D63510GC10 sg2 (OBIEE)

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Volume II Student Guide
D63510GC10
Edition 1.0
October 2010
D69318
Oracle University and ORACLE CORPORATION use only
Oracle BI 11g R1: Create

Analyses and Dashboards
Copyright 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Dan Hilldale
Disclaimer
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THESE eKIT MATERIALS ARE FOR YOUR USE IN THIS CLASSROOM ONLY. COPYING eKIT MATERIALS FROM THIS COMPUTER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED
Authors
Course Introduction
Lesson Agenda I-2
Instructor and Class Participants I-3
Training Site Information I-4
Course Audience I-5
Course Goal I-6
Course Objectives I-7
Course Methodology I-9
Course Agenda I-10
Introduction to Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition

Objectives 1-2
What Is Business Intelligence? 1-3
Oracle Business Intelligence Foundation Suite 1-4
Oracle BI Architecture Components 1-5
Presentation Services 1-6
Oracle BI Presentation Server and Catalog 1-7
Oracle BI Server 1-8
Oracle BI Repository 1-9
Data Sources 1-10
Sample Analysis Processing 1-11
Signing into Presentation Services 1-12
Oracle BI Enterprise Edition Home Page 1-13
Global Header 1-14
Summary 1-15
Practice 1: Overview 1-16
Quiz: Overview 1-17
Quiz 1-18
Working with Oracle Business Intelligence Analyses

Objectives 2-2
Oracle Business Intelligence Analysis Editor 2-3
Key Terms 2-4
Subject Areas 2-5
Columns 2-6
Hierarchies 2-7
iii
Contents
Administering the Presentation Catalog

Objectives 3-2
Administering Objects in the Presentation Catalog 3-3
Searching the Catalog 3-5
Security Goal: Access and Actions 3-6
Oracle BI Security and Catalog Security 3-7
Default BI Roles 3-9
Presentation Catalog Folder and Object Permissions 3-11
Permission Inheritance 3-12
Default Application Role Hierarchy Example 3-13
iv
Oracle Business Intelligence Analysis 2-9

Creating and Editing Analyses 2-10
Analysis Editor 2-11
Subject Area and Catalog Panes 2-12
Analysis Editor Tabs 2-13
Working with Analyses in Oracle Business Intelligence 2-14
1. Construct an Analysis 2-15
2. Modify Analysis Criteria 2-16
2. Modify Analysis Criteria (Sorting Columns) 2-17
2. Modify Analysis Criteria (Formulas) 2-18
2. Modify Analysis Criteria (Style) 2-20
2. Modify Analysis Criteria (Column Format) 2-21
2. Modify Analysis Criteria (Data Format) 2-22
2. Modify Analysis Criteria (Conditional Format) 2-23
2. Modify Analysis Criteria (Interaction) 2-24
3. Change Column Order 2-25
4. Display Analysis Results 2-26
5. Save An Analysis 2-28
Advanced Formatting 2-29
Saving Column Settings as Systemwide Defaults 2-30
Copying and Pasting Formatting Attributes 2-31
Using a Saved Analysis as a Style Template 2-32
Customized Date and Time Format Strings 2-33
Applying a Customized Format String to a Column 2-34
Writeback 2-35
Summary 2-36
Quiz: Overview 2-38
Quiz 2-39
Limiting and Grouping Data in Analyses

Objectives 4-2
Limiting Data in Your Analyses 4-3
Using Filters to Limit Data in Analyses 4-5
Creating and Editing Filters 4-6
Grouping Filters 4-9
Dynamic Filtering 4-10
Using a Saved Analysis as a Filter 4-11
Editing SQL for a Column Filter 4-12
Drilling and Filters 4-13
Applying Named Filters 4-14
Analysis Prompts 4-15
Adding an Inline Prompt to an Analysis 4-16
Defining Prompt Properties 4-17
Multiple Column Filter Prompts 4-18
Practice 4-1 through 4-4: Overview 4-19
Using Selections to Limit Data in Analyses 4-20
Groups 4-22
Creating Groups 4-23
1. Create a New Member Group 4-24
2. Define the Group Properties 4-25
3. Apply Formatting 4-26
4. Verify the Results 4-27
Calculated Items 4-28
Creating Calculated Items 4-29
Setting Object Permissions 3-14

1. Click Permissions 3-15
2. Add Roles 3-17
3. Set Permissions 3-18
Viewing and Setting Properties 3-19
Setting System Privileges 3-20
1. Click Administration and Manage Privileges Links 3-21
2. Pick Users and Roles 3-22
Catalog Groups 3-23
Archiving Catalog Items 3-24
Summary 3-26
Quiz: Overview 3-28
Quiz 3-29
Oracle Business Intelligence Analyses: Advanced Features

Objectives 5-2
Setting Analysis Properties 5-3
Combining Analysis Criteria by Using Set Operations 5-4
Set Operators 5-5
Combining Results of Multiple Analyses 5-6
1. Build an Analysis 5-7
2. Combine with a Similar Analysis 5-8
3. Construct the Combined Analysis 5-9
4. Apply a Set Operator 5-10
Direct Database Analysis Privileges 5-12
Changing Direct Database Analysis Privileges 5-13
Creating and Executing a Direct Database Analysis 5-14
1. Create a Direct Analysis 5-15
2. Construct a Direct Database Analysis 5-16
Editing Logical SQL Generated by an Analysis 5-17
Creating a Link to a Saved Analysis 5-19
Creating an Excel Web Query File 5-20
Viewing an Excel Web Query File 5-21
Summary 5-22
Quiz: Overview 5-24
Quiz 5-25
vi
1. Create a New Calculated Item 4-30

2. Define the Calculated Item Properties 4-31
Creating Selection Steps 4-33
1. Create a New Step 4-34
2. Select the Step Type 4-35
Step Types: Selecting Members 4-36
Step Types: Adding Groups and Calculated Items 4-37
Step Types: Applying Conditions 4-38
Step Types: Selecting Members Based on Hierarchy 4-40
Saving Selection Steps as a Group 4-41
Summary 4-42
Practice 4-5 through 4-6: Overview 4-43
Quiz: Overview 4-44
Quiz 4-45
Working with Views and Graphs in Analyses

Objectives 6-2
Oracle Business Intelligence Views 6-3
Descriptions of Views 6-4
View Editors 6-5
Compound Layout Pane 6-6
Working with Views in Compound Layouts 6-7
Creating and Copying Compound Layouts 6-9
Views Pane 6-10
Performing Common Tasks in Views 6-12
Previewing How Views Appear in Dashboards 6-13
Specifying Totals 6-14
Managing Aggregation 6-15
Combining Values into Bins 6-16
Creating Bins: Add Bins 6-17
Creating Bins: Name and Configure Bins 6-18
Specifying Table View Properties 6-19
Specializing Views for Additional Layouts 6-20
Linking Master-Detail Views 6-22
Defining the Master View 6-23
Defining the Detail View 6-24
Creating and Modifying Additional View Types 6-25
Descriptions of Graph Views 6-26
Graph Editor 6-27
Graph Properties: General 6-29
Graph Properties: Style 6-30
Graph Properties: Scale 6-31
Graph Properties: Titles and Labels 6-32
Formatting Graphs by Position 6-33
Formatting Graphs Conditionally 6-34
Narrative View 6-35
Ticker View 6-36
View Selector View 6-38
Column Selector View 6-39
Summary 6-41
Showing Results with Gauge Views and Map Views

Objectives 7-2
Gauge Views 7-3
Working with Gauge Views 7-4
vii
Measuring Results with Key Performance Indicators

Objectives 8-2
Key Performance Indicators 8-3
KPIs and Oracle BI 8-4
Using KPIs in Oracle BI EE 8-5
KPI Basic Concepts and Terminology 8-6
KPI Characteristics 8-8
Evaluating KPIs 8-9
Creating KPIs 8-10
1. Create a New KPI 8-11
2. Define the General Properties 8-12
3. Enable Trending 8-13
4. Define the Dimensionality 8-14
5. Define the Thresholds 8-16
6. Define the Related Documents 8-20
Opening a KPI 8-21
KPI Watchlists 8-22
Creating a Stand-Alone KPI Watchlist 8-23
Using the KPI Watchlist Performance Tab 8-26
Using the KPI Watchlist Details Tab 8-28
Changing Dimensionality for a KPI Watchlist Event 8-29
Summary 8-31
Quiz: Overview 8-33
Quiz 8-34
viii
1. Add a Gauge View 7-5

2. Set Layout 7-6
3. Manage Settings and Properties 7-7
Map Views 7-8
Map View Components 7-9
Creating and Editing Map Views 7-10
1. Add a Map View 7-11
2. Set Properties 7-12
3. Edit Formats 7-13
Summary 7-15
Quiz: Overview 7-17
Quiz 7-18
Showing Results with Pivot Tables

Objectives 9-2
Pivot Table Views 9-3
Analyzing and Displaying Data in Table and Pivot Table Views 9-4
Pivot Table 9-5
Creating a Pivot Table 9-6
1. Select Columns on the Criteria Tab 9-7
2. Click the Results Tab and Select Pivot Table View 9-8
4. Rearrange Elements as Necessary 9-10
Showing Results in Pivot Tables 9-12
Sorting 9-13
Member Sorting 9-14
Row Sorting with Innermost Column 9-15
Measure Sorting 9-16
Measure Sorting on the Column Edge 9-17
Using Hierarchical Columns 9-18
Hierarchical Columns 9-19
Overriding Default Aggregation Rules 9-20
Using Totals 9-21
Adding Formatting: Overall Appearance 9-22
Adding Formatting: Pivot Table Positions 9-23
Adding Formatting: Section Options 9-24
Adding Formatting: Showing a Section Once 9-25
Showing an Items Relative Value 9-26
1. Duplicate the Measure 9-28
2. Rename the Duplicate Measure 9-29
3. Select the Show Data As Option 9-30
4. View the Results 9-31
Using Calculations in Pivot Tables 9-32
Building Calculations by Using Functions 9-33
Building Calculations by Using Formulas 9-34
Displaying Running Sums in Pivot Tables 9-35
Summary 9-36
Quiz: Overview 9-38
Quiz 9-39
10 Creating Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards

Objectives 10-2
Dashboards 10-3
Dashboard Pages 10-4
ix
11 Configuring Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards

Objectives 11-2
Dashboard Objects 11-3
Alert Section 11-4
Action Link and Action Link Menu 11-5
Link or Image 11-7
x
Creating and Editing a Dashboard 10-6

Creating a New Dashboard from Global Header 10-7
Global Header: Setting Preferences for Your Default Dashboard View 10-8
Using Dashboard Builder 10-10
Using the Dashboard Builder Toolbar 10-11
What Can I Add to a Dashboard? 10-12
Adding Objects to a Dashboard Page 10-14
Dashboard Builder Tools Toolbar Layout 10-15
Tools Toolbar: Dashboard Properties 10-16
Dashboard Properties: Dashboard Report Links 10-18
Dashboard Properties: Dashboard Page Controls 10-19
Tools Toolbar: PDF and Print Properties 10-20
Tools Toolbar: Page Report Links 10-21
Tools Toolbar: Allow Saving Personal Customizations 10-23
Tools Toolbar: Publishing Dashboard Pages 10-24
Exploring Dashboard Object Properties 10-25
Exploring Column Properties 10-26
Exploring Section Properties 10-27
Exploring Section Properties: Arranging Sections Horizontally 10-29
Exploring Section Properties: Controlling the Drilldown Display 10-30
Section Properties: Conditions 10-31
Section Properties: Adding an Inline Condition for an Analysis 10-33
Section Properties: Adding an Inline Condition for a KPI 10-35
Section Properties: Adding a Named Condition 10-38
Section Properties: Formatting and Renaming 10-40
Miscellaneous Dashboard Page Functionality 10-41
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Personal Customizations 10-42
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Shared Customizations 10-43
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Links to Dashboard Pages 10-44
Page Options Toolbar: Adding Content to a Briefing Book 10-46
Summary 10-47
Quiz: Overview 10-49
Quiz 10-50
12 Creating Dashboard Prompts and Variables

Objectives 12-2
Variables 12-3
Session Variables 12-4
Repository Variables 12-5
Presentation Variables 12-6
Request Variables 12-7
Referencing Variables 12-8
Dashboard Prompts 12-9
Dashboard Prompts: Column Prompts 12-10
Dashboard Prompts: Other Prompts 12-11
Adding a Named Column Prompt to a Dashboard 12-12
1. Create a New Named Column Prompt 12-13
2. Select the Prompt Type 12-14
3. Select the Subject Area and Column 12-15
4. Select the Operator and Other Options 12-16
5. Save the Prompt 12-20
6. Preview the Prompt 12-21
7. Add the Prompt to the Dashboard 12-22
8. Set the Scope for the Dashboard 12-23
9. Test the Results 12-24
Adding a Hidden Named Prompt to a Dashboard 12-26
1. Edit Dashboard Properties 12-27
2. Navigate the Catalog to Locate the Named Prompt 12-28
Creating a Second Prompt Page 12-30
1. Add a New Prompt to an Existing Prompt Page 12-31
2. Insert a Page Break 12-32
3. Edit the Dashboard and Add the Prompt 12-33
xi
Embedded Content 11-9

Text 11-10
Text: ActiveX 11-11
Text: Scripts 11-12
Text: Audio 11-13
Folder 11-14
Summary 11-15
Quiz 11-18
13 Using Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers

Objectives 13-2
Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers 13-3
Delivery Devices 13-4
Delivery Profiles 13-5
Creating a Delivery Device 13-6
Creating a Delivery Profile 13-7
Business Intelligence Alerts 13-8
Adding an Alert Section to a Dashboard 13-9
Agents 13-10
How Agents Work: Simplified Format 13-11
Configuring an Agent 13-12
1. Configure the General Tab 13-13
2. Configure the Schedule Tab 13-14
3. Configure the Condition Tab 13-15
4. Configure the Delivery Content Tab 13-16
5. Configure the Recipients Tab 13-17
6. Configure the Destinations Tab 13-19
7. Configure the Actions Tab 13-21
Subscribing to an Agent 13-23
Listing Your Agents 13-24
xii
Setting Preferences for a Prompt Page 12-36

Presentation Variables and Prompts 12-38
Request Variables and Prompts 12-39
Adding a Variable Prompt to a Dashboard 12-40
1. Add a Variable to an Existing Analysis 12-41
2. Create a New Variable Prompt 12-43
3. Select the Prompt Type 12-44
4. Define the Prompt Properties 12-45
5. Save the Prompt 12-46
6. Select the Dashboard 12-47
7. Add the Prompt to the Dashboard 12-48
8. Navigate the Catalog to Locate the Named Prompt 12-49
Applying Prompts with Default Values 12-51
Wiring Dashboard Prompts 12-52
Summary 12-54
Quiz 12-57
14 Integrating Analyses with MS Office

Objectives 14-2
Oracle BI Office Add-In 14-3
Office Add-in General Features 14-4
Accessing Office Add-in in Presentation Services 14-5
Creating a Connection to the BI Office Server and Logging In to the Presentation Server 14-8
Oracle BI for MS Office: User Interface 14-11
Logging In to Oracle BI for MS Office 14-12
Accessing and Refreshing the Presentation Catalog 14-13
Using the BI Office Toolbar 14-14
Inserting Views in PowerPoint 14-15
Inserting Views in MS Excel 14-18
Drilling in Native Charts 14-20
Securing BI Data in MS Office 14-21
Refreshing Views 14-22
Summary 14-23
Quiz 14-26
15 Working with Oracle Business Intelligence Briefing Books
Objectives 15-2
Oracle BI Briefing Books 15-3
Working with Oracle BI Briefing Books 15-4
Add Content to a New or Existing Oracle BI Briefing Book 15-5
Edit an Oracle BI Briefing Book 15-8
Download an Oracle BI Briefing Book 15-9
xiii
Using Agents to Deliver Content 13-25

Using Conditions to Deliver Content 13-26
1. Create a New Agent and Assign an Analysis for Its Condition 13-27
2. Define How the Condition Evaluates to True 13-28
Using Agents to Proactively Respond to KPI Performance 13-30
1. Create a New Agent and Assign a KPI for Its Condition 13-31
2. Define How the Condition Evaluates to True 13-32
Summary 13-34
Quiz 13-37
View an Oracle BI Briefing Book 15-10

Add a List of Oracle BI Briefing Books to a Dashboard 15-11
Use an Oracle BI Briefing Book with Delivers 15-13
Summary 15-15
Quiz 15-18
xiv
Creating Oracle Business

Intelligence Dashboards
After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

Distinguish the differences between different types of
dashboard objects
Build a dashboard
Oracle BI 11g R1: Create Analyses and Dashboards 10 - 2
Objectives
Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards display the results of

analyses to users.
Dashboard page
Dashboard column
Folders
Embedded
ticker
Prompt
Business Intelligence analysis

with Title and Table views
Dashboards
Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards provide personalized views of corporate and
external information. Dashboards can display anything that you can access or open with a
Web browser , including analyses, alerts, and so on. Based on your permissions, you can
view preconfigured dashboards or create your own. Users with administrative privileges can
create shared dashboards for groups of users with common responsibilities or job functions.
Personalized views can be created based on a users permission. You can view your
personalized views by selecting My Dashboard from the Dashboards drop-down list. You can
also set My Dashboard as your default dashboard (subsequently discussed in this lesson).
Preconfigured views appear in the Dashboards drop-down list. They can be created by
administrators and shared with groups of users with common responsibilities or job functions.
If you have recently accessed a dashboard, it will appear as an item in the Recent grouping
on the Home page. To open the dashboard, click the Open link found below the dashboard
name.
Note: My Dashboard is a dashboard page that you create and save as your default, personal
starting page.
Dashboards
Dashboard pages are identified by:

