which
products are more profitable than others based on which quadrant they fall into. You can also include
tooltips for individual data points. Tooltips can include both text and numerical data values. For more
information about general chart customizations you can apply to a scatter chart, see "Customizing your
chart" on page 598.

▶Add tooltips to a scatter chart
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, on the Chart tab, click the Chart
Settings sub-tab.
2. In the Tooltips area, select the Show tooltips for data points check box.
3. From the Text list, select a worksheet column to provide the tooltip text. Only columns with text
data are available.
4. To display numerical values in the tooltips, select the Show data values check box. Data values
from both columns used to plot the data series will display in the tooltip.
▶Add quadrant lines to a scatter chart
sub-tab.
2. In the Quadrant lines area, select the Horizontal line or Vertical line check box.
3. Select a Color from the palette.
4. Select a Width for the line by clicking the up or down arrow, or type a value in the box.
5. From the First value in column list, select a column whose first value will determine location of
the quadrant line.
The location of the horizontal quadrant line is the point at which it crosses the vertical axis.
The location of the vertical quadrant line is the point at which it crosses the horizontal axis.
Creating bullet charts

Bullet charts display large amounts of data in a single view. Different metrics can be compared on the
same scale and the metric values along with target values and a range of accepted performance values
display on the chart. Data can be compared against the target indicators and against the range of
performance values, thereby providing multiple levels of information. For example, in the bullet chart
below, Actual Revenue is compared to two target indicators: Forecast Revenue and Target Revenue, in
addition to being compared along a range of qualitative values that measure it's performance. Dark gray

indicates low performance, medium gray is average performance, and light gray is above average
performance.
Tiled bullet charts display different metrics in multiple bullet charts, allowing users to compare across
metrics. Each row in the worksheet is charted as a separate bullet chart and each of those charts can
display multiple scenarios. For example, in the tiled bullet chart below, Each row in the worksheet is
charted as a separate bullet on the same scale. For more information, see "Create a tiled bullet chart" on
page 636.
You can also create bullet charts that display information for a single row of data. For more information,
see "Create a bullet chart" on page 634.

Create a bullet chart
To create a bullet chart you must select which data column will display as the featured indicator and
which data column(s) will display as the comparative indicator(s). Then, define the qualitative ranges for
the chart that will measure both the quality and degree of performance.
To create a bullet chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:

l The worksheet must contain numeric columns. Indicators that are used to chart the feature
measure and comparative measures are based on numeric columns. To display multiple indicators,
the worksheet must contain a numeric column for each indicator.
l To include qualitative ranges, you can include columns that are numeric. You cannot use multi-
scenario columns.
l If you select hidden columns for indicator values, at least one non-conditionally hidden column
By default, bullet charts are set to be tiled bullet charts. You can create a single bullet chart that displays
the one row of data in the worksheet.
▶Create a single bullet chart
1. Click the Chart Settings sub-tab.

2. In the Layout area, clear the Tiling check box.
▶Select indicators for bullet chart indicators
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, point to Bullet , and select a bullet chart style. There are two
chart styles available: clean and basic.
4. On the Indicators sub-tab, select a data column to chart as the featured indicator from the drop-
down menu.
5. Next, if you want to select a specific color for the indicator, select a color from the color palette.
6. Select the indicator type from the Appearance section. There are three appearance types
available: bar, line, and triangle. For the featured indicator, it is recommended that you select ‘bar’
for the indicator type.
7. Type the indicator’s width or length, and transparency level. For more information, see
"Customize a bullet chart" on page 639.
8. Click Add to insert another data column to use as a comparative indicator.

9. Select the data column to chart as the comparative indicator
10. Select a color, indicator type, size, and transparency level for the comparative indicator.
11. To add another comparative indicator, repeat steps 8-10.
12. To add a shadow effect to all indicators, select the Shadow check box.
NOTE: You can chart a multi-scenario column as an indicator and select multi-scenario colors for
the indicator border. To change the scenario colors, click in the color to open the Multi-scenario
Colors dialog box and change or add the colors as needed. For more information, see "Display
multi-scenario data in charts" on page 595.
NOTE: You can select hidden columns for indicators if you have at least one indicator based on a
column that is not hidden to ensure that data will display in the bullet chart. Columns that are
hidden will not display on the chart until unhidden. For more information, see "Hidden columns in
NOTE: If you select the triangle style for the indicator, you will also have the option of changing
the length and placement of the triangular indicator.
NOTE: The maximum number of indicators you can add to a bullet chart is 20.
▶Add ranges to a bullet chart

The default range on a bullet chart is Maximum. When you add ranges, Maximum will always be the last
row. You can add 2-5 ranges to a bullet chart including the Maximum range.
1. Click the Ranges sub-tab.

2. Click Add to insert another range.
3. Select the column that defines the range from the drop-down menu.
4. Select a color for the range from the color palette.
5. To add another range, repeat steps 2-4.
6. If you choose to add transparency to the range, select the range and then type the transparency
level in the Transparency box.
7. To display the ranges in the legend, select the Show ranges in legend check box.
NOTE: You can change the color for the Maximum range.
NOTE: You cannot chart a multi-scenario column as a range. Only indicators can be based on a
multi-scenario column.

NOTE: You can also select hidden columns for ranges on a bullet chart. For more information, see
"Hidden columns in charts" on page 609.
Create a tiled bullet chart

Tiled bullet charts display up to eight rows in a worksheet as individual bullet charts that are tiled one
above another or one next to another. All the bullet charts carry the same chart orientation and can
display with vertical and horizontal scroll bars.

Each indicator for a bullet chart displays in its respective chart, with multiple scenarios charted as
additional indicators. The label on the indicator displays the data value from the data column charted as
the default label. You can override this setting and add text to display for the indicator label instead. For
more information, see "Add an indicator label on the bullet chart." on page 639.
For each bullet, the bullet label identifies the non-numeric column for the worksheet row being charted.
For more information, see "Add a bullet label on the bullet chart" on page 640.
When you create tiled bullet charts, all charts use the same orientation. A bullet chart only displays one
numerical axis. Depending on the chart orientation, the axis can be horizontal or vertical. The axis label
identifies the numerical axis. For more information, see "Add a label to an axis" on page 602.

▶Create a tiled bullet chart
2. On the Chart Settings sub-tab, in the Layout area, select Tiling.
3. Select the bullet chart indicators. For more information, see "Select indicators for bullet chart
indicators" on page 634.
4. Add ranges to the chart. For more information, see "Add ranges to a bullet chart" on page 635.
NOTE: The default layout orientation for tiled bullet charts is horizontal.
Create a shared axis

You can create tiled bullet charts on separate axes, so as to compare metrics along independent scales
and then with other metrics. Or you can select to display all the tiled bullet charts on the same axes,
thereby allowing users to compare the metrics directly with one another. By default, each bullet chart
displays on its own axis.
▶Define a shared axis for tiled bullet charts
2. On the Axis tab, in the Axis Layout area, select Shared Axis.
NOTE: When the axis is shared, the length and width controls for the axis are unavailable and you
cannot modify the tick mark width for the charts.
NOTE: The placement of the axis is not affected when Shared Axis is selected. Tiled bullet charts
can display with the axis on the top or on the bottom of the chart.

Customize a bullet chart
You can customize a variety of properties for a bullet chart, including modifying the appearance of the
indicators and the colors of the ranges. Depending on the orientation of the bullet chart (horizontal or
vertical), you can switch the axis to read from top, bottom, left, or right of the chart. Similar to a
combination chart, charting worksheet columns as different indicators (bar, line, or triangle) can make
for easier comparisons of the data and emphasize different types of information. You can also add a
level of transparency to the indicators to display the plot area behind them. For more information on
general chart customizations you can apply to a bullet chart, see "Customizing your chart" on page 598.
▶Define an indicator's appearance
1. After selecting a data column to chart as an indicator, you can customize the display properties of
each individual indicator in a bullet chart by selecting the indicator and then modifying its
appearance.
sub-tab.
3. On the Indicators sub-tab, select the data column you want to modify.
4. To modify the width of an indicator, select a percent value for the indicator in the Width box
using the up and down arrows or by typing in a new value.
5. To modify the length of an indicator, select a percent value for the indicator in the Length box
using the up and down arrows or by typing in a new value.
6. To add a level of transparency to the indicator, select a percent value for the transparency level in
the Transparency box using the up and down arrows or by typing in a new value
7. To modify the direction and placement of a triangle indicator, click Indicator placement an select
one of the four options.
8. To add a border to the indicator, select the Border check box.
▶Add an indicator label on the bullet chart.
1. Select the Show label check box.

By default, the data column value is displayed as the indicator label.

2. To type custom text to display as the label, select the Override text check box and then type the
text in the Label text box.
3. Select where you want to display the label in the Placement drop-down menu.
Depending on the type of indicator select (bar, line, or triangle), the placement options vary.
4. To define font properties, see "Add a chart title and format text" on page 599.
NOTE: On the mobile client, widgets displaying bullet charts align indicator labels differently than
they might display on the RapidResponse desktop client. For example, if you set the placement of
the label to be above or below the indicator, on mobile devices, it might display in the center
instead.
▶Add a bullet label on the bullet chart
sub-tab.
2. In the Bullet label area, click the Label drop-down list to select from the list of available non-
numeric columns.
NOTE: If you leave the Label box blank, no label text displays.
NOTE: For tiled bullet charts with a shared axis, the label displays along the non-numeric axis.
▶Select axis placement on the bullet chart

Depending on whether the chart orientation is horizontal or vertical, different options display for the
axis placement.
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Chart tab and click the Axis
sub-tab.
2. For Placement, select one of the following:
For horizontal bullet charts
l Bottom
l Top
For vertical bullet charts
l Left
l Right
Creating gauge charts

Gauge charts are designed to measure the performance of selected metrics against targets. The needle
on a gauge chart represents a metric, such as revenue or inventory, which points to a scale that
indicates the metric's value. Gauges can contain multiple needles, with each needle representing a
different metric, or different scenarios for the same metric.
The scale values on a gauge chart are often divided into target ranges that are indicated by color. For
example, you can apply a red background to a critical value range, a yellow background to a warning
value range, and a green background to an acceptable value range.

The following image illustrates the components of a gauge chart:
Gauge Description
Chart
Element
Gauge The needle represents a metric, for example revenue or number of units sold, or a scenario
needle comparison.
Cap The circular base for gauge chart needles.
Scale Area The scale area displays the values that the needle metric is measured against. You can define how
scale values are displayed in a gauge chart.
Target The target range provides a visualization of whether the metric is in an acceptable, warning, or
Range critical range, for example. The values for the target range are based on data columns in the source
worksheet.
Legend The legend provides information about each needle in the gauge chart.
Create a gauge chart

When you create a gauge chart, you begin by creating a source worksheet that supplies the data for the
gauge chart. For more information on data requirements, see "Data requirements for building charts"
on page 586.
To add a gauge chart to a worksheet, you must select a gauge chart style, which determines the shape
of the gauge chart. RapidResponse provides four gauge chart styles: clean, 360° (circle), 180° (semi-
circle), and 90° (wedge shaped), as shown below:

The shape you choose can later be modified.
When you create a gauge chart, you must select a data column from the worksheet as the data source
for each gauge needle. If the data column is multi-scenario, there will be a different needle for each
scenario. You can select hidden data columns for gauge needles if at least one needle is based on a
column that is not hidden so that data will display in the chart. For more information, see "Hidden
You can allow users to add and remove needles from the gauge chart. For more information, see "Allow
users to modify charts" on page 594.
To create a gauge chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet must contain numeric columns. The needles in a gauge chart are based on numeric
columns; if you want to add a gauge chart with multiple needles, the worksheet must contain
numeric columns for each gauge needle. The example of a gauge chart below displays some chart
elements that are based on numeric columns.
l The worksheet should contain at least one non-numeric column, which is used for grouping. The
l Because gauge needles are based on a single row, the worksheet cannot be a crosstab worksheet,
which summarizes data from multiple rows.
l The number of rows in the worksheet affects how the gauge chart is displayed. If the gauge chart
is intended for use in a widget, or if the worksheet grid is not displayed with the gauge chart, then
you should add only one row in the worksheet. Gauge charts can only display information for one
row at a time; if the worksheet is not displayed and it contains more than one row, then the gauge
chart will only display information from the first row in the worksheet. If the worksheet user
changes the filtering controls, the data presented in the gauge chart will no longer match the first
row in the worksheet.
However, if you intend to display both the worksheet and the gauge chart, the worksheet user can
scroll through the data rows and the gauge chart will update with each selected row's data.
l You can begin to create the gauge chart before adding the required worksheet columns, but you
will not be able to save the worksheet until you have created the worksheet columns.

l If you select hidden columns for gauge needle values, at least one non-conditionally hidden
column must be included for data to display in the chart. For more information, see "Hidden
▶Create a gauge chart
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, point to Gauge , and select a gauge chart style. There are four
chart styles available: clean, 360, 180, and 90.
4. Click the Gauge Needles sub-tab.
5. In the Data sources area, click Add.
6. Click the new entry in the Data Column column, and select the worksheet column that provides
the data for this needle.
7. Optionally, click in the Color column and then click the arrow to select a different color for the
gauge needle.
8. Repeat steps 5 to 6 until you have added all of the needles for the gauge chart.
9. To display transparent gauge needles, select the transparency level in the Transparency box. This
setting is applied to all of the needles.
NOTE: You can chart a multi-scenario column as a gauge needle and select multi-scenario colors
for the border. To change the scenario colors, click in the color to open the Multi-scenario Colors
dialog box and change or add the colors as needed. For more information, see "Display multi-
scenario data in charts" on page 595.
▶Remove a gauge chart needle
the Gauge Needles sub-tab.
2. Select a gauge needle entry in the Data sources area and then click Remove.
Customize the appearance of a gauge chart

You can customize the appearance of a gauge chart by:
l Including target color ranges to visually measure a scenario's performance. For more information,
see "Define target color ranges for a gauge chart" on page 646.
l Defining where scale areas start and end. For more information, see "Define target color ranges for
a gauge chart" on page 646.
l Changing the position and orientation of scale values. For more information, see "Define gauge
scale value properties" on page 649.
l Changing the style for gauge needles, the gauge chart cap, and the shape of the gauge. For more
information, see "Edit the style and shape of a gauge chart" on page 644.
For more information about general chart customizations you can apply to a gauge chart, see
"Customizing your chart" on page 598.

Edit the style and shape of a gauge chart
You can change the style of gauge needles by defining the base and point widths, and by selecting a
point shape. You can also change the color and size of the gauge chart cap, which is the circle at the
base of the gauge needle. After applying a chart style that determines the shape of a gauge chart, you
can edit the shape by either selecting a different shape, or by defining a custom shape.
You can define a custom shape for a gauge chart by indicating the location of the gauge chart start and
end points, in degrees. For example, in the gauge chart below, the start point is 45 degrees and the end
point is 315 degrees:
When you define a shape that is not a circle or a semicircle, you must provide start and end points for
the scale area to ensure that it is contained within the gauge. In the example above, the start and end
points for the scale area were set to 50 degrees and 310 degrees, respectively. If the start and end
points for the scale area are not contained within the start and end points for the gauge shape, you will
receive an error message and you will not be able to save your changes. For more information on
customizing the scale area, see "Define scale area start and end points for gauge charts" on page 648.

▶Define display properties for gauge needles
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Chart tab and then click the
Gauge Needles tab.
2. In the Appearance area, select one of the following from the Point style list:
l Round
l Flat
l Triangular
3. In the Point width box, type a width for the needle point. The width is determined as a
percentage of the gauge radius.
4. In the Base width box, type a width for the base of the needle. The width is determined as a
percentage of the gauge radius.
5. To select the needle length, select one of the following:
l Automatic—automatically sets the needle length.
l %—the needle length is set to the percentage of the gauge radius that you select. To define
the length of the gauge needles as a percentage of the radius, type a number in the box.
6. To add a shadow to the needles, select the Shadow check box.
7. To apply transparency to gauge needles, in the Transparency box, type a value. Transparency
values are calculated as a percentage, with 0 being opaque and 100 being completely
transparent.
8. To apply a border to gauge needles, select the Border check box. In the Width box, provide a
border width.
9. To select a border color for a gauge needle, in the Data Sources list, in the Border column, click
the border color and select a new color from the palette.
▶Define display properties for the gauge chart cap
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Chart tab and then click the
Gauge Needles tab.
2. In the Cap area, select the Cap check box to display a cap.
3. To change the cap color, click the Color list and select a color from the palette.
4. In the Radius box, type a number to indicate the radius of the cap.
TIP: It is recommended that you make the cap radius large enough to cover the width of the
needle base.
▶Change the gauge chart shape
the Chart Settings sub-tab.
2. In the Shape area, under Gauge Appearance, select one of the following gauge shapes:
l Circle—the gauge chart is changed to a full circle.
l Semicircle—the gauge chart is changed to the top half of a circle.
l Other—the gauge chart is changed to a shape with start and end points that you select. To
define the start and end points, provide a number, in degrees, in the Start angle and End
angle boxes.

NOTE: When defining a custom gauge chart shape, you must define the scale values when setting
custom start and end points. For more information, see "Define gauge scale value properties" on
page 649.
Define target color ranges for a gauge chart

You can optionally include target color ranges for the gauge chart scale to provide a visual indication of
whether the metric is in an acceptable, warning, or critical range. For example, in a gauge chart in which
the needle measures revenue, you could apply a red target range for a critical result, a yellow target
range for a warning result, and a green target range for an acceptable result.
The color ranges in a gauge chart are provided by values from data columns in the source worksheet.
You define the target ranges in the gauge chart by selecting a data column, and you assign a color to
each range.
You can also select hidden columns for target range values. For more information, see "Hidden columns
in charts" on page 609.

The order in which the target colors appear in the gauge depends both on the order in which you add
the colors, and the order in which values increase in the scale area. For example, if the values increase in
a clockwise direction, the colors will appear on the scale in order from left to right. The opposite occurs if
the values increase in a counter-clockwise direction. For more information on setting the direction of
increasing values, see "Define gauge scale value properties" on page 649.
You can define the width of the color range, which is determined by defining the inner and outer edge
as a percentage of the gauge's radius. For example, you can define the inner edge of the color range
area at 65% of the gauge scale radius, and the outer edge at 75% of the gauge scale radius, as
illustrated below. The resulting color range width is 10% of the gauge scale radius.
You can also set the ranges to display with a level of transparency and display the ranges in the chart's
legend.
▶Select target color ranges for a gauge chart
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, in the Chart tab, click the Scale Area
tab.
2. In the Colored sections area, click Add.
3. Click in the Color column for the new entry and select a color from the palette.
4. Click in the End Value column to select the worksheet column that provides the end value for this
color range.
5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 until you have added all of the target ranges to the gauge chart. For the
maximum target range, in the End Value column, select Maximum instead of a worksheet
column.
6. To display transparent ranges, select the transparency level in the Transparency box. This setting
is applied to all of the ranges.
7. To display the ranges in the chart legend, select Show ranges in legend.

▶Define the position, width, and border properties for a target color range
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, in the Chart tab, click the Scale Area
tab.
2. In the Inner edge box, type a number to indicate the percentage of the gauge radius for the
inner edge of the color range.
3. In the Outer edge box, type a number to indicate the percentage of the gauge radius for the
outer edge of the color range.
4. Select the Border check box to add a border around the color range.
l To select a border color, in the Color list, click the arrow and select a color from the palette.
l To select a border width, type a number in the Width box.
Define scale area start and end points for gauge charts
You can define where the scale area will start and end on a gauge chart. For example, if the values in the
scale area appear too closely together, you can change the start and end points of the scale area to
increase the space between scale values. For gauge charts with a custom shape, you must define the
scale value start and end points to be within the gauge chart start and end points. For more
information, see "Customize the appearance of a gauge chart" on page 643.
The start and end points of a gauge chart are specified in degrees, as shown below:
The picture below is an example of a scale area with customized start and end points:

▶Change the start and end angles of a gauge scale
the Scale Area sub-tab.
2. In the Position area, in the Start angle box, type a number that represents the degree angle for
the scale area start point.
3. In the End angle box, type a number that represents the degree angle for the scale area end
point.
NOTE: You must define the scale values to display when setting custom start and end points. For
more information, see "Define gauge scale value properties" on page 649.
NOTE: You can also select hidden columns for start and end point values. For more information,
see "Hidden columns in charts" on page 609.
Define gauge scale value properties

The scale area of a gauge chart can be configured by changing the position and orientation of the scale
values. You can place the scale values below the scale area or at a fixed position, and you can select one
of the following five scale value orientations:

Orientation Description Example
Horizontal Scale values are displayed horizontally, which
works well for all gauge chart shapes. The
horizontal orientation is particularly recommended
for circular gauge charts; scale values are always
displayed upright, regardless of their position on
the scale.
Circular Scale values are displayed in a circular manner

along the scale axis, with the top of the scale
values aligned with the axis. The circular
orientation is recommended for semi-circle gauges
that are rounded on top.
Circular Scale values are displayed in a circular manner

inverted along the scale axis, with the bottom of the scale
values aligned with the axis. The circular inverted
orientation is recommended for semi-circle gauges
that are rounded on the bottom.

Orientation Description Example
Radial inward Scale values are displayed along the gauge radius,
with the start of the scale values aligned with the
axis.
Radial Scale values are displayed along the gauge radius,

outward with the end of the scale values aligned with the
axis.
For more information on defining the shape of a gauge chart, see "Change the gauge chart shape" on
page 645.
You can also set the font size and font treatment of scale vales. The font size you select depends on the
gauge chart's intended use:
l If the gauge chart is intended for use in a worksheet, select any font size you prefer.
l If the gauge chart is intended for use in a dashboard widget, select a font size of 6 or smaller.
Because widgets are smaller than worksheets, a larger font size might overlap the gauge scale.
▶Select the position and orientation of scale values
the Scale Values sub-tab.
2. In the Position area, click one of the following:
l Below scale area— the scale values are displayed within the gauge chart, below the tick
marks.
l %— the scale values are displayed at a percentage of the gauge radius that you define. To
define the location of scale values as a percentage of the radius, type a number in the box.

3. In the Orientation list, select the orientation you want to apply to the scale values.
▶Define how start and end values are determined
2. In the Start and end values area, click one of the following:
l Automatic— scans all data columns used in the chart to find the minimum and maximum
values, and then adds a 5% buffer to each.
l Values in columns— applies the minimum and maximum values from worksheet columns
that you select. To define the start and end values, select data columns from the lists.
3. To set the direction in which values increase on the gauge scale, in the Direction of increasing
values area, select either Clockwise or Counterclockwise.
▶Define font properties for scale values
2. In the Text area, select options from the following lists:
l Font style
l Font size
l Font color
NOTE: You can select the font for all text in a gauge chart, including the scale values, in the Chart
Settings tab.
▶Apply a background color and border to the scale area
2. In the Background area, select one of the following fills for the scale area from the Fill list:
l None
l Solid
l Gradient
3. Depending on your selection from the Fill list, the properties available will vary:
l If you chose Solid, click the down arrow on the Color palette and select a color.
select start and end colors for the gradient fill. In the Direction list, select a direction for the
gradient fill.
4. To add a transparency to the fill, type a number in the Transparency box. Transparency values are
calculated as a percentage, with 0 being opaque and 100 being completely transparent.
5. In the Inner edge box, type a number to indicate the percentage of the gauge radius for the
inner edge of the scale area.
6. In the Outer edge box, type a number to indicate the percentage of the gauge radius for the
outer edge of the scale area.

▶Define tick mark display properties
2. To display tick marks, in the Tick marks area, select the Major tick marks and Minor tick marks
check boxes.
3. To select the tick mark position, from the Position list select one of the following:
l Inside—tick marks begin at the inner edge of the scale area and project inwards.
l Outside—tick marks begin at the outer edge of the scale area and project outwards.
l Across—tick marks begin at the outer edge of the scale area and project inwards.
4. To select a tick mark color, click the arrow in the Color list and select a color from the palette.
5. To define the tick mark length, type a number in the Length box.
6. To define the tick mark width, type a number in the Width box.
Creating pie charts

Pie charts are designed to display data as parts of a whole, with each part displaying the percentage of
that slice to the total of all the slices. The larger the percentage represented by a subset of data, the
larger the slice will be. For example, in a pie chart that measures revenue by product family, each product
family is represented by a slice, and the size of each slice is determined by the amount of revenue
generated by the product family.
The actual values for each pie slice can be seen by hovering the pointer over a slice in a tooltip.
Optionally, you can display values beside the pie slice.
NOTE: Pie charts are best used to portray a high-level view of data; pie charts are not ideal for
comparing categories of data with similar quantities.

Creating pie charts
Create a pie chart
When you create a pie chart, you must identify the worksheet columns that provide the category of data
and the values that will determine the size of each pie slice. For example, in a worksheet that provides
information about demand generated per product family, the category of data in the pie chart is
product family, and the value measured is the volume of demand per product family.
To create a pie chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l The worksheet must contain at least one numeric column, which provides the data for the pie
slices. The numeric column must only contain positive values.

l Because pie slices are based on a single row, the worksheet cannot be a crosstab worksheet,
which buckets data from multiple rows.
l You do not need to create the required worksheet columns before adding a pie chart to a
worksheet. However, you will not be able to save the worksheet until you have created the
worksheet columns.
l The data measured in a pie chart must only include positive values, and can measure only one data
series.
▶Create a pie chart
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, point to Pie , and then select a style on which to base the pie
chart.
TIP: There are two available pie chart styles from the Apply Type and Style list. One style creates a
raised pie chart, and the other style creates a flat pie chart. For more information, see "Customize
the appearance of a pie chart" on page 655.
▶Select the category and values to measure
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, in the Chart tab, click the Pie
Settings sub-tab.
2. In the Category list, select the worksheet column that provides the categories of the data values.
3. In the Value list, select the worksheet column that provides the data values for the pie chart.
NOTE: You cannot display hidden columns in a pie chart.
Customize the appearance of a pie chart

You can select the colors used in the pie chart, modify the appearance to produce 3-D, raised, or
shadow effects, or select an outline to highlight the individual parts of the whole. You can also add
labels to the pie chart to display data values and a title. For more information about adding chart titles,
see "Add a chart title and format text" on page 599.
For example, the pie chart below has been created to display in 3-D, with a shadow effect, thin white
outline, and labeled pie slices.

Creating pie charts
You can also change the background color of the chart area in a pie chart. For more information, see
"Edit chart and plot area properties" on page 605. For more information on general chart
customizations you can apply to a pie chart, see "Customizing your chart" on page 598.
▶Add labels to a pie chart
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, on the Chart tab, click the Pie
Settings sub-tab.
2. In the Labels section, define font properties for the labels. For more information, see "Add a chart
title and format text" on page 599.
3. To include the data values in the labels, select the Show data values check box.
4. To set the line color for labels, click the down arrow and select a Line Color from the palette.
TIP: If data values are too long to include in the labels, they are always available in a tooltip if
needed.
▶Change the colors used in a pie chart

You can change the colors used for slices in a pie chart.
Settings sub-tab.
2. In the Colors list, click on a color you want to change.
3. Click the down arrow to access the color palette, and select a different color.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the remaining colors you want to change.
5. To add a color to the Colors list, click Add and select a color from the palette.
By default, 12 colors are provided. It is not recommended to include more than 10 slices in a pie

chart.
6. To remove a color from the Colors list, select the color and click Remove.
▶Change the surface appearance of a pie chart
Settings sub-tab.
2. In the Appearance area, select one of the following surface effects:
l Flat
l Raised
l 3-D
3. To add a shadow around the pie chart, select the Shadow check box.
▶Add an outline to a pie chart slices
Settings sub-tab.
2. In the Appearance area, select the Outline check box.
3. Click the down arrow in the Color list and select a border color from the palette.
4. In the Width box, type a width for the border.
Creating calendar charts

Calendar charts present information in a calendar view, in a monthly, weekly, or daily format. It can be
useful and more intuitive for users if you present certain RapidResponse data in calendar charts. They
are particularly useful for process orchestration, allowing process participants to see the tasks within a
process that they are responsible for. Or, allowing a process owner to see all of the activities in a process
and their status, as shown in the following illustration.

Create a calendar chart
To create a calendar chart, you must first create a worksheet that is not a crosstab nor is bucketed. The
worksheet must also contain a date column and string column that defines the content of the calendar.
To create a calendar chart, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:

l For mapping purposes, the worksheet must contain at least one string based column and at least
one date column.
l To include an image in the calendar, the worksheet must contain an image column.
You can also include an image in the calendar chart if the worksheet on which the chart is based
contains an image column.
▶Create a calendar chart
3. In the Apply Type and Style list, point to Calendar , and then click the calendar style.
▶Define the content of the calendar

You can define the content of a calendar chart by choosing the column that defines the data displayed
and a column that defines the dates on which this data is shown. For example, you might want to
display constraint names on the days that they are overloaded.
2. In the Calendar Content area, in the What list, click the column that contains the information you
want to display in the calendar.
3. In the Calendar Content area, in the When list, click the date on which you want to display the
information. For example, if you are displaying independent demands in the calendar, you might
want to show them on their due dates or available dates.
NOTE: You can use hidden columns in a calendar chart.
▶Add an image to the calendar chart

You can add images to the calendar so that users can quickly identify items on which they need to take
action. For example, you might want to provide a visual representation of the status of activities in a
process, as shown in the following illustration.

To add an image, in your worksheet you must include a column that is displayed as an image. You can
then use this column when defining the calendar chart content. For information about creating image
columns, see "Format String columns" on page 294.
2. In the Calendar Content area, in the Image list, click the column that contains the image you
want to display in the calendar.
▶Display an image legend in the calendar chart

If you include images in your calendar charts, you might want to include a legend so that users
understand the meaning behind the images.
2. In the Legend area, select the Image legend check box.
3. In the Legend position list, click where you want the legend to be displayed.
▶Adding conditional formatting to a calendar

You can display data in a calendar chart with conditional formatting applied. For example, you can
display activities belonging to a specific process in a different color than others. To apply conditional
formatting to a calendar, you must apply conditional formatting to the worksheet that the calendar
chart is based on. The conditional formatting is then reflected in the calendar chart. For information
about applying conditional formatting to columns, see "Create a conditional formatting rule" on page
323.
Customize the appearance of a calendar chart

You can customize the appearance of the calendar chart by changing the calendar gridlines. You can
also define the granularity at which the information is displayed in the calendar, from a daily to a
monthly view. Unlike other chart types, there are no general chart customizations you can apply to a
calendar chart.

▶Select the color of the calendar gridlines
2. In the Appearance area, click the down arrow in the Gridlines list to access the color palette.
3. On the color palette, click the color you want, or click More Colors to access additional colors.
▶Select the default view

You can select if the calendar initially displays information for a day, four days, a week, or a month. Users
can subsequently change the view.
2. In the Appearance area, click one of the following:
l Day—shows the information for one day.
l 4 day—shows the information over 4 days.
l Weekly—shows the information over a week.
l Monthly—shows the information over a month.
Creating Gantt charts

Gantt charts are a variation of bar charts, most commonly used to provide a visual representation of a
project schedule. In a project Gantt chart, each bar represents a task within the project and is placed on
the horizontal axis. The chart can also include dependencies between tasks, illustrated as lines with
arrows that connect the tasks.
The image below displays the Gantt chart in the Project Plan worksheet from the Project Plan workbook.

Create a Gantt chart
To create a Gantt chart for managing projects, it is recommended that you use the somewhat
automated method provided with RapidResponse. This ensures that you have your worksheet set up
properly to support all of the Gantt chart functionality, such as editing of the task duration and percent
complete information. You can find instructions for creating a Gantt chart for managing projects in
"Create a worksheet for project management" on page 348.
To create a Gantt chart, your worksheet must meet the following requirements:

l For mapping purposes, the worksheet must contain:
l At least three string based columns.
l At least two date columns.
l At least one Quantity column.
▶Add a Gantt chart to a worksheet
3. In the Apply style list, point to Gantt , and then select a style on which to base the gauge
chart.
4. In the Gantt chart area, do the following:
l In the Tooltip text list, select the column that will be used to provide the name for the bars in
the Gantt chart. This name is used in the tooltip that displays when you pause the mouse
pointer over the a bar.
l In the Start date list, select the column that defines the start dates for the Gantt chart bars.
l In the End date list, select the column that defines the end dates for the Gantt chart bars.
l In the Duration list, select the column that defines the length of the Gantt chart bars.
l In the Percent complete list, select the column that is used to show the percentage by which
a task is complete.
NOTE: You can use hidden columns in a Gantt chart.
Customize the appearance of a Gantt chart

You can customize some aspects of the Gantt chart, such as the colors of the bars and whether to
display items such as bar text or dependency relationships. Unlike other chart types, there are no
general chart customizations you can apply to a Gantt chart.
▶Change scenario and percent complete bar colors

Although a multi-scenario worksheet could include numerous scenarios, a Gantt chart included in such
a worksheet will only display the first two scenarios. You can choose the color of the bars representing
each scenario.

Creating Gantt charts
2. In the Bar format area, choose the color of the following Gantt chart items:
l Scenario 1—the color of the bars representing the first scenario displayed in the worksheet.
l Scenario 2—the color of the bars representing the second scenario displayed in the
worksheet.
l Percent complete—the color of the bar that represents the percentage by which a task in a
project is complete.
▶Show or hide the Gantt bar text

You can show or hide the text displayed beside the Gantt, and choose the column that is used to
determine what text displays.
2. In the Bar format area, select or clear the Show bar text check box.
3. In the list, select the column that you want to use for displaying the text.
▶Show or hide dependency relationships

Successor and predecessor relationships between tasks in a Gantt chart are illustrated as lines and
arrows between the task bars, as shown in the following illustration. You have the option to show or
hide the dependency relationships.
2. In the Dependencies area, select or clear the Show dependency relationships check box.
3. In the Predecessor list, click the column that contains the predecessor information.
4. In the Successor list, click the column that contains the successor information.
▶Highlight today on the Gantt chart

To make it easier to see your project's progress at the moment, you can highlight the current date on
the Gantt chart by adding a vertical line on today's date. You can also set the line color.
2. Select the Highlight today check box.
3. In the Line color list, select a color for the line.

CHAPTER 26: Creating drill dependencies and
links
Setting up drill links 666

Mapping drill links to details or reference worksheets 669
Mapping drill links to forms 672
Set up drill links from worksheet cells 675
Set up drill links from a column header 677
Create details worksheets 680
You can provide users with the ability to drill to more detailed records associated with data values in a
worksheet, or open a form directly from a worksheet cell. Drill links can be created for grouped and non-
grouped standard worksheets, including crosstab, treemap, reference, and most chart worksheets.
Depending on how you define the drill links, users drill from worksheet cells or on a worksheet column
header. You can also create drill links to hidden worksheets in the same workbook. Referenced
worksheets are typically hidden until drilled to. For more information, see "Setting up drill links" on page
666.
A worksheet can provide drill links in any of its data columns. If necessary, multiple data columns can link
to the same details worksheet or form, and you can define multiple drill links for the same data column.
When a user clicks in a column with multiple drill links defined, a pop up menu displays for them to select
which details worksheet or form to open.

Each data column in a worksheet can be linked to one or more drill links and the links can display in the
worksheet cells or on the worksheet column headers. For more information, see "Set up drill links from
worksheet cells" on page 675 and "Set up drill links from a column header" on page 677.
You can filter which drill links are available for a column by applying a condition to the drill definition
that specifies that the link is only available when a record is displaying certain information. For example,
you can specify that the link is only available when the record is displaying information for a specific site,
part, or customer. For more information, see "Setting up drill links" on page 666.
As an author, you can specify if the drill link is required or if the workbook can function without the link.
For more information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
When a user clicks a drill link in a grouped worksheet, an associated details worksheet is opened
showing a more detailed breakdown of the summary data column that was linked from. For example,
the following illustration shows a bar chart displaying monthly demand orders grouped and bucketed
by due date, with total order quantity, on time order quantity, and late order quantity plotted against
the chart and set up as drill links to a worksheet in the same workbook. When one of the bars in the
charts is clicked, a hidden worksheet in the workbook opens showing individual record details for the
summarized quantity value with search conditions applied to restrict the results to orders due in the
selected month.

CHAPTER 26: Creating drill dependencies and links
Similarly, the following illustration shows a crosstab worksheet displaying monthly bucketed demand
orders grouped by part, site, and due date, with summary order quantities and order revenue reported
in the crosstab cells and each set up as a drill link to a worksheet in a linked workbook. When the link in
a given crosstab cell is clicked, a linked workbook opens to a worksheet showing detailed records for
that summarized order quantity or revenue value, with search conditions applied to restrict the results
to the part, site, and due date combination associated with the selected cell. Since the details worksheet
is contained in a different workbook, workbook variables are mapped to ensure the details worksheet
shows data in the proper context.

For more information, see "Setting up drill links" on page 666.
NOTE: Scatter charts cannot display drill links. For more information, see "Create a scatter chart "
on page 630.
Setting up drill links

You can set up drill links in a worksheet to:
l Worksheets in the same workbook, including reference worksheets.

l Worksheets in a dependent drill to details workbook.
l Dependent forms.
If you have not done so, you must first create the required details worksheets as described in "Create
details worksheets" on page 680.
If the details worksheet is contained in a different workbook, or you are linking to a form, the workbook
or form must be added as a dependent resource as described in "Add dependencies to workbooks" on
page 247.
You can add one or more drill links to a column. The order of links in the Drilling sub-tab determine how
the links display to users. You can reorder the links by dragging and dropping the links in the sub-tab.

Creating a drill link involves selecting the resource you want the column to drill to, and specifying the
label to display when the column has multiple links defined. Optionally, you can choose to apply the drill
link only when a specific condition in the worksheet is met. For example, the link might only display for
rows where the Part Site is HQ. For more information, see "Conditional drill links" on page 668.
You can also create mappings between worksheets or between worksheets and forms to pass context
from the worksheet to the drill resource. For more information, see "Mapping drill links to details or
reference worksheets" on page 669 and "Mapping drill links to forms" on page 672.

Setting up drill links
You can create drill links to hidden worksheets when you lock the workbook layout. The hidden
worksheets only display when drilled to from the drill link. For more information, see "Creating hidden
NOTE: When mapping columns for a drill to details worksheet definition, the details worksheet
must allow searching. If searching is not allowed, the Mapping area in the New Drill to Worksheet
dialog box is unavailable.
NOTE: For hidden details worksheets, the drill link will not work if the Show worksheet only on
drill to details check box is not selected.
NOTE: You can only create drill links to reference worksheets that are in the same workbook.
Creating multiple drill links for a column

Each column in a worksheet can drill to as many details worksheets or forms as required. When you add
multiple drill definitions to a column, the drill link displays a pop up menu with links you in the order
listed on the Drilling sub-tab. You can create multiple drill links from worksheet cells or from column
headers. For more information, see "Set up drill links from worksheet cells" on page 675 and "Set up drill
links from a column header" on page 677.
Conditional drill links

You can define a condition for a drill link that determines when the link will be available to the
worksheet user. For example, you can specify that a drill link only displays if the row for that column
displays data for a specific site or date. You can also specify that the link displays only when a cell in the
column is empty. Conditional drill links allow you to specify which drill resource to open according to the
data displayed in the row. When you create the condition, you must select the column used in the
condition. Only string columns that are not multi-scenario or set to Group By display in the column list.
With conditional drill links, you can have each data row in the column link to a different resource that
provides more focused information or action for the data displaying in that row.

Mapping drill links to details or reference
worksheets
To filter the data displayed in a details or reference worksheet, you can map the following types of
elements:
l Columns
l Variables
l Workbook filter controls
l Bucket dates
Only mapping elements with applicable paths between the two worksheets display in the drop-down
lists and, depending on the design of the worksheet, different elements might display. For example,
date buckets only display for bucketed worksheets and for crosstab worksheets, the only mapping
elements available are the Group By columns.

Mapping drill links to details or reference worksheets
Different mapping elements in the current worksheet can only be mapped to specific types of elements
in the details worksheet, as outlined in the table below:
This Worksheet Details Worksheet
Mapping type Column Variable Filter Control

Column ● ●
Variable ● ● ●

This Worksheet Details Worksheet
Mapping type Column Variable Filter Control

Filter Control ●
(filter variable)
Date Bucket ● ●
(date column) (date variable)
If you map values between numeric columns, you can map Quantity and Money values to each other. If a
Money column is formatted to display the user's preferred currency, the details might not match the
values displayed in the source worksheet. To ensure the details display properly, you can specify the
currency displayed in the column you drill from. For more information, see "Convert currency values" on
page 307.
The steps for setting up drill links depends on whether you are adding links from a standard worksheet
column (tabular, chart, crosstab, reference, or composite worksheet) or from a treemap worksheet
measure. For more information on creating drill links for a treemap measure, see "Set up drill to details
links for a treemap worksheet" on page 535.
When you define a drill link for a variable in a dependent workbook, this mapping overrides any variable
mapping defined for the workbook dependency. To view details for a dependent workbook you are
drilling to, click View Details to display details for the dependency between the workbooks. For more
When you enable a drill link to a worksheet on a grouped column, the worksheet’s Group By columns
are applied as search conditions against the corresponding columns in the details worksheet. This
ensures the details worksheet opens with the proper data context (for example, showing data for the
same part(s) or date range as the value that was linked from. For example, if a worksheet is grouped by
Part and Site columns in the current worksheet and associated with a Part and Site columns in the
detailed worksheet, then when a link is followed to the detailed worksheet it will open filtered down to
the relevant part and site values. If the Part and Site columns aren't associated with columns in the
detailed worksheet, then the link opens showing data for all part and site values that satisfy the
selected item controls.
NOTE: When you set up a drill link from a crosstab worksheet, only the Group By columns display
as mapping elements. You cannot drill from a non-Group By column.
NOTE: A filter variable in the current worksheet can only be mapped to a workbook filter control
in the details worksheet.
NOTE: Multi-scenario columns cannot be mapped and do not display as a mapping element in the
drop-down lists.
NOTE: When a variable is renamed, all drill links that use the variable are also updated with the
new name. For more information, see "Rename a variable" on page 228.
NOTE: When you copy a worksheet, all of its drill links are also copied. You can modify or delete
the links. For more information, see "Copy resources" on page 127.
NOTE: If you map bucket dates with workbook variable, the drill link always displays on the cells
because the details worksheet displays data filtered to the start and end dates of the buckets.

Mapping drill links to details or reference worksheets
Mapping date columns
If you are adding drill links to worksheet that is bucketed by date, you can map the date columns in the
worksheet to two workbook variables in the details worksheet; one for the bucket start date, and one
for the bucket end date. The workbook variables must be the date data type, as together they provide
the date range for the bucketed column being clicked. You can map to workbook variables in a details
worksheet that is in the same workbook, or to a details worksheet in a linked workbook.
When the user clicks a link to drill to the details worksheet, the date range is passed from the date
column that was clicked to the workbook variables in the details worksheet, as illustrated below.
This method of mapping date ranges ensures that users do not inadvertently drill to a blank details
worksheet, which can occur when the details worksheet includes workbook date variables that override
the drill to date column that was mapped from the grouped worksheet. For more information on
creating workbook date variables, see "Create a date variable" on page 1270.
Mapping drill links to forms

When you create a drill link to a form, you can pass data values from the worksheet to the form by
mapping worksheet columns or variables to form controls. The mapped worksheet data displays as
default values in the form. In the example below, the values for Part Name and Part Site were passed to
the Part and Site controls on the form.

In the mapping list, form controls display in the order they are arranged on the form. The control labels
identify each control in the list and for controls with blank labels, the control ID is used. Only compatible
control types display for a selected worksheet column or variable. For example, in the illustration below,
the Update Customer Records form the only control compatible with the Quantity column is a number
control labeled Order Total.

Mapping drill links to forms
Worksheet columns can only be mapped to form controls that are of a compatible data type, as outlined
in the table below.

Column or Variable Type Control Type
This Worksheet Form
String l Text
l Multi-Line Text
l Data List
l Fixed List
l Check Box
Boolean l Text
l Multi-Line Text
l Data List
l Fixed List
l Check Box
Quantity l Number
Date l Date
When you define a drills link for a workbook variable, this mapping overrides any variable mapping
defined for the form dependency. To view details for a dependent form you are drilling to, click View
Details to display details for the dependency. For more information, see "Add dependencies to
NOTE: When you set up a drill link from a crosstab worksheet, only the Group By columns display
as mapping elements. You cannot drill from a non-Group By column.
NOTE: Multi-scenario columns cannot be mapped and do not display as a mapping element in the
This Worksheet list.
NOTE: When a variable is renamed, all drill links that use the variable are also updated with the
new name. For more information, see "Rename a variable" on page 228.
NOTE: When you copy a worksheet, all of its drill links are also copied. You can modify or delete
the links. For more information, see "Copy resources" on page 127.
Set up drill links from worksheet cells

You can create drill links on worksheet cells for a specified worksheet column. Users can click on any cell
in that column to view a filtered view of data in the details or reference worksheet or to open an
associated form. To drill from worksheet cells in a crosstab worksheet, the last Group By column must be
mapped.

Set up drill links from worksheet cells
▶Add a drill to form link in worksheet cells
2. Click the Drilling sub-tab.
3. Select the data column you want to drill from, and then click New.
4. Select Drill to form.
5. From the Drill to form list, select the form to drill to. Only dependent forms display in this list.
6. To view details about the form dependency, click . For more information, see "Add
7. Select the label to display when multiple drill links are defined:
l Form name.
l A name you type.
8. To specify a condition for the drill definition, do the following:
l Select the Allow drilling to the form if check box.
l Select a column from the list, and in the is exactly text box, type the text string that must be in
the column for the drill link to display.
9. In the Mapping area, click Add.
10. Click = Select = in the This Worksheet column and select a column or variable.
11. Click = Select = in the Form column and select a corresponding control to map to.
12. Optionally, map other columns by repeating steps 9 - 11 for those columns.
13. Click OK.
14. Repeat steps 3 - 11 for each drill to form definition you want to add.
NOTE: Click the drop-down list once to select the field, then click again to display the drop-down
list.
▶Add a drill to worksheet link in worksheet cells
4. Select Drill to worksheet.

5. From the Drill to workbook list, select the workbook containing the worksheet to drill to. You
can select the current workbook or any of its dependent drill to details workbooks.
Reference worksheets display in the current workbook.
6. For any dependent workbooks, click to view details about the dependency. For more
information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247
7. To display all worksheets from the workbook, including hidden worksheets, select the Show
hidden worksheets check box.
If the workbook in which you are adding the drill definition has no hidden worksheets, this check
box is unavailable.
8. From the Worksheet list, select the worksheet containing the detailed data you want the
selected column to drill to.
l Worksheet name.
l A name you type.
l Select the Allow drilling to the worksheet if check box.
12. Click = Select = in the This Worksheet column and select the last Group By column.
13. Click = Select = in the Details Worksheet column and select a corresponding column or variable
to map to.
14. Optionally, map the other Group By columns by repeating steps 11 - 13 for those columns.
15. Click OK.
16. Repeat steps 3 - 13 for each drill definition you want to add.
list.
NOTE: Only hidden worksheets in the workbook you adding the drill definition to display in the
Worksheet list. You cannot create a drill definition to a hidden worksheet in another workbook.
NOTE: To create a drill definition to a hidden worksheet, you must first hide the worksheet.
Set up drill links from a column header

You can create drill links on column headers in grouped, crosstab worksheets. Drilling from a column
header instead of a cell can focus users on details worksheets, reference worksheets, or forms with the
proper data context when you cannot map all the Group By columns. Displaying drill links on column
headers can also minimize visual clutter on the worksheet. You can drill links to worksheets in the same
workbook, drill to details worksheets in a dependent workbook, or to dependent forms. For more

To create a drill link from a column header, the worksheet must meet the following requirements:
l Must be grouped and crosstab.

l Have two or more visible data columns
l Have the last Group By column mapped.
NOTE: You cannot drill from a column header in a metric worksheet.
NOTE: For grouped, crosstab worksheets with more than one visible pivoted column, drill links in
the worksheet cells do not display filtered views of data in the details worksheet. It is
recommended that you place the drill link on the column header instead.
▶Add a drill to form link in a worksheet column
4. Select Drill to form.
5. From the Drill to form list, select the form to drill to. Only dependent forms display in this list.
6. To view details about the form dependency, click . For more information, see "Add
l Form name
l A name you type.
l Select the Allow drilling to the form if check box.
11. Click = Select = in the Form column and select a corresponding control to map to.
Only applicable elements that can be mapped between the worksheets display in the drop-down
lists. For more information, see "Mapping drill links to forms" on page 672.

12. Click OK.
list.
▶Add a drill to worksheet link in a worksheet column
3. Select the data column you want to drill to details, and then click New.
4. Select Drill to worksheet.
5. From the Drill to workbook list, select the workbook containing the worksheet to drill to. You
can select the current workbook or any of its dependent drill to details workbooks.
6. For any dependent workbooks, click to view details about the dependency. For more
information, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247
7. To display all worksheets from the workbook, including hidden worksheets, select the Show
hidden worksheets check box.
8. If the workbook in which you are adding the drill definition has no hidden worksheets, this check
box is unavailable.
9. From the Worksheet list, select the worksheet containing the detailed data you want the
selected column to drill to.
l Worksheet name
l A name you type.
l Select the Allow drilling to the worksheet if check box.
l Select a column from the list, and in the is exactly text box, type the text string that must be
in the column for the drill link to display.
14. Click = Select = in the Details Worksheetcolumn and select a corresponding column or variable
to map to.
Only applicable elements that can be mapped between the worksheets display in the drop-down
lists. For more information, see "Mapping drill links to details or reference worksheets" on page
669.
15. Click OK.
NOTE: Reference worksheets in the workbook display in the current workbook list.
list.

NOTE: Only hidden worksheets in the workbook you adding the drill definition to display in the
Worksheet list. You cannot create a drill definition to a hidden worksheet in another workbook.
NOTE: To create a drill definition to a hidden worksheet, you must first hide the worksheet.
NOTE: When a drill link is followed from a summarized data column, the associated Group By
column values are applied as search conditions to the corresponding columns in the details
worksheet. If you do not want a given Group By column's value to be applied as a search condition
in the detailed worksheet, do not add that column to the Mapping list.
Create details worksheets

Each data column in a worksheet can be linked to more detailed records a worksheet in either the same
workbook or in a different workbook. If the details worksheet being linked to is contained in a different
workbook, that workbook must first be defined as a dependent drill to details workbook. If using
dependent workbooks for drill links, you might also need to map any variables between the workbooks
to ensure that the links open data in the proper context. When you create a drill link to a form, you must
first define the form as a dependent resource in the workbook. Optionally, you can map form controls to
variables in the workbook to open the form in the proper context. For more information, see "Add
You can create drill links in both grouped and non-grouped worksheets. The details worksheet
themselves can be either tabular or grouped. When creating one or more details worksheets to be used
by a grouped worksheet, you should identify the Group By columns in that grouped worksheet. The
details worksheet must contain columns with data types that match some or all of the grouped
worksheet's Group By columns.
If the grouped worksheet is bucketed by date, you can create workbook date variables in the details
worksheet to filter the data shown by date. You also have the option of mapping a bucketed date
column to a workbook date variable in the details worksheet. The workbook variable must be set up
with corresponding bucket start and end dates; when the worksheet user clicks a drill link, the details
worksheet opens with the bucket start and end dates mapped to the worksheet variable. For more
information, see "Setting up drill links" on page 666.
Depending on your requirements, the details worksheets you create can be based on tables or they can
be based on other worksheets (composite worksheets). In metric workbooks, you can only drill from
worksheets that are not metric worksheets.
If you are drilling from a worksheet and want the details worksheet to display data from multiple tables,
you can create a composite details worksheet. When creating a composite details worksheet, you must
create component worksheets with matching columns, and each component worksheet must have
columns that match some or all of the crosstab worksheet’s columns. The composite details worksheet
should be created by adding records from the component worksheets. For more information on
composite worksheets, see "Creating composite worksheets" on page 467.
You can create your details worksheets in either the same workbook as the worksheet that will link and
drill to it, or in a separate workbook added as a workbook dependency. If the details worksheets are
added to the same workbook as the worksheet with the drill link, they are typically created in a new
horizontal group. As illustrated below, this allows both grouped and details worksheets to be viewed at
the same time.

You might define the details worksheet in a workbook be hidden until a user drills to it. However, drilling
to a hidden worksheet in a workbook requires special workbook preparations as described in "Arrange
a hidden details worksheet" on page 682.
If the details worksheets are created in a different workbook than the worksheet with the drill link, the
workbook and any of its details worksheets are not shown to the user until the link is clicked. To enable
linking to details worksheets in dependent workbooks, you must link the workbooks as described in
"Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
▶Create a table-based details worksheet
2. In the Name box, type a name for the worksheet. For clarity, the worksheet should have the same
name as the data column it provides details for.
3. In the Table list, click a table to base the worksheet on. Typically, it is recommended you base the
details worksheet on the same table as the worksheet linking to it.
6. In the Add Fields dialog box, add a field for the columns in the worksheet you want to link to this
worksheet.
If you based the detail worksheet on the same table as the grouped worksheet, you should add
the fields the Group By columns are based on.
7. In the Add Fields dialog box, add other fields to display relevant details.
For example, if the worksheet provides details for a Quantity data column in the crosstab
worksheet, you should add a Quantity field or column to the detail worksheet.

8. If you want to create a grouped detail worksheet, do the following:
l Click the Group tab.
l Select the Group data check box.
l For each column you want to group the worksheet by, in the column list, set the Grouping
Function value to Group By.
NOTE: If the grouped worksheet contains date buckets that will map to a workbook date variable
in the details worksheet, you must create the variable in the New Workbook or Workbook
Properties dialog box. For more information, see "Create a date variable" on page 1270.
▶Create a composite details worksheet
1. Create component worksheets, ensuring that each worksheet has columns with the same data
type in the same order. These worksheets should be hidden. For more information, see "Create a
composite worksheet" on page 483 and "Always hidden worksheets" on page 273.
and then click Composite worksheet.
4. Click Add.
5. In the Select Component Worksheet dialog box, click one of the worksheets you created in step
1, and then click OK.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each other worksheet you created in step 1.
▶Move the detail worksheets to a horizontal group
2. Click the worksheet after which you want to insert the new group.
3. Click New, and then click Tab Group.
4. If necessary, drag worksheets up or down in the worksheet list to move them between the
groups.
5. Click OK.
Arrange a hidden details worksheet

To drill to a hidden worksheet, you must first lock the workbook's layout, as discussed in "Specify
workbook display options" on page 222. If the workbook contains a hidden worksheet and the layout is
not locked, you will not be able to save the workbook.
The workbook must also display worksheets in two or more tab groups, with the top group containing
the grouped worksheets, and the bottom pane containing the details worksheets. It is recommended
you arrange the details worksheets in the same order as the link rows. For example, if you have a
worksheet that drills from a demand quantity column and an on time quantity column, in that order,
you should arrange the details worksheets so the demand order details are first in the group, followed
by the on time order details. An example of this structure is shown in the following illustration.

After placing the worksheets in the correct order and hiding details worksheets, you can define the drill
links between the worksheets, as described above. For example, the Demand worksheet shown in the
following illustration contains Quantity and On Time rows with drill links. When a user clicks a link a
value in a Quantity row, the Details worksheet opens and displays the corresponding details record in
the bucket, as shown in the following illustration.
If the user then clicks the link in the On Time row, the On Time Shipments worksheet opens and displays
shipping information about the on-time orders in the bucket, as shown in the following illustration. This
worksheet was not visible before the user clicked the link.

CHAPTER 27: Importing data
Creating workbooks to import data into worksheets 686

Creating workbooks for importing data into scenarios 704
When you include a chart in a worksheet, it can be displayed in both a worksheet and a widget. In the
worksheet, you can display the data as both a worksheet grid and a chart, as displayed in the following
image.
You can import records into the RapidResponse database from a Microsoft Excel file or a tab-delimited
text file. For example, you might import new customer orders or updated forecast records. You might also
export a workbook to a Microsoft Excel file, modify the data in the Excel file, and then import the modified
Excel file into RapidResponse.
When you import into RapidResponse, records can be inserted, modified, or deleted in the
RapidResponse database. Depending on the format of your data, you can import records into a
workbook or into a scenario.
Importing data into a workbook

When you import data into a workbook, only data for tables that worksheets in the workbook are based
on is imported. The data can be imported into a selected worksheet or into every worksheet in the
workbook. The worksheets must be configured to allow importing of data, with all key and reference
fields accounted for in the worksheet or from automatically-generated values. For more information, see
"Creating workbooks to import data into worksheets" on page 686.
Importing data into a scenario

When you import data into a scenario, the data is directly imported into the RapidResponse database.
The data is not restricted to any specific tables and while you do not need a workbook to define the data,
the Excel file for import must be specifically formatted and requires that all the data fields and values be
defined in the file. For more information, see "Creating workbooks for importing data into scenarios" on
page 704.
NOTE: Data from tab-delimited text files can only be imported into a worksheet in a workbook.

Creating workbooks to import data into
worksheets
When you import data into a workbook, there are different import options based on how your
RapidResponse administrator has configured RapidResponse. You can choose to:
l Import new records and replace existing records with the imported data. You might select this
option if you want to bring in new records and modify existing records, such as adding new orders
and updating forecast quantities.
l Import only new records and reject duplicate records in the imported data. You might select this
option if you want to only bring in new records but not update other records, such as adding
actual orders without modifying existing orders.
l Reject new records and only replace existing records in the imported data. You might select this
option is you want to only update records, such as updating order due dates without adding new
orders.
If these options are not available, duplicate records in the imported data always replace the records in
the RapidResponse database. Regardless of the option you select, if the import file defines records to be
deleted, those records are deleted before the records are inserted or modified.
Any data required by, but not included in, the Microsoft Excel file can be automatically created during
the import. If your RapidResponse administrator has enabled automatic record creation, the records
required to support the data in the Microsoft Excel file are created as the record that needs them is
imported. For more information, contact your RapidResponse administrator.
When you import data, you must always specify the scenario the data is imported into. This can be either
the active scenario in a worksheet, or the scenario you specify to import data into. You can import data
into a private scenario, or a shared scenario that you have permission to modify.
You can also import data directly into a scenario. For more information, see "Creating workbooks for
A summary of the options for importing data is shown in the following table. When you import data, you
must always specify the scenario the data is imported into. This can be either the active scenario in a
worksheet, or the scenario you specify to import data into. You can import data into a private scenario,
or a shared scenario that you have permission to modify.
To import Import
Records for a single table l From a tab-delimited file into a worksheet
l From a Microsoft Excel file into a worksheet
l From a Microsoft Excel file into a scenario
Records for multiple tables or crosstab worksheets l From a Microsoft Excel file into every worksheet in a
This includes cases where data in one worksheet of the workbook
import file depends on, or references, the records in l From a Microsoft Excel file into a scenario
another worksheet, and cases where your customer or
suppliers send you Microsoft Excel files with order or
forecast information.
When you import data from an Excel file, the worksheet must exist in both Microsoft Excel and
RapidResponse. Both worksheets must have the same column order. When you import data from

multiple worksheets in an Excel file, each worksheet name and column order must match the
corresponding worksheet in RapidResponse.
In crosstab worksheets, only the editable rows are affected when you import data. Any values in non-
editable rows are ignored. Data values from the Excel file are inserted into the editable rows and any
summarized values are modified according to the data editing rules for the crosstab worksheet.
When you import data into a crosstab worksheet in RapidResponse, the sets of records in Excel must
match the records in RapidResponse, with the same column headers and order. For example, if the
crosstab worksheet shows demand order quantities for a set of parts and sites, the Microsoft Excel file
must contain data values for only those part and site combinations. You cannot insert a new part and
site combination into a crosstab worksheet by importing data.
NOTE: For workbooks, you can only import data from worksheets that are always visible or are
visible based on a condition.
NOTE: You can create different worksheets in a workbook that perform a different import option.
NOTE: Reference worksheets cannot import data and do not display in the list of worksheets that
data can be imported into.
Importing data into worksheets

You can create vertical or crosstab table-based worksheets that import data. The worksheets in the
workbook must meet the following criteria:
l Vertical worksheets must contain all key fields, or define values for key fields not displayed in the
worksheet.
l Crosstab worksheets must contain at least one editable row.
l If the workbook contains multiple worksheets, each worksheet must have the same name in both
RapidResponse and Microsoft Excel.
For more information about worksheets designed for importing data, see "Create a vertical worksheet
to import records" on page 691 and "Create a crosstab worksheet for importing data" on page 703.
When data is imported into multiple worksheets, the worksheets are read and imported from left to
right. If any worksheet contains records that depend on the records in another worksheet, the
worksheet with the dependency must be to the right of the worksheet it depends on. For example, if
you are importing orders and parts, the worksheet with the part data should be to the left of the
worksheet with the order data. This ensures the parts are imported before the orders. Otherwise, the
part records required by the orders will not exist in RapidResponse, and errors might occur, such as
duplicate records being reported if the part records are automatically created.
For example, assume you have three Microsoft Excel worksheets to import. The first, Parts, supplies new
part information. The second, Orders, contains order numbers. The third, Demand Orders, contains line
items for the orders defined in the Orders worksheet, for the parts in the Parts worksheet. These
worksheets are shown in the following illustration.

Creating workbooks to import data into worksheets
A RapidResponse workbook designed to import the data in these worksheets must be created with
worksheets in the same order, which ensures that the parts and order numbers exist in RapidResponse
before the order line items are imported.
If you are importing data into multiple tables, the data should be imported into worksheets based on
the following tables in the following order.
1. ABCCode 12. Allocation
2. BuyerCode 13. CustomerGroup
3. PlannerCode 14. Customer
4. Site 15. DemandOrder
5. SupplierGroup 16. IndependentDemand
6. Supplier 17. Warehouse
7. Part 18. Location
8. Pool 19. OnHand
9. Model 20. EngineeringChange

10. SupplyOrder 21. BillOfMaterial
11. ScheduledReceipt 22. PartSource
Depending on your data, you might not use all of the tables listed above. You should include
worksheets based only on the tables your company uses.
Default values for imported records

The RapidResponse database requires values for certain fields in order to maintain record integrity
because of the relationship that exists among its tables. During a data import, RapidResponse can
automatically generate some of these required field values if your administrator has enabled the tables
to automatically create required values. For the remainder of the required fields, you need to provide
values in your external data source. If these required values are not provided, the data import will fail. If
values are omitted for non-required fields, RapidResponse populates the worksheet with default values
based on data type, as outlined in the following table.
Data type Default value

Integer 0
Quantity 0.0
Money 0.0
Time 12:00AM
Date Undefined
Datetime Past
String blank
Export a workbook or worksheet to import Microsoft

Excel data
You can export a workbook or crosstab worksheet to import data from Microsoft Excel. For example,
you might export a workbook to a Microsoft Excel file and then share the file with a customer. The
customer can update the data and then send the Excel file back to you. You can then import it with the
changes from the customer.
▶Export a workbook for importing Microsoft Excel data
1. From the Explorer pane, open the workbook.

2. Optionally, filter the worksheets so no records are returned.
You can also filter the worksheets so only a few records are returned. These records can be used
as examples of how the data should be entered in the worksheets.
4. In the Export Data dialog box, specify the location to save the file.
5. In the File name text box, type a name for the file.

6. In the Files of type list, click one of the following:
l Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) - Mac OS only(Version 2008-2016)
l Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) - Windows only (Version 2007-2016)
l Microsoft Excel 97-2004 Workbook (*.xls) - Mac OS only
l Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Workbook (*.xls) - Windows only
7. In the Export area, click one of the following:
l Active worksheet—exports data displayed in the active worksheet.
l All worksheets in workbook—exports data displayed in each worksheet in the active
workbook. Each worksheet in the workbook creates a worksheet in the Microsoft Excel file.
8. To include the worksheet’s column headers in the Microsoft Excel file, select the Include column
headers check box.
9. To include the worksheet’s formatting in the Microsoft Excel file, select the Include formatting
check box.
10. Click Save.
NOTE: Any vertical worksheets that do not contain or do not specify values for all of their table’s
key fields and key fields of referenced tables cannot be used to import data. For more information,
see "Specify default values for imported data" on page 692.
NOTE: If the RapidResponse workbook and the Microsoft Excel file both contain a single
worksheet, the names do not have to match, and the data is imported into the worksheet's table.
TIP: To prevent users from importing duplicate records, you can either filter the worksheets to
return no records, or open the exported workbook in Microsoft Excel and delete the records.
▶Export a crosstab worksheet to be used to import data
1. With the crosstab worksheet active, specify the scenario, filter, site, and so on that specifies the
records you want to import values for.
The records displayed in the worksheet are the only ones that users are able to import values for.
3. In the Export Data dialog box, navigate to the location you want to save the data.
4. In the File name box, type a name for the exported file.
5. In the Files of type list, click one of the following:
l Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) - Mac OS only (Version 2008-2016)
l Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) - Windows only (Version 2007-2016)
6. Ensure the Include column headers check box is selected.
7. If you formatted the editable rows, ensure the Include formatting check box is selected.
NOTE: For complete information about exporting data, see "Exporting data" in the RapidResponse
User Guide.

Creating worksheets to import data
You can create vertical and crosstab worksheets that import data into a RapidResponse database table.
A worksheet intended for importing data from Microsoft Excel must contain all the table’s key fields and
key fields for referenced tables. The RapidResponse worksheets must have the same name as the
Microsoft Excel worksheets they import data from, and both worksheets must have the same columns in
the same order. When you import data from multiple worksheets in an Excel file, each worksheet name
and column order must match the corresponding worksheet in RapidResponse.
When data is imported, the worksheet columns are read from left to right, so if the value in one column
depends on a value in another column, the column with the dependency should be to the right of the
column it depends on.
For vertical worksheets, you can also specify values for fields that are not represented in the worksheet
or specify default values for worksheet columns. This allows you to set values for a field without
requiring it to have a column in the worksheet or be present in the import data. You might do this for
fields that contain the same value for every record or the key fields of tables referenced by the table the
worksheet is based on. For columns, if there is no value provided in the import data, you can use the
specified default value to insert or modify the record. Values specified for columns are used only if a
value is not provided in the import file. This ensures values provided for the import are always included
in the final data. For more information, see "Specify default values for imported data" on page 692.
When you import data, you must always specify the scenario the data is imported into. This can be either
the active scenario in a worksheet, or the scenario you specify to import data into. You can import data
into a private scenario, or a shared scenario that you have permission to modify.
You can also import data directly into a scenario. For more information, see "Creating workbooks for
Create a vertical worksheet to import records

Importing data requires a value for each of the table's key fields and reference keys. If you do not want
to include these fields as columns in the worksheet or want to provide default values for columns that
worksheet users might not be able to provide a value for, you can specify values for the fields. For more
information, see "Specify default values for imported data" on page 692.
For worksheets that contain Money columns, the currency that column uses is included when the data
is exported to Microsoft Excel. When the data is imported, the currency in the import file and in the
RapidResponse worksheet are compared. If they do not match, the data cannot be imported into that
worksheet.
If the data a user is importing uses a different currency than the workbook, that user must either modify
the import values or customize the workbook to display a different currency. If you want to create a
worksheet that users in different regions can use to import values in their local currencies, you can
create the workbook to display the user's preferred currency, and then export the workbook using a
scheduled report that is customized for those users. Each recipient will then see the data in their
preferred currency, and can all use the same worksheet to import data regardless of the currency they
use. For more information, see "Prerequisites for sending customized reports" in the RapidResponse User
Guide.
▶Create a worksheet for importing data

3. In the Name box, type a name for the worksheet.
4. Optionally, in the ID box, type a new identifier for the worksheet.
6. On the Columns tab, add columns for the table’s key fields and key fields for referenced tables to
the worksheet. For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358.
The columns you add must be direct references to the database, and not calculate any values.
If your RapidResponse administrator has defined default records for a table, you do not have to
include a column for that table’s reference field. You can also specify values to use for fields you
do not include in the worksheet. For more information, see "Specify default values for imported
data" on page 692.
7. On the General tab, select the Allow importing data check box.
8. In the Use this worksheet to area, select any of the following check boxes.
l Insert records—Records that exist in the import data and not in the RapidResponse
worksheet are inserted. After selecting this check box, you can choose to assign values for
fields not included in the worksheet.
l Modify records—Records that exist in both the import data and the RapidResponse
worksheet are modified.
l Delete records—Records that exist in the RapidResponse worksheet and not in the import
data are deleted.
9. If you want to keep a record of the changes made when data is imported using this worksheet,
select the Log data changes check box.
10. Click OK.
11. Test the worksheet by importing data, and if necessary, add or modify columns as required. For
more information about importing data, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
NOTE: If you require field values that you do not want to include as columns in the worksheet,
you can specify values for fields and columns. This also allows you to specify a default value for a
field if no value is included in the import file. For more information, see "Specify default values for
imported data" on page 692.
NOTE: You can only import data from worksheets that are always visible or conditionally visible in
a workbook.
NOTE: If the worksheet is based on a table that contains vector data, the Log data changes check
box is not available. For more information about vectors, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data
Model Guide.
TIP: You can add all key fields for the worksheet’s table and referenced tables by clicking Add Key
Fields on the Columns tab and then clicking All Key Fields.
Specify default values for imported data

To insert, modify, or delete records, the worksheet must either contain columns or define values for
each of the table's key fields. After you create the worksheet, you should test the import to ensure the
data is imported as you intended.

To modify or delete records by importing data, the records you want to modify must match records that
exist in the RapidResponse database. In addition, to delete records, the worksheet must contain a
worksheet filter expression. Any record that exists in the worksheet but not in the import file is deleted,
so if the worksheet is not filtered, the import operation might delete more records than you intend.
If you do not want to include all the required fields in the worksheets used for importing, you can
specify a value for the key fields, and use that value to match records you want to modify or delete. By
specifying the values, you can remove the column from the worksheet and the import file, and ensure
users can modify and delete the records without needing to specify the correct value for every reference
field.
You can also construct a value for a field or a column, which allows you to specify a value that is always
used for a field or used for a column when a value is not provided in the import file, or copy the value
imported into a column into a different field. For example, you can set the status of a record to indicate
it was modified, or update a time stamp with the date and time the record was modified. To ensure the
value you want is always set, you should not include the field as a column in the worksheet or include it
in the import file. If the table you are importing data into contains a single String key field, you can also
automatically generate a unique value for that field. For more information, see "Create an insert
definition" on page 565.
In addition to the key fields, you should specify values for any Date and Quantity fields that are not
provided in the import file. This ensures all provided values are valid and prevents issues with inserting
records that do not contain valid dates or quantities. Otherwise, the default value for the field you are
providing data for is used. For modifications, if you have not configured default values for Quantity
columns, blank values in the import file are ignored, and those columns are not modified.
You assign values for fields using the Field Values for Data Import dialog box, which is shown in the

The worksheet columns are marked with the icon. Columns or fields marked with a key icon ( or
) are the table's key fields, which uniquely identify records in the table. You must either include the
column in the worksheet or generate a value for the field.
If you assign values to a Money field that is not present in the worksheet, the value is inserted using the
workbook's currency. Otherwise, the value is inserted using the currency specified for the worksheet
column. For more information, see "Specify the currency for a workbook" on page 224 and "Displaying
money data in worksheets" on page 305.
You should provide information about the import operations in the worksheet's help, including
information about how to filter worksheets that delete records. You should also discuss whether values
are assigned for fields not present in the worksheet, which can provide guidance to users and partners
about the data the worksheet requires.
If a worksheet column is view-only, it is displayed in gray text in the list of columns and fields, and you
cannot specify a value for modifying data. If a column is view-only, the value in the import file is ignored
during the import, which might lead to unexpected values in your data. To ensure values are not
provided for view-only columns, you can format the columns to indicate they should not be modified.
For example, you can set the background color of a view-only column to gray, or highlight an editable
column in yellow to indicate which values can be modified. For more information, see "Formatting
worksheet and column data" on page 291.

▶Allow custom values for columns and fields
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select the
Assign values to fields check box.
2. Click Field Values.
3. If the table contains a single String key field, to ensure the values generated for that field are
unique, select the Always generate a unique value for the key field check box.
If you construct a value for this key field, you might not need to select this check box to generate
a unique value.
4. If you will be inserting records in referenced tables, select the Automatically generate all
required reference records check box.
5. Add or remove fields by doing any of the following.
l To add specific fields, click Add Field, and then select the field or fields you want to add.
l To add every field from the table, click Add All Fields.
l If you want to remove a field from this list, select the field and then click Remove Field. You
cannot remove the worksheet columns.
l To remove every field from the table, click Remove All Fields. The worksheet columns are not
removed.
6. Specify the value for each column or field.
▶Specify a value for a key field column
1. In the Columns and fields list, click a key field column.

2. Select the Assign a value if not provided in file check box.
3. Specify the value to use by doing one of the following:
l To use a specific value, click Value, and then specify the value in the box.
l To use the value from another worksheet column, click Same value as column, and then in
the list, select a column.
l To create a value for a String column, click Construct value, and then click Details to define
the String components. For more information, see "Define default values for fields" on page
568.
NOTE: If you do not select the Assign a value if not provided in file check box, a blank value is
used if the value is not included in the import file.
▶Specify a value for a data column
1. In the Columns and fields list, click a worksheet column.

2. Select the Assign a value if not provided in file check box.
l To use the value from another worksheet column, click Same value as column, and then in
the list, select a column.
l To create a value for a String column, click Construct value, and then click Details to define
the String components. For more information, see "Define default values for fields" on page
568.

4. If applicable, in the Apply to area, select the import operation the field value applies to.
l Insert - Set field to value—The value is inserted for each record in the import file.
l Modify - Set field to value—The column value is changed to the specified value for each
record in the import file.
NOTE: If you do not select the Assign a value if not provided in file check box or do not select
one of the options in the Apply to area, a blank value is used if the value is not included in the
import file.
NOTE: If you select the Assign a value if not provided in file check box, you must select at least
one option in the Apply in area.
▶Specify a value for a key field not in the worksheet
1. In the Columns and fields list, click a key field column.

l To use the value from a worksheet column, click Same value as column, and then in the list,
select a column.
l To create a value for a String field, click Construct value, and then click Details to define the
String components. For more information, see "Define default values for fields" on page 568.
▶Specify a value for a field not in the worksheet
1. In the Columns and fields list, click a worksheet column.

l To use the value from a column, click Same value as column, and then in the list, select a
column.
l To create a value for a String field, click Construct value, and then click Details to define the
String components. For more information, see "Define default values for fields" on page 568.
3. If applicable, in the Apply to area, select the import operation the field value applies to.
l Insert - Set field to value—The value is inserted for each record in the import file.
l Modify - Set field to value—The column value is changed to the specified value for each
record in the import file.
NOTE: If you do not select an operation in the Apply to area, a blank value is used if the value is
not included in the import file.
Example: Specifying a value for a key field

A table's key fields are typically required to identify a record. In cases where a single value is required,
you can automatically include it by including a default value in the Field Values for Data Import dialog
box, and then removing the key field's column from the worksheet and import file. You could configure
the field to automatically create a value when records are inserted, and then use that value for
subsequently modifying the records.

For example, the PartSource table In the Field Values for Import dialog box for the worksheet, select the
Base Key column, and select the Assign a value if not provided in file check box.
Next, specify the value to be used. This example constructs a String value consisting of the values from
the Source Supplier and Part columns. However, you could construct a value by combining the user ID
and current date.

To ensure all required reference fields are created along with the imported records, select the
Automatically generate all required data values and reference records check box.
Next, on the Columns tab, delete the Base Key column from the worksheet.

Because you have specified a value for it, the Base Key field is included in the Columns and fields list, and
has a default value defined.
Example: Tracking when a file was modified by an import

To track data imports, you can add a field in the Field Values for Data Import dialog box, and set it to
construct a value that contains the date and time when a data import is performed. By not including this
field in the import file, the value is set when the data is imported, and you can use the field to track when
the record was added or modified by a data import.
This example requires a custom String field, which in this case is named Timestamp. This field is used to
contain a String representation of the date and time a file was modified by importing data into the
worksheet. The worksheet used for importing data should not contain a column based on this field, but
a worksheet used for viewing the data should contain it. You can build a controller worksheet to switch
between the worksheet for importing data and the worksheet for viewing data. For more information,
see "Creating controller worksheets" on page 551.

First, create a worksheet that will be used to import the order modifications. This worksheet should be
configured to import data, and modify records.
Next, select the Assign values to fields check box, and then customize the field values.
Add the Timestamp field, and construct a value that consists of the current date and current time.

Next, create the worksheet that displays the modified orders. This worksheet must be based on the
same table as the worksheet that you import modified records into, and must contain the custom
Timestamp field. You should also ensure this column is view-only.
When you import modified data in the Order Modification worksheet,

The modified records are flagged with the date and time the import was performed.

Create a crosstab worksheet for importing data
You can create crosstab worksheets that allow users to import external data. This allows users to import
data provided by customers or suppliers in horizontal Microsoft Excel worksheets directly into
workbooks. You can also use the importable crosstab worksheet to create a file for the customer or
supplier to edit, and then import their changes back into the worksheet.
Importable crosstab worksheets are typically used to import updated values for a specific set of records.
For example, a customer might provide updated forecast values for a specific set of parts, which a user
imports every month. Values for any records present in only the Microsoft Excel file or only the crosstab
worksheet are not imported, and are reported as errors.
Any crosstab worksheet can be used for importing data, if it meets the following criteria.
l The worksheet must allow importing.

l The worksheet must be bucketed by date and displayed in crosstab format.
l At least one row must be editable.
l Simplified bucketing must be used.
l The date buckets must display actual dates.
l The worksheet must not contain subtotals.
When data is imported into a crosstab worksheet, the values in each editable row are modified using
the row's data editing rules. For example, if editing the row spreads increases across all records in a
bucket, each value imported from Microsoft Excel is spread over the records in the bucket. For more
If not all rows in the crosstab are editable, you should provide an indication to show which rows can be
edited. The RapidResponse pencil icons on editable rows are not exported with the worksheet data,
so to show editable columns you can use a background color, or define row headers that indicate
whether each row is editable. When data is imported using the worksheet, values for non-editable rows
are ignored.
Importable crosstab worksheets can only modify data, not insert or delete. When you specify the
crosstab setting, any import options you selected are modified to allow only modifications. For more
information, see "Create a vertical worksheet to import records" on page 691.
The buckets in the worksheets must use the same calendar, and both must contain only one calendar.
However, the dates do not need to match exactly. For buckets that are in the Microsoft Excel worksheet
and not in the RapidResponse worksheet, the values are still inserted, but are not displayed in the
crosstab worksheet unless the user changes the number of buckets displayed. These values are inserted
only if the buckets in the Microsoft Excel worksheet correspond to calendar markers in RapidResponse.
For example, if the crosstab worksheet begins with the 15/08/11 bucket and the Microsoft Excel
worksheet begins with the 08/08/11 bucket, the value is imported because the date corresponds to the
start of a week bucket. However, if the date was 09/08/11, the value is not imported.
Any hidden columns in the crosstab worksheet are ignored when data is imported. If a column is
present in the Microsoft Excel file and hidden in RapidResponse, the import fails.
To provide your customers or suppliers with the Microsoft Excel file they can provide values for, you can
export the crosstab worksheet, filtered to show the required records. Worksheet searches are ignored
during the import and export process, so you must filter the worksheet using a filter expression or by
specifying filtering settings (such as the filter, site, hierarchy, and part).

▶Create an importable crosstab worksheet
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, on the General tab, ensure the
Allow importing data check box is selected.
2. Optionally, select the check boxes for each importing option you want the worksheet to support.
4. Add the columns that define the data for the worksheet.
6. Select the Group data, Bucket data by date, and Crosstab view check boxes.
7. Click Bucket Settings, and then do the following:
l In the Bucket Settings dialog box, specify the anchor date for the worksheet.
l In the Bucket area, click Basic.
l Specify the calendars and number of buckets for each calendar.
l Click OK.
For more information, see "Define worksheet date buckets" on page 405.
8. For each row you want to make editable, click the value in the Editable? column, and then click
Data Editing.
9. In the Data Editing dialog box, select the Allow data editing check box, and then specify the
editing options for the row. For more information, see "Enable editing for grouped data" on page
423.
10. Optionally, click the Filtering tab, and then in the Worksheet filter expression box, type an
expression to limit the records displayed in the worksheet. For more information, see "Worksheet
filtering" on page 386.
11. Click the Worksheet Help tab, and then provide instructions for users to export and import data
using this worksheet. For more information, see "Add worksheet help" on page 335.
NOTE: The importable crosstab worksheet cannot contain multi-scenario worksheets.
TIP: If you want to provide values for a new record using a crosstab worksheet, you can import
two worksheets: one vertical worksheet that inserts the new records, and the other a crosstab
worksheet that provides values for those records. For more information about worksheets for
importing data, see "Create a vertical worksheet to import records" on page 691.
Creating workbooks for importing data into

scenarios
You might require some of the data in RapidResponse to be modified by your customers or suppliers on
a regular basis. For example, your customers might provide you with updated forecasts every month,
which you want to import into RapidResponse. You can provide your customers with a Microsoft Excel
file, which they can edit and then return to you. You can then import the data in this file into
RapidResponse, either by including it in the data import process or importing it into a scenario.
You can import data into scenarios to perform any of the following processes:

l You export data from a RapidResponse workbook to a customer or supplier on a regular basis,
and they send back updated data, which you import.
l You import updated data from your customers or suppliers on a regular basis.
l You use one RapidResponse workbook to customize data specific to all customers or suppliers
using profile variables, export the data, and then import their changes.
An example of the process for exporting data for customers and suppliers is shown in the following
illustration. You export the data in a workbook to Microsoft Excel, and then send the file to your
customer or supplier. They update the data in the Microsoft Excel file, and then send it to you. When you
receive the file, you import it into a scenario or include it in the data import process. Over time, users
might modify the customer’s data, or you might need to change your requirements and commitments.
You then export the updated data to Microsoft Excel, and the process continues.
Define a workbook for importing into a scenario

To support the process of importing and exporting data described in "Creating workbooks for
importing data into scenarios" on page 704, you can create a RapidResponse workbook that you can

Creating workbooks for importing data into scenarios
export to a Microsoft Excel file, which you then use to import data into a scenario. You must export this
workbook in a format that can be imported from Microsoft Excel. This section explains how you do this
by creating a report template from the Microsoft Excel file, and configuring it to be used to import data
into a scenario.
A report template is a Microsoft Excel file that defines how data is exported from RapidResponse to
Microsoft Excel and imported back to RapidResponse. A report template uses named ranges in
Microsoft Excel to determine which RapidResponse worksheets are included in the exported file, and
uses specialized worksheets to determine how the data in crosstab worksheets is imported into
RapidResponse. Named ranges can be automatically added to the Microsoft Excel file when you export
data. You can then use that file to create a report template for importing data.
For each crosstab worksheet in the report template, you must add a Settings worksheet to the report
template to define how the data in the crosstab is imported into RapidResponse. A Settings sheet
defines how the data in the crosstab worksheet maps to the tables and fields in the RapidResponse
database. For more information, see "Customizing data imported into a scenario" in the RapidResponse
User Guide.
You can also use a report template to define formatting, charts, graphics, and other aspects of the
report. For more information about formatting exported data using a report template, see "Customize a
workbook to export a report" on page 234.
If the RapidResponse worksheets contain Money values, you must display the unconverted (raw) value
for each Money value. Because this data could be processed automatically or used to replicate changes
from your enterprise data sources, the actual value for the Money field is required. A Microsoft Excel file
used to import data into a scenario does not include the currencies used in worksheets, and no
conversions are performed. For more information, see "Display unconverted money values" on page 312.
▶Overview of creating a workbook for importing data into a scenario
1. Create the RapidResponse workbook that will be used to define the data to be exported. For
more information, see "Create and export the RapidResponse workbook (steps 1-3)" on page
707.
2. Open the workbook, and specify the data settings that define the data you want to export.
3. Export data in every worksheet in the workbook to Microsoft Excel. For more information, see
"Configure the file used for importing data into a scenario (step 4)" on page 709.

4. Open the Microsoft Excel file, and then add Settings worksheets that define how the data is
imported into a scenario. For more information, see "Customizing data imported into a scenario"
in the RapidResponse User Guide.
5. Import the Microsoft Excel file into a new scenario, and verify the results are correct. For more
information, see "Importing data" in the RapidResponse User Guide.
6. If the data is not correct, modify the Settings worksheets, and then import the data into a new
scenario to test your changes. For more information, see "Test and modify Settings worksheets in
the importable file (steps 5-6)" on page 711.
Repeat this step until the data imported into RapidResponse is correct.
7. If the data is correct and you have modified the Settings sheets, finalize the template by removing
the data from the Data worksheets. For more information, see "Finalize the template and
workbook used for exporting data (steps 7-8)" on page 712.
8. Attach the final template to the workbook. For more information, see "Attach the report
template to the workbook" on page 713.
The process is shown in the following illustration.
Create and export the RapidResponse workbook

(steps 1-3)
The RapidResponse workbook that you create for exporting data must contain worksheet data
formatted to be able to be imported back into RapidResponse. This requires tabular worksheets to
contain all of the table’s key fields, and crosstab worksheets to be formatted to match the layout
required for the Data worksheets. For more information, see "Customizing data imported into a
scenario" in the RapidResponse User Guide.
If the worksheets contain any columns that use Money fields or expressions that return Money values,
you must format these columns to return unconverted values using the RAWVALUE function. For
example, if your worksheet includes a column based on the UnitSellingPrice field, the expression would
be RAWVALUE(UnitSellingPrice). This ensures the values can be imported back into
RapidResponse regardless of the currencies the values are stored in. For more information, see
"RAWVALUE" on page 1209.

Regardless of how you set up the worksheets, when you export the data you must specify that the data
is exported in a format that can be imported into a RapidResponse scenario.
When you export the workbook data in the importable format, a Microsoft Excel worksheet named
'Settings_Variables' is automatically inserted into the exported file. This worksheet contains the values
you have specified in the workbook’s data settings and variables. You can use these values to configure
how the data is imported back in to RapidResponse. For more information, see "Configure the file used
for importing data into a scenario (step 4)" on page 709.
When you export tabular worksheet data in the importable format, the column headers are modified to
include the table and field name that column represents. If you did not define named ranges in the
Microsoft Excel template, the worksheets are renamed to match the table name the data is imported
into.
▶Create a workbook to export data
1. On the File menu, point to New , and then click Workbook .

2. In the New Workbook dialog box, in the Name box, type the name of the workbook.
4. Click New, and then click Worksheet (Table-based).
5. For each worksheet you add, do one of the following:
l For tabular worksheets, ensure the worksheet contains all of the table’s key fields. For more
information, see "Create a vertical worksheet to import records" on page 691.
l For crosstab worksheets, arrange the dimension columns in the order required, as specified in
"Customizing data imported into a scenario" in the RapidResponse User Guide.
6. If necessary, on the Variables tab, create variables that can be used in expressions in the
worksheets.
7. On the Worksheet Help tab, describe the workbook, what it is used for, and the variables it uses.
▶Specify the data to export
1. In the Explorer, double-click the workbook you created to export data.

2. On the workbook toolbar, click Data Settings .
3. In the Data Settings dialog box, specify the filter, site, and so on that define the data you want to
export.
▶Export the workbook to Microsoft Excel
1. If the workbook is not open, in the Explorer, double-click the workbook you want to export.
2. If required, specify the data settings that define the data you want to export.
3. On the Data menu, click Export data.
4. In the Export Data dialog box, navigate to the location you want to save the file.
5. If necessary, in the Export area, click All worksheets in the workbook.
6. In the File name box, type a name for the exported file.
7. In the File type list, click one of the following:
l Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) - Mac OS only (Versions 2008-2016)
l Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) - Windows only (Versions 2007-2016)

8. Select the Configure the exported file for importing into a scenario check box.
Configure the file used for importing data into a

scenario (step 4)
After you export the data, if you exported crosstab worksheets, you must add a Settings worksheet to
specify how the data in the worksheets is imported into RapidResponse. It is recommended you create a
separate Settings worksheet for each crosstab worksheet in the Microsoft Excel file. For complete
information about Settings sheets, see "Customizing data imported into a scenario" in the
It is recommended that you copy the Settings worksheets from the sample importable Microsoft Excel
file included with RapidResponse. These Settings sheets contain the configurations required to import
the data in the sample file’s Data worksheets. After you copy the worksheet, you must modify the
configuration sections to specify settings for your data. For information about obtaining this file,
contact your RapidResponse administrator.
You can also create a new Settings worksheet. Regardless of whether you create your own or copy the
sample Settings sheets, each Settings sheet must include the configuration sections required to define
the imported data. For more information, see "Customizing data imported into a scenario" in the
When you configure Settings sheets, you must ensure the worksheets in the Microsoft Excel file are
defined in the settings sections. Otherwise, the data in the Microsoft Excel file does not properly import
into RapidResponse.
When data is exported in the importable format, a specially-formatted Settings sheet named 'Settings_
Variables' is automatically included in the Microsoft Excel file. This worksheet contains the workbook
control settings, variable values, and other information that defined the data you exported. You can use
this worksheet to insert values in other Settings worksheets. This worksheet is hidden, so if you want to
use it to create the values in the other Settings sheets, you must show it.
You can include values from the Settings_Variables worksheet by creating a formula in a cell and
assigning the value to the named range that contains the value. For example, if you want a cell to
contain the value in the named range SelectedSite, the formula for the cell would be =SelectedSite.
You can also use the named ranges in more complex formulas, such as combining a named range with a
string value. For example, if you want a cell to contain a RapidResponse expression comparing the Site
field to the value in the SelectedSite named range, the formula would be =CONCATENATE("Site = ",
SelectedSite).
The Settings_Variables worksheet also contains ranges named DeletionScope and WhereClause, which
define the filter settings (filter, site, model, pool, and so on) for each worksheet that was exported. You
can use these values to delete the records before importing new records using this workbook, to
ensure that no duplicates are imported.
However, in some cases the DeletionScope and WhereClause named ranges might delete more records
than intended. For example, if the DeletionScope uses the All Sites site filter, a user with access to three
sites exports data for those three sites but sets the DeletionScope to use All Sites. If a user with access
to eight sites imports that data, the All Sites filter in the DeletionScope deletes the records from all eight
of the user’s sites, but imports data for only the three sites available to the other user. If you use the
DeletionScope or WhereClause to delete records, you should include a note in the workbook help

explaining how users should not use All Sites to export data. For more information about workbook
help, see "Add workbook help" on page 334. For more information about specifying which records are
deleted, see "Settings sheet syntax" in the RapidResponse User Guide.
▶Show the Settings_Variables worksheet
1. In Microsoft Excel, open the file you exported.

2. Right-click the worksheet tabs, and then click Unhide.
3. In the list, click Settings_Variables, and then click OK.
▶Copy a Settings worksheet from the sample importable file into the Microsoft Excel file
1. In Microsoft Excel, open both the file you exported and the SampleImportableSpreadsheet.xls
file.
2. Ensure the SampleImportableSpreadsheet.xls file is active.
3. Right-click the Settings worksheet tab, and then click Move or Copy.
4. In the Move or Copy dialog box, in the Workbook list, click the file you exported.
5. In the Before sheet list, click where you want to insert the Settings worksheet.
6. Select the Create a copy check box, and then click OK.
▶Create a Settings worksheet
1. In Microsoft Excel, open the file you exported.

2. Click the Insert Worksheet worksheet tab.
3. Right-click the new worksheet tab, and then click Rename.
4. Type a name that begins with 'Settings', and then press Enter.
5. Add the Settings sections. For more information, see "Settings sheet syntax" in the RapidResponse
User Guide.
▶To configure the Settings worksheet
1. In the SheetType section, specify whether the Settings worksheet processes Crosstab or Tabular
worksheets.
2. If you specified Crosstab in step 1, in column B, specify whether the data is imported into the
ScheduledReceipt or IndependentDemand table. You must also specify the namespace these
tables exist in. For example, specify Mfg::IndpendentDemand to import into the
IndependentDemand table in the Mfg namespace.
3. In the SheetsToProcess section, specify the Data worksheet this Settings worksheet processes.
4. If you specified Tabular in step 1, in column B, specify the namespace and table the worksheet
imports data into. For example, specify Mfg::IndpendentDemand to import into the
IndependentDemand table in the Mfg namespace.
5. If you want to enable the worksheet to delete records before importing, in column C of the
SheetsToProcess section, type the expression that defines the records that can be deleted.
You can also refer to the DeletionScope or WhereClause named ranges to insert the expression.
These ranges are automatically created in the Settings_Variables worksheet. The expression
defined in these ranges identifies the records you exported into this file.
If you specified Tabular in step 1, go to step 14.

6. In the OrderPrefix section, specify the string that will be used in the order number for each
imported record.
7. In the OptionalFlags section, if you want the header records to be generated, in column A, type
'CreateHeaderRecord'.
8. In the ExcelColumns section, in column A, specify the name assigned to each column in the Data
worksheet.
9. If you included the OptionalFlags section, in the AdditionalHeaderData section, do the
following:
l In column A, type 'Data', and then in the next row, specify the worksheet these header
records are defined for.
l In column B, in the same row as the Data section is defined, specify the field the additional
data is defined for.
l Specify the value inserted into the field for each worksheet you specified.
l In column A, in the row after the worksheets are defined, type '/Data'.
Repeat this step for each value you want to specify for the header records.
10. In the AdditionalData section, do the following:
l In column A type 'Data', and then in the next row, specify the worksheet these records are
defined for.
l In column B, in the same row as the Data section is defined, specify the field the additional
data is defined for.
l Specify the value inserted into the field for each worksheet you specified.
l In column A, in the row after the worksheets are defined, type '/Data'.
Repeat this step for each value you want to specify for the records.
11. In the MapSites section, in column A specify the sites that appear in the Data worksheets, and in
column B specify the RapidResponse sites they map to.
12. In the MapTypes section, in column A specify the order types that appear in the Data worksheets
and in column B specify the RapidResponse types they map to.
13. In column C of the MapTypes section, specify the field you want to provide additional
customization to, and then specify the value inserted into that field for each order type.
Repeat this step for each additional field you want to specify values for.
14. In the Version section, type 400.
For complete information about Settings sheets, see "Settings sheet syntax" in the RapidResponse
User Guide.
Test and modify Settings worksheets in the

importable file (steps 5-6)
After you have configured the Settings worksheets for the Microsoft Excel file, you must import the data
into a new scenario to test the settings. You should ensure the records are imported using the data
formats and values you specified in the Settings worksheets.
If the imported data is not correct, you can modify the Settings worksheets, and then import the data
again. You must repeat this process until the data imports correctly.

▶Test the import file
1. In RapidResponse, create a new scenario.

2. On the Data menu, point to Import Data to, and then click Scenario.
3. In the Import Data to Scenario dialog box, click Browse.
4. Navigate to the location you saved the Microsoft Excel file, click the file, and then click Open.
5. In the Scenario list, click the scenario created in step 1.
6. In the How do you want the data in your import file to be processed? section, click Insert new
records and replace existing records.
7. Select the Confirm changes before importing check box, and then click Import.
▶Confirm the imported data is correct
1. In the Confirm Changes dialog box, verify the numbers in the Inserted, Modified, and Deleted
columns for each table look correct, and then click Yes.
2. If it is not already open, in the Explorer, double-click the workbook you created for exporting the
data.
3. In the Scenario list, click the scenario you imported the data into.
4. Verify the records in the workbook are what you expected.
5. If the records are not correct, modify the configuration sections in the Settings worksheets, as
described in "Configure the file used for importing data into a scenario (step 4)" on page 709.
Otherwise, attach the template file containing the final Settings sheets to the workbook, as
described in "Finalize the template and workbook used for exporting data (steps 7-8)" on page
712.
Finalize the template and workbook used for exporting

data (steps 7-8)
When the Settings worksheets are creating the correct results during imports, you can finalize the
template and attach it to the RapidResponse workbook.
Before attaching the final template, delete the records in every Data worksheet in the template file.
Otherwise, the template will include the data you exported in "Create and export the RapidResponse
workbook (steps 1-3)" on page 707. If you do not remove this data, the data you export to Microsoft
Excel using the template will be combined with the initial data, which can produce incorrect records in
the Microsoft Excel file.
When you export the workbook’s data to Microsoft Excel, you can specify whether the Settings
worksheets are included with the exported data. By not including the Settings sheets, the values cannot
be accidentally modified, which ensures the data being imported always imports correctly. Not including
the Settings sheets also improves security, because users, customers, and suppliers cannot see the data
settings.
If the Settings worksheets are not included with the exported file, they are stored in the RapidResponse
database. The Microsoft Excel template file refers to the Settings sheets, so they are linked together.
This allows any user to import data from the Microsoft Excel file, and the Settings are read from the
database and are applied to the data being imported, regardless of whether that user has access to the
workbook.

When data is exported from the workbook, the Microsoft Excel file created for the data is also
importable, and uses the Settings worksheets contained in RapidResponse. Any user with access to the
workbook can export the importable Microsoft Excel file.
Settings sheets are kept in RapidResponse for up to 45 days before they are automatically deleted.
After finalizing the workbook and the report template, you can export the workbook and send it to your
suppliers or customers. You can do this either by exporting the workbook data, or by creating an alert
that generates a report customized for different recipients. For more information, see the RapidResponse
User Guide.
If your company has multiple installations of RapidResponse, you can share the RapidResponse
workbook with data administrators or system administrators using the other installations. This allows
all users in your company to import the data in the Microsoft Excel files generated by exporting the
workbook. For more information about sharing resources between RapidResponse installations, see
"Import and export resources" on page 133.
▶Finalize the report template
1. In Microsoft Excel, click the worksheet tab for a Data worksheet.

2. Select all the rows in the worksheet, and then click Clear Contents.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for every Data worksheet in the Microsoft Excel file.
4. Save the file.
CAUTION: If you delete the cell data instead of clearing contents, you delete the named ranges in
the worksheet as well as the data values. Clearing contents removes only the data values.
TIP: You can also remove formatting from the worksheet by selecting the rows and then clicking
Clear Formats.
▶Attach the report template to the workbook
1. In the Explorer, click the workbook you created for exporting the data.
2. On the File menu, click Properties.
3. In the Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Exporting tab.
4. Click Attach Template.
5. Navigate to the location you saved the report template file.
7. Select the Configure the exported file for importing data to a scenario check box.
8. Clear the Include the Settings worksheets in the exported file check box.
Named ranges and deleting data

If you delete the data in a cell that contains a named range, the reference to that cell might be lost.
When you delete the data in the worksheets, you should check the named ranges to ensure they are
referring to the proper cells. Named ranges are referenced in the format
WorksheetName!$Column$Row. For example, a named range in cell A1 of the Orders worksheet is
referenced as 'Orders!$A$1'.

▶Fix a named range
1. Press CTRL-F3 to open the Name Manager dialog box.

2. If a named range’s value is #REF!, click the named range, and then click Edit.
3. In the Refers to area, delete #REF!, so the Refers to area contains only the worksheet name and
the exclamation point (for example, =Orders!).
4. After the exclamation point, type $ followed by the column the named range exists in (for
example, =Orders!$A).
5. After the column, type $ followed by the row the named range exists in (for example,
=Orders!$A$1).
6. Click OK.
7. Save the file.

CHAPTER 28: Creating workbooks to automate
business processes
Create worksheets for updating records 716

Create worksheets for modifying records 721
Create worksheets for inserting records 723
Create worksheets for deleting records 726
Test an operation 727
Create workbook commands that modify data 730
Create commands that open a form 734
Create commands that run scripts 738
Create commands that run automatically 740
Edit or delete commands 741
If your RapidResponse administrator has granted you the appropriate permissions, you can create
worksheets and workbooks that can automate parts of your business processes. For example, you might
have a process that users follow to import customer forecast data from Microsoft Excel, and then modify
the imported records to use your company’s order types and status codes. Instead of users performing
these modifications, you can automatically modify the data.
You define automatic data modifications in a workbook. Each modification uses the operations defined in
worksheets in that workbook to modify the data. You can allow users to run the modification or schedule
it to run automatically, or you can specify it to run automatically when a user opens the workbook or
saves data in a worksheet.
The following operations can be used to automatically modify data:
l Delete records—Deletes records. This operation can be used to delete the records that are no
longer required, such as demand orders that have been canceled. For more information, see "Create
worksheets for deleting records" on page 726.
l Modify records—Changes values in records. This operation can be used to replace values in
imported records with the values your company uses, such as changing an order status code in an
imported record. For more information, see "Create worksheets for modifying records" on page 721.
l Update records—Modifies a set of records so they match another set of records. This operation can
be used to insert, modify, or delete records. For more information, see "Create worksheets for
updating records" on page 716.
l Insert records—Inserts records. This operation can be used to copy records between database
tables, such as moving supply records into inventory. For more information, see "Create worksheets
for inserting records" on page 723.
These operations are defined using worksheets. Worksheets are used to automatically modify data
specify the operation they perform, and the data the operations runs on. For example, to modify a set of

records, you define a worksheet that is used to modify records, and then add columns that identify the
record values to be modified.
If you have permission to create data modification commands, after you define the worksheets you can
define commands that a user can run to modify the data or use in a scheduled task to automatically
modify the data. A modify data command can perform any number of operations, which are performed
in the order you specify. For more information, see "Create workbook commands that modify data" on
page 730.
You can also create commands that run scripts and commands that open forms. Workbook users can
then run a script or a form which automates parts of business processes. For more information, see
"Create commands that run scripts" on page 738 and "Create commands that open a form" on page 734.
For each command you create, you can specify if it is visible to workbook users, and which worksheets it
is visible in. Depending on the options you choose, a command could be available in every worksheet or
only in a few worksheets. Specifically for modify data or run script commands you can also set the
command to be unavailable for users to run. You might hide a command from users if it is intended to
run only when the workbook is opened or when a user saves data changes. For more information about
these commands, see "Create commands that run automatically" on page 740.
▶Overview for automating businesses processes
1. If required, create the worksheets required for each operation or add the form dependency to
the workbook.
2. Test the operations to ensure any worksheets are defined correctly.
3. Create the workbook commands.
4. Optionally, create data modification scheduled tasks to run the commands. For more
information, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
5. Share the workbook with users who require the commands.
NOTE: You cannot use worksheets that contain grouped data to automate business processes.
For more information, see "Group column data" on page 382.
Create worksheets for updating records

An automatic data modification that updates records requires two worksheets. One, the destination
worksheet, contains the records that will be updated. This worksheet also defines which operations are
performed when the update operation runs. The other, the source worksheet, contains the records as
you want them to appear. To perform the update operation, the following conditions must be met:
l Two worksheets must be created with matching columns.

During the update operation, records in one worksheet are updated to match the records in the
other worksheet. If the destination worksheet does not contain a record that is in the source
worksheet, it can be inserted. If the destination worksheet contains a record that is not in the
source worksheet, it can be deleted. If a record exists in both worksheets, its fields can be updated
with values in the source worksheet.
All columns in the worksheets must match. If you hide columns in the source or destination
worksheet, those columns are still considered in the update operation. To ensure the update
completes, the worksheet columns should not be hidden.

CHAPTER 28: Creating workbooks to automate business processes
The destination worksheet must be table-based. The source worksheet can be table-based or
composite.
References to other tables can provide the full table reference as a column with the Use as
reference option enabled, or as separate columns for each field in the reference. The reference
usage must be the same in both the source and destination worksheet. If the reference field is a
key field of the table the worksheet is based on, you cannot use the reference. For more
information, see "Add a table reference as a column" on page 360.
The source worksheet must not contain multi-scenario columns.
If the source and destination worksheets contain Money columns, the currencies applied to the
columns are ignored, and the update operation is performed using the workbook currency. If
required, the updated value is then converted to the destination record's currency using the
conversion date from the source record. For more information, see "Specify the currency for a
workbook" on page 224 and "Convert currency values" on page 307.
l The destination worksheet must specify which update operations are performed.
An update operation can insert, modify, or delete records. You must specify which of these
operations are performed when you create the destination worksheet. You can also specify
whether records that would be processed by an operation that you excluded are ignored or cause
the update to fail.
l If the modification inserts or deletes records, the destination worksheet requires key fields and
must allow insertion and deletion.
The destination worksheet must contain all of its table’s key fields for records to be inserted. These
fields must be the first columns in the worksheet. If default records have been defined for tables
referenced by fields in the table, you do not have to include those fields in the worksheet.
If the table the worksheet is based on does not contain key fields, such as the OnHand table, the
first column or columns are used to identify the record. These columns must be view-only. For
example, in a worksheet based on the OnHand table, view-only Part and Location columns can
identify the records for the update operation.
l You have the option of setting the destination worksheet to automatically generate any required
reference records that might be missing. For worksheets that update records and insert records
as part of the process, reference records can be automatically generated if the inserted records are
valid and the dependent record table supports the automatic creation of records. This can prevent
the failure of record insertion operations.
For example, assume you receive updated forecasts from a customer. After importing these records, the
line numbers in the imported data indicate the date the data was imported, and the new forecast status
values are “New_Forecast”, which is a value that is not considered in planning. In addition, the imported
orders use an older forecast priority value, which your company is phasing out.
You can convert these orders to be included in planning, change the order priorities, and delete the old
forecast records with an update operation that modifies and deletes data.
You create two worksheets, based on the IndependentDemand table, with one showing the new
orders, and the other set up to display the new order numbers with the status and priority values you
want to apply. You specify that the update operation performs the modify and delete operations.
The worksheet that displays the imported records is shown in the following illustration. This is the
destination worksheet for the update operation.

