BusinessObjects Board

Auto-fill Period Prompt

I have a universe that requires a prompt for Period and Year. If I want to schedule a report to run each month for each previous Period then I don’t want a user to have to fill in the prompts each time. Is it possible to get the Period and Year automatically filled according to the current date? I tried this by creating variables using the CurrentDate() and then used these in a Format Filter, but I got no data returned. any ideas?


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)

What version of BO are you on?

Did you intend to post in Desktop Intelligence?

Desktop Intelligence XI Version 12.5.0


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)

And I can see why the Filter wouldn’t work; It comes after the data has already been selected by the prompts. I can’t set the prompt values in the InfoView schedule because they need to change each month. Is there some way I can amend the SQL to get what I need? I’m no expert, so any help gratefully received.


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)

Ah, yes you can.

You’ll need to build relative date objects in your universe. Have a look in [topic=152613]this thread[/topic] for the ones that are for your DBMS.

You’d then build your query condition so that Transaction Date between Start of Previous Month and End of Previous Month, with the two items in bold being the new universe objects that you’ve created. :slight_smile:

Is the issue then that the prompts/filters are added at universe/class level such that any queries on the universe/class receive those prompts/filters by default?


Damocles :uk: (BOB member since 2006-10-05)

Yes, that’s right.


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)

Can the universe be changed?

Could you change it so the prompts take text, show a LOV of the date converted to string and have the option of writing “Latest” into the prompt such that the universe then translates that out to the latest period?


Damocles :uk: (BOB member since 2006-10-05)

Sorry Mark P, what do you mean by: “Have a look in [topic=152613]this thread[/topic] for the ones that are for your DBMS”? Where and how do I need to look?


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)

Damocles, I do not have access to the universe I’m afraid.


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)

In that case whoever built it is incredibly short sighted if they put default universe prompts in a universe that people are going to want to build scheduled reports off.


Damocles :uk: (BOB member since 2006-10-05)

Hmmm :roll_eyes:


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)

Sorry, the topic code appears to have gone.

This thread:

It is about building universe objects.

If you cannot build them, raise the issue as a request to whoever can.

Mark’s right, you should talk to your universe design team.


Damocles :uk: (BOB member since 2006-10-05)

I guess I’ll talk to the universe designers! Fingers crossed. Thanks very much both of you for your help.


TrevR :uk: (BOB member since 2014-03-05)