Oracle

Discoverer
Training On
Oracle Discoverer Administration

Introduction
Oracle Discoverer provides business users with data analysis
capabilities, regardless of whether the RDBMS was designed for an
OLTP system or as a data warehouse.
Oracle Discoverer is a business intelligence toolset that comprises:
Oracle Discoverer Administrator- Its design determines how
users access and view data.
Oracle Discoverer Desktop- It provides logical and intuitive
access to information from your organizations relational databases
for ad hoc query, analysis, and reporting.

Oracle Discoverer Plus- Same as above on web.

Oracle Discoverer Viewer- for viewing workbooks created by
users of the Windows or Web releases of the Discoverer Plus.

Introduction- Contd.
Discoverer Components

Introduction- Contd.

Implementation Flow Chart

Sample Report to be Developed

Salesperson Order Summary report from Order Management
has been identified to be developed in this training
There are four queries in the report (in D2K).
Q_Seldata
Q_Order
Q_header_salesrep
Q_line_Salesrep
Each query is made a view in order to develop the same report in
Discoverer.
Xxom_Sel_Selrep_Ord_Summary_V
Xxom_Salesrep_Ord_Summary_V
Xxom_Hdr_Selsrep_Ord_Summary_V
Xxom_Lin_Selsrep_Ord_Summary_V

End User Layer (EUL)

Create an EUL (mandatory if one does not exist already).
EUL resides between the database dictionary/table definitions and
Discoverer.
EUL insulates Discoverer end users from the complexity and physical
structure of the database.
Provides an intuitive, business-focused view of the database
Enables Discoverer end users to focus on business issues instead of
data access issues.
The metalayer structure of the EUL preserves the data integrity of
the database.
Discoverer provides read-only access to the application database.

A database user can only own one EUL.

EUL Access (Public-> all users, Public -> only owner)
EUL user should have certain privileges on the database (CREATE
SESSION, CREATE TABLE, CREATE VIEW, CREATE SEQUENCE, CREATE
PROCEDURE)

End User Layer (EUL)

Discoverer Administrator> Tools> EUL Manager

Use the EUL Manager to create

and maintain EULs for different
users (userids) in the database

End User Layer (EUL)

Discoverer Administrator> Tools> EUL Manager> Create EUL

The Create EUL Wizard

walks you through the
steps of creating a new
EUL.
The first step is to choose
the user who will own the
new EUL.
APPS database user has
access to all the schema
used for Oracle Apps

End User Layer (EUL)

Discoverer Administrator> Tools> EUL Manager> Create EUL

The user creating EUL for

a schema should know
the password of schemas
database user id

End User Layer (EUL)

Discoverer Administrator> Tools> EUL Manager> Create EUL

Select the default and

temporary tablespace for
the new user by clicking
your choice in the list.
These settings are
database settings
Default table space must
be at least 3mb

Business Area
Create a business area and load data into it (mandatory).
Business areas are conceptual groupings of tables and/or views
Discoverer Administrator displays a business area as a file cabinet
on the Data tab of the Workarea.
You create a business area in Discoverer Administrator using the
Load Wizard (User-friendly Interface)
Identify the data source and have a clear understanding of its
design.
Identify which tables, views, and columns are required. Identify
those that are likely to be included in multiple business areas.
Map out the necessary joins and determine whether they exist in the
database or will have to be created by you using Discoverer
Administrator.
Identify security issues and access privileges.

Business Area
Business Area Concepts

Business Area- Load Wizard

Discoverer Administrator> File> New

The Load Wizard is where

you open existing business
areas or create a new one.
It is the first step to
working in the
Administration Edition.

Business Area- Load Wizard

Discoverer Administrator> File> New

Discoverer allows you

to load metadata that
is present in the
database, but in nonOracle format.

