NiUG 2012 Discovery Orlando: Advanced IQA
-
Upload
kye-hittle -
Category
Technology
-
view
1.165 -
download
3
description
Transcript of NiUG 2012 Discovery Orlando: Advanced IQA
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Advanced IQA
Kye Hittle, Director of ITBeta Theta Pi Foundation
Monday, April 16, 2012
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Why use IQA?
• Design a query once for multiple uses• More flexible search options
Multiple parameters in one query Parameters can be calculations Flexible results display
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
When should we use IQA?
Displaying small result sets on-screen
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
When should we use IQA?
Results need to be live links to a Customer, Event registration, donation, etc.
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
When should we use IQA?
Reports with many parametersCrystal Reports IQA
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
When should we use IQA?
Extracting results into a spreadsheet
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
When should we NOT use IQA?
Reports that require: • Formatting • Layout• Multiple levels of grouping • “Think spreadsheets”
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
How End-users Run IQAs
1. Find and select IQA2. Click Run (or double-click)3. (optional) Supply filter values & click 4. (optional) Select record or extract results
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
How Report Designers create IQAs
1. Gather & Analyze reporting requirements2. Determine/create data Sources (Business
Objects) and link3. Create Filters4. Select Display fields5. (optional) Set Sorting order, Security6. Test7. Save
IQA Design Overview
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Gather reporting requirements
• Do we already have something similar? Where else will the organization need to use similar queries?
• Where is the data located in the iMIS interface? How is it linked?
• What filters are needed?• What columns do you need to display?
Any sorting?
1. Reporting Requirements
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Analyze reporting requirements
• Do Business Objects exist to access required data?
• Are subtotals, counts or averages needed?
• Are
1. Reporting Requirements
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Basic vs. Advanced Mode
• Basic Mode Define sources + filters + what to display Run or Run as Report
• Advance Mode Using Queries in iMIS searches Aggregate criteria & display SQL Expressions in queries
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Choosing Business Objects
iMIS Standard Prefixes• Most built-in biz objects start with ‘Cs’• Biz Objects built for Custom Demographic
tables typically start with ‘CsDemo_’• Use Biz Obj Designer to see
tables/views/fields in each Biz Obj• …use a naming standard for custom
Business Objects (e.g. prefix with org acronym)
• 2. Sources (Biz Objs) & Links
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Linking Business Objects
• In order to link two Business Objects they must share a common field (often iMIS ID)
• The field names do not have to be identical but the data must match for a record to be included (using default link)
• This is the same concept as (inner) joining relational database tables
CsContact
• iMIS ID• Full
Name• Informal• Email• …
CsActivity
• ID• Activity
Type• UF 1• UF 2• …
• 2. Sources (Biz Objs) & Links
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Saving: Folders & naming
• Decide whether to store all IQAs inCustomers or spread out among individual iMIS modules
• Create and enforce an organizational folder (e.g. departmental, functional) and IQA naming strategy to easily find IQAs
• Create a policy among designers to make copies when they are significantly modifying an IQA – leave original for current uses
• 7. Save
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Saving: Folders & naming
• Well thought-out folders give more context to IQA titles
• Use the description field when creating/updating for historical notes (unfortunately only visible to designers, not end users)
• 7. Save
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Aggregate Functions
• Can be used in two places in IQA Filters Display
• Scenario – Searching for high value constituents Spent within the past year Life time spending is over 10,000
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Subtotals in 15.2
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Business Objects are an abstraction layer
Business Objects can enable field aliases, data formatting, code lookups,
data from multiple tables/views & more
IQA
Business ObjectBusines
s ObjectBusiness Object
Table or
View
iMISDatabase
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Business Object Designer
• Allows you to create/modify Business Objects• Located under Tools or iSA tab
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Business Object Designer
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
1. Create view in SQL Mgmt Studio; grant the iMIS Group SELECT permissions: (grant select on <view_name> to IMIS)
2. iMIS > Tools > Business Object Designer
3. New > Design Business Definition4. Give the biz obj a Name according to
your naming scheme & Description > Create Object
Create Business Objects from Custom SQL Views (1/2)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
5. Go to the Database tab and click the Add button
6. Find view (or table) (type first few letters) > Click Add
7. Click Add All as Properties button (below field list)
8. Click Save, Click Publish
Create Business Objects from Custom SQL Views (2/2)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Tips & Tricks
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Creating live links
Keywordskey_contact
key_event
key_order
CustomersEvents
Orders
iMIS IDOrder No
Order No
Full list: http://docs.imis.com/15.2/accessingm
odulebasedreports4.htm
Use keywords on Display tab in Alias field to enable Select option
Note! Arrows will not display in Edit mode –
only at run-time.