Tabs across the top of the dashboard
Page Options toolbar to print, refresh, edit, and so forth
Toolbar
Dashboard pages
Dashboard Pages
When you open a dashboard, the content appears in one or more dashboard pages, each
represented by a tab in the dashboard. Pages contain the columns and sections that hold the
content of a dashboard and every dashboard has at least one page.
Multiple pages are used to organize content. For example, you might have one page to store
analysis results that you refer to every day, another that contains links to the Web sites of
your suppliers, and one that links to your corporate intranet.
Note: To create or edit a dashboard, you need to have the Manage Dashboard Privilege.
On the top-right of the dashboard page, the Page Options toolbar drop-down list allows you to
do the following:
Edit the dashboard, if you have the appropriate permission, using Dashboard Builder.
Display various options for working with a dashboard page, such as printing the current
page (HTML of PDF) or adding the content to your Briefing Book.
Work with customizations.
Dashboard Pages
Specifically, the Page Options toolbar menu contains the following options:
Edit Dashboard: Open an existing dashboard to make modifications.
Print: Print the current dashboard page as either PDF or HTML.
Refresh: Use this option to refresh the results of analyses included in the dashboard
page.
Add to Briefing Book: Use this option to add the contents of a dashboard page to a
Briefing Book.
Create Bookmark Link: Use this option to create a bookmark link to the page (a
bookmark link captures the path to a dashboard page and all aspects of the page state)
Create Prompted Link: Use this option to create a prompted link to the page (a
prompted link captures the path to a dashboard page and a simplified presentation of
the dashboard prompts)
Apply Saved Customization: Use this option to apply a saved customization either
a personal, saved customization or a shared saved customization. Saved
customizations allow users to view dashboard pages with their most frequently used or
favorite choices for filters and prompts preselected, without the need to make choices
manually for prompts and filters that appear on the dashboard. Users can save multiple
customizations with different combinations of prompt and filter choices, and switch
between them.
Save Current Customization: Use this option to save your current customization for
yourself or others. You can also set permissions for this customization.
Edit Saved Customizations: Use this option to modify your customizations.
Clear My Customization: Use this option to clear all customized formats, and so forth
and return the dashboard page to its default state.
Prompted links must be enabled by your administrator. Refer to Oracle Fusion Middleware
System Administrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g Release
1 (11.1.1) for additional information.
Dashboard Pages (continued)
Create a new dashboard, using Global Header or the

Create pane of the Home page.
Opens in the Dashboard Builder
Open existing dashboards in the Dashboard Builder to

design pages in the following ways:
Click the Edit link on an empty dashboard page.
Click the Page Options button for a dashboard page and
select Edit Dashboard.
Open from the catalog using the Catalog link on Global
Header.
Creating and Editing a Dashboard
Users with appropriate permissions and privileges can create a

new dashboard.
2
1
Creating a New Dashboard from Global Header

To build a new dashboard:
1. Click New on Global Header and select Dashboard.
2. In the New Dashboard dialog box, do the following:
- Enter a new dashboard Name.
- Optionally, enter a Description.
- Select the Location where you will store the dashboard definition, and choose
whether you will add content now or later.
- Click OK.
3. If you choose Add content now, the Dashboard Builder appears with one blank page
available. Drag the content from the Dashboard Objects or Catalog panes to the Page
Layout pane on the right.
Note: If you choose Add content later, you must use the Catalog to add dashboard objects
(shown in the next slide).
Creating a New Dashboard from Global Header
2
Choose your
starting page.
Global Header: Setting Preferences for Your Default Dashboard View

You can set a default dashboard that appears when you first start your session.
1. Click <Your User ID> on the Global Header and then select My Account. The My
Account dialog box appears. You use the Preferences tab page in the My Account
dialog box, to specify your personal preferences, such as dashboard starting page,
locale, and time zone. The options that are displayed in this dialog box depend upon
your privileges.
2. You can make your selection from the Starting Page drop-down list. Some of the default
pages include: Home Page, My Dashboard, or a specific dashboard for which you have
privileges.
Other tabs in the My Account dialog box include the following:
BI Publisher Preferences: Use this tab to view the default profile for BI Publisher.
Delivery Options: Use this tab to configure your delivery profiles for the delivery of
alerts by agents, and so on.
Roles and Groups: Use this tab to view a list of the groups to which you have been
assigned by the Oracle BI Administrator.
Global Header: Setting Preferences for Your

Default Dashboard View
If you have chosen My Dashboard as your default, then you use dashboard template pages to
populate your personal dashboards (My Dashboard) when you first log in as a new user. This
allows you to see one or more dashboard pages with content, rather than an empty
dashboard when you first log in. It also gives you a starting point to build your own dashboard
pages. These template pages are saved in subfolders of /Shared Folders and have a
default name of default.
Oracle BI EE searches for dashboard template pages in all dashboards that are named
default, copies all dashboard template pages for which you have permission to your My
Dashboard folder, and displays them in your My Dashboard dashboard.
Note: You must have appropriate permissions to create dashboard template pages.
If your company has designated a name other than default for the name of dashboards that
contain dashboard template pages, then Oracle BI EE searches for dashboard template
pages in dashboards with that name (for example, Templates) rather than default in
subfolders of /Shared Folders. To designate a name other than default for the name of
dashboards that contain dashboard template pages, your administrator must set the
DefaultName element in the instanceconfig.xml file.
Global Header: Setting Preferences for Your Default Dashboard View (continued)
Add or delete a page.
Preview and run

a dashboard.
Tools toolbar
Save a
dashboard
in the
Catalog.
Dashboard Objects pane
Drag any object to the Page

Layout pane on the right.
Catalog pane
Page Layout pane
Using Dashboard Builder

The Dashboard Builder enables you to add dashboard pages to a dashboard, and add
objects to and control the layout of dashboard pages. The objects that you can add to a
dashboard page include:
Dashboard objects: Items that are used only in a dashboard. Examples of dashboard
objects are sections to hold content, action links, and embedded content that appears in
a frame on a dashboard.
Catalog objects: Items that you or someone else has saved to the Oracle BI
Presentation Catalog, for example, analyses, prompts, and so on. In a dashboard, the
results of an analysis can be shown in various views, such as a table, graph, or gauge.
Users can examine and analyze results, save or print them, or download them to a
spreadsheet.
If the dashboard contains at least one dashboard page, Dashboard Builder will also contains
a toolbar from which you can do add content to a dashboard page, set dashboard page
properties, and so on. The Tools toolbar is discussed next.
Using Dashboard Builder
You can perform the following actions, using the Dashboard

Builders Tools toolbar:
Add a dashboard page.
Delete a dashboard page.
Select an option from the Tools toolbar.
Preview a dashboard page.
Run the dashboard.
Save a dashboard page.
Save the dashboard page as another name.
Access Help
Using the Dashboard Builder Toolbar

If you leave the page on which you are working in the Dashboard Builder by selecting one of
these options, your changes are saved if you add or edit another page, change dashboard
properties, or modify a prompt, filter, or analysis.
To exit the Dashboard Builder and return to the dashboard, click Run.
Saving a Dashboard Page
You can save a dashboard as its current name or you can save a dashboard by another
name. To save a dashboard by another name:
1. Click the Save As (double diskette) icon on the Dashboard Builder toolbar.
2. Provide a new name for the dashboard (one which does not already exist).
3. Save the dashboard anywhere in the Oracle BI Presentation Catalog.
If you save a dashboard within any subfolder named Dashboards, then that dashboard's
name appears in the list of dashboards on Global Headers Dashboard link.
If you want a dashboard to be hidden from other users, then save that dashboard in a location
other than a subfolder named Dashboards.
Each of the options available in the Tools toolbar are covered in detail later in this lesson.
Using the Dashboard Builder Toolbar
Dashboard objects:
Column
Section
Alert Section
Action Link
Action Link Menu
Link or Image
Embedded Content
Text
Folder
Catalog objects:
Catalog Tree
Folder
Dashboard page
KPIs
Scorecard
Prompts
Analyses
What Can I Add to a Dashboard?

Dashboard objects include the following:
Column: Used to align content on a dashboard. (Sections within columns hold the actual
content.) You can create as many columns on a dashboard page as you need.
Section: Used within columns to hold the content, such as action links, analyses, and so on.
You can drag as many sections as you need to a column.
Alert Section: Used to add a section in which you display Alerts from Agents, if any. An Alert
section is added automatically to the first page of My Dashboard, if you do not manually
include one. You cannot disable the appearance of an Alert section on the first page of My
Dashboard. You can add an Alert section to an additional dashboard page so that section will
then appear on both dashboard pages.
What Can I Add to a Dashboard?
Action Link: Used to add an action link. An action link is a link that you embed in an
analysis, dashboard page, or KPI. When you click the link, an associated action is run.
Action Link Menu: Used to add an action link menu. An action link menu provides the
user with a list of actions from which to choose.
Embedded Content: Used to add embedded content. Embedded content is any content
that appears within a window (called a frame) inside the dashboard, as opposed to
content that is accessed by clicking a link. Content that you might want to embed
includes analyses, Excel charts, documents, Web sites, tickers from Web sites, and so
on. When you embed content into a dashboard, the required HTML is automatically
added to the target content. Analyses are embedded by default. Embedding an analysis
in a dashboard causes it to execute automatically and to display the results within the
dashboard. This provides access to current results.
Link or Image: Used to add text and image links and to specify what should happen
when a user clicks one of the links. For example, you can direct users to another Web
site or dashboard, open documents, launch applications, or perform any other action
that the browser supports. You can also add an image or text without any links.
Text: Used to add plain text or, if allowed at your site, HTML
Folder: Used to add a view of a Catalog folder and its contents. For example, you might
add a folder that contains a collection of saved analyses that you run frequently. Then
from the dashboard, you can open the folder, navigate to a saved analysis, and select it
to run.
Catalog objects comprise anything that you have saved to the catalog, including analyses,
prompts, scorecards, KPIs, dashboard pages, and so forth.
What Can I Add to a Dashboard? (continued)
To add an object to the dashboard page, drag the object from

either the Dashboard Objects or Catalog panes.
Add or delete a page.
Adding Objects to a Dashboard Page

1. A column object is dragged to the Page Layout pane.
2. The Qtrly Rev analysis is dragged to Column 1 of the Page Layout pane.
Note: When you delete an object container, all other objects within that container are deleted
and other columns on the page are automatically resized. If an object is saved in the Catalog,
it is only deleted from the dashboard.
Adding Objects to a Dashboard Page
Options on the Tools toolbar include:

Dashboard Properties
PDF and Print Properties
Page Report Links
Allow Saving Personal Customizations
Publish Page to Dashboard
Dashboard Builder Tools Toolbar Layout
Determine how the dashboard pages and results are formatted

and appear.
1
2
Tools Toolbar: Dashboard Properties

To change the dashboard properties:
1. Click the Tools toolbar drop-down list.
2. Select Dashboard Properties.
3. Make the modifications.
4. Click OK.
In the Dashboard Properties dialog box, you can:
Change the style: Styles control how dashboards and results are formatted for display,
such as the color of text and links, the font and size of text, the borders in tables, the
colors and attributes of graphs, and so on. Styles are organized into folders that contain
Cascading Style Sheets (.css), images, and graph templates. Administrators can
customize some style sheets and create new style sheets.
Skins: Skins control the way the Oracle BI Enterprise Edition interface appears, such as
background colors and corporate logos. Skins can be automatically assigned to users
when they log on. Administrators can customize the default skin and create new skins.
For additional information about skins, refer to Oracle Fusion Middleware System
Administrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g Release 1
(11.1.1).
Style drop-down list
Filters and Variables link

Dashboard Reports Links
Rename, hide,
reorder, set
permissions for,
and delete pages
Dashboard page controls
Tools Toolbar: Dashboard Properties (continued)
Add filters and variables: Use this link to add hidden prompts, filters, and variables.
This will be covered in the lesson titled Creating Dashboard Prompts and Variables.
Specify dashboard report links: Use this dialog box to specify the links that will be
displayed with analyses on a dashboard page. This setting is global for the dashboard
but can be overridden for a dashboard page using the Page Report Links option in the
toolbar. This option is covered in detail later in the lesson. It can also be overridden for
specific analyses.
Rename, hide, reorder, set permissions for, and delete pages.
Specify embedded prompts and default values.
The look of a dashboard, such as background colors and the size of text, is controlled by
cosmetic formatting. Cosmetic formatting affects the visual appearance of results and
dashboards. You can apply cosmetic formatting to results, columns, and sections.
Allows you to specify analysis links
1
2
Dashboard Properties: Dashboard Report Links

You can specify these link settings at the following levels:
Dashboard level: The link settings apply to all analyses in the dashboard, unless customized
settings have been specified for an individual dashboard page or analysis.
Dashboard page level: The link settings apply to all analyses in the dashboard page, unless
customized settings have been specified for particular analyses.
Analysis level: The link settings apply only to the particular analysis.
To specify a report link at the dashboard level:
1. Click the Dashboard Report Links link in the Dashboard Properties dialog box.
2. Select the appropriate check boxes for the analyses.
3. Click OK to return to the Dashboard Properties dialog box.
Dashboard Properties: Dashboard Report Links
Page control toolbar
1
Reorder pages
Dashboard Properties: Dashboard Page Controls

You use this area of the Dashboard Properties dialog box to rename, hide, reorder, set
permissions for, and delete pages, and to specify embedded prompts and default values.
1. Select the page. When the page is selected, the Page control toolbar is enabled. If the
dashboard has more than one page, the reorder icons will be enabled.
2. You can then perform any of the following:
- Click the Rename icon to change the name of your dashboard.
- Click the Filters and Variables icon to add a hidden prompt.
- Click the Permissions icon to add permissions for the dashboard.
- Click the Delete icon to delete the selected page. Dashboard pages are
permanently deleted.
- Click the Specify Who Can Save Shared Customizations or Specify Who Can
Assign Default Customizations icons to grant additional permissions for each
dashboard page.
Dashboard Properties: Dashboard Page Controls
Specify the page settings and header and footer content for the
PDF output when printing a dashboard or a view.
3
2
Specify and
format PDF
header and
footer.
Tools Toolbar: PDF and Print Properties

Dashboards are printed in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, which requires Adobe Reader 6.0 or
higher. Header and footer formatting will appear in HTML and PDF output. The print
selections that you specify apply to PDF output only. If you print the PDF on a local or network
printer, the print selections that you have specified in the browser are in effect, such as the
selection for paper size.
The options include the following:
Paper size includes US letter, A3A5, Folio, and legal
Orientation is standard: landscape or portrait
Print all rows or visible rows.
Header, footer, or both can be included in the PDF format.
To change the print properties:
2. Select PDF and Print Properties.
3. Make your modifications.
4. Click OK.
Tools Toolbar: PDF and Print Properties
Identifies the link options that will appear for each analysis on
the dashboard page
1
2
Tools Toolbar: Page Report Links

Use this option to display the Report Links dialog box, where you specify the links to apply to
all analyses on the dashboard page, unless customized settings have been specified for
particular analyses. Settings made for Page Report links override the wider dashboard level
settings made using the Dashboard Report Links link in the Dashboard Properties dialog box.
Note however, that you can select the Inherit Dashboard Settings to override any page-level
customizations and revert to the dashboard level settings.
To set the report links available for a dashboard page:
2. Select Page Report Links. The Report Links dialog box appears.
3. Make your modifications.
4. Click OK.
Tools Toolbar: Page Report Links
The components of this dialog box include:

Inherit Dashboard Settings: Select this option when you are specifying the link
settings at the dashboard level.
Customize: Select this option to customize the link settings for a particular dashboard
page or analysis. This option is available only when you are specifying the link settings
for a dashboard page or an analysis.
Add to Briefing Book: This option adds a link that allows the user to add the analysis
to a Briefing Book.
Analyze: This option adds a link that allows the user to view (in a new browser window)
the KPI, analysis, and so on. Formatting, such as stoplight or threshold, appears as well.
Copy: This option adds a link that allows the user to copy the analysis to Microsoft
Office applications. This option is only available to those users who have been granted
the Access to Oracle BI Office Add-In privilege by the Administrator.
Edit: This option adds a link that allows the user to modify the analysis.
Export: This option adds a link that allows the user to download in various formats, such
as Excel.
Print: This option adds a link that allows the user to print the analysis in HTML or PDF
formats.
Refresh: This option adds a link that allows the user to refresh the analysis.
Tools Toolbar: Page Report Links (continued)
Saved customizations allow users to save and view

dashboard pages with their most frequently used or
favorite choices.
Examples: filters, prompts, column sorts
Preselect and save filters and prompts, without having
to manually choose these selections each time.
1
Tools Toolbar: Allow Saving Personal Customizations

Saved customizations allow users to save and view dashboard pages with their most
frequently used or favorite choices for items such as filters, prompts, column sorts, drills in
analyses, and so forth. They can preselect and save filters and prompts, without having to
manually choose these selections each time they access the dashboard page.
Users with the proper permissions can:
Save various combinations of choices for their personal use or for use by others
Specify which saved customization is the default view, for their personal use or use by
others
To allow a user to save a personal customized view of the dashboard page:
2. Select Allow Saving Personal Customizations.
Tools Toolbar: Allow Saving

Personal Customizations
Publish a dashboard to share the page.