The worksheet that provides the updated data is shown in the following illustration. This is the source
worksheet for the update operation.
You can create this worksheet either by basing it on the IndependentDemand table or by creating a
composite worksheet. For more information, see "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
When the update data operation runs, the records in the destination worksheet are updated with the
values in the source worksheet. Both worksheets contain records with the same key field values (same
order numbers, line numbers, types, and sites in this case), the values that are different (the status and
priority values) are modified in the destination worksheet. The records in the destination worksheet
that do not have a matching record in the source worksheet (in this case, the forecasts that do not have
a date in the Line column) are deleted.
When you create the worksheets for updating data, the order in which you create the worksheets does
not matter. You can create the source worksheet or the destination worksheet first. However, the
source worksheet must exist before you can enable the automatic data modification in the destination
worksheet. If you create the destination worksheet first, you can modify it to enable the automatic data
modifications after you create the source worksheet.
After you create the worksheet, you should test it to ensure the automatic data modification performs
the correct function and returns the correct data. For more information, see "Test an operation" on
page 727.

▶Create the source worksheet
If you have already created the destination worksheet, you can create a worksheet that contains
the same columns. Select the destination worksheet, click Copy, click Selected worksheet, and
then click Properties to modify the copied worksheet.
5. On the Columns tab, add columns based on the fields in the table. The columns must have the
same data types as the columns in the destination worksheet.
These columns must contain the values you want to copy into the destination worksheet. You
can create column expressions to provide the values. For more information, see "Add and remove
6. To limit the number of records returned by the worksheet, on the Filtering tab, type a logical
expression in the Worksheet filter expression box.
▶Create the destination worksheet
If you have already created the source worksheet, you can create a worksheet that contains the
same columns. Select the source worksheet, click Copy, click Selected worksheet, and then click
Properties to modify the copied worksheet.
5. Ensure the Allow inserting records and Allow deleting records check boxes are selected.
6. If you have already created the source worksheet, click the Automation tab.
Otherwise, go to step 11.
7. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list click Update data.
8. In the Get source data from list, select the source worksheet.
9. In the Perform operations area, select the operations you want to perform or clear the
operations you want to exclude.
10. To automatically insert any missing reference records, select the Automatically generate all
11. In the If an excluded operation is required section, click one of the following:
l Ignore—If a record that would require an operation that you have excluded is found in the
source or destination worksheet, that record is ignored.
l Fail—If a record that would require an operation that you have excluded is found in the
source or destination worksheet, the operation fails and no data is modified.
l If the update operation should fail when the first error occurs, select the Fail when the first
error is detected check box.

l To set an error limit for the update operation, select the Fail when the number of errors is
greater than check box. Specify the error limit as the number of records or the percentage of
records in the worksheet that can return errors before the operation fails.
13. On the Columns tab, add columns to represent the data you want to be updated.
14. To add the table’s key fields and ensure they are the first columns in the worksheet, click Add Key
Fields, and then click Primary Key Fields. These columns must be the first columns in the
worksheet.
16. Click OK.
NOTE: When you select the Use this worksheet to check box, any default column searches are
cleared and searching in the worksheet is automatically disabled.
If you clear the Use this worksheet to check box, searching is not automatically enabled again.
You must select the Allow searching check box to allow users to search the worksheet. You must
also retype any default column searches that you want to use.
▶Modify a worksheet to enable automatic updates
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, on the Worksheets tab, click the
worksheet you want to modify, and then click Properties.
3. Ensure the Allow inserting records and Allow deleting records check boxes are selected.
4. Click the Automation tab.
5. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list click Update data.
6. In the Get source data from list, click the source worksheet.
7. In the Perform operations area, select the operations you want to perform or clear the
operations you want to exclude.
9. In the If an excluded operation is required section, click one of the following:
l Ignore—If a record that would require an operation that you have excluded is found in the
source or destination worksheet, that record is ignored.
l Fail—If a record that would require an operation that you have excluded is found in the
source or destination worksheet, the operation fails and no data is modified.
l If the update operation should fail when the first error occurs, select the Fail when the first
l To set an error limit for the update operation, select the Fail when the number of errors is
records in the worksheet that can return errors before the action fails.
11. Click OK.

Create worksheets for modifying records
An automatic data modification that modifies records requires one worksheet that contains pairs of
columns. Each column that will be modified is immediately followed by a column that contains the
source data. To perform the modification operation, the worksheet must meet the following criteria:
l The worksheet must be table-based.

l Columns must be created in pairs.
Data in each modifiable column is changed by copying the data from the column to its right. If data
is copied from a column, the data in that column is not modified, even if they are modifiable.
l Columns that are included to make the worksheet more readable but should not be modified
must be made view-only.
l Columns should not be hidden.
Hidden columns might be copied into if they are modifiable.
l The worksheet must show only records you want modified.
The worksheet filter must be set so only the records you want modified are shown in the
worksheet. Otherwise you might modify records that should not change.
Worksheets for modifying records can contain as many modifiable columns as you require. You should
include a pair of columns for each value you want to modify. Data is not copied into columns that data
has been copied from, if they are modifiable.
Any columns based on reference fields that are key fields for the table typically cannot be modified.
However, if you have upgraded from RapidResponse 2015.3 (or earlier) to RapidResponse 2016.2 (or
later), your RapidResponse administrator might have enabled these fields to be modified. In this case,
you must ensure the reference key fields are not modifiable unless necessary.
Worksheets created to change data must use the default sort order.
For example, assume your company has a process for increasing the order priority for orders from
specific customers. You can create a worksheet that identifies these demand orders and then create a
pair of columns that modify the priorities. This worksheet is shown in the following illustration.
The Part and Order columns in this example are not required by the modification and are included to
ensure the correct records are modified.
When the modification operation runs, the data in the Priority column is replaced by the data in the New
Priority column. After the operation is complete, the orders in this worksheet have the new priority.

Create worksheets for modifying records
All columns that are not used to modify data must be made view-only. In this example, the columns used
to identify the records are view-only. For more information about making columns view-only, see
"Specify if a column can be edited" on page 289.
the correct function. For more information, see "Test an operation" on page 727.
▶Create a worksheet for modifying records
4. In the Table list, select the table to base the worksheet on.
6. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list click Modify records.
l If the modification operation should fail when the first error occurs, select the Fail when the
first error is detected check box.
l To set an error limit for the modification operation, select the Fail when the number of
errors is greater than check box. Specify the error limit as the number of records or the
percentage of records in the worksheet that can return errors before the action fails.
8. On the Columns tab, add columns based on the fields in the table that you want to be modified.
Ensure that each column you want changed is followed immediately by the column you want the
data to come from. Modifiable columns must be based on fields in the table the worksheet is
based on. Columns that data is copied from can be constant values, based on fields in the table
the worksheet is based on, or calculated using the RapidResponse Query language. For more
information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358.
9. For each column that you do not want to be modified, do the following:
l In the Columns in this worksheet list, click the column.
l Click the Data Options tab.
l Select the Override default data editing permission check box, and then select the View-
only check box.
▶Modify a worksheet to enable automatic modifications

4. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list click Modify records.
l If the modification operation should fail when the first error occurs, select the Fail when the
first error is detected check box.
l To set an error limit for the modification operation, select the Fail when the number of
errors is greater than check box. Specify the error limit as the number of records or the
percentage of records in the worksheet that can return errors before the action fails.
6. Click OK.
Create worksheets for inserting records

An automatic data modification that inserts records requires two worksheets. One, the source
worksheet, defines the records that are inserted. The other, the destination worksheet, is the
worksheet that records are inserted into. The worksheets for inserting records must meet the following
criteria:
l Two worksheets must be created with matching columns.

During the insert operation, records are copied from the source worksheet and inserted into the
destination worksheet. Columns in both worksheets must have the same number of columns with
the same data types. Fields that reference other tables always contain String values. If the columns
do not match, the records cannot be inserted.
The destination worksheet must be table-based. The source worksheet can be table-based or
composite.
References to other tables can provide the full table reference as a column with the Use as
reference option enabled, or as separate columns for each field in the reference. The reference
usage must be the same in both the source and destination worksheets. If the reference field is a
key field of the table the worksheet is based on, you cannot use the reference. For more
The source worksheet must not contain multi-scenario columns.
If the source and destination worksheets contain Money columns, the currencies applied to the
columns are ignored and the update operation is performed using the workbook currency. If
required, the updated value is then converted to the destination worksheet's currency. For more
information, see "Specify the currency for a workbook" on page 224 and "Convert currency values"
on page 307.
l The destination worksheet requires key fields and must allow records to be inserted.
The destination worksheet must contain all of its table’s key fields. If default records have been
defined for tables referenced by fields in the table, you do not have to include those fields in the
worksheet.
l Worksheets must show only records you want copied.

The worksheet filters must be set so only the records you want copied between worksheets are
shown in the source worksheet. Otherwise, the insert operation might copy records into the
destination worksheet that you do not intend to be copied.

l You have the option of setting the destination worksheet to automatically generate any required
reference records that might be missing. For worksheets that insert records, reference records can
be automatically generated if the inserted records are valid and the dependent record table
supports the automatic creation of records. This can prevent the failure of record insertion
operations.
For example, assume you want all supply orders that have been received in a day to be converted to on
hand inventory. You can create two worksheets, the source worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt
table and the destination worksheet based on the OnHand table. The records in the source worksheet
are inserted into destination worksheet. You must filter the source worksheet so only the records that
represent orders that were received into inventory are returned.
To insert records this way, the destination worksheet must contain all key fields that uniquely identify
records. You can add fields with extra information, such as the Quantity and Date fields on the OnHand
table, as shown in the following illustration.
If any of the tables referenced by the columns in the example above have a default value defined, you do
not have to include them in this worksheet. For example, if the Warehouse table has a default record,
you do not have to include the Warehouse column in this worksheet.
The records that are inserted into this worksheet are taken from the source worksheet, which has
columns of the same data type in the same order. This worksheet is filtered so only the orders due on
the current date are displayed, as shown in the following illustration.
In this example, the column headers are similar in both worksheets. The headers can be different as long
as the data types in each column are the same in both worksheets. After the insert operation is finished,
you can delete the records from the ScheduledReceipt table using a Delete operation defined for this
worksheet. For more information, see "Create worksheets for deleting records" on page 726.
When you create the worksheets for inserting records, the order in which you create the worksheets
does not matter. You can create the source worksheet or the destination worksheet first. However, the
source worksheet must exist before you can enable the automatic data modification in the destination

worksheet. If you create the destination worksheet first, you can modify it to enable the automatic data
modifications after you create the source worksheet.
After you create the destination worksheet, you should test it to ensure the automatic data
modification performs the correct function. For more information, see "Test an operation" on page 727.
▶Create the source worksheet
5. On the Columns tab, add columns that match the data types in the destination worksheet.
Columns can be based on the fields in the table or calculated using a query expression.
6. If you have already created the destination worksheet, drag fields up or down in the Columns in
this worksheet list, so that the columns match the order and data type of the destination
worksheet.
▶Create the destination worksheet
5. Ensure the Allow inserting records check box is selected.
7. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list click Insert records.
8. In the Get source data from list, click the worksheet you created to provide the records.
l If the insert operation should fail when the first error occurs, select the Fail when the first
l To set an error limit for the insert operation, select the Fail when the number of errors is
records in the worksheet that can return errors before the operation fails.
11. On the Columns tab, click Add Key Fields, and then select Primary Key Fields.
12. If the table does not contain key fields, do the following:
l Drag the columns that identify the records to the top of the Columns in this worksheet list.
l Click a column that identifies the record, and then click the Data Options tab.
l Select the Override default data editing permission check box, and then click View only.
13. If desired, click Add Fields, and then add any fields that you want to display additional data.

14. If desired, drag fields up or down in the Columns in this worksheet list, so that the columns
display in the order you want.
▶Modify a worksheet to enable automatic insertions
3. Ensure the Allow inserting records check box is selected.
5. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list, click Insert records.
6. In the Get source data from list, click the worksheet you created to provide the records.
l If the Insert operation should fail when the first error occurs, select the Fail when the first
l To set an error limit for the insert operation, select the Fail when the number of errors is
records in the worksheet that can return errors before the action fails.
8. Click OK.
Create worksheets for deleting records

An automatic data modification that deletes records deletes every record displayed in a worksheet. This
operation is typically used as part of another process, such as copying records from one table into
another, and then deleting the records from the initial table. The worksheet for deleting records must
meet the following criteria:
l The worksheet must be table-based.

l Worksheet must allow records to be deleted.
l Worksheet must show only records you want deleted.
The worksheet filter must be set so only the records you want deleted are shown in the
worksheet. Otherwise you might delete records that are still needed. Records that are not
returned by the worksheet are not deleted.
correctly. For more information, see "Test an operation" on page 727.
▶Create a worksheet for automatically deleting records

7. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list, click Delete records.
8. On the Columns tab, add columns based on the fields in the table that you want to be deleted.
▶Modify a worksheet to enable automatic deletions
5. Select the Use this worksheet to check box, and then in the list, click Delete records.
6. Click OK.
Test an operation
After you create worksheets to automatically modify data, you can test the worksheet to ensure it
modifies the records correctly. Testing a worksheet performs the modification specified in the
worksheet, and allows you to view the results of the modifications. To test a worksheet, you must be
viewing the worksheet. For update and insert operations, you must be viewing the destination
worksheet.
You should always test the operation in a private scenario, which allows you to save the changes and
examine them to ensure the correct changes were made.
If the worksheet's operation completes successfully, you can see the number of records that are
modified, inserted, or deleted by the operation and the number of errors that occurred in the Confirm
Changes dialog box. Records can return errors as long as the number of errors does not exceed the
error limit set for the action. For more information about setting the error limit, see "Create workbook
commands that modify data" on page 730.
In the Confirm Changes dialog box, you can choose to apply the changes or cancel the operation. If
some errors were returned, the Confirm changes dialog box lists a maximum of ten records that are not
valid. You can click Cancel and View Error Log to cancel the operation and open the Automation Details

Test an operation
and Log worksheet, which displays the Workbook Command Log and Errors Details worksheets. You
can use these worksheets to review details about the command and investigate the errors.
If the operation fails, you are presented with the Error dialog box, which lists a maximum of ten records
that are not valid. To view all the errors that were returned by the operation, click the View Error Log
button to open the Automation Details and Log workbook, which displays the Workbook Command
Log and Error Details worksheets. These worksheets log information about commands and data
modification operation tests that are run interactively. You can use the Error Details worksheet to
investigate errors that occur when command actions are performed and to fix the errors.

The Error Details worksheet lists the errors returned by each command action. An administrator sets the
number of errors that are logged for each action in the Error Details worksheet.
When a worksheet test operation is logged in the Workbook Command Log worksheet, the Command
column displays the word Action followed by the name of the worksheet configured to perform the
operation (for example, Action: Updated Independent Demands). You can click on the name of the
operation to open the Data Modification Details worksheet, which provides more details about the
operation.
For more information about the Workbook Command Log, Data Modification Details, and Error Details
worksheets, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
You can test operations only in workbooks you own.
▶Test an operation
1. In the Explorer, double-click a workbook that has a command defined.

2. Click the worksheet that has the operation defined.
For update or insert operations, you must click the destination worksheet.

Test an operation
3. Create a new scenario to test the operation in, and ensure it is the active scenario.
4. On the workbook toolbar, click Run Command , and then click Test This Worksheet.
l If the operation completes successfully and results in no data changes, click OK.
l If the operation completes successfully with no errors, in the Confirm Changes dialog box,
click Apply Changes to make the changes defined by the operation, or Cancel to cancel the
operation.
l If the operation completes successfully with some errors, in the Confirm Changes dialog box,
click Apply Changes to make the changes defined by the operation, Cancel to cancel the
operation, or Cancel and View Error Log to cancel the operation and open the Error Details
worksheet.
If you apply the changes, a dialog box opens asking if you want to review the errors. Click Yes
to open the Error Details worksheet or No to exit the dialog box and return to the
worksheet.
l If the command fails, in the Error dialog box, click View Error Log to open the Error Details
worksheet or Close to exit the dialog box and return to the worksheet.
NOTE: Changes made by testing an operation are not shown in the Scenario Properties tab.
Create workbook commands that modify data

If you have permission to create workbooks with automation capabilities, you can create workbook
commands to automate common data modifications, such as changing part names or order numbers,
or converting supply records into on hand inventory records. You can also create commands that run
scripts or that open forms, as discussed in "Create commands that run scripts" on page 738 and "Create
commands that open a form" on page 734.
A modify data command consists of a set of operations, which are performed in the order you specify.
One command can run any number of operations, which typically work with the same set of records. For
example, you can create a command that changes supply quantities into unused supply quantities, and
then converts those supply quantities into inventory quantities. An example of a command that does
this is shown in the following illustration.

When you create a command, you can specify which scenario the command modifies data in. If the
operation updates or inserts records, you can also specify which scenario the source worksheet uses.
Each insert or update operation can take data from a different scenario.
You can create commands that modify data across scenarios by specifying different scenarios for the
command and the operations. For example, you can use the data in the user’s selected scenario to
modify the data in a pending actions scenario. This ensures the changes made in any scenario are
automatically moved into the pending actions.
You could also use this type of command to move a set of changes into the selected scenario’s parent,
similar to committing only those records and not every change made in the scenario. An example of a
command that commits only a selected set of records is shown in the following illustration.
You can also create commands that take a set of records from a scenario and make the modifications in
a child scenario, similar to updating only those records and not every record from the parent scenario.

You can specify scenarios only if the source and destinations worksheets both do not depend on any
multi-scenario worksheets. If a multi-scenario worksheet is used, either as a component of one
worksheet or as the basis of a Lookup operation, you can use only the user's selected scenario, which
ensures the data is taken from and modified in the correct scenario. For a multi-scenario worksheet, the
user's selected scenario is the baseline scenario.
Each operation you specify runs on the data displayed in a worksheet. Only worksheets that have been
created to support an operation are available for that operation. The worksheets that have been
created determine which operations you can add to a command. For more information about these
worksheets, see "Creating workbooks to automate business processes" on page 715.
If your company uses perspectives to calculate data using different control rules, you can specify a
perspective for each command you create. The perspective determines how the results of the command
are calculated, and can be applied to the command if the command modifies the user’s selected scenario
and that scenario does not use a perspective. This ensures the command always generates the correct
result, regardless of the perspective applied to the scenario the command modifies data in.
The worksheets that are used to perform operations do not allow worksheet searches to be applied,
and always ignore the worksheet record limit when the command runs. You must ensure that workbook
users know how to filter the workbook so the command runs on the records they want modified. For
each command you create, you should add notes to describe what the command does, and list filters,
sites, hierarchy values, and any other settings that the users can apply to the workbook. In addition, it is
recommended you describe the commands in the workbook help.
is visible in. Depending on the options you choose, a command could be available in every worksheet,
only in a few worksheets, or not available for a user to run. You might hide a command from users if it is
intended to run only when the workbook is opened or when a user saves data changes. For more
information about these commands, see "Create commands that run automatically" on page 740.
You can configure whether a data modification command fails when the first error occurs or completes
successfully even though some errors have occurred. When you allow some errors to occur, you set an
error limit for the worksheet, which is the number of records or the percentage of records in the
worksheet that can return errors before the action fails.
If this limit is not exceeded, the command can complete successfully. No error limit is set when records
are deleted.
If the error limit for an action is exceeded, the command stops and a dialog box that describes which
operation failed is displayed. No data is modified in this case. Users can click the View Error Log button
from this dialog box to open the Workbook Command Log and Error Details worksheets in the
Automation Details and Log workbook to investigate the cause of the errors.

You can also specify if users are prompted to confirm the changes a command makes. The confirmation
displays the number of records modified, inserted, and deleted in the tables affected by the command
and the number of errors that occurred. The counts do not include records that were automatically
created, or ones that were deleted because a record they depended on was deleting (cascading
deletion). If the command is meant to be run by users, you might not want to allow them to confirm the
changes if they are not familiar with the RapidResponse database.
Changes made by automatic data modifications, by default, are not tracked in the Scenario Properties
tab. However, if you require visibility into what is being modified, you can log the changes the command
makes. Logging the changes can significantly degrade system performance, especially if many records
are modified. If the changes are logged, they are visible in the properties for the scenario the command
modifies data in. For more information about viewing data modifications in a scenario’s properties, see
the RapidResponse User Guide.
When a command runs, all operations use the worksheet sort order and ignore any custom sorting that
users have applied to the worksheets. This ensures the column order and grouping is correct and that
the command runs on the intended set of data.
▶Create a command that modifies data
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, click the Commands tab.
2. Click New, and then click Modify Worksheet Data Command.
3. In the New Command - Modify Worksheet Data dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for
the command.
4. If you want to hide the command, clear the Accessible by users from check box.
Otherwise, click one of the following:
l All worksheets in this workbook—The command is available in any worksheet.
l Worksheets—The command is only available in worksheets you specify. Users must have
access to the worksheets to use the command.
5. If you clicked Worksheets in step 4, do the following:
l Click Select.
l In the Select Worksheets dialog box, select the worksheet you want the command to be
available in and then click Add.
l Add any additional worksheets you want the command to be available in.
l Click OK.
6. If you do not want the users to confirm the changes the command makes, clear the Allow users
to confirm changes check box.
If you want the command to run when the workbook is opened or data is saved, you should clear
this check box.
7. In the Description box, type instructions for the user to specify the correct data settings for the
command and describe the resources a user needs to ensure the command runs on the intended
set of records.
8. If you want the changes made by this command to be shown in the Scenario Properties tab,
Pending Commits tab, select the Log data changes check box.
9. Click the Actions tab.
10. In the Modify data in section, click one of the following:
l User’s selected scenario—The command modifies data in the scenario the user has selected
or, if the command is scheduled, the scenario specified in the scheduled task.

l Parent scenario—The command modifies data in the parent of the user’s selected scenario.
l Scenario—The command modifies data in the scenario you specify in the list.
11. If applicable, in the Apply perspective list, click the perspective you want to apply to the
command.
12. Click Add.
13. In the Add Action dialog box, in the Action list, click the type of operation you want to perform.
14. In the worksheet list, click the worksheet to apply this action to.
15. If you selected the Insert records or Update data operation in step 13, in the Source dataarea,
you do not have to specify the worksheet that records are copied from. Click one of the following:
l User’s selected scenario—The data used in the operation is taken from the scenario the user
has selected or, if the command is scheduled, the scenario specified in the scheduled task.
l Parent scenario—The data used in the operation is taken from the parent of the user’s
selected scenario.
l Scenario—The data used in the operation is taken from the scenario you specify in the list.
NOTE: If a user does not have access to the scenario specified in the command or an action, or
does not have Modify permission to the scenario the command modifies data in, that user cannot
run the command.
NOTE: You can use reference worksheets in workbook commands. For more information, see
NOTE: For information about scheduling commands, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
Create commands that open a form

You can create workbook commands that open a form from the worksheet toolbar. Forms can run
multiple operations on the worksheet, including inserting records based on another table or into other
tables, or customizing data imports.
In the example below, the worksheet provides the ability to define a new customer while creating a new
order. The order records are created in the Order Details worksheet which is based on the
IndependentDemand table. From the open form command on the worksheet toolbar, users are able to
create new customer records to insert into the Customer Summary worksheet, which is based on the
Customer table.

To use a form in a workbook command, you must first link the form to the workbook by adding it as a
workbook dependency. For more information, see "Defining workbook dependencies" on page 245.
When you create a command to open a form, you can map workbook variables to form controls to pass
context from the worksheet to the form. This ensures that the data context from the worksheet is
passed to the form.
Specifically for open form commands, you can choose to display the command from the Run Command
button on the toolbar or you can create a custom toolbar button that you define properties for.

When you create a custom toolbar button, you can specify the button display as an image, as text, or as
an image with text. You can also define a tooltip to display when users hover over the button.

is visible in. Depending on the options you choose, the command could be available in every worksheet
or only in a few worksheets.
When you create a custom button for an Open Form command, you can identify the button for users in
the workbook help. For more information, see "Add workbook help" on page 334.
▶Create a command to open a form from the Run Command button
2. Click New, and then select Open Form Command.
3. In the New Command - Open Form dialog box, select the form that the command opens.
4. To view variable mappings between form controls and variables in the current workbook, select
.
5. In the Access from list, select Standard Run Command toolbar button.
6. Click a label to display for the command:
l Form name
l A name you type in the Name box.
7. To add mappings between the workbook and the form, in the Mapping area, click Add.
8. Click = Select = in the Workbook Variable column and select a variable.
9. Click = Select = in the Form Control column and select a corresponding control on the form to
map to.
10. Optionally, map any other workbook variables to controls on the form by repeating steps 8 - 10
for those variables.
11. To define where users can access the command from, click one of the following:
l All worksheets in this workbook—The command is available in any worksheet in the
workbook.
12. If you click Worksheets, do the following:
l Click Select.
l Click OK.
13. Click OK.
▶Create a command to open a form from a custom toolbar button
2. Click New, and then select Open Form Command.
3. In the New Command - Open Form dialog box, select the form that the command opens.
4. To view variable mappings between form controls and variables in the current workbook, select
.
5. In the Access from list, select Custom toolbar button.

6. To display an image on the button, click Include: Image and select an image from the drop-down
menu.
7. To display text on the button, click Include: Text and type text in the Text: box.
8. To specify a tooltip for the button, type text in the Tooltip: box.
9. To add mappings between the workbook and the form, in the Mapping area, click Add.
10. Click = Select = in the Workbook Variable column and select a variable.
11. Click = Select = in the Form Control column and select a corresponding control on the form to
map to.
12. Optionally, map any other workbook variables to controls on the form by repeating steps 8 - 10
for those variables.
13. To define where users can access the command from, click one of the following:
l All worksheets in this workbook—The command is available in any worksheet in the
workbook.
14. If you click Worksheets, do the following:
l Click Select.
l Click OK.
15. Click OK.
NOTE: If a user does not have access to the worksheet the command is available in, that user
cannot run the command.
NOTE: Custom toolbar buttons must have an image specified. Adding text to the button is
optional.
NOTE: For information about scheduling commands, see the the RapidResponse User Guide.
Create commands that run scripts

If you have access to or permission to author scripts, you can create workbook commands that run any
script you have access to. This allows workbook users to run the script, which can automate parts of
their business processes. For example, in a workbook that converts current planning records to
historical records, you might create a command that runs a script to create a historical scenario, and a
command to convert the records to historical records and move them into that new historical scenario.
When you create a command to run a script, you can specify values for each of the script's arguments.
The values you specify are used as the default values for the command, and are the values passed to the
script if a workbook user does not specify their own values. You can also choose which arguments a
user can modify values for. For example, if you always want a script to use a specific scenario, you cannot
prompt users for a value for the scenario argument. An example of argument values is shown in the

In this example, values for multiple arguments are provided, and users are prompted to provide new
values for all arguments.
You can also view help for the script and its arguments, if the script's author has provided help.
You can also provide information about the command, which is displayed when workbook users run the
command. You can choose to describe the command and what the script does, or you can include the
script's help instead. This option is available only if the script's author has provided help.
▶Create a command to run a script
2. Click New, and then select Run Script Command.
3. In the New Command - Run Script dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the command.
4. If you want to hide the command, clear the Accessible to users from check box.
Otherwise, click one of the following:
l All worksheets in this workbook—The command is available in any worksheet.
5. If you clicked Worksheets in step 4, do the following:
l Click Select.
available in and click Add.
l Click OK.
6. In the Command help area, do one of the following:
l To provide a description of the command, click Description, and then in the Description box,
type instructions for the user to specify values for the script arguments.
l To display the script's help when the user runs the command, click Script help.
7. Click the Script tab.
8. In the Script list, select the script you want to run.

Create commands that run scripts
9. To view information about the script, click Script Help. This button is enabled if the script has
help defined.
10. In the Arguments area, specify values for each argument.
11. If you do not want users to specify values for an argument, clear the Prompt check box for that
argument.
NOTE: When you share a workbook that runs a script, the script is also shared with the user.
However, the script is a linked resource, so the recipient does not see it in their Explorer. If you do
not own the script, you might require assistance from your RapidResponse administrator to share
the workbook. For more information, see "Share resources" on page 128.
NOTE: For information about scheduling commands, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
Create commands that run automatically

You can create modify data or run script commands that run automatically when a workbook is opened,
or when data is saved in a table-based or composite worksheet. You can create these commands to
automatically perform a sequence of data operations or run a script for a business process.
Commands that run when the workbook is opened run using the data settings specified for the
workbook, and must run on data in a scenario the user has permission to modify. If the user cannot
modify the data in the scenario, the command does not run.
If you specify a command to run when the workbook is opened, you should define the workbook to
always prompt the user to specify data settings on opening the workbook. This ensures the command
always runs on the correct data, and prevents situations where the user cannot run the command
because the data was not provided for it. For example, if the workbook contains a Part control, you
should prompt the user to specify data settings so the command can run on the user’s selected part.
For commands that run scripts, you must provide all values for the script arguments, and not prompt
users to provide values. You should also ensure the script does not return a value.
If the user modifies the data settings after opening the workbook, the command does not run again.
The command runs only when the user opens the workbook.
Saving changes in a worksheet can run one command, which can perform multiple operations or run a
script. The command runs every time a user saves data changes or inserts a record in the worksheet. A
confirmation message is not displayed to the user.
If you modify the command or the worksheets the command uses, the command might not be able to
run. If the command tries to run when the workbook opens but cannot, the user is unable to open the
workbook.
▶Run a modify data or run script command when a workbook is opened
2. Select the On opening this workbook run command check box.
3. In the list, click the command you want to run.

▶Run a modify data or run script command when data is saved

Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Automation tab.
2. Select the On saving data changes run command check box.
3. In the list, click the command you want to run.
Edit or delete commands

You can edit commands to change the resource the form runs or the actions it carries. You can also
remove a command from the workbook by deleting it.
▶Edit a data modification command
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box, on the Commands tab, select the
command you want to edit.
2. Click Edit.
3. Modify the properties on the General or Actions tabs.
4. Delete operations that are no longer required by doing the following:
l Click the Actions tab.
l Select the operation you want to remove.
l Click Delete.
▶Edit an open form command
2. Click Edit.
3. Modify the properties in the Edit Command - Open Form dialog box.
▶Edit a script command
2. Click Edit.
3. Modify the properties on the General or Script tabs.
▶Delete a command
command that you want to remove.
2. Click Delete.

Edit or delete commands
CHAPTER 29: Creating transformation
worksheets
Transformation worksheet development overview 744

Functions for transformation worksheets 744
Creating input worksheets for functions 762
Statistical forecasting models and measures 804
Creating transformation worksheets 819
Examples of creating transformation worksheets 838
Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to insert buckets 850
A transformation worksheet uses a RapidResponse function to produce results. You can use
transformation worksheets to perform calculations that cannot be done using the RapidResponse query
language, such as determining how many calendar periods a supply can cover, or statistical functions
such as determining the standard deviation of a set of quantities. A transformation worksheet is similar
to a composite worksheet, and if the function the transformation worksheet uses requires multiple input
worksheets, each worksheet must meet composite worksheet requirements. For more information, see
"Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
The function uses the data in an input worksheet, which must be in the same workbook as the
transformation worksheet. This worksheet can be a table-based or composite worksheet, and must meet
specific criteria depending on the function. For more information, see "Creating input worksheets for
The relationship between the input worksheet, function, and transformation worksheet is shown in the
When you create a transformation worksheet, you specify the function, the input worksheet, and other
input parameters specific to the function you selected.

Columns representing the output of the function are automatically added to the transformation
worksheet. You can remove any column that is not required, or add any additional columns you want.
Transformation worksheet development

overview
The following table describes the steps and requirements for creating a transformation worksheet.
Step Description
Determine Before creating the worksheet, decide what information you want to convey. This decision
transformation affects which worksheet function you need to use, and the format of the input worksheet.
worksheet For information about the functions available to you, see "Functions for transformation
function worksheets" on page 744.
Create the Create the worksheet that provides input data for the function. Each function has specific data
input and formatting requirements.
worksheet All input worksheets must uniquely identify the data records the function uses. These could be
parts, customers, suppliers, or individual orders, depending on the worksheet's purpose.
For example, an input worksheet for the Periods Forward Coverage function can be grouped by
part, site, and date, and contain total demand and supply quantities for each part and site
combination. An input worksheet for the STDEVP function can provide all order quantities from
a particular customer.
For more information, see "Creating input worksheets for functions" on page 762.
Create the Specify the function being used, and then specify the input worksheet as an input parameter for
transformation the function.
worksheet If the function requires additional parameters, specify a value for each parameter.
For more information, see "Create a transformation worksheet" on page 820.
Format the The columns in the transformation worksheet, by default, consist of the same identifier columns
transformation from the input worksheet, and the output of the function.
worksheet The columns that provided the data the function required to run, such as the quantities for the
STDEV function, are removed and replaced by the output.
Depending on the worksheet's purpose, you can remove output columns you do not need, or
add additional columns to provide additional information. You can add columns based on any
field from the table the input worksheet is based on, or, if the input worksheet is a composite
worksheet, any field from a table referenced by a component worksheet column.
Functions for transformation worksheets

A function is an operation that uses the data in a worksheet to produce results in a transformation
worksheet. Each function has required inputs, and adds output columns to the transformation
worksheet.
The following functions are provided with RapidResponse:

CHAPTER 29: Creating transformation worksheets
Function Description
ATP To Assigns available-to-promise (ATP) supply to customer demands that are presented in a
Demand Match sorted/prioritized order. For more information, see "ATP To Demand Match function" on page
746.
Autocorrelation Calculates the autocorrelation function for time periods within a set of data points. For more
information, see "Autocorrelation function" on page 747.
Bucket Actuals Groups historical actual order quantities into buckets, for use in other statistical functions. For
more information, see "Bucket Actuals function" on page 747.
Check Forecast Determines if a forecast item has been defined for any part and customer combinations that
Item should not be forecasted for that part and customer, or finds parts and customer combinations
that no forecast items have been defined for. For more information, see "Check Forecast Item
Coefficient of Calculates the variability of a set of values relative to its mean. For more information, see
Variation "Coefficient of Variation function" on page 748.
Disaggregation Calculates the dates and quantity ratios that are used to disaggregate a forecast. The number of
Default Rates dates used depends on the period the forecast is aggregated over. For more information, see
"Disaggregation Default Rates function" on page 749.
Fit Calculates the statistical model parameters that are used to calculate a statistical forecast. For
more information, see "Fit function" on page 750.
Histogram Calculates the sample frequency distribution of a set of data points. For more information, see
"Histogram function" on page 750.
Insert Buckets Inserts zero quantities into buckets that do not contain records, which ensures rolling average
and standard deviation calculations have a complete set of values. For more information, see
"Insert Buckets function" on page 751.
Kurtosis Determines how peaked or flat the distribution of a set of data points is. For more information,
see "Kurtosis function" on page 751.
Mean Absolute Calculates the average deviation from the mean of forecast quantities for each forecast period.
Percentage This function provides a measure of how dispersed the quantities are. For more information, see
Deviation "Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function" on page 752.
Median Calculates the median value of a set of data points. For more information, see "Median
Mode Multiple Calculates the mode of data sets. Depending on the values in the data set, several values might
be equally common in the set. In this case, each value is presented as a mode of the data set.
For more information, see "Mode Multiple function" on page 752.
Mode Single Calculates a single mode of a set of data. If the data set contains multiple modes, this function
returns the smallest mode. For more information, see "Mode Single function" on page 753.
Periods Reports the number of calendar periods that can be covered by supply of a part. For more
Forward information, see "Periods Forward Coverage function" on page 753.
Coverage
Predict Calculates a statistical forecast using the results of the Fit function. For more information, see
"Predict function" on page 754.
Predict Actuals Uses the statistical forecasting parameters determined by the Fit function to determine
historical actual values that fit the statistical forecast. You can use this function to determine
the accuracy of the statistical forecast. For more information, see "Predict Actuals function" on
page 754.

Predict Calculates forecast quantities for a specified set of data points, which are used to calculate
Override statistical forecasts for new product introductions or product end of life. For more information,
see "Predict Override function" on page 755.
Rolling Average Calculates the average of values based on the average of a number of previous periods, which
highlights trends in the data and smoothes out fluctuations. For more information, see "Rolling
Average function" on page 756.
Safety Stock Calculates a recommended safety stock and associated reorder point based on a specified
service level and other input parameters. For more information, see "Safety Stock function" on
page 756.
Skew Determines whether a set of data values trends toward negative or positive values. For more
information, see "Skew function" on page 757.
Standard Calculates the standard deviation of percentage errors for a forecast, as compared to a series of
Deviations of historical forecasts. This value can be used to determine the confidence interval of a forecast.
Errors For more information, see "Standard Deviations of Errors function" on page 757.
Statistical Errors Compares historical actual values and historical forecast values to determine the forecast
accuracy. For more information, see "Statistical Errors function" on page 758.
Statistical Errors Compares historical actual values and historical forecast values for a specified period to
by Date determine how the forecast accuracy changes over time. For more information, see "Statistical
Errors by Date function" on page 758.
STDEV Estimates the standard deviation of an incomplete set of values, which measures how widely
the values are dispersed from the average of the values. This function is similar to the STDEV
function in Microsoft Excel. For more information, see "STDEV function" on page 759.
STDEV With Calculates the standard deviation of an incomplete set of values. This function allows you to
Dates determine the standard deviation based on the same worksheet you use for other calculations,
using quantity and date values. For more information, see "STDEV With Dates function" on page
760.
STDEVP Calculates the standard deviation of a set of values, which measures how widely the values are
dispersed from the average of the values. This function is similar to the STDEVP function in
Microsoft Excel. For more information, see "STDEVP function" on page 760.
STDEVP With Calculates the standard deviation of a set of values. This function allows you to determine the
Dates standard deviation based on the same worksheet you use for other calculations, using quantity
and date values. For more information, see "STDEVP With Dates function" on page 761.
TREND Estimates a trend based on past performance, using date and quantity values to predict future
quantities. This function is similar to the TREND function in Microsoft Excel. For more
information, see "TREND function" on page 761.
Time Calculates a time-phased safety stock and associated reorder point values based on a specified
Phased Safety service level and other parameters such as historical demand variability. For more information,
Stock see "Create a worksheet using the Time Phased Safety Stock function" on page 835.
ATP To Demand Match function

The ATP To Demand Match function assigns available-to-promise supply to customer demands based
on how those demands are sorted and prioritized when processed by the function. This is done while
respecting policies in defined order promising zones

The following describes the parameters required as input into this function, as well as the output
produced by this function.
Input parameter Output column

l ATP— the input worksheet that identifies part supply that l Id—An Id string identifying the customer
is available-to-promise against customer demands brought demand to which available-to-promise can
into the function. potentially be allocated
l Demand— the input worksheet that identifies sorted l Date—The date on which this demand can be
customer demands being brought into the function. promised.
l PromizeZones— the input worksheet that defines date-
based zones that sets how customer requests, based on
their date, are promised.
For more information about the input worksheets for this function, see "Input worksheets for the ATP
To Demand Match function" on page 770. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the ATP To Demand Match function" on page 821.
Note: This function is used within the standard Customer Orders and Initialize Orders worksheets that
are part of the Order Fulfillment application available with RapidResponse.
Autocorrelation function
The Autocorrelation function calculates the repetitiveness of a series of data values by comparing the
series to a time-shifted version of itself. The Autocorrelation function takes the data series over the
specified time periods, and reports the correlation value of the series in each time period.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the date and quantity pairs that are used to
calculate the correlation values.

l timeSeriesValues—The input worksheet that contains the time-phased l Lag—The time period a
quantities used to calculate the correlation values for the data series. correlation value is calculated
for.
l Value—The correlation value
calculated for the period.
For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for the
Autocorrelation function" on page 772. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Autocorrelation function" on page 821.
Bucket Actuals function

The Bucket Actuals function groups a specified period of historical actual quantity or money values into
buckets, which are intended to be used as input to a statistical forecast function. This function requires
you to specify the number of periods to bucket. Any period that does not have any actual quantities is
reported as a zero quantity.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains common statistical inputs, including the
forecast model and the seasonal intervals. This input worksheet is intended to be used for all statistical
functions, and only a subset of the columns is used for the Bucket Actuals function.

l parameters—The input worksheet that defines the parameters l Date—The date buckets summarized by
used by all statistical forecasting functions. the function
l points—The input worksheet that provides the historical l Quantity—The actual order quantity or
demands to be bucketed by the function. money value in each bucket
For more information about the input worksheets for this function, see "Input worksheets for statistical
forecasting functions" on page 762. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Bucket Actuals function" on page 822.
Check Forecast Item function

The Check Forecast Item function finds any incorrect forecast items defined for a part and customer
combination, or identifies part and customer combinations that have no forecast item defined.
You can choose to find all part customers that have an incorrect forecast item, or to identify part
customer combinations that do not have a forecast item defined by specifying different values in the
input to the function.

l partCustomers—The input worksheet that provides the part and l Part Customer—The part and customer
customer combinations, as well as the filter expression that defines combination that has an incorrect or
which combinations to display. missing forecast item.
l returnFailed—Determines whether the function identifies forecast The output of this function uses the same
items that are wrong or forecast items where they are missing. columns as the input worksheet
If this value is zero, part and customer combinations that are
missing forecast items are identified.
If this value is greater than zero, part and customer combinations
with incorrect forecast items are identified.
For more information about the input worksheets for this function, see "Input worksheet for the Check
Forecast Item function" on page 773. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Check Forecast Item function" on page 822.
Coefficient of Variation function

The Coefficient of Variation function determines the variability of a set of values relative to its mean, and
is calculated as the ratio of the standard deviation to the absolute value of the mean of a set of values.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the set of values used to calculate the ratio.

values—The input worksheet that provides the values used to CoefficientOfVariation—The calculated
calculate the ratio of standard deviation to mean. coefficient of variation for each set of values.
Coefficient of Variation function" on page 776. For information about using this function in a
transformation worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Coefficient of Variation function" on page
823.

Disaggregation Default Rates function
The Disaggregation Default Rates function calculates ratios that are used to disaggregate forecasts
over a period. A set of historical demands is used to determine quantities, and three calendars are used
to determine the periods those quantities fit into. Together, the ratios of total forecast for each period
are calculated, and can be used to disaggregate future forecasts. For example, 10% of a forecast could
be disaggregated into the first period, 20% into the second, 15% into the third, and so on.
Disaggregation rates are calculated using three calendars, the base, inner, and outer calendars. The
base calendar defines the periods that orders can be disaggregated into. The outer calendar and inner
calendar define length of and periods within seasonal demand cycles.
The historical demands used to calculate the disaggregation rates are obtained from a number of
historical intervals determined by the inner calendar and the specified start date. Values are obtained
only from the number of historical inner calendar periods before the period that contains the start date
up to the beginning of, but not including, the inner calendar period that contains the start date. For
example, if 20 historical intervals are specified, the inner calendar is Month, and the start date is June 4,
2012, historical values are obtained from the 20 months before June 2012.
The average demand for each aggregated data point is compared to the total demand of the historical
intervals to calculate the ratio of the total historical demand each interval contains, and those ratios are
used to determine how aggregated forecasts are disaggregated into the data points. The forecasts are
disaggregated into the base calendar intervals, which are calculated beginning at the specified start
date.
If the data contains seasonal trends, the outer calendar defines the length the seasonal cycle and the
inner calendar defines the periods for which separate disaggregation rates are calculated within a
seasonal cycle. For example, if you specify Quarter for the outer calendar and Month for the inner
calendar, the seasonal cycle lasts one Quarter and disaggregation rates are calculated for each Month
within the Quarter. If the data does not contain seasonal trends, the inner and outer calendars should
be the same.
The inner calendar periods must be the same length or longer than the base calendar periods. Each
inner calendar's rate is divided equally across the base calendar intervals within the inner calendar
period. For example, if the inner calendar is Month and the base calendar is Week, the disaggregation
rate is spread equally over the weeks in the month.

l parameters—The input worksheet that provides the inner and l Date—The dates corresponding to the
outer calendars, the number of historical intervals to disaggregate, base calendar intervals.
and the range of dates to include in the output. l Quantity—The disaggregation rate for
l points—The input worksheet that provides the historical values each date, calculated as the average of
used to calculate the disaggregation rates. historical values for the period.
l startDate—The date to begin disaggregating the forecast, and the
final period of historical data to use.
l baseCalendar—The name of the base calendar.
For more information about the input worksheets for this function, see "Input worksheets for the
Disaggregation Default Rates function" on page 776. For information about using this function in a
transformation worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Disaggregation Default Rates function"
on page 823.

NOTE: As of RapidResponse 2014.4, analytics are used to configure disaggregation rates.
Analytics calculations are more efficient, yet simpler to produce than transformation worksheet
calculations. RapidResponse still supports the use of transformation worksheets to configure
disaggregation rates. For more information about forecast disaggregation, see the RapidResponse
Fit function
The Fit function determines how a statistical forecast is calculated. This function determines the
statistical model that the forecast conforms to. This is intended to be used as input to the Predict or
Predict Actual function to calculate the forecast values.
You can specify which forecasting model is used to determine the forecast values, or you can use the
best fit, which calculates the data points using each forecast model and then selects the one that has
the lowest calculated error margin. For information about the forecast models available to you, see
"Statistical forecasting models" on page 804.
functions.
You can also specify forecast parameters that are can be used as input to the Fit function, which allows
you to override the values calculated by the function, and to customize the forecast.

l parameters—The input worksheet that provides the statistical inputs, including the l Model—The forecast
forecast model and whether the values are calculated or determined by an model used for the
additional input worksheet. forecast.
l points—The input worksheet that provides the historical actual values used to l Class—The type of
calculate the statistical forecast. This worksheet can be the output of the Bucket parameter calculated
Actuals function. by the function.
l modelParameters—An optional input worksheet that provides the values that l Name—The name of
override the calculated forecast parameters. the forecast
parameter.
l Value—The forecast
parameter value.
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Fit function" on page 824.
Histogram function
The Histogram function calculates a histogram , or sample frequency distribution, for a set of data. You
can use this result to view the frequency of how data values are used in your data.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the set of data to analyze, and optionally, the
number of bins used to perform the distribution calculation. This allows you to customize the
granularity of the histogram.

l sampleValues—The input worksheet that provides the l Start—The lowest possible value in the bin.
data values that are analyzed. l End—The highest possible value in the bin.
l numberOfBins—The number of bins the data is l Mid—The middle value in the bin.
divided into. l Frequency—The number of values in the bin
defined by the Start and End values.
l Height—The percentage of the total the bin
represents.
Histogram function" on page 778. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Histogram function" on page 824.
Insert Buckets function

The Insert Buckets function adds zero-value buckets to a data set that has no records in its buckets. The
output of this function can be used as input to a moving average or standard deviation function, which
ensures the function has a complete set of values and allows the rolling average or standard deviation
calculation to be performed properly and return valid results.
This function requires one input worksheet that defines the date buckets to add, and another input
worksheet that provides the data set the buckets are inserted into. These worksheets must contain
compatible grouping columns, in addition to the columns that the function requires.

l parameters—The input worksheet that provides the bucket date range and l Date—The date buckets.
calendar used for bucketing. l Quantity—The quantity in
l points—The input worksheet that provides the data to insert the buckets into. each bucket.
For more information about the input worksheets for this function, see "Input worksheets for the Insert
Buckets function" on page 779. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Insert Buckets function" on page 825.
Kurtosis function
The Kurtosis function calculates how peaked or flat the distribution of a set of data values is, compared
to the normal distribution. A positive value for this function indicates the distribution is peaked, and a
negative value indicates the distribution is flat.
This function requires one input worksheet, which contains the distribution of data points to calculate
kurtosis.

sampleValues—The input worksheet that provides the data values to Kurtosis—The kurtosis value calculated
calculate the kurtosis of. for the data set.

Kurtosis function" on page 780. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Kurtosis function" on page 826.
Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function

The Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function calculates the deviation from the mean for a forecast
over a period of time, which determines how widely-spread the forecast values are. The absolute value
of the mean for each individual forecast within the overall period is averaged, summed, and then divided
by the average for the entire period to determine the percentage of deviation in the forecasts.
This function uses the following formula to calculate the mean absolute percentage deviation for a
number (N) of forecasts.
((1/N) * SUM (Average absolute deviation)) / Average of N forecasts.
where the Average absolute deviation is calculated using the following formula.
(1/values in the period) * SUM(ABS(forecast - Average forecast for the
period))

points—The input worksheet that provides the Mean Average Percentage Deviation—The mean absolute
forecasts for the period. percentage deviation for the forecasts.
For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for the Mean
Absolute Percentage Deviation function" on page 781. For information about using this function in a
transformation worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation
Median function
The Median function calculates the median of a set of data values. This value can be either the value in
the middle of the set or a calculated value, depending on the data in the set. If the median is calculated,
the value returned might require decimal places to display the value properly.
This function requires an input worksheet that provides the data values to find the median of.

sampleValues—The input worksheet that contains the data to find the Median—The median of the data
median of. values.
For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for median and
mode functions" on page 770. For information about using this function in a transformation worksheet,
see "Create a worksheet using the Median function" on page 826.
Mode Multiple function

The Mode Multiple function calculates the mode or modes of a series of data. If more than one value in
the set can be considered the mode, each value is returned.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the series of data to calculate the modes from.

sampleValues—The input worksheet that provides the l Index—A numbered index of the modes for the data
data to calculate the modes of. set. The first mode is assigned Index 1.
l Quantity—The mode of the data set.
see "Create a worksheet using the Mode Multiple function" on page 827.
Mode Single function

The Mode Single function calculates the mode of a series of data. If more than one value in the set can
be considered the mode, the lowest value is returned.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the series of data to calculate the modes from.

sampleValues—The input worksheet that provides the data to calculate the Quantity—The mode of the data
mode of. set.
see "Create a worksheet using the Mode Single function" on page 827.
Periods Forward Coverage function

The Periods Forward Coverage function reports the number of calendar periods of demand that can be
covered by supply of a part over the same period. You can use this function to determine when supply of
a part is fully consumed, and to see how much supply is available in a demand period.
This function requires an input worksheet that defines the date the coverage calculations start from,
and supply and demand quantities for the part. Typically, this worksheet provides supply and demand
values for a range of dates, and the periods forward coverage are calculated using the cumulative
supply and demand from each period. For example, if the input worksheet contains three monthly data
buckets, periods forward coverage are calculated for each month. If the supply covers more periods
than are specified in the input worksheet, the supply is not fully consumed.
This function also requires an input parameter in the transformation worksheet, which specifies the
calendar used to calculate the number of periods. For example, if you specify a weekly calendar, the
function returns the number of weeks the supply covers.

l points—The input worksheet that l Date—The date the periods forward coverage is calculated for.
provides demand and supply values l Coverage—The number of buckets covered by excess supply,
used to calculate the coverage. including fractional buckets. If the supply is not fully consumed in
l coverageCalendar—The calendar used the period, a value of 999 is returned.
to report the length of the coverage l Demand Period—The period in which the supply is fully
periods. consumed.
l Excess Supply—The supply available at the end of the bucket
containing the Date value.
For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for the Periods
Forward Coverage function" on page 781. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using Periods Forward Coverage function" on page 828.
Predict function
The Predict function calculates the statistical forecast values using the output of the Fit function. This
function calculates values for the number of periods specified in the input.
functions, but only a subset of the columns is used in the Predict function.

l parameters—The input worksheet that provides the statistical inputs, l Date—The date the forecast
including the forecast model and whether the values are calculated or value is calculated for.
determined by an additional input worksheet. l Quantity—The forecast
l modelParameters—The input worksheet that provides the values used to quantity or money value
calculate the forecast. This worksheet should be the output of the Fit function. calculated for a period.
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Predict function" on page 828.
Predict Actuals function

The Predict Actuals function fits a set of historical actual demands to the parameters calculated for the
statistical forecast, which is based on the output of the Fit function. This produces a set of data points
that the statistical forecast parameters would produce, which you can use to determine the accuracy of
the statistical forecast and to find errors.
functions, but only a subset of the columns is used in the Predict Actuals function.

l parameters—The input worksheet that provides the statistical inputs, l Date—The date the historical
including the forecast model and whether the values are calculated or actual value is adjusted for.
determined by an additional input worksheet. l Quantity—The adjusted
l points—The input worksheet that provides the historical actual values used historical actual value or
to calculate the statistical forecast. This worksheet can be the output of the money value for a period.
Bucket Actuals function.
l modelParameters—An optional input worksheet that provides the values that
override the calculated forecast parameters.
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Predict Actuals function" on page 829.
Predict Override function

The Predict Override function allows you to use a set of data points to predict values using the statistical
forecast parameters calculated for a different part. You can use this function to generate a forecast for
new product introductions (NPI) and product end of life (EOL).
You can calculate NPI and EOL using either a reference forecast for a similar product, or using a quantity
you specify. The reference forecast or quantity is fitted to a trend line (called a profile), which is then
used to determine the forecast values for the NPI or EOL.
You can define multiple profiles. For example, you can create separate NPI and EOL profiles, and then
use the same worksheet as input for multiple transformation worksheets with different values specified
for the profile.
The input for this function requires a start and end date to calculate the forecast values, but the
reference forecast you use might have values before and after this period. You must decide whether the
NPI or EOL calculations are performed for the values outside these dates. If these values are calculated,
the profile value at the start date is used for values before the start date, and the profile value at the end
date is used for the values after the end date. These options apply only if you are using a reference
forecast to generate the NPI or EOL values.
The points you specify in the profile can be adjusted to fit within the forecast period. For example, if you
specify six profile points and have a six month forecast period, each profile point relates to the first date
in each month. However, if you have a six week forecast period, each profile point relates to the first date
in each week. For this reason, the profile points are defined using an index, instead of a date. This also
allows you to reuse profiles for multiple parts and forecast periods.

l parameters—The input worksheet that provides the statistical inputs for l Date—The date the NPI
calculating the NPI and EOL. or EOL forecast is
l profilePoints—The input worksheet that provides the values used to define the calculated for.
demand trend or for the new forecast values. l Quantity—The forecast
l points—The input worksheet that provides the forecast quantity or money values quantity or money value
used to calculate the NPI or EOL. This worksheet is required only if the referenced calculated for a period.
forecast is used to calculate the forecast values.

Predict Override function" on page 783. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Predict Overrides function" on page 830.
Rolling Average function

The Rolling Average function calculates averages for a period using subsets of the data points within
the period. This calculates a series of averages, which is used to smooth out differences and to highlight
trends. You must provide the data to calculate the rolling average for, and specify how many periods to
use in each subset. For each point in the input, the average for the points before it is calculated. For
example, a subset of three points calculates the average of the three points before each point.

l points—The input worksheet that provides the dates and quantities or l Date—The date the rolling
money values to calculate the rolling average for. average was calculated for.
l periodLength—The number of periods in each subset calculation. l Quantity—The average for that
period.
For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for the Rolling
Average function" on page 785. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Rolling Average function" on page 830.
Safety Stock function

The Safety Stock function calculates a recommended safety stock level and re-order point for a safety
stock item (part) optimized to meet a specified service level. As inputs into this function, you must
provide the required historical demand, future demand, and lead time data, as well as all configuration
parameters (for example, the safety stock item's service level and standard lead time).
This function requires four input worksheet parameters, and produces nine output columns for a given
safety stock item as outlined in the following table.

l Parameters—the input worksheet that l AverageHistoricalDemand—average historical demand.
contains all safety stock item parameters l AverageLeadTime—average lead time from historical supplies.
needed to perform the safety stock l AverageProfileFutureDemand—average future demand used
calculation. in reorder point calculation (either from a future demand
l HistoricalDemands—the input worksheet profile or else set to AverageFutureDemand).
that contains all historical demands. l AverageProfileHistoricalDemand—average historical demand
l FutureDemands—the input worksheet that used in reorder point calculation (either from a historical
contains all forecast and real demands. demand profile or else set to AverageHistoricalDemand).
l LeadTimes—the input worksheet that l FutureReorderPoint—recommended reorder point based on
contains lead time details for historical safety stock and average future demand.
supplies. l HistoricalReorderPoint—recommended reorder point based
on safety stock and average historical demand.
l SafetyStock—recommended safety stock based on the
provided input parameters.
l StandardDeviationHistoricalDemand—standard deviation of
historical demands.
l StandardDeviationLeadTIme—standard deviation of lead time
on historical supplies.
For more information about the input worksheets for this function, see "Input worksheets for the Safety
Stock function" on page 786. For information about using this function in a transformation worksheet,
see "Create a worksheet using the Safety Stock function" on page 831.
Skew function
The Skew function determines how symmetric a set of data is around its mean. A larger number for a
skew result indicates the set is asymmetric, and whether the skew is positive or negative determines
whether the values trend toward positive or negative values.
This function requires a single input worksheet that contains the set of quantities the skew is calculated
for.

l sampleValues—The input worksheet that contains the set of data points the skew l Skew—The data set's
is calculated for. skew value.
For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for the Skew
function" on page 791. For information about using this function in a transformation worksheet, see
"Create a worksheet using the Skew function" on page 832.
Standard Deviations of Errors function

The Standard Deviations of Errors function calculates the percentage error of a forecast, compared to
the historical actual values it is derived from, and then calculates the standard deviation of these errors
compared to a historical forecast series. The historical forecasts used for the calculation provide the
number of forecast intervals that can be used to calculate the standard deviation.
The standard deviation of errors can be used to calculate a confidence interval for the forecast.

This function requires three input worksheets that provide the historical demands and forecast used to
calculate the errors.

l actPoints—The input worksheet that provides the dates and quantities of l Date—The period the
historical actual orders used to calculate the standard deviation of errors. standard deviation of errors
l seriesFcstPoints—The input worksheet that provides information about the was calculated.
historical forecast series used for calculating the standard deviations of l Std Dev—The standard
errors. deviation of errors for the
l fcstPoints—The input worksheet that provides the dates and quantities of period.
forecast demands used to calculate the standard deviation of errors.
Standard Deviations of Errors function" on page 791. For more information about using this function in
a transformation worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Standard Deviations of Errors function"
on page 832.
Statistical Errors function

The Statistical Errors function determines forecast accuracy based on historical actual values and
historical forecast values. The accuracy is determined using a number of statistical measures, each of
which are reported. You can choose which ones are most applicable to the data you have calculated.
This function requires two input worksheets that contain dates and either quantities or money values.
Both worksheets must contain the same number of records, and the dates in both worksheets must be
identical.
For information about the error reporting, see "Accuracy and error measures in statistical forecasts" on
page 810.

l actPoints—The input worksheet that provides the dates and quantities of l Name—The accuracy or error
actual orders used to calculate the forecast accuracy. measure being reported.
l fcstPoints—The input worksheet that provides the dates and quantities of l Value—The accuracy or error
historical forecast orders used to calculate the forecast accuracy. calculated for each measure.
error functions" on page 793. For information about using this function in a transformation worksheet,
see "Create a worksheet using the Statistical Errors function" on page 833.
Statistical Errors by Date function

The Statistical Errors by Date function determines forecast accuracy based on historical actual values
and historical forecast values calculated using a number of subsets of values in a period. This provides
information about how the accuracy changes over the period, and allows you to see where the forecast
and actuals differ the most. The accuracy is determined using a number of statistical measures, each of
which are reported. You can choose which ones are most applicable to the data you have calculated.

This function requires two input worksheets that contain dates and either quantities or money values.
Both worksheets must contain the same number of records, and the dates in both worksheets must be
identical.
For information about the error reporting, see "Accuracy and error measures in statistical forecasts" on
page 810.

l actPoints—The input worksheet that provides the dates and quantities of l Name—The accuracy or error
actual orders used to calculate the forecast accuracy. measure being reported.
l fcstPoints—The input worksheet that provides the dates and quantities of l Value—The accuracy or error
historical forecast orders used to calculate the forecast accuracy. calculated for each measure.
l numberOfSamples—How many values are used in each subset calculation. l As Of Date—The date each
accuracy value was calculated
for.
error functions" on page 793. For information about using this function in a transformation worksheet,
see "Create a worksheet using the Statistical Errors by Date function" on page 833.
STDEV function
STDEV function
The STDEV function estimates the standard deviation for a sample of a set of data. The standard
deviation calculates how widely values are dispersed from the average (mean) of the set of values. This is
typically used for statistical analysis, such as determining whether forecast quantities tend to be
consistent (low standard deviation) or whether they vary (large standard deviation).
The following formula is used to estimate the standard deviation from a sample set of data:
where x is each value in the sample, x̅ is the sample mean, and n is the number of values in the sample.
To account for a possible error in the calculation due to using a sample, the sum of the squared values is
divided by one less than the number of values in the sample.
If you have a complete data set and want to calculate the exact standard deviation of the set, you
should use the STDEVP function.
The STDEV function requires an input worksheet that contains the set of values the standard deviation
is calculated for. This worksheet must contain multiple quantity or money values for each set of
identifying columns, such as a number of order quantities for a single part.

values—The input worksheet that provides the quantity values the STDEV—The standard deviation of the
standard deviation is estimated for. sample input values

For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for standard
deviation functions" on page 794. For information about using this function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the STDEV or STDEVP function" on page 834.
STDEV With Dates function

The STDEV With Dates function estimates the standard deviation for a sample of a set of values. The
standard deviation calculates how widely values are dispersed from the average (mean) of the set of
values. This is typically used for statistical analysis, such as determining whether forecast quantities tend
to be consistent (low standard deviation) or whether they vary (large standard deviation).
This function is identical to the STDEV function, but allows you to pass an input worksheet that contains
a Date column. This allows you to calculate the standard deviation of a sample of a set of data using the
same input worksheet as another function can use. If you have a complete data set and want to
calculate the exact standard deviation of the set, you should use the STDEVP With Dates function.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the set of values the standard deviation is
calculated for. This worksheet must contain multiple quantity or money values for each set of identifying
columns, such as a number of order quantities for a single part.

points—The input worksheet that provides the quantity values the STDEV—The standard deviation of the
standard deviation is estimated for. sample input values
STDEVP function
The STDEVP function calculates the standard deviation of a complete set of values. The standard
The following formula is used to calculate the exact standard deviation of a complete data set:
where x is each value in the data set, x̅ is the data set mean, and n is the number of values in the data set.
Because the data set is complete, the sum of the squared values is divided by the number of values in
the set.
If you want to estimate the standard deviation from a sample of the data set, you should use the STDEV
function.
The STDEVP function requires an input worksheet that contains the set of values the standard deviation
is calculated for. This worksheet must contain multiple quantity or money values for each set of
identifying columns, such as a number of order quantities for a single part.

values—The input worksheet that provides the quantity values the STDEVP—The standard deviation of
standard deviation is calculated for. the input values
STDEVP With Dates function

The STDEVP function calculates the standard deviation of a complete set of values. The standard
This function is identical to the STDEVP function, but allows you to pass an input worksheet that
contains a Date column. This allows you to calculate the standard deviation of a complete set of data
using the same input worksheet as another function can use. If you want to show a trend in a sample of
the data set, you should use the STDEV With Dates function.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the set of values the standard deviation is
calculated for. This worksheet must contain multiple quantity or money values for each set of identifying
columns, such as a number of order quantities for a single part.

points—The input worksheet that provides the quantity values the STDEVP—The standard deviation of
standard deviation is calculated for. the input values
TREND function
The TREND function estimates quantities based on past performance. The function calculates a trend
line using quantity or money values in an input worksheet, which you can use to estimate values in
future periods.
This function requires an input worksheet that contains the set of values used to estimate the future
performance, as well as the calendar used to determine the length of each historical period, the date to
start analyzing history, and the number of periods to estimate the trend for.

l points—The input worksheet that provides the date and quantity l Date—The date each quantity is
or money values that define the trend line. estimated for
l startingDate—The first date that a value on the trend line is l Quantity—The quantity or money value
estimated. estimated along the trend line
l numberOfIntervals—The number of quantity values that are
estimated.
l intervalCalendar—The calendar used to determine the dates each
quantity is estimated for.
For more information about the input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for the TREND
function" on page 802. For information about using this function in a transformation worksheet, see
"Create a worksheet using the TREND function" on page 838.
Creating input worksheets for functions

An input worksheet provides data that is transformed by the function in a transformation worksheet.
This worksheet must be formatted specifically for the function the transformation worksheet performs,
and should be hidden. The first columns in the worksheet uniquely identify the records, and at least one
identifier column is required. The columns required by the function must always be the last (rightmost)
columns in the worksheet.
Each function requires specific data in the input worksheets.
Input worksheets can be table-based, composite, or transformation worksheets. The type of worksheet
you create depends on the requirements of the function. For example, the Periods Forward Coverage
function requires a demand column and a supply column, so you could create a composite worksheet
that combines data from the IndependentDemand and ScheduledReceipt tables, or you could create a
worksheet based on the Part table and include the TotalDemand and TotalSupply fields in the
worksheet. For complete information about creating worksheets, see "Creating table-based
worksheets" on page 343 and "Creating composite worksheets" on page 467.
Input worksheets cannot contain multi-scenario columns. In addition, the input worksheets used in a
transformation worksheet must meet composite worksheet requirements. For more information, see
"Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
The following sections provide a description of the input worksheets for each function.
Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions

The Bucket Actuals, Fit, Predict, and Predict Actuals functions all require a common input worksheet.
This worksheet describes the forecast parameters. This worksheet should be based on the
ForecastItemParameters table, and contain only one row of data. The following columns must be the
last ones in this worksheet.

Column Data Description
type
Forecast String The statistical forecasting model used to calculate the forecast. Valid values are:
Model l ARIMA—uses the ARIMA model to calculate the statistical forecast for periods you can
specify, and using the specified number of differencing functions required to produce
stationary input data.
l BestFit—uses the model that with the least margin of error, based on the error
reporting type specified in the Fit Measure column.
l Linear—uses the linear model to calculate the statistical forecast. Best used for
demand with no seasonal variation
l MovingAverage—uses the moving average model to calculate a constant statistical
forecast. Best used for demand that is stable and does not change much over time.
l ExponentialSmoothing—uses exponential smoothing to calculate a constant statistical
forecast. Best used for demand that is fairly stable and does not exhibit a trend.
l DoubleExponentialSmoothing—uses double exponential smoothing to calculate the
statistical forecast. Best used for demand that is fairly stable but trends upward or
downward over time.
l HoltWintersMethod—uses the Holt-Winters method to calculate the statistical
forecast. Best used for demand with seasonal variations.
l CrostonsMethod—uses Croston's Method to calculate the statistical forecast. Best
used for lumpy or intermittent demand.
l StepWiseARIMA—uses the ARIMA model with automatically-generated values for
each parameter to calculate the statistical forecast.
For detailed information about the forecasting models, see "Statistical forecasting
models" on page 804.
Parameters String Whether statistical forecast points are calculated or taken from another input worksheet.
Valid values are:
l Calculate—statistical forecast values are calculated using the provided input data
points and specified forecast model.
l Use—statistical forecast values are taken from an additional input worksheet.
Fit String If you are using the BestFit forecast model, specifies the accuracy measure used to
Measure determine which forecast model is the best fit for the input data. For a complete list of
the measures you can specify here, see "Accuracy and error measures in statistical
forecasts" on page 810.
Interval String The calendar used for bucketing the forecast values.
Calendar
Historical Quantity How many periods of historical actual values to use for calculating the statistical
Interval forecast.
Count
Forecast Quantity How many periods of forecast to predict.

Interval
Count

type
Additional String Specifies values for additional parameters for statistical forecast models. The value in this
Parameters column is a concatenated string of any of the following field values:
l MovingAverageIntervalCount—How many previous periods of demands are
included in the MovingAverage calculation. This is a quantity value.
l SeasonalIntervalCount—How many seasons are included in the Holt-Winters
calculation. This is a quantity value.
l IncludeConstant—Whether a constant value is included in the ARIMA calculation.
This is a string value, and must be '0' or '1', where '0' ignores the constant.
l AutoRegressiveTerms—The order of the autoregressive part or lags for the
autoregressive part of the ARIMA calculation. This is a string value. The order or lags
are specified using different formatting. For example, if you specify
'AutoRegressiveTerms = 4', the first four lags are considered. If you specify
'AutoRegressiveTerms = (4)' or 'AutoRegressiveTerms = 2,4', only the specified lags
are considered.
l MovingAverageTerms—The order of the moving average part or lags for the moving
average part of the ARIMA calculation. This is a string value. The order or lags are
specified using different formatting. For example, if you specify
'AutoRegressiveTerms = 4', the first four lags are considered. If you specify
'AutoRegressiveTerms = (4)' or 'AutoRegressiveTerms = 2,4', only the specified lags
are considered.
l DifferenceLevel—The number of differencing operations performed in the ARIMA
calculation. This is a quantity value.
l StartDate—The first date of the period the statistical forecast is calculated for. This is
a date value, and must be formatted as 'yyyymmdd'. Forecast values earlier than this
date are set to zero for the forecast calculation. If no value is provided, Past is used.
l StopDate—The last date of the period the statistical forecast is calculated for. This is a
date value, and must be formatted as 'yyyymmdd'. Forecast values later than this date
are set to zero for the forecast calculation. If no value is provided, Future is used.
l ScalingFactor—The multiplier to scale the base forecast values by. This is a quantity
value, and the scaling applied only if this value is greater than zero. If no value is
provided, one is used.
l ProfilePoints—A set of NPI profile points used to shape the forecast of a new product.
The profile points are used to adjust forecast values, and are applied relative to the
specified StartDate or Forecast Start Date, depending on which date is later. The profile
is applied starting from either the ProfileStartDate if it is greater than the start date, or
from an interval of periods after the start date otherwise. If any forecast values are
present in periods after the last profile point, the last profile point is used to adjust all
remaining forecast values. If no value is provided, a null value is used.
l ProfileStartDate—The date the NPI profile is first applied. This is a date value, and
must be formatted as 'yyyymmdd'. If no value is provided, the StartDate value is used.
l BaseQuantity—Overrides the base forecast values from the input worksheet. This is a
quantity value, and is used only if the value specified is greater than zero. If no value is
provided, zero is used.
For example, this column could have an expression similar to the following:
"SeasonalIntervalCount=" + TEXT(SeasonalIntervalCount) + ";" +
"MovingAverageIntervalCount=" + TEXT (MovingAverageIntervalCount)
+ ";" /*ARIMA*/ + "IncludeConstant=" + IF(Constant='Use', '1',
'0') + ";" + "AutoRegressiveTerms=" + AutoRegressiveTerms + ";" +
"MovingAverageTerms=" + MovingAverageTerms + ";" +
"DifferenceLevel=" + TEXT(DifferenceLevel) + ";" + "StartDate=" +

type
TEXT (StartDate, 'yyyymmdd') + ";" + "StopDate=" + TEXT (StopDate,
'yyyymmdd') + ";" + "ScalingFactor=" + TEXT(ScalingFactor) + ";" +
"ProfilePoints=" + CONCATENATE (1000)
ForecastProfile.ProfilePoints { Index, TEXT(Quantity, 3, '.')} +
";" + "BaseQuantity=" + TEXT(BaseQuantity) + ";" +
"ProfileStartDate=" + TEXT (ProfileStartDate, 'yyyymmdd')
This expression sets a value for every additional parameter, using the values from the
ForecastItemParameters table, converting Quantity values to Strings where needed.
Forecast Date The first date a forecast value is predicted for.

Start Date
These functions also require worksheets that provide the data used to calculate the statistical forecast
and predict forecast and actual values. However, these worksheets are different depending on the
function being used.
Function Input worksheet requirements

Bucket Actuals l Forecast parameters
l Historical data points
Fit l Forecast parameters

l Bucketed historical data points (output of Bucket Actuals function)
l Forecast model parameters
Predict l Forecast parameters

l Forecast model parameters (output of the Fit function)
Predict Actuals l Forecast parameters

l Bucketed historical data points (output of the Bucket Actuals
function)
l Forecast model parameters
For an example of using these functions to calculate statistical forecasts, see "Example: Creating
transformation worksheets to calculate a statistical forecast" on page 841.
NOTE: If you have upgraded from RapidResponse 10.0 or earlier and have created worksheets
using these functions, the function has "10 0" added to the end, for example, "Predict 10 0". These
are the functions as they were defined in RapidResponse 10.0 and earlier, and do not require the
Moving Average Interval Count column in the input worksheet. These functions appear in the
Worksheet Properties dialog box with a red X icon . If you do not modify the worksheet, this
function continues to work, however, you should update your worksheets to use the most recent
version of the function.

NOTE: If you have upgraded from RapidResponse 10.1 and have created worksheets using these
functions, the function has "10 1" added to the end, for example, "Predict 10 1". These are the
functions as they were defined in RapidResponse 10.1, and require Moving Average Interval Count
and Seasonal Interval Count columns instead of the Additional Parameters column. These
functions appear in the Worksheet Properties dialog box with a red X icon . If you do not modify
the worksheet, this function continues to work, however, you should update your worksheets to
use the most recent version of the function.
Specify parameter values for the BestFit model

The values you specify for the Additional Parameters column in the input worksheet can specify whether
BestFit includes or ignores the ARIMA model, and whether ARIMA or step-wise ARIMA is used.
To Specify these Additional Parameter values

Include ARIMA in DifferenceLevel must be greater than or equal to zero, values must be specified for the
the BestFit model AutoRegressiveTerms, MovingAverageTerms, and IncludeConstant parameters.
Include step-wise DifferenceLevel must be greater than or equal to zero, blank values must be specified for the
ARIMA in the AutoRegressiveTerms and MovingAverageTerms parameters, and '0' must be specified for
BestFit model the IncludeConstant parameter.
NOTE: Although IncludeConstant is set to '0', a constant is included if the step-wise ARIMA
calculation determines a constant is required to produce the best result.
Not include DifferenceLevel must be less than zero.

ARIMA in the
BestFit model
Equivalent calculations using the ARIMA model

You can specify parameter values for the ARIMA model to produce equivalent results to other statistical
forecasting models.
To calculate the equivalent of Specify these parameter values

Exponential smoothing AutoRegressiveTerms = 0
MovingAverageTerms = 1
DifferenceLevel = 1
IncludeConstant = 0
Double exponential smoothing AutoRegressiveTerms = 0

MovingAverageTerms = 2
DifferenceLevel = 2
IncludeConstant = 0

Input worksheet for the Bucket Actuals function
In addition to the input worksheet describing the forecast parameters, the Bucket Actuals function
requires another input worksheet that contains the data points to be bucketed. This input worksheet
must meet the following requirements.
l The first columns in the worksheet uniquely identify records.

l The last two columns in the worksheet must contain a Date and a Quantity or Money value, in that
order.
For example, you could create a worksheet based on the HistoricalDemandActual table that reports
order quantities for a part, as shown in the following illustration.
This worksheet should not be grouped, because the function groups and buckets the data using the
calendar and number of intervals taken from the forecast parameters input worksheet.
For information about using the Bucket Actuals function in a transformation worksheet, see "Create a
worksheet using the Bucket Actuals function" on page 822.
Input worksheets for the Fit function

In addition to the input worksheet describing the forecast parameters, the Fit function requires another
input worksheet that contains the bucketed historical actual quantities. The transformation worksheet
created to perform the Bucket Actuals function should be used for this input.
The Fit function requires a third input worksheet. This worksheet describes the forecast model and
constants to be used to calculate the statistical forecast. This worksheet should be based on the
ForecastItemFitOutput table. If the value for the Parameters column of the forecast parameters
worksheet is "Use", this worksheet must provide a set of values to be used as the constants in the
statistical forecast calculation. If the value for the Parameters column is "Calculate", this worksheet can
contain no records. The following columns must be the last ones in this worksheet..

type
Model String The statistical forecasting model the parameters are provided for. Depending on the forecast
model, different parameters are required.
Class String The type of parameter provided. This should be "ModelConstant"
Name String The constant the value is provided for. Depending on the model, this column should contain
either "alpha", "beta", "gamma", "mu", "phi", or "theta", according to the following models:
l ARIMA—requires mu (if a constant is included in the ARIMA calculation), phi, and theta.
Phi and theta values must be provided for each auto-regressive and moving average lag
included in the ARIMA calculation. Each phi or theta value must include the lag it is used
for, using the syntax '_x' where x is the lag number. For example, phi_1 specifies the value
for the first auto-regressive lag and theta_2 specifies the value for the second moving
average lag.
l ExponentialSmoothing—requires alpha.
l DoubleExponentialSmoothing—requires alpha and gamma.
l HoltWintersMethod—requires alpha, beta, and gamma.
l CrostonsMethod—requires alpha.
Value String The value to be used as the constant in the statistical forecast calculations. For alpha, beta, or
gamma, this value must be between zero and one.
For more information about the constants and forecast models, see "Statistical forecasting models" on
page 804.
For information about using the Fit function in a transformation function, see "Create a worksheet
using the Fit function" on page 824.
Input worksheets for the Predict function

In addition to the input worksheet describing the forecast parameters, the Predict function requires
another input worksheet that describes how the statistical forecast is calculated. This worksheet should
be the output of the Fit function. In addition to data points and error measures, the Fit function returns
any errors that affect the values to be passed to the Predict function. The following values can be
returned for the FitError forecast parameter.
l None—The fit results produce a forecast. No errors were encountered.

l Warning—The fit results can produce a forecast, however, conditions in the fitted values can result
in less than optimal results, such as zero values in the historical actual values.
l Error—The fit results can produce a forecast, however, some statistical models cannot be used due
to conditions in the fitted values, such as negative values in the historical actual values.
l CriticalError—The fit results cannot produce a forecast, and the Predict function does not run.
For information about using the Predict function in a transformation worksheet, see "Create a
worksheet using the Predict function" on page 828.

Input worksheets for the Predict Actuals function
In addition to the forecast parameters worksheet, the Predict Actuals function requires another input
worksheet that contains the bucketed historical actual quantities. The transformation worksheet
created to perform the Bucket Actuals function should be used for this input
The Predict Actuals function requires a third input worksheet. This worksheet describes the forecast
model and constants to be used to calculate the statistical forecast. This worksheet should either be the
output of the Fit function, or be based on the ForecastItemFitOutput table. This worksheet must
provide a set of values to be used as the constants in the statistical forecast calculation. The following
columns must be the last ones in this worksheet.

type
Model String The statistical forecasting model the parameters are provided for. Depending on the forecast
model, different parameters are required.
Class String The type of parameter provided. This should be "ModelConstant"
Name String The constant the value is provided for. Depending on the model, this column should contain
either "alpha", "beta", "gamma", "mu", "phi", or "theta", according to the following models:
l ARIMA—requires mu (if a constant is included in the ARIMA calculation), phi, and theta.
Phi and theta values must be provided for each auto-regressive and moving average lag
included in the ARIMA calculation. Each phi or theta value must include the lag it is used
for, using the syntax '_x' where x is the lag number. For example, phi_1 specifies the value
for the first auto-regressive lag and theta_2 specifies the value for the second moving
average lag.
l ExponentialSmoothing—requires alpha.
l DoubleExponentialSmoothing—requires alpha and gamma.
l HoltWintersMethod—requires alpha, beta, and gamma.
l CrostonsMethod—requires alpha.
Value String The value to be used as the constant in the statistical forecast calculations. For alpha, beta, or
gamma, this value must be between zero and one.
If the output of the Fit function is used, the Fit function returns any errors that affect the values to be
passed to the Predict function. The following values can be returned for the FitError forecast parameter.
l None—The fit results produce a forecast. No errors were encountered.

l Warning—The fit results can produce a forecast, however, conditions in the fitted values can result
in less than optimal results, such as zero values in the historical actual values.
l Error—The fit results can produce a forecast, however, some statistical models cannot be used due
to conditions in the fitted values, such as negative values in the historical actual values.
l CriticalError—The fit results cannot produce a forecast, and the PredictActuals function does not
run.
For information about using the Predict Actuals function in a transformation worksheet, see "Create a
worksheet using the Predict Actuals function" on page 829.
NOTE: As of RapidResponse 2014.4, analytics can be used to calculate the statistical forecast
instead of transformation worksheets. Analytics calculations are more efficient, yet simpler to

produce than transformation worksheet calculations, and the calculated data is easier to
maintain. RapidResponse still supports the use of transformation worksheets to calculate
statistical forecasts. For more information, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Input worksheet for median and mode functions

The input worksheet for the Median, Mode Multiple, and Mode Single functions must each have the
following as the last column.
Column type Description

Quantity or Money The values that the median or mode will be calculated using.
The values in the input worksheet can be any quantity or money values, including order quantities,
forecasted quantities, statistical forecasts, revenues, gross margins, and so on. You can use the output
of any function that produces a quantity or money column as the input to these functions, which allows
you to determine the median or mode of your result sets.
▶Create an input worksheet for the Median, Mode Multiple, or Mode Single function
and then click Worksheet (Table-based) or Composite Worksheet.
3. If you are creating a table-based worksheet, in the Table list, click the table to base the
worksheet on.
Otherwise, add the component worksheets.
4. Click the Columns tab, and then do the following:
l Add the columns that uniquely identify the records in the worksheet. For example, part names
and sites, customer names, supplier names, and so on.
l Add the Quantity or Money column required by the function to calculate the median or mode.
Input worksheets for the ATP To Demand Match

function
The ATP To Demand Match function takes three input worksheets, and uses them to determine when
customer demands can be promised based on unallocated available supply and defined order promising
zones.
ATP worksheet
The first input worksheet is meant to provide available-to-promise (ATP) supply information and should
be a series of date and quantity values over time. This worksheet should identify the part the ATP supply
is for, and must have the following as its last columns.

Date The date on which a supply quantity is available.
Quantity The amount of unallocated supply available on that date.
Demand worksheet
The second input worksheet is meant to provide demand information and should be a series of
sorted/prioritized customer demands, with date and quantity values, over time. This worksheet should
identify the part the demand is for, and must have the following as its last columns.
Column Description
type
String A single string value identifying the demand. For example, this might be a concatenation of the
fields that uniquely identify each demand.
Date The date the demand is requested.
Quantity The quantity the demand is for.
NOTE: Within a given priority level, demands receive available-to-promise based on the order in
which they are sorted in this worksheet.
PromiseZones worksheet
The third input worksheet is meant to define order promising zones. This worksheet should identify a
frozen horizon date, before which orders should never be promised to request, and an auto-commit
horizon date, after which orders can always be promised to request.
Column Description
type
Date The frozen horizon date. This date marks the end of the frozen horizon and if a demand is requested
within this horizon, it is promised at the latter of the supply available date or the frozen horizon date.
Date The auto-commit horizon date. This date marks the beginning of the auto-commit zone and if a
demand is requested within this horizon, it is promised to the requested date.
NOTE: Implicit between the two dates defined in the table above is the slushy zone. If a demand is
requested within this zone, it is promised to the latter of the available date on the supply , the
demand request date, or the auto-commit horizon date.
▶Create an input ATP worksheet
3. In the Table list, click the table to base the worksheet on. Typically, this might be the CTPActivity
table.
l Add the columns that uniquely identify part the ATP in the worksheet is for. For example, part
name and part site.

l Add the date and quantity columns required by the function to identify ATP date and
quantity. For example, in the CTPActivity table this would be AvailableDate and
ATPQuantity.
▶Create an input Demand worksheet
3. In the Table list, click the table to base the worksheet on. Typically, this might be the
IndependentDemand table.
l Add the columns that uniquely identify the part the demand is for. For example, part name
and part.
l Add a string that identifies the demand the part is for. For example, this might concatenate
values such as Order.Id, Order.Site, Order.Type, and Line.
l Add the date and quantity columns required by the function to the date supply is needed to
satisfy the order and the amount of the order. For example, this might be RequestDate and
Quantity.
▶Create an input PromiseZones worksheet
3. In the Table list, click the table to base the worksheet on. For example, this might be a table that
allows defining order promising horizon values; such as, the PartSolution or PartCustomer table.
l Add the date column that defines the frozen horizon date. For example, this is typically
calculated by adding a frozen horizon value to the date on which the order is created.
l Add the date column that defines the auto-commit horizon date. For example, this is typically
calculated by adding an auto-commit horizon value to the date on which the order is created.
Input worksheet for the Autocorrelation function

The input worksheet for the Autocorrelation function provides a series of quantity values over time. This
worksheet must have the following as its last columns.

Date Provides the periods the autocorrelation function runs on.
Quantity or Money Provides the data points the autocorrelation function runs on.
The values in the input worksheet can be any Quantity or Money values for any series of dates.

▶Create an input worksheet for the Autocorrelation function
worksheet on.
l Add the Date and Quantity or Money columns required by the function to calculate the
autocorrelation.
Input worksheet for the Check Forecast Item function

The input worksheet for the Check Forecast Item function must meet the following requirements.
l The worksheet should be based on the PartCustomer table.

l The first five columns must identify the part customer records.
l The last five columns must identify the path and filter expression that describe the forecast item.
l All columns must contain String values.
The following table describes the data that should be in each column.

type
Base Key String The BaseKey field of the PartCustomer table. Used to identify the part customer record.
Part String The part.
Part Site String The part's site.
Customer String The customer.
Customer String The customer's site

Site
Path String The expression that defines the hierarchy path to the forecast item, as described in the
Expression forecast tree. This can be the value in the Forecasttem.PathExpression field.
Path String The value in the ForecastItem.Path field.

Provided
Path String The calculated path to the forecast item. This column is required for the output of the
Calculated function, and no value is required in the input.
Filter String The expression that is used to filter the forecast tree. This can be the value in the
Expression ForecastItem.FilterExpression field.
Filter String The expression that is used to filter the forecast tree. This column is required for the output
Expression of the function, and no value is required in the input.
True

Depending on how this function is used, the input data must be different. For example, if the value
passed in the function's returnFailedQuantity parameter is zero, the function requires a set of all
PartCustomer records with no forecast items defined. However, if the returnFailedQuantity parameter is
one, the function requires a set of PartCustomer records that have forecast items defined.
The input worksheet in either case can be based on the PartCustomer table. However, if the
returnFailedQuantity parameter is set to zero, the input worksheet must be a composite worksheet,
with one component based on the PartCustomer table and filtered to return only records that do not
have a forecast item, and the other component based on the ForecastItem table and set up to return
every forecast item. These components must be merged by combining the records from all columns
(combined by zero columns). For more information, see "Understanding how component worksheets
are combined" on page 469.
Combining the component worksheets in this way uses the path and filter expressions for each forecast
item in the worksheet, and provides valid input for the function.
For information about using the Check Forecast Item function in a transformation worksheet, see
"Create a worksheet using the Check Forecast Item function" on page 822.
▶Create an input worksheet that shows part customer records with forecast items
3. In the Table list, click the PartCustomer table.
5. Click Add Fields, and then add the following fields to the worksheet:
l BaseKey
l Part
l Part.Site
l Customer
l Customer.Site
l ForecastItem.PathExpression
l ForecastItem.Path
l ForecastItem.FilterExpression
6. Select the Forecast Item Path column, click New Column, and in the Expression box type a blank
String ('').
7. Select the Forecast Item Filter Expression column, click New Column, and then in the
Expression box type a blank String ('').
8. Optionally, rename the columns.
9. Click the Filtering tab.
10. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type ForecastItem.Path <> ''.
▶Create a component worksheet that shows part customer records with no forecast item
3. In the Table list, click the PartCustomer table.

5. Click Add Fields, and then add the following fields to the worksheet:
l BaseKey
l Part
l Part.Site
l Customer
l Customer.Site
l ForecastItem.PathExpression
l ForecastItem.Path
l ForecastItem.FilterExpression
6. Select the Forecast Item Path column, click New Column, and in the Expression box type a blank
String ('').
7. Select the Forecast Item Filter Expression column, click New Column, and then in the
Expression box type a blank String ('').
8. Optionally, rename the columns.
10. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type ForecastItem.Path = ''.
▶Create a component worksheet that returns all forecast items
3. In the Table list, click the ForecastItem table.
4. Click the Columns tab, click Add Fields, and then add the following fields to the worksheet:
l Path
l PathExpression
l FilterExpression
6. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type Path <> ''.
▶Create a worksheet that returns combinations of part customer records and forecast items
and then click Composite worksheet.
3. Click Add.
4. In the Add Component Worksheets dialog box, select the component worksheet based on the
PartCustomer table, and then click OK.
5. Click Add.
6. In the Add Component Worksheet dialog box, do the following:
l Click Merge data records.
l In the Include in composite worksheet list, click Only records in the first worksheet.
l In the Combine records by area, click The first columns.

l In The first columns box, type 0 to create every combination of records.
l In the worksheet list, click the worksheet based on the ForecastItem table, and then click OK.
Input worksheet for the Coefficient of Variation

function
The input for the Coefficient of Variation function must contain a set of data values, which are used to
calculate the ratio of the standard deviation to the absolute value of the mean of that set of values. This
determines how dispersed the data values are in relation to their mean, and can be used to compare
sets of values with different means. The input worksheet must end in the following column.

Quantity or Money The set of data values that will be used to calculate the ratio of standard deviation to mean.
The quantity or money values passed to the Coefficient of Variation function should belong to a set,
such as quantities for a group of orders for a part. However, any quantity or money values can be used,
such as order quantities, supply quantities, revenues, and so on.
▶Create an input worksheet for the Coefficient of Variation function
worksheet on.
l If necessary, add the columns that uniquely identify the records in the worksheet. For
example, part names and sites, customer names, supplier names, and so on.
l Add the Quantity or Money column required by the function to calculate the coefficient of
variation.
Input worksheets for the Disaggregation Default Rates

function
The Disaggregation Default Rates function requires two input worksheets.
The first input worksheet defines the calendars and date ranges used to determine the forecast
disaggregation rates. This worksheet must contain the following columns.

type
Part Reference A reference to the Part or PartCustomer field, with defines the record the parameters
are defined for.
Inner String The calendar that defines the attach rate. This calendar is divided by the outer calendar
Calendar to determine the index used to determine which period a forecast is disaggregated
into.
Outer String The calendar that defines the period over which the forecast is disaggregated.
Calendar
Historical Quantity The number of historical periods to use to calculate the disaggregation rates.
Interval
Count
Start Date Date The first date used in calculating disaggregation rates.
End Date Date The last date used in calculating disaggregation rates.
The second input worksheet defines the historical data points that define the ratios for disaggregating.
This worksheet must contain the following columns.
Data type Description

Reference A reference to the Part or PartCustomer field, with defines the record the data points are for.
Date The date each quantity is defined for.
Quantity or The first set of quantities or money values used to determine ratios. For example, this set could
Money be units.
Quantity or The second set of quantities or money values used to determine ratios. For example, this set
Money could be revenue.
For information about using the Disaggregation Default Rates function in a transformation worksheet,
see "Create a worksheet using the Disaggregation Default Rates function" on page 823.
▶Create a worksheet to define the dates
3. In the Table list, click the ForecastDisaggregationParameters table.
l Click Add Fields.
l In the Add Fields dialog box, add the InnerCalendar, OuterCalendar, and
HistoricalIntervalCount fields.
l Click New Column, and then in the Expression box, type a date that represents the start
date.
l Click New Column, and then in the Expression box, type a date that represents the end date.
These dates must use the d' syntax to ensure they are interpreted as Date values and not Strings.
For example,

d'06-01-10'. You can also use the date constants (Past, Future, or Today), or add columns
based on Date fields for these values.
5. Ensure the columns are arranged in the proper order, with the start date and end date field last
in the worksheet.
▶Create a worksheet to provide the input data points
3. In the Table list, click the HistoricalDemandActual table.
5. Click Add Fields, and then add the following fields:
l Date
l Quantity
6. To create a revenue series, select the Quantity column, click Copy Column, and then in the
Expression box type * UnitPrice to multiply the quantity by the unit price.

Analytics calculations are more efficient, yet simpler to produce than worksheet calculations, and
the calculated data is easier to maintain. RapidResponse still supports the use of input and
transformation worksheets to configure disaggregation rates. For more information about
forecast disaggregation, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Input worksheet for the Histogram function

The Histogram function takes a set of values and calculates the frequency of each value in the set. The
input worksheet for this function must contain the following columns.

Quantity or Money The set of values used to calculate the histogram.
The values used to calculate the histogram should not be grouped, which ensures the Histogram
function can calculate the correct frequency of values. You can also use the output of another function
as the input worksheet to view the frequency of values generated by that function.
▶Create an input worksheet for the Histogram function
worksheet on.

l Add the Quantity or Money column required by the function to calculate the histogram.
Input worksheets for the Insert Buckets function

The Insert Buckets function takes two input worksheets, one to provide the date parameters used to
determine the bucket periods, and one to supply the date and quantity data points that the bucket
values will be inserted into. These worksheets must follow the composite worksheet criteria for
combining worksheets, which requires the worksheets to have compatible grouping columns to identify
the records in the worksheets.
The parameters worksheet must have the following as the last columns in the worksheet.
Column Type Description

Start Date The date of the first bucket to insert. Dates earlier than this value are ignored.
Date
End Date Date The last date for bucketing. The bucket date immediately preceding this date defines the last
bucket to be inserted into. This date and later dates are ignored.
Calendar String The bucket calendar.
The worksheet that provides the data points must have the following as the last columns in the
worksheet.

Date The column that defines the date buckets
Quantity The values in the buckets.
▶Create an input worksheet to define date buckets
and then click Worksheet (Table-based)
3. In the Table list, select the table the worksheet is based on.
5. On the Columns tab, add the columns that identify the items you are adding buckets for.
6. Add columns to define the following:
l Start Date
l End date
l Calendar
7. On the Group tab, select the Group data check box.
8. For all columns, change the Grouping Function to Group By.

10. Add a filter expression to limit the records returned by the worksheet to only those you want to
insert bucket values for.
▶Create an input worksheet to define the data series
and then click Worksheet (Table-based)
3. In the Table list, select the table the worksheet is based on.
5. On the Columns tab, add the columns that identify the items you are adding buckets for. These
columns should match the columns you defined for the date bucket worksheet.
6. Add columns to define the following:
l Date
l Quantity
7. On the Group tab, select the Group data check box.
8. For all columns except the Quantity column, change the Grouping Function to Group by.
10. Add a filter expression to limit the records returned by the worksheet to only those you want to
insert bucket values for.
Input worksheet for the Kurtosis function

The input for the Kurtosis function must contain a set of data values, which are used to calculate a
normal distribution and then compare to the standard normal distribution. This determines whether
the data set is more peaked or more flat than the standard normal distribution. The input worksheet
must end in the following column.

Quantity or Money The set of data values that will be used to create the normal distribution to compare.
The quantity or money values passed to the Kurtosis function should belong to a set, such as quantities
for a group of orders for a part. However, any quantity or money values can be used, such as order
quantities, supply quantities, revenues, and so on.
▶Create an input worksheet for the Kurtosis function
worksheet on.

l Add the Quantity or Money column required by the function to calculate the kurtosis.
Input worksheet for the Mean Absolute Percentage

Deviation function
The input worksheet for the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function must provide the following
columns.

Date The date each forecast point is defined on.
Date The date the forecast quantities were calculated.
Quantity or Money The forecast quantity or money value at each date.
The worksheet used for the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function can be a composite
worksheet based on the output of any of the statistical functions, with a Date column inserted between
the calculated forecast dates and quantities, or it can be based on a table or constructed using static
values.
The worksheet should not be grouped, because each individual value is required to determine the
average over a period and to calculate how the value differs from the mean of all forecasts. The number
of periods used in the calculation is determined from the dates in the worksheet, which can be limited
by filtering the worksheet.
For information about using the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function in a transformation
worksheet, see "Create a worksheet using the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function" on page
826.
▶Create a composite worksheet to calculate mean absolute percentage deviation
and then click Composite Worksheet.
3. Click Add, and then add the component worksheet that contains the date and quantity columns.
5. Select the Date column.
6. Add a column containing the date the forecasts were calculated.
Input worksheet for the Periods Forward Coverage

function
The input worksheet for the Periods Forward Coverage function must meet the following requirements:

l The first columns in the worksheet must uniquely identify records.
l The last three columns in the worksheet must contain Date, Demand Quantity, and Supply
Quantity values, in that order.
l The worksheet can be grouped to provide only one demand and one supply value for each record.
For example, you could create a composite worksheet that merges order quantities and scheduled
receipt quantities for a specific part. You could also create a worksheet based on the Part table, and
then add columns for the part name and site, first needed supply date, total demand, and total supply.
Regardless of how you create the input worksheet, you can use it to calculate the periods of coverage
for the parts in the input worksheet.
The range of dates displayed in the input worksheet determines the periods that coverage is calculated
for. For example, a worksheet that contains three monthly buckets calculates coverage for those three
months. If supply covers more than the three months, then it is not consumed.
The following illustration shows a composite worksheet that summarizes the demand order quantities
and scheduled receipt quantities due in the week of June 7th for all parts. Because this worksheet
contains only one weekly bucket, the coverage is calculated for only that one week.
For information about using an input worksheet in a transformation worksheet, see "Create a
worksheet using Periods Forward Coverage function" on page 828.
▶Create an input worksheet for the Periods Forward Coverage function
worksheet on.
4. Click the Columns tab., and then do the following:

l Add the columns you want to use to identify the records being passed to the function, such
as the table's key fields, a Part and Site combination, and so on.
l Add the Date and two Quantity columns (demand and supply) required by the function.
5. If you want to group the input data to summarize the quantity values, do the following:
l Click the Group tab.
l Select the Group data and Bucket data by date check boxes.
l In the Grouping Function column, click Group By for the identifier columns and Date column.
l Ensure the value in the Grouping Function column for the Quantity columns is Sum.
7. In the Filter Expression box, type an expression to limit the input to only the records you want
the function to modify. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
Input worksheets for the Predict Override function

The Predict Override function requires two or three input worksheets, depending on the data used in
the function. The first worksheet provides the parameters used to override the calculated statistical
forecast values or to calculate the new product introduction (NPI) or product end-of-life (EOL) forecast.
The second worksheet provides the set of points used to fit the overrides, NPI, or EOL forecasts to
historical data or reference forecast data. The third and optional worksheet provides the forecast values
used to calculate the overrides, NPI, or EOL values. This worksheet is required only if a Quantity value is
not specified in the parameters worksheet.
The worksheet that defines the parameters can be based on the StatisticalForecastOverride table, and
should contain only a single row. The following columns must be the last columns in the worksheet.

type
Before String Whether values are calculated before the first profile period. Valid values are:
Start Date l None—Values before the first profile point are not calculated.
Rule
l FromReference—Values before the first profile point are calculated using the quantities
specified in this worksheet or from a referenced forecast. The first profile point is used
to determine the value for all points before the start date.
After String Whether values are calculated after the last profile period. Valid values are:
Profile l None—Values after the last profile point are not calculated.
End Rule
l FromReference—Values after the last profile point are calculated using the quantities
specified in this worksheet or from a referenced forecast. The last profile point is used to
determine the value for all points after the end of the profile period.
Interval String The calendar used to determine the dates used to calculate the forecast points.
Calendar
Forecast Quantity The number of forecast intervals used in calculating the forecast. This value is used only if
Interval the value in the Quantity column is greater than zero. Otherwise, the periods in the
Count reference forecast are used.
Multiplier Quantity A value used to adjust the forecast values.

type
Quantity Quantity The input quantity used with the value in the Multiplier column to determine the values
used in the forecast calculations. If this value is greater than zero, only this value is used in
calculating the forecast, and the reference forecast is ignored. In this case, every value in
the overridden forecast is calculating by multiplying this value by the Multiplier, then
multiplying by the profile point's quantity.
Start Date Date The date of the first profile point.
Forecast Date The date the forecast period begins. This is the same date as the last profile point.
Start Date
The worksheet that defines the profile points should be based on the ProfilePoints table. The following
columns must be the last columns in the worksheet.
Column Data type Description

Index Integer The profile point.
Quantity Quantity The quantity at the profile point.
The worksheet that contains the reference forecast data points. This worksheet is required only if the
value in the Quantity column in the parameters worksheet is zero. This worksheet can contain any
forecast values, including a reference forecast, the output of the Predict function, or a consensus
forecast. The following columns must be the last columns in the worksheet.

Date The date on the reference forecast value.
Quantity or Money The reference forecast quantity or money value.
For information about using the Predict Override function in a transformation worksheet, see "Create a
worksheet using the Predict Overrides function" on page 830.
▶Create the parameter worksheet
3. In the Table list, click the StatisticalForecastOverride table.
5. Click Add Fields, and then add the fields that uniquely identify the parameter values, if required.
6. Add the following fields:
l Type.BeforeStartDate
l Type.AfterProfileEnd
l ItemParameters.Type.IntervalsCalendar
l ItemParameters.ForecastIntervalCount
l Multiplier

l Quantity
l StartDate
7. Click New Column, and then in the Expression box, type an expression that determines the
forecast start date. This could also contain a reference to another table, a variable, or a static
date.
9. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type an expression that limits the worksheet to
displaying only the parameters you want to use for calculating the forecast overrides.
NOTE: You can also create this worksheet by creating columns that contain static values.
NOTE: You can create parameter worksheets that display cached results. For more information,
see "Caching worksheet results" on page 329.
▶Create the worksheet that defines the profile points
3. In the Table list, click the ProfilePoints table.
5. Click Add Fields, and then add the fields that uniquely identify the profile, if required.
6. Add the following fields:
l Index
l Quantity
8. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type an expression that limits the worksheet to
displaying only the profile you want to use for calculating the forecast overrides.
Input worksheet for the Rolling Average function

The input worksheet for the Rolling Average function must end with the following columns.

Date The date associated with each quantity.
Quantity or Money The quantities or money values to be averaged.
The values in the input worksheet can be any quantities or money values, including order quantities,
forecasted quantities, statistical forecasts, revenues, gross margins, and so on. For example, you could
use the output of the Predict function as the input to the Rolling Average function to determine the
average of forecasted values at each date. You could also use the output of an Insert Buckets function
to ensure the rolling average is calculated using a complete set of values.
For information about using the Rolling Average function in a transformation worksheet, see "Create a
worksheet using the Rolling Average function" on page 830.

▶Create an input worksheet for the Rolling Average function
worksheet on.
l Add the Date and Quantity columns required by the function to calculate the rolling average.
the function to calculate the rolling average for. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering"
on page 386.
Input worksheets for the Safety Stock function

The Safety Stock function requires four input worksheets in order to calculate safety stock and reorder
point for safety stock items. These worksheets define the safety stock parameters, historical demands,
future demands, and historical lead times respectively. The requirements for each of these worksheets
are described below along with the basic steps for creating them (for information about creating a
transformation worksheet that makes use of these worksheets, see "Create a worksheet using the
Safety Stock function" on page 831.
Safety stock parameters worksheet

The first input worksheet is used by the function's Parameters parameter and should be based on the
SafetyStockItem table. This worksheet defines the safety stock item configuration parameters required
by the function and requires two columns with data types and purpose as follows.

Data Description
type
Reference A reference to the safety stock item itself. A column expression of Self can be used for this
purpose (and the Use as reference option enabled).
String A concatenated list of all required safety stock parameter names and their associated values.
The following should be kept in mind when defining this parameter.
l Each item in this concatenated string should be a name/value pair in the format
parameterName=parameterValue.
l Semi-colons are used to separate each parameter name/value pair.
l Plus signs (+) are used to concatenate the name/value pairs.
l All values passed to the parameter should be strings. Thus, use of the TEXT operator is required to
format non-string values.
The required parameters for this function are as follows:
l ServiceLevel—the service level for the part as taken from the ServiceLevel field.
l LeadTime—the standard lead time for the part as taken from the LeadTime field.
l AverageDemandRule—a value of Mean, Median, or Mode as taken from the
Type.AverageDemandRule reference.
l StandardDeviationDemandRule—a value of StandardDeviation, LinearRegression,
ExponentialSmoothing, DoubleExponentialSmoothing, CrostonsMethod, HoltWintersMethod, or
Manual as taken from the Type.StandardDeviationDeviationRule reference.
l RollingLeadTimeDemandRule—a value of Use or Ignore as taken from the
Type.UseRollingLeadTimeDemand reference.
l StandardDeviationDemand—a manually inputted standard deviation of demand for the part as
taken from the StandardDeviationDemand field.
l StandardDeviationLeadTime—a manually inputted standard deviation of demand for the part as
taken from the StandardDeviationLeadTime field.
l SafetyStockProcessingRule—a value of SingleEchelon or MultiEchelon as taken from the
ProcessingRule field.
l AverageDemand—a manually inputted average of demand for the part as taken from the
AverageDemand field.
l SupplyVariabilityRule—a value of Use, Manual, or Ignore as taken from the
Type.SupplyVariabilityRule reference.
l ServiceLevelRule—a value of Cycle or FillRate as taken from the Type.ServiceLevelRule reference.
l OrderQuantity—minimum order quantity used with fill rate calculation as taken from the
OrderQuantity field.
l PeriodCalendar—the period calendar for the part as taken from the Type.PeriodCalendar reference
(nullable).
l PeriodsPerCycle—the number of periods in a full seasonal cycle as taken from the PeriodsPerCycle
field.
l IntervalsCalendar—the intervals calendar for the part as taken from the Type.IntervalsCalendar
reference.
l IntervalsPerPeriod—the number of intervals in a period as taken from the IntervalsPerPeriod field.
l HistoricalAverageDemandProfiile—comma-delimited list of values that define the profile to use
(if any) for calculating historical average demands as taken from the Offset, Multiplier, and
Extended fields on the HistoricalAverageDemandProfile reference (nullable)
l FutureAverageDemandProfile—comma-delimited list of values that define the profile to use (if
any) for calculating future average demands as taken from the Offset, Multiplier, and Extended
fields on the FutureAverageDemandProfile reference (nullable)
For an example of the expression used to define this string, see "Create the worksheet to define safety
stock parameters" on page 788.