Business Area- Load Wizard

Discoverer Administrator> File> New

Define the objects

that will be loaded
into the new business
area.
You choices depend on
where you chose to
get your meta data.
APPS schema is the
owner of all four views
in the report

Business Area- Load Wizard

Discoverer Administrator> File> New

Select the specific

objects to load into
the business area.
Each table and view
that you select will
be a folder in the
business area.
All the four views to
be used in the
report are selected

Business Area- Load Wizard

Discoverer Administrator> File> New

These options let you

make your business
area and its folders
easy to find and
access

Business Area- Load Wizard

Discoverer Administrator> File> New

Finally, you must

name your new
business area.

Business Area- other features

Features provided for Business Area
Opening an Existing Business Area (File> Open)
Exporting a Business Area to a File (File> Export)
Importing EUL elements from a File (eg. Business Area, Folders,
Functions etc) (File> Export)
Editing Business Area Properties (Double click on Business Area
Icon)
Deleting a Business Area (Right Click > Delete Business Area)
Synchronizing the Business Area with the Database (File>
Refresh)
Data migration issues (Analytic Functions)

Access Privileges
Use Discoverer access permissions to control who can see and use
the data in business areas
Use Discoverer task privileges to control the tasks each user is
allowed to perform
You can grant Discoverer access permissions and task privileges to
database roles as well as to database users.
Data access rights to the database tables remain under the control
of the database administrator.

Granting Access Permission for Business Area

Tools> Security

This section describes how to

grant (or deny) access
permission for business areas to
specific users or roles.
Users having responsibility
Order Management Super User
Vision Operation will be able to
access the business area.

Granting Task Privileges

Use this tab to grant privileges to
a specific user or
role/responsibility*.
Oracle Applications users will see
the term Responsibility displayed
here instead of Role.
Grant the head privilege
(Administration, User Edition)
before you grant the privileges
under it.
If you wish to grant (or deny)
Administration privileges to a user
or role, you must also grant (or
deny) that user Administration
access to the business area.

Tools> Privileges

Granting Task Privileges

Administration Edition Tasks
Format Business Area
Create/Edit Business Area
Create Summaries
Set Privilege
Manage Scheduled Workbooks
Discoverer Plus Tasks
Create/Edit Query
Collect Query Statistics
Item Drill
Drill Out
Grant Workbook
Schedule Workbooks
Save Workbooks to database

Query Retrieval Limits

Tools> Privileges> Query Governor

Use this tab to view and edit the

query retrieval limits for a
specified user or responsibility.

Specifying Schedule Workbench Limits

Tools> Privileges> Scheduled Workbooks

To set the parameters for

scheduling workbooks to a user or
role that has that privilege.

Items

An Item, is a representation of a database table's column, in the EUL

Administrator can do following on items (Columns):

Formatting Change

Name Change

Other changes to enable user to clearly read the data

Items are stored in folders and can be:

Created

Deleted

Moved among different folders

Editing Item Properties

Item>Right Click> Properties

This section shows you how to enhance

the users view of the data by editing
item properties.
Field name (Name) of view
xxom_hdr_salesrep_ord_summary_v
changed to Customer Name

Joins
A join relates two folders using one or more common items.
End users cannot create joins
Administrator has to create joins for end users to create reports
that combine information from multiple folders.
A join between two folders enables you to include items from both
folders when creating (Worksheet, Complex Folder, Hierarchy)
Single item joins relate two folders using an item that is common to
both folders.
Multi-item joins relate two folders using more than one join
condition.
You cannot directly include functions or literals (e.g. text strings,
numbers, dates) in the join conditions.

Items in joins can be hidden later, allowing end users to benefit

from the use of joined folders without having to see the join details.
While Creating Joins, You do not need to enter a name for the join,
Discoverer Administrator automatically creates a default name for the
join when you click OK.

Create Joins
Screen print refers to the
data model of report
developed in D2K
Joins are to be developed
among the views based on
the data model (D2K) of
sample report.

Create Joins
To create a join, select

the Master folder

the operator
the detail folder

Use Multi-Item for joining

multiple Master and detail
folders
For defining join types (outer
join, Foreign key with null
value, one to one relationship)
use OPTIONS

Item>right click> New Join

Edit Join Properties

You can inspect and edit more
than one Join item at a time.
Select a join to view its
properties.
If you select more than one
Join Property and make a
change to a property, the
changes apply to all selected
properties.