1
Tools Toolbar: Publishing Dashboard Pages

You can publish the current dashboard page to a shared dashboard location so that you can
share the page with others. When you publish a dashboard page:
Personal content (such as analyses, prompts, and so on) is copied to a destination
location that you specify and references updated as appropriate
References to shared content are retained
If you have made changes to the page but have not saved them, then the unsaved
changes are published along with the saved changes
To publish a dashboard:
2. Select Publish Page to Dashboard.
3. Click Browse to navigate to the location where you will store the dashboard page.
4. Click OK to save the dashboard page.
Tools Toolbar: Publishing Dashboard Pages
3
Exploring Dashboard Object Properties

To edit an objects properties:
1. Click the Properties icon.
2. Select an option from the Properties menu.
3. Make your modifications and click OK.
It should be noted that the Properties menu (item 2 in the slide) will vary depending upon the
specific type of object. In the example in the slide, many options are available for the analysis.
Step 3 is the Report Links dialog box, invoked by selecting the Report Links option in the
Quarterly Rev by Product analysis properties dialog box. Notice that at the object level,
instead of inheriting the report link settings for the entire dashboard, you have the option to
inherit the page-level settings using the Inherit Page Settings option.
Select the Inherit Page Settings option to specify that the link settings for the dashboard page
are to be used. This option is available only when you are specifying the link settings at the
analysis level.
Column and section properties are discussed in this lesson. Other property items will be
explored in the lesson titled Configuring Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards.
Exploring Dashboard Object Properties
Used to align content on a dashboard, columns can also be

formatted in detail.
Exploring Column Properties

Columns are used to align content on a dashboard (sections within columns hold the actual
content). You can create as many columns on a dashboard page as you need. Every new
dashboard page automatically contains one empty column with one empty section.
You click the columns Properties button to open the Column Properties dialog box. Along
with typical formatting options, you can add or remove columns and set the width either in
pixels or as a percentage of the dashboard page.
To edit a columns properties:
1. In the Page Layout pane, click the Column Properties icon and select Column
Properties from the menu.
2. You change the appearance of the cells, border, width, height, and so on, using this
dialog box. You can also apply a custom style sheet. Make your modifications.
3. Click OK.
Exploring Column Properties
Appear in columns in the dashboard layout

Hold content dragged from the selection pane and are used
to organize content in a column
Align section vertically
or horizontally.
1
2
Add a condition to
the section.
Exploring Section Properties

Sections appear within columns in the dashboard layout. They hold the content dragged from
the selection pane and are used to organize content within a column.
You can drag as many sections as you need to a column. If you drag content to a column
without first adding a section to hold the content, a section is created automatically. If you
drag a section from one column to another column, any content in that section is also moved.
To edit section properties:
1. In the Page Layout pane, click the Section Properties icon.
2. Select an option from the Section Properties menu.
Section Properties contains the following options:
Condition: Use this option to display the Section Condition dialog box. The Section
Condition dialog box specifies the condition or filter that drives the delivery of section
content to the dashboard.
Rename and format the

heading for the section.
Format the section.
Exploring Section Properties (continued)
Format Section: Use this option to display the Section Properties dialog box, where
you specify the properties for the section, such as cell alignment and border color.
Rename: Use this option to display the Rename dialog box, which allows you to rename
the section.
Drill in Place: Use this option to specify how the results appear when a user drills in an
analysis. If the option is selected, the original analysis is replaced when the user drills
(the section will automatically resize to fit the new analysis). If the option is not selected,
the entire dashboard content is replaced. Use this option for prompts that are created for
hierarchical columns.
Note: You can use the Back button of the browser to view the original analysis.
Collapsible: Use this option to specify whether the user can expand and collapse this
section on a dashboard page or whether the section is always expanded. If the
Collapsible option is selected, you can expand and collapse the section.
Show Section Header: Use this option to specify whether to display the header for the
section, which initially includes the title of the section. You can hide the title using the
Show Section Title option.
Show Section Title: Use this option to specify whether to display the title of the section.
Default alignment for objects in sections is vertical.

1
Exploring Section Properties: Arranging Sections Horizontally

To arrange objects in a section horizontally:
Hover over the upper-right corner of the specific section until the Section toolbar
appears, and then click the horizontal alignment icon.
To align the section vertically once again, repeat the process but click the vertical
alignment icon this time.
Exploring Section Properties: Arranging

Sections Horizontally
Exploring Section Properties: Controlling the Drilldown Display

This option is set at the section level, which means that it applies to all drillable reports in the
section. Users can click the browsers Back button to return to the original report or the
dashboard.
When users drill down on an embedded analysis, there are two options for displaying results:
Directly in the dashboard (replacing the original analysis)
In a new window (replacing the entire dashboard)
To control how results display when a user drills:
1. Click the Properties toolbar for the section and select the Drill in Place option:
- To show the new results directly in the dashboard, select the Drill in Place option.
A check mark appears next to this option when it is selected. This is the default
behavior.
- To replace the dashboard with the new results, ensure the check mark does not
appear in front of the Drill in Place option.
2. When you run the dashboard with the corresponding analyses, a link will appear
beneath the columns on which you can drill. Click the link to drill down on the analysis.
Exploring Section Properties: Controlling

the Drilldown Display
Conditions: Objects that return a single Boolean (true or

false) value based on evaluation of an analysis or Key
Performance Indicator (KPI)
Evaluation dependency:
Analysis is dependent upon row count.
KPIs are dependent upon status or thresholds.
You use conditions to determine whether:
Agents deliver their content and execute their actions
Action links appear on dashboard pages
Sections in dashboards and their content appear on
the dashboard
Section Properties: Conditions

For example, a condition might evaluate whether an analysis returns a number of rows
greater than zero:
If the analysis returns at least one row, then the condition evaluates to true.
If the analysis does not return any rows, then the condition evaluates to false.
Two types of conditions:

Named: Saved in the Catalog as an object and can be
reused
Inline: Created at the point of use and saved as part of
the dashboard, agent, or KPI
Conditions consist of the following elements:
An analysis or KPI
A value to use when applying the condition (either the
number of rows or KPI status or threshold)
An operator that determines how the value is applied
Values for any condition parameters
Section Properties: Conditions (continued)

Because inline conditions are saved as part of the dashboard, KPI, or agent, when one of
these objects is deleted, the condition is also deleted, simplifying Catalog management.
Condition parameters are values that are used in the evaluation of an analysis or KPI as
follows:
For an analysis, the condition parameters correspond to any prompted filter values that
the analysis contains. (A prompted filter is a filter whose operator is set to is
prompted.)
For a KPI, the condition parameters correspond to KPI property values.
When you create or edit a condition, you can:

Specify values for the condition parameters (if any)
Specify whether a parameter is fixed or hidden:
- A fixed parameter can be seen, but its value cannot be set by a user.
- A hidden parameter cannot be seen and its value cannot be set by a user.
1
2
4
5
Section Properties: Adding an Inline Condition for an Analysis

You can use a condition to determine if a section should appear on a dashboard page.
1. Click the Section Properties icon in the Page Layout pane.
2. Select Condition from the Properties menu. The Section Condition dialog box appears.
3. Click the New Condition icon to add an inline condition for an analysis.
4. From the Create condition based on drop-down list in the New Condition dialog box,
select Analysis and click Browse to locate the analysis on which to base this condition.
5. Navigate through the catalog to locate the analysis and click OK.
Section Properties: Adding an Inline

Condition for an Analysis
9
Section Properties: Adding an Inline Condition for an Analysis (continued)

6. Set your condition to a meaningful value. (You can click the Condition Data icon to view
the analysis in a new browser.)
7. Click Test to evaluate your filter.
8. Click OK.
9. The Section Condition dialog box appears with the condition specified. Click OK, and
then save and run the dashboard.
When the inline condition is set for this specific section and the evaluation is true (that is, if
there are more than 15 rows), the Region Supplier analysis appears on the dashboard page
in the appropriate section.

Condition for an Analysis
1
2
4
5
Section Properties: Adding an Inline Condition for a KPI

1.
2.
3.
4.
Click the Section Properties icon in the Page Layout pane.

Select Condition from the Properties menu. The Section Condition dialog box appears.
Click the New Condition icon to add an inline condition for a KPI.
From the Create condition based on drop-down list, select KPI and click Browse to
locate the KPI on which to base this condition.
5. Navigate through the catalog to locate the KPI, select the KPI, and click OK.

Condition for a KPI
6
7
9
Section Properties: Adding an Inline Condition for a KPI (continued)

6. Choose a value for the Dimension or accept the default originally set up. (You can click
the Condition Data icon to view the KPI in a new browser.)
7. Choose a condition from the Condition true if KPI drop-down list.
8. Click Test to evaluate your condition.
9. Click OK.

Condition for a KPI
10
Section Properties: Adding an Inline Condition for a KPI (continued)

10. The Section Condition dialog box appears with the condition specified. Click OK.
Note: The edit condition icon (two right-facing arrows) allows you to test, edit, or delete
an inline condition, or create a named condition.
11. Save and run the dashboard page.
The KPI evaluates to true, therefore the section and analysis appear on the dashboard
page.

Condition for a KPI
Section Properties: Adding a Named Condition

2. Select Condition from the Properties menu. The Section Condition dialog box appears.
3. Click the Select Condition icon to browse for an existing named condition stored in the
Catalog.
4. Navigate the Catalog to locate the named condition. Select the named condition and
click OK.
Section Properties: Adding a Named Condition (continued)

5. Click OK in the Select Condition Dialog box, and then save and run the dashboard
page.
The dashboard page appears with the analysis. The named condition allows the analysis to
appear on the dashboard page when the row count exceeds 15.
Format the
section.
1
2
5
6
Formatted
Section Heading
Section Properties: Renaming a Section

2. Select Rename from the Properties menu. The Rename dialog box appears.
3. Click the Format Section Heading icon to modify the appearance of the header in the
Section Heading Properties dialog box.
4. Click OK to save your changes and close the Section Heading Properties dialog box.
5. Give the section a relevant name and click OK.
6. Verify your changes.
You can also perform similar formatting to the section itself using the Format Section option of
the Properties menu.
Section Properties: Formatting and Renaming
Dashboard Page
Options toolbar
Global Header
Miscellaneous Dashboard Page Functionality

The dashboard Page Options toolbar contains the following:
Print
Refresh
Add To Briefing Book
Create Bookmark Link
Create Prompted Link
Apply Saved Customization
Save Current Customization
Edit Saved Customizations
Clear My Customization
The Global Header Signed In As functionality contains My Account preferences and the Act
As surrogate option. The Act As option must be enabled by your administrator to be visible in
the drop-down list. Refer to Oracle Fusion Middleware User's Guide for Oracle Business
Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g Release 1 (11.1.1) for additional information.
Miscellaneous Dashboard Page Functionality
Create a customized view.

1
2
3
This customization includes
a filter for region and year.
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Personal Customizations

To create a personal, customized view of the dashboard page:
1. From the dashboard link on Global Header, select your dashboard.
2. When the dashboard appears, set your prompts and any other customizations.
3. Select Save Current Customization from the Page Options toolbar.
4. Enter a Name for the customization, select the Me option button in the Save for section
or allow others to use your customization by selecting Others and clicking Set
Permissions. You can also make this your default page by selecting the corresponding
check box. Click OK to save the customization for later use.
Note: From the Page Options toolbar, you can apply, edit, or clear existing customizations.
When you use the Apply option, a list of customizations appears. Your personal saved
customizations appear at the beginning of the list, whereas shared, saved customizations are
listed next. Your current default customization is shown in bold type.
Page Options Toolbar: Creating

Personal Customizations
Set permissions for others to use a customization.
4
2
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Shared Customizations

To set permissions for others to use customizations:
1. Select the Others option and click Set Permissions.
2. When the Saved Customization Permissions and Defaults dialog box appears, click Add
Users/Groups.
3. When the Add Groups dialog box appears, enter a partial or full Name in the search text
box or click the Search for users and groups icon, select All from the List drop-down list
and click Search.
4. Select the accounts that will have access to this customization and use the shuttle
buttons (Move or Move All) to move these accounts from the Available Groups pane to
the Selected Groups pane on the right, and click OK.
5. You can set this as the default dashboard page for these accounts, by selecting Group
Default in the Saved Customization Permissions and Defaults dialog box. Click OK twice
again to save the customization.
Page Options Toolbar: Creating

Shared Customizations
Shortcut links to a dashboard page:

Can be emailed to other users with appropriate permissions
and access
Facilitate sharing of dashboard content among users
Two types:
Bookmark link: Captures the path to a dashboard page and
all aspects of the page state
Prompted link: Captures the path to a dashboard page and a
simplified presentation of the dashboard prompts
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Links to Dashboard Pages

There are two types of links that you can create: bookmark and prompted.
Bookmark link: A bookmark link captures the path to a dashboard page and all aspects of
the page state. After you create a bookmark link, you can save the link as a bookmark so that
you can return to the same page content at a later time, or you can copy and send the link to
other users who can then view the same content that you are viewing (Note: They must have
the same permissions that you have and must have access to the page). When you create a
bookmark link, the state of a dashboard page is saved in the Catalog as a hidden bookmark
object for a period of time specified by your site (the default is 30 days).
Prompted link: When you create a prompted link, you can manually or programmatically
manipulate the link, for example, by adding different values for the prompts. For example:
...Action=Navigate&col1=Products.Color&val1="Armory"+"Clear"&col2=Pe
riods."Month op2=gt&val2="05/01/2008%2012:00:00%20AM
The prompted link syntax is as follows:
Action=Navigate, Column1 (col1), Operator1 (op1), Values1 (val1),
Column2 (col2), Operator2 (op2), Values2 (val2)
Use the same operators as those for the Go URL. For a list of these operators, refer to Oracle
Fusion Middleware Developers Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g
Release 1 (11.1.1).
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Links

to Dashboard Pages
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Links to Dashboard Pages (continued)

To create a bookmark link:
1. Select Create Bookmark Link from the Page Options toolbar.
2. The bookmark link is placed in the Address Bar of your browser, where you can modify,
save, or manipulate it.
Note: To create a Prompted Link, select the Create Prompted Link option from the Page
Options toolbar and then programmatically or manually manipulate the link.
Page Options Toolbar: Creating Links

to Dashboard Pages
2
3
4
5
Page Options Toolbar: Adding Content to a Briefing Book

A briefing book is a collection of static or updatable snapshots of dashboard pages, individual
analyses, and BI Publisher reports.
To add the dashboard page content to a Briefing Book:
1. Select Add to Briefing Book from the Page Options toolbar.
2. Select the Content Type. If you want the Briefing Book content to remain static, select
Snapshot; otherwise select Updatable.
3. Provide Briefing Book navigation links, if you so choose (and identify the location for this
link through the Browse capability).
4. Click OK.
5. A confirmation message appears. Click OK.
Page Options Toolbar: Adding Content

to a Briefing Book
In this lesson, you should have learned how to:

Distinguish the differences between different types of
dashboard objects
Build a dashboard
Summary
This practice covers the following topics:

Creating a dashboard page
Adding content to the page
Practice 10: Overview
This quiz examines your knowledge of dashboards.
Quiz: Overview
In this quiz, you answer questions regarding dashboards.
Quiz: Overview
Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards display results of

analyses to users and provide two types of views for corporate
and external information that include personalized and
preconfigured.
a. True
b. False
Answer: a
Quiz
Dashboard Builder allows you to add dashboard pages and

catalog objects to a dashboard.
a. True
b. False
Answer: a
Quiz
Which of the following objects can be added to a dashboard

when using Dashboard Builder?
a. Column
b. Section
c. Analysis
d. Folder
Answer: a, b, c, d
Other objects that can be added to a dashboard include alert sections, action links, action link
menus, links or images, text, catalog objects, and so on.
Quiz
A named condition is created at the point of use and can be

reused by other dashboard pages.
a. True
b. False
Answer: b
A named condition is saved in the Catalog and can be reused; whereas an inline condition is
created at the point of use and saved as part of the dashboard.
Quiz
You can customize your dashboard and share it with everyone

in your organization.
a. True
b. False
Answer: b
Although you can create a customized dashboard, you can only share it with those business
users who have the same or more privileges than you.
Quiz
Which of the following options are available within the

Dashboard Builder Tools toolbar?
a. Allow saving personal customizations
b. PDF printing
c. Publishing the dashboard page
d. Setting preferences for your default dashboard page
Answer: a, b, c
Setting preferences for your default dashboard page is available on the Global Header.
Quiz
Configuring Oracle Business

Intelligence Dashboards
After completing this lesson, you should be able to describe

and use dashboard content other than analyses.
Objectives
Alert Section
Action Link
Action Link Menu
Link or Image
Embedded Content
Text
Folder
Dashboard Objects
Alerts can be sent to a dashboard page and allow proactive

response to business issues.
Alert links on
Home page
Click the Alert link to
review the alert detail.
Alert Section
An Intelligent Agent (or Agent) allows you to access, filter, and perform analytics on data
based upon defined criteria. The Alerts section is one in which you display Alerts from Agents.
Agents allow you to provide proactive delivery of real-time, personalized, and actionable
intelligence throughout the business network. Agents are discussed in greater detail in the
lesson titled, Using Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers.
On the My Dashboard page, an Alerts section is added automatically to the first page (if you
do not manually place one there). You cannot disable the appearance of an Alerts section on
the first page of My Dashboard, but you can add an Alerts section to an additional dashboard
page, enabling the section to appear on both dashboard pages.
You can see the alerts that have been delivered to you in the following places:
On the first page of My Dashboard
On a dashboard page, if the content author adds an Alerts section to the page
In the Alerts dialog displayed from the Alerts! button on the global header.
Alerts are discussed in detail in the lesson titled, Using Oracle Business Intelligence
Delivers.
Alert Section
Add a hotspot or link to execute an action