▶Create the worksheet to define safety stock parameters
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockItem table.
5. Click New Column, and then do the following:
l In the Name box, type a name for the column.
l in the Expression box, type Self.
6. Click Data Options, and then select the Use as reference check box.
l in the Expression box, type a string that provides all required safety stock item parameters as
described in "Safety stock parameters worksheet" on page 786. For example, the expression
might look similar to the following:
'ServiceLevel=' + TEXT(ServiceLevel, 9) + ';' +
'ServiceLevelRule=' + Type.ServiceLevelRule + ';' +
'LeadTime=' + TEXT(LeadTime, 9) + ';' +
'AverageDemandRule=' + Type.AverageDemandRule + ';' +
'StandardDeviationDemandRule=' + Type.StandardDeviationDemandRule +
';' +
'RollingLeadTimeDemandRule=' + Type.UseRollingLeadTimeDemand + ';' +
'SupplyVariabilityRule=' + Type.SupplyVariabilityRule +
IF( ISNULL(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile) , '' ,
'OrderQuantity=' + TEXT(OrderQuantity, 9) + ';' +
'SafetyStockProcessingRule=' + ProcessingRule + ';' +
';HistoricalAverageDemandProfile=(' +
TEXT(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile.Offset, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile.Multiplier, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile.Extend, 0) +
')' ) +
IF( ISNULL(FutureAverageDemandProfile) , '' ,
';FutureAverageDemandProfile=(' +
TEXT(FutureAverageDemandProfile.Offset, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(FutureAverageDemandProfile.Multiplier, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(FutureAverageDemandProfile.Extend, 0) +
')' )
9. Click OK.
Historical demands worksheet

The second input worksheet is used by the function's HistoricalDemands parameter and should be
based on the SafetyStockHistoricalDemand table. This worksheet provides historical demand dates and
bucketed quantities, and requires columns with data types and purposes as follows.

Data Description
type
Reference A reference to the safety stock item itself. A column expression of Item can be used for this purpose
(and the Use as reference option enabled).
Date The date of the bucketed historical demands for the item. Should be based on the Date field.
Quantity The original quantity of historical demands on this date (includes cleansing for causal factors) .
Should be based on the OriginalQuantity field.
Quantity The quantity of historical demands on this date (includes any adjustments for outliers). Should be
based on the Quantity field.
Quantity The rolling lead time quantity of historical demands on this date. Should be based on the
RollingLeadTimeQuantity field.
▶Create the worksheet to provide historical demands
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockHistoricalDemand table.
5. Click Add Fields, and then add the following fields in order:
l Item
l Date
l OriginalQuantity
l Quantity
l RollingLeadTimeQuantity
6. With the Item column selected, click Data Options and then select the Use as reference check
box.
7. Click OK.
Future demands worksheet

The third input worksheet is used by the function's FutureDemands parameter and should be based on
the SafetyStockItemFutureDemand table. This worksheet provides future demand dates and bucketed
quantities, and requires columns with data types and purposes as follows.
Data Description
type
Date The date of the bucketed future demands for the item. Should be based on the Date field.
Quantity The quantity of future demands on this date. Should be based on the Quantity field.

▶Create the worksheet to provide future demands
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockItemFutureDemand table.
l Item
l Date
l Quantity
box.
7. Click OK.
Historical supply lead times worksheet

The fourth input worksheet is used by the function's LeadTimes parameter and should be based on the
SafetyStockHistoricalSupply table. This worksheet provides historical supply dates and lead times, and
requires columns with data types and purposes as follows.
Data Description
type
Date The date of a historical supply for the item. Should be based on the Date field.
Quantity The lead time for the historical supply on this date. Should be based on the LeadTime field.
▶Create the worksheet to provide historical supply lead times
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockItemHistoricalSupply table.
l Item
l Date
l LeadTime
box.
7. Click OK.

Input worksheet for the Skew function
The input for the Skew function provides a set of data points that are compared to their mean to
determine which way the data skews. The input worksheet must have the following as its last column.

Quantity or Money The values that will be used to determine how the data skews.
The quantity or money values passed to the Skew function should belong to a set, such as quantities for
a group of orders for a part. However, any quantity or money values can be used, such as order
quantities, supply quantities, revenues, and so on.
▶Create an input worksheet for the Skew function
worksheet on.
l Add the Quantity or Money column required by the function to calculate the skew.
Input worksheets for the Standard Deviations of

Errors function
The Standard Deviations of Errors function requires three input worksheets. The first worksheet
provides historical actual demand values, the second provides historical demand series information, and
the third provides forecast values. These values are used to calculate the statistical error measures and
the standard deviation of those errors.
The input worksheets that provide the historical demand values and historical demand series
information must contain the same number of periods, and the periods must have the same dates in
both worksheets. For example, if the actual values worksheet contains 18 monthly periods before the
planning date, the historical data series worksheet must also contain 18 monthly periods before the
planning date, beginning with the same month. The input worksheet that provides the forecast points
can have different buckets, but should contain buckets for the periods required to calculate the forecast
errors, such as 12 monthly buckets after the planning date.
The worksheets that provide the historical actual and forecast data points must end with the following
columns:

Date The date associated with each value.
Quantity or Money The quantity or money value in each period.

The worksheet the provides the historical data series information must end with the following columns:
Data Type Description

Date The historical data series as of date.
Date The date associated with each value.
Quantity or Money The quantity or money value in each period.
For information about using the Standard Deviations of Errors function in a transformation worksheet,
see "Create a worksheet using the Standard Deviations of Errors function" on page 832.
▶Create an input worksheet to provide actual values
3. In the Table list, click the HistoricalDemandActual table.
l Add the columns that identify the records. For example, part, customer, supplier, and so on.
l Add the Date and Quantity columns required by the function.
6. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type an expression that limits the worksheet to the type
of quantities or specific records you want to display.
7. Click the Group tab
8. Select the Group data and Bucket data by date check boxes.
9. Group the worksheet by the columns that identify records and the Date column.
10. Click Bucket Settings, and then specify the periods you want the worksheet to display. For more
▶Create an input worksheet to define the historical data series
3. In the Table list, click the HistoricalDemandSeriesDetail table.
l Add the two Date columns and the Quantity column required by the function. The first Date
column must contain the Series As Of Date field.
6. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type an expression that limits the worksheet to the
demand series you want to display.
9. Group the worksheet by the columns that identify records, the Series As Of Date column, and
the Date column.

▶Create an input worksheet to provide forecast values
3. In the Table list, click the ForecastDetail table.
of quantities or specific records you want to display.
9. Group the worksheet by the columns that identify records and the Date column.
Input worksheets for statistical error functions

The Statistical Errors and Statistical Errors by Date functions both require two input worksheets. One
worksheet provides forecasted values, and the other provides actual values. These data sets are
compared using the measures described in "Accuracy and error measures in statistical forecasts" on
page 810. The result of each measure is provided in the output of the function.
The two input worksheets must contain the same number of periods, and the periods must have the
same dates in both worksheets. For example, if the actual values worksheet contains 12 monthly
periods, the forecast worksheet must also contain 12 monthly periods, beginning with the same month.
Typically this function is used to compare the results of a statistical forecast to the historical actual
values the forecast was calculated based on. However, you can also use this function to compare any
two sets of data.
The worksheets for performing statistical error analysis must both end with the following columns:

Date The date associated with each actual value.
Quantity or Money The actual quantity or money value in each period.
If you are comparing two sets of quantities, you can create one input worksheet, then copy it and
change the filtering to obtain the second set of quantities. You should also group and bucket the
worksheets, which ensures only one value is returned for each period, and any periods with zero
quantities are still included in the worksheet. Otherwise the zero quantity would be excluded, and the
periods in both worksheets might not match.

For information about using the statistical error functions in a transformation worksheet, see "Create a
worksheet using the Statistical Errors function" on page 833 and "Create a worksheet using the
Statistical Errors by Date function" on page 833.
▶Create an input worksheet to provide actual values
3. In the Table list, click the table you want to base the worksheet on.
of quantities you want to display.
▶Create an input worksheet to provide forecast values
worksheet you created to provide the actual values.
2. Click Copy, and then click Selected Worksheet.
3. In the Copy Worksheet dialog box, specify a name for the new worksheet.
4. Click Properties, and then in the Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Filtering tab.
5. In the Worksheet filter expression box, modify the expression to limit the worksheet to the type
of quantities you want to display.
Input worksheet for standard deviation functions

The input worksheet for the STDEV or STDEVP functions must meet the following requirements:
l The first columns in the worksheet must identify groups of records.

l The last column in the worksheet must contain Quantity or Money values.
l There must be multiple Quantity or Money values for each group of records.
l The worksheet must not be grouped.
Input worksheets for the STDEV With Dates or STDEVP With Dates must also have a Date column before
the final Quantity or Money column. You can create this worksheet, or you can use the output of an
Insert Buckets function, which ensures the standard deviation is calculated using a complete set of
values. For more information, see "Create a worksheet using the Insert Buckets function" on page 825.
For example, you could create a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table and use it to
calculate the standard deviation of forecast quantities from each customer. For this input worksheet,

you can add a Customer column and a Quantity column, and then filter the worksheet to display only
forecast orders, as shown in the following illustration.
The worksheet shown above includes all forecast order quantities from customer eBikes.
worksheet using the STDEV or STDEVP function" on page 834 or "Create a worksheet using the STDEV
With Dates or STDEVP With Dates function" on page 835.
▶Create an input worksheet for the STDEV or STDEVP functions
worksheet on.

l Add a Quantity or Money column required by the function to calculate the standard
deviation.
the function to calculate standard deviation for. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering"
on page 386.
▶Create an input worksheet for the STDEV With Dates or STDEVP With Dates functions
worksheet on.

l Add a Date column.
l Add a Quantity or Money column required by the function to calculate the standard
deviation.
the function to calculate standard deviation for. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering"
on page 386.
Input worksheets for the Time Phased Safety Stock

function
The Time Phased Safety Stock function requires four input worksheets in order to calculate safety stock
and reorder point for safety stock items. These worksheets define the safety stock parameters, historical
demands, future demands, and historical lead times respectively. The requirements for each of these
worksheets are described below along with the basic steps for creating them (for information about
creating a transformation worksheet that makes use of these worksheets, see "Create a worksheet
using the Safety Stock function" on page 831.
Safety stock parameters worksheet

The first input worksheet is used by the function's Parameters parameter and should be based on the
SafetyStockItem table. This worksheet defines the safety stock item configuration parameters required
by the function and requires two columns with data types and purpose as follows.

Data Description
type
Reference A reference to the safety stock item itself. A column expression of Self can be used for this
purpose (and the Use as reference option enabled).

Data Description
type
String A concatenated list of all required safety stock parameter names and their associated values.
The following should be kept in mind when defining this parameter.
l Each item in this concatenated string should be a name/value pair in the format
parameterName=parameterValue.
l Semi-colons are used to separate each parameter name/value pair.
l Plus signs (+) are used to concatenate the name/value pairs.
l All values passed to the parameter should be strings. Use of the TEXT operator is required to format
non-string values.
The parameters accepted by this function are as follows:
l TimePhasedProcessingRule—A value of Use or Ignore as taken from the
Type.TimePhasedProcessingRule reference.
l NonStationaryDemandRule—A values of Decomposition, HoltWinters, Manula, or Simple as taken
from the Type.NonStationaryDemandRule reference.
l CycleCalendar—the cycle calendar for the part as taken from the Type.CycleCalendar reference.
l PeriodCalendar—the period calendar for the part as taken from the Type.PeriodCalendar reference.
l IntervalsCalendar—the intervals calendar for the part as taken from the Type.IntervalsCalendar
reference.
l PeriodsPerCycle—the number of periods in a full seasonal cycle as taken from the PeriodsPerCycle
field.
l IntervalsPerPeriod—the number of intervals in a period as taken from the IntervalsPerPeriod field.
l ServiceLevel—the service level for the part as taken from the ServiceLevel field.
l LeadTime—the standard lead time for the part as taken from the LeadTime field.
l AverageDemandRule—a value of Mean, Median, or Mode as taken from the
Type.AverageDemandRule reference.
l AverageDemand—a manually inputted average of demand for the part as taken from the
AverageDemand field.
l StandardDeviationDemand—a manually inputted standard deviation of demand for the part as
taken from the StandardDeviationDemand field.
l OrderQuantity—minimum order quantity used with fill rate calculation as taken from the
OrderQuantity field.
l SafetyStockProcessingRule—a value of SingleEchelon or MultiEchelon as taken from the
ProcessingRule field.
l StandardDeviationDemandRule—a value of StandardDeviation, LinearRegression,
ExponentialSmoothing, DoubleExponentialSmoothing, CrostonsMethod, HoltWintersMethod, or
Manual as taken from the Type.StandardDeviationDeviationRule reference.
l RollingLeadTimeDemandRule—a value of Use or Ignore as taken from the
Type.UseRollingLeadTimeDemand reference.
l SupplyVariabilityRule—a value of Use, Manual, or Ignore as taken from the
Type.SupplyVariabilityRule reference.
l ServiceLevelRule—a value of Cycle or FillRate as taken from the Type.ServiceLevelRule reference.
l RunDate—the part's RunDate as taken from the Part.PlanningCalendars.RunDate.FirstDate
reference.
l TimePhasedDemandParameters—manually provided set of demand parameters for the item as
brought in through the TimePhasedDemandParameterSets set field; if used, this should contain the
set of Index, Average, and StandardDeviation field values that pertain to the item in the form (P1,
U1, S1, P2, U2, S2, ..).
l TimePhasedReportCount—maximum number of interval periods to report time-phased safety

Data Description
type
stock calculations.
l RunDate—the part's RunDate as taken from the Part.PlanningCalendars.RunDate.FirstDate
reference.
l HistoricalAverageDemandProfiile—comma-delimited list of values that define the profile to use
(if any) for calculating historical average demands as taken from the Offset, Multiplier, and
Extended fields on the HistoricalAverageDemandProfile reference (nullable).
l FutureAverageDemandProfile—comma-delimited list of values that define the profile to use (if
any) for calculating future average demands as taken from the Offset, Multiplier, and Extended
fields on the FutureAverageDemandProfile reference (nullable).
For an example of the expression used to define this string, see "Create the worksheet to define safety
stock parameters" on page 799.
▶Create the worksheet to define safety stock parameters
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockItem table.
l in the Expression box, type Self.
6. Click Data Options, and then select the Use as reference check box.
l in the Expression box, type a string that provides all required safety stock item parameters as
described in "Safety stock parameters worksheet" on page 796. For example, the expression
might look similar to the following:
'TimePhasedProcessingRule=' + Type.TimePhasedProcessingRule + ';' +
'NonStationaryDemandRule=' + Type.NonStationaryDemandRule + ';' +
'CycleCalendar=' + Type.CycleCalendar + ';' +
'PeriodCalendar=' + Type.PeriodCalendar + ';' +
'IntervalsCalendar=' + Type.IntervalsCalendar + ';'
'PeriodsPerCycle=' + TEXT(PeriodsPerCycle, 0) + ';' +
'IntervalsPerPeriod=' + TEXT(IntervalsPerPeriod, 0) + ';' +
'ServiceLevel=' + TEXT(ServiceLevel, 9) + ';' +
'LeadTime=' + TEXT(LeadTime, 9) + ';' +
'AverageDemandRule=' + Type.AverageDemandRule + ';' +
'AverageDemand=' + TEXT(AverageDemand, 9) + ';' +
'OrderQuantity=' + TEXT(OrderQuantity, 9) + ';' +
'SafetyStockProcessingRule=' + ProcessingRule + ';' +
'StandardDeviationDemandRule=' + Type.StandardDeviationDemandRule +
';' +
'StandardDeviationDemand=' + TEXT(StandardDeviationDemand, 9) + ';' +
'RollingLeadTimeDemandRule=' + Type.UseRollingLeadTimeDemand + ';' +
'SupplyVariabilityRule=' + Type.SupplyVariabilityRule +
'ServiceLevelRule=' + Type.ServiceLevelRule + ';' +
'RunDate=' + TEXT(Part.PlanningCalendars.RunDate.FirstDate,
'yyyyMMdd') + ';' +

'TimePhasedDemandParameters=' + CONCATENATE(999)
TimePhasedDemandParameterSets {Index:a, Text(Index) + ',' + Text
(Average)+ ',' + Text(StandardDeviation)} + ' ;' +
'TimePhasedReportCount=' + TEXT(TimePhasedReportCount, 0) +
IF( ISNULL(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile) , '' ,
';HistoricalAverageDemandProfile=(' +
TEXT(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile.Offset, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile.Multiplier, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(HistoricalAverageDemandProfile.Extend, 0) +
')' ) +
IF( ISNULL(FutureAverageDemandProfile) , '' ,
';FutureAverageDemandProfile=(' +
TEXT(FutureAverageDemandProfile.Offset, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(FutureAverageDemandProfile.Multiplier, 0) + ',' +
TEXT(FutureAverageDemandProfile.Extend, 0) +
')' )
9. Click OK.
Historical demands worksheet

The second input worksheet is used by the function's HistoricalDemands parameter and should be
based on the SafetyStockHistoricalDemand table. This worksheet provides historical demand dates and
bucketed quantities, and requires columns with data types and purposes as follows.
Data Description
type
Date The date of the bucketed historical demands for the item. Should be based on the Date field.
Quantity The original quantity of historical demands on this date (includes cleansing for causal factors) .
Should be based on the OriginalQuantity field.
Quantity The quantity of historical demands on this date (includes any adjustments for outliers). Should be
based on the Quantity field.
Quantity The rolling lead time quantity of historical demands on this date. Should be based on the
RollingLeadTimeQuantity field.
▶Create the worksheet to provide historical demands
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockHistoricalDemand table.

l Item
l Date
l OriginalQuantity
l Quantity
l RollingLeadTimeQuantity
box.
7. Click OK.
Future demands worksheet

The third input worksheet is used by the function's FutureDemands parameter and should be based on
the SafetyStockItemFutureDemand table. This worksheet provides future demand dates and bucketed
quantities, and requires columns with data types and purposes as follows.
Data Description
type
Date The date of the bucketed future demands for the item. Should be based on the Date field.
Quantity The quantity of future demands on this date. Should be based on the Quantity field.
▶Create the worksheet to provide future demands
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockItemFutureDemand table.
l Item
l Date
l Quantity
box.
7. Click OK.

Historical supply lead times worksheet
The fourth input worksheet is used by the function's LeadTimes parameter and should be based on the
SafetyStockHistoricalSupply table. This worksheet provides historical supply dates and lead times, and
requires columns with data types and purposes as follows.
Data Description
type
Date The date of a historical supply for the item. Should be based on the Date field.
Quantity The lead time for the historical supply on this date. Should be based on the LeadTime field.
▶Create the worksheet to provide historical supply lead times
3. In the Table list, click the SafetyStockItemHistoricalSupply table.
l Item
l Date
l LeadTime
box.
7. Click OK.
Input worksheet for the TREND function

The input worksheet for the TREND function must meet the following requirements.
l The first columns in the worksheet must uniquely identify records.

l The last two columns in the worksheet must contain a Date and a Quantity or Money value, in that
order.
l The worksheet must provide only one quantity or money value for each date.
For example, you could create a worksheet based on the HistoricalDemandActual or

IndependentDemand table that reports order quantities for a set of parts. You can group and bucket
the worksheet data by date, beginning with a period in the past and ending at the present, as shown in

The worksheet shown above is based on the HistoricalDemandActual actual table, and contains five
monthly buckets before the planning date. These values can be used to generate a trend line for part
CDMA-C333 for your European and North American distribution centers.
worksheet using the TREND function" on page 838.
▶Create an input worksheet for the TREND function
worksheet on.
l Add the Date and Quantity or Money columns required by the function to calculate the
trend line that is used to predict the future quantities.
5. Optionally, on the Group tab, do the following:
l Select the Group data check box.
l Select the Bucket data by date check box, and then specify the date buckets to display in the
worksheet. For more information, see "Define worksheet date buckets" on page 405.
l In the Grouping Function column, click Group By for the identifier columns and Date column.
l Ensure the value in the Grouping Function column for the Quantity or Money column is Sum.
7. In the Filter Expression box, type an expression to limit the input to only the records you want to
estimate trends for. For more information, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.

Statistical forecasting models and measures
Statistical forecasts are calculated using different forecasting models. Depending on the calculations
required, and the data conditions, you can select from these forecasting models in RapidResponse:
l Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA)

l Croston's Method
l Double Exponential Smoothing
l Exponential Smoothing
l Holt-Winters
l Linear
l Moving Average
l Step-wise ARIMA
For more information, see "Statistical forecasting models" on page 804.

Analyzing the error measures resulting from any of the statistical functions used in the forecast can
highlight problems in the data. RapidResponse provides the following error measures:
l Count l Mean absolute percentage error

l Mean date l Mean absolute percentage error by
l Mean quantity forecast
l Total sum of squares l Mean absolute error
l Variance l Mean error
l Standard error l Mean percentage error
l Residual sum of squares l Mean percentage error by forecast
l Mean square errors l Mean absolute error by mean
l Root mean square l Log-likelihood
errors l Akaike information criterion (AIC)
l Regression sum of l Schwarz Bayesian information criterion
squares (SBC)
l R-squared l Hannan-Quinn criterion (HQC)
l Adjusted R-squared
For more information, see "Accuracy and error measures in statistical forecasts" on page 810.
Statistical forecasting models

When you calculate a statistical forecast, you can use any of the following forecasting models. Each
model performs different calculations, and are best suited to different data conditions.

Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA)
The ARIMA model considers regressive terms and moving average terms for distinct time periods or
lags, and calculates forecasts for a time period using a linear combination of actual values and error
values in a time series. This model can be used on a stationary time series, or a differencing function can
be applied to non-stationary data to make it stationary, which ensures the mean and variance of the
time series do not change over time. The ARIMA model is not suited for seasonal data.
You can specify the difference level, which determines how many differencing functions are performed
on the data. The differencing function can be written
Y(t) - Y(t-1) for each point, where Y is the data value and t is the time period. This function is
applied to the data as many times as specified.
After the differencing function is performed, an Auto-Regressive Moving Average (ARMA) calculation is
performed using the following formula, where μ is a constant value, ϕ is the coefficient of the auto-
regressive function, θ is the coefficient of the moving average function, t is the time, y is the actual value
at point t, e is a white noise error process at point t, p is the number of auto-regressive terms, and q is
the number of moving average terms.
The ARIMA calculation considers auto-regressive and moving average values for each lag. Depending
on how you want to calculate the function, you can specify the lags to be used in each of the auto-
regressive and moving average calculations. For example, if you specify "AutoRegressiveTerms = (1,2,4)”
and “MovingAverageTerms=(1,3)”, the auto-regressive calculation is performed for lags 1, 2, and 4, and
the moving average calculation is performed for lags 1 and 3. If you specify a single lag, the brackets
specified for these parameters can modify how the calculation runs. For example, specifying
"AutoRegressiveTerms = 4" means that all lags up to the 4th are considered; however,
"AutoRegressiveTerms = (4)" means only the 4th lag is considered. For more information about
specifying values for this model, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.
Croston's method
The Croston's method model is another type of exponential smoothing that accounts for intermittent
or sporadic demand. This method is best suited for demand that is not constant, such as lumpy demand
that contains periods of zero quantities, or that has very few non-zero data points in a period.
Croston's method uses a single smoothing constant for the forecast values, but calculates two different
values. The first value, Z, calculates the forecast values at a point. The second value, X, calculates the
average length of time between forecasts. These values determine the forecast quantities and the
periods that have forecast demands. A forecast quantity will be followed by X periods of no forecasts,
then another forecast quantity, then another X periods of no forecasts, and so on.
The forecast quantity and average length between forecasts are calculated using a smoothing function
if the demand at a point is not zero, otherwise the values from the previous point are repeated.
Croston's method is calculated using the following formulas, where Z is the forecast value, X is the
average length between forecast values, q is the number of periods between two non-zero demands,
and alpha (α) is the smoothing constant.

Using the results of these formulas, forecast values that fit the input values can be calculated, and future
forecast values can be predicted from the final forecast values and average period length between
demands, using the following formulas.
Double exponential smoothing

The double exponential smoothing model considers the input data points and trends within the data,
and applies a smoothing algorithm to both. The result of the data points and trend are used as the
statistical forecast. This method is best used for demand that is mostly linear, but that trends upwards
or downwards over time.
For this model, the smoothing formulas require different smoothing constants, which are values
between zero and one. The values for each point in the forecast and the trend are calculated separately,
and then added to determine where the statistical forecast point should be.
Double exponential smoothing is calculated using the following formula, where F is the smoothed value,
T is the trend value, alpha (α) is the smoothing constant, gamma (γ) is the trend smoothing constant,
and N is the number of periods. .

The initial values for this function are calculated by backcasting the function. The initial values for the
backcasting function are set by using a linear regression to set the trend value and the last actual value
from the worksheet that provides input for the statistical forecast to set the smoothed value. The final
values calculated by the backcasting function are the initial values used by the double exponential
smoothing function
forecast values can be predicted from the final forecast and trend values, using the following formulas.
Exponential Smoothing
The exponential smoothing model calculates a statistical forecast by combing fitted actuals with the
latest historical actual demands. This model considers the available historical input data, but assigns
gradually decreasing significance to each data point as it ages. It is suitable for forecasting demand that
is fairly stable and does not exhibit a trend or seasonality.
When using this model a smoothing constant, alpha (α), is required and applied to the historical data
points when generating the statistical forecast. Alpha is always a value between 0 and 1, with a larger
alpha giving higher weightings to the more recent data points, and a smaller alpha giving higher
weightings to the earlier data points. Alpha is automatically determined by RapidResponse when
calculating a fitted value for the historical actuals, and is set as the value that minimizes the residual sum
of squares.
When fitting the actuals, each fitted value combines the previous periods historical actual (y) with its
fitted value, after applying the smoothing constant alpha (α), as shown in the following equation:
The initial value for this function is set to the final data point calculated by backcasting the function. The
initial value for the backcasting function is the last actual value from the worksheet that provides input
for the statistical forecast. The final value produced by the backcasting function is the first fitted value
used for the exponential smoothing function.
The statistical forecast values are constant, and are equal to the final fitted value, as shown in the
following equation:

Holt-Winters
The Holt-Winters model is similar to the double exponential smoothing model in that it considers data
points and trends. However, Holt-Winters also accounts for seasonal trending, and is best suited for
demand that rises and falls over a period. The Holt-Winters model requires data for all previous periods,
and cannot be used if there are any gaps in the historical buckets.
For this model, the smoothing formulas require different smoothing constants, which are values
between zero and one. The values for each point in the forecast and the trend are adjusted to account
for the seasonal demand change, and then added to determine where the statistical forecast point
should be.
The seasonal trend is smoothed along with the trend and forecast demands. These are calculated using
the following formulas, where F is the smoothed value, T is the trend value, S is the seasonal trend value,
p is the length of the season, alpha (α) is the smoothing constant, beta (β) is the seasonal trend
smoothing constant, and gamma (γ) is the trend smoothing constant.
The initial values for this function are calculated by backcasting the function. The initial values for the
backcasting function are set by using a linear regression with seasonal dummies to set the trend and
seasonal trend values, and the last actual value from the worksheet that provides input for the
statistical forecast to set the initial smoothed value. The final values calculated by the backcasting
function are the initial values used by the Holt-Winters function.
forecast values can be predicted from the final forecast and trend values, using the following formulas.
Linear
The linear forecast model performs a linear regression on a set of historical data points to calculate a
trend line that determines the statistical forecast quantities. This model is similar to the TREND function,

except the forecast quantities are never less than zero. For more information, see "TREND function" on
page 761.
The linear model is best used for demand that does not contain seasonal variations.
Moving Average
The moving average model calculates a statistical forecast taking the average of the actual historical
demands from a specified number of prior periods. The number of periods considered by this model is
determined by the setting in the ForecastItemParameters.MovingAverageIntervalCount field and
expressed in terms of the calendar referenced by the ForecastItemParametersType.IntervalsCalendar
field. Each new forecast period drops the oldest of the demands considered by the previous forecast,
and replaces it with a newer one. For example, if the MovingAverageCount was set to "12" and the
IntervalsCalendar was set to "Month", the forecast is calculated as the average of the previous twelve
months of actual demand.
When fitting the actuals, the sum of all historical actuals (y) are divided by the interval count (k), up to
the final actual demand point N, as shown in the following equation:
The forecast values are constant, calculated using the following equation:
Because all previous data points being considered by this model are weighted equally, it is most
suitable for demand that is stable and doesn't change much over time.
Step-wise ARIMA
The Step-wise ARIMA model is identical to the ARIMA model, but all parameters are calculated
automatically. The difference level is calculated using KPSS unit-root tests and parameter values are
calculated to minimize Akaike information criterion (AIC) values. Step-wise ARIMA fits values and
generates forecasts for all lags. Any statistically insignificant lags are excluded from the calculations.
Step-wise ARIMA should be used for calculating forecast for a single item, and is not suited for a bulk
process.

maintain. Additionally, several new forecasting models are available for use. RapidResponse still
supports the use of transformation worksheets to calculate statistical forecasts. For more
information, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Accuracy and error measures in statistical forecasts

In any statistical function, data values can vary and some margin of error exists. Determining how data
varies can provide insight into how the statistical forecast should be calculated. Each calculation can
produce errors differently, and depending on how accuracy is calculated, different problems in the data
can be found by analyzing the different error measures.
The following accuracy measures provide information about the input values.
Count
The count reports the number of values in your input set. This measure is used by most other measures
to calculate averages.
Mean date
The mean date measure determines the average of all dates included in the statistical forecast. For this
calculation, the date values are converted to integers, averaged, and then the result converted back to a
date.
This measure can indicate if periods are missing from the statistical calculations, and to verify that the
right dates are used. Also, it determines the approximate midpoint of the dates used in the statistical
calculations.
The mean date is calculated using the following formula, where x is the integer value of each date.

Mean quantity
The mean quantity measure determines the average of all actual values in the input data. This measure
is used in other measures to determine how a value varies from the average or as a baseline for
comparisons.
The mean quantity is calculated using the following formula, where y is the quantity at each data point.
Total sum of squares

The total sum of squares measure determines the total difference between each data point and the
mean, which is calculated using the mean quantity measure.
The total sum of squares is calculated using the following formula, where y is the quantity at each data
point.
Variance
The variance measure determines how data values differ from the mean. This measure is used to show
how uniform of dispersed the input data is, and can help you determine which statistical forecast model
to use. For example, if the variance is low, you can use the linear model.
The variance is calculated using the following formula.

Standard error
The standard error measure determines how values differ from the mean. This measure is most relevant
if the input data is level, with little variance.
The standard error is calculated using the following formula, where x represents dates and y represents
quantities.
When you calculate a statistical forecast you can also analyze the results to determine how accurately
the predicted values match the input values by using any of the following error measures. If you are
using the best fit method to calculate the statistical forecast, you must specify which error measure is
used to determine what the best fit is.
Residual sum of squares

The residual sum of squares measure calculates the sum of the square of differences between the
historical actual values and the values predicted by the statistical forecast. This measure is also referred
to as the sum of squared errors.
The residual sum of squares is calculated using the following formula, where y represents the quantity
of a data point and f(x) represents the result of the statistical forecast calculation for the date value
given by x.
To use the residual sum of squares in the Best Fit calculation, specify ResidualSumSquares for the Fit
Measure input column. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting
Mean square errors

The mean square errors measure calculates the average of the residual sum of squares for the forecast.
This measure determines, on average, how the calculated and actual values differ.

The mean square errors measure is calculated using the following formula.
To use the mean square errors in the Best Fit calculation, specify MeanSquareErrors for the Fit Measure
input column. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on
page 762.
Root mean square errors

The root mean square errors measure determines the square root of the value produced by the mean
square errors measure. This is used to show the correlation between the historical actual values and the
results of the statistical forecast calculation, with smaller values representing closer correlation.
This measure is also referred to as the standard deviation of error.
The root mean square errors measure is calculated using the following formula.
To use the root mean square errors in the Best Fit calculation, specify RootMeanSquareErrors for the Fit
Regression sum of squares

The regression sum of squares measure determines the difference between the total sum of squares of
the input data and the residual sum of squares. This is used to show how the variance of the statistical
forecast and input values differs from the variance of the input values and average of input values. Low
values represent a close match.
The regression sum of squares is calculated using the following formula.
To use the regression sum of squares in the Best Fit calculation, specify RegressionSumSquares for the
Fit Measure input column. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting

R-squared
The R-squared measure determines the ratio between the regression sum of squares and total sum of
squares measures. This value shows how closely the forecast values fit the historical actual values, with a
higher value indicating a better fit.
This measure is also referred to as the coefficient of determination.
The R-squared measure is calculated using the following formula.
To use the R-squared measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify RSquared for the Fit Measure input
column. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.
Adjusted R-squared
The Adjusted R-squared measure determines the ratio between the regression sum of squares and
total sum of squares measures, similarly to the R-squared measure. However, the adjusted R-squared
measure is influenced by the number of values in the input data set, so that more values mean that any
one value has less of an effect on the ratio. In other words, the adjusted R-squared is less responsive
when more values are contained in the input.
The adjusted R-squared measure is calculated using the following formula, where p represents the
number of independent variables used in the input data. The only independent variable is the date, so p
is always equal to one.
To use the adjusted R-squared measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify AdjustedRSquared for the Fit
Mean absolute percentage error

The mean absolute percentage error measure determines the absolute value of the variance between
the historical actual values and the predicted forecast values with respect to the actual values,
expressed as a percentage. Zero values in the input data are ignored, and are not included in the total
count of points.

The mean absolute percentage error is calculated using the following formula, where y represents the
quantity of a data point and f(x) represents the result of the statistical forecast calculation for the date
value given by x.
To use the mean absolute percentage error measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify
MeanAbsolutePercentageError for the Fit Measure input column. For more information, see "Input
worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.
Mean absolute percentage error by forecast

The mean absolute percentage error by forecast measure determines the absolute value of the variance
between the historical actual values and the predicted forecast values with respect to the forecast
values, expressed as a percentage. Zero values in the input data are ignored, and are not included in the
total count of points.
The mean absolute percentage error by forecast is calculated using the following formula, where y
represents the quantity of a data point and f(x) represents the result of the statistical forecast
calculation for the date value given by x.
To use the mean absolute percentage error by forecast measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify
MeanAbsolutePercentageErrorByForecast for the Fit Measure input column. For more information, see
"Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.
Mean absolute error

The mean absolute error measure determines the absolute value of the variance between the historical
actual values and the predicted forecast values.
The mean absolute error is calculated using the following formula, where y represents the quantity of a
data point and f(x) represents the result of the statistical forecast calculation for the date value given by
x.

To use the mean absolute error measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify MeanAbsoluteError for the
Fit Measure input column. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting
Mean error
The mean error measure determines the average variance between the historical actual values and the
predicted forecast values.
The mean error is calculated using the following formula, where y represents the quantity of a data
point and f(x) represents the result of the statistical forecast calculation for the date value given by x.
To use the mean error measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify MeanError for the Fit Measure input
column. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.
Mean percentage error

The mean percentage error measure determines the average variance between the historical actual
values and the predicted forecast values with respect to the actual values, expressed as a percentage.
Because this calculation does not contain an absolute value, the percentage can be expressed as
positive or negative, which shows whether the input is greater than or less than the predicted values.
Zero values in the input data are ignored, and are not included in the total count of points.
The mean percentage error is calculated using the following formula, where y represents the quantity of
a data point and f(x) represents the result of the statistical forecast calculation for the date value given
by x.

To use the mean percentage error measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify MeanPercentageError for
the Fit Measure input column. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting
Mean percentage error by forecast

The mean percentage error by forecast measure determines the average variance between the historical
actual values and the predicted forecast values with respect to the forecast values, expressed as a
percentage. Because this calculation does not contain an absolute value, the percentage can be
expressed as positive or negative, which shows whether the input is greater than or less than the
predicted values. Zero values in the input data are ignored, and are not included in the total count of
points.
The mean percentage error by forecast is calculated using the following formula, where y represents the
quantity of a data point and f(x) represents the result of the statistical forecast calculation for the date
value given by x.
To use the mean percentage error by forecast measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify
MeanPercentageErrorByForecast for the Fit Measure input column. For more information, see "Input
Mean absolute error by mean

The mean absolute error by mean measure normalizes the value returned by the mean absolute error
measure by dividing it by the mean quantity of the input data. If the mean quantity is zero, a value of
'INF' is returned.
The mean absolute error by mean is calculated using the following formula.

To use the mean absolute error by mean measure in the Best Fit calculation, specify
MeanAbsoluteErrorByMean for the Fit Measure input column. For more information, see "Input
Log-likelihood
The log-likelihood measure determines the maximum likelihood for a statistical function, using the
sample size, the logarithm of the sample size, and the logarithm of the residual sum of squares. This is
calculated using the following formula, where n is the number of observations in the sample.
This value is reported in the fit output only if the ARIMA or Step-wise ARIMA models are used. For more
information, see "Statistical forecasting models" on page 804.
Akaike information criterion (AIC)

The Akaike information criterion measure determines how well a statistical model fits the values it was
generated from, using the log-likelihood result and double the number of estimated parameters.
Models that produce a smaller value using this measure are preferred. This is calculated using the
following formula, where k is the number of parameters estimated.
Schwarz Bayesian information criterion (SBC)

The Schwarz Bayesian information criterion measure determines how well a statistical model fits the
values it was generated from, using the log-likelihood result and the product of the number of
parameters and logarithm of the number of observed samples. Models that produce a smaller value
using this measure are preferred. This is calculated using the following formula, where n is the number
of observations in the sample and k is the number of parameters estimated.

Hannan-Quinn criterion (HQC)
The Hannan-Quinn criterion measure determines how well a statistical model fits the values it was
generated from, using the log-likelihood result and the product of double the number of parameters
and the logarithm of the logarithm of the number of observed samples. Models that produce a smaller
value using this measure are preferred. This is calculated using the following formula, where n is the
number of observations in the sample and k is the number of parameters estimated.
Creating transformation worksheets

A transformation worksheet uses a function you specify to calculate results based on the data from an
input worksheet. When you create a transformation worksheet, you must specify a function and the
worksheet or worksheets that provides the data for the function. You can then add or remove columns,
specify display options, group data, add subtotals, and so on. For more information, see "Group column
data" on page 382 and "Add column totals and subtotals " on page 377.
Depending on the function you perform in the transformation worksheet, only worksheets that are
compatible with the function are displayed in the list of input worksheets. If a worksheet you created to
act as an input worksheet does not appear in the list, you should ensure it has been configured
properly. For more information, see "Creating input worksheets for functions" on page 762.
The function you select automatically adds columns to the worksheet, which display the results of the
function. For information about the columns that each function adds, see "Functions for transformation
You can modify any property of transformation worksheets you create, including the function that
defines its data. If you change the function, the columns that were added by that function are removed,
and are replaced with the columns defined by the new function you specify. For information about
modifying worksheets, see "Edit a worksheet" on page 262.
In RapidResponse, you can create transformation worksheets using the following functions:
l Autocorrelation l Predict
l Bucket Actuals l Predict Actuals
l Check Forecast Item l Predict Override
l Coefficient of Variation l Rolling Average
l Disaggregation Default l Safety Stock

Rates l Skew
l Fit l Standard Deviations of Errors
l Histogram l Statistical Errors
l Insert Buckets l Statistical Errors by Date
l Kurtosis l STDEV or STDEVP
l Mean Absolute l STDEV With Dates or STDEVP With Dates
Percentage Deviation l Time Phased Safety
l Median l TREND
l Mode Multiple
l Mode Single
l Periods Forward
Coverage
Create a transformation worksheet

and then click Transformation Worksheet.
2. In the New Transformation Worksheet dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click the function you want this worksheet to perform. For more information,
see "Functions for transformation worksheets" on page 744.
4. In the Function parameters table, do the following:
l For the Worksheet parameters, in the Value list, click the input worksheet that provides the
data the function runs on. Only input worksheets that are compatible with the function you
selected are shown in this list.
l For other parameters, in the Value column, specify a date, quantity, or String (depending on
the parameter type) value you want to use as input for the parameter. You can also specify a
variable, or click the button to open the Expression Builder, which assists you in selecting
variables and creating expressions to define the parameter values you want.
If you specify a profile variable for a parameter, the value returned by the profile variable is
interpreted as a String value. For a date or quantity parameter, you must use the DateValue or
NumericValue operators with the profile variable to return the correct data type for the
parameter. For more information, see "DATEVALUE" on page 1194 or "NUMERICVALUE" on page
1197.
5. Add or remove columns as required. For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on
page 358.
After you finish creating the transformation worksheet, you should hide the input worksheet
and, if it is a composite worksheet, its component worksheets. For more information, see
"Creating hidden worksheets" on page 271.
NOTE: For information about variables, see "Define workbook variables" on page 226.

Create a worksheet using the ATP To Demand Match
function
The ATP Demand To Match function takes three input worksheets as parameters. These should provide
the following:
l ATP- a worksheet identifying available-to-promise quantities for parts and the specific dates on
which those quantities become available.
l Demand- a worksheet identifying customer demands, along with a date and quantity for each.
l PromiseZones- a worksheet containing two dates identifying "frozen" and "auto-commit" order
promising zones respectively. If these are not provided, then a frozen horizon of "Past" and an
auto-commit horizon of "Future" are used.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the ATP To Demand Match function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click ATP To Demand Match.
l For the ATP parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that provides
available-to-promise quantities.
l For the Demand parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that identifies
customer demands.
l For the Zones parameter, in the Value column, select the worksheet that identifies order
promise zones.
5. Click Ok and then Ok again.
Create a worksheet using the Autocorrelation function

The Autocorrelation function requires one parameter, the input worksheet that provides the dates and
quantity the autocorrelation is calculated over. The function returns the set of time lags from the input
worksheet and the data set's autocorrelation value for that lag.
The autocorrelation values returned by the function are decimal values between zero and one, so you
should format the output column with the number of decimal places you require for reporting.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Autocorrelation function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Autocorrelation function.

l For the timeSeriesValues parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that
provides the date and quantity values.
5. On the Columns tab, click the Value column.
6. On the Formatting tab, in the Decimal places list, click the number of decimal places you want
the value to show.
Create a worksheet using the Bucket Actuals function

The Bucket Actuals function requires two input worksheets: one that defines the statistical format
parameters, and another that contains the historical actual values to be bucketed. The transformation
worksheet that uses this function is intended to be used as an input worksheet for other functions. For
more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Bucket Actuals function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Bucket Actuals.
l For the parameters parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet
you created to define the forecast parameters.
l For the points parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet you
want to use for the function.
Create a worksheet using the Check Forecast Item

function
The Check Forecast Item function requires one input worksheet, which defines the part and customer
combinations that forecast items are defined for, or that have no forecast items defined. The content of
this worksheet has different requirements based on the value specified for the other parameter. For
more information, see "Input worksheet for the Check Forecast Item function" on page 773.
This function also requires an additional parameter, which defines whether incorrect forecast item
assignments are corrected, or whether forecast items are assigned to part and customer combinations
that are missing them.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Check Forecast Item function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Check Forecast Item.

l For the partCustomer parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input
worksheet you created to show the relationship between part and customer combinations
and forecast items.
l For the returnFailed parameter, click in the Value column, type 0 to assign missing forecast
items or 1 to correct wrong forecast item assignments.
Create a worksheet using the Coefficient of Variation

function
The Coefficient of Variation function requires one parameter, the input worksheet that provides the set
of data points that is used to calculate the coefficient of variation. For more information, see "Input
worksheet for the Coefficient of Variation function" on page 776.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Coefficient of Variation function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Coefficient of Variation.
4. In the Function parameters table, for the values parameter, click in the Value column, and then
click the worksheet that contains the values used to determine the coefficient of variation.
5. On the Columns tab, specify a number of decimal places to display in the CoefficientOfVariation
column.
Create a worksheet using the Disaggregation Default

Rates function
The Disaggregation Default Rates function requires two input worksheets: one that defines the
calendars and dates used for calculating the disaggregation rates, and another that contains the
quantities used to determine the ratio of quantities for each disaggregation point. For more
information, see "Input worksheets for the Disaggregation Default Rates function" on page 776.
This function also requires two additional parameters: one that defines the date that the
disaggregation begins on, and another that defines the calendar that disaggregation periods are
defined over.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Disaggregate Default Rates function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Disaggregation Default Rates.

you created to define the disaggregation calendars.
created to define the disaggregation quantities.
l For the startDate parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the first date for the
disaggregation.
l For the baseCalendar parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the name of the
calendar used for disaggregating.
Create a worksheet using the Fit function

The Fit function, depending on the data passed to it, requires either two or three input worksheets.
These worksheets include one that defines the statistical format parameters, another that contains the
historical actual values to be used to calculate the forecast values, and optionally, one that defines the
values to be used in the forecast calculations. The worksheet that defines the forecast values should be
the output of the Bucket Actuals function. For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical
forecasting functions" on page 762.
The transformation worksheet that uses this function is intended to be used as input to the Predict,
Predict Actuals, or Predict Override functions.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Fit function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Fit.
l For the modelParameters parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input
worksheet you created to specify the values used in the forecast calculations. This worksheet
is used only if the worksheet specified for the parameters parameter is set up to use values
from another worksheet.
Create a worksheet using the Histogram function

The Histogram function requires two parameters: the input worksheet that provides the data values to
analyze for frequency, and optionally, a Quantity value that specifies the number of bins to divide the
input data into. For more information about the input for this function, see "Input worksheet for the
Histogram function" on page 778.
If you do not specify the number of bins, a number is automatically determined using a bin size
calculated by the Freedman-Diaconis rule,

Where IQR(x) is the interquartile range of the data and n is the number of data points in the input.
The function returns the frequency of values in each bin, and the height of the histogram bar, which is
represented as the percentage of the total each bin represents. You can use either the frequency values
or the height. The height is a percentage, so you must display decimal places or format the column to
display percentages to see meaningful results.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Histogram function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Histogram.
l For the sampleValues parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input
worksheet you created to define the input values.
l For the numberOfBins parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the number of
bins to divide the input values into.
5. If you are using the height results, on the Columns tab, click the Height column, and then on the
Formatting tab, do one of the following:
l In the Decimal places list, click the number of decimal places to display.
l Select the Display as % check box.
Create a worksheet using the Insert Buckets function

The Insert Buckets function requires two input worksheets, one to define the buckets, and the other to
provide the data set the zero-value buckets should be inserted into. For more information, see "Input
worksheets for the Insert Buckets function" on page 779.
The transformation worksheet that uses this function can be used as input to a rolling average or
standard deviation function.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Insert Buckets function
2. Click New, and then click Transformation Worksheet.
worksheet.
4. In the Function list, click Insert Buckets.
5. In the Function parameters table, do the following.
you created to define the date buckets.
created to define the data series.

Create a worksheet using the Kurtosis function
The Kurtosis function requires one parameter, the input worksheet that provides the set of data points
that is analyzed. For more information, see "Input worksheet for the Kurtosis function" on page 780. The
input data set must contain a set of data that is used to generate a normal distribution.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Kurtosis function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Kurtosis.
l For the sampleValues parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the worksheet that
contains the values used to determine kurtosis.
5. Optionally, on the Columns tab, specify a number of decimal places to display in the Kurtosis
column.
Create a worksheet using the Mean Absolute

Percentage Deviation function
The Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function requires one input worksheet, which provides the
quantities to calculate the deviation of. For more information, see "Input worksheet for the Mean
Absolute Percentage Deviation function" on page 781.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation.
4. In the Function parameters table, for the points parameter, click in the Value column, and then
click the input worksheet you created to define the quantities you want the deviation calculated
for.
Create a worksheet using the Median function

The Median function takes one input worksheet, which provides the data values to find the median
value of. For more information, see "Input worksheet for median and mode functions" on page 770.

▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Median function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Median.
worksheet you created to provide the data values.
5. Optionally, on the Columns tab, specify a number of decimal places to display in the Median
column.
Create a worksheet using the Mode Multiple function

The Mode Multiple function requires one parameter, the input worksheet that provides the set of data
the modes are calculated from. For more information, see "Input worksheet for median and mode
functions" on page 770. If you want to return only one mode from a set of data no matter how many
values are common, use the Mode Single function instead. For more information, see "Create a
worksheet using the Mode Single function" on page 827.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Mode Multiple function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Mode Multiple.
Create a worksheet using the Mode Single function

The Mode Multiple function requires one parameter, the input worksheet that provides the set of data
the mode is calculated from. For more information, see "Input worksheet for median and mode
functions" on page 770. If you want to return multiple modes from a set of data that contains more than
one most common value, use the Mode Multiple function instead. For more information, see "Create a
worksheet using the Mode Multiple function" on page 827.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Mode Single function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Mode Single.

Create a worksheet using Periods Forward Coverage

function
The Periods Forward Coverage function requires two parameters: an input worksheet, and a String
value that determines the calendar used for reporting the coverage periods. For information about
creating an input worksheet for this function, see "Input worksheet for the Periods Forward Coverage
The calendar you specify determines how the coverage values are displayed. For example, if you select
the Week calendar, the coverage is reported in weeks. The period of demand the function runs on is
defined in the input worksheet, and can consist of any number of periods of any size. For example, if the
input worksheet contains three monthly data buckets, then coverage is calculated for each of the three
months.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Periods Forward Coverage function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Periods Forward Coverage.
l For the coverageCalendar parameter, in the Value column, type the name of the calendar you
want to report coverage in.
6. Add any additional columns you require.
The Date, Coverage, Demand Period, and Excess Supply columns are automatically added by the
function. You can rename these columns, or remove one or more of them if you do not require
them in your worksheet.
NOTE: For an example of creating an input and transformation worksheet for this function, see
"Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to calculate periods of coverage" on page 839.
Create a worksheet using the Predict function

The Predict function requires two input worksheets: one that defines the statistical forecast parameters,
and another that contains the statistical forecast values that are used to predict the future forecast
values. The worksheet that contains the forecast value is intended to be the output of the Fit function.
For more information, see "Input worksheets for statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.

You can use this transformation worksheet as input to the Statistical Errors and Statistical Errors by
Date to determine how accurate the forecasts are.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Predict function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Predict.
worksheet that defines the statistical forecast values.
Create a worksheet using the Predict Actuals function

The Predict Actuals function, depending on the data passed to it, requires either two or three input
worksheets. These worksheets include one that defines the statistical format parameters, another that
contains the historical actual values to be used to calculate the forecast values, and optionally, one that
defines the values to be used in the forecast calculations. The worksheet that defines the forecast values
should be the output of the Bucket Actuals function. For more information, see "Input worksheets for
statistical forecasting functions" on page 762.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Predict Actuals function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Predict Actuals.
worksheet you created to specify the values used in the forecast calculations. This worksheet
is used only if the worksheet specified for the parameters parameter is set up to use values
from another worksheet.

Create a worksheet using the Predict Overrides
function
The Predict Override function requires three input worksheets: one that defines the override
parameters, another that defines the periods that the overrides are calculated within, and another that
contains the forecast values that are overridden. The worksheet that contains the values to be
overridden can be the output of the Predict function, or a worksheet that contains any other forecast
you want to override. For more information, see "Input worksheets for the Predict Override function" on
page 783.
Depending on the worksheet you specify for the periods to override values over, you can predict
forecast values for new product introductions or product end of life.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Predict Override function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Predict Overrides.
l For the Parameters parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet
you created to define the override parameters.
l For the ProfilePoints parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input
worksheet you want to use to define the periods that values are overridden over.
l For the Points parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet you
created to specify the values that are overridden.
Create a worksheet using the Rolling Average function

The Rolling Average function requires one input worksheet, which defines the values the average is
calculated for. This can be the output of the Predict function, another forecast, or a series of revenues.
For more information, see "Input worksheet for the Rolling Average function" on page 785.
This function also requires an additional parameter, which defines the number of periods used to
calculate the rolling average for each period. The larger this value is, the fewer values are produced by
the function.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Rolling Average function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Rolling Average.
l For the points parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet that
contains the values to calculate the rolling average of.

l For the periodLength parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the number of
periods to use in the average calculations.
Create a worksheet using the Safety Stock function

The Safety Stock function requires four parameters (input worksheets). These provide the historical
demand, future demand, and historical lead time data needed as inputs to the function along with the
set of configuration parameters that define how that data is processed. For more information about
these input worksheets, see "Input worksheets for the Safety Stock function" on page 786.
Based on the provided input parameters, this function then generates a series of output values for each
safety stock item. For example, calculations of average historical demand and average supply lead time
are reported, along with recommendations for safety stock levels and reorder points needed to support
the service level and other parameters given for an item. For example, a worksheet showing results from
this function for particular a safety stock item, might look similar to the following:
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Safety Stock function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Safety Stock.
l For the Parameters parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that provides
the safety stock parameters data.
l For the HistoricalDemands parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that
provides the historical demand data.
l For the FutureDemands parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that
provides the future demand data.
l For the LeadTimes parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that provides
the historical supply data.
5. Click the Columns tab, click the Add button and the add the required output columns.

NOTE: If time-phased safety stock recommendations are required, the Time Phased Safety Stock
function should be used instead. In cases where an item is not configured for time phased safety
stock calculations, the Time Phased Safety Stock function will return identical results as this one.
NOTE: Both this function and the Time Phased Safety Stock function generate results for items
that have been configured for single-echelon safety stock calculations (where the
SafetyStockItem.ProcessingRule field value is set to "SingleEchelon"). For items configured for
multi-echelon safety stock calculations, an analytic generates the relevant output. For information
about this analytic, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Create a worksheet using the Skew function

The skew function requires one parameter, the input worksheet that provides the set of data that is
analyzed for skew. For more information, see "Input worksheet for the Skew function" on page 791.
Depending on the calculated skew value, you can choose to display decimal places to either display
meaningful data (for example, if the skew value is between zero and one), or to specify the precision of
the result.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Skew function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Skew.
l For the sampleValues parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the worksheet that
contains the values used to determine the skew.
5. On the Columns tab, click the Skew column.
6. On the Formatting tab, in the Decimal places list, select the number of decimal places you need
to display the skew values.
Create a worksheet using the Standard Deviations of

Errors function
A transformation worksheet that uses the Standard Deviations of Errors function requires three input
worksheets, which contain the actual demands, forecast demands, and historical data series
information used to calculate the standard deviation of forecast errors.
▶Create a worksheet with the Standard Deviations of Errors function
worksheet.

3. In the Function list, click Standard Deviations of Errors.
4. In the Function parameters area, do the following:
l For the actPoints parameter, click in the Value column, and then select the worksheet you
want to use to provide historical actual demands.
l For the seriesFcstPoints parameter, click the Value column, and then select the worksheet
you want to use to provide historical demand series information.
l For the fcstPoints parameter, click in the Value column, and then select the worksheet you
want to use to provide forecast values.
5. On the Columns tab, select the Std Dev column, and then on the Formatting sub-tab, specify the
number of decimal places to display.
Create a worksheet using the Statistical Errors

function
The Statistical Errors function requires two input worksheets: one to provide historical actual values,
and another to provide calculated forecast values. These values are compared using the accuracy and
error measures, and the results of each measure is provided in the output. For more information, see
"Statistical forecasting models" on page 804 and "Input worksheets for statistical error functions" on
page 793.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Statistical Errors function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Statistical Errors.
l For the actPoints parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet
that contains the historical actual values. This worksheet can be the output of the Bucket
Actuals function.
l For the fcstpoints parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet
that contains the calculated forecast values. This worksheet can be the output of the Predict
or Predict Actuals function.
Create a worksheet using the Statistical Errors by

Date function
The Statistical Errors by Date function requires two input worksheets: one to provide historical actual
values, and another to provide calculated forecast values. These values are compared using the accuracy
and error measures, and the results of each measure is provided in the output. For more information,
see "Statistical forecasting models" on page 804 and "Input worksheets for statistical error functions"
on page 793.

This function also requires an additional Quantity parameter, which determines how many periods are
used to calculate each of the accuracy and error measures.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Statistical Errors by Date function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Statistical Errors.
l For the actPoints parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet
that contains the historical actual values. This worksheet can be the output of the Bucket
Actuals function.
l For the fcstpoints parameter, click in the Value column, and then click the input worksheet
that contains the calculated forecast values. This worksheet can be the output of the Predict
or Predict Actuals function.
l For the numberOfSamples parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the number
of periods to use in calculating each measure.
Create a worksheet using the STDEV or STDEVP

function
The STDEV and STDEVP functions both require an input worksheet as their only parameter. For
information about creating an input worksheet for these functions, see "Input worksheet for standard
deviation functions" on page 794.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the STDEV or STDEVP function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click STDEV or STDEVP.
4. In the Function parameters table, for the values parameter, click in the Value column and then
click the input worksheet you want to use for the function.
The STDEV or STDEVP column is automatically added to the worksheet, depending on which
function you specified in step 3. You can rename this column.

Create a worksheet using the STDEV With Dates or
STDEVP With Dates function
The STDEV With Dates and STDEVP With Dates functions both require an input worksheet that contains
date and quantity data points as their only parameter. For information about creating an input
worksheet for these functions, see "Input worksheet for standard deviation functions" on page 794.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the STDEV With Dates or STDEVP With Dates function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click STDEV With Dates or STDEVP With Dates.
4. In the Function parameters table, for the points parameter, click in the Value column and then
click the input worksheet you want to use for the function.
The STDEV or STDEVP column is automatically added to the worksheet, depending on which
function you specified in step 3. You can rename this column.
Create a worksheet using the Time Phased Safety

Stock function
The Time Phased Safety Stock function requires four parameters (input worksheets). These provide the
historical demand, future demand, and historical lead time data needed as inputs to the function along
with the set of configuration parameters that define how that data is processed. For more information
about these input worksheets, see "Input worksheets for the Time Phased Safety Stock function" on
page 796.
Based on the provided input parameters, this function then generates a series of time-phased output
values for each safety stock item configured for single-echelon safety stock calculations.. Note that
assuming the safety stock item is configured for time-phased calculations, a set of output values is
generated on RunDate as well as on each subsequent date on which safety stock values change as
shown in the following illustration. Otherwise, if the safety stock item is not configured for time-phased
calculations, then a single set of stationary values is generated and reported on RunDate (non time-
phased safety stock calculations can also be generated using the Safety Stock function as discussed in
"Input worksheets for the Time Phased Safety Stock function" on page 796.

▶Create a transformation worksheet using the Time Phased Safety Stock function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click Time Phased Safety Stock.
l For the Parameters parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that provides
the safety stock parameter data.
l For the HistoricalDemands parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that
provides the historical demand data.
l For the FutureDemands parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that
provides the future demand data.
l For the LeadTimes parameter, in the Value column, select the input worksheet that provides
the historical supply data.
5. Click the Columns tab, click the Add button and the add the required output columns. Refer to
the next section .

Time Phased Safety Stock Function output
The Time Phased Safety Stock Function produce a series of columns/output as described in the
following table (date-based name and quantity pairs). A reference to the SafetyStockItem table is also
returned allowing for the item/part the details pertain to be shown along with any of its relevant values
or configuration parameters.
Transformation worksheets can also contain a reference to SafetyStockItem table which allows for
details of the item/part and its configuration parameters to be reported as well.
Column Description
Output
Date The date on which this set of safety stock results is considered effective.
Records are generated on RunDate as well as each subsequent date on which a new safety stock value
is calculated (if the item is not configured for time-phased safety stock, then just a record on RunDate
is generated).
Name Named set of output values produced by the function. The calculated quantity for each of these on a
given date is reported in the Quantity column.
The following set of values is produced by this function:
l AverageHistoricalDemand—Average of historical demands collected within the period, and used
for the time-phased safety stock calculation.
l StandardDeviationHistoricalDemand—Standard deviation of historical demands collected within
the period, and used for the safety stock calculation.
l AverageLeadTime—Average lead time for historical supply lead times (set to input
SafetyStockItem.LeadTime value if the item is configured for time-phased calculations, or if the item
is not configured for supply variability).
l StandardDeviationLeadTime—Standard deviation of Average lead time for historical supply (set to
input LeadTime value on the SafetyStockItem if the item is configured for time-phased calculations,
or if the item is not configured for supply variability).
l SafetyStock—Recommended safety stock for the part based on service level and the output
parameters discussed above.
l AverageProfileHistoricalDemand—Average of historical demands collected in the item’s average
demand profile and used for the reorder point calculation (always set to the value in
AverageHistoricalDemand if the item is configured for time-phased calculations or if there is no
average demand profile specified).
l AverageProfileFutureDemand—Average of future demands collected within the item’s average
demand profile and used for the reorder point calculation (if no average demand profile is
specified, all future demands are used).
l HistoricalReorderPoint—Suggested reorder point based on the recommended safety stock level
and calculated average of historical demands.
l FutureReorderPoint—Suggested reorder point based on the recommended safety stock level and
calculated average of future demands.
Qty The calculated quantity for the output value identified in the Name column. For example, the
recommended SafetyStock quantity.
NOTE: For an example of a worksheet that uses this function, see the Inventory Planning
workbook included with RapidResponse.

NOTE: This function generates results for items that have been configured for single-echelon
safety stock calculations (where the SafetyStockItem.ProcessingRule field value is set to
"SingleEchelon"). For items configured for multi-echelon safety stock calculations, an analytic
generates the relevant output. For information about this analytic, see the RapidResponse Analytic
and Data Model Guide.
Create a worksheet using the TREND function

The TREND function requires one input worksheet, which provides historical actual values that are used
to calculate a trend line. For more information, see "Input worksheet for the TREND function" on page
802.
This function also requires three additional parameters: one to define the first date the trend values are
estimated on, one to define how many periods are estimated on the trend line, and one to define the
calendar used to determine which periods are estimated on the trend line.
▶Create a transformation worksheet using the TREND function
worksheet.
3. In the Function list, click TREND.
created to define the values you want to calculate the trend for.
l For the startingDate parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the first date
estimated by the trend line.
l For the numberOfIntervals parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the number
of periods to estimate trend values for.
l For the intervalCalendar parameter, click in the Value column, and then type the name of the
calendar used to define the periods.
Examples of creating transformation

worksheets
Examples of creating transformation worksheets for different purposes, such as calculating a statistical
forecast, are provided. Each example outlines the different ways to set up the worksheet, depending on
its purpose.

Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to
calculate periods of coverage
Suppose you want to create a worksheet to calculate how many weeks of demand your supply levels for
the next three months can cover. To see these results, you can create a transformation worksheet that
uses the Periods Forward Coverage function.
You decide to calculate the period coverage for each part, using customer order quantities and
scheduled receipt quantities. To display both of these in one worksheet, you create a composite
worksheet that merges two worksheets based on the IndependentDemand and ScheduledReceipt
tables, both of which are grouped by Part and Due Date columns, and each with a single Quantity
column. Because you want to only see results for the next three months, you specify the worksheet
display three monthly date buckets.
This worksheet contains the input columns for the function, as shown in the following illustration.
Next, you create the transformation worksheet using the Periods Forward Coverage function and the
Demand-Supply input worksheet. You want to see how many weeks the supply covers, so you specify
the Week calendar for the coverageCalendar parameter, as shown in the following illustration.

Examples of creating transformation worksheets
The Periods Forward Coverage function replaces the input columns with the output columns Coverage,
Demand Period, and Excess Supply, as shown in the following illustration.
This transformation worksheet is shown in the following illustration.

For each part, the periods of coverage are calculated for each date using the value in the Excess Supply
column, which is the total supply available at the end of the period beginning with the value in the Date
column. For example, part ACKIT-02 has a supply of 1,050 units at the end of June. That supply can cover
8.31 weeks of demand from the beginning of June, and is fully consumed at the beginning of August.
For part ACKIT-03D, however, the 520 units available at the end of June can cover only 3.75 weeks of
demand, and are fully consumed in the month of June. No additional supply is available in the months of
July and August, so those months have zero coverage. For part Cruiser, the supply available in June is
consumed in June, and the supplies in July and August are not fully consumed in the period.
Example: Creating transformation worksheets to

calculate a statistical forecast
Suppose you want to create a set of worksheets to calculate a statistical forecast and predict a future
forecast using the statistical forecast rules. This requires transformation worksheets that bucket a set of
historical actual demands, calculate the statistical forecasting parameters, and then predict forecast
values using those parameters.
To support these transformation worksheets, you must create input worksheets to define the following:
l The rules or parameters used to calculate statistical forecasting values.

l The set of actual demand quantities the statistical forecast is calculated from.
l The calculation parameters required by the Fit function.
An example of a worksheet that defines forecasting parameters is shown in the following illustration.

This worksheet defines the forecast parameters for the Cell-Phones product family. The forecast
parameters are calculated using the best fit method, which uses the Mean Absolute Percentage Error
accuracy measure to determine which forecast model best fits the data. The statistical forecast is
calculated using 12 months of historical data, and calculates 12 months of forecasts, starting at the
beginning of the next month.
An example of a worksheet that contains historical actual demands to be used in calculating the
forecast values is shown in the following illustration.
This worksheet is a composite worksheet that merges the historical actuals with a worksheet based on
the ForecastItemParameters table, which ensures the actual demands are in the same forecast category
as the forecast item.
Finally, the worksheet that defines parameters for the Fit function contains no records, because the
required values are calculated. However, this worksheet is required by the Fit function. You can base this
worksheet on the ForecastItemFitOutput table, which contains the fields required for this worksheet.

With the input worksheets created, you can now create the transformation worksheets that calculate
the statistical forecast. The first step is to bucket the historical values, which you do by creating a
transformation worksheet using the Bucket Actuals function. For this function, you specify the Forecast
Input and Historical Actuals worksheets as input worksheets.
The data for 12 months of history is bucketed, as shown in the following illustration.
Now that the historical actual values are bucketed, you can create the worksheet that calculates the
statistical forecast that should be applied to these values. To do this, you create a new transformation
worksheet using the Fit function, and specify the Forecast Input, Bucketed Actuals, and Forecast Item
Fit worksheets as inputs.

The Fit function then determines the statistical forecast model to use based on the data in the Forecast
Input worksheet, and determines the values used for that model based on the data in the Bucketed
Actuals worksheet. In addition to calculating the values for the forecast, the accuracy and error
measures are calculated by the Fit function as well.
In this case, the Linear model was determined to be the best fit for the forecast, and the appropriate
values for the linear regression are calculated.
To predict forecast values using the statistical forecast, you next create a transformation worksheet
using the Predict function, with the Forecast Input and Statistical Forecast worksheets as input.

For each month in the next year, a forecast value is predicted by the function.
You can now format the worksheet to show the values in a chart, which shows the linear increase in the
forecast values.

If you want to show the statistical forecast is calculating values properly, you can fit the historical actual
quantities to the statistical forecast using the Predict Actuals function, and then create a composite
worksheet to show the historical values and predicted forecast values together. In this example, the line
formed by fitting the historical values follows the same trend as the line formed by the predicted values,
so you can see the statistical forecast is accurate for this data.

Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to

calculate seasonal disaggregation rates
Assume you are a demand planner for Company X, a bicycle manufacturer. You have received forecasts
for the upcoming year, and now want to disaggregate the forecasts accounting for your seasonal
demands.
This example assumes your company has created a calendar named Season, which defines the seasonal
periods. For example, this calendar could contain markers on January 1, June 1, and October 1, to divide
the year into three seasons of different length. An example of date markers in this calendar is shown in
To disaggregate the forecast using seasonal rates, you create a transformation worksheet that uses the
Default Disaggregation Rates function. This worksheet requires two input worksheets, one that defines
the calendars and dates, and the other that defines the values to disaggregate.
The worksheet that defines the calendars must define the base, inner, and outer calendars, which define
the periods to disaggregate into, the seasons, and the length of seasonal variation, respectively. The
inner and outer calendars are specified in one of the input worksheets, and the base calendar is
specified in the Disaggregation Default Rates function definition.
This worksheet should be based on the ForecastDisaggregationParameters table, and contain the
columns shown in the following illustrations.

Next, insert the ForecastDisaggregationParameters record that defines the inner and outer calendar to
use for disaggregation. In this case, you want to disaggregate monthly forecasts using the seasonal
rates and reset the seasons each year, so you set the inner calendar to Season and the outer calendar
to Year.
Next, define the worksheet that provides the data values to be disaggregated. This worksheet is
typically based on the HistoricalDemandActual table, and defines the values used to calculate values for
the forecast. This worksheet can contain fields to identify records, and must end with a Date column
followed by two Quantity or Money columns. An example of these columns is shown in the following
illustration.

This worksheet contains values such as the following.
Next, you create the worksheet that calculates the disaggregation rates. This is a transformation
worksheet that takes the Dates and Data Points worksheets as parameters, and defines the base
calendar to disaggregate over.
Bucketing the worksheet by the Season calendar, the following rates are calculated.

Rates are calculated for each season defined in the Season calendar, and the monthly forecasts are
disaggregated according to the calculated rates.

Analytics calculations are more efficient, yet simpler to produce than transformation worksheet
calculations. RapidResponse still supports the use of transformation worksheets to configure
disaggregation rates. For more information about forecast disaggregation, see the RapidResponse
Example: Creating a transformation worksheet

to insert buckets
You want to create a worksheet that defines buckets for a series of demand data that is missing data in
multiple buckets. To analyze this data in other worksheets, you will create a transformation worksheet
that uses the Insert Buckets function to create the required buckets. You require two years of buckets
for your analysis, one year before the current date to one year after the current date.
First, create the workbook to contain these worksheets. You want to be able to perform your analysis
for a single part, so you include the part control.

The Insert Buckets function requires two input worksheets: one to define the date periods that buckets
will be created for, and the other to define the data to assign the buckets to. First, create the worksheet
to define the date buckets. You want to perform the analysis for individual parts, so you can base the
worksheet on the Part table.
The Part column is defined using the Name field, and identifies the part the date buckets are being
generated for. The Start Date, End Date, and Calendar columns required for the Insert Buckets function
can be created using expressions. For the start and end dates, the current date minus or plus 12
months can be used to capture the two years around the date. For the calendar, specify 'Week' to create
weekly buckets.

Example: Creating a transformation worksheet to insert buckets
Next, group the worksheet columns so that each column uses the Group By grouping function.
This worksheet should look similar to the following.
Next, create the worksheet that defines the data to add the buckets to. You will be analyzing demand
data, so you base this worksheet on the IndependentDemand table.

Next, add columns for the Part, Due Date, and Quantity values. The Due Date and Quantity values are
required by the Insert Buckets function, and the Part value identifies the part the orders are for. The Part
column is also required because the Date Buckets - 2 Years worksheet has the Part column as its first
column and the worksheets require matching group by columns to be combined.
Next, group the worksheet by Part and Due Date.
This worksheet should look similar to the following.

Now you can create the transformation worksheet that uses these worksheets.
Next, specify the Date Buckets - 2 Years worksheet as the parameters worksheet and the Orders
worksheet as the points worksheet
The Added Buckets worksheet looks similar to the following.

Comparing the values in the Added Buckets worksheet to the values in the Orders worksheet, you can
see the added buckets, beginning with the first date indicated in the Date Buckets - 2 Years worksheet.
You can now hide the Date Buckets - 2 Years and Orders worksheet, and then use the Added Buckets
worksheet to provide data for the analysis you need to perform.

CHAPTER 30: Analyzing worksheet
performance and processing times
Generate worksheet performance statistics 859

Analyze summary worksheet performance data 860
Analyze detailed worksheet performance data 861
Example: Analyzing and improving worksheet performance times 864
When a worksheet is opened in RapidResponse, data for a given scenario is accessed typically from either
a table in the RapidResponse database (if the worksheet is table-based) or from underlying component
worksheets (if the worksheet is a composite). The data must then be processed by the worksheet before
it can be displayed. This can involve comparing the data against the worksheet filter expression,
evaluating column expressions, applying any grouping functions, bucketing data, and so on. Occasionally,
you might create a worksheet that takes longer than expected to open and display its results to
worksheet users. This can be especially true for complex composite worksheets that require processing
data from a large number of component worksheets (some of which might have multiple levels of
components of their own).
If you have authored, or are responsible for maintaining, any worksheets that are taking unexpectedly
long times to open, you can generate worksheet performance statistics. These statistics can only be
generated when you have the worksheet open, and are always measured against the current selections
made in the worksheet item controls (scenario, site, filter, and so on). Summary worksheet statistics are
initially provided that show the amount of time spent processing a given worksheet, the amount of
memory consumed, and the number of records it returned. As shown in the following illustration, these
statistics are generated not only for the open worksheet itself, but for all child worksheets it ultimately
depends on (at any level in the worksheet structure). When working with composite worksheets, this can
help you quickly identify any problematic components which might be contributing disproportionately to
the overall worksheet processing time.

For any worksheets in the structure that you suspect are adversely affecting overall worksheet
performance, you can view more detailed breakdowns of processing time and record counts as shown
in the following illustration. You can see details such as the number of records processed by a
worksheet, the number of records that passed its worksheet filtering, and the number of records
returned after any grouping was applied. For example, a worksheet's filtering might produce a result
named _SelectedFilterSet in the worksheet structure, which represents the number of records returned
by the filter expression and how long the filtering took.
These details can help you better understand where each worksheet's processing time is being spent
and might suggest areas of your worksheet design that could be adjusted in order to achieve
performance improvements. For example, you can view the total time required by analytic calculations
that are cached and not cached. If the time for analytic calculations that are not cached is high, you
might consider caching the worksheet results to improve worksheet performance. For more
information, see "Caching worksheet results" on page 329.

CHAPTER 30: Analyzing worksheet performance and processing times
NOTE: For a detailed example of using the Worksheet Performance dialog to diagnose slow
worksheet performance, see "Example: Analyzing and improving worksheet performance times"
on page 864.
NOTE: Worksheet performance time does not show the actual elapsed time. Rather, it is the
cumulative amount of time used by each CPU (if more than one).
Generate worksheet performance statistics

1. Open the workbook and worksheet you are interested in.
2. Select the data against which you want to measure worksheet performance by making selections
from the scenario and other item controls (site, filter and so on).
3. From the Tools menu, click Worksheet Performance.
The Worksheet Performance dialog box opens displaying summary record counts, memory
consumption, and processing times for the open worksheet and all of the worksheets it depends
on. If the open worksheet is a multi-scenario worksheet, individual statistics are reported for
each scenario. For information about the summary performance measures you can view, see
"Analyze summary worksheet performance data" on page 860.
4. If you want to view more detailed performance measures for a particular worksheet in the
structure, select the worksheet and then click Show Details. For information about the detailed
performance measures you can view, see "Analyze detailed worksheet performance data" on
page 861.

Generate worksheet performance statistics
5. If you want to review a particular worksheet's design, click Properties to open a read-only version
of the Worksheet Properties dialog box. This lets you view the worksheet filter expression,
column expressions, any grouping or bucketing settings, and so on.
6. If you want to copy all data shown in the Worksheet Performance dialog box to your clipboard for
viewing and analysis in a spreadsheet or other application, click Copy Results.
NOTE: Worksheet performance statistics can only be generated for worksheets to which you have
authoring permission.
NOTE: Worksheet performance time is not the actual elapsed time. Rather, it is the cumulative
amount of time used by each CPU (if more than one).
TIP: You can quickly show details for all worksheets under a given branch by selecting the parent
worksheet and clicking Expand All, and you can subsequently hide details for worksheets under a
given branch by selecting the parent worksheet and clicking Close All.
Analyze summary worksheet performance data

The Worksheet Performance dialog box shows summary worksheet performance data for the open
worksheet and all dependent worksheets and worksheet branches under it. This lets you see the
number of records returned by each worksheet and the time spent processing it. When working with a
complex composite worksheet, this information can help you track down the specific component
worksheet(s) that contributed most heavily to the total worksheet processing time. For example, when
investigating performance issues for a given composite worksheet, you might use this dialog box to
look for component worksheet(s) with processing times that seem to be significantly longer than most
of the other components.
For each worksheet, the following summary data can potentially be viewed:
Performance Description
Measure
How Used Indicates how a worksheet is used by its immediate parent within the structure being analyzed.
Valid values are:
l Component—provides data columns for use in a composite worksheet.
l Display—provides a final worksheet to be displayed by a controller worksheet.
l Expression—provides grouped data to be used in expressions based on the Lookup or
In functions.
l Parameter—provides input parameter values used by a transformation worksheet function.
l TreeMap Source—provides source data for use in a treemap worksheet.
Records Total number of records returned after all worksheet filtering and processing. This is the number
of records that would either display to a user or get passed on to a parent worksheet (for
example, a composite).
Memory (KB) Amount of memory (in kilobytes) held on the server by the worksheet. Memory held by any
intermediate component worksheets is released immediately upon query completion. Memory
held by a final result worksheet is not released until the workbook is closed.

Measure
CPU Time (ms) Indicates the number of milliseconds to process and populate each worksheet and all of its child
worksheets and branches (based on the data in the currently selected scenario and item
controls). Values are rounded to the nearest integer if necessary, and any value that would be
rounded down to 0 is shown as < 1.
This is not the actual elapsed time. Rather, it is the cumulative amount of time used by each CPU
(if more than one).
For each worksheet, the following time values are reported:
l Total—total number of milliseconds to process a given worksheet and all of its dependent
worksheets and branches. This is the sum of the This Level and Cumulative columns.
l This Level—number of milliseconds to process a given worksheet on its own (excluding any
time associated with processing its dependent worksheets).
l Cumulative— number of milliseconds to process all dependent worksheets and branches
under a given worksheet (if applicable).
l Maximum—longest time in milliseconds associated with processing a single worksheet under
a given worksheet branch (if applicable). The worksheet responsible for this maximum has its
Total cell highlighted in yellow.
Reused Indicates with an x if a given worksheet is used more than once within the structure for the open
worksheet. If a worksheet is used multiple times, only the first instance of the worksheet is
included in the overall time statistics shown and all but the first instance of the worksheet's
statistics are indicated with grayed out text.
Analyze detailed worksheet performance data

The Worksheet Performance Details dialog box shows detailed performance data for a particular
worksheet selected from the Worksheet Performance dialog box. For a given worksheet, the number of
records returned at various stages of processing the worksheet, as well as the amount of time spent at
various stages of processing the worksheet are reported. For example, you can see the number of
records that were processed, the number of records that passed worksheet filter conditions, the
number of records returned after grouping or bucketing, and so on. These details can help direct you to
the area of the worksheet design that needs adjustment in order to improve performance and load
times. For example, if a particular column seems to be the problem you can try other ways to returns the
required data, or remove the column entirely, and then measure performance again.
For table-based worksheets only, query path information is also reported and shows the database path
chosen internally by RapidResponse to access the records requested by the worksheet query
expression. This path typically starts with one of a select group of "root" tables which can be used to
iterate over all records in the database, and then travels through set fields until the intended table and
record set is reached. If any set fields are used in the worksheet's column or filter expressions, these are
also identified here.
For each worksheet, the following detailed data can potentially be viewed

Measure
Stages
Records The number of records returned at various stages of processing the worksheet query
expression. The following record counts are reported:
l Input records—number of records brought into the worksheet for processing. For
a composite worksheet, this represents the number of records brought in from its
component worksheets (based on unique combinations of join keys). For a table-
based worksheet, this represents the number of records brought in from a
database table and is equivalent to the final Records value reported in the Query
Path area.
l Filtered records—number of records that satisfied the worksheet filter expression
and had output records generated based on evaluating the worksheet column
expressions.
l Summarized results—number of records returned after grouping the filtered
records by any Group By columns defined in the worksheet.
l Adjusted results—number of records to be returned after bucketing (includes
record values added to populate empty buckets).
l Final results—total number of records returned for this worksheet after processing
grouped and bucketed results (for example, this is after applying column search
criteria or excluding past/future buckets). This represents the number of records
that would display to a worksheet user or get passed on to a parent worksheet
(typically a composite worksheet).
CPU Time (ms) The amount of time in milliseconds spent at various stages of processing the
worksheet query expression. Values are rounded to the nearest integer if necessary,
and any values that would be rounded down to 0 are shown as < 1:
This is not the actual elapsed time. Rather, it is the cumulative amount of time used
by each CPU (if more than one).
Time values are reported for the following processing steps.
l Filtered records—time to filter records against the worksheet filter expression,
calculate output values based on column expressions, and then group the data
and apply grouping functions (if applicable).
l Summarized results—time to calculate any columns with summarization
functions applied (running balance (cumulative balance) columns), and add any
rows for empty buckets from grouped and bucketed data.
l Adjusted results—time taken to process grouped and bucketed data. For
example, the time taken to apply search conditions to a grouped column result or
calculate subtotals on bucketed data.
l Final results—total time to process this worksheet. This is the sum of the other
time values that are displayed.

Measure
Analytics
CPU Time (ms) The amount of time in milliseconds spent at various stages of processing the
worksheet analytics. Values are rounded to the nearest integer if necessary, and any
value that would be rounded down to 0 is shown as < 1:
l Cached—total time to process the cached analytic calculations performed during
the worksheet execution.
l Not cached—total time to process the analytic calculations that are not cached
and performed during the worksheet execution.
This is not the actual elapsed time. Rather, it is the cumulative amount of time used
by each CPU (if more than one).
For more information, see "Caching worksheet results" on page 329.
Query path details
Query Source Displays for all table-based worksheets (as well as any composite worksheets that
include set expressions). It indicates the source of a query that followed tables and
set fields to access records in the database. Record counts and query path
information associated with each source are also shown. Valid values are:
l Worksheet—the underlying query expression used to populate the worksheet.
This appears once for each table-based worksheet.
l Filter—indicates that the worksheet filter expression included a set field
expression. If multiple set fields are used in the worksheet filter, they are reported
separately here.
l Column ID—indicates that the specified worksheet column included a set field
expression. If multiple set fields are used in a given column expression, they are
reported separately here.

Measure
Records The number of records returned by the query source that passed the worksheet filter
expression.
Query Path The path followed through the RapidResponse database (using set fields) to access
the records requested by the worksheet query expression.
If the query source is Worksheet, the path starts with a table name and then
typically includes one or more set fields used to access records in the table the
worksheet is based on. If a root table index is used, this is indicated with an
exclamation mark (!) in the path. The number of records processed and returned at
each level in the path is shown in square brackets. If any filtering is applied at a
particular level in the path (from either the worksheet filter or the selected stand-
alone filter), this is indicated with a greater than sign (>) to show the number of
records before and after filtering.
For example, in a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table the following path
might be reported:
Site[4!].Parts[200>60].ScheduledReceipts[500]
This would indicate the query path started with 4 records on the root table Site, then
used the Parts set field to access 200 related records on the Part table and returned
60 of those Part records after filtering, and finally used the ScheduledReceipts set
field to return the 500 records from the ScheduledReceipt table that are associated
with those 60 Part records.
Depending on filtering, the path reported for a given table might be different from
worksheet to worksheet (or even within the same worksheet based on stand-alone
filter selections). For example, in a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table
that filtered on SupplyType details, the following path might be reported:
SupplyType[5!].SupplyOrders[100].Lines[475>250]
This would indicate the query path started with 5 records on the root table
SupplyType, then used the SupplyOrders set field to access 100 related records on
the SupplyOrder table, and finally used the Lines set field to access 475 records on
the ScheduledReceipt table and returned 250 of those after applying filtering.
If the query source is Filter or Column ID, the path shown consists of just the name
of the set field and the total number of records processed and/or returned from the
associated table. For example:
Demands[2700>149]
Example: Analyzing and improving worksheet

performance times
Suppose you are responsible for maintaining a workbook containing a composite worksheet named
"Supply and Demand (Units)" that brings together summarized supply and demand data, and users
have been reporting unacceptably slow load times for that worksheet. This example outlines steps you
might take to determine the cause of, and potentially improve, the poor worksheet performance.

Open problematic worksheet
In order to analyze the worksheet's processing time, you first open the required workbook and
worksheet, and set the scenario and other item controls to bring in a representative data set against
which you want to measure worksheet performance.
After the worksheet finishes populating, you then click Worksheet Performance from the Tools menu in
order to access time and processing statistics about the worksheet data that just loaded.
View worksheet load times

When the Worksheet Performance dialog box opens, you observe that the Supply and Demand (Units)
worksheet has returned 26 summary records in the current data set and has taken 7 seconds to do so.
However, you observe that only < 1 second was actually spent processing this top-level composite
worksheet itself and so you look at its components worksheets for the source of the problem. In
particular, highlighted in yellow you notice that the Inventory Plan component worksheet was
responsible for over 3 seconds of the total load time associated with the parent Supply and Demand
(Units) worksheet.

Example: Analyzing and improving worksheet performance times
Next you select Inventory Plan from the Worksheet list and then click the Show Details button at the
bottom of the dialog box in order to investigate this particular worksheet further.
Analyze detailed record counts and processing times

In the Worksheet Performance Details dialog box, you observe that 747,897 records were brought into
this component worksheet from the SupplyDemand table on which it was based. You also observe the
different record counts and processing times associated with filtering, calculating, and grouping that
data into the 20 records that are ultimately produced.
A significant portion of time seems to be spent filtering records, and in particular in the Query path
details you notice a Query Source of type Filter processing records from the Demand table over 134
million times. This suggests the use of a potentially expensive set field operation in the worksheet filter
expression.

You decide you should look at the worksheet filter expression and click Close to exit the Worksheet
Performance Details dialog box and return to the Worksheet Performance dialog box.
Examine worksheet properties

From the Worksheet Performance dialog box, you select the Inventory Plan worksheet again and this
time click Properties. This opens the Worksheet Properties dialog box, from where you click the Filtering
tab to look at the worksheet filter expression. You observe that the expression is using the set operator
HAS through a Part table reference to access the Demands set field and filter down to only parts that
have demands which aren't dependent.
This expression needs to be executed once for each record in the SupplyDemand table and, knowing
that set expressions can require the processing of large numbers of records, you decide to consider
alternative ways in which you might return the required data more efficiently.

Consider worksheet design alternatives
Instead of using a set expression with the HAS operator, you decide to consider the use of the IN
function with a worksheet context. As a first step, you create a new hidden worksheet based on the
Demand table.
To this worksheet you add a filter expression that filters down the records in the table to only those
demands which aren't dependent.
You can then add the Part reference from the Demand table, ensuring that is set to be used as a
reference (includes all key field values).

And then Group By the newly added Part reference.
This ensures that the resulting worksheet displays exactly one record for each part that has demands
which aren't dependent.
After saving the new worksheet, you return to the Inventory Plan worksheet and modify the worksheet
filter expression. Instead of the previous set expression, you now use the IN function to compare the
part associated with each SupplyDemand record against those records contained in the newly created
DmdLookup worksheet. As a result, only those SupplyDemand records associated with part values that
are also contained in the DmdLookup worksheet should be returned.
Retest worksheet performance

In order to test your changes, you return to the composite Supply and Demand (Units) worksheet you
were originally investigating and verify that, for the same scenario and item controls, the worksheet is
returning the same data values you observed earlier.

Having verified that your worksheet is returning the expected values, you again access the Worksheet
Performance dialog box. You now notice that the Supply and Demand (Units) worksheet which originally
took 7 seconds to open is now opening in 5.7 seconds. As well, the once problematic Inventory Plan
worksheet which originally took over 3 seconds to open is now opening in just over 1 second. You also
notice performance details for the DmdLookup worksheet you just added can now be viewed, and
decide the changes you have made should satisfy the requirement for faster worksheet load times.

Part 5: Dashboards and widgets
l Dashboards
l Widgets
l Widget styles
l Creating dashboards
l Designing a dashboard
CHAPTER 31: Dashboards
Dashboard and widget authoring permissions 874

Dashboard authoring environment 875
Design mode for dashboards 877
Personal dashboard settings 879
Dashboards are diagnostic tools that help users monitor business performance categories important to
them. A dashboard displays data and charts in components called widgets, which are assembled in an
easy-to-understand control panel view. For more information, see "Widgets" on page 881.
If you have dashboard authoring permission, you can select what widgets to include and design the
dashboard layout to display relevant and accessible data summaries. Dashboards can be designed to
provide users with access to linked resources or as a starting point for a drill-to-detail process in which
users click in a widget to open another resource, such as a worksheet. Users can then view and correct
the root cause in a problem area.
Dashboards are one of three resource types in RapidResponse that display multi-scenario views of data.
Depending on your business process, you can also choose to use scorecards or multi-scenario columns in
worksheets. Use dashboards for effective visualizations that provide easy to understand views of complex
data.
Any dashboard that you create can be viewed on both RapidResponse desktop clients and
RapidResponse mobile clients. Authoring a dashboard that will be viewed on a RapidResponse mobile
client requires specific design considerations. For more information, see "Designing a dashboard for the
RapidResponse mobile client" on page 924.
Widgets display summarized data in the form of charts, worksheets, or reports. Users can modify widget
data settings to view and compare different scenarios, sites, filters, hierarchies, and other data controls. If
you have widget authoring permission, you can create and modify widgets. For more information, see
"Widgets" on page 881.

Dashboard and widget authoring permissions
You might have permission to author dashboards, widgets, or both resource types. Authoring
permission allows you to modify dashboards and widgets that you have created or that have been
shared with you.
If you have dashboard authoring permission, on a dashboard you can add:
l Widgets that you have created, if you have widget authoring permission.
l Widgets that have been shared with you.
l Widgets from dashboards that have been shared with you.
The following table provides an overview of the tasks involved in dashboard and widget authoring:

Authoring type Description
Dashboard Dashboard authors can perform the following tasks:
l Create a new dashboard.
l Add widgets to a dashboard. Dashboard authors
that do not also have widget authoring permission
only have access to widgets that have been shared
with them.
l Design dashboard layouts.
Widget Widget authors can perform the following tasks:

l Create a new worksheet widget.
l Create a new text widget.
l Modify a widget's properties
If you also have permission to author dashboards,
you can add the widgets you have created to a new
or existing dashboard.
If the user has widget authoring permission, the shared widget will appear in the user’s Explorer pane
and the user can modify the widget.
If the user does not have widget authoring permission, but has dashboard authoring permission, the
widget will be available in the Dashboard Content pane. The widget will not appear in the Explorer.
If you share a dashboard, the widgets on the dashboard are shared with that user and depending on
the permissions the user has, the widgets can be modified or added to another dashboard.
NOTE: If you also have permission to share dashboards or widgets, you can share that resource
with other users after adding it to the versioned repository. For more information, see "Share
resources" on page 128 and "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108.
NOTE: To modify a widget's properties, select the widget in the Explorer and click or press ALT
+ ENTER. For more information, see "Editing a public resource" on page 111.
NOTE: If you have permission to share widgets, you can also share widgets with other users.
Shared widgets can be accessed two ways by the user:
Dashboard authoring environment

The authoring environment for dashboards has been designed to display two modes for creating and
modifying a dashboard: design mode and preview mode. As a dashboard author, the widgets you have
access to and can place on a new or existing dashboard are on the Dashboard Content pane.
Design Mode
Dashboards are created and modified in design mode where the available widgets and design tools for
a dashboard display. The image and table below provide an overview of the dashboard authoring
environment in design mode. For more information, see "Design mode for dashboards" on page 877.

Dashboard authoring environment
Letter Description Letter Description
A Click to enter or exit Design Mode. H Widgets available to place on the
dashboard.
B Opens the Dashboard Properties dialog I Refresh widget data.

box.
C Click to enter or exit Preview Mode. J Opens the Actions menu.
D Dashboard Content pane K Maximizes the widget.
E Data Settings pane L Opens the Widget Styles dialog box.
F Add a tab to the dashboard. M Deletes the widget.
G Lock or unlock a dashboard column or row. N Dashboard containers
Preview Mode
This mode displays what the dashboard looks like to users. The widget toolbar may display options only
available to dashboard authors.

Data Settings pane
When you place a widget on a dashboard, you are prompted to specify data settings for that widget.
After widgets are placed on the dashboard, you can change data settings in the Data Settings pane. For
more information, see "About data settings on a dashboard" on page 910.
Design mode for dashboards

If you have the appropriate permission, you can modify the properties of a dashboard by entering
design mode. Design mode allows you to modify properties of the resource, such as adding or removing
widgets and modifying dashboard layout and styles. For more information, see "Dashboard authoring
environment" on page 875.
You can enter design mode on private resources and on private copies of public resources you have
checked out. When in design mode, row and column locks are displayed along with the Dashboard
Content pane, as shown in the following illustration.

Design mode for dashboards
Once you have made your changes to the resource, you need to save (or discard) them before exiting
design mode.

▶Enter design mode on a dashboard
1. For a private dashboard, continue to step 2. If the dashboard is a public resource, you must first
In a system with version control turned off, you can enter design mode on private and public
resources you own by opening the resource and clicking Design Mode on the RapidResponse
toolbar
l On the File menu, point to Properties, and then click Dashboard Properties.
3. To transfer your personal dashboard settings to design mode, click Yes
NOTE: When you click design mode on an open public dashboard that is not checked out, you are
prompted to check out the dashboard. Selecting yes automatically opens the private copy of the
checked out public dashboard.
▶Exit design mode

2. When prompted, click one of the following:
l Yes—Saves any changes you have made and exits design mode.
l No—Discards any changes you have made and exits design mode.
l Cancel—Returns you to design mode.
To add a comment about the modification you just made, select Add a comment. For more
NOTE: You can edit comments for a private resource at any time by opening the resource's
version history.
Personal dashboard settings

Users can specify and save certain settings on a dashboard that display the next time the dashboard is
opened.
If you allow users to save their personal dashboard settings, users can modify and save:
l Status of the Data Settings pane (minimized or expanded).

l Data settings for widgets on the dashboard.

Personal dashboard settings
l Which dashboard tab displays when the dashboard is opened. In addition, if a user closes the
dashboard with a maximized widget on a tab, when the dashboard is reopened, that widget
displays as maximized.
l Chart settings, which include which data series display and the colors used for each data series.
Users can revert to the author-specified settings by clicking Reset Dashboard on the View menu.

CHAPTER 32: Widgets
Create a widget source worksheet 883

Create a worksheet widget 884
Add help to a widget 885
Set up drill links from a worksheet widget 886
Create a text widget 887
Set up linking to a resource from a widget 888
If you have widget authoring permission, you can create new widgets or modify widgets you own or that
have been shared with you. You can view the widgets you have access to in the Explorer.
You can modify a widget by changing any of its properties or by changing the worksheet that the widget
is based on. For example, you might have to update targets in a forecast data worksheet which will then
affect widgets based on that worksheet. When you modify or update a worksheet, the widget that it is
based on does not update immediately. You have to close and then reopen the dashboard to see the
changes.
Types of widgets
When you create a dashboard, you select the widgets to include on the dashboard. There are five types of
widgets:
l Worksheet data widget—displays

data from a worksheet data grid. For
more information, see "Create a
worksheet widget" on page 884.

l Worksheet chart widget—displays
data from a worksheet chart. For
more information, see "Create a
worksheet widget" on page 884.
l Treemap widget—displays data from

a treemap worksheet. For more
information, see "Create a worksheet
widget" on page 884.
l Text widget—displays help or

information about the dashboard.
Graphics and hyperlinks can be
inserted in a text widget. For more
information, see "Create a text

CHAPTER 32: Widgets
l Message widget—displays a
simplified view of Message Center
on the RapidResponse desktop
client. Message widgets are created
automatically by RapidResponse
when you have the permission for
Message Center.
l Message widgets do not display on
dashboards viewed in the
RapidResponse mobile client. For
more information, see "Designing a
dashboard for the RapidResponse
mobile client" on page 924.
NOTE: For widgets that are based on worksheets, you must create the workbook and worksheet
before creating the widget.
Displaying multi-scenario data in widgets

You can display multi-scenario data in worksheet widgets if the worksheet the widget is based on has
multi-scenario columns or you can display two copies of the same widget on a dashboard with different
scenario settings. When you select to display multi-scenario data in widgets, you can still apply basic
bucketing and hierarchies, and configure drill-to-details. For more information, see "Creating multi-
scenario worksheets" on page 265.
Create a widget source worksheet

Widgets are based on worksheets in standard workbooks. The source worksheet for a widget contains
the data that displays in the widget. How the data displays in the worksheet is how it displays in the
widget. So you can create widgets based on worksheets that display data as a grid, chart, or treemap.
The source worksheet must display data in only one format. For example, to create a chart widget, the
default view in the source worksheet should be chart. This is because worksheets that display data as
both a chart and grid are typically too large to view as a widget.

Create a widget source worksheet
The data settings you set in the worksheet provide the default data settings for the widget and any drill
links are also carried over into the widget. For example, if you create a worksheet chart that drills to a
treemap worksheet when data points are selected on the chart, in a widget the chart data points will
also drill to the treemap.
Create a worksheet widget

Worksheet widgets display data grids or charts. Depending on how the worksheet was defined, users
can perform the same actions as they would in a regular worksheet: sort data, change the data settings,
and change colors and data series in a chart.
You can create a widget by basing it on a composite worksheet or a transformation worksheet. If you
have set up drilling to details in the worksheet, the dashboard user will be able to click on a record link
or chart point to open a details worksheet in a new pane. You can base a worksheet widget on any
worksheet that you have access to, including worksheets in linked workbooks. For more information,
see "About linked workbooks" on page 253.
When creating or selecting a worksheet to use in a widget, you should consider the following:
l For chart widgets, the worksheet should be defined to only display the chart. Worksheets that
display both data tables and charts are typically too large to view as a widget. For more
information, see "Set the default view" on page 593.
l A dashboard can contain worksheet widgets that take time to load because they process a large
number of records. Placing widgets on multiple tabs will only load the widgets on the tab that is
being viewed. For more information, see "Placing widgets on dashboard tabs" on page 904.
When you create a worksheet widget, you define the default data settings for the widget. For example,
you can select the default scenario, site, and hierarchy levels for the data displayed in the widget. Users
can change widget data settings when they view the dashboard. For more information, see "About data
settings on a dashboard" on page 910.
▶Create a worksheet widget
1. In the Explorer, right-click a resource and select New, then click New Widget - Worksheet .
2. In the New Worksheet Widget dialog box, on the General tab, type a name for the widget in the
Name box.
3. In the Title box, type the widget name that will display in the widget title bar. This title can later
be changed when the widget is on the dashboard.
4. Optionally, in the Author Notes box, type information about the widget, such as its purpose or
the dashboard it is intended for.
5. Click the Worksheet tab.
6. From the Workbook list, select the workbook that contains the worksheet you want to base the
widget on.
7. From the Worksheet list, select the worksheet you want to base the widget on.
If you are creating a worksheet chart widget, you must have defined the worksheet to display
data as a chart.
8. Select Include link to worksheet to display the source worksheet as a linked resource on the
widget title bar.

CHAPTER 32: Widgets
This link will display from the Actions menu to both dashboard authors and users. If you leave
this option unselected, authors will still be able to access the source workbook for the widget in
design mode on a dashboard.
9. In the Data Settings area, specify the worksheet data settings, such as scenario, site, and filter,
that will display by default in the widget.
10. Optionally, add linked resources to the widget. For more information, see "Set up linking to a
resource from a widget" on page 888.
11. Optionally, provide help for the widget. For more information, see "Add help to a widget" on
page 885.
NOTE: Widgets cannot be based on a worksheet in a metric workbook.
NOTE: The data settings for the worksheet widget will vary depending on how the worksheet was
defined.
NOTE: To change a widget's title on the dashboard, place the cursor on the title text and type a
new title.
NOTE: Workbook links do not display in widgets viewed on the RapidResponse mobile client.
Add help to a widget

You can add help to a worksheet widget to provide information about the data displayed in the widget
and to provide an overview of linked resources or detail worksheets.

Add help to a widget
▶Add help to a worksheet widget
1. In the New Worksheet Widget or Worksheet Widget dialog box, click the Widget Help tab.
2. Type the text for the widget help and use the rich text editor to format the text, or insert images
and hyperlinks.
NOTE: Text can also be cut and pasted into widget help from another application, like Microsoft
Word.
NOTE: For information on using the text editing tools, see "Using text editing tools" on page 167.
Set up drill links from a worksheet widget

When drill links are defined for a worksheet, the widget based on that worksheet will also allow
dashboard users to drill to a details worksheet or a form. For widgets based on chart worksheets, the
dashboard user clicks on a chart point to open the drill link.
The following table provides an overview of the steps involved in setting up drilling from a worksheet
widget:
Step Description
Create the After you have determined what type of information you want to display in the widget, you can
source create the worksheet. For chart worksheets, you must decide which kind of chart to display. Drilling
worksheet is possible for all chart types; for bar, line, and area charts, users click on a data point to open the
the widget drill link. For pie charts, users click on a pie sector, and for gauge charts, users click on a gauge
will be needle.
based on For more information, see "Create a table-based worksheet" on page 347 and "Adding charts to
reports" on page 581.
Create the
details The details worksheet displays information for a column or chart point in the original worksheet.
worksheet The details worksheet can be in the same workbook as the original worksheet, or you can create it
in a separate, dependent workbook. For more information, see "Create details worksheets" on page
680.

CHAPTER 32: Widgets
Step Description
Set up the Depending on whether the drill link will open a details worksheet or a form, do one of the
drill links in following:
the source l Create the details worksheet, and if it is in another workbook, add that workbook as a
worksheet dependency.
l Add the form you want to drill to as, add the form as a dependency.
For more information, see "Creating drill dependencies and links" on page 663.
Create the Once the source worksheet has been created and the drill link set up, you can create the worksheet
widget widget. For more information, see "Create a worksheet widget" on page 884.
NOTE: A details worksheet that a widget drills to is a linked resource. It can only be opened from
the dashboard and does not display in the user's Explorer pane.
Create a text widget

Text widgets can provide help and tips for dashboard users, describe the steps in a task flow, and
display an image like a corporate logo.

Create a text widget
When you create a text widget, a rich text editor tool is provided that allows you to control the font,
color, and formatting of widget text. You can also include graphics and links to websites from the editor
or copy and paste text from another application, like Microsoft Word. For more information, see "Using
text editing tools" on page 167 and "Insert an image" on page 168.
It is a best practice to make modifications to your image, such as scaling, in a graphic editing program
before you insert the image into RapidResponse.
▶Create a text widget
1. On the File Menu, click New and then select Widget , Text.
2. In the New Text Widget dialog box, on the General tab, type a name for the widget in the Name
box.
3. In the Title box, type the widget name that will display in the widget title bar. This title can later
be changed when the widget is on the dashboard.
4. In the New Text Widget dialog box, click the Text tab.
5. Type the text for the widget and use the rich text editor to format the text or insert images and
hyperlinks.
6. Optionally, add linked resources to the widget. For more information, see "Set up linking to a
NOTE: For more information on formatting text, see "Using text editing tools" on page 167.
NOTE: To change a widget's title on the dashboard, place the cursor on the title text and type a
new title.
TIP: If you are creating a text widget for a dashboard that is set to manually refresh, you should
include information in the text widget to warn the dashboard user that worksheet widgets data
will not refresh automatically. For more information, see "Editing dashboard properties" on page
906.
Set up linking to a resource from a widget

A worksheet or text widget can link to other resources, including dashboards, workbooks, scorecards,
and task flows. You can create as many resource links as you require for the widget. When you set up

CHAPTER 32: Widgets
linking to another resource, the widget title bar includes that the dashboard user clicks to open the
linked resource.
By default, each linked resource you add to a widget is required. Widgets with broken or missing linked
resources cannot be shared or saved. You can make the dependency optional so the widget can be
shared and saved with or without a functioning linked resource. If the linked resource is missing and
optional, it does not display in the Open menu.
▶Link a widget to other resources
1. In the New Worksheet Widget or New Text Widget dialog box, click the Linked Resources tab.
2. Click Select.
3. In the Select Resources dialog box, select one of the following resource types from the Show list:
l dashboards
l task flows
l scorecards
l workbooks
4. In the Select from this list area, click the resource you want to add.
5. Click Add.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 until you have added all the resources you want to link to, then click OK.
7. To make a linked resource optional, clear the check box for that resource in the Required
column.
NOTE: A detail worksheet that a widget drills to is a linked resource. It can only be opened from
the dashboard and is not displayed in the user's Explorer pane.

Set up linking to a resource from a widget
NOTE: You can also add linked resources to an existing widget if you have widget authoring
permission.
TIP: In the Linked Resources tab, you can change the order in which the linked resources will
appear to dashboard users by clicking and dragging a resource up or down in the list.

CHAPTER 32: Widgets
CHAPTER 33: Widget styles
Dashboard styles 891

Individual widget styles 895
Transparency settings 897
Example: Editing dashboard widget styles 898
You can modify widget styles on a dashboard to enhance the aesthetics, branding, and usability of
dashboards. Optimize a user’s experience by creating widgets with customized backgrounds, color
schemes, alignment, and labeling. The flexibility of widget styles allows you to create dashboards with
enhanced usability and aesthetics at both the individual widget level and at the dashboard level. Widget
styles are controlled in the properties for widgets or dashboards which each feature a preview that
displays the selected styles as they will be applied. The margin, border, and padding widths are
unavailable in the styles preview – they can only be displayed in preview mode or during runtime. For
more information, see "Individual widget styles" on page 895.
Dashboard styles
To enhance design and usability, you can apply a variety of style options to all the widgets on a
dashboard. Make changes to the widgets style and preview the applied style on the Styles tab in the
dashboard's properties.

Except for the dashboard background color, all of the style settings can be overridden for individual
widgets in the Widget Styles dialog box. For more information, see "Individual widget styles" on page
895.
▶Modify dashboard widget styles
1. For a private dashboard, continue to step 2. If the dashboard is a public resource, you must first
2. In the Explorer, double-click the dashboard you want to open and modify widget styles on.
3. Click to open Dashboard Properties.
4. Select the Styles tab.
5. Modify style options as summarized in the image and table below:

Lette Description
r
A Dashboard -- Background
l Select the background color for the dashboard by clicking on the arrow and selecting a color from the
color palette.
Widgets

Lette Description
r
B Show title and/or border
You can choose to hide or show widget titles and borders independently of one another. Show title and
Show border are the default options. Hiding the titles and/or borders can maximize space on the
dashboard and users then access the widget toolbar by hovering the mouse over the top of the widget.
l Select the Show title and/or Show border check boxes to turn those settings off or on.
C Margin
l Type a margin width for each widget side.
D Border
1. Type a border width for each widget side.
2. Select a border color for each side from each side's color palette.
E Title
1. Select a title text color from the first color palette. (Title:)
2. Select a background color for the title text from the second color palette.