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
SQL Expressions in Display tab
Use for non-persistent values you don’t want to store in the database but
need for reporting(e.g. specialized member name format)
vBoCsContact.FirstName+' '+vBoCsContact.LastName+' '+'is the '+vBoCsContact.Title+'.'
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
IQAs fields that display an email/URL (e.g. CsContact.Email) can display
their data as clickable links
3
Turn Email and Website Fields in Queries into Links (1/3)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
1. On the Display tab > Custom > SQL Expression
2. Enter the following into the SQL Expression field:
char(60) + 'a href="mailto:' + vBOCsContact.email + '"' + char(62) + vBoCsContact.Email + char(60) + '/a' + char(62)
For URLs, leave out: mailto:' +
3. Give the SQL Expression an Alias, such as LinkedEmail
4. Click the symbol to add it to the list of Display fields
Turn Email and Website Fields in Queries into Links (2/3)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Turn Email and Website Fields in Queries into Links (3/3)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Creating live links in 15.2
• Expanded options: content records, navigation items or ASPX web pages
• Display tab > Link field (Advanced mode)
http://docs.imis.com/15.2/linkingiqaresults2.htm see “completed orders web part” example
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Use relative date criteria
Make selections based on current date rather than requiring user to enter a fixed date.
Click the Run button and IQA will enter the @date command, which means
current date.
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Multiple Filter values
To search for multiple values, enclose in quotes and separate with commas
(e.g. area code equals “314”,”512”)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Avoid Excel Extract Security Warning
See this article for registry entry:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948615
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Alternative Link TypesBeyond the Equals Join
• Left Join will include all records from Biz Obj on left CsContacts Left Join CsDonations will include
all contacts, even those who didn’t donate
• Not Exist will return records not contained in the other Biz Obj CsContacts Not Exist CsEventActivity will
return customers who did not register for a previous meeting
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Formatting date/time fieldsAnnoyed by the time showing in your XLS?
Update field in Business Object DesignerProperties > Display
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Adding value lists to Filters (1/2)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Adding value lists to Filters (2/2)
Update field in Business Object DesignerProperties > Values
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
1. Tools > Task Area (left) > 2. Utilities > User defined
tables3. Click Build All (to the far
right)
Create Business Objects for all User Defined Tables
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
IQAs can be Sources
Create very generic, frequently used IQAs and add as you would a Biz Obj.
Make sure to display at least one key field in the sub-IQA.
This is great for code
lookup tables. Many are
already built in. See the doc
system.
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Find the IQA being used by Public Views
Display IQAs on Public Views (1/2)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Display IQAs on Public Views (2/3)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Search on
this Public View page are identical to the search criteria defined in the IQA query on the previous slide
Display IQAs on Public Views (3/3)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Saving: Folders & naming
• Decide whether to store all IQAs inCustomers or spread out among individual iMIS modules
• Create and enforce an organizational folder (e.g. departmental, functional) and IQA naming strategy to easily find IQAs
• Create a policy among designers to make copies when they are significantly modifying an IQA – leave original for current uses
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Saving: Folders & naming
• Well thought-out folders & naming scheme give more context to IQA titles
• Use the description field when creating/updating for historical notes (unfortunately only visible to designers, not end users)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Previous Versions of Biz Objs
• You can revert to previous versions of Business Objects, but the versioning system is not yet available for IQAs In the Business Object Designer select Biz Obj, click
Versions, select desired version and click Revert. You will need to Compile and Publish the object again
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
New IQA Features in 15.1
• Totals, counts, subtotals
• Output to PDF• Output to SQL Server Reporting Services
(formatting, grouping, global formats) without leaving iMIS
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Cheat Sheets
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Cheat Sheet: ASI IQA Reference
http://docs.imis.com/15.2/iqaqueries.htm
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Cheat Sheet: Activity Table (1/2)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Cheat Sheet: Activity Table (2/2)
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Cheat Sheet: Addresses
http://docs.imis.com/15.2/commonaddressjoins.htm
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Cheat Sheet: Tables/Joins
http://docs.imis.com/15.2/index.htm?turl=commonreporttablesandjoins.htm
NiUG Discove
ryOrlando, FL
April 16-18, 2012
Support IQA!advsol.com > Support > Tech Support > Support Request