Available types of action links include the following:
URL Navigation
Web Service Action
Java Action
Browser Script Action
Server URL Action
Server Script Action
BI Navigation
Chained Agent
ADF Contextual
Event Action
Available Actions from

the dashboard
Static action link
Action Link and Action Link Menu

Action Links allow you to click a hotspot on a graph or gauge (such as a legend item or a bar
in a bar graph) and then select an action link to execute an action, such as navigating to a
saved analysis or invoking an Enterprise Java Bean (EJB). Action links can be embedded in
an analysis, dashboard page, agent, or KPI.
Action links that have been added to analyses appear in Table, Pivot Table, Graph, Funnel,
and Gauge views.
On a dashboard page and within an analysis, you can group multiple action links together in
an action link menu. An action link menu lets users choose the right action to be executed,
based on the business insight they have gained from information on their dashboard page.
Additionally, you can conditionally show each action link on an action link menu, depending
on the data in the row. This allows you to show the appropriate actions to users for the data in
an analysis, dashboard page, or KPI.
Action Link and Action Link Menu
Action links can be either:

Named
Saved in Catalog
Reused in analyses, dashboard pages, Agents, and KPIs, or as a template to create
another named action
Types: URL Navigation, Web Service Action, Java Action, Browser Script Action, and
Server URL Action
Inline
Defined at point of use
Not saved in Catalog
Saved as part of the analysis, dashboard page, Agent, or KPI
Automatically deleted when the analysis, dashboard page, Agent, or KPI is deleted
Types: Server Script Action, BI Navigation, and Chained Agent
Action Link and Action Link Menu (continued)
Links and images can be placed on a dashboard page.
Link text
Graphic file
Link or Image
The example in the slide shows the result of adding a link and an image to a dashboard.
Link or Image
Access content when users click a link or image

Provide lists of choices
Are used for content that cannot be displayed in a frame
Example: Some Web sites prohibit content from appearing in
a frame.
Link text
Path to content
Path to image file
and placement
Link or Image (continued)

A link is defined as any URL that your browser can interpret. URLs can point to Web sites,
documents, images, FTP sites, newsgroups, email forms (to launch an email message with
the To field already filled in), and so on.
You can add text links and image links to a dashboard and specify what happens when a user
clicks them. For example, you can direct users to another Web site or dashboard, open
documents, launch applications, or perform any other action that your browser supports. You
can also add an image or text only, without any links.
It is recommended that the Presentation Server Administrator set up a virtual directory
(named \DashboardFiles) on the Oracle BI Presentation Server for shared documents that
maps to a shared network directory of the same name. This enables users with the
appropriate permissions to publish files to this folder and reference these files by their relative
URL names rather than by their fully qualified network share names.
Example
\DashboardFiles\AnnualReport.doc
instead of
\\SharedServer\CommonShare\DashboardFiles\AnnualReport.doc)
Link or Image
Embedded content can be any file that is accessed

by a URL.
The dashboard allocates frame size based on content
properties, not on the contents dimensions.
Default frame size is 600 440 pixels.
The dashboard adds scroll bars to the frame if the content

is larger than the allocated frame size.
Path to content
Embedded Content
Embedded content is any content that appears in a window (named a frame) inside the
dashboard, as opposed to content that is accessed by clicking a link. Content that you might
want to embed includes reports, Excel charts, documents, Web sites, tickers from Web sites,
and so on.
Reports are embedded by default. Embedding a report in a dashboard causes the report to
execute automatically and display its results in the dashboard, thereby providing access to
current results. When you embed content in a dashboard, Oracle BI automatically adds the
required HTML to the target content.
The default size of the window is 600 pixels by 440 pixels. You can change the size of the
window to make it larger or smaller. To accept the default, leave the width and height fields
empty.
Embedded Content
Can contain formatted text

using tags, ActiveX
controls, Java scripts,
sound bites, animation,
and so on
Can contain anything that
is supported by your
browser
Text
You can add HTML (formatted text), ActiveX controls, Java scripts, sound bites, animation, a
background image, variables, and so on. The name you assign in the Dashboard Builder is
the name that is used for the Text object in the Oracle BI Presentation Catalog. The Text
object may contain anything that is supported by your browser.
1. Click the formatting buttons to insert common HTML tags. Select the Contains HTML
Markup option if your text should be interpreted as HTML.
2. Click Preview to view the results.
Text
ActiveX objects must be self-contained.

Paste or type the object into the Text window.
Ensure that you include the beginning and ending tags
<object...> and </object>.
Text: ActiveX
Examples are available in the online Help. These ActiveX objects give you browser-supported
functionality for your dashboards.
Text: ActiveX
JavaScript and VBscript objects must be self-contained.

Paste or type the script into the Text window.
Ensure that you include the beginning and ending tags
<script> and </script>.
Text: Scripts
Examples are available in the online Help. Scripting objects give you browser-supported
functionality for your dashboards.
Text: Scripts
Audio clips must be located on a network drive that is

accessible to all users if it is in shared environment.
Use the HTML <embed> tag to add audio to your dashboard.
Example:
<embed src="audio" autostart="true"
loop="true" hidden="true"> </embed>
Where audio is the location and name of the audio clip on a

network drive
Text: Audio
The following HTML tags are examples of the <embed> tag:
To add an audio clip located on your hard drive, specify the following HTML:
<embed src=c:\mycomputer\midifiles\wakeup.mid autostart=true
loop="true" hidden="true"></embed>
To add the same audio clip from a shared location on your Oracle BI Presentation
Server, specify the following HTML:
<embed src="/dashboardfiles/wakeup.mid" autostart=true
loop="true" hidden="true"></embed>
Text: Audio
Provides the ability to view an Oracle BI Presentation Catalog

folder and its contents (such as saved analyses)
Browse to locate
Catalog folder.
Select folder properties.
Automatically expand folder

contents when displayed
Display an
XML RSS link.
XML RSS link
Folder
You can add a view of an Oracle BI Presentation Catalog folder and its contents (such as
saved analyses) to an Interactive Dashboard. For example, suppose that you have a
collection of saved analyses that you run often. You can open the folder in the dashboard,
navigate to a saved analysis, and click to run it.
Note: If you have nested folders more than one level deep, the Expand option shows only
one level under the selected folder.
Select the Show RSS Link option if you want to display a link for RSS (Really Simple
Syndication) content in the specified folder. If this option is selected, an XML button appears
with the folder in the dashboard. Users can enter the associated link into RSS reader software
to subscribe to XML feeds of new catalog content as it is saved in the specified folder. RSS
readers are used by clients to subscribe to RSS data.
Note: RSS is a family of Web-feed formats. Programs known as feed readers or aggregators
can check a list of feeds on behalf of a user and display any updated articles that they find.
Folder
In this lesson, you should have learned how to describe and

use dashboard content other than analyses.
Summary
This practice covers embedding content in a dashboard.
This quiz examines your knowledge of dashboard content.
Quiz: Overview
In this quiz, you answer questions regarding the various types of dashboard content.
Quiz: Overview
Dashboard objects can include which of the following?

a. Embedded content
b. Folders
c. Text
d. Dashboard prompts
Answer: a, b, c, d
Additionally, you can also include Alert sections, Action links, and Action link menus.
Quiz
Creating Dashboard
Prompts and Variables

Explain the different variable types supported by Oracle BI
Describe and build dashboard prompts
Objectives
Variables are referenced throughout different BI EE objects,

tools, and editors, and are available in four types:
Session
Repository
Presentation
Request
Variables
You can reference variables in a number of different Oracle BI objects, including analyses,
dashboards, Key Performance Indicators, filters, agents, and conditions.
Variables
Session variables are initialized upon sign-in for all

authenticated users.
Upon sign-in, the BI Server instantiates the session variable.
One instance per user active on the system
Two types:
System
Use reserved names

Are used by Oracle BI Server and Presentation Services
Nonsystem
Created by administrator in the BI repository using

Administration Tool
DISPLAYNAME system
Has a unique name
session variable
Session Variables
Session variables are initialized for each user upon sign-in. When a user begins a session,
the BI Server creates a new instance of a session variable and initializes it. There are as
many instances of a session variable as there are active sessions on the server, each
possibly with its own value. Session variables are primarily used when authenticating users
against external sources such as database tables or LDAP servers. If a user is authenticated
successfully, session variables can be used to set filters and permissions for that session.
An example of the use of a system session variable is the DISPLAYNAME variable. Upon signin, this variable is initialized for the user, and then referenced when creating the Owner
designation for objects saved to the Presentation Catalog, and also displayed as the current
user in Presentation Services. For a complete list of the system session variables employed
by Oracle BI, refer to the Metadata Repository Builder's Guide for Oracle Business
Intelligence Enterprise Edition.
Session Variables
Have a single value on the BI Server at any time

Created by administrator in the BI repository using
Administration Tool
Two types:
Static
Value is set in the Administration Tool.

Value persists until it is updated in the repository.
Dynamic
They can be refreshed by data returned from queries.

Refresh can be scheduled on the BI Server.
Repository Variables
Repository variables can be used to hold constant values and also used in expressions to
allow easy update. Without using variables, the values are hard coded in the repository
metadata. For more information about creating and using repository variables, see the Oracle
BI 11g R1: Build Repositories course.
Repository Variables
Presentation variables are created in Presentation

Services using dashboard prompts.
Can be assigned default values
Updated when a user selects a value in a dashboard prompt
Can be based either on a column in an analysis or on specified

values
Presentation Variables
The value of a presentation variable is populated by the column or variable prompt with which
it was created. Each time a user selects a value in the column or variable prompt in a
dashboard, the value of the presentation variable is updated.
Presentation Variables
Request variables override specified session variables.

Update specified session variable based on a dashboard
prompt.
Override duration is the life of the specific analysis/query.
Request Variables
Request variables are similar to presentation variables.
Request Variables
Variables can be used in the following objects and

contexts:
Analyses and their views

Conditional formats
Column formulas
Filters and selections
Dashboard:
Object headers and footers

Links, images, and text
Available in the following analysis views: Title, Narrative,

Ticker, Static Text, Graph, Gauge
Referencing Variables
The syntax for referencing variables includes the following:
@{variables.<variableName>}{<default value>}[format]
Examples:
- @{variables.myFavoriteRegion}{Central}
- @{myFavoriteRegion}{CENTRAL REGION}
Referencing Variables
Filter the results of embedded analyses to show only those

results that match the prompt criteria
Filter all analyses embedded in a dashboard or only the
analyses on certain dashboard pages
Set or update variables:

Presentation variables are populated by prompts.
Repository and session variables can be overwritten by
prompts.
Four types of prompts:
Column
Currency
Image
Variable
Dashboard Prompts
A dashboard prompt is a special kind of filter that filters analyses embedded in a dashboard.
A dashboard prompt filters embedded analyses that contain the same columns as the filter.
The prompt is created at the dashboard level and is called a named prompt because the
prompt is created outside of a specific dashboard and stored in the catalog as a prompt
object, which can then be applied to any dashboard or dashboard page that contains the
columns, which are specified in the prompt. It can filter one or any number of analyses
embedded on the same dashboard page. You can create and save these named prompts to a
private folder or a shared folder.
A named prompt is interactive and will always appear on the dashboard page so that the user
can prompt for different values without having to rerun the dashboard.
Dashboard Prompts
Two types of column prompts:

Named:
Created outside of a specific dashboard and saved in the
Catalog as a Prompt object for reuse
Can be applied against any dashboard or dashboard page
that contains the specified column
Filters all or some analyses embedded on the same
dashboard page
Appears on the dashboard page. Therefore, you can choose
different values for the prompt without rerunning the
dashboard.
Can be saved to a private or shared folder
Inline: Column prompt created at the analysis level in the

Analysis Editor.
Dashboard Prompts: Column Prompts

Named prompts: Named prompts can also be hidden. At run time, the hidden named
prompts set the default values for all of the corresponding prompts on the dashboard or
dashboard page and the unprotected inline prompts that are located in the analyses on the
dashboard or dashboard page.
A named column dashboard prompt can also interact with selection steps. You can specify a
dashboard prompt to override a specific selection step. The step will be processed against the
dashboard column with the user-specified data values collected by the dashboard column
prompt, whereas all other steps will be processed as originally specified.
Review: Inline prompts, covered in the lesson titled Limiting and Grouping Data in Analyses,
are embedded in an analysis and are not stored in the Catalog for reuse. An Inline prompt
provides general filtering of a column within the analysis, and depending on how it is
configured, can work independently from a dashboard filter, which determines values for all
matching columns on the dashboard. An inline prompt is an initial prompt. When the user
selects the prompt value, the prompt field disappears from the analysis. To select different
prompt values, the user must rerun the analysis. The user's choices determine the content of
the analyses embedded in the dashboard.
Dashboard Prompts: Column Prompts
Currency:
Allows the user to change the currency type that appears in
the currency columns on an analysis or dashboard
Specified in the My Account settings
Image:
Provides an image with sections that users click to select
criteria (specific prompt value) for an analysis or dashboard
Image map definitions created using HTML <map> tag
Variable:
Allows the user to select a relevant name or value to display
on the dashboard that is not associated with a specific
column
Sets or updates variables
Dashboard Prompts: Other Prompts

Currency prompt: The Currency prompt option is available only if the administrator has
configured the userpref_currencies.xml file as described in the Oracle Fusion
Middleware System Administrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition
11g Release 1 (11.1.1). This file is located in the Oracle BI Presentation Services Component
directory. It should also be noted that currency and exchange rate tables must also be
configured for the currency prompt to work properly.
Image prompt example: An image prompt can be a map of the United States with sections
that represent the North, South, East, West, and Central sales divisions. Users can then click
the divisions that correspond to the sales information that they want to view on the dashboard.
Variable prompt: A variable prompt allows the user to select a value that is specified in the
variable prompt to display on the dashboard or to use in manipulating column data. For
example, a prompt can populate a variable which is used to add or multiply the column data in
an analysis.
Dashboard Prompts: Other Prompts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Create a new named column prompt.

Select the prompt type.
Select the subject area and column.
Select the operator and other options.
Save the prompt.
Preview the prompt.
Add the prompt to a dashboard.
Set the scope for the prompt.
Test the results.
Adding a Named Column Prompt to a Dashboard
To add a named column prompt to a

dashboard, click New > Dashboard
Prompt and select the subject area.
1. Create a New Named Column Prompt
Next, click the Add icon and select Column Prompt from the
drop-down list.
Add a new prompt.
Preview the prompt

in the Display pane.
2. Select the Prompt Type

The Definition pane allows you to add, organize, and manage a prompts columns. You can
use column prompts, image prompts (maps), currency prompts, and variable prompts. The
Definition table lets you view high-level information about the prompts columns. You can also
use this table to select columns for editing or deleting, arrange the order in which the prompts
appear to the user, or insert row or column breaks between prompt items.
The Display pane allows you to view the prompts layout and design.
Select the subject area and column and

then click OK.
3. Select the Subject Area and Column

The selected column corresponds to the filter created on the analyses. The prompt drives the
content displayed when the user enters a value from the dashboard.
You can add and remove subject areas for selection or search for items using this dialog box.
Click the appropriate icon in the upper-right column.
The number of prompted columns can affect performance. Use care to prompt only for
necessary columns.
3. Select the Subject Area and Column
1. Enter a label for the prompt.