Lette Description
r
F Padding
Adding padding to a widget can balance its alignment in relations to other widgets in the dashboard.
For example, adding padding to chart widgets can align their grid lines and axes, allow for easier
comparisons between the data in widgets.
l Type a padding value for each side of the widget.
G Background
l Select a background color from the color palette.
H Transparency
l Use the arrows to select a transparency level for widget backgrounds. For more information, see
"Transparency settings" on page 897.
TIP: You can also type a transparency level value in the Transparency box.
NOTE: You can also right-click the dashboard in the Explorer and then click Properties to
open the dashboard's properties.
NOTE: When you change the margin and border widths, you will not see the applied changes in
design mode. You must preview the dashboard, or fully exit design mode to view the changes.
Individual widget styles

Style options for widgets can be overridden at the individual widget level in the Widget Styles dialog
box. Similar to the Styles tab in the Dashboard Properties dialog box, you can also make changes to a
widget's style and preview the applied styles in the Widget Styles dialog box.
You have three options for title and border displays:

Individual widget styles
l Default dashboard setting
l Hide the title and/or border
l Show the title and/or border.
The Use dashboard setting option is provided to maintain the uniformity of widget display on the
dashboard without having to return to the Dashboard Properties to view what the settings are. You
might choose to show or hide the titles and borders of an individual widget to enhance the design and
usability of the dashboard. The image below shows one way of using different widget styles to improve
the usability of your dashboard.

Style settings for individual widgets are applied as they are for all the widgets on the dashboards,
however, you must select the appropriate check box to override the dashboard style setting for a
specific style property. For example, to modify the Border settings for a widget, select the Border check
box and then type the border width and select a color from the palette. For information on how to set
widget styles for all widgets on the dashboard, see "Modify dashboard widget styles" on page 892.
▶Modify widget style settings for an individual widget
1. In the Explorer, double-click the dashboard you want to open and modify a widget on.
2. Click to enter design mode.
3. Select the widget to modify.
4. Click to open the Widget Styles dialog box.
5. Select the widget setting for the Title display
6. Select the widget setting for the Border display.
7. Select the check box of the additional style properties you want to modify.
There are multiple layers of transparencies that you can apply to a worksheet chart widget. Depending
on the type of chart displayed in the widget, you can apply five to six levels of transparency. Similar to
sheets of colored glass, each layer of transparency will produce a different visual effect. Transparency
settings for the chart area, plot area, and other chart options are set at the chart level when you create
or modify the chart in the worksheet's properties.

NOTE: Worksheet chart widgets can only display a gradient background if the chart they are
based on has a gradient applied to it. Increasing the transparency on the widget and chart
backgrounds might allow a gradient background applied to a chart to show through on a widget.
TIP: To make the background settings for a widget or dashboard visible, set the worksheet chart
transparency setting to 100% (full transparency).
Example: Editing dashboard widget styles

Assume that you want to create a dashboard with widgets styled to represent your company's logo
colors: light green, black, and red. Specify the following settings on the widget:
l Top: margin of 2 pixels, red border of 6 pixels, and 1 pixel padding.

l Right and left side: margin of 1 pixel, black border of 3 pixels, and 0 padding.
l Bottom: margin of 2 pixels, black border of 3 pixels, and 0 padding.

NOTE: The dialog box only provides a preview of some style settings. Other settings, such as
margin, border, and padding widths only display on the dashboard.
NOTE: Hiding the title and/or border removes those options from the dialog box.

Example: Editing dashboard widget styles
CHAPTER 34: Creating dashboards
Create a dashboard 903

Placing widgets on dashboard tabs 904
Editing dashboard properties 906
Dashboard scaling 909
View dashboard and widget dependencies 910
About data settings on a dashboard 910
Define data settings for a widget 912
When you create a dashboard, you start by adding widgets to the dashboard and then modifying the
dashboard layout. Each widget's data settings are specified when you add it to the dashboard.
You can add:
l widgets that you have created

l widgets that have been shared with you
l widgets from dashboards that have been shared with you
Any dashboard that you have created or that has been shared with you can be modified in design mode
. To preview the dashboard while you are creating or modifying it, click preview mode on the
RapidResponse toolbar. You can add any number of widgets to a dashboard, however there are layout
options to consider in creating an effective dashboard. For more information, see "Tips for designing an
effective dashboard layout" on page 923.
After a widget has been place on the dashboard, it can be moved to any other position on the dashboard
that displays a blue line or blue box.

If you have editing permission for the workbook that a widget is based on, you can manually open and
modify the source worksheets directly from the widget on a dashboard.
You might have to remove a widget if it is based on a workbook that is no longer available. Widgets that
are missing dependent resources appear with a red X in the Explorer. For more information, see "View
dashboard and widget dependencies" on page 910.

Create a dashboard
1. On the File menu, click New and then select Dashboard .
2. Select a widget from the Dashboard Content pane.
To search for a specific widget, type the first letter or name of the widget in the Dashboard
Content search box.
3. Click, drag, and drop the widget on the dashboard.
4. Specify the default settings for the widget in the Data Settings dialog box.
5. Repeat step 2 to 4 as needed to add the remaining widgets to the dashboard. Widgets can also
be added to additional tabs in the dashboard. For more information, see "Placing widgets on
dashboard tabs" on page 904.
6. Click to open the Dashboard Properties dialog box.
7. Type a name for the dashboard on the General tab.
8. Make any additional modifications in the Dashboard Properties dialog box. For more
information, see "Editing dashboard properties" on page 906.
9. Click OK to save your dashboard. You must have at least one widget on the dashboard to save it.
10. To add a comment about the dashboard, such as its purpose, select Add a comment. For more
NOTE: After the first widget has been dropped on to the dashboard, additional widgets can only
be placed where a blue line or blue box appears on the dashboard. For more information, see "Edit
widget size" on page 917.
NOTE: To remove a widget from the dashboard, click and drag the widget back to the Dashboard
Content pane or click on the widget.
NOTE: You can also save the dashboard by closing the new dashboard. A dialog box will ask you if
you want to save the dashboard. If you select Yes, the Dashboard Properties dialog box will open
where you type the name of the new dashboard.

Create a dashboard
TIP: To move widgets on the dashboard, hover the mouse over until appears. Click and
drag the mouse to its new placement.
▶Move widgets on a dashboard
1. On an open dashboard in design mode, hover the pointer over the center of the widget title bar.
2. Click, drag, and place the widget on a new location on the dashboard.
CAUTION: When you move a widget on top of another widget, it will replace the existing widget
in that location. You will be prompted with a warning message asking you if you want to replace
the existing widget.
NOTE: You can only move a widget to where a where a blue line or box displays on the dashboard.
▶Open the source workbook for a widget
1. On an open dashboard, click Actions on the widget title bar.

2. Select Open Source Workbook <workbook name>.
Placing widgets on dashboard tabs

As a dashboard author, you can place widgets on multiple dashboard tabs. Tabs are used to group
related widgets and can display text widgets and message widgets separately to maximize space on the
dashboard. For example, if you are creating a dashboard that displays data for sales, you can group
widgets that display revenue data on one tab, widgets that display margin data on a second tab, and
help information for the dashboard on a third tab.
As only the widgets on the tab being viewed are loaded, tabs can reduce dashboard load times by
minimizing how many worksheet widgets that process large amounts of data are loaded.

You can add tabs to a dashboard you have created or are modifying by clicking . A tab becomes
functional only when at least one widget is placed on it. Tabs can be added, removed, or moved on
dashboard and tab titles can be renamed.
▶Add a dashboard tab
1. On a new dashboard or a dashboard you are editing, click .

2. Select and drag a widget on the new tab. Once a widget has been placed on the tab, the tab then
becomes functional.
You are prompted to specify the data settings when you place a widget on a dashboard. The
default settings are the settings specified in the widget source worksheet.
3. Repeat steps 1 to 2 as needed to add tabs to the dashboard.
NOTE: You must have at least one widget on the tab to save it to the dashboard. An empty tab is
not saved on a dashboard.
NOTE: You do not need to specify the data settings for a treemap widget when it is placed on a
dashboard.
▶Remove a dashboard tab
l Remove widgets on a dashboard tab by dragging each widget back to the Dashboard Content
pane or by clicking on a widget's title bar. The tab will disappear.
▶Move a dashboard tab
1. Place the cursor over the left side of the tab. The cursor will change to a hand and the active tab
will in orange.
2. Click and drag the tab to its new position.
▶Rename a dashboard tab
1. Place the cursor on the tab title.

2. Type the new title.
3. Click another tab to finish

Placing widgets on dashboard tabs
Editing dashboard properties
You can edit dashboard properties before or after a dashboard has been created. If the dashboard is a
public resource, you must first check it out of the versioned repository and then open the properties to
make your edits. For more information, see "Check out a resource from the versioned repository" on
page 111. If you do not check out the dashboard, the properties will be view only.
The General tab is where you can name the dashboard, specify its data refresh options and user
settings, and add author notes. The Styles tab is where you can edit the styles of the widgets on the
dashboard. You can customize dashboard and widget backgrounds, widget color schemes, alignment,
and labeling.
If a dashboard is closed, select the dashboard in the Explorer, right-click it, and select Properties. For an
open dashboard, enter design mode and click Dashboard Properties on the RapidResponse toolbar.
The following table summarizes dashboard properties:

Proper Description
ty
General tab
Name: The name of the dashboard.
Require users Users manually refresh widget data to update to the most recent data. This setting is
to manually recommended to prevent long load wait times when:
refresh widget l Dashboard users will be continuously making changes to dashboard data.
data l Dashboards contain worksheet widgets that must process large amounts of data
It is a good practice to note that a dashboard is set to manually refresh in a text widget on
the dashboard.
Warn users You can prompt users to refresh their widget data when it might be out of data in the source
when widget worksheets. This option is only available if you select to have users manually refresh widget
data might be data.
out of date
Allow users to Users can save settings they have specified on a dashboard including data settings and how
save personal panes display. For example, the dashboard can be saved with the data settings pane and help
dashboard panes minimized. When the user reopens the dashboard, both those panes will be minimized.
settings Users can revert to the author-specified settings by clicking Reset Dashboard on the View
menu.
For more information, see "Personal dashboard settings" on page 879.
Require user to You can choose to have users select data settings every time the dashboard is opened. This
select data can reduce long wait times by ensuring that only needed queries are run.
settings on
opening

Editing dashboard properties
Proper Description
ty
Author notes Add notes for other dashboard authors. The text typed can only be viewed in the dashboard
properties and is not visible to dashboard users. For example, you can use author notes to
record the following:
l Changes made to the dashboard
l Descriptions of the widgets included in the dashboard
l Information about the dashboard's intended use
Styles tab
Dashboard - Set the background color for the dashboard.

Background
Widgets— Show or hide all of the widget title bars and/or borders on the dashboard. Hiding both title
Show title bars and borders can maximize space on the dashboard and users then access the widget
Widgets— toolbar by hovering over the top of the widget.
Show border
Widgets— Set the margin widths around each widget.

Margin
Widgets— Set the border colors and widths around each widget.
Border

Proper Description
ty
Widgets—Title Set the text and background colors for widget titles.
Widgets— Adjust the padding around all the widgets to increase or decrease the space on the
Padding dashboard.
Widgets— Set the background color for all widgets.

Background
Widgets— Set the transparency level for widget backgrounds. For more information, see "Transparency
Transparency settings" on page 897.
NOTE: You can apply different margin, border, and padding settings on each side of a widget.
NOTE: Except for the dashboard background color, all of the settings on the Styles tab can be
overridden at the individual widget level.
Dashboard scaling
When a dashboard changes size, widgets are scaled proportionately to the new dashboard size. The
images below show a dashboard at different sizes.

Dashboard scaling
You may choose to turn off this automatic scaling based on screen resolutions and keep either a widget
or the dashboard a fixed size. This can be achieved by locking dashboard rows and columns, or placing
widgets in containers. For more information, see "Lock dashboard rows and columns" on page 918 and
"Place widgets in dashboard containers" on page 921.
View dashboard and widget dependencies

Dashboard widgets display worksheet data in a grid or chart format.Widgets can also open to the
widget source worksheet and linked resources such as workbooks, scorecards, other dashboards, and
task flows from the widget title bar. For more information on linked resources, see "Set up linking to a
If you have authoring permission for dashboards or widgets, you can view its resource usage and
dependencies. For more information, see "Analyzing resource usage" on page 177.
About data settings on a dashboard

When you create a dashboard, you must specify data settings for each widget added on the dashboard.
After a widget has been placed, modify the data settings for an individual widget or all widgets on the
dashboard in the Data Settings pane. When the dashboard is saved, the specified data settings are also
saved.
The Data Settings pane displays all of the settings applied to widgets, including:
l scenarios
l sites

l hierarchies
l part
l constraints
l model
l pool
l variables (except for quantity and text variables -- they are displayed in the Data Settings)
l simple and advanced date buckets
When you make a change in the Data Settings pane, all of the widgets that setting applies to are
updated one at a time. To clear any data settings changes you have applied and return to the data
settings that were applied at the beginning of your current RapidResponse session, click Restore to
Default . To update widgets on the dashboard after you have made multiple data changes, click Change
Multiple Data Settings to open the Data Settings dialog box. All of the data settings applied to the
dashboard are visible in this dialog box.
NOTE: The Reset to Default button is not active unless a data setting is changed.

About data settings on a dashboard
Depending on the worksheet date bucketing was defined, it displays as simple or advanced bucketing in
the Data Settings pane. To make any changes to how bucket settings are defined, you must make the
changes in that widget's source worksheet.
Data settings can be overridden for individual widgets on a dashboard by maximizing the widget and
then making changes in the Data Settings pane. For more information, see "Define data settings for a
To view which data settings area applied to a widget or what settings a widget carries, hover the pointer
over the data setting or a widget. For more information about viewing data settings, see the
NOTE: When a user open a dashboard for the first time, the Data Settings pane displays. After
that, the dashboard opens how it was last displayed to the user, with an open or closed Data
Settings pane.
Define data settings for a widget

When you place a widget on the dashboard, you are prompted to specify data settings for that widget.
Data settings for the dashboard are changed in the Data Settings pane. To change data settings for an
individual widget, you must maximize the widget and then make changes in the Data Settings pane. The
widget will update after each change to reflect the new setting. To have the widget update only after
multiple data settings have been changed, click Change Multiple Data Settings. For more information on
viewing data settings already defined for a widget, see the RapidResponse User Guide.

NOTE: The Data Settings pane might be minimized. Expand it to open the pane.
▶Change data settings for an individual widget
1. Select the widget on the dashboard to change data settings for.

2. Maximize the widget by clicking Maximize Widget on the widget title bar.
3. On the Data Settings pane, make your data setting changes.
The widget will automatically update and display the new data setting after each change.
4. To return to the dashboard after you have made your changes, click Minimize Widget or if
the dashboard has tabs, click on the tab title.
NOTE: To change multiple settings at a time for a widget, click Change Multiple Data Settings to
open the Data Settings dialog box. The widget will only update after you make the changes and
then click OK.
NOTE: If the widget has a hidden title bar and borders, hover over the top of the widget to display
the widget title bar.

Define data settings for a widget
CHAPTER 35: Designing a dashboard
Dashboard rows and columns 916

Edit widget size 917
Lock dashboard rows and columns 918
Place widgets in dashboard containers 921
Designing the dashboard user view 923
Tips for designing an effective dashboard layout 923
Designing a dashboard for the RapidResponse mobile client 924
Dashboard layouts in RapidResponse are designed using flexible layout settings that can be applied to
individual widgets or to all the widgets on the dashboard. You can specify widget size, location, style, and
data settings. Dashboards can display widgets on different tabs and in horizontal or vertical containers.
You can span a widget over more than one row or column in a dashboard, or lock specified rows and
columns to keep a widget’s size constant. The images below are examples of potential layout designs.

When you create a dashboard, take usability considerations into account. Dashboard users cannot
modify the layout; they are only able to modify the data settings and some chart settings in a
dashboard. Layout considerations include where and how widgets are placed, their size and grouping,
and how the widgets will scale on different screen resolutions. For example, widgets that display related
data should be placed adjacent to each other and chart widgets should be large enough to view each
data series charted in them. The dashboard will display to users as it is saved. For example, if you have
the hierarchy pane minimized, users will have a minimized hierarchy pane when they open the
workbook.
If you are designing a dashboard that will be viewed on both the RapidResponse desktop client and the
RapidResponse mobile client, there are specific layout options to consider. For more information, see
"Designing a dashboard for the RapidResponse mobile client" on page 924.
Dashboard rows and columns

Dashboard layouts are based on a grid pattern, with columns and rows defining the spaces to place
widgets with lock identifying each row or column. You can span a widget across multiple rows or
columns to increase its size on the dashboard. When you place the first widget on the dashboard, the
grid does not display. As you add additional widgets, depending on where you place the new widgets,
rows and columns are added to the dashboard. As you move dashboards to different placements on a
dashboard, new rows and columns will display to fit the widget. For more information, see "Create a
dashboard" on page 903.
▶Add a new row to a dashboard
l Click and drag a new widget to the top or bottom of an existing widget.
A blue bar appears where you can place the widget.

▶Add a new column to a dashboard
l Click and drag a new widget to the left or right of an existing widget.
A blue bar appears where you can place the widget.
Edit widget size

You can change the size of a widget by resizing the height or width of a row or column or by spanning
the widget over two or more rows or columns. Changing row or column sizes affects all the widgets in
that row or column, while changing the span of a widget only affects that widget and any widgets it
might replace.
▶Resize a dashboard row or column
1. Place the cursor just outside of the widget you want to resize.
2. Click and drag the row or column to its new size using the double-headed arrow.
CAUTION: If the widget border turns blue when you drag the widget, the widget will span and
replace any surrounding widgets that are shaded in blue.
NOTE: As you drag the double-headed arrow, the width or height of the row or column is
displayed as a percentage of that row or column.
▶Change the span of a widget
1. Place the cursor at the edge of the widget. The widget border will turn blue.

Edit widget size
The widget and the span area will turn blue. If the new span covers an existing widget, it will be
replaced when you release the mouse button.
2. Click and drag the widget in the direction you want it to span.You can change the span of the
widget by spanning it over multiple rows or columns.
CAUTION: When you change the span of a widget, you might replace another widget on the
dashboard. No warning message will appear when you are replacing another widget.
NOTE: Once you have replaced one widget by spanning another, the widget has been deleted
from the dashboard. To add it again to the dashboard, select and drag the widget from the
Dashboard Content pane.
NOTE: You can only span across entire rows or columns. Widgets cannot span halfway across a
row or column.
Lock dashboard rows and columns

When a dashboard changes size, widgets are scaled proportionately to the new dashboard size. For
information, see "Create a dashboard" on page 903. You can choose to keep a widget’s size constant by
locking the rows and columns the widget covers. This is useful for widgets you don’t want scaled, like a
company logo. In design mode, locks are visible over each column and row in a dashboard.

Locks for each row and column appear on the margins of the dashboard. You can lock and unlock any of
the rows and columns on the dashboard by clicking on the lock.

Lock dashboard rows and columns
▶Lock the proportions of a widget
1. In design mode on a dashboard, select the widget to lock.

2. Click all the row and column locks on the margins around the widget. Once locked, the lock
displays as .
▶Unlock the proportions of a widget
1. In design mode on a dashboard, select the widget to unlock.

2. Click all the locked rows and columns on the margins around the widget. Once unlocked, the
lock displays as .

NOTE: The widget itself is not locked. The rows and columns that the widget covers are locked for
that widget.
Place widgets in dashboard containers

If you know the size of the screen that a dashboard will be displayed on, you can add containers to the
dashboard layout. For example, you might know that a certain group of dashboard users will be viewing
the dashboard on a standard deployed monitor or device.
Horizontal and vertical containers fix the height or width of the widgets placed in them. When a
dashboard changes size, widgets in a horizontal container will retain a fixed width and widgets in a
vertical container will retain a fixed height. Scroll bars along the containers allow users to scroll through
the widgets in that container. Since dashboards are automatically scaled on different screen resolutions,
containers are best suited to fixed resolutions.
Widgets must be placed in a container, so it is a best practice to place the containers on the dashboard
first and then add widgets on the containers. Containers can be added to a new or existing dashboard if
you have dashboard authoring permission.
▶Add a horizontal container
1. Click from Layout Tools and drag to the dashboard.

2. Select and drag widgets on the container.

Place widgets in dashboard containers
▶Add a vertical container
1. Click from Layout Tools and drag to the dashboard.

2. Select and drag widgets on the container.
▶Move a container
l Click and drag the container to its new position on the dashboard.
NOTE: Like a widget, the container can be moved to wherever a blue bar appears on the
dashboard.
▶Delete a container
l Select the container to delete and then drag the container to the Dashboard Content tab or click
on the container toolbar.
CAUTION: When you delete a container, all of the widgets in that container are removed from the
dashboard. To keep the widgets in the dashboard, move them on the dashboard from the
container before you delete.
NOTE: Widgets on a container can be resized in one dimension, depending on the type of
container. You cannot span a widget across container rows or columns.
NOTE: Containers have title bars that serve as layout tools and are only visible in design mode.

Designing the dashboard user view
As dashboard author, you set the default view and accessibility options for the dashboard user. A
dashboard user can specify data settings, bucket settings, and chart settings on a dashboard. For a
user to override other dashboard settings, they must have dashboard and/or widget authoring
permissions.
You can specify default settings for:
l Widget data settings. For more information, see "Define data settings for a widget" on page 912.
l The Data Settings pane. How you view the pane will reflect in the user's view. It is recommended to
minimize the Data Settings pane and then save and share the dashboard.
l Saving user dashboard settings. For more information, see "Personal dashboard settings" on
page 879.
l Refreshing widget data. For more information, see "Editing dashboard properties" on page 906.
l Warning users about out of date widget data. For more information, see "Editing dashboard
l Style settings for individual widgets and all the widgets on the dashboard. For more information,
see "Dashboards" on page 873.
TIP: To compare widgets on a dashboard with different data settings applied, you can open
another instance of that dashboard by right-clicking on the dashboard and clicking Open in a
New Tab.
Tips for designing an effective dashboard

layout
To design an effective dashboard, you should consider the needs of dashboard users. The following
table provides an overview of design considerations and possible dashboard layout tools to use.
Design consideration Dashboard layout options

Group widgets by type or Place similar widget types together on a tab. For more information, see "Placing
theme widgets on dashboard tabs" on page 904.
Maximize dashboard Move some widgets (like text widgets or message widgets) to a tab. For more
space information, see "Placing widgets on dashboard tabs" on page 904.
Hide widget title bars and/or borders. For more information, see "Editing dashboard
Minimize the Data Settings pane. The dashboard will open with the pane minimized
and users can expand the pane to access the settings.
NOTE: New dashboards always open with the Data Settings pane minimized.
Enhance the view of Resize the widget or span it over more than one dashboard row or column. For more
widget data information, see "Edit widget size" on page 917.
Distribute widgets over multiple tabs. For more information, see "Placing widgets on
dashboard tabs" on page 904.

Designing the dashboard user view
Design consideration Dashboard layout options
Freeze a widget's size Lock the dashboard rows and columns that the widget spans. For more information,
see "Lock dashboard rows and columns" on page 918.
Freeze the horizontal Lock the dashboard rows that the widget spans. For more information, see "Lock
dimension of a widget dashboard rows and columns" on page 918.
Place the widget in a horizontal container. For more information, see "Place widgets in
dashboard containers" on page 921.
Freeze the vertical Lock the dashboard columns that the widget spans. For more information, see "Lock
dimension of a widget dashboard rows and columns" on page 918.
Place the widget in a vertical container. For more information, see "Place widgets in
dashboard containers" on page 921.
Specify widget names Type a new name for a widget. For more information, see "Individual widget styles" on
page 895.
Specify tab names Type a new name for a tab. For more information, see "Placing widgets on dashboard
tabs" on page 904.
Reduce dashboard load Place widgets on multiple tabs. For more information, see "Placing widgets on
times dashboard tabs" on page 904.
Use a shared widget on Make a copy of the widget and place the copied widget on the dashboard. For more
your dashboard information, see "Copy resources" on page 127.
For more information on viewing which dashboards use a widget, see "View
dashboard and widget dependencies" on page 910.
CAUTION: Adding containers to a dashboard is not recommended if you are designing a

dashboard to be used on multiple screen resolutions. For example, if you are designing a
dashboard on a wide-screen for users who will view it on a smaller screen, a dashboard with
containers will not display the same on the two screens.
Designing a dashboard for the RapidResponse

mobile client
Any dashboard you create can be viewed on both the desktop and the mobile client. However, all
dashboards must be created and edited using the RapidResponse desktop client.
When you are designing a mobile dashboard, consider dashboard layout and features unique to mobile
clients:
l Message Center is not visible on mobile dashboards. If you add a message widget to the
dashboard, a blank section displays on the dashboard when viewed on a mobile client. Instead,
mobile users can enable message forwarding to their email clients and send views of the
dashboard to other users. For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide (Mobile Client).
The images below show the message widget displayed in the RapidResponse desktop client but

ignored in the mobile client.
l Gantt charts do not display in the mobile client.

l Mobile devices have different screen resolutions and as such, it is recommended that you do not
add containers or lock widget rows or columns on a dashboard that will be viewed on the mobile
client.
Mobile devices with smaller screens

On devices with screens that are smaller than 640 pixels, worksheet data displays as cards instead of in a
grid layout.
For worksheet data widgets, the following recommendations apply:
l The source worksheet should be a crosstab or a bucketed crosstab worksheet.

l If the source worksheet has subtotal rows, the worksheet should be bucketed and crosstab to
appropriately display data. In addition, the default view for the widget based on this worksheet
should be Columns. You should include a note in the widget help telling users that they should
stick to the columns view to have the data display as intended.
For more information, see the RapidResponse User Guide (Mobile Client)

Designing a dashboard for the RapidResponse mobile client
Part 6: Task Flows
l Authoring task flows
CHAPTER 36: Authoring task flows
Create a task flow 930

Add an action to open a resource from a step title 931
Add a scenario action to a step title 934
Configure task flow steps with actions to run automatically 935
Suppress optional actions in a task flow 936
Preview a task flow while authoring 936
Add notes to a task flow 936
A task flow is a series of steps you can follow to complete an overall procedure or function. If you have the
appropriate permissions, you can create, modify, and share task flows.
A task flow defines an overall workflow, divided into logical steps. Each step has a title that can be made
into an action link that opens the resource or launches the scenario action required to complete the step.
For example, you can add an action to open a report, another task flow, or a scenario action dialog box if
the user needs to use the RapidResponse simulation capabilities.
To share the task flow with other users, you must first add it to the versioned repository. For more
information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108. If the task flow includes steps
with action links, the resources required to perform those actions must be shared separately. For
example, for a user to be able to click a task flow step to open a workbook using a specific filter, the user
needs access to both the workbook and the filter.
The following illustration shows the task flow authoring window and the opened task flow. Refer to the
information below the illustration to learn about each component.

l A—The task flow authoring window
l B—List of steps in the task flow. The step title is displayed in the Step column.
l C—The Step details section, where you can define a title, steps, and action links for the step
currently selected in the Step column.
l D—The action completed by the action link. Depending on the action selected, different controls
might be available in this area.
l E—The task flow reading pane. If you want to see how your task flow will display, you can save it
and then open and view it at the same time as you are creating it.
Create a task flow

When creating a task flow, you define steps required to complete the overall task flow. For each step,
you can define detailed instructions and add action buttons so that users can quickly access required
resources. The step details area, where you define action links and write additional information,
corresponds to the step selected in the Step column.
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Task Flow .
The task flow authoring window opens,where you can create the task flow. For information
about the components of the task flow authoring window, see "Authoring task flows" on page
929.
2. In the Name box, type a name for the task flow.
3. In the list of steps, the Introduction is automatically selected. In the Step details area, in the text
editor box, type text for the introduction. You might want to include information such as a
summary of the task flow and targeted users.
If you do not want an introduction in the task flow, clear the Include an introduction to this
task flow check box below the list of steps.
4. Click New Step.
5. In the Step details area, in the Title box, type a title for the step.

6. In the Step details area, type the detailed instructions for the step. You can also copy and paste
text from another application, such as Microsoft Word. For information about formatting the
task flow text, see "Using text editing tools" on page 167.
You can optionally make the step title an action link that opens a resource or a scenario action
dialog box. For more information, see "Add an action to open a resource from a step title" on
page 931, "Add a scenario action to a step title" on page 934, and "Configure task flow steps with
actions to run automatically" on page 935.
7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 for each step you want to add.
8. If you want the steps to be numbered, ensure that the Number steps check box is selected.
9. Optionally, add Author notes to describe the purpose of the task flow, and other information
such as the date it was created and the name of the author. This information is only visible to
users who can view the task flow properties, and is used for purposes of editing and managing
the task flow.
10. When you save the task flow, you have the option of adding a comment about the new resource
by selecting Add a comment.
NOTE: You might find it helpful to create an outline of the task flow and test the steps before you
define the steps in RapidResponse. This way, you can detect any problems before you spend time
formatting instructions and configuring actions.
TIP: You can also create a task flow by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar,
or by right-clicking a resource in the Explorer, selecting New, and then selecting Task Flow .
TIP: You can also copy an existing task flow by selecting it in the Explorer, and then clicking Copy
on the Actions menu.
Add an action to open a resource from a step

title
You can add an action to a step to open a RapidResponse resource, making it simpler for users to
complete the task flow. An action can open any of the following types of resources:
l A form.
l A dashboard. You can optionally specify which tab opens and the data that is displayed in the
dashboard.
l A workbook. You can optionally specify which worksheet opens and the data that is displayed in
the worksheet.
l A scorecard. You can optionally specify the data that is displayed in the scorecard.
l Another task flow
When an action to open a resource is added to a task flow step, an icon representing the action appears
to the left of the task's title in the list of steps.

Add an action to open a resource from a step title
Tasks can be set up to run automatically and you can also suppress an action if the resource it depends
on is missing. For more information, see "Configure task flow steps with actions to run automatically" on
page 935 and "Suppress optional actions in a task flow" on page 936.
▶Add an action to open a form
1. In the Step column, click the step to which you want to add an action.
2. In the area under the text editing box, in the Action list, click Open Form.
3. In the Form list, click the form you want the step to open.
To ensure that you are adding the intended task flow, you can view the selected task flow by
clicking Open Form to the right of the task flow name.
▶Add an action to open a dashboard
2. In the area under the text editing box, in the Action list, click Open Dashboard.
3. In the Dashboard list, click the dashboard you want the step to open.
To ensure that you are using the intended dashboard and choose the data settings to use, you
can open the selected dashboard by clicking Open Dashboard to the right of the Settings
button.
4. In the Tab list, select the tab that you want the step to open.
5. If you want to display specific data in the dashboard, click Settings and select one of the
following to use:
l Dashboard default settings—Open with the default settings specified by the dashboard
author. If the dashboard default settings change, the workbook will open with the new
defaults.
l User's personal settings—Open with the user's personal settings.

l Custom settings—Open with settings that you specify in the Data Settings area. If the
dashboard is currently open, you can click Get Settings from Open Dashboard to populate
the Data Settings in the Dashboard Settings dialog box with the current settings from the
open dashboard.
6. Optionally, after selecting the dashboard settings to use, click Open Dashboard to view the
dashboard with your selected settings.
NOTE: When a dashboard author configures the dashboard to only open with default settings,
User's personal settings and Custom settings cannot be selected in the Settings dialog box.
▶Add an action to open a workbook
2. In the area under the text editing box, in the Action list, click Open Workbook.
3. In the Workbook list, click the workbook you want the step to open.
4. In the Worksheet list, click the worksheet you want to open.
5. If you want to display specific data in the worksheet, click Settings. In the Workbook Settings
dialog box, select the check box for each setting you want to specify, and then select a value from
the corresponding list. For more information about specifying workbook settings, see the
6. Optionally, click Open Workbook to view the workbook with your selected data settings.
▶Add an action to open a scorecard
2. In the area under the text editing box, in the Action list, click Open Scorecard.
3. In the Scorecard list, click the scorecard you want the step to open.
4. If you want to display specific data in the scorecard, click Settings. In the Scorecard Settings
dialog box, select the check box for each setting you want to specify, and then select a value from
the corresponding list. For more information about specifying scorecard settings, see the
5. Optionally, click Open Scorecard to view the workbook with your selected data settings.
▶Add an action to open another task flow
2. In the area under the text editing box, in the Action list, click Open Task Flow.
3. In the Task Flow list, click the task flow that you want the step to open.
To ensure that you are adding the intended task flow, you can view the selected task flow by
clicking Open Task Flow to the right of the task flow name.
NOTE: You cannot select a private resource for an action. You must share it or add it to the
versioned repository first.

Add an action to open a resource from a step title
Add a scenario action to a step title
You can configure a task flow step to launch a scenario action, making it easier for users to complete the
task flow. The following scenario actions are available:
l Create a scenario
l Share a scenario
l Update a scenario
l Commit a scenario
l Delete a scenario
When you add a scenario action, you have the option of letting the user select the scenario, or
specifying the scenario that must be used. You can also allow the user to choose the scenario, but limit
the available choices to descendants of a scenario that you specify. In the case of scenario creation
actions, these options apply to the parent scenario of the new scenario that the user creates.
▶Add an action to create a scenario
1. In the Action list, click Create Scenario.

2. From the Based on scenario options, select one of the following:
l Selected by user—Allows the user to select the scenario on which the new scenario will be
based. Optionally, you can check the Must be descendent of check box, and select the
scenario that the user's selection must be a descendent of. If the user does not have access to
the scenario you select, the task flow cannot open the New Scenario dialog box, and the
user sees an error message.
l The other option allows you to choose the exact scenario on which the new scenario must be
based.
▶Add an action to share a scenario
1. In the Action list, click Share Scenario.

2. From the Scenario options, select one of the following:
l Selected by user—Allows the user to select the scenario to share. Optionally, you can check
the Must be descendent of check box, and select the scenario that the user's selection must
be a descendent of. If the user does not have access to the scenario you select, the task flow
cannot open the Select Scenario to Share dialog box, and the user sees an error message.
l The other option allows you to choose the exact scenario to be shared.
▶Add an action to update a scenario
1. In the Action list, click Update Scenario.

l Selected by user—Allows the user to select the scenario to update. Optionally, you can check
cannot open the Select Scenario to Update dialog box, and the user sees an error message.
l The other option allows you to choose the exact scenario to be updated. The scenario is
updated when the step runs, but the user is not prompted to confirm this action.

▶Add an action to commit a scenario
1. In the Action list, click Commit Scenario.

l Selected by user—Allows the user to select the scenario to delete. Optionally, you can check
cannot open the Select Scenario to Commit dialog box, and the user sees an error message.
l The other option allows you to choose the exact scenario to be committed.
3. Optionally, check the Automatically update scenario if required check box if you want the
scenario to be updated automatically before attempting to commit it. This can simplify the user
experience, since scenarios must be up-to-date before they can be committed.
▶Add an action to delete a scenario
1. In the Action list, click Delete Scenario.

l Selected by user—Allows the user to select the scenario to delete. Optionally, you can check
cannot open the Select Scenario to Delete dialog box, and the user sees an error message.
l The other option allows you to choose the exact scenario to be deleted. When the step runs,
the user is prompted to confirm the deletion.
NOTE: You cannot select a private scenario for an action. You must share it first.
Configure task flow steps with actions to run

automatically
You can configure the first step or steps in a task flow to run actions automatically when the task flow
opens. For example, if the first step in a task flow is to view data in a specific workbook, you can make
the workbook open automatically when the task flow opens. Steps that are configured to run
automatically are marked with icons.
There are some restrictions on which steps can run automatically:
l The step must include an action.

l It must be the first step in the task flow, or the previous step must be configured to run
automatically.
l The previous step cannot include a scenario action or an action to open a task flow.
For information about adding actions to task flow steps, see "Add an action to open a resource from a
step title" on page 931 and "Add a scenario action to a step title" on page 934.

Configure task flow steps with actions to run automatically
▶Configure a task flow step to run automatically
1. Select the step that you want to run automatically.

2. Check the Run step automatically after opening task flow check box.
NOTE: The introduction to a task flow is not considered a step.
Suppress optional actions in a task flow

You can suppress an optional action in a task flow step if the resource the action uses is unavailable. For
example, a step might require a dashboard to open but the dashboard is missing or the user does not
have permission to access it. If the action is required, the step displays an error. If the action is optional,
the step displays without the action and the user can continue through the task flow steps.
For information about adding actions to task flow steps, see "Add an action to open a resource from a
step title" on page 931 and "Add a scenario action to a step title" on page 934.
▶Suppress an action in a task flow step
1. Select the step where you want to suppress the optional action.
2. Select the Suppress the action if the resource is not available check box.
CAUTION: This setting should only be applied to actions that are optional. If actions integral to a
task flow steps are suppressed when a resource is missing, the user might not realize the action is
missing and that the task flow is incomplete.
Preview a task flow while authoring

To preview a task flow while you are authoring it, do the following:
1. Save the task flow so that it displays in the Explorer.

2. In the Explorer, double-click the task flow.
The task flow opens on the right side of the RapidResponse window, and is automatically
updated each time you save changes to your task flow.
Add notes to a task flow

You can add notes specifically for task flow authors to any of the task flows you create. The information
is available only when viewing the properties of a task flow.
l In the task flow editor window, in the Author notes box, type the text you want.

Part 7: Forms
l Authoring forms
l Creating forms
l Managing control properties
l Defining controls
l Managing scripts for forms
CHAPTER 37: Authoring forms
Form authoring permissions 940

Form authoring environment 941
Forms and scripts 942
Forms are graphical user interfaces you design to help users accomplish business tasks. They provide
guided and streamlined experiences that enable users to complete tasks faster and on the go.
For example, you might create a form that starts or finishes an activity in a process or a form that creates
new order records. Administrators might use forms to perform administrative or maintenance tasks on
the go, such as unlock a user account, change a user’s password, or run an automation task. Users can
access forms from the Explorer pane, the Start page, and Task Flows. On mobile devices, forms are
opened from the Resources screen.
Similar to dashboards, forms only need to be authored once and can then be run on both the desktop
client and mobile client.
Forms can be designed with varying degrees of complexity, as shown in the form examples below:

Different controls on the form provide information, display default values, or are input fields for users.
As an author, you can simplify the user's experience by exposing only controls that require review or
input by the user while maintaining all the parameters required by the script to function. You can also
design a form to dynamically respond to a user's selections. For more information, see "Form controls"
on page 949.
You can also provide guidance for users at the form level and for each control you include in the form.
For more information, see "Add help to a form" on page 954.
You can set up forms so users can access them from the Explorer pane, drill links in worksheets,
workbook commands, and task flows. For more information, see "Creating drill dependencies and links"
on page 663, "Create commands that open a form" on page 734, and "Add an action to open a form" on
page 932.
While forms are the interface users interact with, the actual task execution is carried out by the
underlying scripts. All forms must be linked to a script to function. Any action that can be scripted can
have a form interface for users. Values are passed from the form controls to mapped arguments in the
script. For more information, see "Forms and scripts" on page 942.
Depending on your role in your company, you might have permission to author forms and their
underlying scripts, or you might be responsible for designing the forms and passing them to a form and
script author to complete. For more information, see "Form authoring permissions" on page 940 and
"Creating forms" on page 945.
Form authoring permissions

Depending on your role in your company, you might have permission to author forms, or to author
forms and scripts. Authoring permission allows you to edit resources you have created or that are
shared with you. The table below outlines what form actions are available to you based on your
authoring permissions.
Form Script Form &

author author Script author
Build a new form l l
Generate a script for an existing form l
Create a new script l l
Edit a script l l
Generate a form based on an accessible, existing script l l
Add, remove, and copy controls on a form l l
Edit control properties l l
Refresh and Validate a form l l
If you also have sharing permission for forms, you can share the form with other users after adding it to
the versioned repository. The underlying script is shared with the script as a linked resource. For more
information, see "Share resources" on page 128 and "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on
page 108.
For more information about authoring scripts for forms, see "Managing scripts for forms" on page 1013
and the RapidResponse Scripting Guide.

NOTE: Script authors can create a new script for a form, but they cannot assign the script to a
form without form authoring permission.
NOTE: To add a form to the versioned repository, you must have form sharing permission.
Form authoring environment

Forms are created and edited in design mode where the available controls and design tools for the form
display. Whenever you create a form, design mode automatically opens. The available controls display in
the pane on the left and properties for any control on the form are edited in the Properties pane on the
right.
The image and table below provide an overview of the form authoring environment.
Letter Description
A Controls pane
All of the control types are listed here. Click, drag, and drop any control from this pane on to the form
template. For more information, see "Defining controls" on page 981.
B Form
The form is created as controls are dragged and dropped on to it. For more information, see "Add and
remove controls on a form" on page 952.
C Properties pane
Form properties or the properties for a selected control display here. For more information, see "View
and edit properties for a control" on page 959.

Form authoring environment
Letter Description
D
Properties help
Click to view detailed information about the property fields listed in the Properties pane.
Open
Click to see a preview of the form as it displays to users.
Undo
Click to undo the last action.
Redo
Click to redo the last action.
Refresh and Validate

Click to refresh any changes to the underlying script and test mappings between the form controls and
the underlying script arguments. For more information, see "Refresh and validate a form" on page 957.
Script arguments
Click to view the mappings between form controls and underlying script arguments. Each mapping is
identified as mapped or not mapped. For more information, see "Map form controls" on page 977.
Script properties
Click to open and edit the underlying script. Only authors with script authoring permission can access
the script. For more information, see "View and edit script properties" on page 1013.
Authoring help
Click to open form authoring help.
Forms and scripts

Scripts run a series of actions that automate parts of a business process. Forms are based on underlying
scripts and provide a focused way for users to input values into the script actions. Scripts can be used to
execute a wide range of actions. For example, you can create scripts that:
l Modify data in worksheets—adding, editing, or removing data.

l Manage scenarios—creating, sharing, and responding to scenarios.
l Send messages to users or groups.

l Perform administrative tasks—such as user provisioning, server management, or automation
tasks. For more information, see the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
You can also create a script that executes multiple actions. For example, you can create a script that
creates a new scenario, modifies data in the scenario, and then sends a message to users about the
changes.
For any action that can be scripted, you can create a form based on that script. The diagram below
illustrates the flow between a form and its underlying script.
1. The user opens the form and specifies information for the controls by typing or selecting values
and then clicks the action button "Respond". Any form-level validation errors are identified, such
as leaving a required control blank. The errors must be resolved by the user before the form can
be run successfully.
2. If the control values are valid, the forms passes those values to the corresponding arguments in
the underlying script.
3. The script executes the action or actions it has been authored for. If custom messages have been
included in the script, they display on the form.
This script manages scenarios and responds with a message.
All forms must have controls mapped to arguments in an underlying script to run. Each type of control
that passes a value to the script must be mapped to the corresponding type of script argument. For
example, text-based controls such as a Multi-Line Text control or a Fixed List control must be mapped to
a string argument and a Check Box control must be mapped to a Boolean argument. For more
information, see "Map form controls" on page 977.
You can also specify custom messages in the script that display after the form is run. For more

Forms and scripts
NOTE: Only scripts created in RapidResponse 11.2 and later can be linked to forms.

CHAPTER 38: Creating forms
Build a form 947

Generate a form from a script 948
Define form properties 949
Form controls 949
Add help to a form 954
Preview a form 957
Refresh and validate a form 957
You can edit any form that you own and change the form layout, form properties, control properties, or
the underlying script the form is based on. For more information about how to edit a public resource, see
"Editing a public resource" on page 111.
Depending on your authoring permissions and the scripts you have access to, you can create a new form
by building it from a blank start or generating it from an existing script. For more information, see "Form
authoring permissions" on page 940.
The flow diagram below outlines the two ways to create a form.

Build a form
You can build a new form by adding controls on a blank form. You choose which controls to add and
then specify the properties for each control, including which controls pass a value to the script. For
more information, see "View and edit properties for a control" on page 959.
At this point, no script exists for the new form. Until you generate a script for the form and edit the
script to make it functional, the form cannot perform any tasks when run. Only form authors who also
have script authoring permission can generate and edit scripts for the form. When the script is
generated, it only contains arguments for all the mapped controls. The script body must be edited to
include the script action, validation, business logic, and error handling to make the script able to
execute an action. For more information, see the RapidResponse Scripting Guide.
If you do not have script authoring permission, you must give the finished form to a script author to
generate and complete the underlying script. For more information, see "Form authoring permissions"
on page 940.
Once the script is completed, you can test the mappings between the form controls and arguments in
the underlying script. For more information, see "Refresh and validate a form" on page 957.
▶Build a form
1. On the File menu, click New.

2. In the drop-down list, click Form.
3. Click anywhere in the Build a form box.
4. In the Form Properties pane, type a name for the form.
5. Optionally, add or edit other properties for the form. For more information, see "Define form
6. Select a control type and then click and drag that control on to the form.
7. Edit properties for the control in the Properties pane.
8. Repeat steps 6-7 for each control you want to add to the form.
9. If you also have script authoring permission, click Generate New Script to create the base for the
script.
10. Type a name for the new script and then click Generate.
11. Complete the script by adding all the required body content. For more information, see
"Managing scripts for forms" on page 1013.
12. If you do not have script authoring permission, you must give the form to an author with form
and script authoring permission who can then complete the script for you.
13. Save your changes or click Refresh and Validate . For more information, see "Refresh and
validate a form" on page 957.
14. At any time, to preview how the form displays to users, click . For more information, see
"Preview a form" on page 957.
15. Add your finished form to the versioned repository and then share the form with users. For more
information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108 and "Share resources"
on page 128.
NOTE: Your finished form must be added to the versioned repository before it can be shared with

Build a form
users.
NOTE: Changes are automatically saved when you click Refresh and Validate
TIP: You can also base the form on an existing script by selecting a script from the Select a script
list. Controls mapped to the arguments in the form must be added to the form. Click Update the
form when prompted.
TIP: You can also create a form by clicking on the toolbar and selecting Form.
Generate a form from a script

You can create a new form by generating it from any scripts you have access to. RapidResponse
automatically adds the required controls to the form based on arguments in the specified script.
On the generated form, you can add or remove controls, and edit control and form properties. If you
add or remove any controls that pass a value to the script, you must edit the script accordingly. If you
generated the form from a script you do not own, you must have the script owner update the script. For
more information, see "View and edit script properties" on page 1013.
If you want to avoid edits to the underlying script, it is recommended that you do not edit properties for
any automatically generated controls or add new controls that pass a value to the script.
1. On the File menu, click New.

2. In the drop-down list, click Form.
3. Click on ...from a Script and from the drop-down list and select a script to base the form on.
If you only have permission to author forms, only scripts shared with you display in the list.
If you have permission to author both forms and scripts, all scripts that you own or that are
shared with you display in the list.
4. Click Generate.
The form opens with the required controls already populated on the form.
5. In the Form Properties pane, type a name for the form.
6. Optionally, add or edit other properties for the form. For more information, see "Define form
7. You can customize properties for existing controls on the form or add new controls and edit their
properties. For more information, see "View and edit properties for a control" on page 959.
If any of the newly added controls pass a value to the script, you must update the script. For more
information, see "Managing scripts for forms" on page 1013.
8. Save your changes or click Refresh and Validate . For more information, see "Refresh and
validate a form" on page 957.
9. At any time, to preview how the form displays to users, click . For more information, see
"Preview a form" on page 957.
10. Add your finished form to the versioned repository and then share the form with users. For more
information, see "Add a resource to the versioned repository" on page 108 and "Share resources"
on page 128.

CAUTION: If you delete any of the automatically generated controls on the form, you must edit
the script accordingly by removing or modifying the arguments mapped to the deleted control.
For more information, see "Managing scripts for forms" on page 1013.
NOTE: Changes are automatically saved when you click Refresh and Validate .
TIP: You can also create a form by clicking on the toolbar and selecting Form.
Define form properties

When you create a new form, you must name it in the form properties or when you save the form. You
can also define other properties such as the help, author notes, and what script the form uses. You can
select from existing scripts in the script list or generate a new script for the form. For more information,
see "Change the underlying script" on page 1014.
The table below describes the properties you can define for the form.
Property Description
Name The name of the form.

Type text in the Name field or when prompted in the Save Form dialog box.
Help Type a description of the form to help users understand its purpose, what action is run by
the underlying script, or how to use the form. For more information, see. "Add help to a
form" on page 954.
Author Notes Type descriptive notes intended for other form authors. Author notes are only visible in the
Properties pane of a form opened in design mode.
Script You can change the script used by the form by selecting a different script from the drop-
down list or by generating a new script. For more information, see "Change the underlying
script" on page 1014 and "Managing scripts for forms" on page 1013.
Created The date and time the form was created.
Modified The date and time the form was last modified.
Owner The name of the user who owns the form.
Form controls
Controls are user-interface elements you place on a form. There are presentation, input, and button
controls with varying degrees of configurable properties. Label controls and Image controls are

Define form properties
presentation controls that display static text or images that provide users with information for the form
or business task run by the form. Input controls, such as a Text control, can be defined to pass a value to
the underlying script. The value can be a fixed value you specify, or users can select or input a value for
the control. For more information, see "Control types" on page 950.
Control properties affect how a control displays and behaves on a form. For example, you can add
controls that are visible on the form only when a certain condition is met. For more information, see
"Defining controls" on page 981 and "Manage how controls display" on page 967.
As you create or build a form, you add controls by dragging them from the Controls pane (1)and
dropping them on to the form (2). Properties for each control are configured in the Properties pane (3).
Control types
The table below outlines the types of controls you can add to a form. Image and Label controls provide
information and context about the form for users. The other controls are input controls that define
values that can be passed to the script. For more information, see "Map form controls" on page 977.

Control Description
type
Presentation controls—Controls that display static images or text
Image Displays an embedded or linked image.

For more information, see "Image control" on page 981.
Label Displays static text such as a title or header. Label controls can also be used
to display help text on a form.
For more information, see "Label control" on page 984.
Input controls—Controls that can pass a value to a script
Text Displays a single-line input field.

For more information, see "Text and Multi-line Text controls" on page 986.
Multi-line Text Displays a multiple line input field.

For more information, see "Text and Multi-line Text controls" on page 986.
Data List Displays a list of values from a RapidResponse table.

For more information, see "Data List control" on page 990.
Fixed List Displays a list of values from values you enter.

For more information, see "Fixed List control" on page 993.
Number Displays a numerical field.

For more information, see "Number control" on page 997.
Date Displays a date field.

For more information, see "Date control" on page 1000.
Check Box Displays a Boolean check box.

For more information, see "Check box control" on page 1002.
File Displays a control to upload text files.

For more information, see "File control" on page 1005.
Scenario Displays a drop-down list of scenarios available to the user.

For more information, see "Scenario control" on page 1008.

Form controls
Add and remove controls on a form
You can add any type of control to a form you are creating or editing from the Controls pane. For more
information, see "Form authoring environment" on page 941 and "Control types" on page 950.
▶Add a control
1. Select the control type in the Controls pane.

2. Click, drag, and drop the selected control type on to the form.
You can drop controls above or below existing controls on the form
3. Select the control to view and edit its properties. For more information, see "View and edit
properties for a control" on page 959.
▶Move controls on a form
1. Hover over the control label until the four-sided arrow displays.
1. Click and drag the control from its current position.

2. Drop the control to a new position on the form.

Remove a control from a form
You can remove any control from form, including controls automatically added when you generate a
script. When you remove a mapped control, the corresponding argument it was mapped to in the
underlying script remains. You must either remove or modify the argument to run the script successfully.
▶Remove a control
1. Select the control on the form.

2. Click .
CAUTION: When you remove a control that other controls reference in a conditional expression, it
is recommended that you update the expression before removing that control. For more
information, see "Condition indicators" on page 975
TIP: Refresh and validate a form to check for any broken mappings after you remove any
controls. For more information, see "Refresh and validate a form" on page 957.
Copy controls
You can copy a control on a form to create a duplicate control with the same properties as the original
control. Only the control ID and mapping are not duplicated. You can customize the copied control by
editing its properties.
Copying controls can be a faster way to create a form. For example, you might have a list control on your
form with many similar properties you want for another list control. Instead of redoing all the property
selections on a new, but similar, list control, you can copy the existing list control and then modify the
few properties that differ.
▶Copy a control

2. Click .
The new copied control is automatically pasted below the original control on the form.

Form controls
Change control types
If you want to change a text-based control from one type to another, such as from a Multi-line Text
control to a Data List control, you can change the control type in the Properties pane. Properties that
are the same between the two controls are copied from the original control.
You can change between the following text-based control types:
l Text
l Multi-line Text
l Data List
l Fixed List
▶Change a control type
l In the Properties pane for the control, select a different control type in the Control Type drop-
down list.
Add help to a form

You can add help to a form to provide information at the form level or for individual controls. For the
form, you can include information such as what action is run by the underlying script, explain the form
controls, or how to best use the form. For controls, you can provide individual help such as the purpose
of the control or how to use it.

Form help
To add form help for users, you can add help to the form properties, or you can include a Label control
on the form. Help defined in the form properties only displays when users hover over at the top of
the form. To include help that is always visible on the form, add a Label control to the form and type the
help text in the label. For more information, see "Label control" on page 984.
▶Add form help in Form Properties
1. Click anywhere on the form background to open the Form Properties pane.
2. Type text in the Help field.

Add help to a form
▶Add form help using a Label control
1. Select the Label control in the Controls pane.

2. Click and drag the control on to the form.
3. Select the Description style in the Properties pane.
4. Type the help text directly in the control.
NOTE: To create multiple paragraphs using Label controls, place a Label control for each
paragraph on the form.
▶Edit form help

l For form help in Form Properties, edit text in the Help field in the properties pane.
l For form help in a Label control, select the control on the form and edit the text directly in the
control.
Control help
You can include help up to 280 characters long, in one or more lines, for a control. Only controls with
help text in the control properties display a help icon .
▶Add control help
1. On the form, select the control to add help for.

2. In the Form/<control type> Properties pane, type text in the Help field.
NOTE: You can also display custom error messages on controls after the form is run. For more

▶Edit control help
1. Select the control on the form with help you want to edit.
2. In the Form/<control type> Properties pane, edit text in the Help field.
TIP: You can also type or edit text directly in the control help pop-up.
Preview a form
As you are creating or editing a form, you can preview the form as it displays to users.
1. On the form toolbar, click .

2. Click Cancel or to close the form preview.
CAUTION: If you run the form when in preview mode, the underlying script is executed.
NOTE: To preview a new form, you must save it when prompted.
Refresh and validate a form

After you have finished creating or editing a form, you can test its functionality by refreshing and
validating the form. The form is refreshed to ensure that any changes made to the underlying script are
incorporated in the form. Then, the mappings between the form controls and arguments in the script
are tested for validity.
l On the form toolbar, click .
You can fix any broken mappings by viewing the script arguments that are not mapped. For more
information, see "Map form controls" on page 977.

Preview a form
CHAPTER 39: Managing control properties
View and edit properties for a control 959

Standard control properties 961
Edit properties for a form button 962
Control identifiers 962
Read-only controls 963
Required controls 964
Form validation 965
Manage how controls display 967
Use a reference to filter a data list 976
Building expressions for controls 976
Map form controls 977
All controls have some standard properties and some properties specific to the type of control it is. When
you add a control to a form, or are editing an existing control, you can define any of the properties listed
in the Properties pane. For more information, see "Defining controls" on page 981 and "Standard control
properties" on page 961
Forms also have two default buttons for the user to submit or cancel the form. You can customize some
button properties. For more information, see "Edit properties for a form button" on page 962.
You can use validation in a form to ensure that user input follows the logic defined by both the form and
the underlying script. For example, Text controls only accept string values. The control type and some
properties, such as if the form is set to required, are automatically validated by RapidResponse when the
form is run. You can also include custom validation in the script and display corresponding messages or
prompts in the form or on controls. For more information see "Form validation" on page 965.
View and edit properties for a control

You can view and edit properties for any control on a form. Depending on the type of control selected,
you can define standard and type-specific properties. For more information see "Standard control
properties" on page 961 and "Defining controls" on page 981.
The illustrations below illustrate how the properties for different control types varies.

▶View and edit properties for a control

2. In the Properties pane, make your edits in the property fields.
TIP: To undo changes, on the form toolbar click Undo (Ctrl + Z).
TIP: To redo changes, on the form toolbar, click Redo (Ctrl + Y).
TIP: To hide a section, such as the Script or List Content sections, in the properties, click on the
section header to collapse the section. Click again on the section header to show the section.

Standard control properties
The table below lists standard control properties. Except for Image and Label controls, all other control
types can pass a value to the underlying script.
Standard Description
control
property
Label Identifying label on the control. You can type this label in the properties pane or directly on the
control on the form.
NOTE: Image controls do not have a Label property.
ID Reference ID for the control. This field is required for all controls and is used to reference the
control in an expression. For more information, see "Control identifiers" on page 962 and "Building
expressions for controls" on page 976.
Help Provides help for the control. The help icon displays when you hover the control. For more
information, see "Add help to a form" on page 954.
Read Only Makes the control read-only. Users can see the control but cannot modify its value. For more
information, see "Read-only controls" on page 963.
Required Makes a value for the control required. The form does not run if all required controls do not have a
specified value. For more information, see "Required controls" on page 964.
Visibility Determines how visible the control is: always visible, always hidden, or conditionally visible or
hidden. For more information, see "Hide or show a control" on page 969.
Availability Determines how available the control is: always enabled, or conditionally enabled or disabled. For
more information, see "Enable or disable a control" on page 970.
Control For text-based input controls, you can change the control type to another text-based control. For
Type more information, see "Change control types" on page 954.
Default A default value for the control. This value is passed to the script if a user does not select or type a
Value value.
Placeholder Text that displays to users when there is no value in the control. You can type text to identify the
Text control or describe what type of value the user needs to type in the control.
Pass value Passes the control value to the corresponding argument in the underlying script. For more
to script information, see "Map form controls" on page 977.

Standard control properties
Edit properties for a form button
All forms display default OK and Cancel buttons for users. These buttons cannot be removed from the
form, but you can edit the button labels and colors. For example, in the form below, the buttons have
customized text and colors.
Button properties
The table below describes the properties for a button in a form.
Label The label displayed on the button. By default, the button labels on a form are OK and Cancel.
To change the label, type text in the Label field.
Style Select a color for the button by clicking on the color squares.
Action Describes the set of actions that happen when users click the button. This property is read-only.
Control identifiers
All controls on a form must have a control ID. This identifier can be used by other controls as a
reference. For example, an expression in a list control can reference the control ID of a text control or if
you create a conditionally visible control, you might create a condition that control Part displays only
when control Site = "HQ". For more information, see "Building expressions for controls" on page 976.
The ID must be unique and a single string value. On a new control, a default ID displays until you type a
control label. The control ID aligns itself to the label you define, displaying as the label text without
spaces. You can define a custom value for the ID by typing in the ID field.

▶Define a custom control ID
1. In the Properties pane, select the control.

2. In the ID field, type the new ID.
Read-only controls
When a control is defined as read-only, the control value displays to users at runtime but it cannot be
edited. If you set a required control to read-only, you must define a default value for the control. The
default value displays to users and is the value passed to the underlying script. Except for File controls,
you can make any input control read-only.
For example, in the form below, the scenario control is set to read only. Users can see which source
scenario the form uses, but cannot change the scenario.
NOTE: Users cannot run forms with required controls that have no value specified. If a required
control is also set to read-only, you must specify a default value for the control. For more
information, see "Required controls" on page 964
▶Turn on Read-Only for a control

2. In the Properties pane, click the Read-Only switch.
The switch displays a check mark.
▶Turn off Read-Only for a control
1. Select the control on the form that you want to make editable.
2. In the Properties pane, click the Read-Only switch.
The switch displays an x.

Read-only controls
Required controls
When a control is defined as required, that control must have a specified value for the form to run. The
value can be a default value you specify, or a value specified by the user. By default, all input controls are
set to required.
Controls not set as required are considered optional. The form can run without values specified for any
optional controls. For example, in the form below, the Message is an optional control. Users can add
contextual information, but that information is not required for the scenario response.
You should always make sure that controls mapped to script arguments are set to required to ensure
that the underlying script does not return incorrect results when the form is run. Form-level validation
checks to make sure that all required controls have a value when the form is run.

▶Make a control required

2. In the Properties pane, click the Required switch.
The switch displays a check mark.
CAUTION: Users cannot run forms with required controls that have no value specified. If a
required control is also set to read-only, you must specify a default value for the control. For more
information, see "Read-only controls" on page 963.
NOTE: Image and label controls do not have a Required property.
Form validation
Forms provide validation in both design mode and at runtime, ensuring that controls pass values that
are valid to the underlying script and meet the property parameters you set. The form runs successfully
when it passes all levels of validation.
Automatic validation when the form is run returns an error message if any required controls that display
to users do not have a value specified. Users must specify a valid value for the highlighted controls
before the form can be run.

Form validation
Controls mapped to script arguments must have valid mappings. For more information, see "Map form
controls" on page 977.
For controls where users type values, automatic validation ensures that users type the correct type of
values. For example, number controls only accept numerical values. You can also include placeholder
text to inform users of what types of values are accepted by the control. For more information, see
"Control types" on page 950 and "Add form help using a Label control" on page 956.
When the form is run, an automated success or fail message is delivered to users.

You can add custom validation and messages to a control at the script level that checks for custom
parameters defined in the script. The messages can display on the form or on specific controls. For
example, the script for this form has been defined so that the Quantity control only allows number
values that are multiples of five. For more information, see "Custom messages on a form" on page 1014.
Manage how controls display

By managing the visibility and availability of controls, you can create dynamic forms that respond to
user-specified control values. For example, in the form below, only controls to create a part constraint
display. Users are provided with the option to also add the new constraint to a part source. Only when
the Apply constraint check box is selected do the controls display with the fields required to apply the
constraint. Clearing the check box hides the additional controls.

You can set visibility settings on a form to:

l Always visible
l Always hidden
l Conditionally visible
l Conditionally hidden
For more information, see "Hide or show a control" on page 969.

You can set availability settings on a form to:
l Always enabled
l Conditionally enabled
l Conditionally disabled
For more information, see "Enable or disable a control" on page 970.

Specifying how visible or available a control is can simplify complex forms with branching work flows that
depend on what values are selected in different controls. Users are focused only on the controls
relevant to their current task, providing a more guided and streamlined experience.
Hide or show a control

By default, all controls you place on a form are visible to users. You can set a control to be always hidden
from users, or to display or hide based on a condition. For more information about creating
conditionally visible or hidden controls, see "Create control conditions" on page 970.
Always hidden controls

You might hide a control that has a fixed predefined value needed by the script, but the control and its
value do not impact the user. In the form below, the scenario control is set to always hidden.

Hiding the control simplifies the layout of the form and focuses users on the controls they need to view
for context or select values for. The hidden control must have a default value specified if it passes a value
to the script. Controls that require user-specified values should never be set to always hidden.
In design mode, hidden controls display in a condensed form and are identified by the always hidden
icon .
▶Always hide a control

2. In the Properties pane, select Always hidden in the Visibility drop-down list.
CAUTION: To avoid runtime errors for the script or form, if you set a required control to always
hidden, you must have a default value specified for the control.
NOTE: If you want a control to display to users but not allow them to modify the control value, set
it to read-only. For more information, see "Read-only controls" on page 963.
▶Make a hidden control always visible

If you have changed the control from its default setting, you can return to having it always visible to
users.
1. Select the hidden control on the form.

2. In the Properties pane, select Always visible in the Visibility drop-down list.
Enable or disable a control

By default, all controls you place on a form are enabled. You can also set a control to be enabled or
disabled based on a condition. Conditionally available controls react to user's selections on the form.
For more information about creating conditionally enabled or disabled controls, see "Create control
conditions" on page 970
To create controls that users can see but that are always disabled, see "Read-only controls" on page
963.
▶Make a control always enabled

If you have changed the control from its default setting, you can return to having it always enabled.

2. In the Properties pane, select Always enabled in the Availabilitydrop-down list.
Create control conditions

When you define visibility or availability settings for a control, you can make the control conditionally
visible, hidden, enabled, or disabled. The condition is based on the value of a referenced control on the
form.

For example, in the form below, users can only input values for a new order. Selecting to apply the order
to a new or current customer new controls required to add a new customer. The conditionally visible
controls for new customer only display when the control value after Quantity is set to "New Customer".
In the form example below, the set of controls that define the apply load values are only enabled when
values have been defined for the Name, Site, and Type controls.

Conditional expressions for controls are created using a valid logical expression in the RapidResponse
query language. The $$ variable syntax ($$<controlID>) is used to refer to another control in the
expression. For more information, see "Building expressions for controls" on page 976.
Controls with conditions applied to them or that affect the visibility or availability of other controls are
identified by condition markers. For more information, see "Condition indicators" on page 975.

You can also copy existing conditions applied to other controls on the form. The conditions are listed in
the Same condition as other control list for both the Visibility and Availability properties. Each existing
condition is identified by marker, control type, and the control label for the control the condition is
applied to.

Controls with copied conditions are identified by the same marker, but in a lighter shade. For more
information, see "Condition indicators" on page 975.
▶Create a control with conditional visibility

2. In the Properties pane, from the Visibility drop-down list do one of the following:
l Select Conditionally visible.
l Select Conditionally hidden.
3. To create a new condition, define the conditional expression in Expression Builder.
You can use variables or reference other form controls in the expression.
4. Click OK.
5. To use the same expression as another condition, select a condition in the Same condition as
other control list.
▶Create a control with conditional availability

2. In the Properties pane, from the Availability drop-down list do one of the following:
l Select Conditionally enabled.
l Select Conditionally disabled.
3. To create a new condition, define the conditional expression in Expression Builder.
You can use variables or reference other form controls in the expression.
4. Click OK.
5. To use the same expression as another condition, select a condition in the Same condition as
other control list.

NOTE: To create a control users can view but that is always disabled, see "Read-only controls" on
page 963.
NOTE: The Same condition as other control list only displays if there is one or more conditions
for that property on the form.
Condition indicators
When you create a conditional control, markers on the control identify if the control has a condition
based on it, applied to it, or copied from another conditional control.
Groups of controls affected by a condition display in color families, and depending on the type of
condition: visibility or availability—the marker shape differs. Visibility conditions display square markers
and availability conditions display circle markers . Markers start in an alphabetical sequence and
then shift to numerical markers when more than twenty six controls are affected by a condition.
Removing a condition from a control resets the marker order on the form.
The types of markers, their properties, and what their tooltips display are outlined in the table below.
Type Description Tooltip

Source The control a Displays the
control condition target controls
depends on. affected by the
condition based
on this control.
Target The control a Displays the

control condition affects. conditional
expression.
Copied The control Displays the

target affected by a conditional
control copied condition. expression.
NOTE: This
marker displays in
a lighter shade
than the target
control.
Removing controls with applied conditions

Removing a target or copied target control from a form does not affect the conditional expression or
any of the other controls that use that expression. Removing a source control without updating the
conditional expression that uses it can causes errors in how your form displays. It is recommend that
you first update or remove the conditional expression that references the source control, before
removing the source control from the form. If you are removing the conditional expression, removing it
from the first target control it affects removes it from all other controls.

NOTE: If you change the ID for the source control, RapidResponse automatically updates the ID in
conditional expressions that reference that control.
Use a reference to filter a data list

In Data List controls, you can create a filter expression that references other controls on the form. For
example, in adding a new order, you can filter customers in a control to display only customers specific
to the selected order site.
Filtering a control based on other controls on the form can prevent invalid selections by only presenting
values that correspond to earlier selections in the form.
The $$ variable syntax ($$ <controlID>) is used to refer to another control in a filter expression. Only
valid $$ variables can be used in the expression. For more information, see "Building expressions for
controls" on page 976 and "Create an expression-based filter" on page 192.
Building expressions for controls

When you are building a filter or conditional expression for a control, use the $$ variable syntax ($$
<controlID>) to refer to another control in the expression. For filter expressions, the $$ syntax identifies

which control on the form to refer to when the values are filtered.
The table below displays examples of how to use the $$ variable in filter expressions for Data List
controls.
Expression
Site = $$Site The data list control displays only the customers associated
with the selected site.
Region.Id = The data list control only displays customers associated with
$$Region the selected region.
Order.Id = $$Order The data list control only displays orders that have less quantity
AND AvailableDate than the quantity specified and that an earlier date than the
< $$AvailableDate date specified.
AND Quantity <
$$Quantity
For conditional expressions, the $$ syntax identifies the source control the condition depends on. The
table below displays examples of how to use the $$ variable in conditional expressions. For more
information, see "Create control conditions" on page 970.
Property Expression
Visible $$ApplyConstraint = true The control displays when a Check Box control, Apply
when Constraint, is set to true.
Disabled $$Selection = 'Edit Order Line' OR The control is disabled when a Fixed List control, Selection, is
when $$Selection = 'New Order Line' set to the values "Edit Order Line" or "New Order Line".
NOTE: Filter expressions can only be used in Data List controls.
NOTE: $$ syntax is used for form controls whereas the $$ syntax is used for workbook, profile, and
system variables.
TIP: When referencing a Site control in a filter expression, filter the blank site out of the list.
Map form controls

Forms can be mapped in two different directions, from a worksheet cell to a form control and from a
form control to a script argument.

Map form controls
For more information, see "Control types" on page 950.
Map worksheet cell values to form controls

To map worksheet cell values to a form control, you must specify the same field or expression used in
the worksheet column.

For Data List and Fixed List controls, you can specify display values and data values for the control. If only
a display value has been specified, Then this is the value that is passed to the control.
Map form controls to script arguments

When you create or edit a form, you can select if a control passes values to the script by mapping the
control to a script argument. An underlying script must be generated or linked to the form to display
the list of valid arguments that you can map to the control. For example, only Boolean arguments from
the script display in the Map to Argument list for a check box control.
Icons identify the state of mapping for a control in the Properties pane for that control and in the Script
arguments list for all mapped controls on the form.
l Mapped arguments are identified as .

l Unmapped arguments are identified as . If you remove a control that was mapped to a script
argument, the argument returns to displaying as unmapped.
l Broken or invalid argument mappings are identified as . If the argument a control is mapped to
no longer exists in the script, the argument displays as invalid.

Map form controls
When you build a form, because no underlying script exists yet, you should set the controls that have to
be mapped to pass a value to the script. When the script is created, those controls are then mapped to
the appropriate arguments. For more information, see "Build a form" on page 947.
If more than one type of script argument exists in the form, you can change the argument the control is
mapped to. If the argument is already mapped, then it is unmapped from its current control and
mapped to the new control. Mapped and unmapped arguments display in the Script arguments list and
as icons on the control.
▶Map a form control
1. Select the control.

2. In the Properties pane, click the Pass value to script switch.
3. Select a script argument from the Map to Argument drop-down list.
Argument type is a read-only field that displays the type of argument the control can be mapped
to. For example, string or Boolean arguments.
NOTE: For Data List and Fixed List controls, when you have defined both display and data values,
the data value is the value passed to the scrip.
▶View script arguments
l On the form toolbar, click .

CHAPTER 40: Defining controls
Image control 981

Label control 984
Text and Multi-line Text controls 986
Data List control 990
Fixed List control 993
Number control 997
Date control 1000
Check box control 1002
File control 1005
Scenario control 1008
Each control you place on a form has multiple properties you can customize. All controls share a standard
set of properties, and except for Image and Label controls, controls can pass a value to the underlying
script. For more information, see "Standard control properties" on page 961.
Image control
You can add images, such as your company logo, to forms. For example, the form below includes a logo
and an image of a flow diagram to guide users as they fill out the form.

You can embed an image in the form from your computer or network. If you have access to the internet
or your company intranet, you can add an image linked to a URL address.
By default, new image controls placed on a form have Embed selected. Forms can display .png, .gif, .jpg,
and .bmp files up to a maximum size of 1 MB.
After adding the image, a preview displays in the Image Properties pane. The image is scaled to fit in the
control on the form and the height and width of the original image displays in the properties pane.
▶Add an embedded image control

It is recommended that you make all modifications to the image in a graphic editor program outside of
RapidResponse before adding it to a form.
1. Click and drag the Image control from the Controls pane on to the form.
2. Click Embed.
3. Drag and drop an image file in the box.

▶Add a linked image control
Linked images are referenced. Any changes made in the referenced URL are updated in the image.
1. Click and drag the Image control from the Controls pane on to the form grid.
2. Click Link.
3. Paste or type a URL in the URL field.
4. Click anywhere or press Enter.
Image control properties

The table describes the properties for an Image control.
ID A unique ID. By default this ID displays as "Image" with sequential numbering added for
each additional image on the form. For example "Image2".
You can also type a unique identifier to associate with this control.
Image Preview Displays a preview of the current image.
Embed Click to add an embedded image to the control.
Link Click to add an image to the control by linking it.
URL For linked images, type or paste a URL.
Width Displays the original width of the image. RapidResponse scales the image to fit in the form.
Height Displays the original height of the image. RapidResponse scales the image to fit in the form.
Visibility Select a visibility state for this control:

l Always visible
For more information, see "Manage how controls display" on page 967 and "Building
Visible when Type an expression to show the control when the specified condition is met.
Hidden when Type an expression to hide the control when the specified condition is met.
Same condition as Select a visibility condition already specified for another control.
other control
Availability Select an availability state for this control:

l Always enabled
Enabled when Type an expression to enable the control when the specified condition is met.

Disabled when Type an expression to disable the control when the specified condition is met.
Same condition as Select an availability condition already specified for another control.
other control
Label control
You can add a label to a form to provide information and context for users. For example, the form below
includes Label controls that display a form title, describe the purpose and use of the form, and as
headers to group controls.
You can pick from three different font styles to apply to the label text: Title, Section Header, or
Description styles. A live preview of the font style displays on the label control when you hover over a
style.

▶Add a label control
1. Click and drag the Label control from the Controls pane to the form.
2. Type text that displays as the label text.
3. Select a text style: Title, Section Header, or Description.
Label control properties

The table describes the properties for a Label control.
Text Type informative text, such as a header or instructions.
ID A unique ID. By default this ID displays as "Label" with sequential numbering added for
each additional label on the form. For example "Label2".
You can also type a unique identifier to associate with this control.
Style Select a font style for the text.

l Always visible
Same condition as Select a visibility condition already specified for another control.
other control

Label control
l Always enabled
Same condition as Select an availability condition already specified for another control.
other control
Text and Multi-line Text controls

You can add a text control to a form that requires a value to pass to the script. A value can be defined by
the author as a default, or typed in by the user. As text controls can only be mapped to string
arguments in a script, text controls only accept string values made up of alphanumeric characters
For example, in the form below, the Subject field is a Text control that probably doesn't require more
than one line of text. In contrast, the Message field might require more than a line of text, so a Multi-line
Text control was used for that field.

You can add single or multi-line controls and change the control type to another text-based control. For
more information, see "Change control types" on page 954.
Text or Multi-Line Text control properties

The table describes the properties for text-based controls.

Label Type text in the Label field or type a label directly on the control.
This label displays at the top of the control.
ID A default ID that is unique is generated based on default text or the Label text. You can also
type a unique identifier to associate with this control.
This ID can be used by other controls as a reference. For more information, see "Control
identifiers" on page 962.
Help Type a description of the control to help users understand the purpose of the control and
what type of value it requires.
Read Only To make the control read only, click on the switch.
Users can view the control value but cannot modify it. For more information, see "Read-
only controls" on page 963.
Required To make a value for this control required, click on the switch.
Users must define a value for this control to run the form. For more information, see
"Required controls" on page 964.

l Always visible
l Always hidden
If you hide a required control, you must also have defined a default value for the control to
ensure the script runs without errors.
Same condition Select a visibility condition already specified for another control.
as other control

l Always enabled (default setting)

Same condition Select an availability condition already specified for another control.
as other control
Control Type Change the type of text control by selecting another control in the drop-down list.
You can change between Text, Multi-line Text, Data List, or Fixed List controls. For more
information, see "Change control types" on page 954.
Default Value Type a default value for the control. If the user does not type a value, the default value is
passed to the underlying script.
Placeholder Text Type a text prompt to display for users.

If you type both a default value and placeholder text, the control displays the default value.
Script
Pass value to Select to pass the control value to the script. A script argument is generated for the control
script when the script itself is generated. For more information, see "Managing scripts for forms"
on page 1013.
If the form has no underlying script, a script argument is generated for the control when
the script itself is generated.
If the form has an underlying script, select the argument to map the script to in the Map to
argument field.
Map to This field only displays when the form has an underlying script and Pass value to script is
Argument selected.
For unmapped controls, the field displays all of the valid script arguments the control can
be mapped to. A valid script argument matches the control type.
For mapped controls, the field displays the script argument the control is mapped to. To
change the argument, select another argument from the drop-down list.
For more information, see "Map form controls" on page 977.
Argument type This field only displays when the form has an underlying script and Pass value to script is
selected.
It displays the type of script argument mapped to the control.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. Text and Multi-
Line Text controls can only be mapped to string arguments. For more information, see the
RapidResponse Scripting Guide.

Data List control
You can add a Data List control to a form to display a list of values generated from a RapidResponse
table. Data List controls support separate display and data values. Display values are what users see in
the control. Data values are the value passed to the script. For example, you can create a Data List
control that has customer names as the display value and customer IDs as the data value.
The values users can select from the drop-down list are generated from a specified field or expression.
Data List controls can only be mapped to string arguments in a script. In the example below, users select
the type of inventory from a Data List that generates the names of all the available inventory types.
For any form you create, RapidResponse automatically filters the data by site data. Users only see data
for sites they have access to.
Optionally, you can also include a filter expression to limit the values displayed in the data list. For more
information, see "Examples of filter expressions" on page 192 and "Creating expressions with Expression
Builder" on page 1117. In the filter expression, you can reference other controls on the form. For more
information, see "Use a reference to filter a data list" on page 976.
By default, the list uses the current scenario selected by the user. You can select any other scenario you
have access to, or leave the scenario to one selected by the user. If you have placed a Scenario control
on the form before a Data List control, you can select to use the scenario the user selects in the Scenario
control. For more information, see "Scenario control" on page 1008.
You can define two types of values in a list: Display Values and Data Values.
l Display Values are a required field. When a Display Value is defined for a list, it is the value that
displays to users and is passed to the script.
l Data Values are an optional field. When a Display Value and a Data Value is defined for a list, the
Display Value is what displays to users and the Data Value is the value passed to the script.

▶Define Display and Data Values in a Data List control
1. In the control properties pane, click the Display or Data Values field.
2. In Expression Builder, do one of the following:
l To use a field or variable for the value, double-click on the field or variable in list.
l To use an expression for the value, add fields, variables, and functions to create an expression
in the Expression box.
NOTE: Only the Fields and Variables tab display for Data List controls in Expression Builder.
Data List control properties

The table describes the properties for a Data List control.
Label The label displayed at the top of the control.

Type text in the Label field or type a label directly on the control.
Help Type a description of the control to help users understand its purpose and what types of
values it requires.
Read Only Select to make the control read. Users can view the control value but cannot modify it. For
more information, see "Read-only controls" on page 963.
Required Select to make a value for this control required. Users must define a value for this control to
run the form.
For more information, see "Required controls" on page 964.

l Always visible
l Always hidden

Data List control
as other control

as other control
Control Type Change the type of text control by selecting another control in the drop-down list. You can
change to Text, Multi-Line Text, or Fixed List controls. For more information, see "Change
control types" on page 954.
List Content
Table Select the table the list is based on.
Display Values List values that display to users in the form of an expression.
In Expression Builder, double-click to select a field or type an expression in the Expression
box.
Data Values List values that are passed to the script in the form of an expression.
In Expression Builder, double-click to select a field or type an expression in the Expression
box to generate the data values.
If you want the display value to be used instead, leave this box blank.
Filter Expression If necessary, type an expression to limit the results returned by the field in the Data value
box. Similar to a worksheet filter, the results generated by the table in the selected scenario
are the values that are filtered.
For more information, see "Create an expression-based filter" on page 192 and "Use a
reference to filter a data list" on page 976.

Scenario Select the scenario the control uses. You can select the User's Current Scenario, or from a
list of available scenarios.
If you have placed a Scenario control on the form, you can select to use that scenario for
this control. For more information, see "Scenario control" on page 1008.
Default Value Type a default value for the control. If the user does not type or select a value, the default
value is used for controls that pass values to the underlying script.
Placeholder Text Type a text prompt to display for users. If you type both a default value and placeholder
text, the control displays the default value.
Script
on page 1013.
argument field.
argument selected.
selected.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. Data List controls
can only be mapped to string arguments. For more information, see the RapidResponse
Scripting Guide.
Fixed List control

You can add a Fixed List control to a form to display a fixed list of values that you specify. Users select
one of the values from the list. Fixed List controls can only be mapped to string arguments in a script. In
the example below, users can select from three response values in a note on a scenario.

Fixed List control
Similar to a Data List control, you can specify separate display and data values. Depending on how you
define the values, the value passed to the script might be the display value or the data value. You must
specify display values for the control as these are the values that display to users. This value is passed to
the script it you do not also define any data values. When you have defined both display and data values
for the control, the data value is the value passed to the script.
▶Define Display and Data Values in a Fixed List control
l Type the value in the Display or Data Value table cell
Fixed List control properties

The table describes the properties for a Fixed List control.


values it requires.
Required Select to make a value for this control required. Users must define a value for this control to
run the form.
For more information, see "Required controls" on page 964.

l Always visible
l Always hidden
as other control


Fixed List control
as other control
Control Type Change the type of text control by selecting another control in the drop-down list. You can
change to Text, Multi-Line Text, or Fixed List controls. For more information, see "Change
control types" on page 954.
Static Items
Display Value Type values that display for users.

If no corresponding Data Value has been defined, the Display Value is also passed to the
script.
Data Value Type corresponding values that are passed to the script.
If you want the Display Value to pass to the script instead, leave this box blank.
Placeholder Text Type a text prompt to display for users. If you type both a default value and placeholder
text, the control displays the default value.

Script
on page 1013.
argument field.
argument selected.
selected.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. Fixed List
controls can only be mapped to string arguments. For more information, see the
Number control
You can add a number control to a form that only accepts numerical values from users. Number controls
can only be mapped to number arguments in a script.

Number control
Number controls can accept positive and negative integer values, and decimals. User's number format
preferences are not followed, and thousand separators (,) cannot be used.
Number control properties

The table describes the properties for a Number control.

values it requires.

l Always visible
l Always hidden
as other control


as other control
Placeholder Text Type a text prompt to display for users. For example, the text can identify the acceptable
number values for the control, such as Type the cost per part here. If you type both a
default value and placeholder text, the control displays the default value.
Script
on page 1013.
argument field.
argument selected.
selected.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. Number controls
can only be mapped to number arguments. For more information, see the RapidResponse
Scripting Guide.

Number control
Date control
For time-dependent information, you can add a date control to a form. The date format from the user's
default browser is used in the control. For example, in the form below, the available date for a line in an
order can be defined using a date control. Both a date field and date categories display in date controls.
Date control properties

The table describes the properties for a Date control.


l Always visible
l Always hidden
as other control


Date control
as other control
Default Value Select a default date for the control. You can define a specific date, keep the default date
value undefined, or select from predefined dates: past, today, or future.
l To set a specific date, select the date unit, such as mm, and then type directly on the
unit.
l To define another type of date, click on Undefined, Past, Today, or Future.
If the user does not type or select a value, the default value is the value passed to the
underlying script.
Depending on the user's default browser, the default date formats might differ.
Script
on page 1013.
argument field.
argument selected.
selected.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. Date controls can
only be mapped to date arguments. For more information, see the RapidResponse Scripting
Guide.
Check box control

You can add a check box control to a form to provide a Boolean value. For example, the form below
includes two check boxes where users can select to include or exclude historical tables and currency
rates in the calculation to update currency conversion rates in a scenario.

Check box control properties
The table describes the properties for a Check box control.

Check box control

l Always visible
l Always hidden
as other control


as other control
Default Value To set the default value of the control to True, click the switch. "Checked" displays in the
property field.
When the default value is false, the property field displays "Not Checked".
If the user does not select a value for the check box, the default value is passed to the
underlying script.
Script
on page 1013.
argument field.
argument selected.
selected.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. Check Box
controls can only be mapped to Boolean arguments. For more information, see the
File control
You can add a file control to a form that allows users to upload text files up to 10 MB in size. Only .txt,
.tab, and .csv file types are accepted by this control.
For example, using a file control on a form, an administrator can upload an external list of users to add
to a script that generates user accounts. For example, in the form below, users can upload an external
list of users into the form.

File control
NOTE: For users, the upload capabilities of the file control might be limited by the specific mobile
device the are using.
File control properties

The table describes the properties for a File control.

Required To make a value for this control required, click on the switch.
Users must define a value for this control to run the form. For more information, see
"Required controls" on page 964.

l Always visible
l Always hidden
as other control


File control
as other control
Placeholder Text Default text displays to prompt users to select a text file to upload.
To change this prompt, type text in the field.
Script
on page 1013.
argument field.
argument selected.
selected.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. File controls can
only be mapped to file arguments. For more information, see the RapidResponse Scripting
Guide.
Scenario control
For tasks that include inserting or modifying data using a specific scenario, you can add a scenario
control to a form.

Scenario controls can be used by other controls on a form. For example, if you place a Scenario control
above a Data List control on a form, you can set the Scenario control as an option in the Data List. For
more information, see "Data List control" on page 990.
Scenario control properties

The table describes the properties for a Scenario control.

Scenario control

l Always visible
l Always hidden
as other control


as other control
Default Value Select a default scenario for the control. You can select the User's Current Scenario, or from
a list of available scenarios.
If the user does not select a scenario, the default value is passed to the underlying script.
NOTE: The form does not run if the user tries to run it with a default scenario they do not
have access to.
Placeholder Text Type a text prompt to display for users.

If you type both a default value and placeholder text, the control displays the default value.
Script
on page 1013.
argument field.
argument selected.
selected.
This property cannot be modified and only displays for mapped controls. Scenario controls
can only be mapped to scenario arguments. For more information, see the RapidResponse
Scripting Guide.

Scenario control
CHAPTER 41: Managing scripts for forms
View and edit script properties 1013

Change the underlying script 1014
Remove the underlying script 1014
Custom messages on a form 1014
Only authors with script authoring permission can create or open and edit the underlying script for a
form. Depending on how you have set up your form authoring team, you might be a form author because
of your business domain expertise or you might be a form and script author who has business domain
and Javascript expertise. For more information about what steps you are responsible for depending on
your authoring permissions, see "Creating forms" on page 945.
Forms must be linked to completed scripts to run. When you create a new form, you must either generate
the form based on an existing script or build a form and then generate a script base for it. The script base
only contains script arguments for all form controls that pass a value to the script. You must add the body
to the script that uses the arguments to perform the action required by the form. The script body must
also include the validation, business logic, and error handling for the script.
You can create customized messages in the script using strings sent back to the form that are dependent
on conditions specified in the underlying script. For more information, see "Custom messages on a form"
on page 1014.
Depending on your permissions, you might be responsible for finishing or editing scripts mapped to
forms. For more information, see "Form authoring permissions" on page 940 and "Creating forms" on
page 945.
For more information about authoring scripts, see the RapidResponse Scripting Guide.
View and edit script properties

If you also have permission to author scripts, you can open the underlying script for the form while
editing the form. If the script is a private resource or private copy of a script you checked out, you can
make modifications to it. For more information, see the RapidResponse Scripting Guide.
Any changes you make to the script might affect the argument mappings to controls on the form. It is
recommended that you refresh and validate the form after saving changes to the script. For more
information, see "Refresh and validate a form" on page 957.

▶View and edit script properties
1. In design mode on a form, click on the form toolbar to view properties for the underlying
script.
2. Make your edits to the script.
Change the underlying script

In an open form you are editing, you can change which script the form is based on. All scripts you have
access to display in the Resource list in the Form Properties pane. If the new script you selected has
unmapped arguments with no corresponding control on the form, you are prompted to add and map
the required controls.
l In Form Properties, select another available script from the Resource drop-down list.
Remove the underlying script

You can also remove the underlying script for a form and use the existing controls as the base for a new,
generated script. For more information, see "Managing scripts for forms" on page 1013.
l In Form Properties, in the Script field, click x.

You must select another script or generate a new script to create a functional form.
Custom messages on a form

Custom messages can be created to display on a form or form control to provide users with a more
streamlined and guided experience. These messages must be added to the script by a script author and
they display after the form has been run. For example, after a user submits data in a form, a custom
success notice displays identifying the part they ordered and when the part is available for that specific
customer.

Forms can display three types of messages:
l Messages that prompt a user to click or tap a button to continue.

These messages can be success notices, error messages, warnings, general information, or

questions. Each type of message displays in a different color and style.
Up to three buttons can display in the message, and you can specify the label for each button.
l Messages that display briefly and then automatically close.
l Messages that display on a control.

These messages display in response to invalid control values detected by the script and continue
to display until the user corrects the error and runs the form again. All input controls, except for

check box controls, can display custom error messages on the control.
Custom messages are created in the underlying script for a form. For more information, see the

Part 8: Business processes
l Authoring business processes
l Authoring process and activity notifications
CHAPTER 42: Authoring business processes
Define a business process 1022

Define activity properties 1023
Process validation 1025
Create a calendar widget for a process 1026
Every company owns complex processes that are performed on a regular basis. Often, these processes
can be cumbersome, inefficient, not properly tracked, and not performed consistently from instance to
instance. By defining business processes in RapidResponse you can compile the activities and performers
of a given process in a logical manner, allowing for a consistent execution of processes that occur
frequently within a company.
A typical business process in RapidResponse defines the activities that are performed in a process,
includes links to required resources in the activity instructions, and assigns RapidResponse to perform
the activities. For more information, see "Processes" on page 99.
The following image shows the relationship between processes, process instances, and performers.

Summary of terms
The following table provides a glossary of the terms used in the documentation about business process.
Term Definition
Process A logically designed sequence of activities that accomplish a specific goal in the most efficient
manner. In RapidResponse, the processes are defined by process authors and can be shared with
process owners. The process owners are the people responsible for ensuring the processes are
performed when required.
Process An instance of one of the defined processes, created by the process owner. Some aspects of a process
instance instance can be modified.
Process The person responsible for creating process instances and overseeing their progress.
owner
Performer The person responsible for performing the activities defined in a process instance.
Activity A specific task performed within a process.
Define a business process

When defining a business process, keep in mind the following recommendations:
l Before creating the business process in RapidResponse, document it in an external source first
and perform a thorough review to ensure it accomplishes the desired goal.
l Have clear and unique names for processes and the activities within each process. Also, keep the
activity names relatively short to ensure that they can be easily read. The verb/noun combination is
recommended, for example, "Review forecasted demand".
l If you make any changes to a process already defined in RapidResponse, ensure to document the
changes in an external source for tracking and auditing purposes.
▶Create a new process

Defining a process involves adding the activities in the process and organizing them in a logical manner.
1. On the File menu, click New , and then click Process .

2. On the Processes page, in the first row, type the name of the first activity.
3. To add further activities, click Insert on the toolbar and then type the activity names.
4. Click Properties to open the process properties.
5. In the Name box, type a name for the process.
6. Click OK to save the process.
TIP: To quickly add and name activities, type the activity name, and then press Enter to add
another activity row.

▶Organize the process outline by defining sub-processes
You can group your activities into sub-processes with a process. This allows you to logically organize
similar activities, or activities that have to be performed by the same person. It also provides a tree-like
visualization of the process. You can create sub-processes by indenting activities under the activity you
want to be a sub-process.
l On the process page, select an activity, and then click Indent Activity . You can also indent an
activity by pressing Tab.
If you want to make a sub-process an activity, click each activity under the sub-process and then
click Outdent Activity . You can also outdent an activity by pressing Shift + Tab.
▶Add a description about the process

Adding a description about your process can be helpful to the process owner who will be tasked with
running the process. You can include information such as the process objective and how often it should
be initiated. You might also want to consider adding links to external documentation about the process.
1. On the process page toolbar, click Process Properties.

2. In the Description box, type the process description.
▶Add links to reports in the process description

You can add links that open a RapidResponse resource, such as a dashboard or workbook. You can also
provide links to websites external to RapidResponse. For example, you might want to include links to
details about the process to provide process owners with some background information.
1. On the process page toolbar, click Process Properties.

2. Click in the description box, and then click Add Link.
3. In the Insert Link dialog box, click one of the following:
l An open report—inserts a link to a currently opened and shared workbook, scorecard, or
dashboard.
l Report—inserts a link to any shared workbook, scorecard, or dashboard.
l Web page—inserts a link to an external website.
4. Click Next.
5. In the dialog box that opens, define the link properties.
Define activity properties

Once you have added the list of activities into your process and organized them into sub-processes, you
can begin defining the details of each activity, such as the day the activity should start, any prerequisite
activities, and instructions that make it easier for performers to complete the activities.
▶Open the Activity properties
1. In the Explorer, select a process.

2. On the Actions menu, click Open .
3. Select an activity.
4. Click ActivityProperties on the process toolbar.

Define activity properties
▶Specify the activity start day and duration
1. In the Activity Properties dialog box, click the General tab.

2. In the Start on day box, type a number that represents the day on which the activity starts.
The number you type is the number of days in relation to the date the process instance starts.
For example, if the process starts on October 15, 2012, an activity that is specified to start on day
4 will start on October 18, 2012.
3. In the Duration box, type the number of days the activity is expected to take.
TIP: You can also change the activity start day and duration directly on the process page by typing
values in the Start on day and Duration columns.
▶Change the activity start day and duration using the Gantt chart
l On the process page, in the Gantt chart, do any of the following:

l To change the start day, pause the pointer over a Gantt bar. When the cursor changes to ,
drag the bar to the start day you want.
l To change the duration, pause the pointer just outside the left or right side of a Gantt bar.
When the cursor changes to , drag it until the bar represents the duration you want.
▶Provide instructions for performing an activity

You can provide process performers with directions about the tasks they must perform to complete an
activity. You can also include links to any resources used during the activity. For example, if users require
a workbook or scorecard to complete their task the link in the instructions allows them to access it
quickly and in context of the activity.
1. In the Activity Properties dialog box, click the General tab.

2. In the Instructions box, type any information that can help users perform their tasks.
3. To add a link to a report or Web page to the instructions, click Add Link.
4. In the Insert Link dialog box, click one of the following.
l An open report—inserts a link to a currently opened and shared workbook, scorecard, or
dashboard.
l Report—inserts a link to any shared workbook, scorecard, or dashboard.
l Web page—inserts a link to an external website.
5. Click Next.
6. In the dialog box that opens, define the link properties.
▶Define activity prerequisites

Many activities within a process cannot or are not supposed to occur until a certain activity has either
completed or started. You can define the relationship between the activities within a process. Note that
prerequisite activities do not control the start date of the subsequent activities.
1. In the Activity Properties dialog box, click the Prerequisites tab.

2. Click Add.
3. In the Select Prerequisite dialog box, select the prerequisite you want, and then click OK.

▶Specify the people who perform activities
For each activity, you can specify the RapidResponse users or groups who will be responsible for
performing it. These users will then be able to see their activities in dashboards and workbooks that are
designed for working with process activities. If notifications are defined for the activity, they might also
be notified when they are supposed to start the activity, or when preceding activities are complete.
Users change their progress status for an activity, for example from In Progress to Finished so that the
process owner can monitor the overall progress of an activity. When you assign a group to an activity,
only one user in that group needs to change the status of an activity for it to be considered complete.
This might be undesirable when all members of a group must sign off on an activity. If you need all
members of a group to sign off on an activity, you choose to do so.
1. In the Activity Properties dialog box, click the Performers tab.

2. Click Add.
3. In the Select Names dialog box, on the Users tab,
4. In the Select Names dialog box, do any of the following:

l On the Users tab, select the users you want to perform this activity, and then click Select.
l On the Groups tab, select the groups you want to perform this process, and then click Select.
5. In the Groups area, click one of the following:
l Every user in group—every member in a group assigned to this activity has to update their
status in order for the overall activity status to be changed.
l Any member of group—the overall status of an activity changes when any member of a
group assigned to this activity updates their status.
6. Click OK.
NOTE: To remove users or groups from the activity, on the Performers tab select those you want
to remove, and then click Remove.
Process validation
For each activity in a process, you can specify the RapidResponse users who are to perform the activity.
You can also include links to resources that are used for completing the activity.
When working with a process, you might occasionally see the following dialog box, which indicates that
there are some issues with the process.

Process validation
The Resources list displays issues related to RapidResponse resources, such as workbooks or
dashboards, identified in the process. There are two issues that can arise with resources:
l A resource identified in the process is not available on the RapidResponse system you are using.
This can occur if you imported a process from another RapidResponse system but did not import
the required resources, or, when a resource has been deleted from RapidResponse.
l A resource is not shared with a RapidResponse user who requires it to perform an activity.
The Performers list displays the activities that have performers that are not in the RapidResponse
system. This might occur if a RapidResponse user account is deleted or if the process is imported from
another RapidResponse system.
When this dialog box displays, it is recommended that you review and fix the issues if possible, however,
you have the option to continue without fixing the problems.
▶Fix the validation issues
1. In the Invalid Resources and Performers dialog box, click Yes.

2. The Activity Properties dialog box opens, where you can make the required changes.
Create a calendar widget for a process

When you create a new process, you also need to create a calendar widget where performers can view
and update their activities. The quickest way to create the widget is to copy and modify the existing

S&OP calendar widget to ensure it displays the activities of your new process.
After creating the widget, ensure to add it to a dashboard so that users can access it.
▶Create a calendar widget to display process activities
1. In the Explorer, select the Process Widgets workbook.

2. Check out the Process Widgets workbook and then select the private copy of the public
workbook.
3. From Actions menu, select Properties and then click the Variables tab.
4. Click the SOPProcessInstance variable and then click Copy.
5. In the New List Variable dialog box, type a name in the Name box.
6. In the Filter expression box, change S&OP Process to the name of the new process.
7. Click OK.
8. On the Worksheets tab, click Calendar Chart. Click Copy, and then click Selected Worksheet.
9. In the Name box, type a name for the new calendar worksheet and then click OK.
10. Click Properties.
12. In the worksheet filter expression box, change S&OP Process to the name of the new process.
13. Change $SOPProcessInstance to the name of the variable you created.

Create a calendar widget for a process
CHAPTER 43: Authoring process and activity
notifications
Create notifications for a process 1030

Create notifications for activities 1030
A key aspect of successfully executed business processes is communication of activity and process
progress to the process owner and performers. In RapidResponse, you can notify performers and process
owners about how a process instance is progressing by including notifications. The notifications you
define can be modified by the process owner for each process instance she creates.
Notifications are sent once a day at a time defined by your RapidResponse administrator, with the
exception of status-based notifications on activities, which are sent when a performer or process owner
changes the status of an activity.
You can add notifications at the process level and at the activity level.
Process and activity level notification criteria

You can set notifications at the process level, mainly to let performers and process owners know when a
process instance is about to start or when it is late starting.
At the process and activity level, RapidResponse includes the following notification criteria (where n
stands for the number of days you specify):
l Scheduled to start in (n) days

l Scheduled to finish (n) days
l Late starting by (n) days
l Late finishing by (n) days
Activity level notification criteria

You can define notifications that apply to all of the activities in a process. You can also define notifications
for individual activities in a process.
The notification criteria listed above, in the Process and activity level notification criteria section, are also
available at the activity level.
Additionally, at the activity level, the following status-based notification criteria are available.

l Started
l Finished
l Started early
l Finished early
Create notifications for a process

For an overview of notifications, see "Authoring process and activity notifications" on page 1029.
1. On the process page toolbar click Process Properties .

2. Click the Notifications tab.
3. In the Send when an instance of this process is area, click Add.
4. In the list at the top of the Add Process Notification dialog box, click the criteria on which you
want to send a notification.
5. In the days(s) box, type the number of days as they relate to the notification criteria.
6. In the Send to to area, select any of the following:
l Process owner—sends the notification to the process owner that created the process
instance.
l Performers—sends the notification to all performers defined in the process instance.
7. To notify other RapidResponse users not involved in the process or recipients outside of your
company, do any of the following:
l To add other RapidResponse users, click Select Names. In the Select Names dialog box add
the users and groups you want and then click OK.
l To add recipients who do not have a RapidResponse account, click Email Addresses. In the
Email Addresses dialog box, type the email addresses to which you want to send the
notifications. The addresses must be separated by commas or semicolons.
Create notifications for activities

You can create notifications that apply globally to all the activities defined in the process and
notifications that apply only to a particular activity.
In general, you might want to limit the number of notifications applicable to all the activities in the
process to minimize instances of sending email messages that are not required.
For an overview of notifications, see "Authoring process and activity notifications" on page 1029.
▶Create notifications for all activities in a process
1. On the process page toolbar click Process Properties .

2. Click the Notifications tab.
3. In the Send when an activity is area, click Add.

CHAPTER 43: Authoring process and activity notifications
5. To notify the process owner, select the Process owner check box.
6. To notify performers, click one of the following:
l All performers—notifies all performers involved in the activities.
One of the following options, which change depending on the criteria that is selected in the list
at the top of the dialog box:
l Performers that have not started—available when the selected criteria is Scheduled to start
in or Late starting by.
l Performers that have not finished—available when the selected criteria is Scheduled to
finish in or Late finishing by.
l None—none of the performers are notified.
▶Create notifications for an individual activity in a process
1. Within a process, click the activity for which you want to create notifications, and then on the
process toolbar, click Activity Properties.
2. Select the Override notifications check box.
3. Any notifications that have been defined for all activities are listed in the Send when an activity
is box. You can turn on or turn off any of these notifications by selecting or clearing the
corresponding check box.
4. Click Add.
6. To notify the process owner, select the Process owner check box.
7. To notify performers, click one of the following:
l All performers—notifies all performers involved in the activities.
One of the following options, which change depending on the criteria that is selected in the list
at the top of the dialog box:
l Performers that have not started—available when the selected criteria is Scheduled to start
in or Late starting by.
l Performers that have not finished—available when the selected criteria is Scheduled to
finish in or Late finishing by.
l None—none of the performers are notified.

Create notifications for activities
CHAPTER 43: Authoring process and activity notifications
Part 9: Responsibility definitions
l Authoring responsibility definitions
CHAPTER 44: Authoring responsibility
definitions
Creating responsibility definitions 1035

Filter expressions in responsibility definitions 1039
Sharing responsibility definitions 1039
Editing responsibility definitions 1040
You can create and share responsibility definitions, which allow users to assign and update responsibility
for data. This responsibility information can be displayed in worksheets so that people know who to
contact if there is a problem or they have a question about some data.
The following example illustrates one way a responsibility definition could be used.
Example
Keesha creates a responsibility definition to assign responsibility for parts to buyers. She shares this new
resource with the Buyers group.
Keesha also creates a workbook to allow planners to view key information about parts. In one of the
worksheets, she includes a column showing which buyers are responsible for parts that are bought from
outside suppliers.
Luis, a buyer, uses the responsibility definition to claim responsibility for a long list of items. One of these
items is a yellow LED.
Guillermo, a planner, is concerned about a potential shortage of yellow LEDs. He checks the workbook
that Keesha created, and sees that Luis is the buyer responsible for the yellow LED. He views contact
information for Luis to get his telephone number, then calls him to discuss his concern.
Creating responsibility definitions

You can create and share responsibility definitions, which allow users to assign responsibility for data to
themselves or to other users.
The first step is to select the base table for the responsibility definition, and the fields that will be used to
determine who is responsible for which data.
There are additional optional steps. You can create a filter expression to limit what data users can assign
responsibility for. You can also place limits on which users can be assigned responsibility for data.

Choosing a base table
There must be a route from the base table to each of the fields that you use to assign responsibility.
To optimize performance, select a base table with fewer records when possible. For example, if several
parts typically share a planner code, and planning responsibility for parts is assigned based on planner
codes, select PlannerCode rather than Part as your base table. The responsibility definition could still
work if you based it on the Part table, but it would use more system resources to load the responsibility
data, because more records would have to be searched.
Adding fields
You can select up to five fields that will be used to determine who is responsible for data. For example,
you could create a responsibility definition to assign responsibility for order fulfillment based on
customer, region, and product family.
Place more general fields higher up the list, and more specific ones lower in the list. For example,
product family would come before product.
Limiting who can be assigned responsibility for data

You can limit who can be assigned responsibility for data using a responsibility definition, though it is
also possible to allow responsibility to be assigned to any user.
Limiting responsibility assignments to specific groups

You can specify that only members of a specific group or set of groups can be assigned responsibility for
data using the responsibility definition. If all of the users who should be assigned responsibility for data
using this responsibility definition already belong to certain groups, this can make it easier for people
who are making responsibility assignments to find the right users in the drop-down list.
Limiting responsibility assignments to the current user

Another option is to specify that responsibility can be assigned to Self only. When you select this option,
users have fewer controls when they open the responsibility definition. They cannot create new
responsibility assignments because those controls are not shown. They only see the Assignments table,
and only data that has been assigned to that user or assigned with a blank Responsible field is shown.
Users with whom you share the responsibility definition can only assign responsibility for data to
themselves, or remove their names from data assignments, leaving them unassigned.

CHAPTER 44: Authoring responsibility definitions
If you select the Self only option, open the responsibility definition after you create and share it. Assign
responsibility for all data, leaving the user field blank for each item. You can leave the user field blank by
selecting =Unassigned= in the drop-down list of user names. This allows users with whom you share
the responsibility definition to claim responsibility for their data.
The following image shows an Assignments table where three responsibility assignments have been
created, but no specific user has been selected to be responsible for data.
For more information about assigning responsibility, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
Site controls
You can a add site control to a responsibility definition. If any of the tables used to assign data in this
responsibility definition has site as a key field, users will be able to use the site control to only view
values associated with a specific site for that field.
For example, if someone wants to assign responsibility for planner codes to planners at a particular site,
the site filter could be used to display only codes for that site.
If you do not think that including this control would be helpful, you can simplify the user experience by
not including it.
NOTE: If none of the fields you selected for the responsibility definition comes from a table with

Site as a key field, the site control does not appear, whether or not this option is selected.
Responsibility for unassigned data

By default, the author of the responsibility definition is listed as the person responsible for this data
until responsibility is assigned to someone else. This means that in a workbook column that shows
responsibility for data using this responsibility definition, you would be listed as the person responsible
for all data by default.
If you are not a good person to contact about the unassigned data from this responsibility definition,
select a different user to be responsible for it. For example, if you are creating a responsibility definition
to assign responsibility for parts to planners, but you are not a planner, you might select a senior
planner to be responsible for unassigned data.
▶Create a new responsibility definition
1. On the File menu, click New, and then click Responsibility.