Join Name> Right Click> Properties

Edit Join
The screen details are same as
Create Join screen

Join Name> Right Click> Edit Join

Folders
Folder, analogous to a directory in Windows where folders are the
containers and items are the files held in the folders.
Folders can include items, calculated items, joins, conditions, item
classes, and hierarchies.
You can assign a folder to one or more business areas.
A folder has a single definition, regardless of the number of business
areas to which you assign it.
Three Type of Folders:
Simple Folders, which contain items based on columns in a single
database table or view
Complex Folders, which can contain items based on columns from
multiple database tables or views. This is analogous to a view in the
database.
Custom Folders, which are based on SQL statements

Adding Simple Folders from Database

Insert> Folder> From Database> On-line Dictionary

This section
describes how to
add Simple folders
from the database
to an existing
business area.
Follow the same
process you use
when creating a
new business area.

Creating Custom Folder

This section describes
how to create a custom
folder
TIP: You can add
comments to your SQL
statements by beginning
the comment line with -.
Like other folders,
custom folders require
joins in order for its
data to relate to other
data in the business
area.

Insert> Folder> Custom

Complex Folder
Complex folders consist of items from one or more other
folders.

Complex folders enable you to create a combined view of data

from multiple folders.
This can simplify the business area without creating a new
database view.
Complex folders result set could also be produced by a
database view. But:
Complex folders can be created without the database
privileges required to create a database view.
Security is handled through the Folders Business Area.
Complex Folders has no effect on the physical schema, thus
they are very safe to use.
Views can be complicated to maintain, whereas Complex
Folders are managed entirely within Discoverer Administration
Edition.

Creating Complex Folder

1. On the Data page of the work area, select the business
area to which, you want to add a Complex folder.
2. Choose Insert | Folder | New. This creates a new
complex folder.
3. Drag items from any folder (in any open business area)
to your new folder.

Each item that is added in the complex folder must

belong to a folder, that is joined to the folder of at least one
other item in the complex folder
Item dragged and dropped in complex folder references
the original, source item. Therefore any change made in
the original item will reflect on the item inside the complex
folder.

Create Calculation Item

Calculation Items behave
much like any other Item in a
Folder
Calculated Item can be used
in Conditions, Summaries,
Lists of Values, Joins, and
other Calculation Items.

3 Calculations in Discoverer
Derived calculations
Aggregate calculations
Aggregate Derived
calculations
Add new item to show
difference of order qty and
invoice qty in sample report

Folder Name> Right Click> New Item

Editing Calculation Properties

Same as Item Properties

Item Name> Right Click> Properties

Editing Item Calculation

This section describes
how to edit an existing
Calculation.

Item Name> Right Click> Edit Item

Create Conditions
End users can use
Conditions to restrict
the results of their
query to the areas
they are interested
This can result in
faster queries.
No condition is
applied in the
sample report

Item (on which condn to apply)> Right Click> New Condition

Mandatory Vs Optional Condition

Mandatory Condition

Optional Condition

Always applied to the results of a folder.

Only applied to the results of a folder if

selected in Discoverer Plus

Used by an administrator to permanently

restrict the rows returned by a folder.

Provided by an administrator to help users

build conditions

Invisible in Discoverer Plus.

Visible (but not editable) in Discoverer Plus.

When created in a complex folder, can

reference items in the source folders.

When created in a complex folder, can only

reference items in the complex folder.

Affect the result set of the folder definition in Applied when used in Discoverer Plus thus
the EUL.
no effect on EUL result
When added, changed, or deleted, cause
any summaries based on the folder to
become invalid, because their result set no
longer matches that of the folder.

When added, changed, or deleted have no

affect on summaries based on the folder.