2. Choose the operator.
1
2
3
Constrain values
for the prompt.
3. Indicate how you want the

choices to appear on the
dashboard page in User Input.
4. Click OK.
4. Select the Operator and Other Options

You use the New/Edit Prompt dialog box to select options for the prompt, label the prompt,
choose defaults, and so on.
The Prompt for Column item is for variable prompts only.
The Label text box allows you to enter a meaningful label that appears on the dashboard next
to the prompt.
The Description item allows you to display a tool tip to the end user when they move the
cursor over the item.
The User Input drop-down list appears for column and variable prompts and provides you with
the option to determine the User Input methodthat is, the user will see one of the following:
check boxes, radio buttons, a choice list, or a list box. You use this item in conjunction with
the Choice List Values item to specify which data values appear for selection. For example, if
you selected the User Input method of Choice List and the Choice List Values item of All
Column Values, the user will select the prompts data value from a list that contains all of the
data values contained in the data source.
The following should be noted for the Choice List Values item:
For attribute and measures column, all Choice List Values are available.
For double columns, the choice list contains the display value and the ID value for each
column value. For example, if a column value has a display value of East and an ID
value of 1, then East(1) appears in the list.
The Options section provides you with the opportunity to constrain values available for
selection based on a previous prompt. The Options section contains the following detail:
Choice List ValuesThis options includes:
- All Column Values (Choose from a list that contains all existing values or members
for the prompt.)
- Custom Values (Choose from a list of prompt values that you create.)
- Specific Column Values (For attribute and measure columns, users choose from a
preselected list of values, whereas for hierarchical columns, the user chooses from
a preselected list of members within the hierarchy.)
- SQL Results (Choose from a list of values specified through a SQL statement.)
- Members of Groups (Choose from a list of members associated with the group.
Not available for hierarchical columns. Available only for the operator value of is
equal to/is in or is not equal to/or in.)
-
All Column Values and Specific Groups (Choose from a list of all column values
and preselected groups. Available only for the operator value of is equal to/is
in or is not equal to/or in.)
Select Values or Clear Values icons (not shown) appear when Custom Values,
Specific Column Values, Members of Groups, or All Column Values and
Specific Groups is selected. The Select Values icon presents a list of values to
the user and is useful to provide a limited, intuitive list of choices. The Clear
Values icon removes all groups and selected values.
SQL Statement item (not shown) appears when SQL Results is chosen. You use
this item to create or edit a SQL statement.
Include All Choices choice list item (not shown) appears when you select the
Radio Button User Input method.
Limit Values by: Use this to select an existing prompt column to limit the values that
appear in the select list for the prompt column being created. Appears when Check
Box, Choice List, List Box, or Radio Buttons is chosen for the User Input
method. This limits the values by constraining the column.
Enable user to select multiple values (Use this check box to select an existing prompt
column to limit the values that appear in the select list for the prompt column being
created. Appears when Check Box, Choice List, List Box, or Radio Buttons is
chosen for the User Input method.)
Enable user to type values (Use this check box to allow user entry into the selection
field. Available when Choice List is chosen for the User Input method.)
4. Select the Operator and Other Options (continued)
Require user input (Use this check box to make the prompt required.)
Slider Values (For numeric column data only. Use this item to specify the prompt
values and value ranges that appear on the slider. When the User Input method is
Slider, the Options section contains Slider Values rather than Choice List Values, as
well as various other check boxes related to a Slider. Specifically, you can enter an
upper and lower limit for the values, show a spinbox that allows the user to click arrows
for slider value selection, compress values to remove trailing zeroes in thousands and
millions, choose slider orientation [horizontal or vertical], choose where the label for the
slider appears, and choose the slider size [small, medium, or large].)
Default selection (Use this item to specify the initial value displayed to the user). Values
include the following:
- None (Nothing specified as an initial default value)
- Specific Values (Preselected values from the prompt list that Oracle BI generates
based on the option selected in Choice List Values)
- All Column Values (Specifies the All Choices default value)
- Variable Expression (Specifies a string as a default value)
- Server Variable (Specifies a session or repository variable as the default. When
using a session variable, prefix the name with NQ_SESSION. Note that if a request
variable exists with the same name as the session variable, the value of the
request variable is used instead of the value of the session variable.)
- SQL Results (Specifies a SQL statement to generate a list of values. On a double
column, prompting occurs on display values, not code values.)
- Set a variable (Use this to create a new variable that this column prompt will
populate.)
Other items not shown in the slide, include:

Enable user to select by Code Column (Appears only for double columns. Use this item
to view the columns code column name. For example, DESCRIPTOR_
IDOF("SnowFlakeSales".Catergory.CatergoryName.), which when translated
into a prompt value, would provide a value such as 1 - Beverages where the 1 is the
descriptor ID and Beverages is the category name.)
Label (Appears only for double columns. Use this to provide a caption for the check box
that allows the user to toggle between viewing the column prompt value and the column
prompt category name.)
Column (Appears when All Column Values, Specific Column Values, or
Members of Groups is chosen for the User Input method)
Click the Formula

icon on the Edit
Prompt dialog box.
Two tabbed pages:
Formula and Bins
Customize headings, specify
an aggregation rule, and so on.
Binning
creates a filter.

You use the Formula tabbed page of the Edit Column Formula dialog box to customize
headings, specify the aggregation rule, and edit the formula for a column. Click the Edit
Formula icon to add or edit a formula for use with the column prompt that you are creating.
This icon will only be displayed for attribute and measure column types. If you are creating a
column or variable prompt and choose to modify the formula, you can specify a hierarchical
column in the columns formula.
You use the Bins tabbed page of the Edit Column Formula dialog box to build a formula for
the column using a CASE statement. Binning allows you to display a representative value for
a group of related, atomic values for ease of processing and analysis. You can combine
multiple values or ranges of values from a given column into bins. When you add and name
the bins, all instances of the different values that comprise the bin in the result set are
replaced by the bin name. Aggregations are performed accordingly as well.
Save the prompt to the Catalog
Preview the prompt

in the Display pane
5. Save the Prompt

The Definition pane consists of the following table items:
Label: This is a read-only column created in the Prompt dialog box. To modify, click the
Edit icon.
Type: This is a read-only column, which displays the prompt type (column, currency,
image, or variable).
Prompt For: This is a read-only column created in the Prompt dialog box. To modify,
click the Edit icon.
Description: This is the description entered in the Prompt dialog box. Simply click in the
column and enter over any unwanted information.
Required: A green check mark appearing in this column indicates that the user must
select or enter a value for the prompt. This is a read-only column. To modify, click the
Edit icon.
New Column: This check box indicates that a new column will be created for the item
on the page immediately to the right of the item before it in the table.
5. Save the Prompt
Search from the

Display section.
Enter a partial string

and click Search
or load all
Available items.
4
6. Preview the Prompt

1. Click the Search button in the Display pane.
2. In the Select Values dialog box, you can enter a partial string in the Name text box and
click Search or you can load all Available items.
3. Use the Move buttons to move the items from Available to Selected.
4. Click OK.
6. Preview the Prompt
1
3
Drag the prompt to the

desired section.
Navigate to the new

prompt in the Catalog.
7. Add the Prompt to the Dashboard

1. Open the dashboard page to which you want to add the new prompt. For example, you
might click Home on the Global Header and click the Edit hotlink beneath the desired
dashboard.
2. Navigate to the new prompt in the catalog.
3. Drag the prompt to the desired section. Often, the prompt is added directly above the
analysis in the same section.
Review: The Regional Fulfillment analysis has a filter on Region, which was created in the
Analysis Editor.
Scope determines whether the dashboard prompt filters a page

or the entire dashboard.
Select Scope >

Dashboard or Page.
8. Set the Scope for the Dashboard

If you select Dashboard, every page in the dashboard is filtered. If you select Page, only the
active dashboard page is filtered.
1. Click the Properties icon for the prompt.
2. Select the appropriate Scope (either Dashboard or Page).
3. Save the dashboard.
8. Set the Scope for the Dashboard
1
2
An asterisk next to
the prompt indicates
required entry.
9. Test the Results

1. Click Run.
2. From the Region drop-down list, select the desired value or values and click OK.
Alternatively, you can also click the Search icon and select a value or values from the
Select Values dialog box.
9. Test the Results
Analysis is filtered for the Eastern Region.
9. Test the Results
1. Edit Dashboard Properties.

2. Navigate the Catalog to locate the named prompt.
3. Test the results.
Adding a Hidden Named Prompt to a Dashboard
Create hidden prompts from the Dashboard Properties dialog

box.
1
Edit dashboard
properties.
1. Edit Dashboard Properties

A hidden named prompt can be any prompt type that was previously created and stored in the
catalog.
Review: At run time, the hidden named prompts set the default values for all of the
corresponding prompts on the dashboard or dashboard page and the unprotected inline
prompts that are located in the analyses on the dashboard or dashboard page. You can add
one or more hidden named prompts to a dashboard or dashboard page.
The Filters and Variables link in the Dashboard Properties dialog box allows you to add
hidden prompts.
1. From within the Dashboard Builder, click the Tools toolbar icon and select Dashboard
Properties.
2. Select the Filters and Variables link on the Dashboard Properties dialog box. To add a
hidden prompt for the entire dashboard, you select the Filters and Variables link. To add
a hidden prompt for a specific dashboard page, select the page and click the Select a
prompt to capture default filters and variables button.
1. Edit Dashboard Properties
Add a
prompt.
Year prompt stored in

the Catalog
4
3
2. Navigate the Catalog to Locate the Named Prompt

1.
2.
3.
4.
Click the Add button.

Browse to locate the prompt. Select the prompt.
Click OK to return to the Dashboard Filters and Variables dialog box.
Click OK again to return to the Dashboard Properties dialog box and click OK a final
time to return to the Dashboard Builder.
2. Navigate the Catalog to Locate the Named

Prompt
Year prompt
properties
Hidden prompt
default initial value
set to 2009
3. Test the Results

Save the dashboard and click Run. The Dashboard appears with the default hidden prompt
value in the analysis.
Note: The Year prompt used in this example was created with an initial value of 2009 as
shown in the slide.
3. Test the Results
1.
2.
3.
4.
Add a new prompt to an existing prompt page.

Insert a page break.
Edit the dashboard and add the prompt.
Test the results.
Creating a Second Prompt Page
Separate prompts by creating an additional prompt page.

Edit the
prompt.
Add a new
prompt.
Choose a subject
area and column.
1. Add a New Prompt to an Existing Prompt Page

1. Edit the prompt to which you want to add a second prompt and page. From the Home
page, click the hotlink for the appropriate prompt.
2. Click Add Prompt and select the prompt type.
3. Select the subject area and the column to build the prompt.
1. Add a New Prompt to an Existing Prompt Page
Insert page break.
2
Select the
prompt.
1
Complete the detail
for the prompt.
2. Insert a Page Break

1. Complete the New Prompt dialog box and click OK.
2. Select the new prompt to set the insertion point for the page and click Insert page break.
3. The page break appears in the Definition pane table between the two prompts.
Save the prompt.
Note: The Region prompt is required and the Sales District prompt is optional. The analysis
(built in the Analysis Editor) on this dashboard page contains two filters that correspond with
the two prompts that are being added.
2. Insert a Page Break
Edit the
dashboard.
Add the prompt.
3. Edit the Dashboard and Add the Prompt

1. Edit the dashboard to which you want to add the new prompt.
2. Add the prompt and save the changes.
Note: This prompt is being added to a dashboard analysis that contains both the Region and
Sales District columns.
3. Edit the Dashboard and Add the Prompt
Choose a Region.
2
Choose a Sales
District.
4. Test the Results

1. Run the dashboard to view the new prompt and prompt page. Select the first prompt
value, which is the required prompt. At this point, you could click OK to run the analysis
for the specified region.
2. Click Next.
3. Choose a sales district and click OK.
4. Test the Results
Dashboard reflects the two prompted values.
Region = East
Sales District = Florida
4. Test the Results
Set preferences for a prompt page.

Double-click the
prompt page.
Title will be
displayed on the
prompt page.
Instructions appear
below the prompt.
Format the title.
Setting Preferences for a Prompt Page
Table reflects
the new page
settings.
Dashboard reflects the

new prompt
preferences.
Setting Preferences for a Prompt Page
Can be created as part of the process for creating a

column prompt or a variable prompt.
As part of a column prompt:
As part of a variable prompt:
Associated with a column

Takes its value from the column
Is not associated with any column
You define the values that the prompt can take
Name and value of the presentation variable is determined

by the user when it is initially declared or when it is
referenced in the analysis, dashboard, or agent.
Presentation Variables and Prompts
Let you override the value of a session variable, but only

for the duration of a database request initiated from a
column or variable prompt
Can be created as part of the process of creating a column
or variable prompt
Works similarly to the creation of a Presentation variable or

column prompt (see previous slide for details)
Value of the request variable is populated by the column or

variable prompt with which it was created.
Request Variables and Prompts

The value of a request variable is populated by the column or variable prompt with which it
was created. That is, each time a user selects a value in the column or variable prompt, the
value of the request variable is set to the value that the user selects. The value, however, is in
effect only from the time the user clicks the OK button for the prompt, until the analysis results
are returned to the dashboard.
Request Variables and Prompts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Add a variable to an existing analysis.

Create a new variable prompt.
Select the prompt type.
Define the prompt properties.
Save the prompt.
Select the dashboard.
Add the prompt to the dashboard.
Navigate the Catalog to locate the named prompt.
Test the results.
Adding a Variable Prompt to a Dashboard
Edit the properties of the view to which you want to add the
variable. This variable will accept the prompt at run time.
1
The analysis reflects

the new variable.
1. Add a Variable to an Existing Analysis

1. Open an existing analysis and click the Edit icon.
2. Enter a variable name for the prompt that you will create on the dashboard. In the
example above, the prompt name is myVarPrompt. You can enter additional static text
as well.
The syntax for a presentation or request variable is as follows:
@{variables.variablename}[format]{defaultvalue} or
@{scope.variables['variablename']}
where:
variablename is the name of the presentation or request variable
(optional) format is a format mask dependent upon the data type of the variable, for
example #, ##0, MM/DD/YY hh:mm:ss. (Note that the format is not applied to the
default value.)
(optional) defaultvalue is a constant or variable reference indicating a value to be
used if the variable referenced by variablename is not populated
1. Add a Variable to an Existing Analysis
scope identifies the qualifiers for the variable. You need to specify the scope when a
variable is used at multiple levels (analyses, dashboard pages, and dashboards) and
you want to access a specific value. (If you do not specify the scope, then the order of
precedence is analyses, dashboard pages, and dashboards.)
Examples:
@{variables.MyFavoriteRegion}{EASTERN REGION}
or
@{dashboard.variables['MyFavoriteRegion']}
Note that your entry is reflected beneath the Static Text pane for your review.
3. Click Done and review the variable on the analysis. Save the analysis.
1. Add a Variable to an Existing Analysis (continued)
To add a new prompt to a dashboard,

click New > Dashboard Prompt and select
the subject area.
2. Create a New Variable Prompt
Next, click the Add icon and select Variable Prompt from the
drop-down list.
Add a new prompt.
Complete the New

Prompt dialog box.
This is the same name

used in the Static Text
view on the analysis.
2
Complete the New
Prompt dialog box.
4. Define the Prompt Properties

1. Enter the same name that you used in the analysis in the Prompt for text box.
2. Complete the remainder of the New Prompt dialog box fields as you deem appropriate.
In the example in the slide, only two values are allowed and the default value is Gulf.
3. Click OK.
Note: This prompt can now be added to a dashboard as a named prompt or a hidden named
prompt.
4. Define the Prompt Properties
Save the prompt to

add it to the Catalog.
Preview the prompt in

the Display pane.
5. Save the Prompt
Open the dashboard to which you want to add the variable

prompt.
Edit the dashboard.
Modifications that you
made to the analysis
are reflected on the
dashboard.
6. Select the Dashboard

Open the dashboard page to which you want to add the new prompt. This dashboard already
contained the report that was modified in step 1. Therefore, you are able to see the static text
and the variable name.
Edit the dashboard to add the prompt.
6. Select the Dashboard
Associate the variable prompt with the analysis

1
Edit the dashboard
properties.

1. From within the Dashboard Builder, click the Tools toolbar icon and select Dashboard
Properties.
2. Select the Filters and Variables link in the Dashboard Properties dialog box.
Add a
prompt
The myVarPrompt
prompt stored in the
Catalog
8. Navigate the Catalog to Locate the Named Prompt

1.
2.
3.
4.
Click the Add icon.

Locate the prompt.
Click OK to return to the Dashboard Filters and Variables dialog box.
Click OK again to return to the Dashboard Properties dialog box and click OK a final
time to return to the Dashboard Builder.
Save the dashboard and run it.
8. Navigate the Catalog to Locate the Named

Prompt
The myVarPrompt appears

on the dashboard populated
with the default value.
9. Test the Results
Oracle BI run-time applies prompts with default values as

follows:
1. Hidden prompts whose scope is the dashboard page
2. Hidden prompts whose scope is the whole dashboard
3. Visible prompts whose scope is the dashboard page
(precedence order is unspecified)
4. Visible prompts whose scope is the whole dashboard
5. Prompts, either inline or named, whose scope is analysis
Applying Prompts with Default Values

Because prompting allows you to build rich dashboards and analyses, it is important to
understand how Oracle BI initiates a complex dashboards prompts.
Note: Scope is analysis (sometimes called report scope) refers to prompts that are created
using the Analysis Editor.
Applying Prompts with Default Values
Method of specifying how dashboard prompts interact with

analysis prompts
Five methods:
Auto wiring
Constrained Prompt
Filter value set to * Prompt User
Selection Steps Override with prompts option

Unprotected versus protected filters
Wiring Dashboard Prompts

Oracle BI contains functionality that allows you to wire column and image prompts together in
various ways to create dashboards and reports that allow users to quickly and easily request
precise, meaningful data. Wiring prompts allows you to specify how dashboard prompts
interact with analysis prompts. You cannot wire hierarchical column prompts, currency
prompts, and variable prompts.
Auto wiring: Oracle BI applies the auto wiring method when you create an analysis and
add a column prompt or image prompt, and do not create either a filter or a column filter
with a filter value other than the is prompted operator. Oracle BI will not perform auto
wiring if an unprotected column filter exists for the analysis. The auto wiring functionality
assumes that you intended to create a functioning prompt for the column and, therefore,
activates and applies the prompt. Auto wiring only applies to inline prompts and does
not apply to named prompts.
Note that setting the filter value to is prompted provides a more precise level of control
between prompts and filters than the auto wiring method.
Wiring Dashboard Prompts
Constrained Prompts: Use this method with several columns in a prompt to create a
way to constrain the user's prompt choice based on subsequent choices. For example, if
one column filters on region, and the next column filters on districts, then the district
column can be constrained to show only districts in the region that the user selects. With
this wiring method, you can create a named prompt with default values that are
programmatically customized for each user. This eliminates the choice of a mutually
exclusive filter that could result in no data.
Filter value is set to * Prompt User: Use this method to build complex prompts that
interact with filters. When you use this method, you have full control over how the
named prompts, inline prompts, and filters are applied to the embedded analysis.
Selection Steps Override with Prompts Option: Use this method to use an analysis
or dashboard column prompt to provide the data choices for a specific member selection
step on a hierarchical column. Only one selection step per column selection step set can
be overridden with a prompt. All selection steps before and after the overridden step will
be processed as specified.
Unprotected versus protected filters: Use this method to determine whether the
dashboard prompt can supply the analysis prompt's value when the corresponding
prompt column's filter value is set to something other than is prompted . The
unprotected and protected filter settings can be used when a dashboard prompt and
analysis prompt reside on the same dashboard and both prompts are created for the
same column. When the column's filter value is unprotected, the dashboard prompt
value determines the analysis' results. If the filter value is set to something other than is
prompted (for example, is equal to/is in) and the filter is set to protected filter,
the dashboard prompt cannot determine the report results.
Example: You create analysis A that contains information about the amount of product sold
by region and to the Region column add a filter value of Is protected and a Region prompt.
You then create analysis B that contains information about sales persons by region and
analysis C that contains information about city by region. You then create and save a
dashboard prompt for Region. When you create a dashboard and add analyses A, B, and C
and the Region dashboard prompt and then run the dashboard, the dashboard prompt input
will only drive what displays in analyses B and C. In this scenario, Analysis A would not use
the Region value specified in the dashboard prompt because you set the analysis A's Region
column filter value to Is prompted. Therefore, the only way that analysis A will accept a
prompt value is if the user specifies a prompt value in Region A's prompt fields.
Wiring Dashboard Prompts (continued)