2. On the General tab of the New Responsibility dialog box, type a name for the responsibility
definition in the Name field.
3. Select the Base table.
To view information about the currently selected base table, including a description of each field,
click .
4. Click Add and then select a field that will be used to assign responsibility for data.
5. If desired, edit the Label by selecting the current label and then typing a new one.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 if desired, to add up to 5 fields that will be used to assign responsibility for
data.
7. If desired, type an expression to filter data in the responsibility table. For more information, see
"Filter expressions in responsibility definitions" on page 1039.
8. On the Assigning Responsibility tab, specify who responsibility can be assigned to.
l Any user—users who you share this responsibility definition with can assign responsibility for
data to any user in this RapidResponse system.
l Self only—users who you share this responsibility definition with can assign responsibility for
data to themselves, but cannot assign responsibility to other users.
l Members of groups—users who you share this responsibility definition with can assign
responsibility for data to members of the group or groups you select. To add a new group to
the list, click Add and then select the group from the drop-down list.
9. Check the Include the Site control box if you want the site filter control to be included.
10. Select the User responsible for unassigned data.
11. Optionally, on the User Help and Author Notes tab, type instructions for people who will be
assigning responsibility using this responsibility definition in the User help box.
All users who have access to this responsibility definition can view the user help. This field is text-
only.
12. Optionally, in the Author notes box, type information that might be helpful to other authors or
administrators who might need to edit or manage this resource.

Only administrators and other users with permission to edit responsibility definitions can see this
information. This field is text-only.
13. Add the responsibility definition to the versioned repository. For information, see "Add a
resource to the versioned repository" on page 108.
NOTE: You can only use a responsibility definition to assign responsibility for data after the
responsibility definition has been added to the versioned repository.
TIP: You can reorder the fields in the list on the general tab by dragging them and dropping them.
Filter expressions in responsibility definitions

You can include a filter expression in a responsibility definition to limit the responsibility assignments
that can be made using that responsibility definition. Excluded items do not appear on the list of items
that users can assign responsibility for. This can make it easier for users to find relevant items in the list.
It can also reduce opportunities for errors.
The filter expression for a responsibility definition is created using the same query syntax used for
workbooks and worksheets. For detailed information about constructing query expressions, see "Part
11: Expressions" on page 1113.
Examples of uses for filters in responsibility definitions

l If a responsibility definition is used to assign responsibility for parts to buyers, then it only makes
sense to assign responsibility for parts that your company buys. You can use a filter expression to
ensure that responsibility can only be assigned for parts that are bought.
l If your company uses one system for assigning responsibility to planners in Asia and a different
system for assigning responsibility to planners in North America, you might create a separate
responsibility definition for each continent. You could include filter expressions that limit the data
to only certain sites, so that each responsibility definition can only be used to assign responsibility
for data from the appropriate continent.
Sharing responsibility definitions

Once you have created a responsibility definition and added it to the versioned repository, you can
share the responsibility definition with other users. For more information about sharing resources, see
"Share resources" on page 128.
Anyone with whom you share a responsibility definition can use it to assign responsibility for data, as
long as they have View access to the responsibility scenario. The responsibility scenario is selected by
your RapidResponse administrator, and it is used to populate the lists of items that users can be
responsible for, such as lists of sites and planner codes. Although the responsibility scenario is used to
populate these lists, responsibility data is not stored in a scenario, so users do not need to be able to
modify the responsibility scenario to assign responsibility. To find out the name of the responsibility
scenario, contact your RapidResponse administrator.

Filter expressions in responsibility definitions
Users might only be able to use a responsibility definition to assign responsibility to themselves or to
members of certain groups, or they might be able to assign responsibility to any user, depending on the
setting selected in the Assignments section of the Assigning Responsibility tab in the New
Responsibility or Edit Responsibility dialog box. For more information, see "Creating responsibility
definitions" on page 1035.
NOTE: When you specify that data can be assigned to the current user only, Administrators and
the owner of the responsibility definition can still use it to assign responsibility for data to any
user.
Allowing users to view, but not change, responsibility

assignments
If you would like users to be able to view the responsibility assignments made using this responsibility
definition, but you do not want them to be able to change the responsibility assignments, you can
create a workbook that shows who is responsible for data, and share it. You can show responsibility in a
worksheet column using the RESPONSIBILITY function, and format the column to display as a user
name. For more information, see "RESPONSIBILITY" on page 1233 and "Format a column to display user
names" on page 297.
Editing responsibility definitions

You can modify the properties of any private or public responsibility definition that you own.
CAUTION: If you make any changes to the properties of a responsibility definition, any
responsibility assignments that have already been made using this responsibility definition are
deleted.
▶Edit a responsibility definition
1. In the Explorer, right-click the responsibility definition and select Edit or Check Out and Edit
, depending on whether or not versioning is turned on in your RapidResponse system.
2. Make the required changes.
3. If versioning is turned on, check in your copy of the responsibility definition to the versioned
repository. For information about checking items in, see "Check in a resource to the versioned
repository" on page 113.

Part 10: Scorecards and metrics
l Authoring scorecards
l Specifying metric targets for scorecards
l Managing scorecards
l Authoring metric workbooks and worksheets
l Predefined Metric Workbooks
CHAPTER 45: Authoring scorecards
Create a scenario comparison scorecard 1045

Create a targeted scorecard 1046
Create a time-based scorecard 1049
Create a scorecard to use with Engineering Change Manager 1055
Specify scorecard options 1056
Add charts to a scorecard 1057
Add help for a scorecard 1062
Scorecards in the mobile client 1064
Scorecards measure key performance aspects of scenarios. A scorecard calculates a scenario's

performance as measured by a set of metrics. When creating a scorecard, you must specify the metrics
that are calculated, as well as how the results are displayed. You can also specify whether the results are
compared to targets, whether the results are displayed in charts, the time frame the scorecard analyzes,
and several other aspects of the scorecard.
An example of a scorecard that compares results to metric targets is shown in the following illustration.
You can create several types of scorecards, which are described in the following table.

Scorecard Description
type
Scenario The metric results for each scenario are compared to each other. This type of scorecard can be
comparison configured to display the actual value calculated for each metric, the difference between the
scenarios, or the percentage difference between the scenarios, and as various types of data
including currency values and thousandths.
Comparison The metric results are compared to a set of targets, which determine the scenarios' overall scores.
with targets The closer the metric results are to the targets, the higher the score is.
You can specify target values in scorecards you create, use annual plan targets, or you can use the
first scenario in the scorecard as a target for the other scenarios.
Time-based The metric results for each scenario are calculated for a specified time period and compared to each
scenario other. A time-based scorecard can use only time-based metrics.
comparison Results in a time-based scorecard can be displayed as either a summary of the entire time period, or
as a value for each period, divided into date buckets.
Time-based The metric results for each scenario are calculated for a specified time period and compared to a set
comparison of targets. The targets are used to calculate overall scores for each period in the scorecard. A time-
with targets based scorecard can use only time-based metrics.
Results in a time-based scorecard can be displayed as either a summary of the entire time period, or
as a value for each period, divided into date buckets. Each period has a separate target and score,
which is summarized in the summary view.
NOTE: Workbook links do not display in scorecards viewed on the RapidResponse mobile client.
When to use a scorecard

When you select to display multi-scenario data in a scorecard, you can:
l Represent compared data as calculated scores.

l Assign weights to data being compared.
l Display data in a grid or tiled chart format.
l Create a scorecard based on a composite worksheet.
l Display data in equal bucket categories.
l Configure drill-to-details to display as bucketed multi-scenario views.
In addition to scorecards, two other resources are capable of displaying multi-scenario views:
dashboards and multi-scenario columns in worksheets. Depending on the requirements of your
business process, each resource type provides a comprehensive and comparative view of calculated
data. For more information, see "Dashboards" on page 873 and "Creating multi-scenario worksheets"
on page 265.
Use scorecards when you want to compare scenario values to targets and calculate scores based on
those comparisons.

Create a scenario comparison scorecard
You can create scorecards that can be used to calculate the results of a set of metrics, and compare the
results between two or more scenarios. When creating a scorecard, you select the appropriate metrics
for the scorecard. You can add metrics from any metric workbook you have access to, including those
that you own, those that have been shared with you, and those that are used in scorecards that have
been shared with you.
You can specify some display and calculation options for the scorecard you create. For example, you can
specify whether the scorecard's results calculate automatically when a user opens the scorecard, or
whether the detail records are displayed in columns or rows. For more information about these options,
see "Specify scorecard options" on page 1056.
If you want all users of this scorecard to view the same data, you can optionally include instructions to
users describing how to create shortcuts to open the scorecard with specific scenarios and data
filtering. You can include these instructions in the scorecard's help, in an email message to the users you
share the scorecard with, or in a task flow, if you have task flow authoring permission. For more
information, see "Add help for a scorecard" on page 1062 or "Authoring task flows" on page 929.
▶Create a scorecard
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Scorecard.

2. In the New Scorecard dialog box, on the General tab, type the scorecard name in the Name box.
3. If you want to use hierarchies to filter the data in the scorecard, select the Include the hierarchy
panel check box.
4. Click the Metrics tab.
5. In the Table list, click the table the metrics in the scorecard are based on.
The table you select in this list also determines the table that filters and hierarchies must be
based on to be used with the scorecard. For more information, see "Authoring hierarchies" on
page 201.
6. Click Select Metrics.
7. In the Select Metrics dialog box, in the list of metrics, select the metric you want to add, and then
click Add.
To search for a metric, type its name in the search box. For more information, see "Search for a
metric" on page 1046.
8. Repeat step 7 for each metric you want to add to the scorecard.
9. Click OK.
10. If you want to specify appearance and calculation options, see "Specify scorecard options" on
page 1056.
11. If you want to add charts to your scorecard, see "Add charts to a scorecard" on page 1057.
12. Add help for scorecard users and notes for other scorecard authors. For more information, see
"Add help for a scorecard" on page 1062.
NOTE: If you have access to the Changes by Type metric included with RapidResponse, you
should not include it in scorecards that contain targets. The main purpose of this metric is to
generate the detailed worksheets that identify the changes between scenarios. If the Changes by
Type metric is included in a scorecard with targets, no overall scorecard results will display.

Create a scenario comparison scorecard
NOTE: Before adding metrics to a scorecard, you can find information about them by moving your
pointer over the name of the metric in the Select Metrics dialog box. Information about the metric
is displayed in a tooltip.
TIP: You can also create a scorecard by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar
or by right-clicking a resource in the Explorer, selecting New, and then clicking Scorecard .
TIP: You can also duplicate an existing scorecard by selecting the scorecard you want to duplicate
in the Explorer, and then clicking Copy Scorecard on the Actions menu. You can then modify the
scorecard properties to suit your needs.
▶Search for a metric
1. In the Select Metrics dialog box, in the search box, type any portion of the name of the metric or
workbook you want to find.
2. If you want to change how the metric list is searched, click Search Options , and then click one
of the following:
l All—Searches both metrics and workbooks for the words you typed in the search box.
l Metric—Searches only the list of metrics for the words you typed in the search box.
l Workbook—Searches only the list of workbooks for the words you typed in the search box.
3. If you want to change how your search words match the metrics and workbooks in the metric list,
click Search Options , and then click one of the following:
l Match from start—The word you type in the search box can match only the beginning of the
metric or workbook name.
l Match anywhere—The words you type in the search box can match any part of the metric or
workbook name.
4. To clear the search box, click the X button .
Create a targeted scorecard

You can create scorecards that compare metric results to a set of targets to determine an overall score.
When creating a scorecard, you select the appropriate metrics for the scorecard, and, if the scorecard
contains targets for the metrics, you also assign a weight for each metric. A metric's weight determines
how the metric's score is used in calculating a scenario's overall score, with greater weights influencing
the score more than lower weights.
Specifying weights for metrics

Weights are calculated as percentages, and the values you specify for the weights are automatically
converted to percentages. If you specify weights that add up to 100, the specified values are the
percentage weights. However, if you specify values that do not add up to 100, the percentage values are
calculated relative to each other. For example, if you specify weights as 1 and 3, the metric you specified
as 1 accounts for one third of the weight of the other, as shown in the following illustration.

Types of targets
The metric results for the first scenario in the scorecard can be used as the targets, you use data from
your company's annual plan as targets, or you can specify targets for the scorecard. You can use the
results of the first scenario if you want to compare two or more possible solutions to determine which is
most beneficial compared to a baseline. For example, if you have simulated two solutions to a problem,
you can compare the scenarios you created for those solutions to their parent. The score generated for
each scenario shows how it performs compared to the parent scenario.
You can use data from your company's annual plan as targets for your scorecard. When you compare
metrics to the corresponding categories from your annual plan, you can determine whether this year's
goals are being met or exceeded. You are only able to add annual plan targets to a scorecard if your
company maintains an annual plan in RapidResponse and you have access to the scenario in which it is
maintained. To see targets and scores in a scorecard that uses annual plan targets, scorecard users
must also have access to the scenario in which the annual plan is maintained. Your RapidResponse
administrator selects the scenario in which the official annual plan is maintained. For information about
maintaining the annual plan, see the RapidResponse Applications Guide.
You can specify metric targets to determine how a solution compares to your corporate objectives. For
example, if you have a corporate revenue or late order target, you can type the target into the
scorecard, and then determine how close a scenario or group of scenarios comes to meeting those
targets. For information about specifying targets, see "Define targets" on page 1069. The following
illustration shows a scorecard with metric targets.

Create a targeted scorecard
▶Create a scorecard with targets

3. Select the Include metric targets and calculate scores check box, and then in the Targets area,
click one of the following:
l Results for the first scenario—The metric results for the first scenario in the scorecard are
used as targets for the other scenarios.
l Metric targets—The metric results for each scenario are compared to a set of target values
specified in the scorecard.
l Annual plan targets—The values are derived from your company's annual plan.
panel check box.
The table you select in this list also specifies the table that filters and hierarchies must be based
on to be used with the scorecard. For more information, see "Authoring hierarchies" on page
201.
click Add.
10. Click OK.
11. In the Metric list, in the Weight column, type a number to represent the weight of each metric.
The percentage weight values are automatically calculated when you change a metric’s weight.

12. If this scorecard uses annual plan targets, select the annual plan category that corresponds to
each metric in the Annual Plan Category column.
page 1056.
should not include it in scorecards that contain targets. This metric’s main purpose is to generate
the detailed worksheets that outline the changes between scenarios. If the Changes by Type
metric is included in a scorecard with targets, no overall scorecard results will display.
pointer over the metric's name in the Select Metrics dialog box. Information about the metric is
displayed in a tooltip.
or by right-clicking a resource in the Explorer, selecting New , and then clicking Scorecard .
Create a time-based scorecard

You can create scorecards that calculate results for a specified period of time and provide details for
each time period. If you choose to create this type of scorecard, you can include only metrics that have
been defined to calculate results for a specific time period. For information about creating time-based
metrics, see "Create time-based metrics" on page 1090.
In a time-based scorecard, you select the default time period covered by the scorecard, as well as the
default bucket size. You can allow users to change these settings, or you can only allow the scorecard to
be used with the default time period and bucket size.
You can also select the default view—bucketed or totals for the entire period. Users can always switch
back and forth between these views.
Selecting the anchor date and the time period

You specify the time period for the scorecard by selecting the anchor date from which the scorecard's
time periods are defined, and the number and type of calendar periods that the scorecard calculates
metric results for.

The possible anchor dates are shown in the following table.

The The planning date represents the date when data was last updated in RapidResponse from an
planning enterprise data source . If your company has multiple sites, the planning date that you see in a
date scorecard might not be the planning date for the site that you have selected.
planning date displayed in the scorecard is July 7, 2014.
The Today The first date in the bucket that contains the Today date constant is used as the anchor date.
date For example, in a scorecard that shows results for weekly buckets, if today is July 10, the anchor
constant date is July 7, the beginning of the week.

beginning For example, you can choose the beginning of the current month, and the buckets will be defined
of the relative to the first work day of the month.
current
period
Any of the You can adjust any of the dates described above by a number of calendar periods before or after it.
above dates This can be used to report data from the middle or end of a calendar period.
with an For example, if your company reports forecasts or revenue on Wednesdays, but the week begins
offset on Monday, you can define the anchor date as the beginning of the week plus two work days.
For more information about adding or subtracting dates, see "Date calculations" on page 1255.
Example: anchor date and duration

You specify that the scorecard's duration is three months, and select Today as the anchor date.
The scorecard then displays results for three months, starting with the current month.
Including buckets prior to the anchor date

Although past results cannot be changed, including buckets for past period in a scorecard gives context
to scores for current and future periods, and can help users to interpret metric results. For example, if
revenue is slightly below the target range for the current period, but it has been steadily improving,
there might not be a cause for concern. However, if revenue was consistently exceeding targets for a

year and suddenly dropped off in the current period, the same metric result for the current period might
indicate a problem.
You specify how the date for the first bucket is calculated, and the number of prior buckets is
automatically calculated when users view the scorecard. The number of buckets depends on how many
buckets of the selected size it takes to cover the period from the first bucket to the anchor date.
It is possible to specify a first bucket date that does not increase the number of buckets, either some of
the time or all of the time. For example, if you select the anchor date as the first bucket and you don't
adjust that date, no buckets are ever shown prior to the anchor date. In this example, if users have the
option to change the scorecard's duration, they can check or uncheck the Show buckets for earlier
periods check box, but it does not change the number of buckets shown. This can be confusing. You
can avoid this problem by specifying a first bucket date that will always result in at least one additional
date bucket for all reasonable bucket sizes.
Example: buckets prior to anchor date

You specify that the scorecard's duration is three months, and select Today as the anchor date. You also
include buckets for periods prior to the anchor date, going back five months.
If a user views this scorecard in June, five prior buckets are displayed for January through May, and then
the scorecard's specified three month time period begins in June, so the user sees a total of eight
buckets, beginning with January and ending with August.
Allowing users to change scorecard duration

If you select the option to allow users to change the scorecard's duration, users have access to the
scorecard's time period settings, as shown in the following image.
Using the time period settings, users can change the number of buckets displayed after the anchor
date, and the size of the scorecard's buckets. If you have included buckets prior to the anchor date,
users can decide whether to view them or not, but they cannot change the amount of time covered by
the scorecard prior to the anchor date.
You might want to allow users to change the settings so that they can view past buckets for context,
then hide the past buckets and compare scenarios' total scores based only on current and future
periods. You might also want to give users flexibility, so they can look at long term or short term
outcomes, depending on the problems they are trying to solve.
If changing the time period settings would be inappropriate, you can opt not to allow users to change
the scorecard's duration. For example, you might want to ensure that users always view the scorecard
using one-month buckets, because viewing day-to-day fluctuations in the scorecard's metrics would
not be meaningful. If you do not select the option to allow users to change the scorecard's duration,
users do not have access to time period settings, and they cannot change the number or size of the
buckets, or decide whether to view buckets prior to the anchor date.

NOTE: Users can never change a scorecard's anchor date.
Selecting a default view

Scorecard users have the option of showing the metric results as a summary of the results for the entire
time period covered by the scorecard, or as a date-bucketed summary showing each calendar period's
result and score. You can specify which of these views is the default. The first and the last date of the
scorecard's time period are shown in the scorecard summary for every time-based scorecard, whether or
not the user is currently looking at a date-bucketed view. An example of a summary for a time-based
scorecard is shown in the following illustration.
▶Create a time-based scorecard
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Scorecard .

panel check box.
4. Select the Calculate results for a specific time period check box.
5. Click Time Period Settings.
6. In the Time Period Settings dialog box, in the Anchor list, click one of the following:
l Planning Date.
l Today.
7. If you want to adjust the date you selected in step 6, do the following:
l In the Adjust by box, type the number of calendar units to adjust the date by.
l In the list, select the calendar to use to adjust the date.
To set the anchor date to the beginning of a period, select that calendar period in the list, and
then type 0 in the Adjust by box.

8. In the Duration box, type the number of calendar periods to display results for, and then in the
list, select the calendar to use for setting the duration.
For example, if you want your scorecard to calculate results for the four months following the
anchor date, type 4 and then select the Month calendar.
9. Click OK.
The table you select in this list also specifies the table that filters and hierarchies must be based
on to be used with the scorecard. For more information, see "Authoring hierarchies" on page
201.
click Add.
page 1056.
should not include it in scorecards that contain targets. This metric’s main purpose is to generate
the detailed worksheets that outline the changes between scenarios. If the Changes by Type
metric is included in a scorecard with targets, no overall scorecard results will display.
pointer over the metric's name in the Select Metrics dialog box. Information about the metric is
displayed in a tooltip.
or by right-clicking a resource in the Explorer, selecting New, and then clicking Scorecard .
▶Specify options for scorecard time periods
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
2. Click Time Period Settings.
3. If you want users to be able to modify the period the scorecard calculates, select the Allow
scorecard users to change duration check box.
4. If you want to include buckets prior to the anchor date, select Include buckets for periods prior
to the anchor date, and then click one of the following for the First bucket:

l Anchor Date
l Beginning of current, then select a calendar period from the list.
l Planning Date
l Today
If you want to adjust the first bucket date, select Adjust by , and then select the number of
calendar units and the type of calendar units.
5. In the Bucketed view area, specify the bucket labels for the bucketed view of the scorecard
summary by clicking one of the following:
l Actual date—Each bucket's label is the actual date the bucket begins on.
l Alternate labels—If your company has defined display labels for the periods in your
calendars, each bucket's label is the display label for that calendar period. These labels are
typically specified when RapidResponse is installed, or by an administrator. If you select this
option but the calendar you specified does not contain display labels, the actual date is used
as the bucket label.
6. In the Date format list, click the format you want the dates to display in.
You can specify the scorecard user's default format be used in the scorecard by clicking User
setting in the Date format list.
7. If you want the bucket that contains either the planning date or the current date to be
highlighted in the scorecard, select the Highlight check box, and then click either Planning Date
or Today. The highlighted bucket is shown with a black triangle marker in the upper right corner.
8. If you want the scorecard results to initially display the bucketed view, select the Show results in
date bucketed view check box.
Otherwise, the results will display a summary value for the entire duration for each metric and
scenario.
Create a scorecard to use with Engineering

Change Manager
You can create scorecards for comparing Engineering Change Manager analysis scenarios. These
scorecards are typically used to determine which date an engineering change should be implemented
on to minimize costs. You can create Engineering Change Manager scorecards only if your company has
enabled the Engineering Change Manager module. For more information, see "About engineering
change analysis" in the RapidResponse Applications Guide.
You can include the hierarchy panel with scorecards you create. Scorecard users can then filter the
scorecard results using one or more hierarchies, which allows them to view results at different levels of
detail. For example, they could use a product hierarchy to see results for a product line, or for an entire
corporate division. For more information about hierarchies, see "Authoring hierarchies" on page 201.
▶Create an Engineering Change Manager scorecard

panel check box.
4. Select the Scorecard is used with Engineering Change Manager check box.

Create a scorecard to use with Engineering Change Manager
Tables are shown in this list only if you have access to a metric workbook compatible with that
table. For example, if you have access to metric workbooks that are compatible with the Part and
Constraint tables, only the Part and Constraint tables are shown in the list.
The table you select in this list also specifies the table that hierarchies must be based on to be
used with the scorecard. For more information, see "Authoring hierarchies" on page 201.
click Add.
12. Click OK.
13. Specify the scorecard's options. For more information, see "Specify scorecard options" on page
1056.
TIP: You can also create a scorecard by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar.
Specify scorecard options

You can prompt users to select their data settings when the scorecard is opened. This ensures the user
selects the scenarios, filter, site, and hierarchy settings needed to see the metric results they want.
Including hierarchy settings

You can include a hierarchy in any scorecard you create. This allows you to create scorecards that can be
filtered to the specific data the scorecard users wants to analyze. For more information about creating
and using hierarchies, see "Authoring hierarchies" on page 201.
Automatically calculating results

You can automatically calculate the scorecard's results when it is opened in the RapidResponse desktop
client. If you choose this option, the scorecard also automatically calculates metric results every time a
user changes a data setting, such as when they change the active filter or site, or click a hierarchy value.
If you include the hierarchy panel, you should ensure the scorecard automatically calculates results, so
the scorecard always shows results.
In the RapidResponse mobile client, scorecard results are always calculated automatically when a
scorecard is opened or data settings are changed.
Specifying how results are displayed

You can specify how the metric results are initially displayed in the scorecard. You can display the values
that were calculated, or the difference between one scenario and the first scenario. You can also specify
whether detail worksheets initially display data from different scenarios in rows or columns. Scorecard

users can modify these settings, though when users view detail worksheets on the mobile client, they
always see data from different scenarios in columns.
▶Specify if help is displayed when the scorecard is opened
l In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select the Show
scorecard help check box.
▶Prompt users for data settings
l In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select the Require
user to select data settings on opening check box.
▶Automatically calculate results
l In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select the
Automatically calculate check box.
CAUTION: Some metrics can take a long time to calculate results. It is recommended you not
automatically calculate scorecards that contain complex metrics.
▶Include a hierarchy in a scorecard
l In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select the Include
the hierarchy panel check box.
▶Specify how results are initially displayed
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, on the General tab, in the Show
results as list, click one of the following:
l Actual values—Displays the calculated result for each scenario.
l Differences—Displays the difference between each scenario and the first scenario. The first
scenario displays the actual calculated values for that scenario.
l Differences %—Displays the percentage difference between each scenario and the first
scenario. The first scenario displays the actual calculated values for that scenario.
2. In the Show multi-scenario detail data as area, click one of the following:
l Rows—In the detail worksheets, each scenario's metric results are displayed in a new row.
l Columns—In the detail worksheets, each scenario's metric results are displayed in a multi-
scenario column.
Add charts to a scorecard

You can add charts to any scorecard you create. Charts are displayed in the top pane of the scorecard,
with each chart in a separate tab. You can add as many charts as you want to the scorecard. When
scorecards are viewed using the RapidResponse mobile client, charts are not shown.
The types of charts you can add depend on the scorecard type. For example, if your scorecard uses
targets to determine the overall score of a scenario, you can add charts that report the scores. If your
scorecard calculates results for a specific time period, you can add a chart that reports the metric results
over time.

Customizing charts
When you add a chart, you must specify the chart type and style, and specify whether it charts actual
values or scores, if available. The styles control the chart's appearance, such as whether the chart is two-
dimensional or three-dimensional, or whether the background is white or a smoothly-shaded gradient.
If you add a chart to a scorecard that compares metric results to targets, the target values for each
metric are always shown in the charts you add to the scorecard. If you are charting scores, you can also
choose to show the Warning and Critical levels on the charts. The target values, Warning level, and
Critical level are represented as lines in the chart. In addition, you can specify whether charts with scores
display each metric's score with a separate scale, or if all metrics are charted using the same scale. If the
charts use the same scale, the highest and lowest values for any of the scores are both represented on
the scale.
You can also customize the colors used in charts, and the colors you choose are applied to every chart in
the scorecard. The colors are assigned to each metric or scenario in order, depending on the type of
chart. For example, if the colors assigned are blue, green, and purple, the first scenario charted in one
chart is blue, the second green, and the third purple. In a chart that displays metrics, the first metric is
shown in blue, the second in green, and the third in purple.
Chart styles
You can add any of the following types of charts.

Chart type Description and Example
Speedometer Displays the actual value or score for each metric as a speedometer, with lower values
s by Metric on the left and higher values on the right.
If the scorecard uses targets and calculates scores, the Warning and Critical ranges for
each metric are displayed in the speedometer chart.
Bar Charts by Displays each metric's result in a bar chart, with one bar per scenario in the scorecard.
Metric If the scorecard uses targets, the Warning and Critical ranges for each metric can be
displayed as lines in the chart.
Bar Charts by Displays each metric's result in a bar chart, with results for each time period specified
Metric Over in the scorecard and one bar per scenario in the scorecard.
Time If the scorecard uses targets, the Warning and Critical ranges for each metric can be

Line Charts Displays each metric's result in a line chart, with results for each time period specified
by Metric in the scorecard and one line per scenario in the scorecard.
Over Time If the scorecard uses targets, the Warning and Critical ranges for each metric can be
Summary Bar Displays scores for every scenario and every metric in one chart.
Chart by This chart type can only display scores.
Scenario

Summary Bar Displays the scores for each scenario in one chart.
Chart by Each score is displayed in the color that relates to its performance. A score in the
Metric Critical range is displayed as a red bar, a score in the Warning range is displayed as a
yellow bar, and a result that is on track is displayed as a green bar.
This chart type can only display scores.
▶Add a chart
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, click the Charts tab.
2. Click New.
3. In the New Chart dialog box, in the Type list, click the type of chart you want to add.
4. In the Name box, type a name for this chart, which is displayed on its tab in the scorecard.
You might want to specify in the title whether the chart shows actual values or scores.
5. In the Style list, click the style you want to apply to the chart.
6. In the Content area, select one of the following:
l Actual values—Displays the calculated value for each metric in the chart. This option is not
available for the Summary Bar Chart by Metric or the Summary Bar Chart by Scenario chart
types.
l Scores—Displays the score for each metric in the chart. This option is available only for
scorecards that include targets.
7. To show or hide the Warning and Critical ranges in a chart that includes targets, select or clear
the Include warning and critical limits check box.
The Warning and Critical limits are always displayed in speedometer charts.
8. If you selected Scores in step 5 and want all the charts to use the same scale, select the Use the
same scale for all metric scores check box.
9. Click OK.

▶Modify a chart
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, on the Charts tab, click the chart you
want to modify.
2. Click Edit.
3. In the Edit Chart dialog box, make changes to the chart properties.
4. Click OK.
▶Remove a chart
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, on the Charts tab, click the chart you
want to remove.
2. Click Delete.
▶Customize the colors used in charts
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, click the Charts tab.
2. In the Chart colors area, for color 1, click the color in the Color column.
3. In the color picker, click the color you want to apply to the first metric or scenario in the chart.
This color is applied to the first metric or scenario, depending on the chart type, displayed in the
chart. Each successive color is applied to successive metrics or scenarios.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the other colors you want to modify.
5. To add another color, click Add, and then in the Color column, click the color you want.
NOTE: You cannot customize the colors used to identify the target values or the Warning and
Critical ranges in charts that show scores.
Add help for a scorecard

You can add help to the scorecards you create. The help that you add to a scorecard is available to users
who are viewing the scorecard in the RapidResponse desktop client, but not to users who are viewing
the scorecard in the mobile client.
What to include in scorecard help

You can include notes about how the scorecard is intended to be used and what scenarios, if any, are
required to see meaningful results. You should also explain some of the scorecard's characteristics; for
example, indicate if it is time-based, uses targets, or automatically calculates results.
If you specified metric targets in the scorecard, you must describe the data settings that you defined
targets for in the help. These settings are the only ones that users can see targets for, so they need to
know what filter, site, and so on to select to see the scores for their selected scenarios. For more
information about metric targets, see "Define targets" on page 1069.
If the scorecard is time-based and users have the option of displaying buckets for periods before the
anchor date, consider describing how the date for first bucket is calculated. This is particularly helpful if
buckets prior to the anchor date are only available sometimes. For example, if the anchor date is Today
and you specify that the scorecard can display buckets for prior periods, starting with the beginning of
the current year, then no buckets for earlier periods are available in that scorecard if today's date falls

within the first bucket of the year. For more information, see "Including buckets prior to the anchor
date" on page 1051.
NOTE: If you expect a scorecard to be accessed frequently using the RapidResponse mobile client,
metric targets are not recommended because the scorecard help is unavailable and users will not
know which data settings have targets defined for them.
What is automatically included in scorecard help

Scorecard help automatically includes a list of the metrics used in the scorecard. The description of each
metric is defined in the worksheet help for the metric worksheet, as shown in the following illustration.
NOTE: The scorecard help pane is only displayed if you have help defined for at least one of the
metric worksheets or for the scorecard itself. The help for metrics is displayed only if the metric
workbook displays help by default.
▶Add scorecard help
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, click the Scorecard Help tab.
2. In the text box, type a description of the scorecard, including anything that users need to know.
NOTE: For information about the text editing tools, see "Set text appearance" on page 173.

Add help for a scorecard
▶Add notes for scorecard authors
You can add notes specifically for other scorecard authors. In these notes, you can describe the settings
you have specified for the scorecard, how the scorecard data relates to your corporate processes, what
user groups are intended to use the scorecard, and so on. These notes are typed and viewed in the
scorecard properties.
1. In the New Scorecard or Scorecard Properties dialog box, click the Author Notes tab.
2. In the box, type notes for other scorecard authors.
Scorecards in the mobile client

A simplified view of scorecards is available in the RapidResponse mobile client. The following illustrations
show the Corporate Metrics scorecard in both the RapidResponse desktop client and the
RapidResponse mobile client.
Some features, including scorecard help and charts are not shown in the mobile client. Using metric
targets is not recommended in scorecards that you expect to be viewed frequently using the mobile
client, since scorecard help is not available to let users know which data settings targets are defined for.

An example of a scorecard that uses metric targets, but which is viewed using data settings for which
targets have not been defined, is shown in the following image.
Phone view
When the screen is 640 (or fewer) pixels wide, the display mode switches to list data vertically instead of
in a grid. Users have the option to group data by scenario or by metric. In time-based scorecards, only
one date bucket is shown at a time.

Scorecards in the mobile client
Drilling to details
In scorecards, users can view details worksheets for metrics. In details worksheets, data from each
scenario are organized in columns. The option to organize them in rows is not available. In phone view,
details worksheets are viewed one record at a time.
If you add drill links to details worksheets in the metric workbook, users can follow these links and view
the worksheets they link to. However, since workbooks are not available in the mobile client, only the
linked worksheet is shown, and the view is static. Users cannot select different worksheets from the
workbook, change data settings, perform column searches, and so on.
NOTE: Some predefined metric workbooks contain columns that allow drilling to details in the
RapidResponse desktop client, but not the mobile client.

CHAPTER 46: Specifying metric targets for
scorecards
Define targets 1069

Modify targets 1070
Delete targets 1071
In scorecards, targets enable users to determine how closely a scenario meets these goals, on an
individual metric basis and on an overall basis. Three types of targets are available in scorecards:
l Results for the first scenario

l Metric targets
l Annual plan targets
This chapter discusses setting metric targets, which you can use to define your company's goals. For more
information about using the results for the first scenario or annual plan figures as scorecard targets, see
"Create a targeted scorecard" on page 1046.
In a targeted scorecard, the score for each metric is calculated using the metric result and the target, and
an overall score is calculated using the individual metric scores and the weight for each metric, as shown

Targets must be numerical, and can be positive or negative, depending on the metric. When you specify
a target, you do not need to specify if the target is represented as a percentage or money value. For
example, to specify a target for a metric that measures revenue, you do not have to specify the currency
symbol for the target.
Targets are saved in the scorecard, and can be included if you export it. For more information, see
"Import and export resources" on page 133.
Money value targets

Money targets are inserted either using your preferred currency or the currency specified in the metric
worksheet. Values inserted using your preferred currency are converted when viewed by users who
have a different currency. For example, if your preferred currency is US dollars and the targets you enter
are viewed by a user who uses Euros, the money values are converted to Euros for that user.
Specifying whether high or low values are better

Scores for a metric depend on whether that metric considers high values or low values better. For
example, a revenue metric would consider high values better, so any result greater than the target
would produce a score of greater than 100%. A cost of goods sold metric would consider low values
better, so any result greater than the target would produce a score of less than 100%.
Zero value targets

You can also specify a target value of zero, but zero values have special properties. For a target of zero, a
metric result of zero scores 100%. Any result that surpasses the zero mark is assigned a score of 101%,
while any score not meeting the zero target is assigned a score of 0%. Depending on whether the metric
considers high or low values to be better, a result greater than zero could have a score of either 0% or
101%. For example, you might have a target of zero for a late customer order metric. This metric
considers low values to be better, so a result greater than zero would give a score of 0%.
Effect of large differences between targets and results

If you specify a target with a value significantly different from the results calculated for the metric, the
scores for that metric might be very large, which can result in unbalanced overall scores. For example, if
you have a metric that is calculated in millions and you define a target in the tens, the scores for each
scenario will be extremely large.

CHAPTER 46: Specifying metric targets for scorecards
In the following illustration, the target for Current Clear Work Orders is much lower than the actual
value, while the other targets are more realistic. As a result, a difference of 1 in the Current Clear Work
Orders metric result has a disproportionate effect on the overall score.
Define targets
When a scorecard is configured to use metric targets, you can define a set of targets for any
combination of control settings (filter, site, and so on) that users need to perform their business
processes and to meet the scorecard's goals. For example, if a scorecard includes a filter and site control
and the process you are designing the scorecard for concerns purchased parts, you can create a set of
targets for a combination of the Buy Parts filter and each of your sites.
The targets you specify for a particular combination of settings are used whenever those settings are
selected in the scorecard. You can define only one set of targets for a particular combination of settings.
Include information about the settings that you have defined targets for in the scorecard help. For more
information about scorecard help, see "Add help for a scorecard" on page 1062.
NOTE: If you expect a scorecard to be accessed frequently using the RapidResponse mobile client,
metric targets are not recommended because the scorecard help is unavailable and users will not
know which data settings have targets defined for them.
If you are defining targets for a scorecard that includes a hierarchy, you can specify target values for any
level of the hierarchy.
If the scorecard is time-based, you must define targets for each bucket. In the summary view, the
individual bucket targets are added to determine the overall target for each metric.
▶Define targets for a scorecard
1. In the Explorer, double-click the scorecard you want to define targets for.
2. On the scorecard toolbar, click Data Settings .
3. In the Data Settings dialog box, specify the filter, site, and other settings you want to define the
targets for.
4. Click OK.
5. In the scorecard's Target column, type the value for a metric's target, and then press Enter.
6. Repeat step 5 for each metric in the scorecard.
7. On the File menu, click Save Data.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 for each set of targets you want to define.

Define targets
TIP: You can also save the changes by clicking Save Data on the RapidResponse toolbar.
▶Define targets for a time-based scorecard
1. In the Explorer, double-click the scorecard you want to define targets for.
2. On the scorecard toolbar, click Data Settings .
3. In the Data Settings dialog box, specify the filter, site, and other settings you want to define the
targets for.
4. Click OK.
5. If the scorecard is displaying the summary view, on the scorecard toolbar, click Bucket Data by
Date .
6. In a metric's Target row, type the target value for each bucket.
7. Repeat step 6 for each metric in the scorecard.
9. Optionally click Bucket Data by Date to return the scorecard to the summary view, and verify
the target values for each metric are correct.
NOTE: If a scorecard user increases the time period the scorecard analyzes, the additional periods
will not have targets defined. You can prevent this by either not allowing users to change the
duration, or by increasing the duration and then defining targets for the additional periods.
TIP: You can also save the changes by clicking Save Data on the RapidResponse toolbar.
Modify targets
You can modify the targets you have created. A set of targets is defined for a specific combination of
settings (site, filter, hierarchy, and so on). You can view all the combinations of settings that have targets
defined, and then load the settings in the scorecard to modify the targets.
For targets that do not have a currency specified, if you modify targets that were inserted by a user who
uses a different preferred currency, the value you type is saved in your preferred currency. Otherwise,
the value you type is saved in the currency specified by the metric.
▶View the targets defined in the scorecard
1. In the Explorer, double-click the scorecard you want to modify targets for.
2. On the scorecard toolbar, click Target Settings on the scorecard toolbar.
The Target Settings dialog box opens, showing each combination of settings that has targets defined.
NOTE: The Target Settings button is available only in scorecards that can have targets
defined. The button is not available in scorecards that use the first scenario as the target.
TIP: You can also open the Target Settings dialog box by clicking Target Settings on the View
menu.

CHAPTER 46: Specifying metric targets for scorecards
▶Modify a target
1. In the Target Settings dialog box, click the set of settings you want to modify targets for.
2. Click Apply Settings.
3. If the scorecard is time-based and is showing the summary view, click Bucket Data by Date on
the scorecard toolbar.
4. In the scorecard's Target column, modify the values.
▶Change weights of target metrics
1. In the Explorer, click the scorecard you want to modify target weights for.
3. Click the Metrics tab, and then in the Metrics list, modify the values in the Weight column.
Delete targets
If a set of metric targets is no longer required, you can delete it from the scorecard. You might do this if,
for example, one of the resources used in the settings for a set of targets has been deleted, or if the
targets were defined for the wrong settings.
Remember to update the information about data settings in the scorecard help. For more information
about scorecard help, see "Add help for a scorecard" on page 1062.
1. In the Explorer, double-click the scorecard you want to modify targets for.
2. On the View menu, click Target Settings.
3. In the Target Settings dialog box, click the filter settings you want to delete targets for.
4. Click Delete Targets.
5. In the confirmation dialog box, click OK.
TIP: You can also delete a set of targets when viewing the scorecard by selecting each target value
and pressing Delete. When you save the data changes, the set of targets is removed from the
Target Settings dialog box.
TIP: You can also open the Target Settings dialog box by clicking Target Settings on the
scorecard toolbar.

Delete targets
CHAPTER 47: Managing scorecards
Modifying scorecards 1073

Add or remove metrics in a scorecard 1074
Resolve missing resources in scorecards 1075
You can modify settings for a scorecard including which metrics it uses, the charts it displays, and resolve
any missing resources it might be linked to.
Modifying scorecards
You can modify any private scorecards you create and public scorecards that you own and have checked
out. If you modify a scorecard that another user currently has open, the changes in the scorecard are
displayed once that users closes and reopens it.
▶Modify a scorecard
1. For a private scorecard, continue to step 2. If the scorecard is a public resource, you must first
check it out of the versioned repository, For more information, see "Check out a resource from the
versioned repository" on page 111.
2. In the Explorer, click the scorecard you want to modify.
4. On the General tab, specify any of the following properties.
l Whether scorecard users are prompted to select data settings when the open the scorecard.
For more information, see "Prompt users for data settings" on page 1057.
l Whether the scorecard automatically calculates results. For more information, see
"Automatically calculate results" on page 1057.
l Whether the scorecard includes a hierarchy. For more information, see "Include a hierarchy in a
l Whether the scorecard includes targets. For more information, see "Create a targeted
l Whether the scorecard uses targets you specify or if the targets are taken from the first
scenario in the scorecard. For more information, see "Create a targeted scorecard" on page
1046.

l How metric results and results in detail worksheets are displayed. For more information, see
"Specify how results are initially displayed" on page 1057.
5. On the Metrics tab, do any of the following:
l Add additional metrics or remove metrics that are no longer required. For more information,
see "Add or remove metrics in a scorecard" on page 1074.
l Modify a metric's weight. For more information, see "Change weights of target metrics" on
page 1071.
6. On the Charts tab, do the following:
l Add or remove charts. For more information, see "Add charts to a scorecard" on page 1057.
l Modify a chart's appearance. For more information, see "Modify a chart" on page 1062.
l Modify the colors used in charts. For more information, see "Customize the colors used in
TIP: You can also modify a scorecard's properties by right-clicking a scorecard in the Explorer and
selecting Properties , or by selecting the scorecard you want to modify and then pressing ALT
+ ENTER.
Add or remove metrics in a scorecard

You can add metrics to be calculated by a scorecard, or remove metrics that are no longer required.
You can also modify the target weight of each metric in the scorecard. For more information, see
"Modify targets" on page 1070.
1. In the Explorer, select a scorecard.

4. To add metrics, do the following:
l Click Select Metrics.
l In the Select Metrics dialog box, select the metrics you want to include in the scorecard, and
then click Add.
l Click OK.
5. To remove a metric, in the Metrics list, click the metric you want to remove, and then click
Remove.
TIP: Pause the pointer over a metric in the Select Metrics dialog box to see more information
about the metric.
TIP: You can also modify a scorecard's properties by right-clicking a scorecard in the Explorer and
selecting Properties , or by selecting the scorecard you want to modify and then pressing ALT
+ ENTER.

CHAPTER 47: Managing scorecards
Resolve missing resources in scorecards
If you have scorecard authoring permissions, you might encounter a scorecard marked with a red X icon
. This can occur if a workbook that contains metrics used in a scorecard is deleted or renamed, or if
you no longer have access to it.
If this occurs, you can determine which metrics are missing from the scorecard in the Scorecard
Properties dialog box so they can be created again, if necessary. You can also modify the scorecard so
that it includes other metrics.
For information about adding or removing metrics, see "Add or remove metrics in a scorecard" on page
1074.

Resolve missing resources in scorecards
CHAPTER 48: Authoring metric workbooks and
worksheets
About metrics 1077

Create metric workbooks 1078
Create table-based metric worksheets 1079
Create composite metric worksheets 1081
Create detail worksheets for metrics 1084
Adding drill links to metric worksheets 1086
Create time-based metrics 1090
Modify and delete metrics 1094
Metrics calculate differences between data sets and then display those differences for comparison. All
metrics can only function and display in metric worksheets in a metric workbook.
Scorecards use metrics to calculate the performance of scenarios which are then compared in the
scorecard.
About metrics
Using scorecards, users can compare data between two or more scenarios as well as against defined
targets. This is accomplished by metrics that calculate and display the differences between data sets. A
metric returns a single number summarizing the quantitative values for a defined measure such as late
orders, revenue, or critical actions. Metrics can be defined against input data or calculated data, and
RapidResponse includes a number of standard metrics. You can create new metrics and links to
underlying data details that support them.
A metric consists of two types of worksheets.
l Metric worksheet—Each metric requires one metric worksheet. This worksheet is designed to
return a single record showing a quantitative summary value that can be measured against actual
targets. When creating metric worksheets, you need to decide how the metric will be measured in
scorecards that have targets. That is, will a result higher or lower than the specified target be
interpreted as positive or negative. For example, if the metric calculates inventory data, a result
lower than the target generally indicates a positive trend. Conversely, if the metric calculates
revenue for a particular product line, a result higher than the target generally indicates a positive
trend. For information about creating metric worksheets, see "Create table-based metric
worksheets" on page 1079 and "Create composite metric worksheets" on page 1081.
l Detail worksheet—Each metric typically has at least one detail worksheet. Such worksheets are
designed to return detailed records relating to the metric worksheet, and can be viewed within the

scorecard. When creating detail worksheets, you need to decide if the worksheet should return all
detailed records pertaining to the metric, or if it should return only those records that differ from
scenario to scenario. For information about creating detail worksheets and linking them to metric
worksheets, see "Create detail worksheets for metrics" on page 1084 and "Linking to detail
worksheets within the same metric workbook" on page 1089.
Each metric workbook can contain multiple metrics. Each metric is identified by a single metric
worksheet, and each metric worksheet defines a link between the metric and the detail worksheets that
provide detailed data about the metric. It is also possible to associate the same detail worksheet(s) with
multiple metric worksheets. Some metric worksheets do not have any detail worksheets, and only
summary information for those metrics can be displayed.
For example, RapidResponse includes a metric named “Late Customer Orders”. Depending on how a
scorecard has been set up, the summary metric returns either the difference between the number of
late orders and a defined target, or simply a count of the total number of late customer orders as shown
The detail worksheets associated with this metric provide further information about these late orders
such as the revenue, quantity, and number of days each order is late.
NOTE: Metric workbooks are identified in the Explorer with the icon. These workbooks are not
intended for viewing by users outside of scorecards.
NOTE: Metric worksheets are not compatible with action buttons on the workbook toolbar. If you
add a metric worksheet to a workbook with an action button, the button is removed from the
toolbar. For more information, see "Create workbook toolbar action buttons" on page 229.
NOTE: For more information about scorecards, see "Authoring scorecards" on page 1043.
Create metric workbooks

Any metrics that you create must be in a workbook that has been designated as a metric workbook. A
metric workbook can contain standard worksheets and metric worksheets, either table-based or
composite. For metrics that contain detailed data, the details must be reported in a worksheet in the
same workbook as the metric worksheet.

CHAPTER 48: Authoring metric workbooks and worksheets
2. On the General tab, do the following:
l In the Name box, type a name for the metric workbook. This is the name that displays to users
when creating scorecards.
l In the Type area, select Metric.
l Ensure the Display workbook help check box is selected.
3. On the Filtering tab, specify the type of filter the workbook is compatible with. Metric workbooks
should be compatible with filters based on the Part, Constraint, Project or Work Center tables
(the latter requires licensing the Capacity Manager module).
4. On the Worksheets tab, do one of the following:
l Click New to create a new metric worksheet. For more information, see "Create table-based
metric worksheets" on page 1079 or "Create composite metric worksheets" on page 1081.
l Click Copy and then click Worksheet from other workbook to add a worksheet from an
existing metric workbook.
Once you have created the metric workbook, you should share it with the appropriate users. This
allows those users to select the metric for inclusion in their scorecards. If you are creating the
metric only for your personal use, it still must be shared before you can use it in scorecards. For
more information about sharing workbooks, see "Share resources" on page 128.
CAUTION: The Metric option can also be selected for any existing workbook. However, doing so
automatically converts each existing worksheet in the workbook to a detail worksheet. It is
recommended that you first create the metric workbook, before creating and adding the required
metric worksheets.
NOTE: If you do not display the workbook help, the help for the metric worksheets is not
displayed in scorecards that use those metrics. For more information, see "Add help for a
TIP: You can also create a workbook by clicking New Resource on the RapidResponse toolbar.
Create table-based metric worksheets

A table-based metric worksheet calculates metric results using fields on one table of the RapidResponse
database. The metric worksheet typically consists of one column, which contains a mathematical
expression that calculates a result using fields in the table the worksheet is based on.
A metric worksheet must return a single data value. This is done by grouping the worksheet, but not
grouping by any column. Every record returned by the worksheet is summarized into one value, which
represents the calculated metric result.
Metric worksheets are typically linked to detail worksheets, which provide more information about the
value calculated by the metric. The detail worksheets you link to the metric worksheet should contain
related information. Detail worksheets can be based on the same table as the metric worksheet, or can
be composite worksheets that display data from multiple tables. For more information about creating
composite worksheets, see "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
Metric worksheets can be linked to forms, worksheets in other workbooks, or detail worksheets in the
same metric workbook. Typically, these links provide scorecard users with a quick way to access details
related to these metrics or take actions, such as editing data or committing a scenario, in response to

Create table-based metric worksheets
the metric results they see in the scorecard. For more information about adding drill links to metric
worksheets, see "Adding drill links to metric worksheets" on page 1086
If your metric requires data from two or more tables or if you require values that cannot be calculated
using the columns in the table your metric worksheet is based on, you can create a composite metric
worksheet. A composite metric worksheet is based on other worksheets and allows you to create
metrics that analyze data from multiple tables. For more information, see "Create composite metric
For each metric worksheet you create, you must specify the Warning and Critical ranges for the metric's
results. Results in the Warning range are typically not ideal but might not require immediate action to
correct. Results in the Critical range are not acceptable and typically represent a problem that must be
solved.
You can also create metrics that calculate results for a specific period of time. For example, you can
create a metric that calculates monthly results for a period of four months and then reports those
results in a time-bucketed scorecard. Time-based metrics must include a date column, and the metric
worksheet is automatically grouped and bucketed by date. A time-based metric worksheet produces a
single summary value for each date bucket. Each detail worksheet within the metric workbook that is
linked to that metric worksheet must also contain a date column, and that date column must be linked
to the metric worksheet.
If you are creating a time-based metric, the date column must be the first column in the worksheet and
the worksheet must be grouped by the date column. For more information about creating time-based
metrics, see "Create time-based metrics" on page 1090.
NOTE: When creating metric worksheets, it is recommended that you add help to provide users
with an understanding of the purpose and function of the metrics. For more information, see
"Add worksheet help" on page 335.
NOTE: When creating a metric to be used in scorecards with annual plan targets, it is good
practice to give the worksheet a name that is similar, or identical, to the name of the annual plan
category that it is intended to be used with. This way, scorecard authors can be confident that
they are using the metric with the appropriate target. For information about scorecard target
options, see "Create a targeted scorecard" on page 1046.
NOTE: Metric worksheets cannot contain custom sorting, subtotals, or charts.
▶Create a metric worksheet
1. In the New Workbook or Workbook Properties dialog box for a metric workbook, click the
Worksheets tab.
2. Click the Worksheets tab, click New, and then click Metric Worksheet.
The New Metric Worksheet dialog box opens with the General tab selected.
3. In the Name box, type the name of the metric as you want it to display in scorecards.
4. In the Table list, click a table on which to base the metric worksheet. The table should be
compatible with the Part or Constraint tables. However, if your organization has enabled the
Capacity Manager module, you can also select a table compatible with the WorkCenter table.
5. Click the Columns tab, and then click New Column.
6. In the Expression box, type a valid query expression to define this column, or click Expression
Builder to open the Expression Builder, which assists you in selecting fields, operators, and

variables to add to your expression. For more information about Expression Builder, see
If you want the metric to count the number of records only, type 1.
7. Click the Group tab, and then select the Group data check box.
8. In the Column list, click the column you created, and then in the Grouping Function column, click
either Sum or Average.
Do not click the Group by grouping function, because this will not create a single summary
record.
9. Click the Filtering tab, select the appropriate items and type the worksheet filter required (if
applicable).
10. Click OK.
A dialog box displays asking if you want to produce a single summary record only. Click Yes.
▶Specify metric options
1. In the New Metric Worksheet or Metric Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
2. In the Desirable results are area, click one of the following, depending on how you want targets
associated with this metric to be interpreted.
l High—higher results are desirable. Target scores are calculated as Result/Target
l Low—lower results are desirable. Target scores are calculated as 1 + ((Target-
Results)/Target).
3. In the Warning box, type the percentage score that determines when the metric's result is in the
Warning range.
4. In the Critical box, type the percentage score that determines when the metric's result is in the
Critical range.
5. If you want the metric to analyze results for a specific period of time, select the Calculate results
for a specific time period check box.
For information about specifying the metric's time period, see "Create time-based metrics" on
page 1090.
6. If the metric is time-based, in the Results are area, click one of the following:
l Sum—For each time period, the metric calculates the sum of results and the sum of targets.
l Average—For each time period, the metric calculates the average of results and the average
of targets. You should use this option if the metric calculates a percentage.
Create composite metric worksheets

Composite metric worksheets can provide additional filtering and grouping to a single component
worksheet, or combine data from component worksheets into a summarized result. You can create a
composite metric when the results you want can only be obtained by performing calculations using data
from multiple database tables, or one that summarizes the results from its detail worksheets.
When you create a composite metric worksheet, you must first have created the component worksheet
or worksheets that comprise the composite worksheet's base. The component worksheets can contain
grouped data with the same dimension columns and same grouping rules. If the component
worksheets are grouped, you can merge the records they return. Otherwise, you can append the
records, and then group the composite worksheet to obtain the metric result.

A metric worksheet must return a single value. After you add all the component worksheets required for
the composite metric, you must remove the dimension columns from the worksheet, and then combine
the data columns into one column that summarizes the data you want the metric to calculate. This
ensures that a single summary value is calculated, using the data from each of the component
worksheets.
For each metric worksheet you create, you must specify the Warning and Critical ranges for the metric's
results. Results in the Warning range are typically not ideal, but might not require immediate action to
correct. Results in the Critical range are not acceptable, and typically represent a problem that must be
solved.
You can also create metrics that calculate results for a specific period of time. For example, you can
create a metric that calculates monthly results for a period of four months, and then reports those
results in a time-bucketed scorecard. Time-based metrics must include a date column, and the metric
worksheet is automatically grouped and bucketed by date. Each detail worksheet used by that metric
worksheet must also contain a date column, and that date column must be linked to the metric
worksheet. For more information about creating time-based metrics, see "Create time-based metrics"
on page 1090.
If you are creating a time-based composite metric, the date column must be the first column in the
composite worksheet, and the worksheet must be grouped by the date column.
NOTE: When creating metric worksheets, it is recommended that you add help to provide users
with an understanding of the purpose and function of the metrics. For more information, see
"Add worksheet help" on page 335.
NOTE: Metric worksheets cannot contain custom sorting, subtotals, or charts.
▶Create a composite metric worksheet
1. Create the component worksheets to be used as the composite worksheet's base. For more
information, see "Create a table-based worksheet" on page 347 or "Create detail worksheets for
metrics" on page 1084.
Worksheets tab.
3. Click New, and then click Composite Metric Worksheet.
4. In the New Composite Metric Worksheet dialog box, on the General tab, in the Name box, type
a name for the metric.
5. In the Component worksheets area, click Add.
6. In the Add Component Worksheet dialog box, click the worksheet you want to use as the metric
worksheet's base, and then click OK.
7. Repeat step 6 for each worksheet you want to use as the composite worksheet's base.
For the first additional component worksheet you add, select whether you want to merge the
records based on the grouping columns or append the records. For more information, see
"Understanding how component worksheets are combined" on page 469.
9. In the Columns in this worksheet list, do the following for each of the dimension columns in the
worksheet:
l Click the dimension column.
l Click Delete Column.

If the metric is intended to calculate results for a specific period of time and one of the dimension
columns is a date column, do not delete the date column.
11. In the Header box, type a name for the column.
12. In the Expression box, type a valid query expression to define this column, or click Expression
Builder to open the Expression Builder, which assists you in selecting columns, fields, operators,
and variables to add to your expression. Each column used in the expression must be identified
using the WorksheetName!ColumnName syntax.
l For example, typing Forecasts!LateQuantity + Actuals!LateQuantity calculates
the sum of all late quantities in the Forecasts and Actuals worksheets.
l For more information about Expression Builder, see "Creating expressions with Expression
Builder" on page 1117.
13. Delete every data column except the one you added in step 10.
▶Specify grouping and filtering for the composite worksheet
1. In the New Composite Metric Worksheet or Composite Metric Worksheet Properties dialog
box, click the Group tab.
2. Ensure the Group data check box is selected.
If the metric is time-based, the Group data and Bucket data by date check boxes will both be
selected and unavailable.
3. In the Columns list, in the Grouping Rule column, click the rule you want to use to summarize
the data in the metric column.
5. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type a filter expression to limit the records being
summarized by the metric, if required.
You can also click Expression Builder to open the Expression Builder, which assists you in adding
fields, operators, and variables to your query expressions. For more information, see "Creating
expressions with Expression Builder" on page 1117.
▶Specify metric options
1. In the New Composite Metric Worksheet or Composite Metric Worksheet Properties dialog
box, click the General tab.
2. In the Desirable results are area, click one of the following, depending on how you want targets
associated with this metric to be interpreted.
l High—higher results are desirable. Target scores are calculated as Result/Target. If the
target is zero, results greater than zero are assigned a score of 101%.
l Low—lower results are desirable. Target scores are calculated as 1 + ((Target-
Results)/Target). If the target is zero, results less than zero are assigned a score of 101%.
3. In the Warning area, type the percentage score that determines when the metric's result is in the
Warning range.
4. In the Critical area, type the percentage score that determines when the metric's result is in the
Critical range.
5. If you want the metric to analyze results for a specific period of time, select the Calculate results
for a specific time period check box.
For information about specifying the metric's time period, see "Create time-based metrics" on
page 1090.

6. If the metric is time-based, in the Results are area, click one of the following:
l Sum—For each time period, the metric calculates the sum of results and the sum of targets.
l Average—For each time period, the metric calculates the average of results and the average
of targets. You should use this option if the metric calculates a percentage.
Create detail worksheets for metrics

A detail worksheet in a metric workbook provides details about the data summarized by a metric. Each
detail worksheet you create must contain at least one multi-scenario column, and must be linked to a
metric worksheet. One detail worksheet can be linked to multiple metric worksheets. For more
information about linking detail worksheets, see "Linking to detail worksheets within the same metric
workbook" on page 1089.
Detail worksheets are identical to table-based and composite worksheets, except the options for
editing data and adding charts are not available. For complete information about creating worksheets,
see "Create a table-based worksheet" on page 347 and "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
If you create a composite detail worksheet, you must first create the worksheets that will be used as the
composite's base. These component worksheets must be grouped by columns of the same type in the
same order. Depending on the metric, the grouping columns could consist of part, site, order number,
or date columns. When you combine the component worksheets, you must merge records with the
same grouping columns, because metric and detail worksheets must be grouped.
You can also link a metric to worksheets and forms outside of metric workbooks. For more information,
see "Linking to worksheets and forms outside of the metric workbook" on page 1086.
▶Create a detail worksheet
Worksheets tab.
2. Click New, and then click Worksheet (Table-based).
3. In the New Worksheet dialog box, in the Name box, type the name of the worksheet. This is the
name that users see when viewing this worksheet in a scorecard.
4. In the Table list, click a table on which to base the worksheet.
6. Add columns to the worksheet using one of the following methods:
l Click Add Fields to select and add fields from the RapidResponse database.
Or
l Click New Column.
l In the Header box, type the name of the column. If the column will display data from multiple
scenarios, use a pipe symbol (|) to create a two-row column header. For more information, see
"Define column headers" on page 299.
l In the Expression box, type a valid query expression to define this column, or click Expression
variables to add to your expression. For more information about Expression Builder, see
7. If you want the column to display separate results for each scenario in a scorecard, on the Data
Options tab, select the Multi-scenario check box. Otherwise, the column will display only once in
the worksheet.

8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each column you want to add.
9. Click the Group tab, and then select the Group data check box.
10. In the Column list, click each column, and then specify the appropriate grouping option from the
Grouping Functions list.
11. Click the Filter tab, select the appropriate items and type the worksheet filter (if required).
l Only records with different comparison values—the detail worksheet shows only records
that differ between scenarios in the scorecard.
l All records—the detail worksheet shows all records for each selected scenario.
If you choose to only show differences, any subtotal or grand total rows in the worksheet will
display totals of the differences. Depending on the content of the detail worksheet, this
information might not be useful. If you want to use subtotals or grand totals in a detail
worksheet, you should choose to show all records.
13. Click OK.
Repeat this procedure for each detail worksheet that you want to add.
CAUTION: If the worksheet contains multi-scenario columns, the sort order (on the Sort tab)
must match the column order (on the Columns tab).
NOTE: You cannot add a chart to a metric detail worksheet.
TIP: To enhance the readability of your detail worksheets, you should place all multi-scenario
columns adjacent to another (typically, after all other columns have been added).
▶Create a composite detail worksheet
Worksheets tab.
2. Click New, and then click Composite Worksheet.
4. In the Component worksheets area, click Add.
5. In the Add Component Worksheet dialog box, click the worksheet you want to use as the
composite worksheet's base, and then click Add.
6. Repeat step 5 for each component worksheet you want to add.
When you add the first additional component worksheet, select how you want to combine the
worksheets. For more information, see "Designing component worksheets" on page 481.
8. If necessary, delete any columns that you do not want to display in the detail worksheet.
9. If necessary, add columns to the worksheet by doing the following:
l Click New Column.
l In the Header box, type the name of the column. If the column will display data from multiple
scenarios, use a pipe symbol (|) to create a two-row column header. For more information, see
"Define column headers" on page 299.
l In the Expression box, type a valid query expression to define this column, or click Expression

Create detail worksheets for metrics
variables to add to your expression. Each column used in the expression must be identified
using the WorksheetName!ColumnName syntax.
For example, typing Forecasts!LateQuantity + Actuals!LateQuantity calculates the
sum of all late quantities in the Forecasts and Actuals worksheets.
For more information about Expression Builder, see "Creating expressions with Expression
Builder" on page 1117.
10. If you want the column to display separate results for each scenario in a scorecard, on the Data
Options tab, select the Multi-scenario check box. Otherwise, the column will display only once in
the worksheet.
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 for each column you want to add.
12. Click OK.
Adding drill links to metric worksheets

Metric worksheets can be linked to forms, worksheets in other workbooks, or detail worksheets in the
same metric workbook. These links appear in all scorecards where the worksheet's metric is used.
Typically, these links provide scorecard users with a quick way to access details related to a metric, or
take actions, such as editing data or committing a scenario, in response to the metric results they see in
the scorecard.
The process for linking to forms and worksheets outside the metric workbook is significantly different
from the process for linking to detail worksheets within the metric workbook, so these processes are
discussed separately.
Linking to worksheets and forms outside of the metric

workbook
When you link to a worksheet or form outside of the metric workbook, the process is similar to adding a
drill to details link to a regular table-based worksheet, though there are some limitations that are
specific to metric worksheets. For more information about creating drill links in worksheets, see
When a scorecard user clicks a link to a worksheet in a different workbook, the workbook with that
worksheet opens in a new tab. When a user clicks a link to a form, it opens up over top of the scorecard.
Data settings, such as the site selected in the site control, are passed from scorecards to workbooks
when drill links are clicked. The scenario from the row the user clicked on is also passed to the
worksheet or, if applicable, the form.
The following list discusses some of the restrictions on creating drill links from metric worksheets.
l You can only add a drill link to the column containing the worksheet's metric, which must be the
last column in the metric worksheet's properties.
l In a metric worksheet, you cannot create a drill link from a column to another worksheet in the
same workbook. There is a different process for linking to detail worksheets within the same
metric workbook. For information, see "Linking to detail worksheets within the same metric
workbook" on page 1089
l Drill links in metric worksheets cannot be conditional.

l If the metric worksheet is time-based, you can add mappings based on its date column, bucket
start date, or bucket end date. If the worksheet is not time-based, mappings are not available. For
more information about time-based metrics, see "Create time-based metrics" on page 1090.
Example: setting up a drill link from a scorecard to a workbook

Jennifer wants metric results for the On-Time-Delivery (%) metric in her time-based scorecard, Skyco
Priorities, to link to the Demand Orders worksheet in the Planning Sheet workbook. When a user clicks a
metric result for a date bucket in the scorecard, the worksheet should display orders that are due in
that time period.
First, Jennifer checks the metric workbook containing the On-Time Delivery (%) metric out of the
versioned repository. She opens the workbook properties, and clicks the Dependencies tab. Here, she
adds the Planning Sheet workbook as a drill to details workbook. For more information about adding
dependencies to workbooks, see "Add dependencies to workbooks" on page 247.
Jennifer then opens the properties of the metric worksheet containing the On-Time Delivery (%) metric.
On the Columns tab, she selects the last column: On-Time Delivery (%). She selects the Drilling tab and
adds a new Drill to Worksheet link.

In the New Drill to Worksheet box, she selects the Planning Sheet workbook and the Demand Orders
worksheet. In the mapping section, she maps the Due Date column in this worksheet, which is used to
bucket data for the time-based scorecard, to the Dates Due column on the details worksheet, which
displays the date each order is due. The column in this metric worksheet and the column in the details
worksheet are both based on the DueDate field in the IndependentDemand table, so Jennifer feels
confident that her mapping choices make sense.
For more information about mapping, see "Mapping drill links to details or reference worksheets" on
page 669 and "Mapping drill links to forms" on page 672.
Jennifer saves her changes and checks the metric workbook back into the versioned repository. She
then opens the Skyco Priorities scorecard to test the new drill link, and clicks on the Baseline Scenario's
metric result for the On-Time Delivery (%) metric for June 2015.

The Demand Orders worksheet opens with a column search in the Dates Due column, selecting only
orders that are due in June 2015. The workbook uses the site and filter settings that were selected in
the scorecard, showing data from the Baseline scenario.
Linking to detail worksheets within the same metric workbook

You can also link to a detail worksheet within the same metric workbook. When a user clicks the name of
a metric with detail worksheets in a scorecard, the detail worksheets for that metric open below
scorecard's metric results, as shown in the following illustration.
To be valid, a detail worksheet must contain at least one multi-scenario column. This means that detail
worksheets within a metric workbook cannot be used to edit data.

For more information about creating detail worksheets, see "Create detail worksheets for metrics" on
page 1084.
▶Link a detail worksheet to a metric worksheet
1. In the New Metric Worksheet or Metric Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
2. In the Detail worksheets area, click Select Worksheets.
3. In the Select Worksheets dialog box, click the detail worksheet you want to link to the metric
worksheet, and then click Add.
4. Repeat step 3 for each detail worksheet you want to link to the metric worksheet.
5. Click OK.
6. If the metric is time-based, do the following for each detail worksheet:
l In the Detail worksheets box, click the down arrow in the Time Period Column column.
l In the list, click a date column, which is used to determine which detail records are used in
calculating the summary results in each time period.
7. Click OK.
Create time-based metrics

You can create metric worksheets that calculate results for a specified period of time. These time-based
metrics can also be bucketed by date to provide a period-by-period summary of calculated results and
target values.
A time-based metric worksheet consists of a date column as the first column in the worksheet and the
calculated metric value as the last column in the worksheet. You can define other columns, however, the
worksheet must be grouped only by the date column.
The time periods that a metric analyzes are specified in the scorecards the metric is used in. However,
you can also specify time periods in the metric worksheet. These time periods are used only for testing
the metric.
When creating a time-based metric, you can specify a start date, which determines when the metric
begins calculating results, and a duration, which determines how many calendar periods the metric
calculates results for. You can specify any of the following as the start date.

The The planning date represents the date when data from an enterprise data source was last imported
planning into RapidResponse. If your company has multiple sites, the planning date that you see in a
date scorecard might not be the planning date for the site that you have selected.
planning date displayed in the scorecard is July 7, 2008.
The Today The first date in the bucket that contains the Today date constant is used as the start date.
date For example, in a scorecard that shows results for weekly buckets, if today is July 10, the start date
constant is July 7, the beginning of the week.

beginning For example, you can choose the beginning of the current month, and the buckets will be defined
of the relative to the first day of the month.
current
period
Any of the Any of the above dates can have a number of calendar periods added to or subtracted from it. This
above dates offsets the date by the specified number of periods, and can be used to report data from the
with an middle or end of a calendar period.
offset For example, if your company reports forecasts or revenue on Wednesdays, but the week begins on
Monday, you can define the start date as the beginning of the week plus two work days.
After specifying the start date, you can specify the duration for the metric calculations. You must specify
a number of calendar periods and a calendar, and the metric will calculate results for the number of
periods you specified. For example, if you specify 12 calendar periods and the Week calendar, the metric
calculates results for the 12 weeks after the start date.
The metric worksheet always displays results bucketed by the calendar period you have specified for the
duration. If your company has defined labels for buckets, you can show those labels in the metric
worksheet instead of the dates. For example, if the dates in your Month calendar use the month name
and year as labels, your worksheet will show 'August 2008' instead of '08-01-08' for a monthly bucket for
August. For more information, contact your RapidResponse administrator.
When the metric is used in a scorecard, the scorecard's start date, duration, and bucket settings are
used instead of the metric's. However, you can use the start date, duration, and bucket settings

specified in the metric worksheet to test the metric to ensure it returns the correct results. Only a time-
based metric can be used in a time-based scorecard.
▶Specify time settings for a metric
1. In the New Metric Worksheet or Metric Worksheet Properties dialog box, on the General tab,
select the Calculate results for a specific time period check box.
3. Add a date column to the worksheet. For more information, see "Add and remove columns" on
page 358.
4. Ensure the column you added in step 3 is the first column in the Columns in this worksheet list.
5. Optionally, add columns to calculate supporting data for the metric.
6. Add a calculated column to calculate the metric. Ensure this is the last column in the Columns in
this worksheet list. For more information, see "Create table-based metric worksheets" on page
1079.
8. In the column list, change the grouping function for the column you added in step 3 to Group by.
9. Ensure the grouping function for the columns you added in step 5 is not Group By and that the
grouping function for the column you added in step 6 is Sum or Average.
10. Click Bucket Settings.
11. In the Apply area, click one of the following:
12. In the Start area, click one of the following:
l Planning date.
l Today.
l Beginning of current, and then select a calendar from the list.
13. If you want to offset the start date, do the following:
l In the Adjust by box, type the number of calendar periods you want to offset the start date
by.
For example, type 2 in the Adjust by box and then select Workday from the list to move the start
date forward by two work days, or type -1 in the Adjust by box and then select Week from the
list to move the start date back one week. For more information about adding and subtracting
14. In the Duration box, type the number of calendar periods to display results for, and then in the
list, select the calendar to use for setting the duration.
For example, if you type 4 and then select the Month calendar, the scorecard will calculate results
for the four months following the start date.
15. In the Bucket labels area, click Actual dates or Alternate labels.
16. Click OK.

Configure a metric’s time horizon using profile variables
Certain metrics make use of profile variables that determine the time horizon over which the metric
performs its calculations. For example, you might want a metric’s calculations to only consider data for
the next quarter or only consider data for the next five months, and so on. The two variables that
together define a metric’s horizon are both defined in the Profile Variables worksheet of the Macros and
Profile Variables workbook.
l MetricHorizonCalendar—Specifies the calendar to be used for the metric horizon. The default
value for this variable is Everyday. The Everyday calendar has no entries defined for it, and thus
ensures that every calendar day is considered.
l MetricHorizonUnits—Specifies the number of time units that define the metric horizon. The
default value for this variable is 365.
Many of the metrics included in the predefined Financial Metrics workbooks make use of these profile
variables. By changing their values, you determine the time horizon to be used by all of these metrics.
The following shows a typical usage of these variables within a filter expression:
Date < Part.PlanningCalendars.RunDate.FirstDate + $MetricHorizonUnits
$MetricHorizonCalendar
Using the default values for the profile variables, the previous expression would return all records where
the date is earlier than 1 calendar year (365 days) after the
Part.PlanningCalendars.RunDate.FirstDate.
NOTE: For an introduction to profile variables, see "Profile variables" on page 1296.
NOTE: For information about changing the metric horizon, see “Setting the metric horizon for
financial metrics” in the the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
Modify and delete metrics

You can edit the metrics you create, as well as the metrics included with RapidResponse, by modifying
worksheets in the appropriate metric workbooks. Metric workbooks are identified in the Explorer with
the icon. If you edit the metrics included with RapidResponse, you should also update the help that
accompanies these worksheets to reflect your changes. For information about workbook help, see
"Adding help to workbooks and worksheets" on page 333.
The following metric workbooks are included with RapidResponse:
l Clear to Build Metrics—includes metric summary and detail worksheets that provide visibility to
current and projected clear and blocked work orders.
l Data Integrity Metrics - Material—includes metric summary and detail worksheets that provide
visibility into errors and issues within your manufacturing data.
l Demand Management Metrics—includes metric summary and detail worksheets that provide
visibility to forecast quantities, forecast values, late orders, and late order revenue.
l Engineering Change Metrics—includes metric summary and detail worksheets used to analyze an
engineering change.

l Financial Metrics - Corporate—includes metric summary and detail worksheets that provide
visibility to current and projected financial performance.
l Financial Metrics - Operations—includes metric summary and detail worksheets that provide
visibility to current and projected inventory turns.
l Multi-Enterprise Management Metrics—includes metrics and associated detailed worksheets
included with the Multi-Enterprise Management scorecard. The metrics are particularly relevant
for brand owners (subscribers) with outsourced manufacturing.
l Operations Metrics—includes metric summary and detail worksheets to assess manufacturing
operations.
l Responsibility Metrics—includes metric summary and detail worksheets to analyze how a data
change affects late demand orders, late supply, and late firm orders that might need to be
expedited, all of which are commonly used to determine responsibility for data.
If a metric is no longer required, you can delete it. You can also delete the detail worksheets linked to
the metric worksheet if they are not used by other metrics.
▶Delete a metric
1. In the Explorer, select the workbook containing the metric you want to delete.
2. On the File menu, click Properties.
4. In the Worksheets in this workbook list, do the following:
l Select the detail worksheet associated with the metric, and then click Delete.
l Select each summary worksheet associated with the metric, and then click Delete. Do not
delete the summary worksheets if they are associated with other metrics.
5. Click OK to close the Workbook Properties dialog box.
NOTE: When making changes to an existing metric workbook (either by modifying or deleting
worksheets), it is recommended that you first create a private copy of the workbook and make the
changes there. You can then share the workbook to yourself, and create private scorecards based
on it to ensure that all metrics work correctly. Once satisfied with your changes, you can then
share the workbook to additional users as appropriate. For more information about sharing
workbooks, see "Share resources" on page 128.

Modify and delete metrics
CHAPTER 49: Predefined Metric Workbooks
RapidResponse provides predefined metric workbooks you can use to create scorecards. The following
tables provide a brief description of each metric and the detailed worksheets included:
Clear to Build Metrics workbook 1097
CPG Metrics - by Date workbook 1098
Data Integrity Metrics - Material workbook 1100
Demand Management Metrics workbook 1100
Financial Metrics - Corporate workbook 1102
Financial Metrics - Corporate - By Date workbook 1103
Financial Metrics - Operations workbook 1104
Inventory Metrics - By Date workbook 1104
Multi-Enterprise Management Metrics workbook 1105
Operations Metrics workbook 1107
Operations Metrics - By Date workbook 1111
Responsibility Metrics workbook 1111
Clear to Build Metrics workbook

This workbook contains a metric to facilitate the analysis of which production orders are clear to build.
The knowledge of what work orders can be released to the production floor with on hand inventory is
essential to make good use of labor and machines, minimize work-in-progress inventory, and maintain
customer service.
Metric Details
Current Blocked Counts the number of current production work orders that do not have all their dependent
Work Orders requirements satisfied from on hand inventory.
Current Blocked Work Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in current work orders whose components are not satisfied from inventory
in at least one of the selected scenarios.
Current Clear Work Counts the number of current production work orders that have all their dependent
Orders requirements satisfied from on hand inventory.
Current Clear Work Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in current work orders whose components are satisfied from inventory in
at least one of the selected scenarios.

Metric Details
Current Allocated Work Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in current work orders with no components requirements in at least one of
the selected scenarios.
Current Blocked Counts the number of current planned production orders that do not have all their
Planned Orders dependent requirements satisfied from on hand inventory.
Current Blocked Planned Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in current planned production orders whose components are not satisfied
from inventory in at least one of the selected scenarios.
Current Clear Counts the number of current production planned orders that have all their dependent
Planned Orders requirements satisfied from on hand inventory.
Current Clear Planned Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in current work orders whose components are satisfied from inventory in
at least one of the selected scenarios.
Projected Late Work Counts the number of production orders that are not current and are projected to be
Orders available late.
Projected Late Work Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in production orders that are not current and are projected to be available
late in at least one of the selected scenarios.
Projected On-Time Counts the number of production orders that are not current and are projected to be
Work Orders available on-time.
Projected On-Time Work Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in production orders that are not current and are projected to be available
on-time in at least one of the selected scenarios.
Projected Late Counts the number of planned production orders that are not current and are projected to
Planned Orders be late.
Projected Late Planned Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in planned production orders that are not current and are projected to be
late in at least one of the selected scenarios.
Projected On-Time Counts the number of planned production orders that are not current and are projected to
Planned Orders be on-time.
Projected On-Time Planned Orders (Differences Only)
Displays changes in planned production orders that are not current and are projected to be
on-time in at least one of the selected scenarios.
CPG Metrics - by Date workbook

This workbook includes metrics designed to help companies that produce consumer packaged goods
(CPG), with a focus on determining whether inventory levels are adequate to satisfy demands. These
metrics might also be useful to companies that provide other types of goods and services and want to
ensure that inventory levels are appropriate.

Metric Details
Days Average number of calendar periods of demand for the selected parts that can be covered by
Forward supply of the parts over the same period. Supplies are considered on their due dates.
Coverage
(Due)
Days Forward Coverage (Due): by Period
Displays a value for each period in which one of the following values has changed from scenario to
scenario: Coverage, Demand Period, Excess Supply and Excess Total Cost. Supplies are considered
on their due dates.
Days Average number of calendar periods of demand for a part that can be covered by supply of the part
Forward over the same period. Supplies are considered on their available dates.
Coverage
(Available)
Days Forward Coverage (Available): by Period
scenario: Coverage, Demand Period, Excess Supply and Excess Total Cost. Supplies are considered
on their available dates.
Projected Total ending inventory value for this metric horizon. The ending inventory is calculated by adding
Ending the previous period inventory to the current period supply and then subtracting the current period
Inventory demand. The value is displayed using the currency that is specified in your personal RapidResponse
settings.
Projected Ending Inventory: by Period
scenario: Ending Quantity, Ending Value.
% Safety Average ending inventory, expressed as a percentage of the safety stock quantity for the part for
the period. Only parts with safety stock are considered. If none of the selected parts has safety
stock, the result is 0%.
% Safety: by Part
Displays a value for each period in which one of the following value has changed from scenario to
scenario: Ending Quantity and Safety Stock.
% Safety Percentage of parts that are in compliance with safety stock policy. A part is in compliance when its
Stock period ending inventory is at or above its safety stock level on the last day of the bucket.
Compliance Only parts with safety stock are considered. If none of the selected parts has safety stock, the result
is 0%.
% Safety Stock Compliance: by Part

Displays a value for each period in which one of the following value has changed from scenario to
scenario: End of Period Inventory, End of Period Safety Stock, In Compliance.
Key The available load that is scheduled to be utilized for constraints for this metric horizon. Utilization
Constraint is expressed as a percentage. The constraint utilization is calculated by dividing the scheduled
Utilization constraint usage by the available constraints and expressing it as a percentage. Note that if you are
using pre-planning of constrained constraints the Load date can be earlier than where it would be if
you had more available capacity.
Key Constraint Utilization: by Period
This worksheet shows the total constraint availability, and load across a series of time periods.
Key Constraint Utilization: by Period Overloaded

This worksheet shows the total constraint availability, load, and scheduled usage for the constraint,
across a series of time periods. Only overloaded time periods have values.

CPG Metrics - by Date workbook
Metric Details
Key Constraint Utilization: by Period Underloaded
This worksheet shows the total constraint availability, load, and scheduled usage for the constraint,
across a series of time periods. Only underloaded periods have values.
Customer The total number of late units for all parts and sites selected for customer orders and forecast.
Service Risk
Customer Service Risk: by Period
Displays detailed information about late customer orders.
Data Integrity Metrics - Material workbook

This workbook contains a metric that can be used systematically to monitor and attack data errors
within your manufacturing data. Errors are defined in five categories: Master Data, Part Source, Bill of
Material, Demand, and Supply. For best results, you should have zero data errors. Currently the
workbook contains six metrics and associated details worksheets.
Metric Details
Data Provides the number of parts with potential data errors. Errors are defined in five categories: Master
Integrity Data, Part Source, Bill of Material, Demand, and Supply.
Issues
(Parts)
Master Provides a count of parts with questionable master data.

Data
Integrity
Part Counts parts with questionable part source data.

Source
Integrity
Bill of Counts parts with questionable bill of material data.

Material
Integrity
Demand Counts parts with questionable demand data.

Integrity
Supply Counts parts with questionable supply data.

Integrity
Data Integrity Summary by Part
Lists all parts with any questionable data in any scenario selected by the scorecard.
Data Integrity Summary - Differences Only

Compares the list of parts which have questionable data in each of the selected scenarios with the list
in the first scenario. If there is any questionable data for a part in one scenario and not in another,
then the part is listed with its set of flags for each scenario.
Demand Management Metrics workbook

This workbook contains definitions for Demand Management metrics and associated detailed views.

Metric Details
Revenue Provides the sum of revenue for those demands that have already been delivered in the current
for Current quarter and those demands that are currently expected to be delivered in the current quarter.
Quarter
Quarterly Revenue by Part
Displays the details for the sum of revenue grouped by part and site. It also provides the sum of
revenue expected to be delivered in the following three quarters.
Quarterly Revenue by Product Family

Displays the details for the sum of revenue grouped by product family and site. It also provides the
sum of revenue expected to be delivered in the following three quarters.
Quarterly Revenue by Customer

Displays the details for the sum of revenue grouped by customer. It also provides the sum of
revenue expected to be delivered in the following three quarters.
Gross Provides the Gross Margin (Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold) for those demands that have already
Margin for been delivered in the following three quarters.
Current
Quarter
Quarterly Margin by Part
Displays the details for the Gross Margin grouped by part and site. It also provides the Gross Margin
for each of the next three quarters as well as the Margin ((Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold)/Revenue
in %).
Quarterly Margin by Product Family

Displays the details for the Gross Margin grouped by product family and site. It also provides the
Gross Margin for each of the next three quarters as well as the Margin ((Revenue - Cost of Goods
Sold)/Revenue in %).
Quarterly Margin by Customer

Displays the details for the Gross Margin grouped by customer. It also provides the Gross Margin for
each of the next three quarters as well as the Margin ((Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold)/Revenue in
%).
Quarter Reports the number of demands (forecast and sales orders) that are due in the current quarter but
End Late are projected to be available in the next quarter.
Orders
Quarter End Late Orders Details
Provides the detail information for the demands that are due in the current quarter but are projected
to be available in the next quarter.
Quarter Displays the value of the projected inventory at the end of the quarter based on current demands
End and supplies.
Inventory
Quarter End Inventory Details
Reports the projected inventory at the end of the quarter in units and dollars per part based on
current demands and supplies. Also displayed is the target ending inventory in units and dollars per
part calculated based on the safety stock quantity for the part.

Demand Management Metrics workbook
Financial Metrics - Corporate workbook
This workbook contains definitions for financial metrics and associated detailed views. Currently, the
workbook contains metrics for revenue, gross margin, and cost of goods sold data. Costs of goods sold
is calculated using both standard costs and projected costs (based on material, labor, and overhead
costs).
Metric Details
Cost Of Displays the planned cost of goods sold for all independent demands, including forecasts, available
Goods within the metric horizon. The planned cost of goods sold values reflect the costs of the on-hand
Sold - quantities, scheduled receipts, and planned orders used to satisfy each independent demand.
Planned
COGS - Planned: by Period
Displays a value for each independent demand, sorted by period, in which one of the following values
has changed from scenario to scenario: COGS Standard, COGS Planned, Material Planned, Labor
Planned, Overhead Planned, Overhead2 Planned.
COGS - Planned: by Period by Demand

has changed from scenario to scenario: COGS Standard, COGS Planned, Material Planned, Labor
Planned, Overhead Planned, Overhead2 Planned.
COGS - Planned: by Demand

Displays a value for each independent demand, sorted by order type (for example: actual, forecast, and
so on).
Gross Displays the planned gross margin for all independent demands, including forecasts. Planned gross
Margin - margin is calculated as revenue (based on unit selling price) less planned cost of goods sold. Planned
Planned cost of goods sold reflects the material, labor, and overhead costs of the on-hand quantities,
scheduled receipts, and planned orders used to satisfy each demand.
Gross Displays the planned gross margin percentage for all independent demands, including forecasts.
Margin - Planned margin percentage is calculated as planned gross margin divided by revenue.
Planned
(%)
Gross Margin - Planned: by Period
scenario: GM Standard, GM Planned, Revenue, COGS Standard, and COGS Planned.
Gross Margin - Planned: by Period by Demand

has changed from scenario to scenario: Quantity, Gross Margin Standard, Gross Margin Planned,
Revenue, COGS Standard, COGS Planned.
Gross Displays the standard gross margin for all independent demands, including forecasts. Standard gross
Margin - margin is calculated as revenue less standard costs using the independent demand's effective
Standard quantity. Revenue is based on unit selling price or the part's average selling price. Standard costs are
based on the associated part's standard unit cost.
Gross Margin - Standard: by Period
scenario: Gross Margin Standard, Gross Margin Period, Revenue, COGS Standard, COGS Planned.

Metric Details
Gross Margin - Standard: by Period by Demand
has changed from scenario to scenario: Gross Margin Standard, Gross Margin Period, Revenue,
COGS Standard, COGS Planned.
Spend - Displays the total spent on material, labor, and overhead costs for all committed and planned supplies.
Planned
Spend - Planned by Period
Displays a summary record for each month where one of the following values has changed from
scenario to scenario: Total, Material, Labor, Overhead, Overhead2.
Spend - Planned by Period, Committed vs. Planned

Displays a summary record for each period where one of the following values has changed from
scenario to scenario: Total, Committed, Planned.
Spend - Planned by Period, Make vs Transfer vs. Buy

Displays a summary record for each period where one of the following values has changed from
scenario to scenario: Total, Make, Transfer, Buy.
Financial Metrics - Corporate - By Date

workbook
workbook contains metrics for revenue, gross margin, and cost of goods sold data. The metrics in this
workbook will calculate results for a specific time period.
Metric Details
Cost of Displays the standard cost of goods sold for all independent demands, including forecasts. Standard
Goods costs of goods sold is calculated by multiplying the independent demand's effective (unconsumed)
Sold - quantity by the standard unit cost of the part the demand is for.
Standard
COGS - Standard: by Period
Displays the standard cost of goods sold for all independent demands, sorted by period, including
forecasts. Standard cost of goods sold is calculated by multiplying the independent demand's
effective (unconsumed) quantity by the standard unit cost of the part the demand is for.
Gross Displays the standard gross margin percentage for all independent demands, including forecasts.
Margin - Standard gross margin percentage is calculated as gross margin divided by revenue. Standard gross
Standard margin is calculated as revenue less standard unit costs using the independent demand's effective
(%) (unconsumed) quantity. Revenue is based on unit selling price or the part's average selling price.
Standard costs are based on the associated part's standard unit cost.
Gross Margin - Standard: by Period
scenario: Gross Margin Standard, Gross Margin Period, Revenue, COGS Standard, COGS Planned.

Financial Metrics - Corporate - By Date workbook
Metric Details
Gross Margin - Standard: by Period by Demand
has changed from scenario to scenario: Gross Margin Standard, Gross Margin Period, Revenue,
COGS Standard, COGS Planned.
Revenue Displays the revenue for all independent demands, including forecast. Revenue is calculated from the
independent demand's effective quantity and unit selling price or the part's average selling price.
Revenue: by Period
scenario: Gross Margin Planned, Gross Margin Period, Revenue, Period, COGS Standard,
COGS Planned.
Revenue: by Period by Demand

has changed from scenario to scenario: Quantity, Revenue, COGS Standard, COGS Planned, Gross
Margin Standard, Gross Margin Planned.
Revenue: by Period, Actual vs. Forecast

scenario: Total, Actual, and Forecast.
Financial Metrics - Operations workbook

workbook contains one metric for inventory turns and three associated details worksheets.
Metric Details
Inventory Lets you compare the number of inventory turns during the first 365 days. Inventory turns are
Turns - calculated as planned cost of goods sold during the first year divided by the average first-year
1st Year inventory value.
Planned
Inventory Turns Detail
Consists of a single record showing the planned Cost Of Goods Sold (COGS) over the next 365 days
and the average inventory during the same time.
COGS 1st Year - Planned: by Part

Displays the planned first-year Cost Of Goods Sold values for each part. The parts that appear in this
worksheet might belong to sites not corresponding to the selection made from the Site list. Their
supplies, however, are required to satisfy independent demands occurring at the selected site(s).
Average 1st Year Inventory: by Part

Displays the average first-year inventory value by part. A record displays for each part where the
average first-year inventory values have changed from scenario to scenario.
Inventory Metrics - By Date workbook

This workbook contains definitions for inventory metrics and associated detailed views. Currently, the
workbook contains metrics for inventory turns and projected ending inventory. The metrics in this
workbook will calculate results for a specific time period.

Metric Details
Inventory Displays the inventory turns for all independent demands, including forecasts. Inventory turns is
Turns calculated from cost of goods sold divided by project ending inventory. Cost of goods sold reflects
the material, labor, and overhead costs of the on-hand quantities, scheduled receipts, and planned
orders used to satisfy each demand.
Inventory Turns Details
scenario: Period, COGS, Projected Ending Inventory.
Projected Displays the projected ending inventory balance. Inventory balance is calculated by considering on-
Ending hand quantities, total supply, and total demand by period.
Inventory
Projected Ending Inventory Details
Displays a value for each period in which Projected Ending Inventory has changed from scenario to
scenario.
Multi-Enterprise Management Metrics

workbook
This workbook contains metrics and associated detailed worksheets designed for analyzing the effect of
changes as they impact managing a multi-enterprise supply chain. They are particularly relevant for
Brand Owners with outsourced manufacturing.
Metric Details
Multi- Provides the total value of excess inventory for all parts and sites selected. Excess is calculated as all
Enterprise supply (on-hand plus on-order) that is not planned to be used within the next 365 days and is also
Excess not needed to satisfy fixed safety stock levels.
Total Excess by Part
Shows supply, demand, and excess by part and site.
Excess Differences by Part (Value)

Shows change, between the selected scenarios, in supply, demand, and excess by part and site.
Excess Differences by Part (Units)

Shows changes, between the selected scenarios, in supply, demand, and excess by part and site.
Late Calculates the total number of supply orders (whether firm, planned, or generated by the
Supplies calculations) that are projected to be available later than the date of the demand they are intended
to satisfy.
Late Supply Summary
Lists all parts with late supply in any of the selected scenarios.
Late Supply Differences

Provides a summarized list of parts with differences in late supply between selected scenarios.
Late Supply Details

Provides the details of differences in late supply between selected scenarios.

Multi-Enterprise Management Metrics workbook
Metric Details
Outsourced Counts the number of outsourced parts where, at any date, the running balance (cumulative
Parts with balance) of committed and projected available supply is less than the running total (cumulative
Shortages total) of the Brand Owner's current requirement.
Late Counts the number of dates where there is Brand Owner demand. It then compares the number of
Outsourced these dates where the running balance (cumulative balance) of outsourced supply is less than the
Supply (%) running balance of the current requirement. The ratio is reported as a percent.
On Time Counts the number of outsourced parts where there is Brand Owner demand. It then compares the
Outsourced number of these dates where the running balance (cumulative balance) of outsourced supply is
Supply (%) greater than or equal to the running balance of the current requirement. This ratio is reported as a
percent.
Outsourced Supply Summary
Summarizes for all parts, by Reference Part, Brand Location, and CM sites, if the committed and
projected available outsourced deliveries meets the stated current requirement.
Outsourced Summary Differences

Reports only differences between the selected scenarios.
Outsourced Shortage Details

Reports dates with shortages in any of the selected scenarios. That is, where the committed and
projected available outsourced supply does not meet the stated current requirement.
Outsourced Shortage Detailed Differences

Shows data where there are differences in shortages between the selected scenarios.
Parts with Counts the number of outsourced parts where the running balance (cumulative balance) of
Excess committed and projected available outsourced supply exceeds the running total (cumulative total)
Outsourced of the current requirements by more than the limit defined by the requirement target.
Supply
Outsourced Excess Summary
Summarizes for all parts whether the committed and projected available outsourced deliveries
meets the stated current requirement.
Parts with Counts the number of parts where the nettable inventory exceeds the requirement target.
Inventory
Exceeding
Target
Inventory Shows the value of inventory where the nettable inventory exceeds the requirement target.
Exceeding
Target
Excess Inventory by Part
Shows, by reference part and part, the value of inventory where the nettable inventory exceeds the
requirement target.
Parts with Counts the number of parts where the nettable inventory is below the requirement target.
Inventory
Below
Target

Metric Details
Inventory Shows the value of inventory where the nettable inventory is below the requirement target.
Below
Target
Inventory Below Target by Part
Shows, by reference part and part, the value of inventory where the nettable inventory is below the
requirement target.
Operations Metrics workbook

This workbook contains metrics and detailed worksheets designed for analyzing operational
performance. Currently the workbook contains metrics such as critical supply, average inventory, late
customer order revenue, total excess, and purchase costs.
Metric Details
Changes Identifies purchase order, work order, customer order, forecast, part master, and order policy changes
by Type between scenarios. A placeholder value, -1, is displayed for this metric in a scorecard.
Purchase Order Changes
Displays any purchase orders where either the order due date or order quantity have changed. This
includes any new or deleted purchase orders.
Transfer Order Changes

Displays any transfer orders where either the order due date or order quantity have changed. This
includes any new or deleted transfer orders.
Work Order Changes

Displays any work orders where either the order due date or order quantity have changed. This
includes any new or deleted work orders.
Customer Order Changes

Displays any customer orders where either the order due date, order quantity, or order priority has
changed. This includes any new or deleted customer orders.
Forecast Changes by Date

Displays forecast changes where the forecast quantity associated with a site and date has changed.
Forecast Change Details

Displays any forecast records where either the order due date, order quantity, or order priority has
changed. This includes any new or deleted forecast records.
OnHand Changes
Displays details about any on hand inventory where the quantity or number of inventory records have
changed.
Order Policy Changes

Displays order policy records where any of the displayed planning policies have changed.
Part Master Changes

Displays any part records where any of the safety stock, days of supply, or safety lead time planning
policies have changed.

Metric Details
Critical Displays the total number of critical supply orders. This metric considers all types of supply orders:
Supply work orders, purchase orders, and transfer orders.
Critical Supply Summary
Summarizes the critical supplies by Part and Site. All critical supplies are counted in each of the
selected scenarios. Use the table to determine which of the subsequent sheets has differences in
critical supplies.
Critical Firm Purchase Order Detail

Displays critical purchase orders where some aspect of the critical order has changed.
Critical Firm Transfer Order Detail

Displays critical transfer orders where some aspect of the critical order has changed.
Critical Inventory Transfer Detail

Displays critical inventory transfer where some aspect of the critical order has changed.
Critical Firm Work Order Detail

Displays critical work orders where some aspect of the critical order has changed.
Critical Planned Purchase Order Detail

Displays details of all critical planned purchase orders where either the supplier or quantity associated
with the order has changed.
Critical Planned Transfer Order Detail

Displays details of all critical planned transfer orders where either the supplier or quantity associated
Critical Planned Work Order Detail

Displays details of all critical planned work orders where either the due date or quantity associated
Inventory Displays the dollar value of average first year inventory, including in-process inventory. Inventory
1st Year balances are valued at standard unit cost. In-process inventory is valued at the costs associated with
Average the part source used to create the in-process supply.
Average Inventory by Planner
Displays the dollar value of average first year inventory associated with each planner.
Average Inventory by Part Type

Displays the dollar value of average first year inventory for each part type (for example, make, buy,
and so on).
Average Inventory by Part

Displays the dollar value of average first year inventory for each part.
Late Displays the total number of late customer orders. Customer orders are considered late if their
Customer available date is later than their due date.
Orders
Late Displays the dollar value of late customer orders.

Customer
Revenue
Late Customer Order Detail
Displays details on customer orders where the manufacturing due date (Mfg Due) will likely not be
met.

Metric Details
Purchase Displays the dollar value of firm purchase order supply that is recommended to be canceled.
Cancels
Purchase Order Cancels by Supplier
Shows a summary by site and supplier of open purchase supply recommended to be canceled.
Purchase Order Cancel Detail by Supplier

Displays order details of any open purchase order supply whose cancel recommendation, or the value
of cancellation, has changed.
Purchase Order Cancel Detail by Part

Displays order details of any open purchase order supply whose cancel recommendation, or the value
of the cancellation, has changed.
Purchase The value of purchase orders classified as excess. An order is excess if none of the supply is needed to
Order satisfy demand within the next 365 days (including safety stock), or that some portion of it is not
Excess needed at all.
Total The total value of excess inventory for all parts and sites selected. Excess is calculated as all supply (on
Excess hand plus on order) that is not planned to be used within the next 365 days and is also not needed to
satisfy fixed safety stock levels.
Excess by Part
Shows changes between the selected scenarios in supply, demand, and excess, by part and site.
Purchase Order Excess Details by Part

Displays purchase orders where some or all of the supply is not needed and where some aspect of the
order has changed.
Purchase Order Excess Details by Supplier

Displays purchase orders where some or all of the supply is not needed and where some aspect of the
order has changed.
Work Order Excess Details by Part

Displays work orders where some or all of the supply is not needed and where some aspect of the
order has changed.
Internal Transfer Order Excess Details

Displays transfer orders, from sites outside the set of sites currently selected in the workbook site
selection, where some or all of the supply is not needed and where some aspect of the order has
changed.
Total Displays the dollar value of all open and planned purchase orders.
Purchase
Cost
Purchase Summary by Supplier
Compares the level of purchase activity (the number of orders and value of those orders) required to
execute the selected scenarios.
Planned Purchases by Supplier

Displays changes in aggregate, quarterly MRP planned purchase orders, grouped by supplier and site,
between the selected scenarios.
Planned Purchase Value by Supplier

Displays change in aggregate, quarterly MRP recommended planned purchase order value, grouped
by supplier and site, between the selected scenarios, for all purchase parts.

Metric Details
Planned Purchase Order Detail
Displays planned purchase orders, by due date, where some aspect of the order has changed.
Purchase Expedites by Supplier

Displays suppliers and sites with changes in the number of open purchase orders that are
recommended to be expedited, categorized by the number of days to be expedited.
Purchase Expedites Value by Supplier

Displays suppliers and sites with changes in the value of open purchase orders that are recommended
to be expedited.
Purchase Order Expedite Details

Displays purchase orders to expedite where some aspect of the order has changed.
Late Purchases by Supplier

Displays suppliers and sties with changes in the number of open purchase orders that are not
recommended to be expedited, but that are planned to satisfy a demand that is due before the supply
is due (that is our definition of Late). The Late supplies are categorized by the number of days the
supply is due after its demand date.
Late Purchase Value by Supplier

Displays suppliers and sites with changes in the value of open purchase orders that are not
recommended to be expedited, but that are planned to satisfy a demand that is due before the supply
is due (that is our definition of Late).
Late Purchase Order Details

Displays purchase orders, with due dates later than the demand date but are not flagged for expedite,
where some aspect of the order has changed.
Purchase Delays by Supplier

Displays the value of open purchase orders, currently due in a quarter, that are recommended to be
delayed (de-expedited) to a subsequent quarter.
Purchase Delays Value by Supplier

Displays the value of open purchase orders, currently due in a quarter, that are recommended to be
delayed (de-expedited).
Purchase Order Delay Details

Displays order details for purchase orders recommended to be delayed (de-expedited) where the
MRP recommended date changes from scenario to scenario and is later than the current due date in
at least one of the scenarios being viewed.
Purchase Cancels by Supplier

Displays the number of open purchase orders that are recommended to be canceled, reported by
supplier and the site the supply is to be delivered to.
Purchase Cancels Value by Supplier

Displays the open purchase orders that are recommended to be canceled per supplier and site the
supply is to be delivered to.
Purchase Order Cancel Details

Displays purchase orders to cancel where some aspect of the order has changed.
No Change Purchases by Supplier

Displays suppliers and sites that have purchase orders that are properly aligned with supply and where
some aspects of these supplies has changed.

Metric Details
No Change Purchase Value by Supplier
Displays suppliers and sites that have purchase orders that are properly aligned with supply and where
some aspects of these supplies has changed.
No Change Purchase Order Details

Displays order details for purchase orders where there is no due date recommendation and where
some aspect of the order has changed.
Operations Metrics - By Date workbook

This workbook contains metrics and detailed worksheets designed for analyzing on time delivery
performance. Results are calculated for a specific time period.
Metric Details
On- Displays the ratio of the number of customer order lines that are projected to be available on time to
Time the total number of customer order lines as a percent. Customer orders are considered late if their
Delivery available date is later than their due date.
(%)
On-Time Delivery by Site
Displays details about the percentage of orders expected to be on time at each site.
On-Time Delivery by Customer

Displays details about the percentage of orders expected to be on time for each customer.
On-Time Delivery by Part

Displays details about the percentage of orders expected to be on-time for each part.
Late Order Detail

Displays details about customer orders where Manufacturing Due Date will likely not be met.
Responsibility Metrics workbook

You might have access to this workbook if your company has used RapidResponse version 2014.2 (or
earlier). This workbook contains metrics designed to drive scorecards using the same measures used for
automatically recommending action teams in RapidResponse version 2014.2 (and earlier). For more
information, see the RapidResponse User Guide and the RapidResponse Administration Guide for version
2014.2.
Metric Details
Late Supplies Calculates the maximum number of days that supply is late to satisfy demands.
Late Supply Details
Shows parts where the maximum number of days that supply is late to satisfy demands is different
between the selected scenarios.
Critical Reports the maximum lateness of Independent Demands, usually actual customer orders, but it
Lateness could also monitor any Independent Demands.

Operations Metrics - By Date workbook
Metric Details
Critical Late Order Details
Displays differences in the details of critical late orders in the selected scenarios. The worksheet is
included to show order details, such as Due Date and Quantity.
Firm Orders Counts the number of scheduled receipts that are projected to be available later than their due
to Expedite dates.
Late Firm Orders
Displays the details of firm orders in your selected scenarios. The worksheet is included to show
order details, such as Due Date and Quantity.

Part 11: Expressions
l Query language syntax
l Date calculations
l Variables
l Macros
CHAPTER 50: Query language syntax
Creating expressions with Expression Builder 1117

Expression assistance and auto-completion 1120
Fields 1124
Data types and constants 1127
Arithmetic operators 1129
Comparison operators 1132
Logical operators 1137
Set operators 1145
Mathematical functions 1163
Text functions 1168
Conversion functions 1191
Currency functions 1204
Statistical functions 1209
Lookup and reference functions 1213
Miscellaneous functions 1224
MonoIncSequence 1241
ChangedInScenario 1242
Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax 1244
Query expressions are the foundation of RapidResponse resources such as workbooks and filters, and
are used to retrieve and manipulate data from the RapidResponse data model.
There are two types of query expressions you can create.