Hierarchies
Hierarchy is a logical linking that you define between Items that
enables Discoverer Plus users to:
drill up (to a greater level of aggregation) and
drill down (to a greater level of detail).
Hierarchical relationships are not defined in the database; you create
them in the Business Area.
Discoverer Hierarchies mimic data relationships from the end users
perspective instead of from the database perspective.
There are two types of Hierarchy in Discoverer Administration Edition:
Item Hierarchies
Date Hierarchies

Creating Item Hierarchy

Hierarchies Tab> Business Area> Right Click> New Hierarchy> Item Hierarchy

Example:
Order> Line
End user will have a report
which can be drill down from
location to departments

Hierarchy created in sample

report to drill Order data at line
level

Creating Item Hierarchy- Contd

Hierarchies Tab> Business Area> Right Click> New Hierarchy> Item Hierarchy

Like other items in the

Business Are, Name Hierarchy.

Choose names that describe

the hierarchy so they are easy
to find and use later.

Creating Date Hierarchy

Example:
Year> Month > Week

Hierarchies Tab> Business Area> Right Click> New Hierarchy> Date Hierarchy

User looks at total sales

for each year in their
records, they can drill down
(using the Date Hierarchy)
you implement this Date
Hierarchy in a Business
Area, and an end user has
a report in Discoverer Plus
You can use Discoverer
Administration Editions
existing Date Hierarchy
templates to define many
common Date Hierarchies,
or you can create your own
customized Date
Hierarchies.

Default date hierarchy is used in sample report

Creating Date Hierarchy- Contd..

Hierarchies Tab> Business Area> Right Click> New Hierarchy> Date Hierarchy

You can choose the date

items in your Business Area
that will use the new date
hierarchy.
This step is optional.

Creating Date Hierarchy- Contd..

Hierarchies Tab> Business Area> Right Click> New Hierarchy> Date Hierarchy

Like other items in your

Business Area, you can
name your hierarchy.
Choose names that
describe the hierarchy so
they are easy to find and
use later.

Item Class
An item class is a group of items that share similar attributes.
The administrator creates an item class to enable the following features:

Lists of values
Alternative sorts
Drill-to-detail links (hyperdrills)

These features help users build queries more quickly and easily.
The item class can be created to support these features individually, or in
combination
The only exception is that an alternative sort must relate to a list of
values

List of Values
A list of values is the items set of unique values

The values the item class references correspond to those found in a

database column.
Lists of values are used by end users to refer to values in the database
and to apply conditions and parameter values.
Lists of values are often generated automatically when the business area
is first created (in Load Wizard: Step 4).

The Item Class Wizard provides a way to extend a list of values to other
items.

Create List of Values

Item Classes Tab> New Item Class> List of Values

Select the items that

use this item class.
If you do not select the
items using the item
class, you will need to
apply the item class to
specific items later.

Create List of Values

LOVs to be created in
sample report for
in put parameters:
1.

Order Number

2.

Order Date

3.

Order Type

4.

Line Type

5.

Agreement

6.

Sales Person

7.

Customer Name

8.

Customer Number

9.

Line Category

Item Classes Tab> New Item Class> List of Values

Alternative Sorts
Data elements to be sorted in an alternative order other than
Ascending or Descending Order
For example, a series of sales regions would be sorted alphabetically
by default, such as
East,
North,
South, and
West.
But the end user may need them sorted in this order:
North,
South,
East, and
West.
No Alternate sort is used in Sample Report

Create Alternative Sorts

Item Classes Tab> New Item Class> Alternative sort

Select the item that

generates list of values.
You may choose from
any Business Area in the
End User Layer.
Selecting a Business
Area displays its folders.
Click the plus (+) symbol
to open folders and view
the items contained in
them.

Create Alternative Sorts- Contd..

Item Classes Tab> New Item Class> Alternative sort

Select the item

containing the
alternative sort
sequence

Note that the alternative

sort item must be in the
same folder as the list
of values.

Create Alternative Sorts- Contd..

Item Classes Tab> New Item Class> Alternative sort

Select the items that

use this item class.
If you do not select the
items using the item
class, you will need to
apply the item class to
specific items later.

Summary Folders

Summary folders are a representation of queried data that has

been saved for reuse.

Created to improve query response time for end users.

Query is improved because the query accesses pre-aggregated
and pre-joined data rather than accessing the database tables.

Q&A