Explain the different variable types supported by Oracle BI
Describe and build dashboard prompts
Summary
This practice covers building dashboard prompts and declaring

and populating variables.
This quiz examines your knowledge of variables and dashboard

prompts.
Quiz: Overview
In this quiz, you answer questions regarding the various types of dashboard content.
Quiz: Overview
An inline prompt can be saved to the Catalog and reused for

dashboard pages.
a. True
b. False
Answer: b
A named prompt can be saved to the Catalog and reused; whereas an inline prompt is
created while building an analysis and cannot be shared with other analyses. Inline prompts
are deleted when the analyses are deleted.
Quiz
Constraining columns using named prompts allows you to

customize and restrict information presented to end users.
a. True
b. False
Answer: a
If one column filters on region, and the next column filters on districts, then the district column
can be constrained to show only districts in the region that the user selects. With this wiring
method, you can create a named prompt with default values that are programmatically
customized for each user.
Quiz
Using Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers

Configure delivery devices
Add delivery profiles
Build alerts
Create agents
Create and use conditions
Objectives
Delivers automates Business Intelligence, creating alerts

based on results.
Detects specific results and immediately notifies the
appropriate person or group through Web, wireless, mobile,
and voice communications channels
The overall process for creating a proactive BI

environment, using alerts and delivering content based on
agents includes:
Configuring devices and profiles

Adding Alert Section to dashboard
Creating agents
Reiteratively:
Reviewing dashboard and devices for problems and

opportunities
Managing agents and agent subscriptions
Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers

Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers (Delivers) is a content delivery interface where users
with appropriate privileges can create Intelligent Agents (agents) to access, filter, and perform
analytics on data based upon specific criteria. Agents dynamically detect information-based
problems and opportunities, determine the appropriate individuals to notify, and deliver
information to them through a wide range of devices (such as email, telephones, and so on).
An alert is a notification generated by an agent that delivers personalized and actionable
content to specified recipients and to subscribers to the agent.
As mentioned in the lesson titled Creating Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards, the
Alerts section contains Alerts generated by Agents. You can use the content displayed in the
Alerts section to monitor the health of your business, stimulate a proactive approach to
problem solving, and identify opportunities to increase ROI, and so forth.
In addition to the overall process annotated in the slide, you can optionally create scripted
jobs, using Oracle BI Scheduler. This is discussed briefly at the end of this lesson.
Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers
Combine with delivery profiles to determine how users are

reached when an alert is generated
Content delivered to a device as email or SMS
BI content delivered to a variety of devices:
Any device that can handle standards-based communication

Web browser
Email
Pager or digital cell
phone
Wireless PDA
Delivery Devices
The content of an agent can be delivered to a range of devices, such as an email or SMS
(Short Message Service) message. SMS is commonly known as text-messaging.
Depending on the destinations specified for an agent, content can be delivered to the
following:
Home page and dashboard
Active delivery profile or specific devices
When the destinations are specific devices, content is delivered to the devices you have
configured rather than to the devices in your active delivery profile. For example, if an Agent is
defined to be delivered to Email devices, the default Email device you configured will be used
rather than any Email devices you configured in your active delivery profile. If a specific
device or active delivery profile cannot be found, then delivery content is automatically pushed
to the dashboard.
Delivery content is assigned a specific priority. The default priority is normal. When you select
devices for your active profile, you can indicate what priority content should be sent to that
device. For example, if you have added a cell phone to your delivery profile, then you might
associate it with high-priority content only.
You configure your delivery devices by using the My Account option, Delivery Options tab.
For a complete list of devices, see Oracle Fusion Middleware System Administrator's Guide
for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g Release 1 (11.1.1).
Delivery Devices
Determine which
device receives
content, based on
priority
Examples
Office profile that
delivers content to
Web browser and
office email
On the Road
profile that delivers
content to a pager,
cell, or PDA
Delivery Profiles
Delivers uses your active delivery profile to determine which devices should receive delivered
content. Profiles specify which device to use based on the priority of the content being
delivered. You can define several delivery profiles to meet your needs and switch between
them.
Your active delivery profile (along with your specified delivery devices) controls how you will
be reached when an alert is triggered by an Agent.
You use the My Account option, Delivery Options tab, to not only specify your devices, but
also your delivery profiles.
Delivery content is assigned a specific priority. The default priority is normal. When you select
devices for your active profile, you can indicate what priority content should be sent to that
device. For example, if you have added a cell phone to your delivery profile, then you might
associate it with high-priority content only. When you know that you will be away from the
office frequently, and out of email range, you can select to receive only low-priority content
through your office email.
You configure your delivery devices by using the My Account option, Delivery Options tab.
For a complete list of devices, please refer to Oracle Fusion Middleware System
Administrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g Release 1
(11.1.1).
Delivery Profiles
Create Device
3
Choose a device type
from the drop-down list.
Choose the
device category.
Creating a Delivery Device

1. Click <Your User ID> on the global header and then select My Account. The My
Account dialog box appears.
2. Select the Delivery Options tab to configure your delivery profile.
3. Click the Create Device button.
4. Define the device by completing the following:
- Enter a Name for the device.
- Select a device Category from the drop-down list. Items include Email, Phone,
Pager, Handheld, and Other (defined by your Administrator).
- Select the Device Type from the drop-down list. This list is governed by the
Category. For example, if Email is selected as a Category, then two choices,
HTML Email and Plaintext Email, are the possible selections.
- Enter the Address/Number. For example, if you select Email as the Category, then
enter your email address. If you select Phone as the Category, then enter the
telephone number without punctuation such as spaces, dashes, or parentheses.
5. Click OK.
Note: To view other devices, select a device from the Devices drop-down list.
Creating a Delivery Device
All defined device

types appear in table.
Create Delivery Profile.
Creating a Delivery Profile

1. Click the Create Delivery Profile button.
2. Define the profile by completing the following:
- Enter a meaningful Name for the profile.
- Select one or more appropriate priorities for each device listed in the table that you
want to use when this profile is the active profile. For example, if you have a pager
as one of your delivery devices, you might associate it with high-priority content
only. When you know that you will be away from your office frequently, and out of
email range, you might associate your email device with low-priority content.
3. Click OK.
Note: Do not set the priority for devices that you do not want to use. Devices that do not have a
priority selected are not used by the profile.
Creating a Delivery Profile
It is triggered when
conditions configured in
agents are met.
Alerts! link appears on the
Interactive Dashboard
page when alert is
generated.
Alert section can be added
to any dashboard page.
Appears automatically on
the first page of My
Dashboard
Business Intelligence Alerts

An alert is a notification generated by an agent that delivers personalized and actionable
content to specified recipients and to subscribers of the agent.
Alerts are the results of a specified Oracle BI Presentation Catalog analysis, based on a
defined schedule.
You can see the alerts that have been delivered to you in the following places:
In the Alerts section of the Home page
On the first page of My Dashboard (An Alerts! section is automatically added to the first
page of My Dashboard, if you do not manually place one there.)
On a dashboard page, if the content designer adds an Alerts! section to the page
In the Alerts dialog box displayed from the Alerts! button on the Global Header
Specified delivery
Business Intelligence Alerts
1
3
Adding an Alert Section to a Dashboard

An Alert Section is added to a dashboard page in the same manner that you would add any
other object.
1. Add a Column object.
2. Drag the Alert Section object to the Page Layout pane.
3. Save the dashboard page.
When an alert is generated, it will appear in the Alerts section.
Adding an Alert Section to a Dashboard
Access, filter, and perform analysis on data based on

specified criteria
Dynamically detect information-based problems and
opportunities
Determine the appropriate individuals to notify and deliver
information through a variety of devices
Generate alerts
Agents
You use agents to proactively deliver real-time, personalized, and actionable content
throughout the business network. Agents deliver analysis, dashboards, briefing books, and
alerts to end users and are configured and submitted for execution using Delivers. You can
also use agents to pass information and context to other agents and applications, allowing
automation of multistep, multipurpose analytic processes. Agents can be scheduled or can be
triggered by a specific condition (data driven) and, therefore, deliver timely information to
users via alerts. Oracle BI EE delivers alerts based on the options set up in a user's account
(for example, Home page, default dashboard, email, cell phone, PDA, and so on).
Agents
Analyze
Detect
Problem
Generate
Opportunity
1. Agent performs catalog analysis based on a defined

schedule.
2. Dynamically detects information-based problems and
opportunities.
3. Alert is generated and delivered to specified recipients and
subscribers, using delivery options specified by each
person.
How Agents Work: Simplified Format

To handle more complex requirements, agents can invoke actions that trigger other agents,
scripts, Java programs, or applications. Results can be passed between agents, and to other
applications or services through XML, HTML, or plain text. For example, an agent might run
an analysis to identify all current product orders over a specified dollar amount that cannot be
filled from a regional warehouse. The results can be passed to another agent that runs an
analysis to locate alternative sources for these products. A final agent might be triggered to
feed information into a corporate CRM system, and notify the appropriate account
representatives of the alternative sourcing.
You might automatically receive some agents, and others might be available to which you can
subscribe. You can also create your own agents if you have the appropriate permissions and
responsibilities. Depending on the level of authority that you have, you can selectively share
agents with others or make agents available for all users.
How Agents Work: Simplified Format
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Configure the General tab.

Configure the Schedule tab.
Configure the Condition tab.
Configure the Delivery Content tab.
Configure the Recipients tab.
Configure the Destinations tab.
Configure the Actions tab (if necessary).
Configuring an Agent
You create and configure agents in the Agent Editor. To configure or change an existing
agent, open it and follow the steps above. To create a new agent, click New > Agent to open
the Agent Editor.
The Agent Editor lets you create agents to deliver personalized and actionable content to
users. It also lets you view a summary of the current settings. Access to agents is available to
all Oracle BI users (the Everyone group in Oracle BI Presentation Services) by default. If you
have the appropriate authority, you can grant or deny explicit access to a variety of agent
privileges, using the Manage Privileges page in the Administration option, including the
following:
Create agents
Publish agents for subscription
Deliver agents to specified or dynamically determined users
Chain agents
Modify current subscriptions for agents
Within these tabs, you can also set visibility and execute scripts. For specifics and detailed
information about all the options and features available in the tabs of the Agent Editor, refer to
the Oracle Fusion Middleware User's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise
Edition.
Configuring an Agent
Specify the priority of the delivery content that an agent is to

deliver and how to send the delivery content.
Specified information appears

in the Overview section.
1. Configure the General Tab

Select the radio button for Priority. Use this option to specify the priority of the delivery content
High, Normal, Low. The priority works with the delivery profile for a user to determine the
destination for delivery content of different priorities.
Select the radio button for Run As. Use this option to specify how to send the delivery content:
Recipient: Select this option to use the credentials of each recipient to send the delivery
content.
Specified User: This option is available only to the administrator. Select this option to
use the credentials of a specified user to send the delivery content. All recipients receive
the same content as if they were the specified user. Then specify the user by typing the
user's name in the text box to the right of the option or by clicking the Set User icon to
display the Select User dialog box where you can search for user.
Use Agent Owner's Credentials: This option is not available to administrators. Select
this option to use the credentials of the agent owner to send the delivery content. All
recipients receive the same content as if they were the agent owner.
Created By, Last Modified (date), and Description are available after the agent is saved.
1. Configure the General Tab
Specify when an agent runs, how often it runs, and when it should
be discontinued.
Frequency
Start
End
2. Configure the Schedule Tab

Agents can execute based on a specified schedule. You can define a starting date and time
for the agent, a recurrence schedule, and an ending date. You can also create a
nonscheduled agent by deselecting the Enabled option or by selecting Never as the
Frequency. This is useful when you want to create an agent that runs only as part of an agent
chain, or an agent that is initiated by an external process.
There are three parts to an Agent schedule:
- Start date and time
- Frequency
- End date and time
The time reference is for the Oracle BI Scheduler server rather than the local machine.
Select the Enabled check box to run the agent as scheduled. To make this a
nonscheduled agent (as noted above), deselect the check box. To later disable an
agent, open it and deselect the Enabled option.
Use the Frequency drop-down list to specify how often the agent runs. Selecting Never
creates a nonscheduled agent.
2. Configure the Schedule Tab
Specify whether an agent always or conditionally delivers its

content and executes its actions.
Create a new inline condition or

browse the Catalog for a named
condition.
3. Configure the Condition Tab

Use the Do not use a condition (always deliver content and run actions) setting to specify that
the agent is to always deliver its content and execute its actions.
Use the Use a condition setting to specify that the agent is to conditionally deliver its content
and execute its actions. Click the Create button to display the Create Condition dialog box
that allows you to create an inline condition, using an analysis or KPI. Click the Browse button
to display the Select Condition dialog box that allows you to select a named condition.
The Edit Condition button is available only if you created an inline condition. The Customize
button is available only if you selected a named condition that is based on an analysis, which
includes one or more prompted filters.
Use the Test Condition button to test whether the condition evaluates to true or false.
Use the Save To Catalog button to save the new inline condition to the Catalog.
3. Configure the Condition Tab
Specify the content to be delivered by the agent.
4. Configure the Delivery Content Tab

You can specify the following:
The delivery format for the content, such as HTML, PDF, XLS, CSV, or txt
A subject line to include with the content

A text message to provide context for an agent attachment
A narrative text description of the conditional analysis (but only when you specify that
the conditional analysis is also the delivery content)
A message to be delivered, in the case of a conditional agent, in the event that the
condition evaluates as false
Delivery content can be specified as any of the following: Analysis (shared and private),
Dashboard Page (My Dashboard or public [shared] dashboards) , Briefing Book, Discoverer
Worksheet, Condition Analysis (This option is available only if you have specified a condition
on the Conditions tab. Use this option to deliver the results of the analysis on which the
condition is based.)
You can deliver content directly or as an attachment. When delivered as an attachment, you
can also specify a note to be sent with it. Select the If Condition is False check box to specify
whether to deliver a text message to recipients when there is no agent content to deliver to
them and then enter the text message to be delivered.
4. Configure the Delivery Content Tab
Specify who is to receive the delivery content of the agent and

who is allowed to subscribe to the agent.
2a
1b
Add email recipient.
1a
Add recipient.
2b
5. Configure the Recipients Tab

Some agents are delivered automatically based on group membership, whereas others
require users to subscribe to receive them.
1.a. To add the users, application roles, and catalog groups for content delivery, click Add
Recipient.
2.a. Search for one or more recipients, using the Select User dialog box. Click OK when all
recipients have been added.
Or,
1.b. To add email recipients, click Add Email Recipient.
2.b. Enter one or more email addresses, separated by commas, and click OK.
You can use the Show drop-down list to restrict the recipients set.
The Get Recipients from the Analysis or Worksheet Used in the Agent Condition check box is
enabled only if a condition based on an analysis or Discoverer worksheet has been specified
for the agent. You use this check box to specify whether recipients are to be determined
dynamically from the results of a conditional analysis or from a Discoverer worksheet.
5. Configure the Recipients Tab
Note: If you select the option to allow the recipients to be determined from the results of a
conditional analysis and choose to show only relevant rows to each user, then it is assumed
that you want the results of the conditional analysis set as the delivery content. If the content
has been set to something else by clicking Clear or Browse, then a message appears asking
if you want to update the delivery content to be the results of the conditional analysis.
If you selected the Get Recipients from the Analysis or Worksheet Used in the Agent
Condition check box, you can then select the Column Containing Recipients check box
to choose the column in the conditional analysis or Discoverer worksheet that contains
the desired recipients.
If you selected the Get Recipients from the Analysis or Worksheet Used in the Agent
Condition check box, you can then select the Only Return Rows Relevant to the User
Running the Agent check box. You use this check box to specify whether all rows or
only rows relevant to the user running the agent will be sent.
Use the Publish for subscription section to specify whether the agent is to be published so
that users can subscribe.
When you deselect the Publish Agent for subscription check box, any selected
subscribers are disabled, and the Allow Subscribers to Customize Agent check box is
deselected and disabled.
You can only publish agents that have content that can be shared.
The Allow Subscribers to Customize Agent check box is enabled only when the
Recipient check box is selected on the General tab. You use this check box to specify
whether subscribers can customize their subscription of the agentfor example, by
providing values for a prompted filter associated with an analysis or for parameters
associated with a Discoverer worksheet.
When the Publish Agent for subscription check box is selected, the Agent Subscribers
table is available. You use this area to view and specify who is allowed to subscribe to
this agent. The Name column identifies the users, application roles, and catalog groups
that are allowed to subscribe to the agent and the Currently Subscribed column
identifies (with a check mark) those users, application roles, and catalog groups that are
currently subscribed.
5. Configure the Recipients Tab (continued)
Specify where the content of the agent is delivered.
6. Configure the Destinations Tab

If both the Active Delivery Profile and a specific device are selected, the Active Delivery
Profile is overridden.
Use the Home Page and Dashboard check box to specify whether content is to be delivered
to the Home page and dashboard pages.
Use the Devices check box to have content delivered to specific devices. When this radio
button is selected, you must select one of the following options:
Active Delivery Profile: Content is delivered to the devices specified in the active
delivery profile.
Specific Devices: Content is delivered to specific devices. You must also select one or
more devices, namely: email, pager, digital phone, or handheld device
If you select a specific device, then the default device selected in the My Account dialog
box, Delivery Options tab, overrides the devices that are set in the active delivery profile.
Devices that are specified here are used instead of the devices specified in the active
delivery profile.
If you are an administrator, you can select the Oracle BI Server Cache (For seeding cache)
check box to specify whether to seed the cache.
System Services:
BI administrators can create an Oracle BI Server cache for
individual users.
A cache-seeding operation enables administrators to run
analyses on dashboard pages (or analyses stored in the
Oracle BI Presentation Catalog) and to create an Oracle BI
Server cache.
Cache-seeding speeds up response time for users when
they run the analyses on the dashboards.
If data already exists in the cache for a given query, the
data is deleted and refreshed when the agent runs.
6. Configure the Destinations Tab (continued)

Typically, agents that are set up for cache-seeding or for creating the Disconnected
Applications cache are not used for any other purpose.
For the Disconnected Applications cache, the preprocessed synchronization mode is the
recommended data download mode for users. It avoids the potential overhead that can occur
from running data creation requests in online mode during normal business hours and
reduces wait time for the download. Preprocessed data is stored under each users directory
on the machine running Oracle BI Presentation Services. If you decide to use this mode to
schedule data cache creation, make sure that adequate disk space is available.
Note: The cache for the analysis or the dashboard page is created at the appropriate
schedule for the indicated set of users. To have the cache created for each user, select the
Run As Recipient or Run As Specified user check box on the General tab.
Specify one or more actions to execute when an agent finishes.