Expression Description
type
Column Determines the data that displays in a given worksheet column. They are written so that
they return a value (a String, Quantity, Integer, Date, or Time). The simplest column
expression returns a value from a field in the RapidResponse data model. In other cases,
calculated expressions are written that perform calculations involving one or more
fields.
Logical Sets the conditions that data must meet in order to display in a worksheet, and ensures
a more manageable and focused set of records. They should always be written so that
they evaluate to True (records are returned) or False (records are not returned).
Logical expressions are mainly used in two places; when creating a filter or within a
worksheet filter expression. Filters are typically based on the Part table, and are created
with the expectation they will be used across multiple worksheets. A worksheet filter
expression is a logical expression embedded directly in a worksheet, and is used to
address the basic purpose(s) of the worksheet. For more information, see "Authoring
and managing filters" on page 191 and "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
Logical expressions can also be included in column expressions if you want to return a
Y (true) or N (false) value. In some cases, these can be used in place of a more
complicated conditional expression.
Components of a query expression

Each query expression, whether a logical or column expression, can contain a combination of fields,
constants, and operators as outlined in the following table.
Query Description
element
Field Fields contain RapidResponse data, and are the most common elements included in query
expressions. For example, there are fields that contain part names, sourcing info, order
numbers, and so on.
Constant Constants are static values that can be included in your expressions. For example, you can
include a text String or a specific Date value.
Operator Operators are used to perform various calculations on the field values and/or constants in
your expressions. For example, operators can be used to multiply two fields together, or
compare one value against another.
Functions Functions take field values and/or constants as input, typically along with one or more
other arguments, and then return some specific information or output relating to the data
it evaluated.
Fields and constants in any query expression can be represented by variables. For more information, see
"Variables" on page 1261.
Basic query syntax

Expression syntax specifies the order that fields, constants, and operators can appear in. For example,
the logical expression Quantity > 20 contains a field, comparison operator, and constant, and
returns all records that have a Quantity value greater than 20.
The following shows the syntax used when creating simple column and logical expressions.

Expression Acceptable Syntax Example
Type
Column l <field> l Quantity
l <constant> l 'Yes'
l <field> <arithmetic operator> l Quantity + 200
<constant> l Quantity *
l <field> <arithmetic operator> UnitSellingPrice
<field>
Logical l <field> <comparison operator> l Quantity > 20
<constant> l DueDate <> AvailableDate
l <field> <comparison operator> l (AvailableDate -
<field> DueDate) = (PromisedDate
l <column expression> <comparison - RequestDate)
operator> <column expression>
Expressions you create should use the operators and fields that most directly access the data you
require. For example, if you are searching for two similar part names, an expression using an IN
expression with the list of part names (Part IN 'PLU-convert', 'PLU-finished') is more
efficient than one using a LIKE expression that compares to all values in the Part field (Part LIKE
'PLU*'). For more information about these expressions, see "LIKE and NOT LIKE" on page 1134 and "IN
" on page 1141.
NOTE: As you begin creating more complex expressions, the syntax used will expand beyond what
is shown above. For example, you can include if-then-else statements and you can combine
multiple simple expressions together.
Creating expressions with Expression Builder

RapidResponse includes the Expression Builder, which you can use to create query expressions.
Expression Builder provides access to every field in the table a worksheet (or other resource) is based
on, all the operators and functions in the RapidResponse query language, the variables defined in the
workbook, profile variables available to you, standard variables, worksheets in the workbook, and
columns in the worksheet.
Expressions typically contain at least one field, column identifier, or variable, and at least one operator or
function. Depending on the operators and fields you use, you can create other expressions to limit the
amount of data processed by your expression. For example, if you create an expression to find the
maximum value in a set, you can include another expression to limit the records examined.
You can create an expression using any number of fields, operators, functions, variables, worksheet
identifiers, column values, but the expression must be valid. In addition, a very large expression can take
a long time to calculate, and might impact system performance. You should try to keep your expression
short whenever possible.
If your expression performs mathematical functions with dates, you must specify the calendar used to
perform the calculation. For more information, see "Specifying the calendar used in date calculations" on
page 1257.
Expression Builder is shown in the following illustration.

NOTE: If you are an administrator, and are creating a change data capture worksheet, if you add
an input Money field, the RAWVALUE function is automatically applied to the field. For more
information, see "RAWVALUE" on page 1209.
NOTE: $$ syntax is used for form controls and $$ syntax is used for workbook, profile, and system
variables.
▶Create an expression
1. In any resource authoring dialog box, click Expression Builder.

2. In the Expression box, click where you want to insert a field, operator, variable, or column.
3. Double-click the field, operator, variable, or column you want to add to the expression.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each field, operator, variable, or column your expression requires.
5. To ensure the expression is correct, click Validate.
6. Click OK.
▶Add a field to an expression
1. In Expression Builder, in the Expression box, click where you want to insert the field.
2. Click the Fields tab.
3. To add a field on the table the resource is based on, double-click that field

4. To add a field from a referenced field, click the + symbol beside the reference field, and then
double-click the field you want to add.
NOTE: For more information about fields, see "Fields" on page 1124.
NOTE: For worksheet columns that calculate results based on the results of other columns, you
cannot add fields to the expression, and the Fields tab is not available.
TIP: To learn more about a specific field in Expression Builder, you can click it in the Fields list, and
then click More information.
▶Add an operator or function to an expression
1. In Expression Builder, in the Expression box, click where you want to insert the operator.
2. Optionally, in the Category list, click the type of operator or function you want to add.
3. In the Function list, double-click the function and syntax you want to add.
When you click a function or operator, its required syntax is displayed under the Function list.
Your expression must match this syntax to be considered valid (excluding any optional
arguments).
TIP: To learn more about a specific function or operator in Expression Builder, you can click it in
the Functions and Operators list, and then click More information.
▶Add a set field to an expression
1. To see set fields in the list of fields, select the Show set fields check box.
2. In the Expression box, click where you want to insert the set field.
3. In the Category list, click Set.
4. In the Function list, double-click the set operator you want to apply to the set field.
5. On the Fields tab, double-click the set field you want to add.
6. If necessary, add an expression after the set field to limit the data processed by the set operator.
This expression uses either a field in the set field's table, and must be enclosed in square brackets
([ ]).
For example, the following expression returns the number of independent demand records that
have a quantity greater than 500.
COUNT IndependentDemands [Quantity > 500]
NOTE: For more information about using set fields in expressions, see "Set operators" on page
1145.
▶Add a variable to an expression
1. In Expression Builder, in the Expression box, click where you want to insert the variable.
2. Click the Variables tab.
3. Double-click the variable you want to add.

4. If the variable you want does not exist, click the Variable button, and then click New Workbook
Variable or New Profile Variable to create the variable you require.
NOTE: For more information about variables, see "Profile variables" on page 1296, "System
variables" on page 1301, and "Workbook variables" on page 1262.
NOTE: You can sort the list of variables by clicking the Name or Type column header.
NOTE: The Variables tab might not display in Expression Builder if the worksheet is designed to
display cached results. For more information, see "Caching worksheet results" on page 329.
▶Search for a variable
1. In the Expression Builder dialog box, click the Variables tab.

2. In the search box, type any portion of the name of the variable you want to find.
3. If you want to change how the metric list is searched, click the Search icon, and then click one
of the following:
l All—Searches both the name and type columns for the words you typed in the search box.
l Name—Searches only the list of variable names for the words you typed in the search box.
l Type—Searches only the list of variable types for the words you typed in the search box.
4. If you want to change how your search words match the metrics and workbooks in the metric list,
click the Search icon, and then click one of the following:
l Match from start—The words you type in the search box can match only the beginning of the
variable name or type.
l Match anywhere—The words you type in the search box can match any part of the variable
name or type.
5. To clear the search box, click the X button .
▶Add a worksheet identifier to an expression
1. In Expression Builder, in the Expression box, click where you want to insert the column.
2. Click the Worksheet IDs tab.
3. Double-click the worksheet you want to add.
▶Add a column identifier to an expression
1. In Expression Builder, in the Expression box, click where you want to insert the column.
2. Click the Column IDs tab.
3. Double-click the column you want to add.
Expression assistance and auto-completion

When you create expressions, you can view and select expression syntax from an automatically-
generated list of suggestions. You can select fields, functions, variables, worksheet identifiers, and
column identifiers from the list. Each type is presented in a separate list, and the suggestions that are
supplied depend on the context of the expression. For example, if you have a blank expression, the list

includes every field in the table the worksheet is based on. If the expression contains a reference field,
the list includes the fields from that table.
The syntax types available in the list depend on the resource type you are creating. For example, if you
are creating a filter expression, only fields, functions, and profile variables are available. In addition, for
workbooks, workbook variables are displayed only if the workbook contains variables. Likewise,
worksheet identifiers and column identifiers are displayed only if other worksheets or columns have
been defined and responsibility groups are displayed only if at least one group is responsible for data.
Auto-completion lists are available in both the Expression boxes in the resource properties dialog boxes
and in Expression Builder.
Resource type Auto-complete lists

Worksheets (columns and filters) l Fields
l Functions
l Workbook variables
l Profile variables
l Worksheet
identifiers
l Column identifiers
l Responsibility
groups
Worksheets (hide worksheet or column expression) l Functions

l Profile variables
Filters l Fields
l Functions
l Profile variables
Hierarchies l Fields
l Functions
l Profile variables
Workbook variables l Fields

l Functions
l Profile variables
Insert definitions l Fields

l Functions
l Profile variables
You can open the auto-complete list for assistance with creating expressions. In addition, you can
optionally open the list automatically when you type a period for a reference field or a dollar sign ($) for
a variable. You can navigate the list by typing in the expression, as shown in the following illustration.

In addition to inserting fields, functions, or variables, you can replace parts of an expression. For
example, if you have a column with the expression BuyerCode.Site.Currency.Value, you can
replace any part of the expression. By placing the cursor in the Currency portion of the expression, the
auto-complete list shows the fields from the Site table, as shown in the following illustration.

The field you click in the list replaces the selected field.
Only the selected field is replaced. In this case, if the ControlSet reference did not have a Value field or
was not a reference field, the expression would not be valid.
▶Enable auto-completion
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the Settings tab.
l To automatically open the auto-complete list, select the Auto-complete expressions check
box.

l To open the auto-complete list only when you request it, clear the Auto-complete
expressions check box.
TIP: If profile pictures are enabled on your RapidResponse system, you can access Options by
clicking on your profile picture in the RapidResponse toolbar.
▶View and select syntax
1. In an Expression box, do one of the following:

l Press CTRL + Space. The list opens with Fields displayed.
l If you have enabled the auto-complete list to open automatically, type a reference field,
followed by a period. The list opens with Fields displayed.
l If you have enabled the auto-complete list to open automatically, type a dollar sign ($). The list
opens with Workbook variables or Profile variables displayed.
2. Change the items displayed in the list by doing one of the following:
l To view the next type of item, press CTRL + Space.
l To view the previous type of item, press CTRL + Shift + Space.
3. Optionally, type the first characters of the item you want to insert.
4. To insert the item, do one of the following:
l In the list, double-click the item.
l Press Enter.
NOTE: If your computer supports multiple languages, the CTRL + Space shortcut might change
keyboard layouts and not display the auto-complete list. In this case, you can use Ctrl + Shift
+ Space to open the list.
NOTE: Responsibility groups are displayed only if groups with responsibility have been defined.
TIP: You can also click the < or > buttons to move between syntax types.
Fields
Fields are the most common elements included in your query expressions, and return values stored in
the RapidResponse data model. Typically, field's name is all that is required to include it in an expression.
However, depending on the field type, and in some cases its namespace, additional syntax might be
required.
Field types
Depending on a field’s type, a particular syntax is required to include it in a query expression. As well,
each field type is represented by a particular icon in RapidResponse.

Field Icon Description and syntax
type
Base To include a base field in an expression, all that is required is the name of the field.
For example, from a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table, the
following returns the order quantity.
Quantity
Key A key field is used to identify records. A key field is included in expressions the
same way as base fields. For more information, see "Add a base field as a column"
on page 359.
Calculated A calculated field is a base field that contains a value determined by

RapidResponse, and cannot be modified. A calculated field is included in
expressions the same way as base fields.
Reference To include a reference field in an expression, a period (.) must be included after
each table the expression travels through to access the desired field. For example,
from a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table, the following returns
the name of the customer associated with the order.
Order.Customer.Name
Reference The reference key field returns a reference to the table's key fields, which are used
Key to identify records. A reference key field is included in expressions the same way
as reference fields. For more information, see "Add a table reference as a column"
on page 360.
Calculated A calculated reference field returns a reference to a calculated table, which

Reference contains values determined by RapidResponse. Values in a calculated table cannot
be modified. A calculated reference is added to an expression the same way as
reference fields. For more information, see "Add a table reference as a column" on
page 360.
Set Because set fields represent a set of grouped records in another table, they cannot
be used in expressions in the same manner as other fields. Instead, a set field must
be preceded with a set operator that returns a specific detail about the set. For
example, from a worksheet based on the Part table, the following returns the
number of scheduled receipts for the part.
COUNT ScheduledReceipts
Calculated A set field that represents a reference from a calculated table. These fields must be
Set accessed using a set operator that returns specific information about the set.
Vector Set A vector set field represents a set of date-phased detail records for each record in
the table. A vector set field must be preceded with a set operator that returns a
specific detail about the set.
In composite worksheets, you can also add columns from other worksheets. Columns are identified
using the following icons.

Fields
Column Icon Description and syntax
type
Base A column from a component worksheet. To include a base column in an
expression, the name of the worksheet and the name of the column, separated by
an exclamation point, are required. For example, from a worksheet named
ScheduledReceipt, the following returns the order quantity.
ScheduledReceipt!Quantity
Key A column used to group records in the worksheet. A key column is included in
expressions the same way as base columns. For more information, see "Add or
remove composite worksheet columns" on page 488.
Reference A column that contains a reference to the table the worksheet is based on. These
columns allow you to add fields from the table. For more information, see "Add
and remove columns" on page 358.
Reference A column used to group records, and that contains a reference to the table the
Key worksheet is based on. These columns allow you to add fields from the table. For
more information, see "Add and remove columns" on page 358.
NOTE: For an introduction to the RapidResponse data model, including detailed descriptions of
each field type, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Field namespaces
All tables and fields in the RapidResponse data model belong to a namespace. For example, the
standard RapidResponse data model includes two namespaces; Core and Mfg. Core holds a small group
of foundational tables used to support calculations in other namespaces (such as, the Site and Calendar
tables), while Mfg which holds supply and demand data used to support Supply Chain Management
and Sales and Operations Planning in RapidResponse (such as, the Part and PlannedOrder tables).
Namespaces are meant act as containers to identify or give context to groupings of related data model
tables and fields. This provides a means to distinguish between multiple tables, or multiple fields on a
given table, that have the same name but different purposes.
As discussed previously, RapidResponse fields are included in query expressions by specifying the field
name. In some cases, though, a field's namespace must be included along with the field name in an
expression. This is required when a field in a table belongs to a different namespace than the table itself.
Such fields must be namespace qualified in expressions using the format namespace::fieldName.
If writing query expressions based on the standard RapidResponse data model, namespace qualified
field names are seldom required. This is because the majority of standard fields defined on tables in the
Core and Mfg namespaces belong to the same namespace as their table. This includes reference fields
on tables in the Mfg namespace that point to tables in the Core namespace. For example, to use the Site
reference field on the Part table, only Site is required. However, any set fields on those Core tables that
report groups of records in the Mfg tables that reference them are themselves defined in the Mfg
namespace and therefore must be namespace qualified. For example, a set expression on the Site table
might be Count Mfg::Parts or Has Mfg::DemandOrders.
If writing query expressions based on custom RapidResponse fields, then namespace qualified fields are
more frequently required. This is because the Core and Mfg namespaces are read-only and so any
custom fields added to them must be defined in a custom namespace created by your company. For
example, if your company created a custom namespace called XYZ, it could be used to add custom fields
to tables in the Core or Mfg namespaces and those fields would require namespace qualification. For

example, an expression might look like XYZ::Ratio or XYZ::Location.Country.Id. However, if
you defined any custom tables within the XYZ namespace, then all fields within those table could
typically be defined within the XYZ namespace as well.
For more information about namespaces in RapidResponse, see either the RapidResponse Analytic and
Data Model Guide, RapidResponse Data Integration Guide, or talk to your RapidResponse administrator.
NOTE: Table names are seldom required in your query expressions because table selections are
typically made through the RapidResponse interface (such as, when creating a new worksheet).
However, in some situations (for example, to support certain legacy query syntax), a table name is
used within an expression. In these cases, the table must be namespace qualified in the format
namespace::tableName.
Data types and constants

Each field in the RapidResponse data model belongs to one of eight data types. Your query expressions
can also include fields that contain these data types as well as constant values belonging to any of these
data types.
Data types
The following table describes the data types in RapidResponse.
Data Description
type
Boolean A Y (Yes or True) or N (No or False) value.
Date A date value. The valid date range is from January 2, 1970 to December 31, 2037. Undefined,
Future, and Past values are also permitted, and represent dates outside the valid range.
DateTime A date and time value with the same range as the Date type. Undefined, Future, and Past
values are also permitted.
Integer Any whole number and, optionally, a minus sign. Valid range is -2,147,483,648 to
2,147,483,647.
Money Any money value, consisting of a number and an associated currency. The valid range of
values is -1.79769313486231E308 to 1.79769313486231E308.
Values with more than 308 decimal places (E-308) are interpreted as zero values.
Quantity One or a series of digits containing a decimal point, and, optionally, a minus sign. The valid
range of values is -1.79769313486231E308 to 1.79769313486231E308.
Values with more than 308 decimal places (E-308) are interpreted as zero values.
String A series of alphanumeric characters.
Time A time value. Undefined is not permitted for Time.
NOTE: In RapidResponse worksheets, integer values may be displayed with decimal places
although the underlying integer fields in the database contain whole numbers. As well, when
performing certain arithmetic operations on integer fields (particularly division), the calculated

Data types and constants
values returned may not be whole numbers. For example, if an integer field contains a value of "5"
and a column expression divides that value by 3, the actual result generated would be
1.666666667.
NOTE: String manipulation, such as concatenating strings or modifying lists of string data, can
impact system performance and memory consumption. It is recommended you avoid manipulating
strings in query expressions, and only retrieve strings.
Constant values
The following table describes the rules for including constant values of different data types in your
query expressions.
Data To include a constant value

type
Date Must be entered in one of the following formats (unless using one of the RapidResponse
date constants):
l yyyy-mm-dd (recommended format)
l mm/dd/yy
l mm/dd/yyyy
l mm-dd-yy
l mm-dd-yyyy
DateTime Must contain a date value in the yyyy-mm-dd format, followed by either a blank space or a
T, and then a time value in a colon separated 24-hour clock format (seconds are optional).
For example:
2010-12-31 15:55:20
By default, your local time zone is assumed. However, if an absolute time zone reference is
required, a Z can be used to represent UTC time, and a + or - followed some number of
hours (and optional minutes) can be used to specify a time zone offset from UTC. For
example, the following constant values refer to the same point in time:
2010-12-31 13:30Z
2010-12-31 08:30-05
2010-12-31T20:30+07:00
When creating queries containing DateTime values and equality operators (for example, =
and <=) ensure you specify a seconds value.
Integer Must begin with a numeral (0-9), or a minus sign (-). For example, 6 or -6.
Quantity Must begin with a numeral (0-9), a minus sign (-), or a decimal (.). For example, 5, -5.1, or,
and 5.4.
Money For Money values, you do not have to specify the currency symbol.
String Must be enclosed in single quotes or double quotes. For example, 'cruiser' or
"cruiser".
If you want to escape special characters within a string, the backslash character can be
used (\). For example, Like 'ac\*'. String constants can also be defined as verbatim
string literals in order to ensure characters between the delimiter quotes are interpreted
verbatim. Verbatim string literals are defined by preceding the quoted string with the @
symbol (for example, @"cruiser").
Time Must be specified in a colon separated 24-hour clock format (seconds are optional). For
example, 13:22:01

Date and DateTime constants
Besides entering an explicit Date or DateTime value, RapidResponse supports Date and DateTime
constants that can be included in your query expressions.
The following table list Date constants that can be used in your query expressions.
Constant Represents
Today Today’s date based on the time zone set on your computer (that is, the current date on
the computer on which RapidResponse Server is installed converted to the time zone
defined on the computer you are using to access RapidResponse).
Past A date earlier than any calendar definition. This constant can also be used in expressions
that require a DateTime value.
Future A date later than any calendar definition. This constant can also be used in expressions
that require a DateTime value.
Undefined Any date value that has not been defined. This constant is often used when searching for
missing dates. This constant can also be used in expressions that require a DateTime
value.
MRPDate Depending on how RapidResponse is configured, the earliest or latest date in any
calendar that has been referenced as PlanningCalendars.RunDate.FirstDate.
This constant should be used with care. For example, across sites or when data updates
are performed, different parts might have different run dates. In these cases, the MRPDate
constant might not always return the intended date.
To avoid this date issue, you should instead use
PlanningCalendars.RunDate.FirstDate in your expression whenever you are
working with a specific part. This is a field in the RapidResponse data model. It returns the
date of the latest data update for a specific part’s site. This is the earliest date that action
can be taken, such as creating a planned order, on this part. This expression can only be
used with a Part context.
The following table lists DateTime constants that can be included in your query expressions.
Constant Represents
Now The current date and time. This value is represented using the user's personal date and
time settings as specified in the Settings tab of the Options dialog box.
When this constant is used in a query, it represents the date and time at which the query
started. If you enter Now as expression in a column, it returns the same value in each row.
If you want to create a unique date/time stamp, use the TimeStamp function. For more
information, see "TimeStamp" on page 1239.
Arithmetic operators
Using arithmetic operators you can create field expressions by combining field values together with
constants or other field values. These expressions adhere to order of operations; multiplication and
division are done before addition and subtraction, and in a left to right order. You can override the
default order of operations by using parentheses.

Operator Description
+ Adds any two values together (including text Strings).
- Subtracts one value from another.
* Multiplies two values together.
/ Divides one value by another.
DIV Divides one value by another and overrides non-numeric results with specified values. For more
information and examples, see "DIV and examples" on page 1131.
Arithmetic operators can use only compatible data types. For example, you can multiply a Quantity value
by a Quantity value, but not a Quantity value by a String value. Some operators produce valid results
depending on which part of the expression is using a particular data type. For example, you can divide a
Money value by a Quantity value, but not a Quantity value by a Money value. You can also convert some
data types using arithmetic operators, as shown in the following table.
Operation Result
Quantity * Money
Money
Money / Money Quantity
Money / Money
Quantity
Date + Quantity Date
Date - Date Quantity (in days)
Time - Time Quantity (in seconds)
DateTime - Quantity (in days or other specified units of time) For more information, see "DateTime
DateTime calculations" on page 1258.
Examples for +, -, *, and /

The following are column expressions based on the IndependentDemand table.
To return Enter
The Order ID and line number together with a single space in between. Order.ID + ' ' +
Line
Number of days between the customer promised date and the due date for the order. PromisedDate -
DueDate
The due date plus 5 days. DueDate + 5
Five percent above the unit selling price for the order UnitSellingPrice
* 1.05

To return Enter
The late revenue of an order (Quantity -
OnTimeQuantity)
*
UnitSellingPrice
The percentage of the order size expected to be delivered on time. OnTimeQuantity /

NOTE: When calculating percentages in a column expression, it is recommended to Quantity
enable the Display as % setting. This setting automatically multiplies the expression result
by 100 and adds the percentage symbol (%) to the column data.
NOTE: When using arithmetic operators with Quantity and Money fields, you can add or subtract
only fields of the same type. For example, you can add a Money value to a Money value or subtract
a Quantity value from a Quantity value, but you cannot add a Money value to a Quantity value. If
required, you can convert a Quantity value to a Money value . For more information, see
"MONEYVALUE" on page 1207.
NOTE: When using arithmetic operators with Dates, you can specify a calendar interval for
calculations to be performed in. For example, values can be calculated in calendar days, workdays,
weeks, and so on.
NOTE: It is recommended to use spaces around arithmetic operators to avoid constant arithmetic
expressions being interpreted as date constants. For example, 2008 - 02 - 28 could be interpreted
as February 28, 2008 if spaces were not included (that is, 2008-02-28).
DIV and examples

DIV is an arithmetic operator that divides one value by another and overrides non-numeric results with
specified values. The DIV operator is similar to the / operator. However, when you use DIV you can
control how non-numeric results are returned and displayed in RapidResponse. Non-numeric results
include Infinity (INF) and Not a Number (NaN).
Infinity is the result of a calculation that is too large to be represented in RapidResponse. This typically
happens when a non-zero value is divided by zero, or if two very large values are added or multiplied.
Infinity can be negative or positive, represented as -INF and INF, respectively.
Not a Number is the result of a calculation that is not a number that can be represented in
RapidResponse. This typically happens when a zero value is divided by another zero value, or when two
infinite values are subtracted or divided.
The DIV operator uses the following syntax:
DIV (numerator, denominator [, result_if_NaN [, result_if_INF]] )
Where:
l numerator—expression for the numerator.

l denominator—expression for the denominator.
l result_if_NaN—a quantity expression to use if the division result is Not a Number (NaN). This
argument is optional but if used the result_if_INF argument must also be used.

l result_if_INF—a quantity expression to use if the division result is Infinity (INF or -INF). This
argument is optional but if used the result_if_NaN argument must also be used.
Syntax example Description

DIV (OnTimeQuantity, Quantity) OnTimeQuantity is divided by Quantity. If the / operator is
used instead, the same result is returned.
DIV (OnTimeQuantity, Quantity, OnTimeQuantity is divided by Quantity. If the result is non-
INVALID, INVALID) numeric then INVALID is returned.
DIV (OnTimeQuantity, Quantity, OnTimeQuantity is divided by Quantity. If the result is non-

OnTimeQuantity, OnTimeQuantity) numeric then the OnTimeQuantity is returned.
Comparison operators
Comparison operator let you compare field values to other field values or constants. These types of
operators are most often used to create conditions in logical expressions.
The table below summarizes the comparison operators available in RapidResponse:
"Basic These operators are most often used to create conditions in logical expressions.
comparison
operators
(< = >)" on
page 1132
"LIKE and Compares a String field against a String pattern and returns records only if the
NOT LIKE" specified pattern is matched (LIKE) or not matched (NOT LIKE).
on page
1134
"ISMATCH" Enables the use of regular expressions for string comparisons within
on page RapidResponse query expressions.
1135
Basic comparison operators (< = >)

Using basic comparison operators, you can compare field values against other field values or constants.
Typically, these are used in logical expressions to create conditions that a record must meet in order to
display. For example, you may want to return only records for orders that are more than a specified
number of days late.
You can also use comparison operators in column expressions to test for a given condition and then
return a Y (if true) or N (if false) value.
= Equal to.
<> Not equal to.

< Less than (Quantities).
Before (Dates).
<= Less than or equal to (Quantities).
Before and including (Dates).
> Greater than (Quantities) After (Dates).
>= Greater than or equal to (Quantities)
After and including (Dates).
Filter examples
The following table shows comparison operators used in filter expressions based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Only the part named racer. Name = 'racer'
All parts of a type other than phantom. Type.Value <> 'phantom'
Only parts having a cumulative lead time less than CumLeadTime < 10
10 days
Only parts having a cumulative lead time less than CumLeadTime <= 10
or equal to 10 days
All parts where the quantity of the part exceeds (TotalEffScheduledReceipt +
the demand for the part. TotalNettableOnHand - TotalDemand) > 0
All parts where the standard unit cost is greater StdUnitCost >= 300
than or equal to $300
NOTE: When comparing Date values, you can include any of the RapidResponse date constants in
your expression.
NOTE: If you need to compare a String field against a String pattern, you can use wildcards.
Column examples
The following table shows comparison operators used in column expressions based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Y (true) if the part has more than 500 planned orders, and N (false) TotalPlannedOrderCount >
otherwise. 500
Y (true) if the part has no planner code defined, and an N (false) otherwise. PlannerCode.Value = ' '
Y (true) if the part has no standard unit cost defined, and N (false) StdUnitCost = 0
otherwise.

NOTE: Comparison operators can also be used in conjunction with the IF operator to create more
complex column expressions. For example, you can write expressions that return a specified field
value if a condition is satisfied, and a calculated expression if it is not . For more information, see
"IF" on page 1138.
LIKE and NOT LIKE

The LIKE and NOT LIKE operators can used along with the available wildcard characters to provide more
flexibility in string comparisons by allowing you to search for String patterns instead of exact text.
LIKE Compares a String field against a String pattern (including wildcards), and returns records only if the
pattern specified is matched.
An expression using the LIKE operator must be written as: StringField LIKE 'pattern'
Otherwise, the expression will return incorrect results.
NOT LIKE Compares a String field against a String pattern (including wildcards), and returns records only if they
do not match the pattern specified. Can also be written as !LIKE.
An expression using the NOT LIKE operator must be written as: StringField NOT LIKE
'pattern'
Otherwise, the expression will return incorrect results.
? A wildcard representing any single character.
* A wildcard representing any number of characters (including none).
You can search for the wildcard characters (? and *) by using the escape character (\). The escape
character causes the wildcard character to be interpreted as a text character, and is placed before the
wildcard in the query expression.
NOTE: For advanced pattern matching in string comparisons, you can also use the
ISMATCH function which enables the use of regular expressions within the query language. For
more information, see "ISMATCH" on page 1135.
NOTE: If you are searching for records that match a limited number of items, it can be more
efficient to use the IN function with a list of values than to use the LIKE function with wildcards.
Using the IN function processes fewer records, and can improve worksheet performance. For
more information, see "IN " on page 1141.
Examples
The following are filter expressions based on the Part table.
To return Enter
All parts whose name starts with “b34” and ends with any three characters. Name LIKE 'b34???'
All parts whose name does not begin with the letter “b” Name NOT LIKE 'b*'

To return Enter
All parts that do not contain “ac” in their name Name !LIKE '*ac*'
All parts whose name starts with “a*b” Name LIKE 'a\*b*'
NOTE: If the LIKE and NOT LIKE operators are used without wildcards, then LIKE is equivalent to
the = operator, and NOTLIKE is equivalent to the <> operator. If ? and * are not used without LIKE
or NOT LIKE, then they are interpreted as the conditional and multiplication operators
respectively.
ISMATCH
The ISMATCH function enables the use of regular expressions for string comparisons within
RapidResponse query expressions. When performing string comparisons, regular expressions let you
define patterns to look for within a string based on specified characters, character ranges, number or
position of those characters, and so on. For example, you could use a regular expression to match part
names that follow a particular naming convention or that contain forbidden character patterns. The use
of regular expressions can increase the power and flexibility available to you when performing string
comparisons, and often allows complex string comparison functions to be performed within a single
operation. For example, a single regular expression pattern can be used to check whether a Part name
contains any alpha characters as compared to having to use the OR operator to combine multiple
criteria using the LIKE operator.
The ISMATCH function returns a boolean Y (true) if a string matches a specified regular expression
pattern, and a boolean N (false) if it does not. The following syntax is used:
ISMATCH(string, pattern)
where
l string indicates the string field or expression in which to look for the specified pattern.
l pattern is a regular expression string defining the character pattern against which the string
parameter is compared. By default, any alpha characters included in the regular expression pattern
are assumed to be case insensitive, however case sensitivity can be enabled using the ?-i syntax
as shown in the example section below. Regular expression patterns can also make use of certain
characters that have special meaning in a pattern. For example, the caret character (^) can be used
both to indicate that the pattern should match from the beginning of the string only as well as to
specify negation within a character group. If you need to include special characters such as this in
the actual string pattern you are searching for, they should be preceded with a backslash
character (\). Regular expression patterns also support special interpretations of certain alpha
characters if preceded by a backslash. For example, \b can be used to indicate the pattern only
matches if it occurs at a word boundary. If including these or similar backslash constructs in your
regular expression patterns, you should specify the pattern as a verbatim string literal to ensure
the backslashes are interpreted as intended (that is, use @'string' instead of just 'string'.
See the example section below for cases where verbatim string literals might be used.
NOTE: The ISMATCH function relies on regular expression syntax as implemented in the Microsoft
.NET Framework. For a complete reference on the supported syntax for defining string patterns,
see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/az24scfc.aspx.

NOTE: If you want to replace the patterns found in your input strings with specified character
strings, you can use the REPLACE function instead. For more information, see "REPLACE" on page
1186.
Examples
The following table shows column expressions using the ISMATCH function.
Entering Returns
ISMATCH(Value, '[a-z]') Y (true) if the Value field contains any alpha characters, and N (false) if it does
not.
ISMATCH(Value, '(?-i) Y (true) if the Value field contains a lower case vowel, and N (false) if it does not.
[aeiou]')
ISMATCH(Value, '[^a-z0- Y (true) if the Value field contains anything other than alphanumeric characters
9-]') or a dash, and N (false) if it does not.
ISMATCH(Value, '^cpu[0- Y (true) if the Value field begins with the string "cpu" followed by any three
9]{3}-') numerals and the dash character, and N (false) if it does not.
ISMATCH(Value, @'^\^cpu Y (true) if the Value field begins with the string "^cpu" followed by any three
[0-9]{3}-') numerals and the dash character, and N (false) if it does not.
ISMATCH(Value, '[a-z] Y (true) if the last five characters in the Value field consist of an alpha character
[0-9]{4}$') followed by four numerals, and N (false) if they do not.
ISMATCH(Description, ' Y (true) if the Description field contains either an exclamation mark (!), question
[!?*]') mark (?), or asterisk (*), and N (false) if does not contain any of those characters.
ISMATCH(Description, ' Y (true) if the Description field contains two consecutive upper case alpha
(?-i)[A-Z]{2}.') characters followed by any character, and N (false) if it does not.
ISMATCH(Description, @' Y (true) if the Description field contains a number formatted as a dollar value
(\$[0-9]+)(\.[0-9] with decimal places (assuming no thousands separator), and N (false) if it does
{2})') not.
ISMATCH('audio Y (true)
chipset', 'chip')
ISMATCH('audio Y (true)
chipset', @'\bchip')
ISMATCH('audio N (false)
chipset', @'\bchip\b')
NOTE: Parentheses can be used to group parts of a regular expression pattern together. This
allows operations to be applied to the entire group and can also improve readability of the
expression. Parentheses also have additional functionality if used within the pattern within the
REPLACE function. For more information, see "REPLACE" on page 1186.

Logical operators
You can create compound expressions by combing two or more logical expressions using logical
operators.
The table below summarizes the logical operators available in RapidResponse:
"AND, OR, and NOT" on Combines two or more logical expressions to form a compound or complex
page 1137 expression.
"IF" on page 1138 Conditional operator that creates If-Then-Else statements in your queries.
"IN " on page 1141 Compares a single field or expression against a list of constant values or against values
returned by a specified worksheet.
AND, OR, and NOT

Using logical operators, two or more logical expressions can be combined to form a more complex
expression; that is, a compound expression. For example, you can create a logical expression specifying
several sets of criteria a record must meet.
AND Returns records that satisfy the logical expressions on both sides of the operator.
logical1 AND logical2
OR Returns records that satisfy the logical expressions on either side of the operator.
logical1 OR logical2
NOT Placed before an expression, to indicate only records not matching the expression are returned.
NOTE: When comparing a single field value against several String constants, the IN operator can
be used in place of several OR expressions.
TIP: Symbols can be used as short forms in place of the full operator names shown in the table
above. An ampersand (&) can be used in place of AND, a pipe (|) can be used in place of OR, and an
exclamation mark (!) used in place of NOT. However, it is recommended to use the full operator
names as this improves expression readability and avoids certain ambiguities which might arise.
For example, the exclamation mark (!) is also used when adding columns to composite worksheets
or referencing other columns in a second pass column expression.
Operator precedence
When multiple logical operators are used in an expression, the order in which they are evaluated can be
specified through the use of parentheses. Without parentheses, NOT operators are evaluated first,
followed by AND operators, and then OR operators.

Logical operators
Filter examples
The following are examples of worksheet filter expressions based on the IndependentDemand table.
To return Enter
Only orders expected to be more than 5 days late where the order DaysLate > 5 AND
customer for the order is 'TBS'. Order.Customer.Id = 'TBS'
Only orders expected to be more than 5 days late where the order DaysLate > 5 AND Part
customer for the order is 'TBS', and the low level code for the part is 0. [Order.Customer.Id = 'TBS'
AND LowLevelCode = 0]
Only orders where the customer is either TBS or BM. Order.Customer.Id = 'TBS' OR
Order.Customer.Id = 'BM'
Only orders where the order type is not “forecast” or the part is not NOT (Order.Type.Value =
“Racer” 'forecast' OR Part.Name =
'Racer')
Only orders where the order customer is 'TBS' and the orders are expected DaysLate > 5 OR
to be more than 3 days late, or where the order is expected to be more Order.Customer.Id = 'TBS'
than 5 days late for any customer. AND DaysLate > 3
Column examples
The following are examples of column expressions based on the IndependentDemand table.
To return Enter
Y (true) if both the order's unit selling price and the part's average UnitSellingPrice = 0 AND
selling price are undefined, and N (false) otherwise. Part.AverageSellingPrice = 0
Y (true) if either the order's unit selling price or the part's average UnitSellingPrice = 0
selling price are undefined, and N (false) otherwise. OR Part.AverageSellingPrice = 0
NOTE: Logical operators can also be used in conjunction with the IF operator to create more
complex column expressions. For example, you can write expressions that return a specified field
value if a group of conditions are satisfied, and a calculated expression if they are not. For more
information, see "IF" on page 1138.
IF
You can use the conditional operator, IF, to create If-Then-Else statements in your queries. Typically, this
operator is used in column expressions to return one value if a specified logical expression is satisfied,
and another if it is not.
The conditional operator can also be used within filter expressions if you want one expression to define
a filter under one set of circumstances, and another to define a filter under a second set of
circumstances.

Column expression syntax
IF (logical, value_if_true, value_if_false)
where:
l IF—identifies the expression as conditional, and is equivalent to saying “If the following expression
is True...”
l logical—is a valid logical expression that evaluates to True or False
l value_if_true—is the column expression returned if the filter evaluates to True. The value it returns
must be of the same data type as value_if_true.
l value_if_false—is the column expression returned if the filter evaluates to False. The value it
returns must be of the same data type as column value_if_false.
NOTE: You can nest one conditional column expression inside another. For example, you can
create a conditional expression that returns one value if the initial expression is True, a second
value if the next expression is True, and a third value if neither logical expression evaluates to True.
There is no limit to the number of nested conditional expressions.
NOTE: You can evaluate two or more independent conditional expressions in a single column by
combining them with the plus (+) sign.
Column examples
The following examples are based on the IndependentDemand table (unless noted otherwise).
To return Enter
The name of the gating part if the order is expected to be IF (DaysLate > 0, GatingPart.Name, 'On
late, and a String value of “On Time” otherwise. Time')
The order due date plus 5 days if the Customer ID is IF (Order.Customer.ID = 'BetterBuy',
BetterBuy, and the due date otherwise. DueDate + 5, DueDate)
The order due date plus 5 days if the Customer ID is IF (Order.Customer.ID = 'BetterBuy',
BetterBuy, the order due date minus 5 days if the DueDate + 5 'Workday', IF
Customer ID is DealCity, and the due date otherwise. (Order.Customer.ID = 'DealCity', DueDate
- 5 'Workday', DueDate))
A text String of “No Planner Code;” for any part without a IF (PlannerCode = '', 'No Planner
planner code, as well as a String of “No fixed lead time;” Code;', '') + IF (StdUnitCost = 0, 'No
for any part without a fixed lead time, as well as a String Standard Unit Cost;', '') + IF
of “No standard unit cost;” for any part without a (PrimaryPartSource.EffFixedLeadTime = 0,
standard unit cost value. 'No Fixed Lead Time;', '')
This example is based on the Part table.
Filter expression syntax

IF (logical_expression2, value_if_true, value_if_false) logical_expression2
where:

Logical operators
l IF—identifies the expression as conditional, and is equivalent to saying “If the following expression
is True...”
l logical_expression1—is a valid logical expression that evaluates to True or False.
l value_if_true—is the column expression used if the logical expression evaluates to True.
l value_if_false—is the column expression used if the logical expression evaluates to False.
l logical_expression2—a logical operator and constant/field value applied to either the true or false
value.
Filter examples
The following worksheet filter example is based on the IndependentDemand table.
To return Enter
Only orders with revenue greater than $10,000, where if the unit selling price IF (UnitSellingPrice > 0,
is greater than zero, revenue is calculated by multiplying the unit selling UnitSellingPrice *
price by the order quantity; otherwise revenue is calculated by multiplying Quantity,
the part’s average selling price by the order quantity. Part.AverageSellingPrice *
Quantity) > 10000
Legacy syntax
In RapidResponse versions prior to 9.4, the conditional operator was represented by a question mark (?)
and not an IF. As well, the components of the conditional expressions were not enclosed in parentheses
or separated by commas. This syntax is still supported in RapidResponse, however its continued use is
not recommended as it is difficult to read and can lead to ambiguous expressions.
The following table shows the syntax used for conditional column and filter expressions in Version prior
to 9.4.
Expression Syntax
Type
Column ? logical value_if_true value_if_false
where:
l ?—identifies the expression as conditional, and is equivalent to saying “If the following
expression is True...”
l logical—is a valid logical expression (evaluates to True or False)
l value_if_true—is the column expression returned if the logical expression evaluates to True.
The value it returns must be of the same data type as column expression2.
l value_if_false—is the column expression returned if the logical expression evaluates to
False. The value it returns must be of the same data type as column expression1.
Filter ? logical1 value_if_true value_if_false logical2

where:
l ?—identifies the expression as conditional, and is equivalent to saying “If the following
expression is True...”
l logical_expression—is a valid logical expression that evaluates to True or False.
l value_if_true—is the column expression used if the logical expression evaluates to True.
l value_if_false—is the column expression used if the logical expression evaluates to False.
l logical2—a logical operator and constant/field value applied to either the true or false value.

IN
This operator is used to compare a single field or expression against a list of constant values, or can be
used to compare one or more values against the values returned by a specified worksheet. Note that
each side of an expression using the IN operator must be of the same data type (that is, you can
compare a string against string values, a quantity against quantity values, and so on). Regardless of
whether the IN function compares to a worksheet or list, it must be a constant set of values. For
example, the IN function cannot compare a string to a list that is calculated based on other values.
If either the worksheet the IN function is used in or the worksheet that the values are in uses references
to identify records, both worksheets should use references. This can improve worksheet performance
because the IN function can refer to the records, otherwise the worksheet needs to be searched for the
matching record.
It can also be used to return parts from any embedded RapidResponse query expression where the first
column is a reference to the Part table. For example, this operator is used extensively in the query
expressions generated by RapidResponse during the creation of BOM filters.
Syntax
Usage Syntax
Compare a single field field IN ('value1', 'value2',...)
value against several
constants (used instead
of multiple OR
expressions)
Compare one or more {field1, field2.. fieldN} IN (worksheetId!)
values against values
where worksheetId is the Id of a worksheet in the same workbook in which the
returned by another
expression is defined. The referenced worksheet should return the desired data against
worksheet.
which the expression is to be compared, and contain columns in the same order and of
the same data types as the values specified in the expression.
Compare values against {field1.. fieldN} IN TableName{key fields}

the key fields of a table where TableName is the table the list of values is compared to and key fields is the
list of key fields for that table. A value must be provided for each key field, and the
values must be of the same data type.
Return parts from an IN TableName [logical] {column}
embedded
where TableName is the name of a table compatible with the Part table, logical is an
RapidResponse query
optional expression that filters out records (must return true or false), and column is a
String.
valid column expression that returns a value from the Part table.
The logical expression should not contain references to the columns in the worksheet.
These column references can result in invalid data in the worksheet.
▶Worksheet example for use with IN

This section provides an overview of the steps required to create a sample worksheet that can be used
in an IN expression. This worksheet returns those parts defined in the standalone filter named "Transfer
Parts" which also have more than 1000 units on hand to satisfy demand.

Logical operators
1. In the Workbook Properties dialog box, click New and then Worksheet (Table-based).
2. On the General tab of the Worksheet Properties dialog box, do the following:
l From the Table list, select Part .
l In the Id box, type Transfer.
Select the Hide worksheet check box.
5. In the Add Fields dialog box, add fields in the following order and then click Ok.
l Name
l Site.Value
7. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type s'Transfer Parts' AND
TotalNettableOnHand > 1000.
8. Click Ok
The resulting worksheet would look similar to the following, and could then be referenced within
IN expression in worksheets in the same workbook that have a Part context. For an example of a
reference to this worksheet used in an IN expression, see "Filter examples" on page 1142. For
complete information about authoring worksheets, see "Worksheet development overview" on
page 258.
Filter examples
The following shows an example of the IN operator used in filter expressions.

To return Enter
Only orders for the part Cruiser, Racer, or Mountain Part.Name IN ('Cruiser',
'Racer', 'Mountain')
Only orders due on the first or last day of December DueDate IN (12-01-09, 12-31-
09)
Only orders for parts defined in the filter named "transfer parts" that {Part.Name, Part.Site.Value}
have more than 1000 units on hand to satisfy demand. IN Transfer!
This example assumes a worksheet with an ID of "Transfer" has been
created to return the appropriate parts as discussed in "Worksheet
example for use with IN" on page 1141.
Only orders for part Cruiser whose order site and part site are the same. {Part, Order.Site} IN Part
{'Cruiser', Site}
Parts that are components of the assembly named 'Racer' in FlatBillDown
[(Part.Name='Gamer' and
Part.Site = 'HQ')]
{FlatComponent}
NOTE: The first example shown in the table above is equivalent to the following expression:
Part.Name = 'Cruiser' OR Part.Name = 'Racer' OR Part.Name = 'Mountain'.
NOTE: In versions prior to 10.0, instead of a reference to a worksheet, the advanced form of the
IN operator required a full query expression defining the table and columns whose records were
to be evaluated. For example, the third example shown in the table above would have been
written as {Part.Name, Part.Site.Value} IN Part[s'transfer parts' and
TotalNettableOnHand > 1000]{Name, Site.Value}. As of Version 10.0, worksheets that
use this older IN syntax will continue to work, however their continued use is not recommended.
Using worksheet references instead can help improve system performance, supports reusability,
and ensures better compatibility with future versions of RapidResponse.
Column example
The following shows an example of the IN operator used in a column expression.
To return Enter
The text string "Yes" if the planner code is either DC, JH, or TG, and the IF((PlannerCode.Value IN ('DC',
test string "No" if the planner code is not one of these values. 'JH', 'TG')), 'Yes', 'No')
NOTE: When using the IN operator within a conditional expression, you should enclose the entire
IN clause within parentheses as shown in the example above. This ensures that RapidResponse
can properly distinguish the IN clause from the other comma separated elements in the
conditional expression.
Parentheses ( )
The use of parentheses influences how expressions involving arithmetic or logical operators are
interpreted. When working with arithmetic operators, they can be used to override the default order of

Logical operators
operations as calculations enclosed in parentheses will be performed first. When working with logical
operators, they can be used to separate multiple expressions to ensure the expressions are evaluated in
the desired order.
Arithmetic operator examples

The following are column expressions based on the IndependentDemand table.
To return Enter
The product of 2 greater than the order quantity and unit selling (Quantity + 2) * UnitSellingPrice
price.
The product of half the order quantity and double the unit (Quantity / 2) * (UnitSellingPrice
selling price. * 2)
Logical operator examples

The following are worksheet filter expressions based on the IndependentDemand table.
To return Enter
Orders for parts with a planner code of 'JP' or 'NY' where (Order.Customer.Id = 'JP' OR
the part type is 'Transfer'. Order.Customer.Id = 'NY') AND
Part.Type.Value = 'Transfer'
Orders for parts with a planner code of 'JP' or orders for Order.Customer.Id = 'JP' OR
parts with a planner code of 'NY' where the part type is (Order.Customer.Id = 'NY' AND
'Transfer'. Part.Type.Value = 'Transfer)'
Orders that have a due date of today or earlier, where the DueDate <= Today AND (Order.Customer.Id
customer is either BM or XYZ, and the order quantity is for = 'BM' OR Order.Customer.Id = 'XYZ') AND
more than 500 units. Quantity > 500
Only orders where the customer is not BM or XYZ, and the NOT (Order.Customer.Id = 'BM' OR
order type is actual. Order.Customer.Id = 'XYZ') AND
Order.Type.Value = 'Actual'
Square brackets [ ]
You can use square brackets in column and filter expressions to shorten expressions involving more
than one field in the same referenced table.
Type the name of the reference field before the square brackets. Field names inside the square brackets
are then interpreted as belonging to the referenced table. Square brackets can be nested, as shown in
the second filter example.

Column Examples
Expression Equivalent expression
Part [AverageSellingPrice - StdUnitCost] Part.AverageSellingPrice -
Part.StdUnitCost
Part.PrimaryPartSource Part.PrimaryPartSource.DockToStockLeadTime
[DockToStockLeadTime + SafetyLeadTime] + Part.PrimaryPartSource.SafetyLeadTime
IF (Worksheet1!Part [FirstShortageDate > IF (Worksheet1!Part.FirstShortageDate >

FirstNeededSupplyDate], true, false) Worksheet1!Part.FirstNeededSupplyDate,
In this example, the expression is used in a composite true, false)
worksheet and the Part column in Worksheet1 is
marked "Use as reference."
Filter examples
Expression Equivalent expression
Part[AverageSellingPrice < Part.AverageSellingPrice < Part.StdUnitCost
StdUnitCost]
Part[(FirstNeededSupplyDate = (Part.FirstNeededSupplyDate =
FirstShortageDate) AND Part.FirstShortageDate) AND (
(AlternatePrimaryPart Part.AlternatePrimaryPart.FirstNeededSupplyDate
[FirstNeededSupplyDate = = Part.AlternatePrimaryPart.FirstShortageDate)
FirstShortageDate])]
Set operators
If you want to include a set field or a vector set field in a query expression, it must be preceded with a
valid set operator. Each available set operator returns a specific piece of summary information about a
set field. For example, from the IndependentDemands set field on the Part table, you can retrieve
customer order data such as the number of orders per part, the earliest due order for each part, the
average order size for each part, and so on.
The syntax required when creating a set expression depends on the operator being used. However, the
general syntax for an expression involving set operators is:
set_operator set_field [logical]
where:
l set_operator is replaced with the name of a set operator.

l set_field is replaced with the name of a set field or vector set field.
l logical is an optional expression that can be used to restrict the results returned by the set
expression. The logical expression must be valid on the table on which the set field is based (for

Set operators
example, if ScheduledReceipts is the set field, the expression must be valid on the
If the logical expression requires a value from a column in the worksheet, you must use the ^ operator
to ensure the expression uses a column from the worksheet instead of a field from the table used in the
set expression, and is therefore valid. For example, COUNT IndependentDemands
[^!OnTimeQuantity > 200] returns the number of records from the IndependentDemand table
that have a value greater than 200 in the worksheet's OnTimeQuantity column. For more information,
see "OuterContext (^)" on page 1160.
Set operators can also be used in columns that are calculated using the results from other columns, and
process the set of records in a worksheet. For more information about these columns, see "Create a
column based on the result of other columns" on page 363. Set expressions in these columns refer to
columns in the worksheet instead of fields on tables. The general syntax for expressions is similar to that
for table-based set expressions, but instead of specifying a set field, you specify a column to calculate set
operations for, using the following syntax.
set_operator By(column) [logical]
where By(column) is the worksheet column used to determine the sets of data and must be specified
using the !column syntax. This is typically a column used to group the worksheet data, such as a part
or customer column, however, it can be any column in the worksheet. You can also calculate the result
over the entire set of records by leaving the value blank. For example, Sum By() calculates the grand
total of every record in the set.
All columns before the specified column are also considered part of the set. For example, if the
worksheet contains a Customer, Part, and Site column and the expression uses By(!Site), all results
with the same Customer, Part, and Site values are considered part of the set. For example, the following
illustration calculates a result for each combination of Customer, Part, and Site values.
The columns used in the set should be sequential in the worksheet, and the column you specify for the
set should be the later in the worksheet's sort order than the columns before it. If you have defined a
custom sort order for the worksheet and the column you specify for the By(column) is sorted before the
other columns, those columns are not considered part of the set. For example, if your worksheet
contains Customer, Part, and Site columns, and the worksheet is configured to sort by Site first,
specifying By(!Site) calculates a result for each Site value, and does not consider changes in the
Customer or Part columns as a different set of data, as shown in the following illustration.

When you are creating expressions using these set operators, you must ensure the worksheet is sorted
the way you intend the set results to be calculated.
CAUTION: Avoid using set operators to access data based on a table incompatible with the one
the worksheet is based on. This can result in performance issues with RapidResponse. For
example, if a worksheet is based on the Activity table (which is part-based), then set logic should
only be used to access results calculated from other part-based tables (for example, Part,
ScheduledReceipt, IndependentDemand, and so on).
CAUTION: Avoid using set operators on set fields in referenced tables, particularly if many records
in the table the worksheet is based on refer to the same record. This can result in performance
issues because, for each record in the table the worksheet is based on, the set operation is
performed for each record in the set. For example, if the worksheet is based on the Part table and
contains 10,000 records that refer to the same record in the ReferencePart table, the
ReferencePart.Parts set field contains 10,000 records. If a set operation is performed on the
ReferencePart.Parts field, the set of 10,000 records is calculated 10,000 times (once for each record
in the Part table that refers to the ReferencePart record). This means the set operator will run on
100,000,000 records and could take several minutes to complete.
The table below summarizes the set operators available in RapidResponse:
"ASSOCIATEMAX" on Similar to the MAX operator, it returns a deeper level of detail.
page 1148
"ASSOCIATEMIN" on Similar to the MIN operator, it returns a deeper level of detail.

page 1149
"AVERAGE" on page Returns the average value of a field or expression on the set, or on the set subject to a
1151 specified logical expression.
"CONCATENATE" on Combines multiple string values in a set into a single string value.
page 1152
"COUNT" on page Counts the number of records in a set or in a set that satisfy a specified logical
1154 expression.
"HAS" on page 1155 Tests for existence of records in a set or in a set that satisfy a specified logical expression.

Set operators
"MAX" on page 1156 Returns the maximum value found in a field or expression on the set or on a set subject
to a specific logical expression.
"MIN" on page 1157 Returns minimum value found in any field or expression within the set, or on a set
subject to a specified logical expression.
"SUM" on page 1159 Returns total value of a field or expression on the set or on a set subject to a specified
logical expression.
ASSOCIATEMAX
The ASSOCIATEMAX operator is similar to the MAX operator, but is used to return a deeper level of
detail. For example, while the MAX operator can return the largest order for each part, the
ASSOCIATEMAX operator can return the customer associated with those orders.
Expression Syntax
type
Column ASSOCIATEMAX set_field [logical] {max_expression, value_expression}
where max_expression determines the maximum value the expression is concerned with, and
value_expression returns information related to the maximum value.
Column ASSOCIATEMAX By(column) [logical] {max_expression, value_expression}

where max_expression determines the maximum value the expression is concerned with, and
value_expression returns information related to the maximum value.
This syntax is used for columns that are calculated using the final results of other columns. For
more information, see "Create a column based on the result of other columns" on page 363.
Filter ASSOCIATEMAX set_field [logical] {max_expression, value _expression}
comparison_operator value
NOTE: The two expressions used to return an ASSOCIATEMAX value must be valid on the set
field’s table. For example, if the set field is ScheduledReceipts, the max and value expression must
be valid on the ScheduledReceipt table.
NOTE: In RapidResponse versions prior to 9.4, the value_expression and max_expression

used with the ASSOCIATEMAX operator did not need to be enclosed in curly brackets. This syntax
is still supported, however, it is not recommended as the curly brackets make expressions easier to
read and prevent certain expressions from being written in ways that yield ambiguous results.
TIP: This operator's functionality can be replaced by applying the Associate grouping function to
a worksheet column. This allows you to calculate the associated values using the values matching
the worksheet's filter criteria, and can improve worksheet performance. For more information, see
"Apply a summarization function to a column" on page 384.
Column examples
The following examples are based on the Part table.

To return Enter
The customer associated with the largest order size from ASSOCIATEMAX IndependentDemands
independent demands that is expected to be late for each [DaysLate > 0] {Quantity,
part. Order.Customer.Id}
The supplier associated with the latest available date on a ASSOCIATEMAX ScheduledReceipts
scheduled receipt for each part. {AvailableDate, Order.Supplier.Id}
The following example is based on a column that is calculated using the final results of other columns in
a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table.
To return Enter
The customer associated with the largest order size that is ASSOCIATEMAX By(!Part) [!DaysLate > 0]
expected to be late for each part. {!Quantity, !Customer}
This expression requires columns with identifiers 'Part',
'DaysLate', 'Quantity', and 'Customer'.
Filter example
The following is a worksheet filter expression based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Only those parts whose highest nettable on ASSOCIATEMAX OnHands [Type.ProcessingRule =
hand quantity is found at the 'Dayton1" 'Nettable'] {Quantity, Location.Warehouse.Id} =
warehouse. 'Dayton1'
ASSOCIATEMIN
The ASSOCIATEMIN operator is similar to the MIN operator, but is used to return a deeper level of
detail. For example, where the MIN operator can return the smallest order for each part, the
ASSOCIATEMIN operator can return the customer associated with those orders.
Expression Syntax
type
Column ASSOCIATEMIN set_field [logical] {min_expression, value_expression}
where min_expression determines the minimum value the expression is concerned with, and
value_expression returns information related to the minimum value.
Column ASSOCIATEMIN By(column) [logical] {min_expression, value_expression}

where min_expression determines the minimum value the expression is concerned with, and
value_expression returns information related to the minimum value.
Filter ASSOCIATEMIN set_field [logical] {min_expression, value_expression}
comparison_operator value

Set operators
NOTE: Both the min and value expressions used to return an ASSOCIATEMIN value must be valid
on the set field’s table. For example, if the set field is IndependentDemands, the Quantity
expression must be valid on the IndependentDemand table.
NOTE: In RapidResponse versions prior to 9.4, the value_expression and max_expression

used with the ASSOCIATEMIN operator did not need to be enclosed in curly brackets. This syntax
is still supported, however, it is not recommended as the curly brackets make expressions easier to
read and prevent certain expressions from being written in ways that yield ambiguous results.
TIP: This operator's functionality can be replaced by applying the Associate grouping function to
a worksheet column. This allows you to calculate the associated values using the values matching
Column examples
To return Enter
The supplier associated with each part’s ASSOCIATEMIN ScheduledReceipts {Quantity,
scheduled receipt with the lowest quantity. Order.Supplier.Id}
The customer associated with the earliest order ASSOCIATEMIN IndependentDemands [Order.Type =
of type "forecast" for each part. 'forecast'] {DueDate, Order.Customer.Id}
To return Enter
The customer associated with the smallest order size that is ASSOCIATEMIN By(!Part) [!DaysLate > 0]
expected to be late for each part. {!Quantity, !Customer}
This expression requires columns with identifiers 'Part',
'DaysLate', 'Quantity', and 'Customer'.
Filter example
The following example is a worksheet filter expression based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Only those parts whose lowest nettable on ASSOCIATEMIN OnHands [Type.ProcessingRule =
hand quantity is found at the 'Dayton" 'Nettable']}{Quantity Location.Warehouse.Name} =
warehouse. 'Dayton'

AVERAGE
The AVERAGE operator returns the average value of a field or expression on the set, or, optionally the
average value of a field or expression on the set, subject to a specified logical expression.
Expression Syntax
type
Column AVERAGE set_field [logical] {value_expression}
Column AVERAGE By(column) [logical] {value_expression}

Filter AVERAGE set_field [logical] {value_expression} comparison_operator value
NOTE: The value expression used with this operator should return a numeric value and it must be
valid for the set field’s table. For example, if the set field is ScheduledReceipts, the expression must
NOTE: As required, arithmetic operations can be performed on the results returned by AVERAGE
expressions.
NOTE: In RapidResponse versions prior to 9.4, the value_expression used with the
AVERAGE operator did not need to be enclosed in curly brackets. This syntax is still supported,
however, it is not recommended as the curly brackets make expressions easier to read and prevent
certain expressions from being written in ways that yield ambiguous results.
TIP: This operator's functionality can be replaced by applying the Average summarization function
or grouping function to a worksheet column. This allows you to calculate the average using the
values matching the worksheet's filter criteria, and can improve worksheet performance. For more
information, see "Apply a summarization function to a column" on page 384 or "Group column
data" on page 382.
Column examples
The following example is based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Each part’s average order size from the AVERAGE IndependentDemands [Order.Customer.Id =
customer BM. 'BM'] {Quantity}
To return Enter
The average of late order quantities for each customer. AVERAGE By(!Customer) [!DaysLate >
This expression requires columns with identifiers 'Customer', 0] {!Quantity}
'DaysLate', and 'Quantity'.

Set operators
Filter examples
To return Enter
Only parts where the average revenue from independent AVERAGE IndependentDemands
demand orders is greater than $10000. {UnitSellingPrice * Quantity} > 10000
NOTE: The value expression used with this operator should return a numeric value and it must be
valid for the set field’s table. For example, if the set field is ScheduledReceipts, the expression must
NOTE: As required, arithmetic operations can be performed on the results returned by AVERAGE
expressions.
CONCATENATE
The CONCATENATE operator is used to combine multiple string values in a set into a single string value
according to the following syntax:
CONCATENATE(maxValues, 'separator', 'end') setField[logical] {expressionN,
stringExpression}
CONCATENATE(maxValues, 'separator', 'end') By(column) [logical]
{expressionN, stringExpression}
where
l maxValues is an optional argument specifying the maximum number of entries that can be
included in the string before it ends. If no value is specified, maxValues is set to 3.
l separator is an optional argument specifying how to separate each item in the concatenated
string. If no value is specified, a comma and space (, ) are used.
l end is an optional argument specifying how to end the string if the maxValues value is exceeded.
If no value is specified, three dots (...) are used.
l setField is the set field to return data from. This is used only if the expression is based on a set
field in a table.
l By(column) is the column to return data from. This is used only if the expression is based on a
column that is calculated using the final result from other columns. For more information, see
"Create a column based on the result of other columns" on page 363.
l [logical] is an optional logical expression that can be used to filter or restrict the data returned
from the set field.
l expressionN can be one or more optional expressions valid on the set field's table and are used
to sort the results of stringExpression. If no value is specified, the stringExpression
results are sorted in alphabetical order.
l stringExpression is a valid string expression on the set field’s table. The results of this
expression are concatenated together.

Examples
The following shows examples of column expressions using the Concatenate operator.
To return Enter
From the PlannerCode table, a string showing the parts that are associated with a CONCATENATE Parts
given part. Only the first three parts, as sorted by alphabetical order, are shown and {Name}
then followed by three dots.
From the PlannerCode table, a string showing the parts associated with a given CONCATENATE (10, '.
planner code. The part names should be separated with a period and a space (. ). And ', '--') Parts
only the first ten parts, as sorted by alphabetical order, are shown and then followed {Name}
by two dashes.
From the Part table, a string showing the sources that are associated with a given CONCATENATE
part. Only the first three sources, as sorted by alphabetical order, are shown and then PartSources {Source}
followed by three dots.
From the Part table, a string showing the order and line number associated with each CONCATENATE
scheduled receipt for a given part. Only the five earliest due orders are shown, and (5)ScheduledReceipts
then followed by three dots. {DueDate, Order.Id +
'_' + Line}
From the Part table, a string showing the order and line number associated with each CONCATENATE (5)
scheduled receipt for a given part. Only the five earliest due orders are shown, and ScheduledReceipts
then followed by three dots. If multiple orders are due on the same date, they are {DueDate,
further sorted in descending quantity order (from largest to smallest). Quantity:d, Order.Id
+ '_' + Line}
The following example is based on a column that is calculated using the final results of other columns.
To return Enter
From the WhereConsumed table, a string showing the driver parts (from the DriverPart CONCATENATE(3) By
column) that consume a specific part (from the Part column), sorted by greatest need (!Part)
{!NeedQuantity:d,
quantity (from the NeedQuantity column). The three driver parts with the largest need
!DriverPart}
quantities are shown, and then followed by three dots. This is calculated for each part
returned by the worksheet, and uses the calculated results of the other columns.
From the IndependentDemand table, a string listing the largest order quantity (from the CONCATENATE (6)
QuantityTotal column) from each order site (from the Site column) for each part (from By (!Part)
the Part column) is due. The largest values for six sites are shown, listed in increasing {!Site,
order, followed by three dots. This is calculated for each site, and uses the calculated !QuantityTotal}
results of the other columns.
NOTE: To concatenate text values together, the + operator can be used. For more information,
see "Arithmetic operators" on page 1129.
NOTE: The last example in the preceding table above uses a sorting keyword to specify the
Quantity sort order. For more information about sorting in set expressions, see "Grouping and
sorting in set expressions" on page 1161.

Set operators
COUNT
The COUNT operator counts the number of records in a set or, optionally, the number of records in a set
that satisfy a specified logical expression.
Expression Syntax
type
Column COUNT set_field [logical]
Column COUNT By(column) [logical]

Filter COUNT set_field [logical] comparison_operator value
TIP: This operator's functionality can be replaced by applying the Count grouping function to a
worksheet column. This allows you to calculate the number of records using the values matching
"Group column data" on page 382.
Column examples
To return Enter
The number of planned orders for each part with a due date COUNT PlannedOrders [DueDate <
earlier than today. Today]
The total number of planned orders and scheduled receipts for COUNT PlannedOrders + COUNT
each part. ScheduledReceipts
To return Enter
The number of late orders for each customer. Count By(!Customer) [!DaysLate >
This expression requires columns with identifiers 'Customer' and 0]
'DaysLate'.
Filter examples
The following are worksheet filter expressions based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Parts with more than 20 planned orders. COUNT PlannedOrders > 20
Parts having more than 5 scheduled receipts with a recommended COUNT ScheduledReceipts
due date earlier than the actual due date. [RecommendedDate < DueDate] > 5

HAS
The HAS operator tests for the existence of records in a set or, optionally, the existence of records in a
set that satisfy a specified logical expression. It returns a value of True if at least one record is found in
the set, and a value of False if no records are found.
The HAS operator is typically used in filter expressions, but can also be used in column expressions to
indicate if a specified condition was satisfied in the set.
NOTE: In many cases, you can use the IN operator with a worksheet to produce faster or more
efficient results than are generated by the HAS operator. For more information about the
IN operator, see "IN " on page 1141.
Syntax
Expression Syntax
type
Column HAS set_field [logical]
Column HAS By(column) [logical]

Filter HAS set_field [logical]
Column examples
The following column expression is based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Y (true) if the part has independent demands, and N (false) HAS IndependentDemands
otherwise.
Y (true) if the part has any independent demands that are HAS IndependentDemands [DaysLate > 5]
more than 5 days late, and N (false) otherwise.
A string reading "Has late orders" if the part has any late IF ((HAS IndependentDemands [DaysLate
independent demands, and a blank string otherwise. > 0]), 'Has late orders', ' ')
To return Enter
Y (true) if there are any late orders for a customer, and N (false) HAS By(!Customer) [!DaysLate >
otherwise. 0]
This expression requires columns with identifiers 'Customer' and
'DaysLate'.

Set operators
Filter examples
The following are worksheet filter expressions based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Only parts that have independent demands. HAS IndependentDemands
Only parts of type “p” where the quantity in stock for a location Type.Value = 'P' AND HAS OnHands
is less than the safety stock quantity for the part. [Quantity < Part.SafetyStockQty]
Only parts that have scheduled receipts with allocations HAS ScheduledReceipts [HAS
Allocations]
MAX
The MAX operator returns the maximum value found in a field or expression on the set or, optionally,
the maximum value found in a field or expression on the set subject to a specific logical expression.
This operator can be used with any data type, although its most common usage is with Quantity or Date
values. You can also return an additional level of detail regarding MAX values through the use of the
"ASSOCIATEMAX" on page 1148 operator.
Expression Syntax
type
Column MAX set_field [logical] {value_expression}
Column MAX By(column) [logical] {value_expression}

Filter MAX set_field [logical] {value_expression} comparison_operator value
NOTE: The value expression used to calculate a MAX value must be valid on the set field’s table.
For example, if the set field is ScheduledReceipts, the value expression must be valid on the
NOTE: As required, arithmetic operations can be performed on the results returned by MAX
expressions.
MAX operator did not need to be enclosed in curly brackets. This syntax is still supported,
TIP: This operator's functionality can be replaced by applying the Maximum summarization
function or grouping function to a worksheet column. This allows you to calculate the maximum
value using the values matching the worksheet's filter criteria, and can improve worksheet
performance. For more information, see "Apply a summarization function to a column" on page
384 or "Group column data" on page 382.

Column examples
To return Enter
The largest order size from independent demand that is expected MAX IndependentDemands [DaysLate
to be late for each part. > 0] {Quantity}
The latest due date on an independent demand for each part. MAX IndependentDemands {DueDate}
The start of the month containing the latest due date on an MAX IndependentDemands {DueDate}
independent demand for each part. + 0 'Month'
To return Enter
The largest late order revenue for each part. MAX By(!Part) [!DaysLate > 0]
This expression requires columns with identifiers 'Part', 'DaysLate', {!Revenue}
and 'Revenue'.
Filter examples
The following example a worksheet filter expression is based on the Part table.
To return Enter
Only parts where the largest order from independent demand is for MAX IndependentDemands Quantity
more than 1000 units. > 1000
MIN
The MIN operator returns the minimum value found in any field or expression within the set, or,
optionally, the minimum value found in a field or expression on the set subject to a specified logical
expression.
This operator can be used with any data type, although its most common usage is with Quantity or Date
values. You can also return an additional level of detail regarding MIN values through the use of the
"ASSOCIATEMIN" on page 1149 operator.
Expression Syntax
type
Column MIN set_field [logical] {value_expression}
Column MIN By(column) [logical] {value_expression}


Set operators
Expression Syntax
type
Filter MIN set_field [logical] {value_expression} comparison_operator value
NOTE: The value expression used to calculate a MIN value must be valid on the set field’s table.
For example, if the set field is IndependentDemands, the value expression must be valid on the
IndependentDemand table.
NOTE: As required, arithmetic operations can be performed on the results returned by MIN
expression.
MIN operator did not need to be enclosed in curly brackets. This syntax is still supported,
TIP: This operator's functionality can be replaced by applying the Minimum summarization
function or grouping function to a worksheet column. This allows you to calculate the minimum
value using the values matching the worksheet's filter criteria, and can improve worksheet
performance. For more information, see "Apply a summarization function to a column" on page
384 or "Group column data" on page 382.
Column examples
To return Enter
The unit size of the smallest receipt that is expected to MIN ScheduledReceipts [DueDate <
be late for each part. AvailableDate] {Quantity}
The earliest due scheduled receipt for each part. MIN ScheduledReceipts {DueDate}
To return Enter
The smallest late order revenue for each part. MIN By(!Part) [!DaysLate > 0] {!Revenue}
Filter examples
To return Enter
Only those parts where the earliest recommended due date on a MIN ScheduledReceipts
scheduled receipt occurs before today’s date. {RecommendedDate} < Today

SUM
The SUM operator returns the total value of a field or expression on the set or, optionally, the total value
of a field or expression on the set subject to a specified logical expression.
Expression Syntax
type
Column SUM set_field [logical] {value_expression}
Column SUM By(column) [logical] {value_expression}

Filter SUM set_field [logical] {value_expression} comparison_operator value
NOTE: The value expression used with this operator should return a numeric value and must be
valid for the set field’s table. For example, if the set field is ScheduledReceipts, the value expression
must be valid on the ScheduledReceipt table.
NOTE: As required, arithmetic operations can be performed on the results returned by

SUM expressions.
SUM operator did not need to be enclosed in curly brackets. This syntax is still supported,
TIP: This operator's functionality can be replaced by applying the Total summarization function or
Sum grouping function to a worksheet column. This allows you to calculate the average using the
values matching the worksheet's filter criteria, and can improve worksheet performance. For more
information, see "Apply a summarization function to a column" on page 384 or "Group column
data" on page 382.
Column examples
To return Enter
The total monetary value of all scheduled receipts for each part. SUM ScheduledReceipts
{Quantity *
Part.StdUnitCost}
The percentage of the total order quantity from independent demands that SUM IndependentDemands
is expected to be late for each part. [DaysLate > 0] {Quantity}
/ SUM IndependentDemands
NOTE: When calculating percentages in a column expression, it is
{Quantity}
recommended to enable the Display as % setting. This setting automatically
multiplies the expression result by 100 and adds the percentage symbol (%)
to the column data.

Set operators
To return Enter
The total forecast quantity for each part. SUM By(!Part) [!OrderType like
This expression requires columns with identifiers 'Part', 'Forecast'] {!Quantity}
'OrderType', and 'Quantity'.
Filter examples
To return Enter
Only parts having more than 500 units worth of SUM IndependentDemands [Order.Customer.Id =
orders from the customer TBS: 'TBS'] Quantity > 500
OuterContext (^)
Using the OuterContext operator, a set expression can access records outside the set. For example, if a
set expression uses the ScheduledReceipts set field on the Part table, this operator provides access to
the Part table and its fields.
To return to a field outside the set, the ^ character is entered, followed by the name of the required
field. For example, ^Site. In the case of a nested expression, an additional ^ (caret) is required for each
level outside the set you need to go. For example, ^^Site, ^^^Site, and so on.
The OuterContext operator cannot access a set field. For example, if the IndependentDemands set field
is queried from the ScheduledReceipts set field of the Part table using ^IndependentDemands, the
query returns an error.
CAUTION: The OuterContext operator allows for the construction of queries that can be very
expensive or time-consuming to run. For example, consider the example below. For each
scheduled receipt, all the scheduled receipts under the same part also need to be scanned. So, if
there are 10 receipts per part and 100 parts, then there would be 1000 distinct receipts to query.
However, as each receipt would sum up the quantity by scanning all receipts under the part, the
query would actually end up accessing a total of 10000 receipts (each one 10 times). This means
the query would end up being 10 times slower than a straight query on the ScheduledReceipt
table (the factor depends on the average number of records per part). When possible, it is
recommended to find other ways to return the required data rather than using this operator.
Column Example
The following example is based on the IndependentDemand table.

To return Enter
The number of orders for the part that are due on the same COUNT Part.IndependentDemands
date as the current order. [DueDate = ^DueDate]
NOTE: Starting with the current order on the IndependentDemand table, the above expression
goes through the Part table and then to the IndependentDemands set field on the Part table. This
set field shows all orders from independent demand for the part in the current order. For each of
the orders in the set, the due date (DueDate) is compared to the due date on the current order
record outside the set (^DueDate). If the two dates are the same, the order is added to the count.
If the two dates are different, the order is not added to the count.
Filter Example
To return Enter
Only parts having scheduled receipts that have HAS ScheduledReceipts [HAS Allocations
allocations from a site other than the part site. [Part.Site.Value <> ^^Site.Value]]
NOTE: Starting with the current order, the above expression first filters all parts to find only those
that have scheduled receipts. If a part has scheduled receipts, then all its receipts are examined to
see if they have allocations. For each one that has allocations, the site of each allocation is
compared against the part site. If the site associated with the allocation is different than the main
part site, the part is returned by the filter.
NOTE: When using the outer context operator with reference fields, only the base key field is used
in a comparison. For example, in the filter expression [Part = ^Part], only the Part.Name field
is compared.
Grouping and sorting in set expressions

As required, column values in your set expressions can be sorted or grouped. This gives an additional
level of capabilities to your set expressions when performing certain advanced calculations.
Grouping syntax
The results of column expressions in set fields can be grouped and summarized. To specify a grouping
operation, add a colon and a valid keyword after the column expression (for example, Part:BY).

Set operators
Keyword Description
BY Results are grouped by this column.
SUM Accumulates or adds grouped values.
TOTAL Accumulates or adds grouped values along with values from previous records in sort sequence.
MAX Returns the largest value in the group.
MIN Returns the smallest value in the group.
AVERAGE Returns the average value in the group.
COUNT Returns a count of records in the group.
Sorting syntax
The results of column expressions in set fields can be sorted in ascending or descending order. To
specify a sort operation, add a colon and a valid keyword after the column expression. For example,
DueDate:A.
Keyword Description
A Sorts the column values in ascending order (smallest value first).
D Sorts the column values in descending order (largest value first).
By default, the sorting ignores a hyphen or apostrophe; that is, words sort as though the hyphen or
apostrophe did not exist. For example, Mary's always sorts after Marys.
If your resources have many hyphens or apostrophes, you can use a string sort to treat all characters
independently and sort hyphens and apostrophes as non-alphanumeric symbols, and group them
together before alphanumeric characters. For example, Mary's would sort before Marys.
To use the string sort, add the StringSort modifier to the A or D modifier. For example,
Name:D:StringSort.
Examples
The following show examples of grouping and sorting operations used in set expressions based on the
Part table.
To return Enter
The number of unique customers having orders for a given part. COUNT IndependentDemands
{Order.Customer:BY}
A string listing customers with orders for a specific part, sorted in CONCATENATE IndependentDemands
ascending order, and grouped so each customer name is returned {Order.Customer.Name:BY:A}
only once.

To return Enter
A string listing customers with orders for a specific part, sorted in CONCATENATE IndependentDemands
ascending order with hyphens and apostrophes considered in the {Order.Customer.Name:A:StringSort}
sort order, returning the customer associated with each order.
A string showing the order and line number associated with the CONCATENATE ScheduledReceipts
scheduled receipts for a given part. Orders are sorted in {Quantity:D, Order.Id + ' ' +
descending quantity value (from largest to smallest). Line}
Mathematical functions
Math functions let you perform advanced statistical calculations on your data, and can sometimes be
used to simplify the construction of conditional expressions. For more information, see "IF" on page
1138.
The table below summarizes the mathematical functions available in RapidResponse:
"ABS" on page 1163 Returns absolute value of Quantity or Money value.
"EXP" on page 1164 Raises one number to the power of a second value.
"LOG" on page 1164 Returns base 10 logarithm of a number.
"MAX and MIN" on page 1165 Returns the maximum or minimum from a list of two or more values.
"MOD" on page 1165 Returns the whole-number remainder of dividing two numbers.
"MULT" on page 1166 Returns the nearest multiple of a specified multiplier that is greater than or
equal to a Quantity or Money value.
"RANDOM" on page 1167 Generates and returns a random number.
"Rounding functions (quantity)" Return either the nearest Integer to, above or below a Quantity or Money
on page 1167 expression.
"SQRT" on page 1168 Returns the square root of a Quantity or Money value.
ABS
Returns the absolute value of a Quantity or Money value:
ABS (number)

Examples
Entering Returns
ABS (-3) 3
ABS (Quantity) The value of the Quantity field if it is greater than zero, or the value of
the Quantity field without a negative sign if it is less than zero.
ABS (UnitSellingPrice The absolute value of the difference between the UnitSellingPrice and
- EffectiveUnitPrice) EffectiveUnitPrice field values.
EXP
Raises one number to the power of a second value (which can be fractional if you want to calculate a
root value):
EXP (number, power)
Examples
Entering Returns
EXP (5, 2) 25 (that is, the square of 5).
EXP (Quantity, The cube of the Quantity field.
3)
EXP (UnitCost, The square root of the UnitCost field.
0.5) You can also calculate the square root of a value using the SQRT function. For more
information, see "SQRT" on page 1168.
LOG
Returns the base 10 logarithm of a number:
LOG (number)
If you require logarithms in another base, divide by the log of that base. The LOG function can be used
with rounding functions to group Quantity or Money values into buckets for statistical analysis as
shown in the final example below.

Examples
Entering Returns
LOG (Quantity) The base 10 logarithm of the Quantity field.
LOG (10) 1.
RoundDown(LOG 1 if Quantity is between 10 and 100, 2 if Quantity is between 100 and 1000, 3 if
(Quantity)) Quantity is between 1000 and 10000, and so on.
LOG The base 2 logarithm of the UnitSellingPrice field.
(UnitSellingPrice) /
Log (2)
MAX and MIN

Returns the maximum or minimum from a list of two or more values according to the following syntax:
MAX (value1, value2, ...)
MIN (value1, value2, ...)
If you include a zero value in the list, it is not used to determine the data type of the returned value. For
example, if you include a zero value and a Money value in the list, the result returned is a Money value.
This ensures the data type returned by the MAX or MIN function is consistent.
Examples
Entering Returns
MAX (UnitSellingPrice, The greater of the UnitSellingPrice for an order or the part’s
Part.AverageSellingPrice) average selling price.
MIN (DueDate, PromisedDate, The earlier of an order’s due date, promised date, or available
AvailableDate) date.
MIN (A,B) The lowest (in alphabetical sort) of string argument A or string
argument B.
MOD
Returns the remainder of dividing a number by a divisor. This function is also referred to as modulo or
modulus.
This function uses the following syntax:
MOD (number, divisor)
The number and the divisor can be integers or numbers. Depending on the value of either, this function
can return an integer or a number.

If divisor is equal to 0, an error is returned.
If divisor is greater than number, number is returned.
Examples
Entering Returns
MOD (Quantity, 2) The remainder of dividing the Quantity by two. For even integer values, 0 is
returned. For odd integer values, 1 is returned.
MOD (3, 2) 1
MOD (6, 2.4) 1.2
MOD (7.5, 3) 1.5
MOD (107, -5) 2
MOD (-31, 2) -1
MOD (Quantity, The remainder of dividing the Quantity by the ShippedQuantity.
ShippedQuantity)
MULT
Returns the nearest multiple of a specified multiplier that is greater than or equal to a Quantity or
Money value using the following syntax:
MULT (number, multiplier)
If number is close to being a multiple of the specified multiplier, this operator allows for slight error
in expression calculations to prevent the number from being rounded up to the next multiple (which
would be less representative than the expected result).
If the specified multiplier is zero or negative, number is returned.
Examples
Entering Returns
MULT (Quantity, 5) The nearest multiple of 5 that is greater than or equal to the value in the Quantity field.
For example, if the value in the Quantity field is 70, then 70 is returned. However, if the
value in the Quantity field is 74, then 75 is returned.
MULT The value in the UnitSellingPrice field.
(UnitSellingPrice,
-10)

RANDOM
Generates and returns a random number according to the following syntax:
Usage Syntax
To return a random RANDOM ()
number between 0 and A random floating point (decimal) value between 0 and 1 is returned.
1.
To return a random RANDOM (max)
whole number between
where max specifies the upper range of the random numbers that can be generated.
0 and a specified
This value should be a whole (integer) number. This syntax returns an integer.
maximum.
To return a random RANDOM (min, max)

whole number within a
where min specifies the lower range of the random numbers that can be generated,
specified numeric
and max specifies the upper range of the random numbers that can be generated.
range.
These values should be whole (integer) numbers. This syntax returns an integer.
If you specify a decimal number for the min or max value, it is treated as an integer. The
expression might return unexpected results.
Examples
Entering Returns
RANDOM () A random floating point value between 0 and 1 (not including 1).
RANDOM (1) A random 0 or 1 value.
RANDOM (25) A random whole number between 0 and 25 (inclusive).
RANDOM (5, 50) A random whole number between 5 and 50 (inclusive).
Rounding functions (quantity)

Three rounding functions are available to return either the nearest Integer to, above or below a
Quantity or Money expression. Like the MULT function, these functions allow for slight error in
calculating an expression in order to return the expected result. The syntax for using these functions is:
ROUND (quantity)
ROUNDUP (quantity)
ROUNDDOWN (quantity)

Examples
Entering Returns
ROUND (Quantity / 2) The nearest Integer to half the value in the Quantity field.
ROUND (10.4) 10.
ROUNDUP (10.4) 11.
ROUNDDOWN (10.7) 10.
SQRT
Returns the square root of a Quantity or Money value.
The following syntax is used:
SQRT(number)
Examples
Entering Returns
SQRT(25) 5
SQRT(Quantity) The square root of the value in the Quantity field.
SQRT(Quantity * UnitSellingPrice) The square root of an order's revenue.
NOTE: If a negative value is used with the SQRT function, a NaN result (not a number) is returned.
Text functions
Text functions let you format text string fields or expressions. For text functions that start with "list", you
can process itemized lists of text string data. For example, you might be processing a field that contains
a delimited list of hierarchy levels. You can use text operators starting in "list" to return specific items
within a list, or to provide summary information about the list items.
The table below summarizes the text functions available in RapidResponse:
"ESCAPE" on page 1170 Inserts specified escape characters in a text string.
"EXPAND" on page 1170 Inserts spaces between words and replaces underscores in a text string.

"LCASE" on page 1171 Formats a text string field or expression all in lowercase letters.
"LEFT" on page 1172 Returns a specified number of characters from the left side of a text string field or
expression.
"LENGTH" on page 1172 Returns the number of characters in a text string field or expression.
"LISTASSET" on page 1173 Returns a list of text string values converted to a set of values.
"LISTASSETOFPAIRS" on Returns a list of text string values converted to sets of paired values.
page 1174
"LISTASSETWITHINDEX" Returns a list of text string values converted to a set of indexed values.
on page 1175
"LISTCONTAINS" on page In Boolean expressions, tests for the existence of a specified value in a text string list.
1176
"LISTCOUNT" on page Returns the number of items found in a text string list.
1177
"LISTGET" on page 1177 Returns a specified item (by numerical position) from a text string list.
"LISTGETFROMEND" on Returns a specified item (by numerical position) starting from the end of a text string
page 1178 list.
"LISTGETWITHDEFAULT" Returns a specified item (by numerical position) from a text string list or a specified
on page 1179 default if the item cannot be found.
"LISTINDEXOF" on page Returns the numerical position of a specified text string within a list of items.
1180
"LISTLEFT" on page 1181 Returns a specified number of items starting from the left most position in a text
string list.
"LISTMID" on page 1182 Returns a range of items from a specified position in a text string list.
"LISTRIGHT" on page 1183 Returns a specified number of items starting from the right most position in a text
string list.
"LISTSET" on page 1183 Replaces a given item in the list with a specified string value.
"MID" on page 1184 Returns a specified number of characters from a defined position in a text string field
or expression.
"QUOTE" on page 1184 Inserts specified escape characters into a text string and encloses the entire string in
quotes.
"REPEAT" on page 1185 Repeats a text string field or expression a given number of times as defined by a
Quantity field or expression.
"REPLACE" on page 1186 Uses regular expressions for string comparison and replacement in query
expressions.
"RIGHT" on page 1188 Returns a specified number of characters from the right side of a text string field or
expression.
"TRIM" on page 1188 Returns a text string with spaces or other specified characters removed from either
end of the string.

Text functions
"TRIMLEADING" on page Removes any leading spaces or other specified characters from the beginning of a
1189 text string.
"TRIMTRAILING" on page Removes any trailing spaces or other specified characters from the end of a text
1190 string.
"UCASE" on page 1191 Formats a text string field or expression all in uppercase letters.
ESCAPE
Inserts specified escape characters in a text string. For example, this can be used to escape characters
that have special meaning.
ESCAPE(text, escapeChars)
where
l text is a string field or expression.

l escapeChars is an optional argument consisting of a text string that identifies the escape
characters to be used with this operator. If this argument is used, the first character identifies the
escape character, and any other characters specified after that are also escaped. If this argument is
not used, the backslash (\) is used for the escape character, and the dot (.) and asterisk (*)
characters are also escaped.
Examples
Entering Returns
ESCAPE The Description field with the backslash used as the escape character, and the dot and
(Description) asterisk characters also escaped.
ESCAPE 13\.00mg&Ab\*
("13.00mg&Ab*")
ESCAPE 13.00mg&&Ab&*
("13mg&Ab*",
"&*")
NOTE: You can also use the QUOTE operator if you want characters escaped with the text string
enclosed in quotes. For more information, see "QUOTE" on page 1184.
EXPAND
This function inserts spaces between words and replaces underscores in a text string, which you can use
to format text to improve readability. For inserting spaces, words are determined by capital and lower

case letters, or by sequences of numbers and letters. The following describes how spaces are added or
underscores are replaced.
String contains How expanded Example

A string consisting of multiple Spaces are inserted before each capital letter after 'NotStarted'
words, separated by capital the first. becomes 'Not
letters. Started'.
A string consisting of multiple Spaces are inserted before each capital letter after 'ABCCode' becomes
words and multiple adjacent the first, if there is a lower case letter following it. 'ABC Code'.
capital letters. Consecutive capital letters are not split up.
A string consisting of multiple Spaces are inserted before each capital letter after 'Category7default'
words and numbers. the first and before and after blocks of numbers. becomes 'Category
7 default'.
A string consisting of multiple The underscores are replaced by spaces. If multiple 'Forecast___
words separated by underscore underscores are used, they are replaced by a single Modify' becomes
characters. space. 'Forecast Modify'.
A string consisting of multiple The spaces are replaced by a single space. 'C Code
words separated by multiple Update' becomes 'C
spaces. Code Update'.
A string consisting of multiple No changes are made to the string. 'cm@companyx.com'

words separated by special stays
characters, such as an email 'cm@companyx.com'.
address.
This function is called using the following syntax

EXPAND(text)
where text is the string field or expression that spaces should be added to.
Examples
Entering Returns
EXPAND('ABCCode') ABC Code
EXPAND('Adjust___ Adjust Order
Order')
EXPAND(Order.Type) The value in the Order.Type field, with spaces inserted where required.
EXPAND(Status+ text The Status and ShipDate values, separated by spaces. This expression converts the
(ShipDate)) ShipDate value from a Date to a String.
LCASE
Formats a text string field or expression in all lowercase letters. The following syntax is used:
LCASE(text)

Text functions
Examples
Entering Returns
LCASE(Name) The Name field in all lowercase letters.
LCASE('AC-FrameBB') ac-framebb
NOTE: You can also format text in all uppercase using the UCASE function. For more information,
see "UCASE" on page 1191.
LEFT
Returns a specified number of characters from the left side of a text string field or expression. The
following syntax is used:
LEFT(text, number)
The number argument indicates the number of characters to return.
Examples
Entering Returns
LEFT(Name, 3) The first three characters of the Name field.
LEFT('abc-0224', 3) abc
LENGTH
Returns the number of characters in a text string field or expression. The following syntax is used:
LENGTH(text)
Examples
Entering Returns
LENGTH(Description) The number of characters in the Description field.
LENGTH('abcdef') 6

LISTASSET
Returns a list of text string values converted to a set. Each resulting set contains one column named
"Value".
LISTASSET(list, separator)
where
l list defines the string field or expression to be converted a set.

l separator is an optional parameter that defines the list separator character, and the leading and
trailing characters attached to list values, if any. This value consists of either a one character text
string that identifies the separator character, or a three character text string that identifies the
leading character, separator character, and trailing character. For example, if the list values are
contained in square brackets and the list is separated by commas, the separator value would be
[,]. If this argument is not used, a comma is assumed to be the separator character, with no
leading and trailing characters.
Examples
Entering Returns
By default, the list begins after the leading character and ends before the last trailing character.
LISTASSET('[c,[a,b]', '[,]') c![a!b
If the leading and trailing characters are in the middle of the list, they are treated as normal characters.
LISTASSET('[,c,[a,b]', '[,]') !c![a!b
If a list has multiple leading or trailing characters, the multiples will be ignored. Instead the list starts from the
character that differs from the leading characters and it ends with the first trailing character.
LISTASSET('[[[[c,[a,b],]]', '[,]') c![a!b
LISTASSET('[[[[,c,[a,b],]]', '[,]') !!c![a!b]
If the leading, trailing, and separator characters are the same type of character, except for the first and last
characters, all other characters are treated as a separator.
LISTASSET('||||c||a,b|||', '|||') !!!!!!c!a,b

Text functions
Entering Returns
Additional examples
LISTASSET(Parameters) The list of items found in the Parameters fields as a set.
LISTASSET(Order.Target.Id, '|') The list of items found in the Order.Target.Id field as a

set. This example assumes pipe (|) delimited list values.
Customer IN LISTASSET($OrderCustomer) True if the order's customer is present in the

OrderCustomer variable, false otherwise.
MIN(LISTASSET('aaa,ccc,bbb')){Value} aaa
MAX(LISTASSET('-aaa-|-ccc-|-bbb-', '- ccc

|-')){Value}
NOTE: The last two examples above show the output of the LISTASSET function used in a set
expression. For more information about sets, see "Set operators" on page 1145.
NOTE: You can also return lists of string items as sets of paired values or as set with an
accompanying index. For more information, see "LISTASSETOFPAIRS" on page 1174 and
"LISTASSETWITHINDEX" on page 1175.
LISTASSETOFPAIRS
Returns a list of text string values converted to sets of paired values. Each record in the returned set
contains one column named "Key" and one column named "Value". In order to be used with this
function, a given list must contain an even number of values. Each group of two consecutive values in
the list are paired together as the "Key" and "Value" respectively.
LISTASSETOFPAIRS(list, separator)
where
l list defines the string field or expression to be converted to a set. If the list contains an odd
number of items, an error is returned.

Examples
Entering Returns
LISTASSETOFPAIRS(Parameters) The list of items found in the Parameters fields as a set of paired
values.
LISTASSETOFPAIRS(Order.Target.Id, The list of items found in the Order.Target.Id field as a set pf
'|') paired values. This example assumes pipe (|) delimited list values.
ASSOCIATEMIN(ListAsSetOfPairs 4
('aaa, 4, ccc, 2, bbb, 6'))
{Key, Value}
ASSOCIATEMAX(ListAsSetOfPairs 2
('aaa|4|ccc|2|bbb|6', '|')){Key,
Value}
NOTE: The last two examples above show the output of the LISTASSETOFPAIRS function used in a
set expression. For more information about sets, see "Set operators" on page 1145.
LISTASSETWITHINDEX
Returns a list of text string values converted to a set. Each record in the set then contains one column
named "Value" and one column named "Index". The Value column contains the text string values, and
the Index column identifies the position of each of those values in the original list. This allows for the
original position of the list items to be maintained and used for sorting and filtering purposes. Note
that this function uses a zero-based index (that is, the first item in the list has an Index of 0, the second
item in the list has an Index of 1, and so on).
LISTASSETWITHINDEX(list, separator)
where
l list defines the string field or expression to be converted to a set.

Typically, set operators can then be used to display particular details about the items in the set as
shown in the following examples. For more information about sets, see "Set operators" on page 1145.

Text functions
Examples
Entering Returns
Concatenate(999)LISTASSETWITHINDEX A set containing the 5th item and onward from the
(Parameters)[Index >= 4] list of items found in the Parameters field.
Concatenate(999)LISTASSETWITHINDEX 0, 2, 4
('0.2.4.6.8', '.')[Index < 3]
Concatenate(999)LISTASSETWITHINDEX('aa, bb , aa, ee
cc, dd, ee')[Index = 0 OR Index = 4]
AssociateMax(LISTASSETWITHINDEX('a,c,p,z,n')) 3
{Value, Index}
Min LISTASSETWITHINDEX('|a4|a1|a3|a2', '|') a2
[Index > 1] {Value}
NOTE: To return the list items as just a set, without the accompanying index values, the ListAsSet
function can be used instead. For more information, see "LISTASSET" on page 1173.
LISTCONTAINS
Used in Boolean expressions to test for the existence of a specified value in a text string list. Returns true
if the value is found in the list, and false if it is not.
The following syntax is used.
LISTCONTAINS(list, string, separator)
where
l list defines the string field or expression to be evaluated.

l string indicates the string value to search the list for. The expression evaluates to "true" if the
value is contained in the list, and "false" if it is not.

Examples
Entering Returns
LISTCONTAINS(Parameters, True if the Parameters field contains the value 'DueDate', and False if it
'DueDate') does not.
LISTCONTAINS(Order.Target.Id, True if the Order.Target.ID field contains the value 'TBS', and False if it
'TBS', '|') does not. This example assumes pipe (|) delimited list values.
LISTCONTAINS('red-; blue-; False.
green-', 'black')
LISTCONTAINS('-red-| -blue-| True
-green-|', 'green', '-|-')
LISTCOUNT
Returns the number of items found in a text string list.
LISTCOUNT(list, separator)
where

l separator is an optional parameter that defines the list separator character, and consists of a
one character text string. If this argument is not included, a comma is assumed as the separator.
Examples
Entering Returns
LISTCOUNT(Parameters) The number of items from the list of values in the Parameters field.
LISTCOUNT The number of items from the list of values in the Order.Target.Id field. This
(Order.Target.Id, '|') example assumes pipe (|) delimited list values.
LISTCOUNT('yellow, 3
brown, black')
LISTGET
Returns a specified item (by numerical position) from a text string list.
LISTGET(list, number, separator)

Text functions
where
l list defines the string field or expression to be used.

l number indicates which item, by numerical position, is returned from the list.
Examples
Entering Returns
LISTGET(Parameters, 2) The second item from the list of values in the Parameters
field.
LISTGET('blue, red, green, white', 3) green
LISTGET('yellow-| brown-| black-', 2, brown-
"|")
LISTGET('yellow-| brown-| black-', 2, ' brown
|-')
NOTE: If the number of items in a list is less than the value specified in the number argument, an
error is returned. However, you can use the LISTGETWITHDEFAULT operator if you want to define a
default value to be returned in cases where the specified number is greater than the number of
elements in the list. For more information, see "LISTGETWITHDEFAULT" on page 1179.
LISTGETFROMEND
Returns a specified item (by numerical position) starting from the end of a text string list.
LISTGETFROMEND(list, number, separator)
where

l number indicates which item, by numerical position, is returned from the end of the list.

Examples
Entering Returns
LISTGETFROMEND(Parameters, 2) The second last item from the list of values in the
Parameters field.
LISTGETFROMEND('blue, red, green, white', 3) red
LISTGETFROMEND('yellow-| brown-| white-| white-
black-', 2, "|")
LISTGETFROMEND('yellow-| brown-| white-| white
black-', 2, ' |-')
NOTE: If the number of items in a list is less than the value specified in the number argument, an
error is returned.
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT
Returns a specified item (by numerical position) from a text string list.
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT(list, number, default, separator)
where

l number indicates which item, by numerical position, is returned from the list.
l default is an optional text string to be returned in cases where the value specified in the number
argument is greater than the total number of items in the list.

Text functions
Examples
Entering Returns
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT(Parameters, The second item from the list of values in the Parameters field, and
3, 'No value') the words "No value" if the list contains less than three values.
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT('blue, red, green
green, white', 3, 'None')
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT('blue, red, None

green, white', 5, 'None')
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT('yellow-| brown
brown-| black-', 2, 'None', ' |-
')
NOTE: You can also use the LISTGET operator if you do not require a default value to be specified.
For more information, see "LISTGET" on page 1177.
LISTINDEXOF
Returns the numerical position of a specified text string within a list of items.
LISTINDEXOF(list, string, separator)
where
l list defines the string field or expression containing the list to be evaluated.
l string indicates the string value whose numerical position is to be returned from the list. If the
text string is not found in the list, zero (0) is returned instead.

Examples
Entering Returns
LISTINDEXOF(Parameters, The numerical position of the string 'Date' within the Parameters field.
'Date')
LISTINDEXOF The numerical position of the string 'HDTVs' within the Header.Target.Id
(Header.Target.Id, 'HDTVs', field. This example assumes pipe (|) delimited list values
'|')
LISTINDEXOF('green, yellow, 3
blue', 'blue')
LISTINDEXOF 0
('green|yellow|blue',
'brown', '|')
LISTINDEXOF 2
('green|yellow|blue',
'yellow', '|')
LISTLEFT
Returns a specified number of items starting from the left most position in a text string list.
LISTLEFT(list, count, separator)
where

l count indicates the number of items to return from the list. If the number specified is greater than
the total number of items in the list, the entire list is returned.
Examples
Entering Returns
LISTLEFT(Parameters, 3) The three left-most items from the list of values in the
Parameters field.
LISTLEFT('blue, red, green, white', blue, red
2)

Text functions
Entering Returns
LISTLEFT('blue, red, green, white', blue, red, green, white
6)
LISTLEFT('blue| red| green| white', blue| red

2, '|')
NOTE: If the list has leading and trailing delimiter characters, this function includes them in its
output.
LISTMID
Returns a range of items from a specified position in a text string list.
LISTMID(list, start, end, separator)
where

l start indicates the numerical position of the first item to be returned from the list. If the list does
not contain the item specified, the resulting output is blank.
l end indicates the numerical position of the last item to be returned from the list. If the list does
not contain the list item specified, the resulting output is blank.
Examples
Entering Returns
LISTMID(Parameters, 3, 5) The third, fourth, and fifth items from the list of values in the
Parameters field.
LISTMID('blue, red, green, white', red, green
2, 3)
LISTMID('blue, red, green, white',

2, 5)
LISTMID('blue|red|green|white', 2, red|green|white
4, "|")
output.
NOTE: If either the start or end argument specifies an item outside the list range, this function
returns a blank result.

LISTRIGHT
Returns a specified number of items starting from the right most position in a text string list.
LISTRIGHT(list, count, separator)
where

l count indicates the number of items to return from the list. If the number specified is greater than
the total number of items in the list, the entire list is returned.
Examples
Entering Returns
LISTRIGHT(Parameters, 3) The three right-most items from the list of values in the
Parameters field.
LISTRIGHT('blue, red, green, white', green, white
2, ',')
LISTRIGHT('blue, red, green, white', blue, red, green, white

6)
LISTRIGHT('blue| red| green| white', red| green| white

3, '|')
output.
LISTSET
Replaces a given item in the list with a specified string value.
LISTSET(list, position, string, separator)
where

l position indicates the numerical position in the list of the item to be replaced. If the number of
items in the list is less than the value specified in this argument, an error is returned.
l string indicates a string value to replace an existing item in the list.
l separator is an optional parameter that defines the list separator character, and the leading
and trailing characters attached to list values, if any. This value consists of either a one character

Text functions
text string that identifies the separator character, or a three character text string that identifies
the leading character, separator character, and trailing character. For example, if the list values are
Examples
Entering Returns
LISTSET Returns the list of values in the Header.Target.Id field, with the string '...' replacing
(Header.Target.Id, the first item in the list. This example assumes pipe (|) delimited list values.
1, '...', '|')
LISTSET('blue, red, blue, yellow, green
green', 2, 'yellow')
MID
Returns a specified number of characters from a defined position in a text string field or expression. The
MID(text, start, number)
The start argument indicates the initial character position to display (starting from 1), and the number
argument indicates the total number of characters to display from start.
Examples
Entering Returns
MID (Id, 3, 2) The third and fourth characters from the Id field.
MID('AC-619-A1', 4, 3) 619
QUOTE
Inserts specified escape characters into a text string and encloses the entire string in quotes. For
example, this can be used to escape characters that have special meaning, and enclosing the string in
quotes makes it suitable for use in an expression.
QUOTE(text, quoteEscapeChars)
where

l text is a string field or expression.
l quoteEscapeChars is an optional argument consisting of a text string that identifies the quote
and escape characters to be used with this operator. If this argument is used, the first two
characters identify the start and end quote characters, the third character identifies the escape
character, and any other characters specified after that are also escaped. If this argument is not
used, a single quote is used for the start and end quote, and the backslash (\) is used for the
escape character.
Examples
Entering Returns
QUOTE(Description) The Description field in single quotes, with the backslash used as the escape character.
QUOTE(Description, The Description field in single quotes, with the ampersand used as the escape
"''&*") character, and the asterisk character also escaped.
QUOTE("95'prod*") '95\'prod*'
QUOTE("95'prod*", '/9/5/'prod*'
"''/95"
QUOTE("95'prod*", -95'prod**-
"--*")
NOTE: You can also use the ESCAPE function if you want characters escaped without having the
text string enclosed in quotes. For more information, see "ESCAPE" on page 1170.
REPEAT
Repeats a text string field or expression a given number of times as defined by a Quantity field or
expression. A typical use of this function might be to indent part names in an indented bill type
worksheet. The following syntax is used:
REPEAT(text, number)
where
l text defines the text string to be repeated,

l number indicates the number of times the text string should be repeated.
The output produced by this function must not exceed 4000 characters. An error is given at runtime if
any column using this function produces a value exceeding that character limit. For example, if an
expression repeats a part name 500 times, an error would be generated if there are any part names
greater than 8 characters in the record set being evaluated.

Text functions
Examples
Entering Returns
REPEAT ('.', The part number preceded by a number of dots (.) corresponding to the part's
LowLevelCode) + Name low level code (LowLevelCode).
REPEAT ('abc ', 3) abc abc abc
REPLACE
The REPLACE function enables the use of regular expressions for string comparison and replacement
within RapidResponse query expressions. This function can be used to specify a regular expression
pattern along with a replacement string to be substituted in place of instances of that pattern. The
replacement string can include any alpha, numeric, or special characters, as well as elements of the
matched pattern string itself. For example, you can use this function to replace or mask forbidden
characters, remove empty spaces, or change the formatting and display associated with certain values
found in a string.
The REPLACE function returns a copy of an input string with any instances of a regular expression
pattern replaced by the specified replacement characters. The following syntax is used.
REPLACE(string, pattern, replacement)
where
l string indicates the string field or expression in which to look for the specified pattern.
l pattern is a regular expression string defining the character pattern against which the string
parameter is compared. By default, any alpha characters included in the regular expression pattern
are assumed to be case insensitive, however case sensitivity can be enabled using the ?-i syntax
as shown in the example section below. Regular expression patterns can also make use of certain
characters that have special meaning in a pattern. For example, the dollar sign ($) can be used to
indicate that the pattern should match at the end of the string only. If you need to include such
special characters in the actual string pattern you are searching for, they should be preceded with
a backslash character (\). Regular expression patterns also support special interpretations of
certain alpha characters if preceded by a backslash. For example, \s can be used to indicate a
space. If including these or similar backslash constructs in your regular expression patterns, you
should specify the pattern as a verbatim string literal to ensure the backslashes are interpreted as
intended (that is, use @'string' instead of just 'string'. See the example section below for
cases where verbatim string literals might be used.
l replacement defines the replacement character string to substitute in place of instances of a
matched pattern in the input string. The replacement character string can include specified alpha,
numeric, or special characters, as well as references to elements in (or around) the matched
pattern in the string itself. References to matched string patterns make use of the $ character and
typically include numbered references to the parenthesized groups in the pattern. For example $1
refers to the first parenthesized group in the pattern, $2 refers to the second parenthesized item
in the pattern, and so on. Therefore, if you want to reuse elements of the matched string pattern
in your replacement string, you should ensure the pattern parameter makes appropriate use of
parentheses to identify the required groups in the pattern.