Action: Agent condition evaluates
true or no condition exists.
Save
Run agent to test.

Open an html page and
perform another action
(chained Agent).
1a
2
Action: Agent condition
evaluates to false.
1b
Used with conditional agents

to determine an action when a
condition evaluates to False.
7. Configure the Actions Tab

1.a. Click the Add New Action or Add Existing Action icon in the Agent Condition True or No
Condition Exists section to specify one or more actions to execute if the agent condition
evaluates to true or if there is no condition associated with the agent.
Or,
1.b. Click the Add New Action or Add Existing Action icon in the Agent Condition is False
section to specify one or more actions to execute if the agent condition evaluates to false.
Use the Invoke per Row check box to specify whether to execute the action for each row
returned by the condition or only once, regardless of the number of rows returned.
2. Select one of the following actions:
Invoke a Web Service: Invokes a Web Service operation or any SOA service that is
exposed as a Web Service (for example, a Business Process Execution Language
[BPEL] process in the Oracle SOA that is exposed as a Web Service)
Invoke a Java Method: Invokes an Enterprise Java Bean (EJB)
7. Configure the Actions Tab
Invoke Server Script: Executes, on the Oracle BI Server, a custom script (either
JavaScript or VBScript) that was configured in a previous release of Oracle BI. Note that
Server Script actions cannot be executed per row of the result set.
Invoke an HTTP Request: Invokes a URL on the server
Invoke Agent (also known as chaining agents): Invokes another agent
Each action has a corresponding dialog box that you must complete.
3. Save the agent to the Catalog.
Building conditional agents is covered in detail later in the lesson.
7. Configure the Actions Tab (continued)
To subscribe to an agent that another user has created:

1. On the Global Header, click Catalog
2. Navigate to the agent to which you want to subscribe.
3. Click the More link for the agent and select Subscribe.
Subscribing to an Agent
If the Publish Agent for subscription check box is selected on the Recipients tab of the Agent
Editor for an agent, and if you have been included in the Agent Subscribers table, you can
subscribe to an agent. Subscription in the Agent Subscribers table is determined by user
name, application role, or Catalog group.
Note: You can unsubscribe, using the same process as annotated in the slide; however, you
select the Unsubscribe option rather than Subscribe.
Subscribing to an Agent
To find all agents that you own:

1. On the Home page, click My Agents.
2. Select a Location.
3. Click Search.
Listing Your Agents

You can also search for agents to which you subscribe by selecting My Agent Subscriptions.
Listing Your Agents
You use conditions to determine whether agents deliver

their content and execute their actions.
You use the filter operator is prompted to have finite
control of output and deliver content.
You use agents to proactively respond to KPI performance.
Conditions and Agents

The remainder of this lesson further examines the use of agents to conditionally deliver
content and react to KPI performance.
Review: As mentioned earlier in this lesson, you use agents to deliver real-time,
personalized, and actionable content to end users. Agents can be scheduled or they can be
data driven and triggered by a specific condition. In the lesson titled Showing Results with
Pivot Tables, dashboard sections were hidden based on the results of conditions. In the
lesson titled Creating Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards, you were exposed to the
dashboard prompt as a mechanism to manipulate and govern your requests embedded in a
dashboard. Also recall from the lesson titled Creating Oracle Business Intelligence
Dashboards that a dashboard prompt filters embedded requests that contain the same
columns as the filter.
Example for conditional and agent processing: A sales manager wants to deliver a Monthly
Sales Report to his direct reports only when sales drop below $2 million. You create a
condition that is based on an analysis and shows sales, which are below $2 million. You add
it to an agent whose delivery content is the Monthly Sales Report. When the condition
evaluates to true (that is, the analysis contains rows where sales are below $2 million), the
agent is triggered to deliver the Monthly Sales Report.
Using Agents to Deliver Content
1. Create a new agent and assign an analysis for its

condition.
2. Define how the condition evaluates to True.
Using Conditions to Deliver Content

You can use conditions (evaluated by row count and the operator that is applied to the row
count) to govern what actions are to be taken by an agent.
Using Conditions to Deliver Content
Use the Condition tab.

Select Use a condition
and click Create.
Select Analysis and browse

the catalog to assign it.
Locate the analysis

in the Catalog.
1. Create a New Agent and Assign an Analysis for Its Condition

You can specify whether an agent always delivers its content and executes its actions, or
conditionally delivers its content and executes its actions.
The Create condition based on drop-down list contains two options: Analysis and KPI.
1. Create a New Agent and Assign an Analysis for

Its Condition
Set the value.

Test the condition
and then click OK.
Select the
evaluation operator.
2. Define How the Condition Evaluates to True

You can use the Save To Catalog option to create a named condition, which can then be
used elsewhere (for example, in other analyses). If you do not save the condition to the
Catalog, it is an inline condition.
After completing agent details (schedule, recipients, and

actions for true and false evaluations of the condition), test the
results.
Click Run
Agent Now.
Agents delivery content is

delivered to the default device
and to the dashboard.
3. Test the Results

In this scenario, the agent evaluates to True, that is the Region Supplier row count is greater
than 15. Therefore, the agents content is delivered to the specified destination, in this case, a
dashboard.
3. Test the Results
1. Create a new agent and assign a KPI for its condition.

2. Define how the condition evaluates to True.
Using Agents to Proactively Respond to KPI Performance

KPIs allow you to evaluate metrics against their targets and alert the appropriate users when
targets are not met. To ensure that you can quickly and appropriately react to certain ranges
of KPI performance, such as warning or critical, create agent-driven alerts for KPI
performance ranges that notify you of changes in KPI values and their corresponding
performance levels. For example, you can define an agent that notifies you when the value of
an Internal Costs KPI exceeds a certain dollar amount, which indicates a warning level of
internal spending.
Using Agents to Proactively Respond to KPI

Performance
Use the Condition tab.

Select Use a condition
and click Create.
Locate the KPI in

the Catalog.
Select KPI and browse the
catalog to assign it.
1. Create a New Agent and Assign a KPI for Its Condition

You can use conditions to determine whether sections are displayed in dashboard pages.
You can specify whether an agent always delivers its content and executes its actions, or
conditionally delivers its content and executes its actions.
The Create condition based on drop-down list contains two options: Analysis and KPI.
1. Create a New Agent and Assign a KPI for Its

Condition
Once
selected, test
the condition.
Select the status.
After completing agent details (schedule, recipients, and

actions for true and false evaluations of the condition), test the
results.
Run the agent to

test the results.
3. Test the Results

Configure delivery devices
Add delivery profiles
Build alerts
Create agents
Create and use conditions
Summary
This practice covers creating and running agents.
This quiz examines your knowledge of Delivery devices.
Quiz: Overview
In this quiz, you answer questions regarding delivery devices, agents, and conditions.
Quiz: Overview
The content of an agent can be delivered to which of the

following devices?
a. Web browser
b. SMS
c. PDA
d. Pager
Answer: a, c, d
SMS is not a device. The actual content of an agent can be delivered as an email or SMS
(Short Message Service).
Quiz
You specify your default delivery profile and devices, using the
My Account dialog box.
a. True
b. False
Answer: a
Quiz
Oracle BI Scheduler processes jobs and executes agent

requests.
a. True
b. False
Answer: a
Quiz
Integrating Analyses with MS Office

Associate Oracle BI content with MS Excel and
PowerPoint, using Oracle BI Office Add-in
View analyses within Oracle BI Office Add-in
Copy Oracle BI content into MS Excel and PowerPoint
Objectives
Leverages familiar MS Office functionality while

referencing the Oracle BI semantic layer, ensuring that the
same information is available to users across the
enterprise.
Excel and PowerPoint Add-ins enable you to deploy and
analyze Business Intelligence analyses.
Allows you to copy views from the Analysis editor and

dashboard pages as:
Native Excel or PowerPoint tables and charts
Static but refreshable tables and graphs
Flash objects
Allows you to browse analyses and views in the

Presentation Catalog from within Excel and PowerPoint
Oracle BI Office Add-In

Oracle BI Office Add-in (Office Add-in) consists of:
BI Office Server: A server-side J2EE application that communicates between the BI
Office client and the BI Presentation Server by using Web services
Office Add-ins for MS Office client:
- Oracle BI Office Add-in for MS Excel (Excel Add-in)
- Oracle BI Office Add-in for MS PowerPoint (PowerPoint Add-in)
Supported versions of MS Office include:
MS Office 2003
MS Office 2007
Oracle BI Office Add-In
Office Add-in provides some general features:

Secure BI data: Metadata preserved, but data removed
Table view: Results appear in tabular form
Pivot table view: Results appear with page items and
section-based layouts if defined in BI EE
Graph view: Inserted as native, refreshable charts
Funnel view: Inserted as an image
Gauge view: Inserted as an image in Excel or flash object
or image in PowerPoint
Prompts: Properties include multi-selection of values,
search for prompt values, cascading or prompts and so on
Levels: Ability to change and limit the data for dimensions
Office Add-in General Features

The following features are available by using the Office Add-in:
You have the ability to secure BI data in BI views inserted inside Excel spreadsheets or
PowerPoint presentations. Metadata that describes the BI view is preserved, but all data
is removed by the Office Add-in. You can obtain the latest data that is available by
refreshing BI views using the Add-in.
You can add totals and grand totals, customize headings, and change the formula or
aggregation rule for a column, using the Table view.
Server independence: Views inserted in Excel and PowerPoint documents by the
Office Add-in that is connected to one server can be refreshed by connecting against a
different server, as long as the view definitions are the same.
Support for the Oracle BI Security model, including support for both encrypted (SSL)
and Single Sign-On modes. The same login that you use for Oracle BI EE is available
for the Office Add-in. If your environment is NTLM-enabled, then you can use the Addins support for NTLM-based authentication to enable silent and single sign-on. (NTLM is
an acronym for NT LAN Manager, which is an authentication protocol.)
Office Add-in General Features
Download the Oracle BI Add-in for MS Office and install it on

the client computer.
1
Accessing Office Add-in in Presentation Services

1. Close all MS Office applications. Open the Oracle BI EE Home page and click the
Download BI Desktop Tools link in the Get Started section, then select Oracle BI for MS
Office.
2. When prompted to Run, Save, or Cancel, click Run.
Note: MS .Net Framework 2.0 is required to run the Oracle BI Add-in for MS Office.
Accessing Office Add-in in Presentation Services (continued)

3. The InstallShield Wizard Welcome page appears. Click Next.
4. Accept the defaults on the Customer Information page. Click Next.
Accessing Office Add-in in Presentation Services (continued)

5. Ensure that the radio button for Typical is selected on the Setup Type page. Click Next.
6. Ensure that all settings are correct and click Next to begin setup.
7. After the installation is completed, click Finish.
Note: Ensure that the administrator has granted the Access to Oracle BI for MS Office
privilege and has specified the BIforOfficeURL configuration setting in the instanceconfig.xml
file.
For additional information on setting this privilege and updating the configuration file, see the
Oracle Fusion Middleware User's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g
Release 1 (11.1.1).
Start either PowerPoint or Excel.
Creating a Connection to the BI Office Server and Logging In to the

Presentation Server
After the Oracle BI Office Add-in software is downloaded and installed, each user must create
their own connection. You enter this information using the Preferences dialog box on your
respective client computer, to enable connection to Presentation Services.
To configure connection information on the client computer:
1. Open PowerPoint or Excel to create connection detailsthe connection information is
shared and therefore can be entered in either tool. The Welcome to Oracle Business
Intelligence Add-in for MS PowerPoint (or Excel) dialog box appears. Click OK.
2. On the Menu bar, click Oracle BI and select Preferences.
Creating a Connection to the BI Office Server

and Logging In to the Presentation Server
Enter information into the New Connection dialog box.
5
6

Presentation Server (continued)
3. The Preferences dialog box appears. Click New.
4. The New Connection dialog box appears. In the New Connection dialog box, enter the
following information for the Oracle BI for MS Office server:
- Server Name: Name for this connection
- Office Server: URL for the Oracle BI for MS Office server . For example:
bioffice-server.mycompany.com
-
Application Name: Application name that you defined for the BI Office server
when you deployed the BI Office server application to its J2EE container. Note that
this Application Name defaults to bioffice, but if you specified another name
when you deployed the application, then enter that name in this text box.
Note: The value in the Application Name text box is appended to the values for Office Server
and Port to construct the URL that the client uses to connect to the BI Office server
application. For example:
http://bioffice-server.mycompany.com:80/bioffice
Creating a Connection to the BI Office Server

and Logging In to the Presentation Server
Port: Port for the Oracle BI for MS Office server. The default is 80.
- If you are using Secure Socket Layers, select the SSL check box.
5. Click Test Connection to verify that the connection works. This tests the connection
between the Office Add-in and the BI Office server. It does not test the connection
between the Oracle BI Office server and Presentation Services.
6. Click OK and click OK again twice to close the Preferences dialog box. The Office Addin for Excel and PowerPoint connections is now properly configured for use.

Presentation Server (continued)
Varies depending on version of MS Office:

MS Office 2003
BI Office Menu and toolbar
BI Office Catalog pane
MS Office 2007
BI Office menu for

MS Office 2003
Native BI Office ribbon

BI Office Catalog pane
BI Office ribbon for

MS Office 2007
Oracle BI for MS Office: User Interface

The native BI Office ribbon and BI Office menu and toolbar offer the same functionality in both
PowerPoint and Excel Add-ins, varying only in format, depending on the version of MS Office
(2003 or 2007).
The BI Office Catalog pane, which provides access to the Presentation Catalog, is available
in both PowerPoint and Excel Add-ins in both versions.
Oracle BI for MS Office: User Interface
Select Login on the Oracle BI menu and enter your

Presentation Services credentials.
Logging In to Oracle BI for MS Office

The same credentials that you use to log in to Presentation Services are used to log in to
Oracle BI for MS Office. Enter your User ID and Password, set the connection to the BI Office
Server connection (discussed earlier), and click Login.
Logging In to Oracle BI for MS Office
Use the BI Office Catalog pane to access and add content from
the Presentation Catalog to presentations and spreadsheets.
Insert
Select analysis to
view Catalog detail.
Refresh
Catalog
Right-click view
to edit or insert
into Excel or
PowerPoint.
Accessing and Refreshing the Presentation Catalog

In the BI Office Catalog pane, you can click the Refresh Catalog icon to reflect the latest
Presentation Catalog contents.
To open an analysis for further modification, right-click the view in the BI Office Catalog pane
and select Edit View.
The BI Office toolbar is available once an analysis is added to the PowerPoint or Excel
workspace.
Note: When you select the analysis name rather than the view type, the Analysis Properties
pane refreshes with detail appropriate to that specific analysis. When you select the view, the
detail in the Analysis Properties pane disappears.
Accessing and Refreshing the Presentation

Catalog
Perform the following tasks:

Customize to suit your
Log in/log out
own needs
Open/close BI Catalog
Edit prompts and columns
within the analysis
Paste an analysis or dashboard page state
Paste a graph as image
Paste a graph as Flash
Refresh
Refresh all
Secure the slide
or worksheet
Secure the presentation or workbook
Using the BI Office Toolbar

You must use the BI Office toolbar rather than the MS Office toolbar when copying and
pasting analyses into Excel and PowerPoint.
Using the BI Office Toolbar
Native
PowerPoint chart
in default format
Table
Graph inserted
as an image
Inserting Views in MS PowerPoint