The following characters can be escaped.
Character Usage
\n Represents a new line.
\r Represents a carriage return.
\t Represents a tab stop
\s Represents a space.
\b Represents the start or end of a word.
\" Represents a quotation mark. You must include the escape character to include quotation marks in
a String, otherwise the quotation mark ends the String.
\' Represents a single quote. You must include the escape character to include a single quote in a
String, otherwise the single quote ends the String.
\\ Represents a backslash. You must include the escape character if the String contains a backslash
character. Otherwise, the character following the backslash is treated as an escaped character.
NOTE: The REPLACE function relies on regular expression syntax as implemented in the Microsoft
.NET Framework. For a complete reference on the supported syntax for defining string patterns
and their replacement strings, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/az24scfc.aspx.
NOTE: If you just want to compare and match regular expression patterns in your input strings,
but not actually replace any characters, you can use the ISMATCH function instead. For more
information, see "ISMATCH" on page 1135.
NOTE: If you just want to remove characters, such as zeroes or spaces, from the beginning or end
of a string, you will get better performance using "TRIM" on page 1188, "TRIMLEADING" on page
1189, or "TRIMTRAILING" on page 1190.
Examples
The following table shows column expressions using the REPLACE function.
Entering Returns
REPLACE(Value, '[m-z]', '*') The Value field with each instance of an alpha character between m and
z replaced by the asterisk character (*).
REPLACE(Value, @'\s', '') The Value field with each instance of a space removed.
REPLACE(Value, '^([0-9]{3})', The Value field with the first three characters enclosed in parentheses if
'($1)') they are numerals.
REPLACE(Value, '(?-i)([A-Z] The Value field with a dash inserted any time three upper case alpha
{3})([0-5])', '$1-$2') characters are followed by a numeral between zero and five.
REPLACE(Description, @' The Description field with the string "chip" enclosed in double-quotes
(\bchip\b)', '"$1"') anytime it is used as a whole word.

Text functions
Entering Returns
REPLACE(Description, '[0- The Description field with each instance of one or more consecutive
9]+', '#') numerals replaced with a single pound sign (#).
REPLACE('AC#101', '#', '-') AC-101
REPLACE('aa123 aa123', '([a- aa123 123aa
z]{2})([0-9]{3})$', '$2$1')
REPLACE('PartSourceType', ' Part Source Type
(?-i)([a-z])([A-Z])', '$1
$2')
REPLACE('$535', @'(\$)([0- 535 USD
9]+)', '$2 USD')
REPLACE('abc#xyyz', '([a-z] xyyzabc
{3})(#)([a-z]{4}), '$3$1')
REPLACE('555 900 9784', '([0- (555)-900-9784
9]{3})( )([0-9]{3})( )([0-9]
{4})', '($1)-$3-$5')
REPLACE(Value, @'(.*) For a Value containing a project number using the 'Project#xxxxx'
(Project\s?#)(\d{3,5}) syntax, the three to five digit project number. If the Value does not
(.*)|.*', '$3' )
contain a 'Project#' label, returns a blank value.
RIGHT
Returns a specified number of characters from the right side of a text string field or expression. The
RIGHT(text, number)
The number argument indicates the number of characters to return.
Examples
Entering Returns
RIGHT(Name, 3) The last three characters of the Name field.
RIGHT('abc-0224', 4 0224
TRIM
Returns a text string with any leading or trailing spaces, or other characters that you specify, removed.
The following syntax is used
TRIM(text, match_characters)
where
text indicates the string field or expression from which leading and trailing spaces should be removed.

match_characters is an optional argument listing the characters that should be removed from the
beginning and end of the string. The order of the characters is not important. Do not put separators,
such as commas, between the match characters.
If you do not include the match_characters argument, all spaces and other blanks, such as line tabs,
are removed from the beginning and end of the string.
Examples
Entering Returns
TRIM(Part.Name) The part name minus leading or trailing spaces.
TRIM (' ab c ') ab c
(Spaces are removed from either end of the text string.)
TRIM (' ab c ', ' a') b c
(Spaces are removed from either end of the text string, and the 'a' is
also removed.)
TRIM (' ab c ', 'a') ab c
(Because there is a space before the 'a' in the text string, and there is
not a space included in the match_characters string, no characters
are trimmed from the text string.)
NOTE: To remove only leading spaces or characters, the TRIMLEADING operator can be used. For
more information, see "TRIMLEADING" on page 1189.
NOTE: To remove only trailing spaces or characters, the TRIMTRAILING operator can be uses. For
more information, see "TRIMTRAILING" on page 1190.
TRIMLEADING
Removes any leading spaces or specified characters from the beginning of a text string.
TRIMLEADING(text, match_characters)
where
l text indicates the string field or expression from which leading spaces or characters are removed.
l match_characters is an optional argument listing the characters that should be removed from
the beginning of the string. The order of the characters is not important. Do not put separators,
such as commas, between the match characters.
If you do not include the match_characters argument, all spaces and other blanks, such as
tabs, are removed from the beginning of the string.
Examples

Text functions
Entering Returns
Trimleading (Order.Id) The order ID with leading spaces removed
Trimleading (Order.Id, '0#') The order ID with any leading zeroes or '#' characters removed. For
example, if the order ID was #00000A239, the expression would return
A239.
Trimleading (' abc',' a') bc
(The space and the 'a' are both removed from the beginning of the
text string.)
Trimleading (' abc','a') abc
(Because there is a space before the 'a' in the text string, and there is
not a space included in the match_character string, no characters
are trimmed from the Text string.)
NOTE: To remove both leading and trailing spaces or characters, the TRIM operator can be used.
For more information, see "TRIM" on page 1188.
NOTE: To remove trailing spaces or characters, the TRIMTRAILING operator can be used. For
more information, see "TRIMTRAILING" on page 1190.
TRIMTRAILING
Removes any trailing spaces or specified characters from the end of a text string.
TRIMTRAILING(text, match_characters)
where
l text indicates the string field or expression from which trailing spaces or characters are removed.
l match_characters is an optional argument listing the characters that should be removed from
the end of the string. The order of the characters is not important. Do not put separators, such as
commas, between the match characters.
If you do not include the match_characters argument, all spaces and other blanks, such as
tabs, are removed from the end of the string.
Examples
Entering Returns
TRIMTRAILING(Description) The Description field with trailing spaces removed.
TRIMTRAILING(' ab ') ab
(The spaces at the beginning of the text string are not removed, but
the space at the end is removed.)

Entering Returns
Trimtrailing (' abc','cb') a
(The spaces at the beginning of the text string are
not removed.)
Trimtrailing (' abc ','cb') abc

(Because there is a space after the 'b' in the text string, and there is
not a space included in the match_characters string, no characters
are trimmed from the text string.)
NOTE: To remove both leading and trailing spaces or characters, the TRIM operator can be used.
For more information, see "TRIM" on page 1188.
NOTE: To remove leading spaces or characters, the TRIMLEADING operator can be used. For more
information, see "TRIMLEADING" on page 1189.
UCASE
Formats a text string field or expression in all uppercase letters. The following syntax is used:
UCASE(text)
Examples
Entering Returns
UCASE(BuyerCode.Value) The BuyerCode in all uppercase letters.
UCASE('AC-frame') AC-FRAME
NOTE: You can also format text in all lower case using the LCASE function. For more information,
see "LCASE" on page 1171.
Conversion functions
Conversion functions let you convert a field or expression from one data type to another. For example,
because the true and false values returned by conditional expressions must be of the same data type,
you might need to convert a date or quantity to a text string value to ensure this compatibility. Or,
because profile variables are always passed into expression as text, you might need to convert a string
value to a number or date for use within an expression.
The table below summarizes the conversion functions available in RapidResponse:

"BOOLEANVALUE" Converts a text string to a Boolean value.
on page 1192
CanonicalScenarioID Used together, these functions return a text string containing the name, scope, owner, or
and sequence number of a scenario.
ScenarioProperty
"DATEVALUE" on Converts either text strings or datetime values to the date data type.
page 1194
"DATETIMEVALUE" Converts either a text string or a date and a time value to the datetime data type
on page 1195
"NUMERICVALUE" Converts a text string or money field or expression to a numeric data type or returns the
on page 1197 calculated amount of time between a date or datetime value and the earliest date value
allowed in RapidResponse.
"TEXT (date/time)" Formats Date, DateTime, and Time values as text.
on page 1198
"TEXT (numbers)" Formats Quantity and Integer fields or expressions.

on page 1202
"TIMEBUCKET" on Rounds datetime expressions to a specified time interval that is at or earlier than the
page 1203 datetime being evaluated.
"TIMEVALUE" on Converts a text string field or expression to the time data type.
page 1203
BOOLEANVALUE
Converts a text string to a Boolean value using the following syntax.
BOOLEANVALUE (text, error_value)
where
l text is a text string, field, or expression that contains a 'Y' or 'N' value.
l error_value is an optional Boolean value or text string that contains the Boolean value to be
returned if the specified text is not a valid Boolean value.
Examples
These examples are based on the IndependentDemand table.
Entering Returns
BOOLEANVALUE('Y') True
BOOLEANVALUE(ProtectQuantity) The Boolean value in the ProtectQuantity field.

Entering Returns
BOOLEANVALUE(Part.Name, 'False') 'False'
IF(BOOLEANVALUE(EVAL($Late)), 'Late', 'On 'Late' or 'On time', depending on the value in the $Late variable.
time') For more information about the EVAL function, see "EVAL" on
page 1227.
CanonicalScenarioId and ScenarioProperty

Used together, these functions return a text string containing the name, scope, owner, or sequence
number of a scenario.
CanonicalScenarioId
This function returns a text string that describes ascenario. Use the syntax
CanonicalScenarioId(scenario, user)
where
l scenario is a scenario in RapidResponse. You can give just the name of a scenario, or you can
give both the name and the scope (private or shared) using the format ?scope:scenario name.
If you give just the name, the scenario's scope is assumed to be shared.
l user is an optional argument that specifies the user ID of the owner of the scenario. If no user is
specified, the default is the current user.
The content of this text string should not be relied on, except for use as a parameter for the
ScenarioProperty function.
ScenarioProperty
This function takes the text string generated by the CanonicalScenarioID function, and returns one of
the following four pieces of information: the name, the type, the owner, or the sequence number. It uses
the syntax
ScenarioProperty(canonical scenario ID, property)
where
l canonical scenario ID is the text string returned by the CanonicalScenarioID function.

l property is the scenario property that the ScenarioProperty function will return. The following
properties are valid.
l 'Name' returns the name of the scenario. The scenario name does not include the scope. For
example, if the scenario is a shared scenario named Baseline, the name is 'Baseline.'
l 'Type' returns the scenario's type, which corresponds to its scope. The type can either be
'Published' (which indicates that the scenario is shared) or 'Private.' For example, if the scenario
is a shared scenario named Baseline, the type is 'Published.'

l 'Owner' returns the user ID of the scenario's owner
l 'Sequencenumber' returns the sequence number. This number uniquely identifies a scenario in
RapidResponse. If a scenario is deleted and then recreated, the sequence number will not be
the same. This number is sometimes used to identify a private scenario in system workbooks
and administration processes.
Examples
Entering Returns
ScenarioProperty(CanonicalScenarioId In a single-scenario worksheet, the name of the scenario
($Scenario0) 'Name') selected in the workbook data settings.
In a multi-scenario worksheet, the first scenario selected in
the workbook data settings (the baseline scenario).
ScenarioProperty (CanonicalScenarioID If the current user owns a private scenario named Test, the
('?private:Test'), 'Sequencenumber') sequence number of that scenario.
If the current user does not own a private scenario named
Test, the value returned is blank.
DATEVALUE
This function can be used to convert either text strings or datetime values to the date data type.
Syntax for string conversion

DATEVALUE(text, errorValue)
where
l text is a text string containing a date value formatted in a date format supported by
RapidResponse (for example, yyyy-mm-dd or mm/dd/yy). For a complete list of supported data
formats, see "Data types and constants" on page 1127. Note that If the date specified is earlier
than January 1, 1970 a value of "Past" is returned, and if the date specified is later than December
31, 2037 a value of "Future" is returned.
l errorValue is an optional argument that can be used to specify a valid date or date constant to
be returned if the text provided cannot be converted to a date. If no errorValue is provided and
the text cannot be converted to a date, an error is generated.
Syntax for datetime conversion

DATEVALUE(dateTime, timeZone)
where

l dateTime is a valid datetime value formatted in any of the formats supported by RapidResponse
as discussed in "Data types and constants" on page 1127.
l timeZone is an optional argument allowing for the date to be returned relative to a specified time
zone. If used, this argument must reference a valid time zone defined in RapidResponse. If this
value is not specified, the user's local time zone is used.
Examples
Entering Returns
DateValue($AnalysisDate) + 5 Five days after the value defined by the AnalysisDate profile
variable.
DateValue('12/30/2009', today) 2009-12-30

DateValue('30/12/2009', today) Today's date.
DateValue(Shipment.DeliveryDateTime, The order's delivery date and time expressed as a date
Part.Site.TimeZone) relative to the part site's time zone.
DateValue(2009-10-31 02:30:00) 2009-10-31

DateValue(2009-10-31 02:30:00, '(GMT- 2009-10-30
08:00) Pacific Time')
NOTE: All examples above are assumed to use Eastern Standard Time.
DATETIMEVALUE
This function can be used to convert either a text string or a date and a time value to the datetime data
type.

DATETIMEVALUE(text, timezone, errorValue)
where
l text is a text string consisting of a date followed by a time. The date should be in a date format
supported by RapidResponse (for example, yyyy-mm-dd or mm/dd/yy). The time should be
formatted in either the 24 hour format with colon separators or the 12-hour format with colon
separators and a one or two digit A.M./P.M. indicator (either time format may also include an
optional seconds value). For a complete list of all supported date and time formats, see "Data types
and constants" on page 1127. If the date specified is earlier than January 1, 1970 a value of "Past" is
returned, and if the date specified is later than December 31, 2037 a value of "Future" is returned. If
a time value is not specified, midnight is used.

l timezone is an optional argument that allows for the datetime returned to be expressed relative
to a specified time zone. If used, this argument must reference a time zone defined in
RapidResponse. If this value is not specified, the user's local time zone is used.
l errorValue is an optional argument and can be used to specify a valid datetime value to be
returned if the text provided cannot be converted to a datetime. If no errorValue is provided
and the text cannot be converted to a datetime, an error is returned.
Syntax for date and time conversion

DATETIMEVALUE(date, time, timeZone)
l date should be formatted in a date format supported by RapidResponse (for example, yyyy-mm-
dd or mm/dd/yy). For a listing of the date formats supported in RapidResponse, see "Data types
and constants" on page 1127. You can also use the Past, Future, and Undefined date constants.
l time should be formatted in either the 24-hour format with colon separators or the 12-hour
format with colon separators and a one or two digit A.M./P.M. indicator (either time format may
include an optional seconds value). This value is not required if you use the Past, Future, or
Undefined date constant.
l timeZone argument is optional and allows for the date returned to be in a specified time zone. If
used, this argument must reference a valid time zone in RapidResponse. If this value is not
specified, the user's local time zone is used.
Examples
Entering Returns
DATETIMEVALUE($AnalysisDateTime) The value of the AnalysisDateTime profile variable
converted to a datetime value.
DATETIMEVALUE('10-30-09 22:30') 10-30-09 22:30
DATETIMEVALUE('10-30-09') 10-30-09 12:00 AM

DATETIMEVALUE('10-30-09 22:30', '(GMT- 10-31-09 01:30
08:00) Pacific Time')
DATETIMEVALUE(DueDate, 12:00) Noon on the due date expressed as a DateTime value.

DATETIMEVALUE(DueDate, t'12:00', '(GMT- Noon on the due date expressed as a DateTime value
07:00) Mountain Time') relative to the mountain time zone.
DATETIMEVALUE(Past) The Past date constant.

This uses Past as a DateTime value, which you can use
with other functions.
NOTE: All examples above assume Eastern Standard Time.

NUMERICVALUE
This function can be used to convert a text string or money field or expression to a numeric data type, or
used to return the calculated amount of time between a date or datetime value and the earliest date
value allowed in RapidResponse (January 1, 1970), or between a time and midnight.

NUMERICVALUE(text, errorValue, separator)
where
l text is a string field or expression containing a valid number. The number can contain optional
thousands and decimal separators, as well as leading or trailing currency symbols.
l errorValue is an optional argument that can be used to specify a numeric value to be returned if
the text provided cannot be converted to a number. If no errorValue is provided and the text
cannot be converted to a number, an error is returned.
l separator is an optional argument that can be used to specify the characters used as
thousands and decimals separators. If used, this argument should be a text string consisting of
two characters; the first character is the thousands separator and the second is the decimal
separator. If this argument is not used, a comma is assumed to be the thousands separator and a
period is assumed to the decimal separator.
Examples
Entering Returns
NUMERICVALUE(Line) The value in the Line field converted to a numeric data type.
NUMERICVALUE('2050') 2050
NUMERICVALUE('205a') An error.
NUMERICVALUE('205a', 0) 0
NUMERICVALUE('2.000') 2
NUMERICVALUE('2.000', 0, '.,') 2000
Syntax for money conversion

NUMERICVALUE (value, currency)
l value is a money field or expression.

l currency is an optional argument that can be used to specify the currency to convert the value
to. If this value is not specified, the base currency is used.

Examples
Entering Returns
NUMERICVALUE (UnitSellingPrice) The numeric value of the value in the UnitSellingPrice field.
NUMERICVALUE (UnitSellingPrice, The numeric value of the UnitSellingPrice field converted to
'JPY' Yen.
A date argument is also available for specifying the date when the conversion rate was calculated.
However, as of RapidResponse 11.2, this argument is not recommended because its use can override
other currency conversions and produce incorrect results. For information about specifying a currency
conversion date, see "CONVERTONDATE" on page 1206.
Syntax for date and time conversion

To return the number of days between a date value and January 1, 1970:
NUMERICVALUE(date)
To return the number of seconds between a datetime value and January 1, 1970:
NUMERICVALUE(datetime)
To return the number of seconds between a time and 00:00:00 (midnight):
NUMERICVALUE(time)
Examples
Entering Returns
NUMERICVALUE The number of seconds between the value in the LastDataUpdate field and
(LastDataUpdate) January 1, 1970.
NUMERICVALUE(2009-12-01) 14,579
NUMERICVALUE(ts'12-01-10 1,291,262,400
23:00')
NUMERICVALUE(23:00) 82,800
TEXT (date/time)
The TEXT function can be used to format Date, DateTime, and Time values as text as shown in the
following table.

Data Syntax
type
Date TEXT (Date,'format')
where format is an optional argument that accepts valid date codes to define the formatting of values
as discussed in "Date codes " on page 1199. Non-alpha numeric characters can also be included
directly within the format, with the exception of a single quote (') which must be escaped with a
backslash (\').
Alpha numeric characters can be used to include constant text in your format by enclosing that text in
different quotes than the ones used for the format argument itself (for example, enclose the entire
argument in single quotes and any constant text in double quotes).
If the format argument is not provided, the yyyy-mm-dd format is used by default.
DateTime TEXT (DateTime, 'format', [timezone])
where
l format is an optional argument that accepts valid date and time codes to define the formatting of
values as discussed in "Date codes " on page 1199and "Time codes" on page 1200. Non-alpha
numeric characters can also be included directly within the format, with the exception of a single
quote (') which must be escaped with a backslash (\'). Alpha numeric characters can be used to
include constant text in your format by enclosing that text in different quotes than the ones used for
the format argument itself (for example, enclose the entire argument in single quotes and any
constant text in double quotes). If the format argument is not provided, the yyyy-mm-dd
hh.mm.ss.fffffff format is used by default. The default format is reported in the user's time zone
without designation.
l timezone is an optional argument that must match a valid time zone defined in RapidResponse. If
this value is not specified, the user's local time zone is used.
Time TEXT (Time, 'format')

where format is an optional argument that accepts valid time codes to define the formatting of values
as discussed in "Time codes" on page 1200. Non-alpha numeric characters can also be included
directly within the format, with the exception of a single quote (') which must be escaped with a
backslash (\').
Alpha numeric characters can be used to include constant text in your format by enclosing that text in
different quotes than the ones used for the format argument itself (for example, enclose the entire
argument in single quotes and any constant text in double quotes).
If the format argument is not provided, the hh:mm:ss format is used by default.
You can also use Date and DateTime constants with these functions. For more information, see "Data
types and constants" on page 1127.
Date codes
The following can be used when formatting Date and DateTime data types.
Code Returns
d one or two-digit day (1, 2, 14, 29,...)
dd two-digit day (01, 02, 14, 29,...)
ddd three character day of week name (Mon, Tue, Fri,...)
dddd full name of the day of the week (Monday, Friday,...)

Code Returns
m one or two-digit month number (1, 2, 11,...)
mm two-digit month number (01, 02, 11,...)
mmm Three character month name (Jan, Feb, Nov,...).
This value is reported using English names.
mmmm Full name of the month (January, November,...).
This value is reported using English names.
y one-digit year (1, 2, 9,...)
yy two-digit year (99, 00, 02,...)
yyyy four-digit year (1999, 2002,...)
Time codes
The following can be used when formatting DateTime and Time data types.
Code Displays
h The hour in a 24-hour clock where single digit hours will not have a leading zero.
hh The hour in a 24-hour clock where single digit hours will have a leading zero.
m The minute where single digit minutes will not have a leading zero. In order to avoid conflict with the
“m” used for a single digit month, any “m” seen after an “h” is interpreted as a minute, unless there is an
intervening ‘d’, ‘y’, or ‘m’ format.
mm The minute where single digit minutes will have a leading zero. In order to avoid conflict with the “mm”
used for a two digit month, the same convention is followed as discussed in the previous row.
s The second where single digit seconds will not have a leading zero.
ss The second where single digit seconds will have a leading zero.
f to Fraction of a second. A single f represents tenths of a second, two f’s represent hundredths of a second,
fffffff and so on. Up to seven f’s are supported. For example, fff represents thousandths of a second.
F to Fraction of a second. A single F represents tenths of a second, two F’s represent hundredths of a second,
FFFFFFF and so on. Up to seven F’s are supported. Using uppercase F’s is similar to lowercase except the
uppercase drops trailing zeros. For example, .fff could return .230. If you used .FFF, the same data then
.23 is returned.
t The AM/PM designator as a single character.
tt The AM/PM designator.
ttt The 12-hour clock without an AM/PM designator.
z The time zone offset (“+” or “-” followed by the hour only) where single digit hours do not have a
leading zero. For example, Pacific Standard Time is “-8”.
zz The time zone offset (“+” or “-” followed by the hour only) where single digit hours have a leading zero.
For example, Pacific Time is “-08”.
zzz The full time zone offset (“+” or “-” followed by the hour and minutes) where single digit hours and
minutes have a leading zero. For example, Pacific Time is “-08:00”.
zzzz The name of the TimeZone, as defined in RapidResponse.

Examples
The following examples show how to display a date field (DueDate) in a number of different formats.
These examples assume a DueDate value of June 20th 2012.
Entering Returns
TEXT (DueDate, 'mmmm dd, yyyy') June 20, 2012
TEXT (DueDate, 'ddd mmm d, yyyy') Mon June 20, 2012
TEXT (DueDate, 'yyyymmdd') 20120620
TEXT (DueDate, 'yy/mm/dd') 12/06/20
TEXT (DueDate, 'mmm d \' yy') Jun 20 '12
TEXT (DueDate, ' "Order is due on" yy-mm-dd') Order is due on 12-06-20
The following examples show how to display a datetime field (ShipDateTime) in a number of different
formats. These examples assume a ShipDateTime value of June 30th 2012 at 2 PM, and the local time
zone is GMT.
Entering Returns
TEXT (ShipDateTime, 'yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm') 2012-06-30 14:00
TEXT (ShipDateTime, 'mmmm d, yyyy', "(GMT+12:00) Fiji Time") July 1, 2012
TEXT (ShipDateTime, 'mmm d yyyy h:mm tt', "(GMT-05:00) Eastern Jun 30 2012 9:00 AM
Time")
TEXT (ShipDateTime, '"Shipped on" mmmm dd "at" h tt') Shipped on June 30 at 2
PM
The following examples show how to display a DateTime field using different formats. These examples
assume the date August 1, 2014 and the time of 13:25:09.120.
Entering Displays
TEXT(NOW, 'hh:mm:s') 13:25:9
TEXT(NOW, 'hh:mm:ss.fff') 13:25:09.120
TEXT(NOW, 'hh:mm:ss.FFF') 13:25:09.12
TEXT(NOW, 'h:mm tt') 1:25 PM
TEXT(NOW, 'hh:mm:ss t') 01:25:09 P
TEXT(NOW, '"Reviewed at" hh:mm:ss') Reviewed at 13:25:09
TEXT(NOW, 'mmmm d, yyyy", -- "hh:mm:ss.fff') August 1, 2014, -- 13:25:09.120
NOTE: The TEXT function can also be used with Integer and Quantity values. For more
information, see "TEXT (numbers)" on page 1202.
NOTE: For more information about the NOW DateTime constant, see "Date codes " on page 1199.

TEXT (numbers)
The TEXT function can be used to format Quantity and Integer fields or expressions as shown in the
following table. The value displayed is limited to 15 digits.
Data Syntax
type
Quantity TEXT (quantity, decimals, minChars, separators)
where
l decimals is an optional argument specifying the number of decimals to display. If not provided,
then as many decimal points as are needed to accurately reflect the quantity are displayed (up to a
maximum of 10).
l minChars is an optional argument specifying the minimum number of digits to display. Leading
zeroes are added to any value that has less than the specified number of digits.
l separators is an optional argument specifying the separator characters used to format values. This
argument accepts up to two string characters; the first is always used to indicate the decimal point
character and the second, if included, is used to indicate the thousands separator character.
NOTE: If separators is required but minChars is not, then separators becomes the third argument
instead of the fourth.
Integer TEXT (Integer)
Examples
The following examples are based on the ScheduledReceipt table.
Entering Returns
TEXT (Quantity * The product of the Quantity and Part.AverageSellingPrice fields to
Part.StdUnitCost, 2) two decimal places.
IF(AvailableDate > DueDate, TEXT The number of days late if the supply is expected to be late and a
(AvailableDate - DueDate), 'On string indicating 'On Time' otherwise.
Time'
TEXT (EffQuantity, 2, ', ') The EffQuantity field formatted to 2 decimal places, with a comma (,)
used as the decimal point and a space ( ) used as the thousands
separator.
TEXT(1.5 * 3, 2) 4.50
TEXT(1.5 * 3, 0) 5
TEXT(66, 0, 3) 066
TEXT(1574.979, 2, 8, '.,' ) 001,574.98
NOTE: The second example above is a conditional expression where the TEXT function is used to
ensure the "true" and "false" values each return the same data type.
NOTE: The TEXT function can also be used to convert date and time values. For more information,
see "TEXT (date/time)" on page 1198.

TIMEBUCKET
This function is used for rounding datetime expressions to a specified time interval that is at or earlier
than the datetime being evaluated. The following syntax is used:
TIMEBUCKET (datetime, time, timezone)
where:
l datetime- is a valid datetime value.

l time- is a time interval in the form hh:mm:ss (seconds are optional).
l timezone- is an optional argument that references a valid time zone defined in RapidResponse.
This can be used to set the zero point when the time interval specified is larger than an hour. If this
value is not specified, the user's local time zone is used..
Examples
Entering Returns
TIMEBUCKET(ShipDateTime, 00:15) The nearest quarter hour at or before the ShipDateTime field
value.
TIMEBUCKET(2010-08-30 10:55:00, 2010-08-30 10:45:00
00:15)
TIMEBUCKET(2010-08-30 21:28:29, 2010-08-30 10:28:00
00:01)
ROUNDUP(Now, 01:00) The nearest hour at or before the current date and time.
TIMEVALUE
Converts a text string or quantity field or expression to the time data type.

TIMEVALUE(text, errorValue)
where
l text is a string field or expression that should be a time formatted in either the 24-hour format
with colon separators, or the 12-hour format with colon separators and a one or two digit am/pm
indicator. Either time format may include an optional seconds value.
l errorValue argument is optional and can be used to specify a valid time value to be returned if
the text provided cannot be converted to a time. If no errorValue is provided and the text
cannot be converted to a time, an error is returned.

Examples
Entering Returns
TIMEVALUE($Time) The value of the Time variable converted to the time data type.
TIMEVALUE('11:00pm') 23:00:00
TIMEVALUE('23:45', 12:00) 23:45:00
TIMEVALUE('2345', 12:00) 12:00:00
Syntax for quantity conversion

TIMEVALUE(quantity)
quantity is the number of seconds before or after midnight. If the number is positive, the seconds are
added. If the number of seconds is negative, the seconds are subtracted. If the absolute value of the
number is more than 86400 (the number of seconds in 24 hours), the time wraps.
Examples
Entering Returns
TIMEVALUE(2345) 00:39:05
TIMEVALUE(-86600) 23:56:40
Currency functions
Currency functions allow you to view money values, convert values between multiple currencies, convert
values between the Money and Quantity types. and to view the date associated with the conversion rate
used to convert a Money value.
The table below summarizes the currency functions available in RapidResponse:
"ASSOCIATEDDATE" Returns the date associated with the conversion rate applied to a calculated Money field.
on page 1205
"CONVERTONDATE" Converts a money value to the workbook currency, using the rate calculated on a specified
on page 1206 date.
"MONEYVALUE" on Represents a numeric field or expression as a money value, which is converted from either
page 1207 a specified currency or the system's base currency to the workbook's currency.
"RAWCURRENCY" Returns the money value for a record in the currency the record is saved in.
on page 1208
"RAWVALUE" on Returns the value of a Money field, ignoring the field's currency.
page 1209

ASSOCIATEDDATE
Returns the date associated with the conversion rate applied to a calculated Money field. The following
syntax is used:
ASSOCIATEDDATE( field )
where field is a calculated Money field.
You can use this function to convert values in other Money columns using the same date as the
specified field.
Testing conversion dates

The ASSOCIATEDDATE function can also be used with a column for testing conversion dates, using the
following syntax:
ASSOCIATEDDATE ( columnId )
where columnId is a column identifier for a Money column.
You can use the ASSOCIATEDDATE function on a column to verify the correct date is being used to
convert a Money value. For column expressions that include multiple Money fields, the latest associated
date is returned by this function.
The date returned by using the ASSOCIATEDDATE function on a column should be used only for testing,
to ensure the correct date is being used for conversions. If you want to use an associated date to
convert other Money values, you should use the date associated with a calculated Money field to ensure
the conversion date is valid and the converted values are accurate.
Columns defined using this function should be removed before sharing the worksheet with users.
Examples
Entering Returns
ASSOCIATEDDATE(EffectiveUnitPrice) The date used to convert the value in the EffectiveUnitPrice
field.
ASSOCIATEDDATE The date used to convert the value in the EffUnitCost field of
(Part.PrimaryPartSource.EffUnitCost) the PartSource table.
Quantity * CONVERTONDATE The revenue for an order, as calculated by multiplying the

(UnitSellingPrice, ASSOCIATEDDATE order's Quantity by its UnitSellingPrice, converted using the
(EffectiveUnitPrice)) rate from the same date as the EffectiveUnitPrice was
converted.
For more information, see "CONVERTONDATE" on page 1206.
ASSOCIATEDDATE(!SellingPrice) The date used to convert the value calculated in the

SellingPrice column.

Currency functions
NOTE: The associated date is taken from a Date field on the same table as the Money field. Each
calculated Money field on a table uses the same conversion date. For more information, see the
RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
CONVERTONDATE
Converts a money value to the workbook currency, using the rate calculated on a specified date. You
can use a current, forecasted, or historical conversion rate. To verify the correct rates are being used,
you can create worksheets based on these tables.
The following syntax is used to convert values:
CONVERTONDATE(field, conversionDate, historicalAsOfDate)
where
l field is a Money input field

l conversionDate is the date to use a conversion rate from
l historicalAsOfDate is the date of the historical conversion rate series to use a conversion rate
from. This argument is optional, and if not included, a current actual, forecast, or historical
conversion rate is used instead, determined by the specified conversion date.
The date you specify for the conversionDate argument determines whether the conversion uses a
current rate from the CurrencyConversionActual table, historical rate from the
HistoricalCurrencyConversion table, or forecast rate from the CurrencyConversionForecast table. For
example, if you specify a future date, a forecast rate is used.
When both conversionDate and historicalAsOfDate are specified, the rate for
conversionDate as calculated in the historicalAsOfDate historical series is used. If the dates
specified do not exist in the historical series, the series earlier than the specified date is used instead. For
example, assume your database contains monthly historical currency headers. If you specify the middle
of a month for the historicalAsOfDate value, for example 12-12-10, the historical rates from the 12-
01-10 series are used. If you specify a date earlier than the earliest historical series, the conversion
cannot be performed.
For calculated Money fields, a single date is used to convert values in a scenario. If you specify
'Undefined' for the historicalAsOfDate argument, this date is used to identify the historical series
to use. Scenarios can use a perspective to specify this conversion date, but if a perspective is not used,
'Today' is used instead. For more information, see "Perspective definitions for currency conversion" in
the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
If you specify 'Undefined' for the conversionDate, 'Today' is used. If you specify a conversion date that
is earlier than any rate defined in the database, the earliest conversion rate for that currency is used. For
example, if you specify a conversionDate of 'Past', the earliest conversion rate defined for that
currency is used to convert the value.
NOTE: An expression-based field cannot be used in place of a Money input field in the
ConvertOnDate function.
TIP: You can use the ConvertOnDate function in an expression-based field if the field includes a
date parameter and the function uses a Money input field. For more information, contact your
RapidResponse administrator.

Examples
Entering Returns
CONVERTONDATE The value in the UnitSellingPrice field, converted using the rate
(UnitSellingPrice, Today) calculated on or before the current date.
CONVERTONDATE The value in the UnitSellingPrice field, using the conversion rate for July
(UnitSellingPrice, 07-01-08, 1, 2008, as forecasted on January 1, 2007.
01-01-07)
CONVERTONDATE The value in the UnitSellingPrice field, converted using the earliest
(UnitSellingPrice, Past) available conversion date.
CONVERTONDATE The value in the UnitSellingPrice field, converted using the conversion
(UnitSellingPrice, Today + 1 rate forecasted for the beginning of the next quarter.
Quarter)
MONEYVALUE
Represents a numeric field or expression as a money value, which is converted from either a specified
currency or the system's base currency to the workbook's currency. The following syntax is used:
MONEYVALUE (value, currency, date)
where
l value is the field or expression to represent as a money value. This field must be a Quantity or
Integer value, and cannot be a Money value.
l currency is an optional argument that can be used to specify the currency the value is
represented in. The value is then converted from the specified currency to the workbook's
currency. If this value is not specified, the base currency is used to convert the value.
l date is an optional argument that can be used to specify the date when the conversion rate was
calculated. This value can be a specific date, a Date column, or an associated date for a calculated
Money field. If this value is not specified, the most recent conversion date is used.
If you specify a value for the date parameter, the conversion rate calculated on or before the specified
date is used to convert the value. The date you specify cannot be overridden. For more information, see
"Convert currency values" on page 307.
Examples
Entering Returns
MONEYVALUE (20) 20 converted from the base currency to the workbook currency.
UnitSellingPrice + The value in the UnitSellingPrice field plus 20 converted from the base
MONEYVALUE (20) currency to the workbook currency.

Currency functions
Entering Returns
MONEYVALUE (Quantity, 'EUR') The value in the Quantity column converted from Euros to the workbook
currency, using the most recent conversion rate.
MONEYVALUE ((Quantity - The late quantity of an order, converted from Euros to the workbook
OnTimeQuantity), 'EUR') currency, using the most recent conversion rate.
MONEYVALUE (Quantity, 'JPY', The value in the Quantity column converted from Yen to the workbook
01-01-07) currency, using the conversion rate calculated on or before January 1,
2007.
MONEYVALUE (Quantity, 'JPY', The value in the Quantity column converted from Yen to the workbook
ASSOCIATEDDATE currency, using the conversion rate used to convert the calculated
(EffectiveUnitPrice) EffectiveUnitPrice field.
For more information, see "ASSOCIATEDDATE" on page 1205.
IF (!MonthlyTotal > 'Quota' if the value in the MonthlyTotal column is greater than 4,000 US
MONEYVALUE(4000, 'USD'), dollars, or a blank String otherwise.
'Quota', '')
RAWCURRENCY
Returns the currency a record's Money values are stored in, using the following syntax.
RAWCURRENCY()
This function does not take arguments.
You can use this function in place of the Attribute<Currency> function to retrieve the record's
currency. For more information, see "Attribute" on page 1226.
You can also retrieve the unconverted values stored in a Money field using the RAWVALUE function. For
more information, see "RAWVALUE" on page 1209.
Column examples
These examples are based on the IndependentDemand table
Enter To return
RAWCURRENCY() The currency the order records are stored using.
Part[RAWCURRENCY()] The currency the order's associated part is stored using.
Filter example
These examples are based on the IndependentDemand table

Enter To return
RAWCURRENCY() = 'USD' Orders stored using US dollars.
RAWVALUE
Returns the value of a Money field, ignoring the field's currency. Using this operator, the value in the
field is not converted. The returned value is a Quantity value. This uses the following syntax:
RAWVALUE (field)
where field is a Money field.
The value returned by this function is a Quantity value, and can be used for exporting data to your
enterprise data sources and performing closed loop operations. For more information, see "Display
unconverted money values" on page 312.
You can also retrieve the currency used to store the currency by using the RAWCURRENCY function. For
more information, see "RAWCURRENCY" on page 1208.
Examples
Entering Returns
RAWVALUE (UnitSellingPrice) The numeric value in the UnitSellingPrice field.
Quantity * RAWVALUE The revenue expected for each order, based on the numeric values in the
(UnitSellingPrice) UnitSellingPrice field.
Statistical functions
Statistical functions can be used in statistical analysis of data, such as calculating the inverse of a normal
distribution of values or the cumulative distribution function of a normal distribution.
Statistical functions can be used in conjunction with transformation worksheets, which you can use to
perform statistical analysis of data, such as calculating the standard deviation of a set of values, fitting
values to a statistical forecast, or determining the statistical error of a forecast. For more information,
see "Creating transformation worksheets" on page 743.
The table below summarizes the statistical functions available in RapidResponse:
"NORMDIST" Returns the value on a cumulative distribution function of the normal distribution defined by the
on page 1210 specified mean and standard deviation, as of the specified point in a probability interval.
"NORMINV" Returns the inverse of a normal distribution defined by the specified mean and standard
on page 1210 deviation at the specified probability.

"NORMSDIST" Returns the value on the cumulative distribution function of a standard normal distribution, as of
on page 1211 the specified point in a probability interval.
"NORMSINV" Returns the inverse of a standard normal distribution at the specified probability.
on page 1212
NORMDIST
Returns the value on a cumulative distribution function of the normal distribution defined by the
specified mean and standard deviation, as of the specified point in a probability interval. This function
uses the following syntax.
NORMDIST(point, mean, standard_deviation)
The mean and standard_deviation must be numbers, and standard_deviation must be greater
than zero.
Examples
Entering Returns
NORMDIST(0, 0, 1) The point at the middle of the standard normal distribution, which is 0.5.
NORMDIST(1, 5, 2) The point at the first probability interval of a normal distribution with mean five and
standard deviation two, which is 0.023
NORMDIST The point in the probability interval specified by the Interval variable, using the mean
($Interval, !Mean, and standard deviation calculated in the Mean and Dev columns.
!Dev)
NORMINV
Returns the inverse of a normal distribution defined by the specified mean and standard deviation at
the specified probability.
NORMINV (probability, mean, standard_deviation)
where
l probability is a Quantity value between 0 and 1.

l mean is a Quantity or Money value.
l standard_deviation is a Quantity or Money value greater than or equal to 0.
If you specify Money values for the mean and standard_deviation attributes, both values
must use the same currency, and the result of the function is a Money value in the same currency.

Examples
Entering Returns
NORMINV (0.5, 10, 2) 10
This is equal to the mean, and represents half of the data
in the normal distribution.
NORMINV (0.841, 10, 2) 12
This is exactly one standard deviation greater than the
mean, and represents 84.1% of the data in the normal
distribution.
NORMINV (ServiceLevel, (AVERAGE The point in the normal distribution corresponding to a
IndependentDemands {Quantity}), 12) probability defined by the value in the Part.ServiceLevel
field, calculated using the average of
IndependentDemand records and a standard deviation
of 12.
This expression can be used in a worksheet based on the
Part table.
NORMINV (ServiceLevel, (AVERAGE The point in the normal distribution corresponding to a
IndependentDemands {Quantity * probability defined by the value in the Part.ServiceLevel
UnitSellingPrice}), MONEYVALUE(12)) field, calculated using the average of revenues of
IndependentDemand records and a standard deviation
of 12, with both money values represented in the
system's base currency. For more information about the
MoneyValue function, see "MONEYVALUE" on page
1207.
This expression can be used in a worksheet based on the
Part table
NORMINV ($Probability, (AVERAGE The point in the normal distribution corresponding to
StandardDeviation!Part.IndependentDemands probability defined by the value in a workbook variable
{Quantity}), StandardDeviation!Deviation) named $Probability, calculated using the average of
IndependentDemand records and the standard deviation
calculated in a worksheet named StandardDeviation.
This expression can be used in a composite worksheet
that is based on a transformation worksheet. For more
information, see "Creating composite worksheets" on
page 467 and "Creating transformation worksheets" on
page 743.
NOTE: If probability is not between 0 and 1, no numeric value is returned. For example, if
probability = 0, the operator returns -INF. For more information about how numeric values
are displayed, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
NORMSDIST
Returns the value on the cumulative distribution function of a standard normal distribution, as of the
specified point in a probability interval. This uses the following syntax.
NORMSDIST(point)

The standard normal distribution is calculated using a mean of zero and standard deviation of one.
Examples
Entering Returns
NORMSDIST(0) The point at the middle of the cumulative distribution function, which is 0.5.
NORMSDIST(2) The point two intervals after the middle of the cumulative distribution function, which is 0.977.
NORMSINV
Returns the inverse of a standard normal distribution at the specified probability.
NORMSINV (probability)
where probability is a Quantity value between 0 and 1.
Examples
Entering Returns
NORMSINV (0.5) 0
This is equal to the mean, and represents half of the data in the normal distribution.
NORMSINV (0.159) -1
This is exactly one standard deviation less than the mean, and represents 15.9% of the
data in the normal distribution.
NORMSINV The point in the normal distribution corresponding to a probability defined by the value
(ServiceLevel) in the Part.ServiceLevel field.
NORMSINV The point in the normal distribution corresponding to a probability defined by a
($Probability) workbook variable named $Probability.
NOTE: If probability is not between 0 and 1, no value is returned. For example, if

probability = 0, the operator returns -INF. For more information about how numeric values
are displayed, see the RapidResponse User Guide.
NOTE: The standard normal distribution is calculated using a mean of 0 and standard deviation of
1.

Lookup and reference functions
Lookup and reference functions let you match records in other tables and perform operations using
reference fields.
The table below summarizes the lookup and reference functions available in RapidResponse:
"ISNULL" This function is used to detect Null references, and returns boolean Y (true) or N (false) values to
on page indicate whether a given reference is null or not.
1213
"LOOKUP" The LOOKUP function is typically used to match records found in one table with records found in a
on page worksheet based on another table, and then return some other value associated with those matching
1214 records.
"LOOKUP The LOOKUP function can be used to look up a value in a table, and to return some information
(table)" on associated with that table value. This version of the LOOKUP function can be used without a
page 1223 worksheet, and can be used to find information related to a specific table value using the following
syntax.
"NULL" on The NULL function returns a null or empty reference to a specified table. This might typically be used
page 1223 if creating a composite worksheet to append records from multiple worksheets where one worksheet
has a column with a reference to a given table and the other worksheets don't have a valid reference
to that table.
"SELF" on The SELF keyword can be used to return a reference to the current record in a given table. Typically,
page 1224 this function is only used when building a composite worksheet, and one component worksheet has
a reference to another table as a column while another component worksheet is built directly on that
table (for example, a Part worksheet).
ISNULL
This function is used to detect Null references, and returns boolean Y (true) or N (false) values to
indicate whether a given reference is null or not.
The standard RapidResponse data model includes a small number of nullable reference fields, and any of
your company's custom reference fields can optionally be set as nullable. These fields allow null (empty)
references to a table instead of being required to always point to an actual record in the table and
making use of default values in cases were reference values are not provided.
When writing query expressions that include nullable reference fields, you might use the ISNULL
function in cases where you need to account for null values in your query logic. For example, in some
cases the presence of null values might cause more records to be returned by a query expression than
was intended. The ISNULL function can also be used when just want to know which records in a nullable
reference field are actually null (empty).
IsNull(referenceField)
where referenceField is a valid reference field accessible from the current table.
NOTE: For information on which reference fields are nullable in the standard RapidResponse data

model, see the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide. For information on which of your
company's custom reference fields are nullable, talk to your RapidResponse Administrator.
Examples
The following examples are based on the BillOfMaterial table.
Entering Returns
IsNull(Shop) Y if a given BOM record has a null reference to the Shop
(in a column expression) table, and N if a given BOM record has an actual reference
to a value in the Shop table.
IsNull((Shop) Only those BOM records with a null reference to the Shop
(in a filter expression) table.
NOT IsNull(SubstituteGroup) Only those BOM records that reference a valid

AND SubstituteGroup.Type.ComponentRule SubstituteGroup.Type.ComponentRule value other than
<> 'unrestricted' "unrestricted".
(in a filter expression) NOTE: If written without the Not IsNull
(SubstituteGroupclause, this expression would also
return all records with a null SubstituteGroup reference.
LOOKUP
The LOOKUP function is typically used to match records found in one table with records found in a
worksheet based on another table, and then return some other value associated with those matching
records. In order to use the LOOKUP function, worksheets must be defined that uniquely identify the
records you expect to be looked up and should also include the associated values you want returned
from those records. These lookup worksheets can then be referenced in expressions using the
LOOKUP functions.
The LOOKUP function is intended to match results in a worksheet, not to directly refer to records in
other tables. If you require a value from a table in your worksheet, you can use a reference field or create
a composite worksheet that includes that table instead of using a LOOKUP function.
The Lookup function can also be used to return summary details related to the results of previously
calculated columns in the same worksheet. For more information, see " Using the LOOKUP function on
final results from other columns" on page 1221.
Lookup worksheet overview

A lookup worksheet should both uniquely identify the records that will be looked up, and also include
the associated values to be returned from those records. The following are some general guidelines for
creating worksheets for use in lookup expressions.

l The lookup worksheet must either be included in the same workbook as the worksheet
containing the lookup expression that will reference it (if required, a given lookup worksheet can
be included in multiple workbooks), or included in a dependent library workbook. For more
information about adding a library workbook dependency, see "Add dependencies to workbooks"
on page 247.
l Typically, the lookup worksheet should be hidden from user view.
l The lookup worksheet should be based on the table against which records are to be looked up.
l The lookup worksheet should not contain columns calculated by using macros.
l If only a subset of the records in the table are relevant to the lookup, a worksheet filter should be
specified.
l The lookup worksheet must be grouped.
l There should be as many "group by" columns in the lookup worksheet as there will be
fields/column expressions defined in the lookup expressions that reference the worksheet.
l For "group by" columns that contain a reference to a table, the reference usage must match in the
lookup worksheet and the lookup expression. If the expression requires the full reference value,
the column should be used as a reference. For more information, see "Add a table reference as a
l The last "group by" column in the lookup worksheet should contain the values against which the
"range key" in the lookup expression is compared.
l There must be at least one column in the worksheet that is not a "group by" column. This column
(or columns) contains the values that can be returned from lookup expressions that reference the
worksheet.
l The right-most column in the lookup worksheet is, by default, the value returned by lookup
expressions that reference the worksheet. A different column can be returned instead by explicitly
including it's column ID in the lookup expression.
l The worksheet and column IDs should be noted as they are used to reference the worksheet and
its columns from within lookup expressions. By default, a worksheet's ID is set to the name of the
table it is based on and a column's ID is set to the initial column header (although, both are
modifiable).
l If the lookup worksheet contains columns that calculate running totals (cumulative totals), the
running total will include Past and Future values even if the worksheet that uses the lookup
worksheet excludes those dates.
l Lookup worksheets should not contain multi-scenario columns. If the worksheet that contains the
LOOKUP function is multi-scenario, the lookup worksheet is calculated for each scenario.
l If the lookup worksheet is in a dependent library workbook, the expression must include both the
library workbook ID and the worksheet ID.
For complete information about authoring worksheets, see "Worksheet development overview" on
page 258. For examples of creating lookup worksheets, see "Examples of Lookup worksheets" on page
1218.

Lookup function syntax
To return a value associated with the matching record(s) in another table and use a rule to specify the
value to be returned if no exact matching value is found, use the following syntax:
Lookup(valueExpression, worksheetId, defaultValue, rule, returnExpression)
The arguments for this expression are described in the following table:
Argument Description
valueExpression A field or expression on the current table to be compared and matched against records
found in a specified worksheet. If more than one value is required for unique comparison,
then multiple values should be specified and enclosed in brace brackets (for example,
{field1, field2, fieldN}). The last field or expression specified is considered the
range key for the values being looked up.
worksheetId A reference to the worksheet being used for the lookup. It consists of the worksheet ID
followed by an exclamation mark (for example, CurrentOrders!). Unless the optional
returnExpression parameter is used, the right-most column in this worksheet contains
the values returned by the lookup expression when a matching record is found. The
referenced worksheet must be in the same workbook as the worksheet in which the
expression is being written.
defaultValue An optional argument used to specify a value to return in cases where no matching
records are found in the referenced worksheet.
Rule Rule is an optional argument that accepts one of three keywords specifying the behavior
when no exact match is found in the referenced worksheet (that is, all values being looked
up other than the range key are found). Valid rules are:
l Earlier— use the closest matching record found before the range key in the lookup
worksheet. This uses the sort order of records returned, not the values in the column.
l Exact— use the specified default value.
l Later— use the closest matching record found after the range key in the lookup
worksheet. This uses the sort order of records returned, not the values in the column.
returnExpression An optional argument used to define the value to be returned when a matching record is
found. If this parameter is not used, then by default the values from the right-most
column in the worksheet are returned. However, this parameter allows for manipulation of
those values or for values from other columns in the lookup worksheet to be returned
instead. This expression must be written in terms of the current table, but typically include
columns from the lookup worksheet by using the format worksheetId!columnId. This
format prevents conflicts from arising in cases where a column Id in a lookup worksheet is
identical to the name of a field on the current table. To ensure your expression is valid,
you should not use column references without a worksheet identifier. If you specify a
column Id without the worksheetId! prefix, and the current table has a field named
identically to that columnId, an error is returned.

To return a value associated with the matching record(s) in another table and use an expression to
determine the value to be returned if no exact matching value is found, use the following syntax:
LOOKUP(valueExpression, worksheetId, defaultValue, returnExpression,
between, before, after)
The arguments for this expression are described in the following table:
Argument Description
valueExpression A field or expression on the current table to be compared and matched against records
found in a specified worksheet. If more than one value is required for unique comparison,
then multiple values can be specified and must be enclosed in brace brackets (for
example, {field1, field2, fieldN}). The last field or expression specified is
considered the range key for the values being looked up.
worksheetId A reference to the worksheet being used for the lookup. It consists of the worksheet ID
followed by an exclamation mark (for example, CurrentOrders!). Unless the optional
returnExpression parameter is used, the right-most column in this worksheet contains
the values returned by the lookup expression when a matching record is found. The
referenced worksheet must be in the same workbook as the worksheet in which the
expression is being written.
defaultValue An optional argument used to specify a value to return in cases where no matching
records are found in the referenced worksheet.
returnExpression An optional argument used to define the value to be returned when a matching record is
found. If this parameter is not used, then by default the values from the right-most
column in the worksheet are returned. However, this parameter allows for manipulation of
those values or for values from other columns in the lookup worksheet to be returned
instead. This expression must be written in terms of the current table, but typically include
columns from the lookup worksheet by using the format worksheetId!columnId. This
format prevents conflicts from arising in cases where a column Id in a lookup worksheet is
identical to the name of a field on the current table. To ensure your expression is valid,
you should not use column references without a worksheet identifier. If you specify a
column Id without the worksheetId! prefix, and the current table has a field named
identically to that columnId, an error is returned.
between An optional argument consisting of an expression that defines the value to be returned
when there is not an exact match in the lookup worksheet, and the range key looked up is
between two values in the lookup worksheet. If your expression requires access to the
worksheet values on either side of the range key being looked up, the following keywords
can be used:
#Before Provides access to the record in the lookup worksheet that is closest to but less than
(before) the value being looked up in the lookup worksheet's sort order.
#After Provides access to the record in the lookup worksheet that is closest to but greater than
(after) the value being looked up in the lookup worksheet's sort order.
before An optional argument consisting of an expression that defines the value to be returned
when there is not an exact match in the lookup worksheet, and the range key being
looked up is less than (before) any of the values found in the lookup worksheet.
after An optional argument consisting of an expression that defines the value to be returned
when there is not an exact match in the lookup worksheet, and the range key being
looked up is greater than (after) any of the values found in the lookup worksheet.
The column that contains the Lookup expression must be after the columns that the Lookup expression
uses for identifying records.

Examples of Lookup worksheets
This section provides an overview of the steps required to create two sample worksheets that can be
used in lookup expressions.These sample worksheets are referenced in the expressions shown in
"Examples of using the LOOKUP function" on page 1220. For complete information about authoring
worksheets, see "Worksheet development overview" on page 258.
Example 1: Calendar lookup

To define a worksheet against which dates can be looked up, and from which the display value of the
month in which that date falls can be returned, do the following:
l From the Table list, select CalendarDate.
l In the Id box, type CDate.
l Select the Hide worksheet check box.
5. In the Add Fields dialog box, add fields in the following order and then click OK.
l Value
l DisplayValue
7. Select the Group data check box, and apply grouping functions to the worksheet columns as
follows:
l Value - Group By
l DisplayValue - Minimum
9. In the Worksheet filter expression box, type Calendar = 'month'.
10. Click OK.

The resulting worksheet should look similar to the following:
Example 2: Customer Price lookup

To define a worksheet against which due dates for a customer and part combination can be looked up,
and from which the effective unit price on that date can be returned, do the following
l From the Table list, click CustomerPrice.
l In the Id box, type CustPrice.
l Select the Hide worksheet check box.
5. In the Add Fields dialog box, add fields in the following order and then click OK.
l Customer.Id
l Part.Name
l Part.Site
l EffectiveDate
l EffectiveDate
l UnitPrice
7. Select the Group data check box, and applying grouping functions to the worksheet columns as
follows:
l Customer.Id - Group By
l Part.Name - Group By
l Part.Site - Group By
l Effective Date - Group By

l Effective Date2 - Minimum
l Unit Price - Minimum
8. Click Ok.
The resulting worksheet should look similar to the following:
Examples of using the LOOKUP function

The following table shows examples of the LOOKUP function used in column expressions based on the
IndependentDemand table. These expressions assume use of the sample worksheets based on the
CalendarDate and CustomerPrice tables as defined in the previous section.
To return Enter
The display name of the month in which the receipt is due, LOOKUP(DueDate, CDate!)
only if the due date falls on a day that defines the start of a
monthly calendar.
The display name of the month in which the demand is LOOKUP(DueDate, CDate!, 'Past',
due. If the due date is earlier than all dates in the Earlier)
CalendarDate table, than a string reading 'Past' is shown.
A string consisting of the display name of the month in LOOKUP(DueDate, CDate!, 'Past',
which the receipt is due plus a space plus the order ID for Earlier, CDate!DisplayValue + ' ' +
the demand. If the due date is earlier than all dates in the Order.Id)
CalendarDate table, then a constant reading Past.
The unit price effective on the order's due date for this LOOKUP({Order.Customer.Id, Part.Name,
customer and part combination. Or a value of 0 if the Part.Site, DueDate}, CustPrice!, 0,
order's due date is earlier than all dates in the Earlier)
CustomerPrice table.
The greater of the unit price effective on the order's due LOOKUP({Order.Customer.Id, Part.Name,
date for this customer and part combination, or the unit Part.Site, DueDate}, CustPrice!, 0,
selling price on the order. Earlier, IF(CustPrice!UnitPrice >
UnitSellingPrice, CustPrice!UnitPrice,
UnitSellingPrice))

To return Enter
The effective unit price associated with the order's due date LOOKUP({Order.Customer.Id, Part.Name,
for this customer and part combination. Or if the due date Part.Site, DueDate}, CustPrice!, 0,
is in between two effective dates in the CustomerPrice table CustPrice!UnitPrice,
then return the average of the two effective unit price (CustPrice!UnitPrice#Before +
values it falls between; if the due date is earlier than any CustPrice!UnitPrice#After)/2,
effective dates in the CustomerPrice table return 1; and if MONEYVALUE(1), MONEYVALUE(10))
the due date is later than any effective dates in the
CustomerPrice table return 10.
The effective unit price associated with the order's due date LOOKUP({Order.Customer.Id, Part.Name,
for this customer and part combination. Or if the due date Part.Site, DueDate}, CustPrice!, 0,
is in between two effective dates in the CustomerPrice table CustPrice!UnitPrice, IF(ABS
then return the unit price associated with the closest of (CustPrice!EffectiveDate2#After -
those two dates; if the due date is either earlier or later than DueDate) < ABS
any effective dates in the CustomerPrice table return the (CustPrice!EffectiveDate2#Before -
unit selling price on the order. DueDate), CustPrice!UnitPrice#After,
CustPrice!UnitPrice#Before),
UnitSellingPrice, UnitSellingPrice)
NOTE: In versions prior to 10.0, instead of a reference to a worksheet, the lookup function syntax
required a full query expression defining the table and columns whose records the lookup was to
be made against. For example, the following is equivalent to the first example shown in the
previous table
Lookup(DueDate, CalendarDate[calendar='month'] {Value, DisplayValue})As
of Version 10.0, worksheets that use this older lookup syntax will continue to work, however their
continued use is not recommended. Using lookup worksheets instead can help improve system
performance, supports reusability, and ensures better compatibility with future versions of
RapidResponse.
Using the LOOKUP function on final results from other

columns
Within a given worksheet, the LOOKUP function can also be used in columns based on the final results
of other columns (that is, used within a column that has the Calculate using final results from other
columns check box selected). When used in this manner, the LOOKUP function syntax and rules outlined
previously still apply, however the values to be looked up, as well as the lookup worksheet itself, are
specified differently.
When used in columns based on final results, the valueExpression parameter can consist any of the
previously calculated columns in the form !columnId. This defines the values to be looked up in the
lookup worksheet. The worksheetId parameter is then defined by specifying the current worksheet Id
in the form WorksheetId!, along with optional filter expression, and followed by a list of any of the
previously calculated columns that should be part of the lookup worksheet definition in the form
{WorksheetId!ColumnId, ..}. The grouping requirements on each of these columns can then
specified by including :keyword where keyword is replaced by one of the following (which correspond
to the standard grouping function available on the Group tab of RapidResponse worksheets):
l By
l Associate

l Average
l Count
l Max
l Min
l Product
l Sum
l Total
For example, suppose a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table, as shown in the following
illustration, with columns displaying standard fields with details of part orders such as due date,
quantity, unit selling price, and number of days late, as well as a column containing a calculated
expression to return the revenue associated with each order. Further suppose that all column IDs are
set to the same value as the column headers shown.
Considering the results of the previously calculated columns in the worksheet shown above, the
following table gives examples of using the LOOKUP function to return summary information based on
those columns.
To return Enter
The total revenue from all LOOKUP ({!Part, !Site}, Orders!{Orders!Part:by,
orders for the part. Orders!Site:by, Orders!Revenue:sum})
The total late revenue from all LOOKUP ({!Part, !Site}, Orders![!DaysLate > 0]
orders for the part. {Orders!Part:by, Orders!Site:by, Orders!Revenue:sum})
The largest order for the part LOOKUP ({!Part, !Site, !DueDate}, Orders!{Orders!Part:by,
due on the same date. Orders!Site:by, Orders!DueDate:by, Orders!Quantity:max})
The total number of orders from LOOKUP ({!DueDate}, Orders!{Orders!DueDate:by,

all parts due on the same date. Orders!Quantity:count})
NOTE: For more information about columns based on final results of other columns, see "Create a
column based on the result of other columns" on page 363. For more information about grouping
functions, see "Group column data" on page 382.

LOOKUP (table)
The LOOKUP function can be used to look up a value in a table, and to return some information
associated with that table value. This version of the LOOKUP function can be used without a worksheet,
and can be used to find information related to a specific table value using the following syntax.
LOOKUP ( {fields}, TableName{key fields} )
where
l fields is a list of fields or values used to match values in the table.

l TableName is the table being looked in.
l key fields is the list of key fields for that table.
The value in the fields list must be the same type as the field included in the key fields list. For example, if
the field is a reference, the key field must also be a reference. If you include fields that are not key fields
for the table, the lookup operation fails.
This function returns a reference to a record in the table, which can then be used to retrieve a value
from another field for that record.
Examples
Entering Returns
LOOKUP( {Name, 'HQ'}, Part{Name, A reference to parts with the same name in the HQ site.
Site.Value} )
LOOKUP( {Name, 'HQ'}, Part{Name, The description of a part with the same name in the HQ site.
Site.Value} ).Description
LOOKUP( {'10', !Order}, A reference to line 10 of every order matching the order
IndependentDemand{Line, Order} ) reference from the worksheet's Order column.
NULL
The NULL function returns a null or empty reference to a specified table. This might typically be used if
creating a composite worksheet to append records from multiple worksheets where one worksheet has
a column with a reference to a given table and the other worksheets don't have a valid reference to that
table. The worksheets that don't have the reference can use NULL to create an empty reference to the
table and ensure the worksheets can be used together in the composite.
NULL(table)
where table is a valid input table name. For example, NULL(ScheduledReceipt) returns an empty
reference to the ScheduledReceipt table.

SELF
The SELF keyword can be used to return a reference to the current record in a given table. Typically, this
function is only used when building a composite worksheet, and one component worksheet has a
reference to another table as a column while another component worksheet is built directly on that
table (for example, a Part worksheet).
For example, a ScheduledReceipt component worksheet may reference the Part table in a column, and
another component worksheet may be built directly on the Part worksheet. By including SELF as a
column expression in the Part table worksheet, this allows a reference back to the Part table in the
Composite worksheet.
Miscellaneous functions
RapidResponse provides additional functions you can include in expressions to improve the
functionality of reports.
The table below summarizes the additional functions available in RapidResponse:
"ASSERT" on page Tests for an assumed condition and returns a specified value as long as that condition is
1225 satisfied.
"Attribute" on page Returns the value (if any) associated with the specified attribute on each record in a table,
1226
"Environment" on Returns the value (if any) associated with a RapidResponse environment variable
page 1226
"EVAL" on page 1227 Evaluates the contents of a variable or String value as a part of a query expression.
"KEYVALUES" on Returns a record's key field values as a String value.
page 1230
"LOD" on page 1230 Specifies the path through tables that determine the records returned in a worksheet.
"PREVIOUS" on page Returns the result from a previous record in the same column.
1231
"RecordId" on page Identifies records in a given input table by the sequence in which they were brought into
1232 that table.
"RESPONSIBILITY" on Returns the user who is responsible for a record.
page 1233
"RowIndex" on page Identifies the numerical position of each output record (row) in the worksheet based on
1234 its particular calculations and sort criteria.
"TimeStamp" on Returns the current date and time as a DateTime value.
page 1239
"UserInGroup" on Determines if a user is a member of a specific group.

page 1240

ASSERT
This function tests for an assumed condition and returns a specified value as long as that condition is
satisfied. If the condition is not satisfied, the query is canceled and a worksheet error returned, as
shown in the following illustration.
This allows you to build query expressions that require the data in RapidResponse to meet certain
assumptions. For example, if writing an expression that performs a division operation, you might want
to ensure that the value of the denominator is not zero.
ASSERT(logical, value, errorMessage)
where
l logical is a valid boolean expression that evaluates to true or false (with the true condition
being the expected result). As long as this expression is true for all records returned by the query,
the value defined by the value argument is returned. However, if the expression is false for one or
more records returned by the query, then the query is canceled and an error returned which
includes the text specified in the errorMessage argument
l value is the value returned as long as the boolean expression is satisfied.
l errorMessage is a text string included in the error message returned if the boolean expression is
not satisfied.
Examples
Entering Returns
ASSERT(has PartSources, The fixed lead time for the part's source. However, if at least one part
PrimaryPartSource.FixedLeadTime, returned does not have a part source defined, the query is canceled
'There are parts without and the error message "There are parts without sources" is displayed
sources') instead.
1 / ASSERT(StdUnitCost <> 0, One divided by the standard unit cost for the part. However, if at
StdUnitCost, 'Undefined unit least one part returned does not have a standard unit cost value, the
costs') query is canceled and the error message "Undefined unit costs" is
displayed instead.

Attribute
Returns the value (if any) associated with the specified attribute on each record in a table, using the
following syntax:
Attribute<attributeName>
where attributeName is the name of an attribute that has been defined for a given table.
By default in RapidResponse, only one standard attribute, Currency, is available and it can be used to
return the currency associated with a given record. Depending on how your RapidResponse
administrator has configured namespaces, you might need to namespace-qualify the Currency attribute
(which belongs to the Core namespace).
RapidResponse also supports the addition of custom attributes that can subsequently be defined on
certain demand or supply tables to support attribute-based planning logic (the allocation of supplies to
demands based on specific data characteristics). The syntax for returning these custom attribute values
is the same as shown above. Additionally, a concatenated string listing all of a table's attributes and
their values for each record can be returned using the following syntax:
Attribute<*>
Examples
Enter To return
Attribute<Currency> The currency a record's money values are stored in. This currency can be the
Attribute<Core::Currenc same for each record, the same for each record at a specific site, or different for
y> each record, depending on how the table's currency is defined.
The currency is returned as a String value.
Attribute<XYZ::Speed> The value of the custom Speed attribute defined in the custom XYZ namespace.
Attribute<*> A concatenated list of all custom attribute names defined on the table and their
values for a given record. The string is displayed as a pipe-delimited list in the
form:
Namespace::AttributeName1|Value|Namespace::AttributeName2|V
alue
Note If a table has the standard currency attribute, it is omitted from the list
returned using this syntax. Any custom attributes on a table that are not
defined for a given record are also omitted from the list.
Environment
Returns the value (if any) associated with a RapidResponse environment variable, using the following
syntax:
Environment("variableName")
where "variableName" is the name of a RapidResponse environment variable.
By default, only one RapidResponse environment variable, "ServerType" is provided, which defines the
RapidResponse server name. This typically identifies whether the system is a test or production system.

You can use this function to determine which system data originated from, and allows you to sort and
categorize data to ensure only the data from your production system is sent to your enterprise data
sources.
These environment variables can be specified by a RapidResponse administrator.
Examples
Enter To return
Environment("ServerType") The environment name of the RapidResponse system.
IF(Environment("ServerType") LIKE 'Proceed' for the production system, or 'Stop' for a test
'*Production*', 'Proceed', 'Stop') system.
You might use this value for an automated process to
ensure it runs only on your production system.
NOTE: This function is not included in the Expression Builder.
EVAL
The EVAL function is used to evaluate the contents of a variable or String value as a part of a query
expression. The EVAL function interprets the specified argument (either a string or variable) as an
expression instead of a value. It then evaluates the expression and returns the resulting value.
EVAL is used in cases where the expression’s syntax requires the variable to be evaluated. For example, if
a workbook variable named $FieldValue contains the text string Name, and the column expression is
$FieldValue, then the column displays ‘Name’. However, if the worksheet is based on the Part table,
then writing the column expression as EVAL($FieldValue) displays the value in the Name field on
the Part table.
Syntax
Usage Syntax
Use a workbook variable as an EVAL($VariableName)
expression where VariableName contains a valid expression
Use a String as an expression EVAL('String')
where String is a valid expression
Use a String containing a variable as an EVAL('String1 ' + $VariableName + ' String2')
expression where String1 and String2 combine with VariableName to make a
valid expression.

Examples
The following table shows examples of using the EVAL function in filter and column expressions. These
examples do not evaluate properly if the EVAL function is not used.
To return Enter
Scheduled receipts at the site specified by the standard variable (Order.Site[EVAL('Site \'' +
SelectedSite. $SelectedSite + '\'')] )
Values that match an expression stored in a workbook variable EVAL($WorksheetBasicFilter)

named WorksheetBasicFilter.
A text String of ‘Planner Code: ’ plus the Planner Code if the IF ($FieldValue = 'PlannerCode',
workbook variable FieldValue contains ‘PlannerCode’ and the 'Planner Code: ' + EVAL
value in the specified field otherwise. ($FieldValue), EVAL($FieldValue))
where FieldValue is a workbook variable that
contains a valid field name on the Part table.
A text String consisting of the field name and value of the field $FieldValue + ': ' + EVAL
selected in a variable named FieldValue, which is configured to ($FieldValue)
display planner or buyer codes. where FieldValue is a workbook variable that
contains a valid field name on the Part table.
Whether an order's supplier is included in a variable named IF (Order.Supplier.Id IN EVAL

ValueList, which contains a list of values. ($ValueList), 'Yes', 'No')
where ValueList is a workbook variable that
contains a list of supplier names.
IsChildScenario
IsChildScenario is a Boolean function that can be used in filter or column expressions to determine
whether one scenario is descended from another specified scenario. Use the following syntax:
IsChildScenario (descendant, ancestor, minimum depth, maximum depth)
where
l descendant is the child scenario.

l ancestor is the scenario that the descendant must be descended from for the expression to
return a value of Y.
l minimum depth is an optional argument that specifies the minimum number of levels below the
ancestor the descendant must be for the expression to return a value of Y. If the minimum depth is 0,
the expression returns a value of Y if descendant and ancestor have the same value. The default
value for this argument is 0.
l maximum depth is an optional argument that specifies the maximum number of levels below the
ancestor the descendant must be for the expression to return a value of Y. The default value for this
argument is 8192.
The order of the minimum depth and maximum depth arguments is not important. The lower of the two
numbers is used as the minimum depth, and the higher is used as the maximum depth.

NOTE: You can enter negative numbers for the minimum depth and maximum depth, but it is not
recommended. Negative numbers are treated the same as 0 in most cases. The exception is that
the expression always returns a value of N if both the minimum and maximum are negative,
whereas if both the minimum and maximum are 0, the expression returns a value of Y if descendant
and ancestor have the same value.
Specifying the descendant and ancestor scenarios

Descendant and ancestor scenarios are assumed to be shared unless otherwise specified. In addition to
the scenario's name, it is good practice to specify the scope (shared or private) of a descendant or
ancestor scenario, even if the scope is shared, to minimize any possible confusion. Use the following
syntax to specify both the scope and the name:
?scope:scenario name
For example, to specify a private scenario named Test, enter:
?private:Test
To specify a shared scenario named Test, enter:
?shared:Test
Examples
The following examples are column expressions.
Entering Returns
ASSERT(IsChildScenario In a worksheet based on the Part table:
($Scenario0, The name of the part, but only if the first (or only) scenario selected by
'?shared:Eastern Division', the user in the workbook controls is a shared scenario named "Eastern
0, 8192) = 'Y', Name, Division" or one of its descendants.
'Select the Eastern Division
If the first (or only) scenario selected by the user in the workbook
scenario or one of its
controls is not a shared scenario named "Eastern Division" or one of its
descendants to view data in
descendants, the worksheet does not display data. Instead, it displays an
this worksheet.') error message that includes the text, "Select the Eastern
Division scenario or one of its descendants to view
data in this worksheet." For more information about the ASSERT
function, see "ASSERT" on page 1225.
You can limit available scenarios for an entire workbook on the general
tab of the New Workbook/Workbook Properties dialog box, but an
expression similar to this one can be used to limit the scenarios that can
be used with a single worksheet.
(IsChildScenario Y if the first (or only) scenario selected by the user in the workbook
($Scenario0, 'Approved', 1, controls is the direct child of a shared scenario named "Approved."
1))= Y For information about the $Scenario# system variable, see "$Scenario#"
on page 1302.
IsChildScenario Y if the current user owns a private scenario named "Inventory
('?private:Inventory Adjustment" that is the scenario specified in the Scenario column or one
Adjustment', !Scenario) of its descendents.

You can also use the function in expressions to conditionally hide or show a column:
Entering Returns
Conditional: Only hide when The column is only hidden when the first (or only) scenario selected by
IsChildScenario ($scenario0, the user in the workbook controls is a descendant of the Baseline
'Baseline') scenario.
KEYVALUES
Returns a record's key field values as a String value, using the following syntax:
KEYVALUES(reference)
where reference is a reference field.
The value returned by this function is similar to the value displayed in a column using the Use as
reference option, but is presented as a String instead of a reference, as shown in the following
illustration.
For more information, see "Add a table reference as a column" on page 360.
Examples
The following examples are based on the IndependentDemand table.
Entering Returns
KEYVALUES The key field values from the Part table that identify the part associated with each
(Part) IndependentDemand record.
KEYVALUES The key field values from the IndependentDemand table that identify the order. For more
(SELF) information, see "SELF" on page 1224.
LOD
The Line of Descent (LOD) function can be used to specify the path through tables that determine the
records returned in a worksheet. This function is used in a filter expression to specify how records are
considered for the worksheet. This function is typically used in cases where reference records are

considered, and allows you to specify which table's records are considered first. This allows you to filter
the records by specifying a table containing a smaller number of records, improving worksheet
performance.
The LOD function uses the following syntax:
LOD (path)
where path is the path of reference fields that specifies the records returned in a worksheet.
To specify a line of descent, you must be familiar with your data to ensure you specify the optimal path
for retrieving records.
Examples
The following examples are filter expressions from a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table.
Entering Returns
LOD(Order) Records obtained by following the Order reference from the ScheduledReceipt
table.
LOD(Order) & Order.Type Records where the type is Blanket and the unit cost is greater than 100. The
= 'Blanket' & LOD function specifies that the Order reference is followed first, and filters out
Part.StdUnitCost > all records with other order types. The set of records with the Blanket type are
MONEYVALUE(100) then filtered to find records with a unit cost greater than 100.
LOD (Supplier.Id) & Records from supplier Allied that are due within the next three months. The
Supplier.Id LIKE LOD function specifies the Supplier reference is followed first, and filters out all
'Allied*' & DueDate >= records from other suppliers. The set of records from Allied are then filtered to
TODAY & DueDate < TODAY find orders due in the range of dates.
+ 3 Month
PREVIOUS
Returns the result from a previous record in the same column. This function can be used in columns that
are calculated using the results of other columns, and are used to return results from other records in
the calculated set of results. For more information, see "Create a column based on the result of other
This function uses the following syntax.
PREVIOUS (column, initialValue, resetColumn)
where
l column is the column identifier for the column the previous value is taken from.
l initialValue is the value used if there is no previous record.
l resetColumn is an optional column identifier that specifies when to reset the PREVIOUS function.
For example, if PREVIOUS is used to perform a running balance (cumulative balance), the
resetColumn value could be set to a part column, so the balance resets for each part.
This function accepts only column identifiers and variables, not fields.

Examples
Entering Returns
PREVIOUS (!Quantity, 0) The value in the Quantity column from the previous
record in the worksheet, or zero for the first record in
the worksheet.
PREVIOUS (!RunningBalance, 0, !Part) + A running total (cumulative total) of the values in the
!Quantity Quantity column, resetting on each part.
This expression is created in the Running Balance
column, and uses the previous value of itself to
calculate the new running total.
(PREVIOUS (!RunningBalance, 0, !Part) + The total revenue associated with the running total of
!Quantity) * !UnitPrice quantities.
If (PREVIOUS(!DueDate, 'Past', !Order) = The difference between the due dates for lines of an
'Past', 0, (!DueDate - PREVIOUS(!DueDate, order, or zero for the first line of each order.
'Past', !Order)))
RecordId
Each record contained in an input table has a unique identifier, known as a RecordId, associated with
that record in any scenario it belongs to. The RecordId identifies records in a given input table by the
sequence in which they were brought into that table. For example, the first record inserted into a table
has a RecordId of 1, the second record has a RecordId of 2, and so on with the values being incremented
by one for each new record added. When records are deleted from a table, their corresponding
RecordId values are not reassigned and hence are no longer used within the table. As well, if a record
only exists in select scenarios, its RecordId value is not assigned to other records in any of the scenarios
it does not belong to.
To return the RecordId on records in a given table, the syntax RecordId is used. This can be useful in
cases where it is important to understand the sequence in which records were added to a table, and can
also be used in certain expressions in lieu of a string/reference comparisons. For example, in some cases
using RecordId might be a more efficient means of identifying records than a full reference. As well,
because columns cannot be "used as references" in multi-scenario worksheets, RecordId provides a
means to identify records across scenarios.
NOTE: During a full data import, the RecordId count for each table restarts at one based on the
sequence in which the records are brought in during the data import.
NOTE: Records in a table that contains vector data do not have a RecordId associated with them.
All records in a vector set are associated with their header record and uniquely identified by their
key field values.
Examples
The following examples are based on the WhereConsumedForSupply table.

Entering Returns
Part.RecordId = DriverPart.RecordId Y (true) if the component part the supply is for is the
same part that is driving its requirement, and N
(false) otherwise.
BillOfMaterial.RecordId The RecordId of the BillOfMaterial record, if any, that

passed the dependent requirement to the component
supply. A 0 (zero) displays if there is no such record.
Model.RecordId = 1 Y (true) if the model, if any, associated with the supply
was the first record loaded into the Model table, and N
(false) otherwise.
IF (DriverType = 'CTPPlannedOrder', Y (true) if the supplier for the driver scheduled receipt or
DriverCTPPlannedOrder.PlannedOrder. planned order is the same as the supplier for the
PartSource.Source.Supplier.RecordId, component supply, and N (false) otherwise.
IF (DriverType = 'ScheduledReceipt',
DriverScheduledReceipt.PartSource.Source.
Supplier.RecordId, -1))
= PartSource.Source.Supplier.RecordId
RESPONSIBILITY
Returns the user who is responsible for a record, using the following syntax:
RESPONSIBILITY(responsibility_name, path_to_table)
where
l responsibility_name is the name of the responsibility definition used to assign responsibility

for the data. Responsibility for the same data can be assigned using more than one responsibility
definition. For example, one responsibility definition might be used to assign responsibility for
parts to buyers, while another is used to assign responsibility for parts to planners. For more
information about responsibility, see "Authoring responsibility definitions" on page 1035 and the
To ensure the responsibility name is valid, you can select it using the auto-complete suggestions in
the Expression Builder. For more information, see "Expression assistance and auto-completion" on
page 1120.
You can also use responsibility role variables in place of responsibility names. For more information
about responsibility roles, see the RapidResponse Administration Guide.
l path_to_table is an optional path of reference fields from the table the worksheet is based on
to the table the group is responsible for. This can be used to customize the responsibility
calculation and limit the set of records used to determine the responsible user, which can improve
worksheet performance. To specify a path to the table, you must be familiar with your data to
ensure you specify the optimal reference path for retrieving the responsible user.
Example
The following examples are based on the ScheduledReceipt table.

Entering Returns
RESPONSIBILITY The user who has been assigned responsibility for that record using the 'Buyers'
('Buyers') responsibility definition.
RESPONSIBILITY The user who has been assigned responsibility for that record using the
('Production 'Production Planners' responsibility definition, determined using the PartSource
Planners', record associated with the order.
PartSource)
RESPONSIBILITY The user who has been assigned for that record using whatever responsibility
($Role_Buyers) definition is associated with the Buyers responsibility role.
RowIndex
All records returned by RapidResponse worksheets have an associated RowIndex value that identifies
the numerical position of each output record (row) in the worksheet based on its particular calculations
and sort criteria. This index is zero-based, so the first record in the worksheet will have a RowIndex of 0,
the second record will have a RowIndex of 1, and so on. The RowIndex value can subsequently be used
in worksheet expressions. For example, it lets you refer to a record by index value based on a repeatable
calculation performed in either the current worksheet or in one of its component worksheets.
If used in a table-based worksheet, RowIndex can only be used in a column based on the results of
other columns (that is, a column that has the Calculate using final results from other columns check
box selected). In this case, the index value is referenced using the following syntax:
!RowIndex
If used in a composite worksheet, RowIndex can also be used in columns based on the results of other
columns in the worksheet. However, it can also be included in any column or worksheet filter expression
to refer to a record by index in one of the underlying component worksheets. In this case, the index
value is referenced using the following syntax:
WorksheetName!RowIndex
The index of rows in the composite worksheet can also be retrieved using the following syntax:
RowIndex
Example: table-based worksheet

Suppose a worksheet based on the Part table, as shown below displaying parts along with their
standard unit cost. Further suppose you wanted to use a worksheet search to restrict the worksheet to
show only the five parts with the highest standard unit cost.

This is done by first defining a custom sort order for the worksheet, with the StdUnitCost field used as
the main sort criteria and set to sort in descending order. For more information about sorting, see "Sort
Next a column is added to return the RowIndex. This column must be set to be calculated using the final
results from other columns. For more information about columns based on final results, see "Create a
column based on the result of other columns" on page 363.

Finally a search criteria is added to the new RowIndex column to display only the first five records
returned by the worksheet. For more information about adding a worksheet search, see "Add a
worksheet search" on page 288.
The worksheet now displays details of the five parts with the highest standard unit cost (that is, records
with RowIndex value of 0 through 4).

Example: composite worksheet
Suppose a worksheet, LateDemands, based on the IndependentDemand as shown below displaying
details of late demand orders including the number of days late for each order. Further suppose you
subsequently wanted to build a composite worksheet on top of this worksheet that uses a worksheet
filter to show only the ten most late demands.
This is done by first defining a custom sort order on the Late Demands worksheet, with the DaysLate
field used as the main sort criteria and set to sort in descending order (for more information about
sorting, see "Sort columns" on page 370).

Next a composite worksheet, Most Late Demands, is created and the Late Demands worksheet added as
its only component. For more information about composite worksheets, see "Creating composite
Finally a worksheet filter is added to the composite to display only the first ten records returned by the
underlying component worksheet. Note that the filter expression makes use of the component's
RowIndex values and requires full worksheet qualification. For more information about worksheet
filters, see "Worksheet filtering" on page 386.
The new composite worksheet then displays just the details of the ten most late orders (that is, the
records from the underlying Late Demands component worksheet that have a RowIndex value between
zero and nine). Note also in this case, the returned records are sorted in column order.

TimeStamp
Returns the current date and time as a DateTime value. Unlike the Text(Now) expression, it returns a
unique value for each data row. This can be useful when needing to create a unique and increasing key.
The returned value is represented using the user's personal date and time settings as specified in the
Settings tab of the Options dialog box.
TimeStamp()
Example
The following example shows four worksheet columns. The column headers show the expressions used
in each column.
The example compares the TimeStamp function to the Now constant.
When the Now constant is used in a query, it represents the date and time at which the query started.
Entering Now as column expression returns the same value in each row. The TimeStamp function
returns a unique value for each row (as shown in the fractional seconds).

NOTE: For more information about the Now function, see "Date and DateTime constants" on
page 1129. For more information about the Text function, see "TEXT (date/time)" on page 1198.
UserInGroup
Determines if a user is a member of a specific group, using the following syntax:
UserInGroup(user, group)
where
l user is a user, identified by user identifier or the $User standard variable.

l group is a group name.
This function is typically used in a conditional expression to determine if a value or column should be
displayed to the user. For more information, see "IF" on page 1138.
Examples - column expressions

The following are column expressions in a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table.
Entering Returns
UserInGroup($User, 'Buyers') Y (true) if the user is a member of the Buyers group.
IF(UserInGroup($User, 'Suppliers'), 0, Zero for users in the Suppliers group, or the
UnitSellingPrice) UnitSellingPrice value for members of all other groups.
IF(UserInGroup($User, 'Suppliers'), The reference part name for users in the Suppliers group, or
Part.ReferencePart, Part) the part name for users in other groups.
IF(UserInGroup($User, 'Customer The Customer name if the user is a member of the Customer
Service Representatives'), service Representatives group, or a blank value otherwise.
Customer.Name, '')

Example - hiding columns
The following expression could be used to conditionally hide a column. For more information, see "Hide
columns in a worksheet" on page 371.
Enter To
NOT Hide the column if the user viewing the worksheet is not a member of the Customers group.
(UserInGroup You could use this expression to hide columns that contain customer data, and which
($User, should be viewed only by the customer.
'Customers'))
MonoIncSequence
Generates a monotonically-increasing sequence number, which is always incremented across all
scenarios. The value generated by this function is always greater than any previous value generated by
the function, and is guaranteed to be unique. If this function is called from multiple scenarios, the values
generated will be sequential.
Typically, this function is used to create a unique transaction sequence value for inserting multiple
records in a worksheet, and ensures all records inserted have a unique transaction sequence regardless
of how many records are inserted across any scenarios. This function typically would not be displayed in
a column, and instead used to calculate unique sequence numbers for records inserted by an automatic
data modification.
MonoIncSequence()
NOTE: This function is not available from the Expression Builder.
Examples
The following illustration shows an example of values generated by the MonoIncSequence function.

MonoIncSequence
ChangedInScenario
This function allows you to filter a worksheet to display only records that have been modified in the
scenario selected in the worksheet. Modifications include:
l Records that have been modified between the selected scenario and comparison scenario.
Typically this is a change to any field's value, however, this also includes cases where a value has
been modified and then changed back to its initial value.
l Records that have been inserted in the selected scenario.
l Records that have been deleted from the selected scenario.
You can use this function to selectively perform an automatic data modification. For example, you can
perform an update on only the records that have been modified in the scenario, which can improve
performance by not performing the update operations on every record in the table.
ChangedInScenario()
Because this function compares values between scenarios, the workbook must be configured with
multiple scenarios, and the user must be allowed to select the scenarios. For more information, see
"Select the comparison scenario" on page 220.
If the workbook does not contain a multi-scenario column in at least one of its worksheets, you can
configure the workbook to perform multi-scenario comparisons regardless by modifying the
workbook's extended configuration. For more information, see "To use multiple scenarios using
extended configuration" on page 1243.
Because reference fields cannot be used in multi-scenario worksheets, you must ensure the worksheet
that contains the ChangedInScenario() function does not contain reference columns, either with the
'Use as reference' option selected or an expression that includes a Self reference. For more information,
see "Add a table reference as a column" on page 360 or "SELF" on page 1224.
▶Filter examples
These examples assume the worksheet is based on the IndependentDemand table.

Specify To return
ChangedInScenario() All records that have been modified in the scenario.
ChangedInScenario() AND DueDate > All records that have been modified in the scenario and are due in
Today the future.
▶To use multiple scenarios using extended configuration
1. In the Workbook Properties dialog box, click the General tab.

2. Click Advanced.
3. Click the Extended Configuration tab.
4. In the box, type @ForceMultiScenario.
5. Click OK.
CAUTION: Items in the Extended Configuration tab are not validated, and might produce
unexpected results.
Comments in query expressions

You can include comments in your query expressions. These can be seen by yourself or other resource
authors, but are ignored by RapidResponse when the query is run. For example, you might use
comments to indicate what a particularly complex part of an expression does, or explain why a query
was written in a certain way. To include a comment in a query expression, the comment must begin with
a forward slash and asterisk (/*) and end with an asterisk and forward slash (*/) as shown in the
following example.
Max Routing.PartSources[Part[$SelectedFilter] and /*this is a
comment*/Part.Site[Eval('Site \'' + $SelectedSite + '\'')]] Part.Name +
/*another comment here*/? count Routing.PartSources[Part[$SelectedFilter]
and Part.Site[Eval('Site \'' + $SelectedSite + '\'')]] > 1 ' ...' '
Recursive queries
Recursive queries are used to identify components and assemblies in your bill of materials. You can
create recursive queries that return either all the components that make up a given part, or all the parts
that use a given part as a component. Each recursive query involves one of the following set fields on
the Part table.
l Components—The set of records on the BillOfMaterial table where this part is the assembly. This
represents the set of BOM records defining the components that go into making the part.
l WhereUsed—The set of records on the BillOfMaterial table where this part is a component. This
represents the set of BOM records defining the assemblies where the part is used.
NOTE: For complete reference information about the BillOfMaterial table, see the RapidResponse

ChangedInScenario
Syntax
Recursive queries are typically used in filter expressions. They must be based on the Part table, and
require use of the OF operator. The syntax for creating a recursive query is as follows:
l To show a part’s components: Components[logical_expression].Component OF

(value_expression)
l To show where a part is used: WhereUsed[logical_expression].Assembly OF (value_
expression)
where logical_expression is an optional expression valid on the BillOfMaterial which can be used
to limit the records returned, and value_expression returns a value and must be valid on the Part
table (typically, it is used to return the value from the Name field).
Examples
To return Enter
All parts that are components of the part named Components.Component OF (Name = 'racer')
racer.
All parts of type “buy” that are components of the Components[Component.Type.Value =
part named racer. 'Buy'].Component OF (Name = 'racer')
All parts that use the part ACKIT-01 as a WhereUsed.Assembly OF (Name = 'ACKIT-01')
component.
All parts that use either of the parts “AC-0101” or WhereUsed.Assembly OF (Name in ('AC-0101',
“AC-0201” as components. 'AC-0201'))
Query language compatibility and ambiguous

syntax
Changes to the RapidResponse query language are sometimes made for the purpose of reducing
ambiguous syntax that authors can define in their worksheet query expressions. For example,
ambiguous syntax might include rare cases where RapidResponse is forced to infer a value’s data type
based on its context in a query expression, rather than being able to explicitly determine a value’s data
type based on the expression syntax. Typically, when changes are made to query language syntax
specifically for the purpose of limiting ambiguous syntax, a new compatibility level is introduced and it is
recommended to ensure that your expressions validate against the syntax supported in the latest
compatibility level.
Compatibility levels are applied at the workbook level, and define the supported syntax against which all
query expressions in that workbook’s worksheets are validated. This is done to support backward
compatibility and ensures that worksheets created against previous version’s compatibility levels
continue to return the same results after a RapidResponse upgrade.

Whenever you create a new workbook in RapidResponse, the query compatibility level is automatically
set to the latest compatibility level. If you are upgrading from an earlier version of RapidResponse, the
upgrade program attempts to set all of your workbooks to the latest compatibility level. However, if the
upgrade program finds any workbooks containing worksheets that do not validate against the latest
compatibility level, then those workbooks are set to the highest compatibility level against which they
do validate. It is then recommended that you modify those worksheets so that they do validate against
the latest compatibility level, and then manually set the workbooks compatibility level as discussed in
"Setting query language compatibility levels" on page 1251.
Supported compatibility levels

Currently, five compatibility levels are supported in RapidResponse. The latest compatibility level as
introduced in Version 2014.1 and whose supported syntax is described elsewhere throughout this
guide, and the following earlier compatibility levels:
l Version 11.0 - 11.3.1

l Version 10.1
l Version 9.4 - 10.0
l Version 9.3 and earlier
The specific issues and differences associated with each of these earlier compatibility levels are detailed
below.
Compatibility level - Version 11.0 - 11.3.1

The following table identifies types of ambiguous query expressions that pass validation against the
Version 11.0 - 11.3.1 compatibility level, but are considered ambiguous and fail validation against later
compatibility levels.
Compatibility Description
issue
Incomplete If an expression requires a column to be a reference, such as a lookup expression or a
reference used composite worksheet column expression, but that column either is not used as a reference or
as reference in contains only a single key field, the values returned to the expression are considered
expressions ambiguous. In this case, more records than expected might be returned. For example, if a
lookup expression expects a reference to the Part table but the lookup worksheet contains the
Part.Name field, a record matching the part name is returned for each site, which might not be
the desired behavior. Similarly, if a composite worksheet retrieves a value from a field
referenced from a component worksheet, but the column in the component worksheet is not a
complete reference, the intended value cannot be determined and a record for each matching
value is returned. To avoid ambiguities and return only the intended records, it is
recommended to apply the 'Use as reference' option on the column.
In compatibility levels later than Version 11.0 - 11.3.1, an error is returned if a column that is not
a complete reference is used as a reference in another column expression. For more
Compatibility level - Version 10.1

Version 10.1 compatibility level, but are considered ambiguous and fail validation against later

Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax
issue
Lookup If the "return expression" argument within the lookup function references an unqualified
function with column Id in a lookup worksheet, and the current table contains a field named identically to
unqualified that column Id, the field value is always returned. To avoid ambiguities around whether a value
Column Ids from the lookup worksheet or a value from the source record on the current table is required, it
is recommended to always qualify references to columns in lookup worksheets using the
format worksheetId!columnId.
In compatibility levels later than Version 10.1, an error is returned any time an unqualified
column Id is referenced in an expression based on a table that has a field with the same name
as that column Id.
For more information, see "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
Unqualified If a query expression includes a field in a namespace other than the current table's namespace,
field names in that field can be included without namespace qualification as long as there is not another field
other on the table with that same field name. However, if there are two or fields with the same name
namespaces on a given table, then those fields must be namespace qualified to avoid ambiguous results.
The formatnamespace::fieldName should be used(for example, Mfg::BuyerCodes).
In compatibility levels later than Version 10.1, an error is returned if a field defined in a
namespace other than its table's namespace is not namespace qualified.
Note that in all compatibility levels, if there are two or more fields with the same name on a
given table and one of those fields is defined in the table's namespace, then using that field
name without namespace qualification always returns the field defined in the same namespace
as the table.
For more information, see "Field namespaces" on page 1126.
Unqualified Typically, the tables on which query expressions are based are selected using the
table names RapidResponse interface. However, in cases where a query expression requires specifying the
table name (for example, if using legacy syntax supported by the Lookup function) the table
name can be included without namespace qualification as long as there is not an identically
named table in any other namespace. However, if there are identically named tables in two or
more namespaces, then those table names must be namespace qualified in query expressions
to avoid ambiguous results.
In compatibility levels later than Version 10.1, an error is return if the table name is included in a
query expression without a namespace qualifier.
Arithmetic with Some mathematical functions involving quantity and money values are considered ambiguous.
money values The following were valid operations that are no longer valid in the latest compatibility level.
l Quantity and Money values could be added or subtracted.
l Quantity values could be divided by Money values.
For example, the expression StdUnitCost + 100 is valid in the Version 10.1 compatibility
level, and adds 100 to the standard unit cost. In this case, the Quantity value is considered to
be a Money value in the base currency. These expressions are ambiguous because you cannot
control the currency used for calculations with Quantity values.
In expressions that use Quantity and Money fields, the Quantity fields are considered to be
Money values in the base currency.
In compatibility levels later than Version 10.1, trying to add a constant to a Money value
generates an error, and the constant must be converted to a Money value, and can be
expressed in a specific currency.
For more information, see "Displaying money data in worksheets" on page 305.

issue
IN clauses with An IN expression that relates a Quantity column to a Money column or a Money column to a
money and Quantity column is considered ambiguous because a Quantity cannot be compared to a
quantity values Money. At compatibility level Version 10.1, the Money value is used as a Quantity value, and is
represented in the base currency.
In compatibility levels later than Version 11.0, the Quantity value must be converted to a
Money value, or the Money value must be converted to a Quantity.
For more information, see "IN " on page 1141.
LOOKUP A LOOKUP expression that refers to a Money value that is related to a Quantity column is
clauses with considered ambiguous because a Quantity value cannot be compared to a Money value.
money and At compatibility level Version 10.1, the Money value is used as a Quantity value, and is
quantity values represented in the base currency.
In compatibility levels later than Version 10.1, the Quantity value must be converted to a
Money value, or the Money value must be converted to a Quantity.
For more information, see "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
Combining A composite worksheet that combines component worksheet Quantity and Money columns is
Money and considered ambiguous because the values in the columns cannot be directly compared. At
Quantity values compatibility level Version 10.1, the Quantity value is considered to be a Money value in the
in composite base currency.
worksheets In compatibility levels later than Version 10.1, the Quantity value must be converted to a
Money value, or the Money value must be converted to a Quantity. The Money columns must
also use the same currency.
For more information, see "Create a composite worksheet" on page 483.
Money fields in A list variable that uses Money fields in queries is considered ambiguous because Money
list variables values cannot be compared to Quantity values. At compatibility level Version 10.1 and lower,
the Money values in the variable are considered to be Quantity values.
In compatibility levels later than Version 10.1, Money values cannot be used in list variable
queries. Any Money fields used in queries must be converted to a Quantity value.
For more information, see "Create a list variable" on page 1265.
Compatibility level - Version 9.4 - 10.0

Version 9.4 - 10.0 compatibility level, but are considered ambiguous and fail validation against later

issue
Grouped If two component worksheets are being combined in a composite, and one worksheet is
references grouped by a column reference (for example, Part) and the corresponding column in the other
worksheet is grouped by the base key field of that referenced table (for example, Part.Name),
this is considered ambiguous because reference and string values belong to different data
types and should not logically be combined together. At compatibility level Version 9.4 - 10.0,
RapidResponse automatically downgrades the reference column to a string value (the base key
field on the referenced table) and then compares and combines values based on that string.
However, this might not always lead to the expected results being returned as it ignores other
key values on the table.
In compatibility versions later than Version 9.4 - 10.0, trying to combine values as described
above generates an error, and columns marked as references can only be compared or
combined with other columns marked as references.
NOTE: RapidResponse 10.1 and later includes the ability to explicitly designate a column as a
reference (this removes the ambiguity around whether a column expression such as Part or
Order refers to the full table reference or just the base key field on the referenced table). For
more information, see "Add a table reference as a column" on page 360 and "Create a
composite worksheet" on page 483.
Percent The Percent summarization column function can be used in compatibility level 9.4 - 10.0 to
summarization express a column value as a percentage of other values in the column. For example, an
on a column individual order quantity could be expressed as a percentage of the total order quantity for a
given date or period.
However, the Percent summarization column function is unavailable for usage in workbooks at
compatibility levels later than Version 9.4 - 10.0. Beginning in Version 10.1, it is considered
ambiguous due to the introduction of the Display as % setting. This setting is intended for use
whenever a column is to be presented as a percentage (it multiplies column results by 100 and
adds the % symbol). If you require the functionality previously provided by the Percent
summarization function, it is recommended to use the Fraction summarization function and
apply the Display as % setting.
NOTE: For more information about the displaying values as percentages, see "Set data formats
for numbers" on page 291 and for more information about the summarization functions, see

issue
Outer context The outer context (^) operator does not fully support references, and therefore using it with a
(^) operator reference field is considered ambiguous because the reference is forced to the base key field.
with reference For example, in compatibility level Version 9.4 - 10.0, the ScheduledReceipt based expression
fields count allocations[scheduledreceipt.part = ^part] forces the part reference to
the Part.Name field which does not allow for a full reference comparison. In later compatibility
levels, this expression generates an error. If using outer context and you require a full reference
comparison as described above, it is recommended to use the SELF function (a references to
the current record). For example, the following validates at all compatibility levels Count
Allocations [ScheduledReceipt.Part.Self = ^Part.Self].
NOTE: For more information see "OuterContext (^)" on page 1160 and "SELF" on page 1224
IN operator and If the IN operator is immediately followed by an opening parentheses, RapidResponse doesn't
parenthesized always assume the entire list to be in parentheses. This can cause ambiguities in cases where
lists the IN list consists of only one item (particularly, when the IN clause is used within another
function). For example, the following expression returns an error at this compatibility level
(because everything after the IN is incorrectly assumed to be part of the list of items being
evaluated, and there are therefore not enough arguments found for the IF function).
IF (Name IN ('xyz'), 'yes', 'no')
In later compatibility levels, the above expression is valid and returns the expected result.
However, the following previously valid expression fails in later compatibility levels (but can be
corrected but removing the parentheses or, if the parentheses are a needed part of the string,
then another set of parentheses can be placed around all items in the IN list).
Name IN ('xyz'), ('abc')
Compatibility level - Version 9.3 and earlier

The following table identifies types of ambiguous worksheet or query expressions that pass validation
against the Version 9.3 and earlier compatibility level, but are considered ambiguous and fail validation
against later compatibility levels.

issue
Conditional ? Some conditional expressions written using the old ? syntax are considered ambiguous
operator and because the use of spaces as separators between the expression's if, then, and else clauses can
separator make it difficult to identify where each clause starts and ends. This can sometimes lead to
spaces unintended results or force RapidResponse to try and determine the intent of the expression
based on data type.
For example, the expression ? Order.Type = ‘x’ AvailableDate
ShipSetAvailableDate - DueDateis considered ambiguous because the expression
attempts to use a date (the AvailableDate field) with a quantity (the difference between the
ShipSetAvailableDate and DueDate fields). Proper use of parentheses can help correct many
ambiguous conditional expressions using the ? operator. For example, (? Order.Type =
‘x’ AvailableDate ShipSetAvailableDate) - DueDate is not considered ambiguous
because it first evaluates the condition to determine a date and then subtracts a second date
from that.
NOTE: It is recommended to always use the IF function in place of the old ? syntax when
writing conditional expressions. For more information, see "IF" on page 1138.
Set operators Certain set expressions are considered ambiguous because the use of spaces as separators in
and separator the expression does not always make it obvious where the value expression ends. In these
spaces cases, parentheses should be used to separate the value expression from other parts of the
expression. For example, from the Part table, SUM ScheduledReceipts Quantity
* StdUnitCost is considered ambiguous because it is not obvious from syntax that
* StdUnitCostis not part of the value expression. However, (SUM ScheduledReceipts
Quantity) * StdUnitCost is not ambiguous because Quantity is clearly separated as the
value to be returned from the SUM expression and then multiplied by the StdUnitCost field on
the Part table.
NOTE: When using set operators, it is recommended to use the modified syntax introduced in
RapidResponse 9.4 which encloses all set value expressions in curly brackets. For more
information, see "Set operators" on page 1145.

issue
Date arithmetic Due to left-to-right order of operations, certain expressions involving date arithmetic are
and order of considered ambiguous because they result in incompatible data types being used together.
operations These ambiguities can typically be avoided with either proper use of parentheses to separate
the related parts of an expression, or explicit inclusion of a calendar name to be used in the
expression (calendar names are optional in RapidResponse date arithmetic, with the everyday
calendar being assumed when no calendar is specified). For example:
l DueDate + 1 + 1 week is considered ambiguous because it does not make it clear
which calendar the first quantity of 1 is being expressed in (order of operations forces
RapidResponse to add the 2 quantities together first, thereby adding 2 weeks to the due
date). However, (DueDate + 1) + 1 week is considered unambiguous because it adds 1
calendar day to the DueDate and then 1 week to that. Similarly, DueDate + 1 workday +
1 week is considered unambiguous because it adds 1 workday to the DueDate and then 1
week to that date.
l -DueDate - AvailableDate is considered ambiguous because it attempts to apply a
negative sign to the DueDate value. However, -(DueDate - AvailableDate) is not
considered ambiguous because it first performs the date subtraction in parentheses, and
takes the negative of the resulting quantity value.
l AvailableDate - StartDate - 2 week is considered ambiguous because it first
performs the date subtraction, and then attempts to subtract 2 weeks from the resulting
quantity value. However, AvailableDate - (StartDate - 2 week) is considered
unambiguous because it first subtracts 2 weeks from the StartDate and then subtracts the
resulting data value from the AvailableDate.
NOTE: For more information, see "Calendars and date arithmetic" on page 1257.
Usage of dots in The use of a dot (.) was permitted before a base field, or in place of a zero quantity. For
syntax example, in a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table, both .DueDate and
DaysLate > . pass validation in compatibility level Version 9.3 and earlier (but generate
errors in later compatibility versions).
Lookup The lookup function compares records in a "lookup worksheet" with key values defined in the
worksheet lookup expression and returns some matching value associated with those keys. Each key value
without group being looked up should exist only once in the lookup worksheet, and grouping in the
by columns worksheet is typically required to achieve this. In Version 9.3 and earlier, lookup expressions
validate even if the lookup worksheet is not grouped (though, the results are unpredictable
unless the worksheet happens to contain all the key fields for the table). At later compatibility
levels, a lookup worksheet must be grouped by the same number of columns identified in the
lookup expression (otherwise, the expression will not validate).
NOTE: For more information, see "LOOKUP" on page 1214.
Setting query language compatibility levels

By default, all new workbooks created in RapidResponse are set to the latest query language
compatibility level. During a RapidResponse upgrade, all existing workbooks are set to the highest
query compatibility level against which all of their worksheet expressions successfully validate.
If necessary, you can manually change the compatibility level set for a given workbook. Typically, this
would be done as part of the upgrade process to ensure all workbooks are at the latest compatibility
level. For example, if a given workbook could not be set to the latest query compatibility level by the
upgrade program, you might want to adjust its worksheets and expressions so that it is valid at the
latest compatibility level and then manually set the workbook to the latest compatibility level setting.

As part of this process, you can also use the Search Resources utility to find workbooks that do not
validate against a particular compatibility level, or which do not validate as of a particular compatibility
level. It is also possible to manually set workbooks to use older query compatibility levels, although this
is not a recommended practice. For more information about the different query compatibility levels in
RapidResponse, see "Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax" on page 1244. For more
information about searching for workbooks that fail validation, see "Search for resources that contain
errors" on page 158.
▶Set a workbook's query language compatibility level
2. Click Advanced, and then click the Compatibility tab.
3. If you want expressions in the workbook validated against the latest query compatibility level
(Version 2014.1 and later), clear the Allow ambiguous syntax in query expressions check box.
4. If you want expressions in the workbook validated against an earlier query compatibility level,
select the Allow ambiguous syntax in query expressions check box and from the Compatibility
version list, select one of the following:
l Version 11.0 - 11.3.1
l Version 10.1
l Version 9.4 - 10.0
l Version 9.3 and earlier
CAUTION: Setting workbooks to use anything other than the latest query compatibility level is
not recommended. Support for ambiguous syntax is provided only for backwards compatibility
and ensures that existing workbooks and their worksheets continue to open and return the
expected results after upgrade.
NOTE: If you set a workbook to a query compatibility level against which it does not validate, you
will be prompted to fix the problematic worksheet(s). Users cannot open any worksheet which
does not validate against the query compatibility level defined in its workbook.
▶Search for workbooks that fail validation against a particular compatibility level
1. From the Tools menu, click Search Resources.

2. In the Find area, click Errors in resource definitions.
3. Click Compatibility version and then select one of the following from the list:
l 2014.1 and later (this option validates against the latest compatibility level)
l 11.0 - 11.3.1
l 10.1
l 9.4 - 10.0
l 9.3 and earlier
4. Optionally, if you only want to validate workbooks that passed validation against an earlier
compatibility level, select the Limit search to workbooks valid at compatibility level check box
and then select a compatibility level from the list.
For example, if you only wanted to search for workbooks that failed validation because of the
latest compatibility level, select 2014.1 and later from the Compatibility version list and 11.0 -
11.3.1 from the Limit search to workbooks valid at compatibility level list.
5. Click Search.

All workbooks that failed validation against the latest query compatibility level are shown in the
Search Resources window, and each worksheet within it that failed validation is shown
underneath.
6. If you want to fix a workbook so that it validates against the latest query compatibility level, do
the following:
l In the Search Resources window, expand the workbook and double-click a worksheet.
l When prompted to set the workbook to the latest query compatibility level, click Yes to allow
RapidResponse to open the Worksheet Properties dialog and set focus to the area of the
worksheet with the validation error. If you click No, RapidResponse opens the worksheet but
does not place focus on the error.
l In the Worksheet Properties dialog box, fix the identified error to which RapidResponse has
set focus.
l Repeat for any other worksheets identified in the Search Results dialog box.
NOTE: If you do not receive a prompt to change the workbook's query compatibility level, this
indicates that either the error being reported would exist regardless of the query compatibility
level being searched, or that workbook's query compatibility level has previously been set to a level
against which it does not validate.

CHAPTER 51: Date calculations
Calendars available to you 1255

Specifying the calendar used in date calculations 1257
Calendars and date arithmetic 1257
DateTime calculations 1258
You can add and subtract Date values from one another, or add and subtract constant values from Date
values, just as you would when working with Quantity values. By default, all date calculations in
RapidResponse are made in terms of standard calendar days. For example, you might want to calculate
the number of days difference between the DueDate field and the AvailableDate field associated with a
work order. By default, RapidResponse returns this value in terms of calendar days.
However, date calculations can also be performed using any calendar value defined in your organization’s
Calendar table. For example, instead of standard calendar days, it might be of more use to you to have
your calculations returned in terms of actual working days (this would be done using a workday
calendar). Other common date intervals that might be defined in your organization’s Calendar table
include weeks, months, and quarters.
When RapidResponse performs date calculations, it does so by adding or subtracting the number of
calendar markers between Date values. A calendar marker is associated with each Date that belongs to a
given calendar, and any single Date can be associated with multiple calendars.
For example, your organization might have a Workday calendar that has a marker associated with each
day of the work week (that is, each day from Mondays to Fridays, excluding holidays). When a calculation
is performed using this calendar, it only considers those Date values that are defined as work days. All
other dates (for example, weekends) are ignored during the calculation.
In order to specify valid calendar values for your date calculations to be performed in, you should be
familiar with the calendars that have been defined for your organization.
NOTE: For complete information about date calculations, see “Calendars and date calculations” in
the RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.
Calendars available to you

All calendars available to you are defined in the Calendar table in the RapidResponse data model. In order
to see a list of all valid calendars, you can create a worksheet based on the Calendar table and add the
Value field as shown in the following image.

You can also see all Date values that belong to a given calendar (that is, all of a calendar’s markers), as
well as all calendars in which a given Date is used by creating a worksheet based on the CalendarDate
table and adding the Calendar and Value fields. To see all Date values that belong to a specific calendar,
enter the name of the calendar in the Search row cell above the Calendar field as shown in the following
image. Similarly, to see all calendars in which a given Date is used as a marker, enter the Date in the
Search row cell above the Value field.
NOTE: For complete information about the Calendar and CalendarDate tables, see the
RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide.

Specifying the calendar used in date
calculations
Date calculations can be performed in any date measure that has been defined in the Calendar table. In
order to do so, you need to add the name of the relevant calendar to the end of the expression
according to the following syntax:
<Date or date expression> <arithmetic operator> <Date or date expression>
<'calendar name'>
When specifying a calendar name, you must enclose it in single quotes. This ensures RapidResponse
correctly interprets it is a calendar. If a calendar name is not specified, the expression is calculated in
terms of standard calendar days.
You can also use specify a calendar using a field that references the Calendar table. In this case, you
must use the reference field itself, and not use the .Value syntax. This uses the calendar specified for a
record, and allows you to use different calendars without changing the expression.
Examples
The following table shows examples of different calendars used in column expressions built against the
To display Enter
The number of calendar days between the projected available date AvailableDate - DueDate
and the due date.
The number of work days between the projected available date AvailableDate - DueDate 'Workday'
and the due date.
The number of Mondays between the projected available date and AvailableDate - DueDate 'Monday'
the due date.
The date one planning calendar unit later than the due date. DueDate + 1
Part.PlanningCalendars.TimeUnits
Calendars and date arithmetic

You can add or subtract any whole number from a Date value, including zero. The Date then moves
backwards or forwards the specified number of calendar intervals (or the number of days if no calendar
is specified in the expression). For example, to return the first day of the next week you would add 1
week to the Date, and to return the first day of the previous week you would subtract 1 week from the
Date. Adding zero moves the Date to the beginning of the current calendar (that is, the most recently
passed marker in the calendar). For example, adding 0 weeks to the Date returns the first day of the
current week, and adding 0 months to the Date returns the first day of the current month.
When performing date arithmetic, RapidResponse evaluates the components of an expression on a
strictly left-to-right basis. If you require a specific part of the expression to be evaluated first, ensure to
enclose it in parentheses. An example of this is shown in the last example in the following table.

Specifying the calendar used in date calculations
Examples
The following table shows examples of constant values used with Date values in column expressions
based on the ScheduledReceipt table.
To return Enter
The first day of the quarter in which the receipt is due. DueDate + 0 'Quarter'
The first day of the month after the receipt is due. DueDate + 1 'Month'
A number that is one more than the number of work days between AvailableDate - DueDate
the AvailableDate and the DueDate. + 1
The number of days between the AvailableDate and the first day of AvailableDate -
the week after the DueDate. (DueDate + 1 'Week')
The following table shows examples of constant values used with Date values in filter expressions based
on the ScheduledReceipt table.
To return Enter
All receipts due within 5 calendar days of DueDate <= today + 5
today or earlier.
All receipts due within 10 working days of DueDate <= today + 10 'Workday'
today or earlier.
All receipts due within 6 working days of DueDate >= today - 6 'Workday' AND DueDate <=
today. today + 6 'Workday'
All receipts due this week or next. DueDate >= today + 0 'Week' AND DueDate < Today +
2 'Week'
All receipts due before the current month. DueDate < Today + 0 'Month'
All receipts due on the last work day of the DueDate = Today + 0 'Month' - 1 'Workday'
previous month.
All receipts due this quarter. DueDate >= Today + 0 'Quarter' AND DueDate <
Today + 1 'Quarter'
DateTime calculations
Calculations involving DateTime values can be used to add or subtract a quantity from a DateTime value
(producing another DateTime value) or to subtract one DateTime value from another (producing a
Quantity value). These calculations can be performed in terms of seconds, minutes, hours, or days.
Syntax
l To add or subtract a fixed number of units to a DateTime value: DateTime +/- Quantity
units
l To subtract on DateTime value from another: DateTime - DateTime units

where units is replaced by a keyword specifying the unit value to use in the calculation which can be
one of: seconds, minutes, or hours.
Examples
The following table shows examples of expressions involving DateTime fields on the Shipment table.
To return Enter
The date and time the shipment is scheduled to arrive, minus 30 minutes DeliveryDateTime
- 30 minutes
The date and time the shipment is scheduled to ship, plus 24 hours. ShipDateTime + 24
hours
The difference between the date and time the shipment is scheduled to ship, and the DeliveryDate -
date and time the shipment is scheduled to arrive, expressed in number of hours. ShipDateTime
hours
NOTE: If you do not specify a unit value for a DateTime calculation, days are used.

DateTime calculations
CHAPTER 52: Variables
Workbook variables 1262

Profile variables 1296
System variables 1301
A variable is a component of a query expression (similar to a constant or a field) that has its value defined
by a user. You can use variables in your expressions to allow users to customize the data shown in
worksheets, and therefore provide a more meaningful view of the data to users. Variables can be used in
column expression and filter expressions. For more information about the components of query
expressions, see "Components of a query expression" on page 1116.
You can also use variables to create custom workbook controls. The value a user selects in the control is
then used in expressions to filter the data in the worksheet, so that only the data matching that value is
shown in the worksheets. For more information, see "Workbook variables" on page 1262.
Variables can be one of three types, which determines where it can be used, what it is used for, and how
its value is set. For example, a workbook variable can be used only in one workbook, can be used to filter
data, and has its value set by the workbook user using a workbook control. Variables can be one of the
following types:
Variable Description
type
Workbook A variable defined for a workbook. Workbook variables exist only in the workbook they are defined in,
and can be used to create workbook controls or to define additional filtering for worksheet data.
Profile A variable defined for a user or group. Profile variables contain a value specific to the user or group it
is defined for. Profile variables with the same name can be defined for different users or groups, and
each variable assigned a different value.
System A variable included with RapidResponse that represents the selections a user has made in a workbook's
controls, such as the user's selected site or filter. You cannot create system variables.
Variable order
If two or more variables of different types have the same name, the variable used in an expression
depends on the variable type. For example, if a standard variable and a workbook variable have the same
name, the standard variable is used in expressions. The order in which variables with the same names are
used is:

l Profile variables. For more information, see "Profile variables" on page 1296.
l System variables. For more information, see "System variables" on page 1301.
l Workbook variables. For more information, see "Workbook variables" on page 1262.
To ensure the variables used in expressions are the ones you intend to be used, create variables with
unique names.
NOTE: $$ syntax is used for form controls and $$ syntax is used for workbook, profile, and system
variables.
When to use variables

You typically use workbook variables in worksheet filter and column expressions. However, in some
cases you might want to use a profile variable or macro instead. Macros and profile variables allow you
to create expressions that can be used in multiple workbooks, and macros can be used to perform
calculations that might not be able to be performed using query expressions.
To create Use a
A worksheet that displays results customized for a single user Profile variable
A column that is conditionally editable Profile variable
An expression that calculates a value, and that is used in multiple worksheets or workbooks Macro
An expression that calculates a function using a set of values Macro
For more information about macros, see "Macros" on page 1305.
Workbook variables
Workbook variables can be used to control the data displayed in worksheets. Workbook variables can
be used in column or filter expressions to specify the data displayed in a worksheet.
Workbook variables can also be used to create workbook controls. You can create controls that
represent values in the RapidResponse database, or create custom controls. An example of a custom
workbook control is shown in the following illustration.

In this example, the control determines whether the value in the Quantity column displays the total
quantity for the order, the quantity that is on time, or the quantity that has already been shipped. This
variable allows workbook users to view the data in this worksheet three different ways. You could also
add variables to determine which customer or which order type is displayed in the workbook.
For each control you add to the toolbar, you can specify whether or not the control's label is displayed
on the workbook toolbar. This allows you to show workbook users what a control does, and can be
used to differentiate controls of the same type. For example, if you define two date variable controls to
specify the first and last date displayed in a worksheet, you can include "Start Date:" and "End Date:"
labels to show users what the controls specify. An example of a control label is shown in the following
illustration.
The label you specify is displayed on the workbook toolbar with no formatting. If you want a special
character, such as a colon, to appear in the label, you must include that character in the label.
You can also include a description of a variable control, which appears in a tooltip when a user moves
their pointer over the control. You can also include the variable description in the worksheet help. For
more information, see "Add worksheet help" on page 335.
Workbook controls created with variables are visible only if the user's active worksheet includes that
variable in an expression. For example, if another worksheet that did not include the quantity type
variable was added to the example above, the quantity type control would not be shown. Variable-
based controls are always shown in the Data Settings dialog box.

Workbook variables
If two or more workbooks contain variables with the same name, when you set a value for the variable in
one workbook and then open the other workbook, the variables have the same value. You can also pass
the value if you link to one workbook from the other. If you do not want the variables to pass values
between workbooks, you can specify that the variable's value only apply within the workbook the
variable is defined in. This allows you to ensure that value is always the same when a user opens the
workbook.
You can specify if the variable is available to workbook users. An available variable can have its value
changed by workbook users, and can be used to filter the data to the user's specifications. A variable
that is not available must have a default value specified, which will be the only value available for the
variable. You might create a non-available variable if, for example, you want every worksheet in the
workbook to use the same filter expression. You can define the variable with the expression you want,
and then use that variable in each worksheet's filter expression.
Variables that are available to users are also visible to dashboard users if the worksheets are used to
define widgets. These controls are visible in the dashboard's data settings if they are not displayed on
the workbook toolbar. For more information, see "About data settings on a dashboard" on page 910.
Workbook variables you create can be one of the following types:
l Boolean—A true or false value. Boolean variables can be displayed on the workbook toolbar, and
are displayed as a button.
l Date—A Date value. Date variables can be displayed on the workbook toolbar. The date specified
by the variable must be a valid Date value between Past and Future.
l Filter—A list of filters compatible with or based on a specific table. Filter variables apply an
additional level of filtering and can be displayed on the workbook toolbar.
l List—A list of values, which can be fixed values or generated by a query expression. List variables
can be displayed on the workbook toolbar.
l Quantity—A Quantity or Integer value. Quantity variables cannot be displayed on the workbook
toolbar, and must have their values specified in the data settings. The quantity specified by the
variable must be a valid number.
l Text—A String value. Text variables cannot be displayed on the workbook toolbar.
You must specify the type of variable you are creating before you can define the value or values it
represents.
If you create variables to control how a workbook appears or which data appears in worksheets, you
can create an action button that can set multiple variable values at one time. For example, if you use
variables to control which worksheets are visible or to define the worksheet displayed in a controller
worksheet, you could use an action button to reset the workbook to its default appearance, or to
create predefined views of the worksheet. For more information, see "Create workbook toolbar action
buttons" on page 229.
TIP: If there are already variables defined in another workbook that you want to use, you can copy
them to the current workbook by adding a copy of any worksheet that references them as
discussed in "Add a copy of a worksheet from another workbook" on page 234. The variables then
become available the current workbook's Variable tab and are available for use. If you
subsequently delete the copied worksheet, the variables are preserved.

Create a list variable
A list variable can contain values of any type. You can define a list of fixed values, use an expression to
generate the list using values in a RapidResponse table, or both. If you are using an expression, you can
also define a filter expression to limit the values displayed in the list.
Fixed values
A list variable with fixed values can be used to filter any worksheet based on a table that contains the
same data as in the list. You can also use the fixed values to show all data in the worksheet, or to show
no data. Fixed values are applied to the base key field of the table the worksheet is based on, so one list
of fixed values typically can only be used with one table.
A fixed value that shows all data in the worksheet can be defined by using a data value that will not
appear in the worksheet data. For example, you can define the data value as '*', and define the display
value as '= All ='. You can then create the worksheet filter expression to return all records where the
customer is like the variable value. This returns all customers when the '= All =' value is selected because
the filter expression evaluates to "Customer LIKE '*'". For more information, see "Create a filter
expression with a workbook variable" on page 1286.
Query-generated values
A list of values generated by a query expression limits the values in the list to only those that match the
expressions defined by the variable. These expressions include one to define the data values, one to
define the display values for each data value, and one to filter the data values to only those you want
displayed in the list.
Including list variable controls in workbooks

You can choose if the variable is available to workbook users. Users can specify values only for variables
available to them. You can also specify if the variable is displayed on the workbook toolbar, and if its
label is displayed on the toolbar. If the first fixed value in the list is placeholder text, you can format it so
that it is shown in orange on the workbook toolbar, to remind users to select a different value.
If the variable is not displayed on the toolbar, its value can be changed only by modifying the data
settings. In the data settings, variables that are displayed on the workbook toolbar are listed above
variables that are not displayed on the toolbar.
When you create a widget based on a worksheet with a list variable that is displayed on the workbook
toolbar, the variable will appear in the Data Settings pane of any dashboard the widget is placed on. If
the variable does not display on the workbook toolbar, you can only access the variable on a dashboard
in the Data Settings dialog box.

Workbook variables
Specifying a variable's initial value
You can specify an initial value for the variable list. If set, this value is the one selected when the user
opens the workbook for the first time. If you do not specify an initial value, the user is prompted to
select a value, and then the value they select is used each successive time they open the workbook. If
the variable is not available to users, you must specify an initial value for it, which will be used whenever
a user opens the workbook.
If you want the workbook to always open with the initial value you have selected, you can choose to
have the initial value always applied to the workbook. If you choose this option and have not selected
an initial value, users will be prompted to select a value every time they open the workbook.
Using a variable in multiple workbooks

If the variable is available to users, you can have the variable use the same value as a variable in another
workbook. To do this, the workbooks must both contain variables with the same name and of the same
type. For example, if you create a Customer variable in multiple workbooks, you can select a customer in
one workbook, and then when you open another workbook, the same customer is selected.
You can also create a variable that can have its value set only in the workbook it is defined in. These
variables cannot have their values set by specifying values for variables in other workbooks. This ensures
that the value the user sets in the workbook is used again the next time they open the workbook,
regardless of whether or not they specified values for variables in other workbooks.
Example of a list variable

A list variable is shown in the following illustration. This variable creates a workbook control that allows
users to select a customer to view data for, and includes a data value for displaying all customers.

To filter data using the variable, you must create an expression that uses the variable, as shown in the
The workbook control created by this variable is shown in the following illustration.

Workbook variables
When a user selects a customer in the list, only the orders from that list customer are displayed in the
worksheet.
▶Create a list variable
2. Click New, and then click List Variable.
3. In the New List Variable dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the variable. This name
cannot contain spaces.
4. In the Label box, type the label that will be displayed to workbook users.
If you do not provide a label, the value in the Name box is displayed to workbook users.
5. In the Description box, type a description of what the variable represents, how it is intended to
be used, and, if required, the range of values it can contain.
The description is displayed in a tooltip when a user moves the pointer over the workbook
control, or over the variable in the Data Settings dialog box.
6. To include this variable on the workbook toolbar, select the Add to worksheet toolbar check
box.
7. To display the variable's label on the workbook toolbar control, select the Show label on toolbar
check box.
8. Define fixed values for the list.

9. If the first fixed value in the list is placeholder text , select the Format first value as placeholder
text box.
10. Define expressions to generate list values.
11. Specify a default value for the variable.
▶Define fixed values
1. Select the List includes fixed values check box.

2. In the list of values, type the display values the workbook users will see and the data values the
variable contains.
If you do not specify a data value, the display value is used in expressions.
3. To add a value, click Add Row.
4. To remove a value, select it, and then click Delete Row.
▶Define a fixed value to display all records
1. In the list of values, in the Display Value column, type a value to indicate all values are returned,
such as 'All'.
2. In the Data Value column, type '*'.
3. In the worksheet properties Filtering tab, add FieldName LIKE $VariableName to the
worksheet filter expression, where FieldName is the field used to compare the value and
VariableName is the variable's name.
NOTE: You should create the All value as the first item in the list to ensure that is displayed first
in the workbook control.
NOTE: You can also use this procedure to create a value that does not display any records. If you
specify a value that does not appear in any records, no records match when the value is selected,
and therefore no records are displayed in the worksheet.
▶Define expressions to generate values
1. Select the List contains query-generated values check box.

2. In the Table list, click the table the expressions are based on.
3. In the Display Value box, type the expression that defines the values that are displayed to the
user.
4. In the Data Value box, type the expression that defines the values in the list.
If you do not type an expression in this box, the display values are used in expressions.
5. In the Filter Expression box, type a filter expression to limit the values included in the list.
6. To validate the expressions, click Validate.
7. To verify the expressions return the values you expect, click Preview.
The Preview dialog box displays the first 10 data values and display values returned by the
expressions.
NOTE: Depending on the workbook's settings, you might not be able to create a list variable
using a Money field. If you can use Money fields in lists, the resulting list is treated as a list of
Quantity values. For more information, see "Query language compatibility and ambiguous syntax"

Workbook variables
on page 1244.
TIP: You can also select fields, functions, and variables from a list in the expression boxes. For
more information, see "Expression assistance and auto-completion" on page 1120.
TIP: You can use the Expression Builder to assist you in creating query expressions for each
expression in the New List Variable dialog box. You can open the Expression Builder by clicking
Expression Builder, and then clicking the type of expression you want to create. For more
information about using Expression Builder, see "Creating expressions with Expression Builder" on
page 1117.
▶Specify an initial value
1. In the Initial value area, do one of the following:

l To make the first value in the list the initial value, click First item in list.
l To specify an initial value, type it in the box.
l To specify that no initial value exists, click None (user must provide a value).
2. In the On opening workbook area, click one of the following:
l Use the last value provided by the user in—The value that the user used the last time the
workbook was open is used as the initial value the next time they open the workbook. Specify
l Any workbook—If multiple workbooks contain a variable with the same name, the value
specified in those workbooks is also used in this workbook.
l This workbook—The variable's value is specified in only this workbook.
l Always use the initial value—The initial value you specified in step 1 is always used when a
user opens the workbook.
NOTE: The initial value you specify is always used the first time a user opens the workbook.
Create a date variable

A date variable contains a Date value that can be used in column or filter expressions to limit the data
displayed in the worksheet, or to create columns that display data specific to the value in the date
variable. For example, you can filter a worksheet so only records with dates matching the variable are
displayed, or add a column that specifies if an order is late by comparing its due date to the variable. The
value specified for this variable can be any valid date.
To filter worksheets using a date variable, you must create an expression that includes the variable. For
more information, see "Use a workbook variable in a query expression" on page 1285.
that are available to them. You can also specify if the variable is displayed on the workbook toolbar, and
if its label is displayed on the toolbar. If the variable is not displayed on the toolbar, its value can be
changed only by modifying the data settings. In the data settings, variables that are displayed on the
workbook toolbar are listed above variables that are not displayed on the toolbar.
When you create a widget based on a worksheet with a date variable that is displayed on the workbook
toolbar, the variable will appear in the Data Settings pane of any dashboard the widget is placed on. If

the variable does not display on the workbook toolbar, you can only access the variable on a dashboard
in the Data Settings dialog box.
You can also specify an initial value for the variable. If set, this value is the one used in filter expressions
when the user opens the workbook for the first time. If you do not set an initial value, the user is
prompted to specify a value, and then the value they select is used each successive time they open the
workbook. If the variable is not visible, you must specify an initial value for it, which will be used
whenever a user opens the workbook.
have that value always applied to the workbook. If you choose this option and have not specified an
initial value, users will be prompted to specify a value every time they open the workbook.
type. For example, if you create a Due Date variable in multiple workbooks, you can specify a date in one
workbook, and then when you open another workbook, the same date is selected.
An example of a date variable created to display only orders due on a specific date is shown in the

Workbook variables
An example of the workbook control created by this example is shown in the following illustration.
Workbook users can modify the date in the control, or click the down arrow to select a date from the
calendar. Only orders with a due date that matches the selection in the variable are displayed in the
worksheet. For example, if a user selects a date that has no orders due, no records are displayed in the
worksheet, as shown in the following illustration.
▶Create a date variable
2. Click New, and then click Date Variable.
3. In the New Date Variable dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the variable. This name
4. In the Label box, type a label to be displayed to workbook users.

5. In the Description box, type a description of the variable and how it is intended to be used.
The description is displayed in a tooltip when a user moves the pointer over the workbook
control, or over the variable in the Data Settings dialog box.
6. If you do not want users to view or modify the variable, clear the Available to users check box.
7. To display the variable as a workbook control, select the Add to worksheet toolbar check box.
8. To show the variable's label on the workbook control, select the Show label on toolbar check
box.
9. Specify a default value.

l To specify an initial value, click the down arrow in the box, and then select the date you want
from the calendar.
l To specify that no initial value exists, click None (user must provide a value).
Create a Boolean variable

A Boolean variable can have one of two values, indicating true or false, which can be used in column or
filter expressions to determine the data displayed in a worksheet. For example, you can create a Boolean
variable that enables users to show or hide records in a worksheet, such as filtering the worksheet so
only late order records or only on time order records are displayed in the worksheet.
that are available to them. You can also specify if the variable is displayed as a button on the workbook
toolbar. If the variable is not shown on the toolbar, its value can be changed by modifying the data
settings. For Boolean variables that are displayed on the workbook toolbar, clicking the button toggles
the variable between its true value and its false value. In the data settings, variables that are displayed
on the workbook toolbar are listed above variables that are not displayed on the toolbar.
When you create a widget based on a worksheet with a Boolean variable that is displayed on the
workbook toolbar, the variable displays in the Data Settings pane of any dashboard the widget is
placed on. If the variable does not display on the workbook toolbar, you can only access the variable on
a dashboard in the Data Settings dialog box.

Workbook variables
Each Boolean variable must have only two possible values. You can define a worksheet filter expression
to display different data depending on the value in the variable. For more information, see "Use a
workbook variable in a query expression" on page 1285.
You define the true and false values. For example, they might be 'true' and 'false', or 'Y and 'N'. You also
define corresponding display values that are visible to users in the Data Settings dialog box. For
example, these might be 'Yes' and 'No', or 'Show more categories' and 'Show fewer categories'. The
values you specify must meet the following criteria.
l The true and false data values must be different.

l The display values, if specified, must be different.
l If a display value is specified for either the true or false value, a display value must be specified for
the other value.
When you create expressions using Boolean variables, you can use a comparison operator to compare
the variable to a specific value, or use just the Boolean's value. For example, using a Boolean variable
named $ShowLate, an expression such as IF ($ShowLate='Y',1,0) is valid, as is IF
($ShowLate,1,0). Boolean variables can use the same comparison operators as String values, but
only the 'equal to' (=) and 'not equal to' (<>) operators are applicable. For more information about
comparison operators, see "Comparison operators" on page 1132.
You can also specify an initial value for the variable.This value is the one used in filter expressions when
the user opens the workbook for the first time. If you want the workbook to always open with the initial
value you have selected, you can choose to have that value always applied to the workbook. If you
choose this option and have not specified an initial value, users will be prompted to specify a value every
time they open the workbook.
type. For example, if you create a variable to show late orders in multiple workbooks, you can specify a
true or false value in one workbook, and then when you open another workbook, the same true or false
value is selected.
An example of a Boolean variable created to control whether only late orders or only on time orders are
displayed in a worksheet is shown in the following illustration.

To filter data using this variable, you use it in a worksheet filter expression, such as the one shown in the
A Boolean variable is displayed on the workbook toolbar as a button. When the button is pressed, the
variable is set to its true value. This worksheet displays on time records when the ShowLate variable is
set to its false value, and late orders when the variable is set to its true value, as shown in the following
illustrations.

Workbook variables
▶Create a Boolean variable
2. Click New, and then click Boolean Variable.
3. In the New Boolean Variable dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the variable. This
name must contain only letters, numbers, and the underscore (_) character.
4. In the Label box, type a label to be displayed to workbook users. This label is also displayed on
the button inserted into the workbook toolbar.
If you want to use the value in the Name box as the label, leave the label blank.
The description is displayed in a tooltip when a user moves the pointer over the variable in the
Data Settings dialog box or on the workbook toolbar button.
7. To allow users to control the variable by clicking a button on the workbook toolbar, select the
Workbook toolbar control check box.
8. In the Display Value boxes, specify the values displayed for the False value and the True value.
9. In the Data Value boxes, specify the values to be used in expressions for the False value and
True value. If you do not specify these values, the Display Values are used.
10. Specify the initial value.

1. In the Initial value area, click one of the following to control the value used the first time a user
opens the workbook:
l False value—The variable is initially set to its False value.
l True value—The variable is initially set to its True value.
Create a quantity variable

A quantity variable contains a numerical value that can be used in column or filter expressions to limit
the data displayed in the worksheet, or to create columns that display data specific to the value in the
quantity variable. For example, you can filter a worksheet so only records with a quantity greater than
the variable are displayed, or add a column that specifies whether an order is important by comparing
its revenue to the variable. When you create a quantity variable, you can specify a maximum and
minimum value for the variable. All values specified for the variable must be within this range. If you do
not specify a minimum and maximum, any numeric value can be entered for the variable.
To filter worksheets using a quantity variable, you must create an expression that includes the variable.
For more information, see "Use a workbook variable in a query expression" on page 1285.
that are available to them.
You can also specify an initial value for the variable. If set, this value is the one used in filter expressions
when the user opens the workbook for the first time. If you do not set an initial value, the user is
prompted to specify a value, and then the value they select can be used each successive time they open
the workbook. If the variable is not visible, you must specify an initial value for it, which will be used
whenever a user opens the workbook.
have that value always applied to the workbook. If you choose this option and have not specified an
initial value, users will be prompted to specify a value every time they open the workbook.
type. For example, if you create a minimum quantity variable in multiple workbooks, you can specify a
quantity in one workbook, and then when you open another workbook, the same quantity is used.

Workbook variables
An example of a quantity variable used to determine the minimum quantity an order must have to be
displayed in a worksheet is shown in the following illustration.
To specify a value for this variable, users must modify the data settings, as shown in the following
illustration.

By setting the minimum quantity to 400, the records shown in the following illustration are displayed in
the worksheet.
▶Create a quantity variable
2. Click New, and then click Quantity Variable.
3. In the New Quantity Variable dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the variable. This
name cannot contain spaces.
5. In the Description box, type a description of the variable and how it is intended to be used. You
should include the maximum and minimum values in this description so workbook users know
the range of values they can enter.
Data Settings dialog box.

Workbook variables
7. In the Minimum and Maximum boxes, type the lowest and highest values that can be entered
for the variable.
8. Specify a default value.

l To specify that no initial value exists, click None (user must specify a value).
Create a text variable

A text variable can contain any string value that can be used in column or filter expressions to limit the
data displayed in the worksheet, or to create columns that display data specific to the value in the text
variable. For example, you can create a worksheet filter expression in a text variable, and then use the
variable as the filter for every worksheet in the workbook, or create a filter expression that displays only
the records that have an order number that contains the value specified for the variable.
To filter worksheets using a text variable, you must create an expression that includes the variable. For
more information, see "Use a workbook variable in a query expression" on page 1285.
When you create a text variable, you must specify if it is available to workbook users. Users can specify
values only for variables that are available to them. If the variable is not available to users, you must
specify an initial value for it, which will be used whenever a user opens the workbook.
If the variable is available to users, its value can only be modified by using the Data Settings dialog box.
You can specify an initial value, or allow users to specify the value to use for the variable.
You can also specify whether the initial value is used every time a user opens the workbook or if the
value the user entered is used the next time that user opens the workbook.
type. For example, if you create an order number variable in multiple workbooks, you can specify an
order number in one workbook, and then when you open another workbook, the same order number is
used.

An example of a text variable that defines a worksheet filter expression is shown in the following
illustration. This variable returns late orders with some on time quantity.
To filter data using the variable, you have to create an expression that uses the filter, as shown in the
An example of a worksheet using the filter expression defined in the variable is shown in the following
illustration.

Workbook variables
▶Create a text variable
2. Click New, and then click Text Variable.
3. In the New Text Variable dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for the variable. This name
Data Settings dialog box.
7. Specify an initial value.

l To specify that no initial value exists, click None (user must specify a value).

Create a filter variable
A filter variable can be used to apply an additional level of filtering to a worksheet, and to filter data
using a table other than the workbook's filter compatibility table or the worksheet's table. For example,
in a worksheet based on the Part table, you could filter data using the Customer table to view only parts
purchased by a specific customer or set of customers. For more information about workbook filter
compatibility, see "Specify workbook filtering options" on page 225.
Filter variables are always available to users, and cannot be hidden. You can specify if the filter variable is
available on the workbook toolbar and if the label is displayed. Users who have access to at least one
filter compatible with the filter variable's table can select the filter to be used for the variable. Users who
do not have access to a filter compatible with the table cannot view data in the worksheet.
To use a filter variable in a worksheet, you must include the filter in at least one column expression or
the worksheet filter expression. For example, if you have a filter variable based on the PartSource table
and you want the worksheet to return only parts that have that part source, you could use a filter
expression such as
Part[$PartSourceFilter]
This expression returns only the parts where the part source is contained in the filter contained in the
$PartSourceFilter variable.
An example of a filter variable is shown in the following illustration. This variable defines filters
compatible with the Customer table and is displayed on the workbook toolbar.

Workbook variables
To filter data using this variable, include it in the worksheet filter expression. In this case, only parts that
have orders from a customer defined in the filter are returned.
An example of this variable is shown in the following illustration.
In this example, customers that begin with W are defined in the W Customers filter, which is used to
filter the set of parts returned by the worksheet.
If a user you share the workbook with does not have access to a filter compatible with the table you
specify in the variable, if the variable is used in the worksheet filter expression, they cannot view data in
the workbook. To ensure the workbook can be used by all users, ensure they also have access to a filter
compatible with the variable's table.
▶Create a filter variable
2. Click New, and then click Filter Variable.
3. In the New Filter Variable dialog box, in the Name box, type the name for the variable.
4. Optionally, in the Label box, type the label to display to users.
5. To include this variable on the workbook toolbar, select the Add to worksheet toolbar check
box.
6. To display the variable's label on the workbook toolbar control, select the Show label on toolbar
check box.
7. In the Description box, type a description of what the variable represents and how it is intended
to be used.
8. In the Table list, select the table that filters must be compatible with to be included in the
variable.

To view more information about the selected table, click .
9. In the List filters area, click one of the following:
l Compatible with this table—All filters based on a table compatible with the table you
specified in step 8 are listed in the variable.
l Based on this table—Only filters based on the table specified in step 8 are listed in the
variable.
10. Specify an initial value for the variable.
l In the On opening the workbook area, click one of the following:

l Always use the initial value—The initial value is always used when a user opens the
workbook. For filter variables, the initial value is '= Select ='.
Use a workbook variable in a query expression

You can use workbook variables in query expressions to produce different results for calculations
depending on the value selected or entered for the variable. Some examples of variables in expressions
are shown in the following table.
Expression Result
Name like 'A*' AND All parts that begin with the letter A and that have the planner code selected in
PlannerCode = $Planner the $Planner variable
DueDate > $SelectedDate All records with a due date later than the date selected in the $SelectedDate
variable
Quantity <= All records with a quantity less than or equal to the value entered in the
$MaxQuantity $MaxQuantity variable
DueDate < All records with a due date earlier than the date selected in the $SelectedDate
($SelectedDate + variable plus the number of work days entered in the $NumDays variable.
$NumDays 'Workday')
Order.Customer like All records from the customer selected in the $Customer variable.
$Customer
Workbook variables can be used in filter or column expressions, and must always use the $ prefix.
The variable's type determines where you can use it in expressions. You can only use a variable with
fields of the same type. For example, you can use a Quantity variable in any expression with a Quantity
field. For List variables, the type of data in the list must match the data type of the field you compare it
to.

Workbook variables
▶Create a column expression with a workbook variable
2. Click New Column, and then type a name for the column.
3. Click Expression Builder.
4. In the Expression Builder, add the fields and operators required for your expression.
5. Click the Variables tab, and then click the + symbol beside Workbook Variables.
6. In the Expression box, click where you want to insert the variable.
7. In the Variable list, double-click the variable you want to add to the expression.
To view more information about a variable, move the pointer over it. The variable's type and
description are displayed in a tooltip.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each variable you want to use in your expression.
9. Click Validate.
10. Click OK.
▶Create a filter expression with a workbook variable
1. In the New Worksheet or Worksheet Properties dialog box, click the Filter tab.
2. Click Expression Builder.
3. In the Expression Builder, add the fields and operators required for your expression.
4. Click the Variables tab, and then click the + symbol beside Workbook Variables.
5. In the Expression box, click where you want to insert a variable.
6. In the Variable list, double-click the variable you want to add to the expression.
To view more information about a variable, move the pointer over it. The variable's type and
description are displayed in a tooltip.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each variable you want to use in your expression.
8. Click Validate.
9. Click OK.
Example of using a variable in a column expression

Suppose you have a list variable named QuantityType that controls the quantity displayed in a
worksheet. This variable has three possible values: total quantity, on time quantity, and shipped
quantity.
You want to use this variable to determine the data displayed in a worksheet's Quantity column. To do
this, you can create a column that displays the value in either the Quantity, OnTimeQuantity, or
ShippedQty field of the IndependentDemand table.
The list variable is defined with the following fixed values, and no query-generated values.

You can use this variable to change the values displayed in the Quantity column of a worksheet by
creating the following column expression.
This expression displays the value in the Quantity field if the variable is set to 'Quantity', the value in the
OnTimeQuantity field if the variable is set to 'OnTimeQuantity', and the value in the ShippedQty field if
the variable is set to 'ShippedQty'.
After you save the worksheet, users can view the quantity they want by making a selection in the
workbook control created by this variable.

Workbook variables
Example of using variables in a filter expression
Suppose you have two workbook variables, a quantity variable and a date variable. You want to use
these variables to filter a worksheet to return orders that have a quantity greater than a number
specified in the variable. You also want the worksheet to show only orders due on or before the date
selected by the worksheet user.
The quantity variable has the following value.

The date variable has the following value.

Workbook variables
You can use these variables to filter the worksheet by creating the following filter expression.
When you open the workbook, you can specify the minimum order quantity and the maximum due date
for the worksheet.

The worksheet then displays all orders with quantity greater than 200, and that are due before
November 12, 2008.
Example: Hiding worksheets using an action button

If you have created a workbook that contains multiple worksheets that are hidden until they are drilled
to, you can create an action button that resets the workbook to its initial state, with the worksheets
hidden. To accommodate this, you define the worksheets to be conditionally hidden based on a
Boolean variable value, and define the drill to detail links to change that variable value to its opposite
value. To hide the worksheets, you configure the action button to set those variables back to the value
that hides the worksheets.
The variables that hide the detail worksheets are Boolean, and their initial values are 'False'. Another
variable is used for mapping the drill to detail values, and it is set to 'True'.

Workbook variables
For the detail worksheets, you configure each worksheet to be conditionally hidden, and then create an
expression to hide the worksheet when the variable value is 'False'.
In the worksheet you are drilling from, you map the true variable value to the variable that hides the
worksheet.

Now, when you click the link, the variable is set to True, so the hidden worksheet expression evaluates
to False, and the worksheet is displayed.
To hide the worksheets again, you can create an action button.

Workbook variables
This button sets the value of each variable to False, which ensures the worksheets are hidden when the
button is pressed.

To test the workbook, drill from the Demand Orders worksheet, which displays the detail worksheets,
and then click the Reset Workbook button.
The detail worksheets are hidden.

Workbook variables
Profile variables
RapidResponse workbooks can be customized for different users or groups through the use of profile
variables. Profile variables let you create one report that can be sent to multiple users with different
information needs. For example, you can create a profile variable and assign it to each of your suppliers.
You could then use this variable as part of a worksheet filter to ensure each supplier sees only records
pertaining to their parts.
During the RapidResponse installation, profile variables are created for use in standard RapidResponse
resources. Subsequently, workbook developers can add profile variables for use in their column and
logical expressions.
NOTE: If you have the appropriate permissions, you can see all profile variables installed with
RapidResponse by clicking Macros and Profile Variables from the View menu.
Creating profile variables

You can create profile variables using the Profile Variables worksheet included with RapidResponse.
Profile variables are identified by their name and the user or group they are defined for. You can define
variables with the same name for different groups, and then assign different values for each group. If
you create a profile variable from the Expression Builder dialog box, it is defined only for you.
▶Create a profile variable
1. On the View menu, click Macros and Profile Variables.

2. Click the Profile Variables tab.
3. On the Edit menu, click Insert Record.
4. In the Insert Record - Profile Variable dialog box, provide the following information:

Information Description
User ID or The user ID or group name for whom the profile variable is applicable. The value entered
Group must match an existing user ID or group name. For profile variables that are defined for at
least one group and the All Users group, the All Users group is the last group membership
that the variable considers, ensuring a member of the group receives the correct value for
the variable.
Variable A unique name for the profile variable. This name is used when referencing the variable
name from within a query expression.
Type The following values are accepted:
l Constant—the variable’s value is applied to users during sign-in and stays applied
(cannot be changed) for the duration of their session. For example, a SupplierID
variable might be used to represent each user’s SupplierID.
It is recommended that you create variables only of this type .
Users with permission to modify macros and profile variables can modify Constant
variables.
l Permanent—the variable’s value can be set (and changed) at any time, and takes
values based on user action within RapidResponse. For example, the SelectedSite
standard variable takes the value a user has currently selected from the Site control.
l Temporary—these variables are created as required by RapidResponse, and are usually
used for settings that are not retained once a user’s session is complete.
Data value The actual value the profile variable stores for the user and context combination defined
by this record. When the profile variable is used in a query expression, this is the value
substituted into the expression.
This value can be either a static value or an expression.
Display value What the user actually sees if the profile variable needs to be displayed on the screen (a
user-intuitive String representing the data value).
Note: Usually the DataValue and DisplayValue are the same.

l Click Save to save the new record, and add another.
l Click Save and Close to save the new record and return to the Profile Variables worksheet.
NOTE: The procedure above should be repeated for each user or group who has access to a
resource where the profile variable will be used. Users cannot open resources (for example,
workbooks) that reference profile variables which have not been defined for them.
NOTE: In some cases, a profile variable might be defined for a group a user belongs to as well as
for the user himself. In such a case, the user’s profile variable takes precedence over the group’s
profile variable.
NOTE: Profile variables specifically for supplier collaboration are created using a different
procedure. For more information about profile variables for supplier collaboration, see the
▶Create a profile variable from the Expression Builder dialog box
1. In the Expression Builder dialog box, click the Variables tab.

2. Click Variable, and then click New Profile Variable.

Profile variables
3. In the Insert Record - Profile Variable dialog box, specify the following.
l Variable name—A unique name for the variable.
l Data value—The actual value the profile variable stores.
l Display value—The value displayed if the profile variable needs to be displayed on the screen.
4. Click OK.
NOTE: Because these profile variables are defined for you, you cannot create multiple variables
with the same name.
Example of a profile variable for a Supplier

Suppose you wanted each of your suppliers to see only records for parts which they supply. Rather than
creating a different worksheet for each supplier, you could create a profile variable, associate it with
each supplier, and then reference the variable from a query expression within a worksheet. This example
shows a record being added for such a profile variable. In this example, the User ID is “Allied” and the
Supplier ID is also “Allied”.
l User ID or Group—Allied
l Variable name—SupplierID
l Type—Constant
l Data value—Allied
l Display value—Allied
NOTE: For an example of how this profile variable could be used in a query expression, see
"Example of using Supplier profile variable" on page 1300.
NOTE: If you had multiple user accounts associated with a given supplier, you could create a
group for the supplier, add all user accounts to the group, and then associate the profile variable
with the group (instead of individually by user).
Example of a profile variable for making a column conditionally

editable
Suppose you want a to prevent members of the Customers group from editing data in a certain
worksheet column. You can create a profile variable that contains a value of 'Y' for all users and a value
of 'N' for members of the Customers group, and then use the variable to define the column’s editability.
This example shows records added for such a profile variable.
Variable for all users Variable for Customers group

l User ID or Group—All Users l User ID or Group—Customers
l Variable name— l Variable name—ConditionalEdit
ConditionalEdit

Variable for all users Variable for Customers group
l Type—Constant l Type—Constant
l Data value—Y l Data value—N
l Display value—Y l Display value—N
The following image shows these entries in the Profile Variables worksheet.
For more information about configuring a column for conditional data editing, see "Specify if a column
can be edited" on page 289.
Example of a profile variable posting customized reports to

Web sites
Sometimes profile variables are used to automate when creating alerts to send customized reports to
different Web sites (for example, to multiple suppliers). This example shows the sort of information that
would be entered when creating such a profile variable:
l User ID or Group—the user account the variable is defined for.

l Variable name—the name of the profile variable (for example, SupplierWebSite).
l Type—Constant
l Data value—the complete URL for the Web site associated with this user.
l Display value—the complete URL for the Web site associated with this user.
NOTE: For more information about alerts and the posting of reports to Web sites, see the
Using profile variables in query expressions

To use a profile variable within a query expression, enter a dollar sign ($) followed by the name of the
profile variable. That is, $NameOfProfileVariable.
Within a query, the Eval operator substitutes the content of a profile variable into an expression, rather
than using the variable as a constant value. For example, Eval($NameOfProfileVariable) uses
NameOfProfileVariable as an expression instead of as the value contained within it. For more
information about the Eval operator, see "EVAL" on page 1227.

Profile variables
You can create and save worksheets referencing profile variables regardless of whether or not the
variable has been defined for your user account. However, you cannot see data in a resource (for
example, a worksheet) that uses a profile variable that has not been defined for your user account (or a
group you belong to). If you need to do so, you can define the profile variable for your account by
"Creating profile variables" on page 1296 or "Adopt another user’s profile" on page 1301 for whom the
variable has been defined.
Example of using Supplier profile variable

In a previous example, a "Example of a profile variable for a Supplier" on page 1298. Suppose you created
a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table and wanted to use this variable to ensure each
supplier only saw records for the orders they are supplying. In the worksheet filter expression, enter the
following:
Order.Supplier.Id = $SupplierID
Example of using Eval

This example shows the worksheet filter expression of the Routing worksheet of the Part Properties
workbook.
Has Routing.PartSources[Part[$SelectedFilter] and Part.Site[Eval('Site \'' +
$SelectedSite + '\'')]]
The SelectedFilter and SelectedSite system variables are both set from the worksheet view settings. The
Eval operator is required in this example to interpret Site'$SelectedSite' as an expression that identifies a
Site. If Eval is not used, the SelectedSite variable is interpreted as a String, and no results are returned
because no parts have a site named '$SelectedSite'.
NOTE: The Site'$SelectedSite' expression is required because of how RapidResponse

handles site names.
Example of using a profile variable in a column expression

Profile variables can be used in column expressions as well as in filter expressions.
Profile variables can be used in place of Strings in expressions. The following example is based on the
IndependentDemand table and returns ‘Yes’ if an order is from a certain customer, ‘No’ otherwise.
IF (Order.Customer LIKE $BigCustomer, $StringYes, $StringNo)
The BigCustomer profile variable can contain a customer’s name or a String pattern with wildcards. The
StringYes and StringNo profile variables contain the Strings ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ respectively. If you are sharing
the worksheet with a customer or site that uses a different language, the StringYes and StringNo
variables contain that language’s translation of ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.
Profile variables can also be used to filter set fields. The following example is based on the
IndependentDemand table and returns the number of parts on an order’s gating path.
COUNT GatingPathParts [Part[$SelectedFilter]]

Because the GatingPathParts field is based on the Part table, the worksheet’s filter is not applied to it. To
find the number of parts on the gating path that are defined by the worksheet’s filter, you have to filter
the set field using the SelectedFilter profile variable. For more information about using filters in
expressions, see "Authoring and managing filters" on page 191.
Adopting a user profile

When creating profile variables for different users, it is recommended that you test them before use in a
production environment. To do so, you can adopt a user’s profile. This lets you see the data that the
user’s profile variables allow them to see in a given context. For example, you may want to verify that a
given supplier sees only records pertaining to his parts.
The profile you adopt is used next time you open a workbook.
Only workbook authors can adopt another user's profile.
▶Adopt another user’s profile
1. On the Tools menu, click Adopt User Profile.

2. In the Adopt User Profile dialog box do the following:
l In the User list, select a user.
l Click OK.
3. To see the effects of adopting the user profile in an open workbook, close and reopen the
workbook.
▶Revert to your original profile
1. On the Tools menu, click Adopt User Profile.

2. In the Adopt User Profile dialog box, click Reset.
System variables
RapidResponse includes system variables that can be used in worksheets to filter the data displayed in
the worksheet. System variables can be used in any workbook, and typically represent the selections a
user has made in workbook controls or in hierarchies.
You can use system variables to create expressions that use the selected resources to filter worksheet
data. For example, you can use the SelectedSite variable to insert the name of the user’s currently
selected site (from a workbook Site control) into an expression, or use the selected site value to filter
data by site in a workbook that does not contain a Site control. You can also use the
SelectedHierarchyActive variable to control whether or not a column is editable.
If you create a profile variable or workbook variable with the same name as a system variable, the system
variable is used in expressions.
System variables included with RapidResponse

The following table outlines the system variables that you can use in workbooks. These variables are
available in the Expression Builder.

System variables
$AuthenticatedUser The user ID of the current user.
If a user adopts another user's profile, this system variable
continues to return the user ID of the signed in user.
The $User system variable returns the user ID of the signed in
user. If the user has adopted another user's profile (usually for
testing purposes) then this system variable returns the user ID
of the adopted profile.
For more information about adopting a user profile, see
"Adopting a user profile" on page 1301.
$Scenario# The scope (private or shared) and name of the scenario or
scenarios displayed in a worksheet. The information is returned
in the following format:
?scope:scenario name
In a multi-scenario worksheet, a variable for each scenario that
has been added to the worksheet is available. For each
scenario added to the worksheet, the value represented by the
# symbol increases.
For example, the scenario in a single-scenario worksheet or the
baseline scenario in a multi-scenario worksheet is represented
by the variable $Scenario0. The comparison scenario in a
multi-scenario worksheet is represented by variable
$Scenario1. If another comparison scenario is added to the
worksheet, it is represented by variable $Scenario2, and so
on.
For example, in a single scenario worksheet where data from
the shared Baseline scenario are displayed, $Scenario0
returns ?shared:Baseline.
$SelectedFilter The user’s currently selected filter. The filter name indicates
whether the filter is private or public.
This value also includes the current selections in the
worksheet's item controls (for example, the selected part) and
hierarchies.
$SelectedFilterName The user's currently selected filter. The filter name indicates
whether the filter is private or public.
$SelectedHierarchiesAndLevels The name of the user's currently selected level in each
hierarchy and the levels above it. Hierarchy names and the
selected levels selected within it are separated by a double
colon (::), and level names are separated by a pipe character (|).
This variable can contain multiple hierarchies, which are
separated by pipe characters.
$SelectedHierarchiesAndPaths The user's currently selected value in each hierarchy and the
values of each level above it in the hierarchy. Hierarchy names
and the selected values are separated by a double colon (::),
and values are separated by a pipe character (|).
This variable also includes the selected filter settings (filter,
site, and so on).

$SelectedHierarchiesAndLevelsAndBelow The name of the user's selected level in each hierarchy and the
levels above it. This variable also includes any levels below the
selected level. Hierarchy names and the levels contained
within them are separated by a double colon (::), and level
names are separated by a pipe character (|).
$SelectedHierarchiesAndPathsAndBelow The user's currently selected value in each hierarchy and the
values of each level above it in the hierarchy. This variable also
includes any values below the selected level. Hierarchy names
and the values are separated by a double colon (::), and values
are separated by a pipe character (|).
This variable also includes the selected filter settings (filter,
site, and so on).
$SelectedHierarchyActive Whether the user’s currently selected hierarchy is the only
active hierarchy in the workbook. Values are:
l Y—The selected hierarchy is the only active hierarchy.
l N—The selected hierarchy is not the only active hierarchy or
if more than one value is selected in the hierarchy. This
could mean there are no active hierarchies or many active
hierarchies.
$SelectedHierarchyId The identifier for the user’s currently selected hierarchy. This
variable is blank if more than one hierarchy is active or if more
than one value is selected in the hierarchy.
$SelectedHierarchyLevelIndex The numeric index of the user’s currently selected hierarchy
level. The top level of the hierarchy is index level 0. This
variable is -1 if more than one hierarchy is active or if more
$SelectedHierarchyLevelName The name of the user’s currently selected hierarchy level. This
$SelectedHierarchyName The name of the user’s currently selected hierarchy. This
$SelectedHierarchyTables The name of the tables the user's selected hierarchy values are
taken from. Tables are separated by the pipe (|) character. A
table is reported in this variable only if the selected hierarchy
level is not the top level value of the hierarchy.
$SelectedHierarchyTreePath The user’s currently selected hierarchy value, with the values of
each level above it in the hierarchy. Levels are separated by the
pipe (|) character. This variable is blank if more than one
hierarchy is active or if more than one value is selected in the
hierarchy.
$SelectedHierarchyValue The user’s currently selected hierarchy value. This variable is
blank if more than one hierarchy is active or if more than one
value is selected in the hierarchy.

System variables
$SelectedModel The user’s currently selected model. The value is returned as a
single-quoted String value. For example, 'Combi'.
To use this value in an expression, you must precede the single
quote characters with backslashes. For example,
($SelectedModel = ('\'' + Combi + '/'').
$SelectedPool The user’s currently selected pool.The value is returned as a
single-quoted String value. For example, 'ShopWorld'.
To use this value in an expression, you must precede the single
quote characters with backslashes. For example,
($SelectedPool = ('\'' + 'ShopWorld + '\'').
$SelectedSite The user’s currently selected site or site filter. The value is
returned as an unquoted String value. For example, HQ.
If the selected site is a single site or a shared site filter, it ends
with a space. To use this value in an expression, you must use
the Trim operator to remove the space. For example, Trim
($SelectedSite) = 'HQ'.
For more information about the Trim operator, see "TRIM" on
page 1188.
$User The $User system variable returns the user ID of the signed in
user. If the user has adopted another user's profile (usually for
testing purposes) then this system variable returns the user ID
of the adopted profile.
If a user adopts another user's profile, the
$AuthenticatedUser system variable continues to return
the user ID of the signed in user.
For more information about adopting a user profile, see
"Adopting a user profile" on page 1301.
NOTE: For more information about using the system variables that define the selection made in a
hierarchy, see "Create worksheets with reference forecasts" on page 206.

CHAPTER 53: Macros
Creating macros 1305

Calling macros 1307
Macros are reusable expressions that can be used when creating RapidResponse query expressions. Each
macro evaluates data values or performs specific operations that produce a value (for example, adding
two or more Quantity fields together).
Once a macro is created, it can be used in multiple worksheets or filters and in the context of different
RapidResponse tables. This allows you to call or reuse the same expression instead of having to create it
in different locations. As well, you can subsequently modify the macro in one location and have all
expressions that use it updated automatically.
RapidResponse includes a number of standard macros which you can use in your query expressions, or
you can create your own macros.
NOTE: If you require reusable expressions, you might consider defining custom calculated fields
instead. Calculated fields can be saved to any standard or custom RapidResponse table, and allow a
commonly used expression to be created once and then used in any worksheets based on that
table. Custom function fields can also be created. These are similar to calculated fields but accept
one or more input parameters to be provided when the function field is added to a worksheet. For
more information about custom calculated fields, see the RapidResponse Data Integration Guide or
talk to your administrator.
Creating macros
If you have been granted the appropriate permissions, you can create macros in the Macros and Profile
Variables workbook within RapidResponse. Each macro requires a name, a RapidResponse query
expression, and optionally one or more input parameters to be used by the macro expression.
▶Create a macro

2. From the Edit menu, click Insert Record.

3. In the Insert Macro Record dialog box, provide the following information
l Name—a name for the macro (cannot include spaces). This is the name used when calling the
macro within RapidResponse query expressions.
l Parameters—any input parameters for the macro. If there are multiple parameters, separate
each with a comma. If the macro has no parameters, leave this box blank. When a macro is
called from a query expressions, these parameter values are replaced with author-specified
values (typically, fields).
l Expression—a valid query expression that is executed when the macro is called. If input
parameters are required, they must be typed in the query expression exactly as they are in the
Parameters column.
NOTE: It is recommended that you provide a meaningful or intuitive name for each macro you
create.
NOTE: If your expression requires a reference to calculated results, similar to using a LOOKUP
operator, you can use a calculated expression field. These fields are calculated once and can be
referenced every time the macro is used. For more information, contact your RapidResponse
administrator.
Example (date macro)

The following shows the details of a macro that uses date arithmetic to return all Date values within the
current month.
l Name—CurrentMonth
l Parameters—Date
l Expression—Date >= today + 0 'Month' and Date < Today + 1 'Month'
NOTE: For an example of how this macro could be used in a query expression, see "Example
(calling date macro)" on page 1307.
Example (revenue macro)

The following shows the details of a macro that uses a conditional expression to calculate revenue by
multiplying a Quantity by the UnitSellingPrice if that UnitSellingPrice is greater than zero, or multiplying
a Quantity by the AverageSellingPrice otherwise.
l Name—Revenue
l Parameters—Qty, UnitPrice, AvgPrice
l Expression—IF (UnitPrice > 0, Quantity * UnitPrice, Quantity * AvgPrice)
NOTE: For an example of how this macro could be used in a query expression, see "Example
(calling revenue macro)" on page 1307.

CHAPTER 53: Macros
▶Delete a macro

2. Select the row corresponding to the macro you want to delete.
3. From the Edit menu, click Delete.
NOTE: After deleting a macro, ensure that it is no longer used in any worksheets. Worksheets
referencing deleted macros cannot be opened.
Calling macros
All available macros can be seen in the Macros and Profile Variables workbook in RapidResponse. You
can use any of these macros in your query expressions. When calling a macro, you should ensure the
following:
l You type the exact name of the macro

l You provide all required parameter values within parenthesis
l Each parameter provided is of an acceptable data type for the context of the macro’s expression
The basic syntax for calling a macro is:

MacroName(parameter1, parameter2, ...parameterN)
Example (calling date macro)

Suppose a worksheet based on the ScheduledReceipt table. If you wanted to return only orders due
within the current month, you could use the CurrentMonth macro created in "Example (date macro)" on
page 1306. To do so, add the following to the worksheet filter:
CurrentMonth (DueDate)
where CurrentMonth calls the macro, and DueDate indicates that the DueDate field on the
ScheduledReceipt table should be passed to the Date parameter.
Example (calling revenue macro)

Suppose a worksheet based on the IndependentDemand table. To display the revenue associated with
each order, you could use the Revenue macro created in "Example (revenue macro)" on page 1306. To do
so, create a new column with the following expression:
Revenue (Quantity, UnitSellingPrice, Part.AverageSellingPrice)
where Revenue calls the macro, the Quantity field is passed to the Qty parameter, the
UnitSellingPrice field is passed to the UnitPrice parameter, and the
Part.AverageSellingPrice field is passed to the AvgPrice parameter.

Calling macros
▶View all available macros
l On the View menu, click Macros and Profile Variables.

All macros, their supporting expressions, and any required parameters are shown on the Macros
worksheet.

CHAPTER 53: Macros
.scd 134
.scp 134
.stk 134
Index .tsk 134
.wfl 134
.wgt 134
.wwb 134
- /
- (arithmetic operator) 1129 / (arithmetic operator) 1129
$ ?
$ (dollar sign) 1299 ?
$$ (double dollar sign) 977 wildcard 1134
$AuthenticatedUser 1302 ? (IF operator) 1139
$Scenario 1229, 1302 ? (wildcard) 1134
$SelectedFilter 1302
$SelectedFilterName 1302 @
$SelectedHierarchiesAndLevels 1302
$SelectedHierarchiesAndLevelsAndBelow 1303 @ (verbatim string) 1135
$SelectedHierarchiesAndPaths 1302 @ForceMultiScenario 1243
$SelectedHierarchiesAndPathsAndBelow 1303
$SelectedHierarchyActive 1303 [
$SelectedHierarchyId 1303
$SelectedHierarchyLevelIndex 1303 [ ] 1144
$SelectedHierarchyLevelName 1303 \
$SelectedHierarchyName 1303
$SelectedHierarchyTables 1303 \ 1134
$SelectedHierarchyTreePath 1303 \; 1134
$SelectedHierarchyValue 1303 \[ \] 1137
$SelectedModel 1304
$SelectedPool 1304 ^
$SelectedSite 1304
$User 1304 ^ (set operator) 1160
& _
& (AND operator) 1137 _SelectedFilterSet 858
( |
( ) (parentheses) 1143 | 1137
* +
* + (arithmetic operator) 1129
wildcard 1134
* (arithmetic operator) =
multiplication 1129
= (comparison operator) 1132
.
>
.acn 134
.alt 134 >= (comparison operator) 1132
.dbd 134 2
.frm 134
.hry 134 2nd pass columns 363
.prc 134
.rsp 134

Index
3 add (+) 1129
divide (/) 1129
3rd pass columns 363 divide (DIV) 1129
multiply (*) 1129
A parentheses 1143
subtract (-) 1129
about ASSERT function 1225
validating worksheets 340 ASSOCIATEMAX operator 1148
ABS function 1163 ASSOCIATEMIN operator 1149
accessing author notes, add to
help and documentation 29 dashboards 908
help for metrics 1046 expression-based filter 192
text editing tools 167 scorecards 1064
accuracy, in forecasts 810 site filter 198
ACN file 134 workbooks and worksheets 339
Acrobat 30 worksheet widget 884
action button automatic calculations 396
copy 231 automatic data modifications
create 230 about 715
edit 231 commands 730
remove 231
deleting records 726
rename 231 inserting records 723
action links modifying records 721
to commit a scenario 935 operations 730
to create new scenario 934 testing operations 727
to delete a scenario 935 updating data 716
to open a dashboard 932 worksheets 715
to open a scorecard 933 available calendars 1255
to open a task flow 933 AVERAGE operator 1151
to open a workbook 933
to share a scenario 934 B
to update a scenario 934
actions base fields 1124
add to task flows 930-931, 934 base tables for hierarchies 202
run automatically 935 bill of materials
Activity table 347 filters based on 193
add BillOfMaterial table 346
containers to dashboard 921 Boolean
word to dictionary 170 columns 293
add help to controls 1002
columns 339 variables 1273
dashboards 888 Bucket Actuals function, input worksheets 762
forms 954 bucket data by date 401
scorecards 1062 buckets
widgets 885 by date 405
workbooks 334 defining subtotals 412
worksheets 336 lock settings 412
adding bullet charts
fields to insert definitions 575 about 632
metrics 1094 appearance 639
reference worksheets 547 create 634, 636
worksheets to a workbook 232 customize 639
addition (+) operator 1129 indicators 632, 634, 637
Adjusted R-squared measure 810 ranges 632, 635
Adobe Reader 30 shared axis 638
adopting user profiles 1301 single 633-634
advanced column formatting 289 tiled 633, 636
align text 174 bulleted list, create 174
aligning cell data 299 buttons
allow workbook assumptions 238 Design Mode 242
ALT file 134 New Hierarchy 204
ambiguous syntax 1251 New Scorecard 1046, 1049, 1054
AND, OR, NOT operators 1137 New Site Filter 198
arithmetic operators New Workbook 217
about 1129 Properties, filter 196

Index
Properties, scorecards 1074 bullet 632
Share 129 calendar 657
Target Settings 1070 create 658
combination 627
C data requirements for 586
display multi-scenario data in 595
cached worksheet results 329 Gantt 660
create 330 create 661
filter 331 gauge 640
requirements 330 create 641
verify 331 edit style and shape 644
Calculated Data Model poster 31 scale value properties 649
calculated table owners 391 target color ranges 646
calculating in scorecards 1057
money values 224 line 615
running balances 385 pie 653
statistical forecasts 804 create 654
calculations scatter 629
DateTime 1258 create 630
calendar markers 1255 show in worksheets 281
Calendar table 1255 specialized bar, line, area 621, 625, 627
CalendarDate table 1256 stacked 625
calendars summarized 621
available 1255 summarized bar, line, or area 621
specifying in expressions 1257 Check Forecast Item function, input worksheet 773
using in date calculations 1257 check in resource 113
calling macros 1307 details 124
CanonicalScenarioId function 1193 check out resource 111
cells discard 120
data alignment 299 check spelling 171
center text 174 circular reference, avoiding 569
Changes by Type metric 1045 Color alternate rows check box 281
Changes in RapidResponse 41 column expressions
chart about 1115
add title 599 conditional 1138-1139
allowing users to modify 594 simple 1116
chart area properties 605 syntax 1116
creating 590 column headers
customizations, standard 598 define 299
customize legend 608 drill to details from 677
drill to details from 597 column searches
edit chart area 605 allow 281
edit plot area 605 column sort order
format labels 600 ascending 370
format titles 599 descending 370
gridline properties 603 column sorting
hidden columns in a 609 allow 281
orientation 604 columns
plot area properties 605 add subtotals 377
position 593 add totals 377
size 594 adding and removing in composite worksheets 488
standard customizations adding field values 357
axis properties 600 adding images 294
styles 591 advanced formatting 289
transparency 607 appearance 297
types 583 author notes 339
Chart button 281 based on hierarchies 285
charting based on multi-scenario column results 365
multi-scenario columns 595 creating 357
zero values 619 currency symbol 291
charts data types 291
about 581 expressions 357
adding to worksheets 610 formatting 291, 370
area 617 formatting by data type 291, 293-294, 297
bar 612

Index
formatting by data value 291 506
freeze 375 merging with no hierarchy or grouped columns 472
grand totals 377 merging with use as reference 510
grouping 382 not used 188
help for 339 specify which records display 472
hiding duplicate values 370 viewing 341
hiding in worksheet properties 371 components
identifiers 358 of query expressions 1116
making editable 289 composite metric worksheet
making read-only 289 creating 1081
modifying 262 linking details 1090
multi-scenario 267 composite worksheets
reordering 371 adding and removing columns 488
running balances 377 create 483
setting text and background 298 crosstab 486
sort order 370 detail for metrics 1085
subtotals 377 metric 1081
summarizing 382 multi-scenario 491
value changes 384 specifying options 491
width 298 unused components 188
commands viewing components 341
delete 741 compound expressions 1137
edit 741 CONCATENATE operator 1152
enable automatic updates 720, 722, 726-727 concatenating
for automatic data modifications 730 set fields 1152
for deleting records 726 strings 1130
for inserting records 723 conditional formatting
for modifying records 721 creating rules 323
for updating records 716 examples 318
modify data 730 reviewing 327
open a form 734 conditional operator 1138-1139
run automatically 740 conditions
run scripts 738 creating 324
running in worksheets 740 deleting 327
running when workbook opens 740 editing 327
testing 727 reordering 328
comment, version consolidated worksheet. See composite worksheet 467
add 120 constant variables 1296
modify 120 constants
comments (in query expressions) 1243 about 1116
common parts, filters for 193 data types 1127
Community 27 syntax for using 1127
Kinaxis 27 Constraint menu
comparison functions Part menu 289
IsMatch 1135 Work Center menu 289
comparison operators consumer packaged goods 1098
about 1132 Contents tab 32
greater than or equal to (>=) 1132 Context profile variable setting 1296
less than (\) 1132 control conditions 967, 976
LIKE 1134 controller worksheets
NOTLIKE 1134 creating 551
compatibility levels 1244 creating, create 552
compatibility version 1251 example 554
compliance. See compatibility levels 1244 conversion functions
component worksheets DATETIMEVALUE 1195
add 469 NUMERICVALUE 1197
add or remove columns 488 conversion operators 1191
appending 469 DATEVALUE 1194
designing 481 copy
group and bucket data 496 resources 127
how combined 469 text 175
merging by grouped columns 471, 475 text formatting 175
merging by grouping columns 499 Count measure 810
merging by specified number of columns 472, 477, COUNT operator 1154

Index
CPG 1098 scorecard targets 1068
CPG Metrics - by Date 1098 symbols 291
creating currency functions
Boolean variables 1273 about 1204
business process 1022 ASSOCIATEDDATE 1205
columns 357 CONVERTONDATE 1206
composite metric worksheets 1081 MONEYVALUE 1207
conditional formatting rules 323 RAWCURRENCY 1208
conditions 324 RAWVALUE 1209
dashboards 901 custom tables for hierarchies 202
details worksheets 680 customizing
expression-based filters 192 bullet charts 639
filters 191 calendar charts 659
forms 945 charts 598
hierarchies 204 Gantt charts 661
insert definitions 565 gauge charts 643
list variables 1265 insert definitions 561
macros 1305 pie charts 655
metric worksheets 1080 scatter charts 631
profile variables 1296 spreading worksheets 452
project management worksheets 348 treemap worksheets 539
quantity variables 1277 workbooks to export reports 234
reference records 567 worksheets 278
report templates 234 cut
rules 324 text 175
scorecards 1045
scorecards with targets 1046 D
site filters 198
task flows 930 dashboards 97
text variables 1280 about 873
text widget 887 authoring 874
transformation worksheets 819 create 901, 903
treemap source worksheets 525 data settings 910, 912
treemap worksheets 527 dependencies 910
widget source worksheets 883 design layout 915
workbooks 217 help 36
worksheet widgets 884 interface 875
worksheets 347 mobile client, designing for 924
crosstab view 401 personal settings 879
crosstab worksheets properties 906
about 399 rows and columns 916
adding charts 610 rows and columns, locking 918
auto-bucketing 401 scaling 909
bucket sizes 405 styles 891
charting capabilities 610 tabs 904
composite 486 transparency settings 897
creating 401 data
for inserting multiple records 437 alignment 291
drill to details 422, 663, 666 custom insert definition 565
enable editing 422 disabling inserting 395
enable insert of multiple records filtering in composite worksheets 496
resolve issues 453 filtering table-based worksheets 386
examples 399 formatting 291
for importing data 703 grouping 382
insert records into 577 sorting in worksheets 370
linking to details 663, 666 subtotaling 377
multi-scenario 403 types in columns 291
running balances 418 values in profile variables 1296
subtotals 418 data actions 730
totals 418 data control table
Croston's method 804 workbooks 335
CTPActivity table 347 worksheets 335
currency data editing
formatting columns as 291 enabling in grouped worksheets 423
Data Model for Import poster 31

Index
data model posters 30 rules 327
data summarization targets 1071
with hierarchy columns 420 Demand table 345
data types dependencies 245
Date 1127 add 247
DateTime 1127 drill to details workbook 249
in columns 291 form, dependent form 245
Integer 1127 library workbook 249
Quantity 1127 linked workbook 253
String 1127 referenced workbook 249, 547
Time 1127 view 252
Data value profile variable setting 1296-1297 workbook, dependent workbook 249
data values dependent workbooks
specifying for imports 691 map variables 249
data values, specifying for imports 691 design mode
date dashboards 877
columns 293 workbooks 241
date calculations 1255 design mode button 242
arithmetic 1257 detail worksheets
available calendars 1255 for metrics 1084
DateTime 1258 details worksheets 669
specifying calendar used 1257 composite 1085
date constants create 680
Future 1129 linking to 663, 666
MRPDate 1129 linking to composite metric 1081
Past 1129 linking to metric 1086
Today 1129 Disaggregation Default Rates function, input
Undefined 1129 worksheets 776
Date data type display options
constants 1127 worksheet 281
date formats Display value profile variable setting 1296-1297
for worksheet displays 1199 display values in profile variables 1296
using in query expressions 1128 display worksheets 551-552
date variables, creating 1270 DIV operator 1129
dates division (/) operator 1129
bucket settings 405 division (DIV) operator 1129
calculations 1255 documentation
codes 1199 feedback 34
in query expressions 1128 documentation conventions 32
using calendars in calculations 1257 documentation, accessing 29-30, 32
dates, telescoping buckets 399 double exponential smoothing 804
datetime constants 1129 drill links 422
DateTime data type about 663
calculations 1258 create details worksheets for 680
constants 1127 in crosstab worksheets 663, 666
DATETIMEVALUE function 1195 mapping 669, 672
DATEVALUE function 1194 set up links 666
DBD file 134 set up links from column headers 677
decrease indent 174 set up links from worksheet cells 675
default values to details worksheets 669
constructing 568 to forms 672
specifying in insert definitions 568 to reference worksheets 669
defining Drill to details workbook 246
activity properties in a process 1023 duplicate values, hiding 370
buckets in crosstabs 405 duplicating. See copying 127
business processes 1022
metric workbooks 1078 E
targets 1069
deleting editable columns 289
conditions 327 editing
insert definitions 579 conditions 327
metrics 1094 insert definitions 575
records automatically 726 metrics 1094
resources 133 responsibility definitions 1040
rules 327

Index
scorecards 1073 calculated 396
shared workbooks 239 default values in insert definitions 568
site filters 199 hiding in insert definitions 567
workbooks 239 labels in insert definitions 567
enable editing removing from insert definitions 575
average values 435 reordering in insert definitions 575
composite worksheet 498 types 1124
grouped data 423 updating 396
percentages 436 file
equal to (=) operator 1132 .acn 134
errors, in forecasts 810 .frm 134
errors, searching for 158 .rsp 134
ESCAPE function 1170 files
escaping characters 1134 .alt 134
Eval function 1227 .dbd 134
Everyday calendar 1094 .hry 134
examples .prc 134
analyzing and improving worksheet performance 864 .scd 134
calculate a statistical forecast 841 .scp 134
calculate periods of coverage 839 .stk 134
calculate seasonal disaggregation rates 847 .tsk 134
conditional formatting 318 .wfl 134
convert currencies 313 .wgt 134
create a composite worksheet by appending .wwb 134
records 516 filter expressions
create a composite worksheet by merging about 1115
columns 506 adding to composite worksheets 496
create a composite worksheet by merging adding to table-based worksheets 387
records 499 in responsibility definitions 1039
create a controller worksheet 554 simple 1116
create an editable crosstab worksheet 427 syntax 1116
create columns based on other column results 366 filtering
determine the last record in a set 378 allowing in workbook 225
export raw values 316 calculated tables 389
filter expressions 192 data in composite worksheets 496
hide worksheets using an action button 1291 data in table-based worksheets 386
modify a spreading worksheet to use references 458 disabling in workbook 225
specify a value for a base key field 696 in a Data List control 976
track when a file was modified by an import 699 table owner 391
use a variable in a column expression 1286 worksheets 386
use a variable to hide and show columns 372 filters 100
use reference fields for spreading 454 about 191
use variables in a filter expression 1288 bill of materials-based 193
EXP function 1164 common parts 193
EXPAND function 1170 create BOM 193
export report 234 creating 191
exporting creating site 198
insert definitions 579 examples 192
resources 133 expression-based 192
workbook defaults 234 modify 196
expression-based filters, creating 192 modifying from search results 161
expressions renaming 128
for control conditions 970 types of 191
in macros 1305 unique parts 193
with workbook variables 1285 workbook compatibility 225
financial metrics, configuring time horizon 1094
F find and replace text 171
Fit function, input worksheets 762
feedback, providing 34 fixed values 1265
fields ForceMultiScenario 1243
about 1116 form control 949
adding keys to worksheets 357 $$ syntax 976
adding to insert definitions 575 add 952
adding to worksheets 357 arguments 977

Index
Availability 967 Scenario 1008
conditional 970, 975 properties 1009
Check box 1002 script argument 977, 1013
properties 1003 Text 986
conditional expression 976 change type 954
Conditions 970 properties 987
indicators 975 types 950
copy 953 change 954
data list Visibility 967, 969
filter 976 conditional 970, 975
Data List form view 281
change type 954 formatting
properties 991 advanced column 289
Date 1000 cell data alignment 299
properties 1000 check box 278
disable, disabled columns 291
always 970 columns by data type 291
conditionally 970, 975 conditional 317
enable, enabled 970 hyperlinks 278
always 970 Integer values 1202
conditionally 970, 975 Quantity values 1202
File 1005 String fields 1168
properties 1006 text 167
filter expression 976 worksheets 291
Fixed List formatting check boxes 278
change type 954 formatting marks, show in task flows 176
properties 994 forms 98, 672
help 956 about 939
hide, hidden 969 authoring environment 941
always 969 authoring permission 940
conditionally 970 build 947
identifiers 962 button, buttons
Image 981 customize 962
properties 983 edit 962
Label 984 properties 962
properties 985 control conditions 967, 976
map to workbook variables 251 create, creating 945, 947-948
map, mapping 977 custom messages 1014
Multi-line 986 generate 948
change type 954 help 37, 954
properties 987 preview 957
Number 997 property, properties 949
properties 998 refresh 957
optional 964 script, underlying script 942, 948, 1013
properties 981 change 1014
Check box control 1003 custom messages 1014
Data List control 991 edit properties
Date control 1000 view properties 1013
edit 959 manage, managing 1013
File control 1006 remove 1014
Fixed List 994 validate 957
Image control 983 FRM file 134
Label control 985 function
Multi-line Text control 987 Eval 1227
Number control 998 LISTCONTAINS 1176
Scenario control 1009 LISTRIGHT 1183
standard 961 LISTSET 1183
Text control 987 TEXT 1202
view 959 TIMEVALUE 1203
read-only 963 function operator 1185
reference in expression 976 functions 744
remove 952 ABS 1163
required 964 ASSERT 1225
ASSOCIATEDDATE 1205

Index
Attribute 1226 TRIMTRAILING 1190
BOOLEANVALUE 1192 UCASE 1191
CanonicalScenarioId 1193 UserInGroup 1240
comments in 1243 Future date constant 1129
conversion 1191
CONVERTONDATE 1206 G
currency 1204
DATETIMEVALUE 1195 giving
DATEVALUE 1194 resources 132
Environment 1226 gold workbooks. See predefined workbooks 244
ESCAPE 1170 grand totals
EVAL 1227 in crosstab worksheets 418
EXP 1164 in worksheets 377
IsChildScenario 1228 greater than (>) operator 1132
IsMatch 1135 greater than or equal to (>=) operator 1132
ISNULL 1213 gridlines
KEYVALUES 1230 showing and hiding 281
LCASE 1171 Group profile variable setting 1296
LEFT 1172 Group profile variable settings 1297
LENGTH 1172 group responsibility workbooks 220
LISTASSET 1173 grouped data
LISTASSETOFPAIRS 1174 making editable 423
LISTASSETWITHINDEX 1175 grouping
LISTCOUNT 1177 column data 382
LISTGET 1177
LISTGETFROMEND 1178
H
LISTINDEXOF 1180 HAS operator 1155
LISTLEFT 1181 help
LISTMID 1182 accessing 29
LOD 1230 adding 333
LOOKUP 1214 author notes 339
LOOKUP (table) 1223 columns 335, 339
MAX 1165 dashboard, see text widget 887
MID 1184 data controls in workbooks 335
MIN 1165 data controls in worksheets 335
MONEYVALUE 1207 data display settings 335
MonoIncSequence 1241 for metrics 1046
MULT 1166 scorecard 1062
NORMDIST 1210 widget 885
NORMINV 1210 workbooks 333-334
NORMSINV 1212 worksheets 333, 335
NULL 1223 hidden columns 242, 349, 371, 587-589, 599, 617, 625,
NUMERICVALUE 1197 631, 655, 721
PREVIOUS 1231 always hidden 371
QUOTE 1184 conditionally hidden 371
RANDOM 1167 hide or show 372, 594
RAWCURRENCY 1208 ignored 703
RAWVALUE 1209 in a chart 609, 611-612, 615, 628, 635, 642, 649, 658,
RecordId 1232
recursive queries 1243 661
REPEAT 1185 user options 372, 594
REPLACE 1186 hidden tables 232
RESPONSIBILITY 1233 hidden worksheets
RIGHT 1188 about 271
RowIndex 1234 always hidden 273
ScenarioProperty 1193 conditionally hidden 274
SELF 1224 display worksheets 276
SQRT 1168 hidden based on a condition 275
statistical 1209 hidden until drilled to 276
TEXT (date/time) 1198 icons 272
TIMEBUCKET 1203 hiding
TimeStamp 1239 columns in worksheet properties 371
TIMEVALUE 1203 duplicate values 370
TRIM 1188 fields in insert definitions 567
worksheets in workbook properties 272

Index
zero values 292 example 696, 699
hiding columns 281 specify default values 692
hierarchies 101 table-based 691, 703
about 201 vertical 691
creating 202, 204 into worksheets 687
custom tables 202 IN operator 1141
in workbooks 205 increase indent 174
in worksheets with reference forecasts 206 IndependentDemand table 345
modifying from search results 161 Index tab 32
planning 202 input for transformation worksheets 762
tables 202 input worksheets
hierarchy columns Bucket Actuals 762
adding to worksheets 285 Check Forecast Item 773
data summarization 420 Disaggregation Default Rates 776
highlight text 175 Fit 762
hilighting Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation 781
row and column headers 281 Periods Forward Coverage 781
Historical Demand poster 32 Predict 762
Historical Supply poster 32 Predict Actuals 762
HistoricalDemandWaterfall table 345 Predict Override 783
Holt-Winters method 804 Rolling Average 785
horizon for metrics 1094 Statistical Errors 793
horizontal worksheets. See crosstab worksheets 399 Statistical Errors by Date 793
HRY file 134 STDEV 794
hyperlink STDEVP 794
add 172 TREND function 802
hyperlink format 278 insert definitions 395
hyperlinks about 561
add to scorecard help 172 adding fields 575
add to task flows 172 constructing string values 568
add to workbook help 172 copy. copying 565, 576
add to worksheet help 172 creating 565
creating reference records 567
I crosstab worksheets 577
customizing 561
icons default values for fields 568
red X 1075 deleting 579
if-then-else query expressions 1138-1139 editing 575
IF operator 1138-1139 exporting 579
images 167, 169 field labels 567
adding to columns 294 generated by RapidResponse 561
adding to forms 981 guidelines for authoring dialog boxes 564
adding to worksheets 294 hiding fields 567
edit properties 168 importing 579
insert 168 invalid references 569
library 169 modifying 575
manage 169 reference field list values 571
importing customize 573
data in crosstab worksheets 703 removing fields 575
insert definitions 579 setting for worksheets 395
resources 133 share with other worksheets 576
importing data 685 system 563
create workbook 686 table default 579
default values 689, 692 insert dialog boxes. See insert definitions 561
export workbook for reimport 689 inserting
into scenario 685, 704 custom insert definition 565
configure import file 709 disabling 395
create and export 707 records automatically 723
define workbook 705 inserting records
finalize template 712 issues 453
report template 712 Integer data type
Settings worksheet 709, 711 constants 1127
into workbook 685-686 formatting 1202
create worksheets 691 Integrated Project Management poster 31
crosstab 703

Index
introduction to RapidResponse 23 IN 1137, 1141
Inventory Planning and Optimization poster 31 LOOKUP 1214
inventory transfers NOT 1137
allowing in worksheets 396 OR 1137
IsChildScenario 1228 parentheses 1143
ISMATCH function 1135 square brackets 1137
ISNULL 1213 LOOKUP function 1214
item controls, including in workbooks 225
M
K
Mac OS 32
Kinaxis macros
about 25 about 1305
contacting 25 calling 1307
providing feedback to 34 creating 1305
Kinaxis Customer Support 27 expressions 1305
Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community; 27 queries 1305
using 1307
L viewing available 1308
master workbooks. See predefined workbooks 244
LCASE function 1171 math functions
left-align text 174 ABS 1163
LEFT function 1172 EXP 1164
LENGTH function 1172 LOG 1164
Library workbook 246 MAX 1165
about 254 MIN 1165
create 255 ROUND 1203
reuse worksheets 255 ROUND (quantity) 1167
LIKE operator 1134 ROUNDDOWN (quantity) 1167
linear regression 804 ROUNDUP (quantity) 1167
linked workbooks mathematical functions
about 245 about 1163
sharing 130 ABS 1163
linking EXP 1164
customizing 289 LOG 1164
to detail worksheets 663, 666 MAX 1165
linking workbooks 247 MIN 1165
links MOD 1165
add to task flows 172 MULT 1166
to resources 139 RANDOM 1167
list function ROUND 1203
LISTSET 1183 ROUND (quantity) 1167
list functions ROUNDDOWN (quantity) 1167
LISTASSETOFPAIRS 1174-1175 ROUNDUP (quantity) 1167
LISTMID 1182 SQRT 1168
LISTRIGHT 1183 MAX function 1165
list variables, creating 1265 MAX operator (set) 1156
LISTASSET functions 1173 Mean absolute error by mean measure 810
LISTASSETOFPAIRS functions 1174 Mean absolute error measure 810
LISTASSETWITHINDEX functions 1175 Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation function, input
LISTCONTAINS function 1176 worksheet 781
LISTCOUNT functions 1177 Mean absolute percentage error measure 810
LISTGET functions 1177 Mean date measure 810
LISTGETFROMEND function 1178 Mean error measure 810
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT operator 1179 Mean percentage error measure 810
LISTINDEXOF functions 1180 Mean quantity measure 810
LISTLEFT function 1181 Mean square errors measure 810
LISTMID functions 1182 menu, hyperlink 289
LISTRIGHT function 1183 Merge data 469, 471
LISTSET function 1183 metric targets 1064
locking worksheet views 281 money values 1068
LOG function 1164 zero 1068
logical operators 1137 metric workbooks 1098
about 1137 creating 1078
AND 1137 defining 1078

Index
predefined 1097 MULT function 1166
removing 1078 multi-scenario columns 265, 267
metric worksheet multi-scenario worksheets 265, 269
linking details 1090 columns
metric worksheets add 267
composite 1081 specify options 269
composite details 1085 when to use 266
creating 1080 comparison options 269
detail 1084 composite 491
metrics crosstab 403
about 1077 workbook options 269
accessing help about 1046 multiplication (*) operator 1129
adding 1094
Changes by Type 1045 N
defining targets 1069
deleting 1094 New Features videos 42
editing 1094 New Hierarchy button 204
horizon 1094 New Scorecard button 1046, 1049, 1054
including in a scorecard 1074 New Site Filter button 198
modifying 1094 New Workbook button 217
modifying targets 1070 New Worksheet dialog box 233
targets 1067 normal distribution 1210
time-based 1090 NORMINV functions 1210
time horizon 1094 NORMSINV functions 1212
weights 1045 not equal to (\) operator 1132
workbook help 1046 notes
workbooks 1078 add to task flows 936
worksheets 1079 viewing 302
metrics worksheets NOTLIKE operator 1134
about 1079 Now 1129
creating 1079 Now constant 1129
MID function 1184 NULL 1223
MIN function 1165 number, version 122
MIN operator (set) 1157 numbered list
missing create 174
profile variables 1299 numbering, version 122
resources in scorecards 1075 NUMERICVALUE function 1197
models for statistical forecasting 804 NUMERICVALUE functions 1197
modifying
columns 262
O
columns to be read-only 289 OF operator 1243
insert definitions 575 OnHand table 345
metrics in a scorecard 1074 operations for automatic data modifications 730
records automatically 721 operator types
shared workbooks 245 arithmetic 1129
site filters 199 comparison 1132
targets 1070 conditional 1138-1139
weights 1071 conversion 1191
workbooks 239 logical 1137
worksheets 262 set 1145
modulo 1165 wildcards 1134
modulus 1165 operators
money data 305 * (wildcard) 1134
convert currency 307 ? 1138-1139
example 313 ? (wildcard) 1134
convert quantity 311 about 1116
example 316 add (+) 1129
format columns 306 AND 1137
money values arithmetic 1129
raw 312 ASSERT 1225
unconverted 312 ASSOCIATEMAX 1148
MONEYVALUE functions 1207 ASSOCIATEMIN 1149
MonoIncSequence function 1241 AVERAGE 1151
MRPDate date constant 1129 CONCATENATE 1152

Index
conditional 1138-1139 previewing task flows 936
COUNT 1154 printing
DATEVALUE 1194 default settings 285
divide (/) 1129 help 29, 35
equal to (=) 1132 worksheet 285
HAS 1155 process 99
If 1138-1139 about notifications 1029
IN 1141 about processes 1021
LIKE 1134 adding links 1023
LISTGETWITHDEFAULT 1179 creating activity notifications 1030
LOG 1164 creating calendar widget for 1026
MAX (set) 1156 creating new 1022
MIN (set) 1157 creating process notifications 1030
multiply (*) 1129 define activity properties 1023
NOT 1137 defining 1022
not equal to (\) 1132 validate 1025
NOTLIKE 1134 profile variables
NUMERICVALUE 1197 about 1296
OF 1243 adopting another user’s profile 1301
OR 1137 creating 1296
OuterContext (^) 1160 data values 1296
parentheses ( ) 1143 display values 1296
ROUND (quantity) 1167 missing 1299
ROUNDDOWN 1167 types 1296
ROUNDUP (quantity) 1167 using in query expressions 1299
square brackets 1137 properties
subtract (-) 1129 column 262
SUM 1159 workbooks 239
order of operations 1143 worksheets 262
ordering. See reordering 278 Properties button
OuterContext (^) operator 1160 filter 196
overriding scorecards 1074
user’s format settings 291
owner Q
reference field 391
quantity
P columns 291
Quantity data type
paragraph constants 1127
apply style to 173 formatting 1202
parentheses ( ) quantity variables, creating 1277
about 1143 queries in macros 1305
changing order of operations 1143 query-generated values 1265
improving expression readability 1138 query compatibility 1251
Part table 344 query expressions
parts about 1115
reference data 262 components 1116
Past data constant 1129 conditional 1138-1139
paste constants in 1127
text 175 fields in 1124
PDF 30 profile variables in 1299
Periods Forward Coverage function 744 sets in 1145
Periods Forward Coverage function, input worksheet 781 specifying calendars 1257
permanent variables 1296 syntax 1116
permissions 29 QUOTE function 1184
pivot tables. See crosstab worksheets 399
PlannedOrder table 345 R
PRC file 134
predefined resources 105 R-squared measure 810
predefined workbooks 1098 RANDOM function 1167
about 244 RapidResponse
retrieving 244 about 23
Predict Actuals function, input worksheets 762 changes 41
Predict function, input worksheets 762 resources 105
Predict Override function, input worksheets 783 RapidResponse Analytic and Data Model Guide 31

Index
RapidResponse Calculated Data Model poster 31 dashboards 873
RapidResponse Data Model for Import poster 31 scorecards 1043
RapidResponse Historical Demand poster 32 workbooks 215
RapidResponse Historical Supply poster 32 Residual sum of squares measure 810
RapidResponse Integrated Project Management resolving issues with multiple inserts 453
poster 31 resource
RapidResponse Inventory Planning and Optimization copy 127
poster 31 create new 107
RapidResponse mobile client delete 133
scorecards 1064 give 132
RapidResponse Sales and Operations Planning poster 31 modify private 110
raw money values 312 modify public 111
RAWVALUE functions 1209 rename 128
read-only columns 289 restore 118
records save 119
allowing deletion 397 resource links 139
creating references 567 resource usage
disabling inserting 395 analyze 177
editing 397 dependencies 179
splitting 397 modify 186
recursive queries, about 1243 types 184
red X view 182
scorecards 1075 find unused worksheets 188
redo view 185
changes to text 175 resources
reference fields 1124 about 95
owner 391 add to versioned repository 108
reference forecast applying fixes 125
in worksheets 206 compare 142
variables for worksheets 207 details 144
reference parts 262 identify differences 145
Reference worksheet 547, 669 unsaved changes 144
add 547 versions 144
properties 548 comparing 141
author notes 549 comparison report 147
define 548 created by administrator 104
Referenced workbook 246, 547 creating 107
ReferencePart table 344 dependencies 117
references developing 102
invalid 569 discard check out 120
Regression sum of squares measure 810 editing 107
removing included with RapidResponse 105
access to workbooks 130 manually merge 148
columns 357 merge 148
fields from insert definitions 575 modifying from search results 161
metric workbooks 1078 only admininstrators 104
worksheets from a workbook 232 predefined 105
renaming searching 149
filters 128 share linked 130
scorecards 128 states 101
task flows 128 types 96
workbooks 128 version control 117
reordering responsibility
columns 371 base table 1035
conditions 328 example 1035
fields in insert definitions 575 for unassigned data 1035
rules 328 in worksheet columns 1039
replace new 1035
text 171 responsibility definitions 100
REPLACE function 1186 editing 1040
report templates filtering 1039
creating 234 sharing 1039
reports RESPONSIBILITY function 1039, 1233
adding charts to 581

Index
retrieving hierarchy settings 1056
predefined workbooks 244 in the mobile client 1064
reviewing conditional formatting 327 metric targets 1064
right-align text 174 missing resources 1075
RIGHT function 1188 modifying 1073
Rolling Average function, input worksheet 785 red X 1075
Root mean square errors measure 810 specifying targets 1069
ROUND function (quantity) 1167 specifying time periods 1049
ROUNDDOWN function (quantity) 1167 start date 1049
ROUNDUP function (quantity) 1167 targets 1067
row numbers time-based 1049
hiding 281 viewing on phones 1064
RSP file 134 viewing options 1056
rules scorecards, procedures with
creating 324 automatically calculating 1045
deleting 327 changing included metrics 1074
editing 327 copying 1046, 1049, 1054
reordering 328 creating 1045
running balances editing 1073
calculating 384 SCP file 134
columns 377 scripts
crosstab worksheets 418 for forms 1013
arguments 943
S map, mapping 977
change 1014
Sales and Operations Planning poster 31 custom messages 1014
saving manage, managing 1013
workbooks with new names 245 properties
SCD file 134 edit 1013
scenario view 1013
owner 1193 remove 1014
scope 1193 scripts. See macros 1305
sequence number 1193 search
type 1193 saving on worksheet 288
scenario compare worksheets 265 search results 161
scenario comparison worksheets 265 searching
scenario names 1193 individual workbook 162
ScenarioProperty function 1193 resources 152
scenarios resources based on a table 156
limit 218 resources with errors 158
multiple 265 workbook 162
scope 138 errors 163
ScheduledReceipt table 345 text string 163
scorecard second-pass columns 363
renaming 128 second pass columns 363
scorecard help 1062 SELF 1224
align text 174 Send Link button 139
change image alignment 168 sending links 139
change image border 168 set fields 1124
change image properties 168 set operators
change image tool tip 168 about 1145
insert image into 168 ASSOCIATEMAX 1148
insert symbol into 172 ASSOCIATEMIN 1149
set text appearance 173 AVERAGE 1151
scorecards 98 CONCATENATE 1152
add or remove metrics 1074 COUNT 1154
adding help 1062 grouping with 1161
automatically calculating results 1056 HAS 1155
changes not displaying 1073 MAX 1156
charts 1057 MIN 1157
creating scenario-based 1045 OF 1243
creating time-based 1049 OuterContext (^) 1160
creating with targets 1046 sorting with 1161
detail worksheets 1064 SUM 1159
differences 1056

Index
using in query expression 1145 constants 1127
setting formatting 1168
column text and background 298 style
date buckets in crosstab worksheets 405 apply to paragraph 173
insert definitions 395 subtotals
Share button 129 defining for buckets 412
sharing in crosstab worksheets 418
linked resources 130 in worksheets 377
resources 128 subtraction (-) operator 1129
responsibility definitions 1039 SUM operator 1159
site filters 198 summarization
simple expressions 1116 with hierarchy columns 420
site filters summarizing
creating 198 column data 382
editing 199 summary of changes 41
modifying 199 summary, metric 1080
sharing 198 Supply table 345
sorting SupplyAllocation table 346
order of columns 370 SupplyDemand table 346
spanning column headers 300 suppressing
specifying task flow steps 936
scorecard time periods 1049 symbol
specifying values for data imports 691 inserting 172
speedometer 1043 removing 172
spelling syntax
add word to dictionary 171 basic query expressions 1116
check 171 column expressions 1116
check entire task flow 171 constants in query expressions 1127
fix as you go 170 dates in query expressions 1128
spreading fields in query expressions 1124
crosstab worksheet 440 filter expressions 1116
date 446 for form control expressions 976
date and ratio 449 for set fields in expressions 1145
equal 442 system-generated insert definitions 563
methods 439 system variables 1301
ratio 444 System variables 1301
worksheet 437
SQRT function 1168 T
square brackets 1144
square root 1164 table
Standard error measure 810 owner 391
standard normal distribution 1212 table-based worksheets
standard variables 1301 about 343
start date for scorecards 1049 create metric 1079
Statistical Errors by Date function, input worksheets 793 edit table 354
Statistical Errors function, input worksheets 793 table owners 391
statistical forecasting 804 table view 281
accuracy measures 810 tables
error measures 810 Activity 347
models 804 BillOfMaterial 346
statistical functions building worksheets on 344
about 1209 CTPActivity 347
NORMDIST 1210 default insert definition 579
NORMINV 1210 Demand 345
NORMSDIST 1211 for hierarchies 202
NORMSINV 1212 for inserting records 561
STDEV function, input worksheet 794 hidden 232
STDEVP function, input worksheet 794 HistoricalDemandWaterfall 345
steps in task flows 930 IndependentDemand 345
STK file 134 insert 172
string OnHand 345
columns 294 Part 344
String data type PlannedOrder 345
concatenation 1130 ReferencePart 344
ScheduledReceipt 345

Index
Supply 345 text functions
SupplyAllocation 346 about 1168
SupplyDemand 346 DateTime formatting 1198
unlicensed 232 ESCAPE 1170
UserVariable 1296 EXPAND 1170
WhereConsumed 346 Integer formatting 1202
WhereConsumedForDemand 346 LCASE 1171
WhereConsumedForSupply 346 LEFT 1172
Target Settings button 1070 LENGTH 1172
targets LISTASSET 1173
about 1067 LISTCOUNT 1177
creating scorecards 1046 LISTGET 1177
defining 1069 LISTGETFROMEND 1178
deleting 1071 LISTINDEXOF 1180
modifying 1070 LISTLEFT 1181
task flows 100, 931, 934 MID 1184
actions 935 Quantity formatting 1202
add hyperlink to 172 QUOTE 1184
add notes about 936 REPEAT 1185
align text 174 REPLACE 1186
change image alignment 168 RIGHT 1188
change image border 168 TRIM 1188
change image properties 168 TRIMTRAILING 1190
change image tool tip 168 UCASE 1171, 1191
creating 929-930 Text functions
formatting marks 176 TRIMLEADING 1189
insert image into 168 text indentation
insert symbol into 172 change 174
introduction 930 text operators
optional actions LISTGETWITHDEFAULT 1179
suppressing 936 text variables, creating 1280
preview while authoring 930, 936 third-pass columns 363
renaming 128 third pass columns 363
set text appearance 173 time
steps in 929-930 codes 1200
telescoping date buckets 399 horizon for metrics 1094
temporary variables 1296 time-based scorecards 1049
testing time-based subtotals 412
automatic data modifications 727 Time data type, constants 1127
workbook commands 727 time periods, specifying for scorecards 1049
text TimeStamp function 1239
align 174 TIMEVALUE function 1203
change color of 173 Today date constant 1129
change size of 173 Total sum of squares measure 810
copy 175 transformation worksheets
copy formatting 175 about 743
cut 175 creating 819
find and replace 171 development overview 744
format 173 input 762
highlight 175 statistical forecasting models and measures 804
make bold 173 Treemaps
make italic 173 about 522
paste 175 appearance
redo changes 175 best authoring practices for 542
strikethrough 173 customize 539
subscript 173 category 522
superscript 173 container rectangles 522
underline 173 circular 525
undo changes 175 color measure 524, 527
text editing tools set properties for 532
accessing 167 set up 528
text function create 527
LISTCONTAINS 1176 overview of 521
TEXT 1202

Index
dimensions remove 228
Group By 523, 533 standard 1301
hierarchy levels as 534 system 1301
set up 533 text 1280
drill down paths toolbar action buttons 229
custom 538 use to customize calculations 229
set up 537 using in expressions 1285
drill to details links workbook 1262
set up 535 Variance measure 810
hierarchy 526 version control
size measure 524, 527 about 95
set up 529 comments 120
source worksheet 527 fixing resources 125
create 525 history 123
subcategory 522 numbering 122
nested rectangles 522 version history 123
tooltip 529 version number 122
TREND function, input worksheets 802 versioned repository
TRIM functions 1188 add resource 108
TRIMLEADING 1189 identify conflict 115
TRIMTRAILING function 1190 resolve conflict 115
TSK file 134 videos
Type profile variable setting 1296-1297 new features 42
viewing
U available macros 1308
component worksheets 341
UCASE function 1191 notes 302
unconverted money values 312
Undefined date constant 1129 W
undo
changes to text 175 weights
unique parts, filters for 193 changing 1071
unlicensed tables 232 creating scorecards with 1045
updating WFL file 134
fields 396 WGT file 134
updating data what’s new in RapidResponse 41
automatically 716 WhereConsumed table 346
upgrading WhereConsumedForDemand table 346
new features 41 WhereConsumedForSupply table 346
User ID profile variable setting 1296-1297 widgets
user profiles create
adopting 1301 source worksheet 883
and variables 1296 design tips 923
UserVariable table 1296 design user view 923
using macros 1307 drill links 886
effective layout 923
V link to a resource 888
size 917
validating span 917
about 340 styles 891, 895
worksheets 340 example 898
value change in columns 384 text 36, 887
Variable name profile variable setting 1296-1297 transparency settings 897
variables types 881
about 1261 viewing help 36
add to workbook 227 worksheet 884
Boolean 1273 width
copy 227 columns 298
date 1270 wildcards
define 226 about 1134
edit 228 using as characters 1134
for reference forecasts 207 workbook commands
list 1265 testing 727
profile 1296 workbook dependencies
quantity 1277 form 248

Index
workbook help 34 types 216
add hyperlink to 172 change data capture 216
align text 174 data publish 216
change image alignment 168 library 216
change image border 168 metric 216
change image properties 168 responsibility 216
change image tool tip 168 standard 216
insert image into 168 workbooks, procedures with
insert symbol into 172 accessing help 29
set text appearance 173 accessing properties 239
show 34 adding the hierarchy panel 205
workbook properties adding worksheets 232
comparison scenario 220 copy with new name 245
design mode 241 creating 217
display 222 disabling filtering 225
edit 240 editing 239
filtering 225 including item controls 225
limit scenarios 218 modifying 239
specify currency 224 modifying shared 245
variables 226 removing access 130
workbook variables removing worksheets 232
about 1262 renaming 128
Boolean 1273 worksheet controls
date 1270 help for 335
examples 1286, 1288, 1291 worksheet help
filter 1283 align text 174
list 1265 change image alignment 168
map between dependent workbooks 249 change image border 168
map to form controls 251 change image properties 168
quantity 1277 change image tool tip 168
text 1280 insert image into 168
use in query expression 1285 insert symbol into 172
using 1285 set text appearance 173
workbooks 97 show 34
about 215 worksheet Help
allow assumptions 238 show 34
author notes 339 worksheet performance 857
Boolean variables 1273 Worksheet Performance Details dialog box 861
create 218 Worksheet Performance dialog box 860
create and export 707, 709, 711-712 worksheet, procedures with
create standard 218 allow inventory transfers 396
customize to export report 234 worksheets
default exporting options 234 about 257
defining report templates 234 adding images 294
dependencies 245 author notes 339
development overview 216 auto-bucketing 401
filter compatibility 225 based on hidden tables 232
filtering options 225 based on unlicensed tables 232
for importing data into scenarios 704-705 bucket sizes 405
for metrics 1078 bucketed 399
group responsibility 220 charting capabilities 610
help for 334 commands 740
hierarchies 205 common problems 340
importing data 689 common tables for 344
linked 252 composite 467
linking 247 conditions for displaying data 386
modifying from search results 161 creating transformation 819
predefined 244 crosstab 399
referenced dependency 246 data types in columns 291
refresh 243 default view 281
running commands on opening 740 detail 680
save as 245 development overview 258
scenario comparison 220 display options 281
display reference part data 262

Index
edit 262
enabling editing for grouped data 423
filter expressions 386
for automatic data modifications 715
for automatically deleting records 726
for automatically inserting records 723
for automatically modifying records 721
for automatically updating data 716
for importing 691
for importing data 357
functions 744
help for 335
hierarchy columns 285
importable crosstab 703
input for transformation 762
insert definition 395
multi-scenario 265
multi-scenario composite 491
not used in composites 188
performance statistics 859
processing 261
reference 547
reference forecast 206
reference parts 262
results caching 329
saving search on 288
scenario compare 265
scenario comparison 265
subtotals 377
transformation 743
variables for reference forecasts 207
viewing components 341
worksheets, procedures with
adding charts 610
adding fields 357
adding filter expressions to composite
worksheets 496
adding filter expressions to table-based
worksheets 387
adding to workbooks 232
allowing record deletion 397
creating 347
creating columns 357
creating crosstab views 401
disabling inserting 395
formatting 291
grouping 382
modifying 262
removing from workbooks 232
specifying insert definitions 395
validating 340
WWB file 134
X
X
red 1075
Z
zebra striping 281
zero
scorecard targets 1068
zero values, hiding 292

Index

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RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide (E76378-20162)

Date of Publication: Monday, January 30, 2017

Part 2: Working with resources 93

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 3

4 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

Part 3: Filters and hierarchies 189

Part 4: Workbooks and worksheets 213

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 5

6 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 7

8 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 9

10 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 11

12 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

Part 5: Dashboards and widgets 871

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 13

Part 7: Forms 937

14 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

Part 8: Business processes 1019

Part 9: Responsibility definitions 1033

Part 10: Scorecards and metrics 1041

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 15

Part 11: Expressions 1113

16 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 17

18 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 19

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 23

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 25

Kinaxis Supply Chain Expert Community

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 27

Determining which help system or guide to use 30

Accessing RapidResponse help systems and guides

l Access documentation directly from the Help menu in RapidResponse.

Account permissions and the contents of your Help menu

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 29

Accessing help for RapidResponse resources

l Dashboards and widgets

For more information, see "Help embedded in resources" on page 34.

Determining which help system or guide to use

30 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

RapidResponse Administration Information for administrators, covering installation, upgrades, maintenance,

Data Model Posters

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 31

italic Italic is used when citing other documents. For example:

CAUTION: Identifies a caution message (critical information).

NOTE: Identifies a note.

TIP: Identifies a tip.

Finding the content you need in HTML help

32 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide

▶Search for content

l Type a search term in the search bar and then click .

Browsing the contents and the index

l Contents—Browse through the topics in the table of contents.

Comments and tips in HTML Help topics

1. At the bottom of a Help topic page, click Add comment.

RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide 33

The star farthest to the right represents the highest:

l In the RapidResponse Help, click on a star in the toolbar.

Help embedded in resources

34 RapidResponse Resource Authoring Guide