As mentioned at the beginning of this lesson, PowerPoint and Excel share numerous view
types that can be inserted from Oracle BI EE. The following view types are available in both
PowerPoint and Excel.
Table view: The Table view displays results in a tabular format. You can add totals and
grand totals, customize headings, and change the formula or aggregation rule for a
column.
Pivot Table view: Pivot Table view presents data from BI analyses with page items as
well as a section-based layout if these had been defined in the BI EE Pivot Table view
for the analysis.
Graph view: When you insert BI EE Graph views as native Excel or PowerPoint charts,
you can change the Office chart type and apply other formatting changes using Excel
and PowerPoint charting capabilities. These changes are preserved during refreshes.
Funnel view: You can insert BI EE Funnel views as an image in Excel and PowerPoint
documents.
Gauges View: You can add Gauge views to PowerPoint and Excel. The Gauge view is
inserted as an image into a spreadsheet and can be inserted as either an image or
Adobe Flash object into a presentation.
Inserting Views in PowerPoint
Insert a Table view and a Graph view.
3
2
1
Inserting Views in MS PowerPoint (continued)

To add an analysis to your presentation (or spreadsheet):
1. In the BI Office Catalog pane, navigate to the analysis that you want to insert. Expand
the analysis for a list of available views. (The views available for insertion are dependent
upon the MS Office application in use.) Select the view that you want to insert.
2. Click the Insert icon (highlighted in the slide), double-click the view, or right-click the
view and select the appropriate option from the shortcut menu.
Note: Shortcut menus are shown for both Table and Graph views. If you simply insert a
Graph view directly, it is inserted in the default native MS Office format. To select other
available formats, right-click the Graph view and make your selection from the menu.
3. The Insert View dialog box appears. To include the Title view in your presentation,
select the Title View check box.
Specify columns.
3
Deselect
columns
4
Table is
added.
Inserting Views in PowerPoint (continued)

You can control the dimensions that are used in a BI Office presentation or worksheet. If a
view that is selected for insertion has multiple levels from one or more dimensions, you can
limit the data for each dimension by clearing the appropriate check boxes on the Columns
tabbed page.
3. Deselect the columns that you do not want to show in the presentation.
4. Click Insert. The analysis is added to the presentation.
Formatting changes made to analyses in both PowerPoint and Excel are preserved even
during refreshes.
Note: When inserting a Pivot Table view into either PowerPoint or Excel, in addition to the
Insert View dialog box, you will be prompted to select other objects (such as section and page
prompts) from the Insert Pivot Table dialog box.
Use the Copy link on a dashboard

to copy the state of BI EE views.
Page
Section
Graph
Table
Inserting Views in MS Excel

Pivot Table view: A Pivot Table view presents data from Presentation Catalog analyses with
page items, as well as a section-based layout if these have been defined in the Pivot Table
view for the analysis.
Graph view: In the Excel Add-in, you can insert graphs in native Excel format, as the default,
or as an image. To insert a graph as an image, right-click the Graph in the BI Office Catalog
pane and select Insert as Image.
You can use the Copy link for an analysis on a dashboard to copy the state of BI EE views on
dashboard pages and then paste this state into PowerPoint or Excel. You can drill on a graph
from year to quarter, then drill from region to the district level. Use the Paste icon on the BI
Office toolbar to add the content to your presentation or spreadsheet. When you refresh the
BI EE views inside the Office presentation or spreadsheet, the data refreshes and appears
based on the state of the analysis. Prompt definitions are preserved and can be changed
subsequently.
Conditional formatting can be preserved during refreshes on your data. To do this, the Excel
Add-in must do a cell-level comparison, which is performance-intensive. To improve
performance, use the Preserve Conditional Formatting option on the General tabbed page in
the Preferences dialog box.
2
Inserting Views in MS Excel (continued)

1. Open Excel and log in to BI Office.
2. Click the Copy link on the dashboard.
3. Click the Paste icon on the BI Office toolbar.
Double-click to
drill down
Detail for Caf At

The Pfister
Drilling in Native Charts

You can copy views from dashboard pages and analyses and then paste them into Excel and
PowerPoint documents by using the Paste feature of the Office Add-ins. Copied views are
pasted as Office documents (Excel or PowerPoint tables and charts). You can copy
Compound Layouts, but only those views that are supported by the Office Add-in being used
are pasted into documents.
The state of BI views in dashboards and the Analysis Editor is maintained during the copying
process.
In the example in the slide, a BI analysis is drilled from District to City. To copy a view that is
in the desired state:
1. On the dashboard page, click the Copy link below the view.
2. In Excel or PowerPoint, select Paste from either the Oracle BI menu or the Office ribbon.
When a user refreshes the BI views in the Office document, the data is refreshed and
displayed based on the state of the analysis as it was copied. You can also copy a view from
one MS Office document to another and maintain state during subsequent refreshes. For
example, you can copy a chart at the City level from Excel and paste it into PowerPoint; when
refreshed, the data is maintained in the correct state.
Drilling in Native Charts
You can secure BI data in your MS Office documents if you

want to distribute sensitive documents.
Securing BI Data in MS Office

To secure BI data in BI views that are inserted in Excel spreadsheets or PowerPoint
presentations, click the Secure Worksheet/Workbook icon (Secure Slide/Presentation) on the
BI Office toolbar or ribbon (or select the option from the Oracle BI menu).
Metadata describing the BI view is preserved, but all data is wiped by the Oracle Add-in. You
can reload the latest available data by refreshing the BI views in your spreadsheets or
presentations.
Note: To secure data for a PowerPoint presentation, click the Secure Slide/Presentation icon.
Securing BI Data in MS Office
Refreshes graphs and table data

Brings data back to refresh views that have previously
been secured
Can be done at different levels of granularity depending on
the BI Office file
Refreshing Views
To refresh views in the Excel Add-in, select the Refresh or Refresh All options in the Oracle
BI menu (or click the corresponding buttons in the toolbar or ribbon pane). Similar commands
in the PowerPoint Add-in enable you to refresh at the slide or presentation levels of
granularity.
Any stored states for the views (for example, levels in a hierarchy) are maintained in the view
metadata and refreshed accordingly.
Refreshing Views

Associate Oracle BI content with MS Excel and
PowerPoint, using Oracle BI Office Add-in
View analyses within Oracle BI Office Add-in
Copy Oracle BI content into MS Excel and PowerPoint
Summary
This practice covers working with analyses and views in Excel

and PowerPoint.
This quiz examines your knowledge of the BI Office Add-in.
Quiz: Overview
In this quiz, you answer questions regarding the interaction of MS PowerPoint and MS Excel
with Oracle BI Office Add-in.
Quiz: Overview
Using the BI Office Add-ins, which of the following views can

you copy into spreadsheets and presentations?
a. Table
b. Graph
c. Pivot table
d. Funnel
e. Gauge
Answer: a, b, c, d, e
Quiz
You can include Gauge views in both Excel and

PowerPoint in image and Flash formats.
a. True
b. False
Answer: b
Gauge views can be included as images in both Excel and PowerPoint, but the Gauge view in
Flash format is only available in PowerPoint.
Quiz
Working with Oracle Business Intelligence

Briefing Books

Add content to a new or existing Oracle BI Briefing Book
Edit an Oracle BI Briefing Book
Download an Oracle BI Briefing Book
View an Oracle BI Briefing Book
Specify an Oracle BI Briefing Book as delivery content in
Delivers
Objectives
Store static or updatable snapshots of dashboard pages,

individual analyses, or BI Publisher reports
Can be downloaded and shared for offline printing and
viewing in PDF or Mime HTML (MHTML) format
Can be added to a dashboard page as a list
Can be updated, scheduled, and delivered by using agents
Oracle BI Briefing Books

The Adobe Reader application is required to view or print an Oracle BI Briefing Book PDF file.
Note: Discoverer worksheets cannot be saved in Oracle BI Briefing Books.
Oracle BI Briefing Books
Tasks:
Add a list of Oracle BI Briefing Books to a dashboard
Use Oracle BI Briefing Books with Delivers
Working with Oracle BI Briefing Books
On a dashboard page, you can create an Oracle

BI Briefing Book in either of the following ways:
Navigate to the dashboard page (to add the
entire contents of the dashboard page), click
the Page Options toolbar button and select 1a
the Add To Briefing Book link.
Navigate to the specific analysis and click the
Add to Briefing Book link on specific analysis.
1b
Add Content to a New or Existing Oracle BI Briefing Book

You can add the content of dashboard pages (including pages that contain BI Publisher
reports) or individual analyses to existing or new Oracle BI Briefing Books.
1.a. Navigate to the dashboard page and select Add to Oracle BI Briefing Book from the
Page Options toolbar to add the entire contents of the dashboard page
Or,
1.b. Navigate to the analysis and click the Add to Oracle BI Briefing Book link on the specific
analysis.
Note: The Add to Briefing Book link on the specific analysis on a dashboard page only
appears if that option was selected in the Dashboard Report Links dialog box.
Add Content to a New or Existing Oracle BI

Briefing Book
Browse for an
existing or add a
new Briefing Book
Browse
Add Content to a New or Existing Oracle BI Briefing Book (continued)

2. In the Oracle BI Briefing Book Content dialog box, complete the following details:
Content Type:
- Updatable: Refreshes the content whenever the Oracle BI Briefing Book is
downloaded, or when it is specified as the delivery content for an agent
- Snapshot: Adds the content in its current state. Snapshot content preserves the
original data and is not updated when the Oracle BI Briefing Book is rerun.
Snapshot content will not be updated when using agents.
Follow Briefing Book Navigation Links (applies only to Updatable content type):
- No: Specifies that Oracle BI Briefing Book navigation links are not to be followed
- Yes: Specifies that Oracle BI Briefing Book navigation links are to be followed. If
you select this option, then you must also specify the number of links to follow.
- Number of links to follow: Specifies the number of Oracle BI Briefing Book
navigation links to be followed, if you selected the Yes option. The default value for
the maximum number of links to follow is 5.
3. Click Browse to display the Save As dialog box. If you are creating a new Oracle BI
Briefing Book, enter a name in the Name text box or select an existing Oracle BI Briefing
Book, add an optional description, and click OK.

Briefing Book
Add Content to a New or Existing Oracle BI Briefing Book (continued)

4. When the Oracle BI Briefing Book confirmation message box appears, click OK.

Briefing Book
2
Edit
3
Delete

You can edit Oracle BI Briefing Books to reorder and delete content, and change the content
type, navigation link properties, and content description.
1. On the Global Header, click Catalog.
2. Navigate to the desired Oracle BI Briefing Book and click Edit.
3. Select the Oracle BI Briefing Book that you want to change.
To change the content, select the content that you want to change and click Edit to
display the Page Properties dialog box. You can change the content type, Oracle BI
Briefing Book navigation links, or the content description.
To reorder content, select the content and then drag it to the desired location.
To delete content, select the item and click Delete.
4. Make the desired changes on the Page Properties dialog box and click OK.
2
3

You can download Oracle BI Briefing Books to your computer in MHTML format and then
share them for offline viewing or you can download Oracle BI Briefing Books in PDF format
and print them.
1. To download an Oracle BI Briefing Book, on the Global Header select the Catalog
tabbed page.
2. Navigate to the Oracle BI Briefing Book that you want to download.
3. To download the Oracle BI Briefing Book in PDF format, click PDF, and then open or
save the file. (The Adobe Reader application is required to view or print a briefing book
PDF file.)
To download the Oracle BI Briefing Book in MHTML format, click Web Archive (.mht) and
then open or save the file. These downloaded Oracle BI Briefing Books can be opened in a
browser. They can then be emailed or shared.
Note: BI Publisher reports that are contained in the Oracle BI Briefing Book are only included
in the PDF file if the reports themselves are enabled for PDF output.
Use the Adobe Reader

to view Oracle BI
Briefing Books that
were downloaded in
PDF format.
Use your browser to
view Oracle BI Briefing
Books with an .mht
file extension.

Web archive and downloaded Oracle BI Briefing Books are saved with an.mht file extension,
which can be opened in a browser, emailed, or shared.
The PDF version of a briefing book contains an automatically generated table of contents. It
contains an entry for each dashboard page, analysis, and report in the Oracle BI Briefing
Book. Each of these entries includes a time stamp and the page number within the PDF file.
The time stamp value depends on how the content was saved. If the content was saved as
updatable, then the time stamp is current. If the content was saved as a snapshot, then the
time stamp is the time of the snapshot. Indented beneath each entry for a dashboard page are
any Oracle BI Briefing Book links included on that page (maximum of nine links). These
entries do not include timestamps.
Example:
Table of Contents
My Dashboard Page 7/11/2008 9:15:20 AM . . . . . .1
Years to Dollars Dashboard . . . . . . . . . .2
Note: The table of contents is always generated in English. Other languages are not
supported at this time.
Use a folder object to display a list of Oracle BI Briefing Books

on a dashboard page.
1
2
3
Add a List of Oracle BI Briefing Books to a Dashboard

To add a folder object:
1. Edit the dashboard and navigate to the dashboard page to which you want to add a list
of Oracle BI Briefing Books. From the Dashboard Objects pane, drag a folder object into
a section.
2. Hover over the folder object in the Page Layout area to display the object's toolbar and
click the Properties icon. The Folder Properties dialog box appears.
3. In the Folder text box, click Browse to navigate to the folder that contains the Oracle BI
Briefing Books (or you can enter the location manually).
Add a List of Oracle BI Briefing Books to a

Dashboard
Add a List of Oracle BI Briefing Books to a Dashboard (continued)

4. In the Open dialog box, select the Oracle BI Briefing Book and click OK.
5. In the Folder Properties dialog box, you can select two check boxes. The Expand check
box allows you to show an expanded view of the folder on the dashboard page. The
Show RSS Link check box allows you to add an RSS feed to the folder.
The RSS feed option allows you to access the dashboards catalog folder from an RSS
2.0 compatible reader that supports HTTP basic authentication. If Presentation Services
uses the HTTPS protocol, then the RSS Reader that you use must also support the
HTTPS protocol. An RSS reader is a third-party program that allows the user to
aggregate information from different Web-based locations into one browser window (for
example, news feeds or events listing). When the RSS link is added to the dashboard's
catalog folder, an XML icon that provides the catalog's URL appears for that folder.
6. Click OK, save the dashboard, and run the dashboard to view the folder.
Add a List of Oracle BI Briefing Books to a

Dashboard
Specify an Oracle BI Briefing Book as the delivery content for

an agent.
1
Using Oracle BI Briefing Books with Delivers

When you add content to a briefing book, you specify whether the content is updatable. You
can refresh the updatable content by specifying the Oracle BI Briefing Book as the delivery
content for an agent.
1. Navigate to the Delivery Content tabbed page in Delivers.
Hint: To do this, from the global header select New > Agent and then select the Delivery
Content tabbed page.
2. Choose Briefing Book from the Content drop-down list and click Browse.
3. In the Choose Delivery Content dialog box, select the appropriate Briefing Book and
click OK.
Use an Oracle BI Briefing Book with Delivers
Using Oracle BI Briefing Books with Delivers (continued)

4. The Delivery Contents tabbed page reflects your selection. Save the agent.
5. When the agent runs, updatable content in the Oracle BI Briefing Book is refreshed.
Use an Oracle BI Briefing Book with Delivers

Specify an Oracle BI Briefing Book as delivery content in
Delivers
Summary
This practice covers the following topics:

Creating an Oracle BI Briefing Book
Editing an Oracle BI Briefing Book
Downloading an Oracle BI Briefing Book
Viewing an Oracle BI Briefing Book
This quiz examines your knowledge of Oracle BI Briefing

Books.
Quiz: Overview
In this quiz, you answer questions regarding Oracle BI Briefing Books.
Quiz: Overview
Oracle BI Briefing Books store only static snapshots of

dashboard pages, individual analyses, or BI Publisher reports.
a. True
b. False
Answer: b
Oracle BI Briefing Books store static or updatable snapshots of dashboard pages, individual
analyses, or BI Publisher reports.
Quiz
Oracle BI Briefing Books can be downloaded and shared for

offline printing and viewing in PDF format only.
a. True
b. False
Answer: b
Oracle BI Briefing Books can be downloaded and shared for offline printing and viewing in
PDF and MHTML format.
Quiz

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THESE eKIT MATERIALS ARE FOR YOUR USE IN THIS CLASSROOM ONLY.

COPYING eKIT MATERIALS FROM THIS COMPUTER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED

Volume II Student Guide

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Oracle BI 11g R1: Create

Copyright 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Restricted Rights Notice

U.S. GOVERNMENT RIGHTS

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Introduction to Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition

Working with Oracle Business Intelligence Analyses

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Administering the Presentation Catalog

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Oracle Business Intelligence Analysis 2-9

Limiting and Grouping Data in Analyses

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Setting Object Permissions 3-14

Oracle Business Intelligence Analyses: Advanced Features

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1. Create a New Calculated Item 4-30

Working with Views and Graphs in Analyses

Showing Results with Gauge Views and Map Views

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Measuring Results with Key Performance Indicators

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1. Add a Gauge View 7-5

Showing Results with Pivot Tables

10 Creating Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards

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11 Configuring Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards

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Creating and Editing a Dashboard 10-6

12 Creating Dashboard Prompts and Variables

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Embedded Content 11-9

13 Using Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers

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Setting Preferences for a Prompt Page 12-36

14 Integrating Analyses with MS Office

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Using Agents to Deliver Content 13-25

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View an Oracle BI Briefing Book 15-10

Copyright 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Oracle University and ORACLE CORPORATION use only

Creating Oracle Business

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

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Oracle BI 11g R1: Create Analyses and Dashboards 10 - 2

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Oracle Business Intelligence Dashboards display the results of

Business Intelligence analysis

Copyright 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Oracle BI 11g R1: Create Analyses and Dashboards 10 - 3

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Dashboard pages are identified by:

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Oracle BI 11g R1: Create Analyses and Dashboards 10 - 4

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Oracle BI 11g R1: Create Analyses and Dashboards 10 - 5

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Dashboard Pages (continued)