Introduction to BusinessObjects XI R2 Desktop Intelligence Reporting

Overview:

This course utilizes an instructor-led lectures and discussion format coupled with progressive hands-on exercises designed to illustrate the following topics in BusinessObjects XI; query selection and creation, use of data manipulation tools, sorting of report data, creation of data filters, drill down capability, report presentation and formatting and distribution techniques.

Each of these different reporting concepts is covered in-depth and numerous case studies and exercises are used to reinforce the concepts and apply them towards developing comprehensive reports.

Audience:

Individuals in the client community that will be accessing information in a corporate data warehouse and need to utilize BusinessObjects� interactive reporting abilities to create, view, save and print customized reports.

Prerequisites:

None

Objectives

Upon conclusion, each participant will have acquired these skills:

Understand the role of BusinessObjects XI for accessing corporate data

Illustrate the critical path for developing and executing BusinessObjects XI queries

Define the capabilities of filters for defining conditional selection properties via; conditional IF�s, relational operators, string searching and range testing

Incorporating sort functions to manipulate report sequences

Discuss the use of BusinessObjects pre-built functions

Insertion of calculations and aggregate functions into queries to generate derived data columns

Illustrate the role of the grouping and sorting operations in report formation, additionally recognize the impact on query performance

Ability to customize and modify the report layout to add headers, footers and other customized information to the report template.

Use of the drill down function to provide in-depth analysis of report information

Illustrate techniques for report distribution and sharing.

Use of the Slice & Dice panel to provide further delineation of corporate data.

Demonstrate the use of arrays and custom variables

Develop customized reports using Cross-tab reporting

Depict the use of alerts and rankings for reporting

Creating drill reports for data analysis

Illustrate the use of subreports, linked subreports and shared variables

Class Format

Lecture and Lab

Course duration:

3 days

Course outline:

I. BusinessObjects Environment

Documents
Reports
Blocks
Universes structure
Data Providers
Migration to XI R2

II. User Interface

Toolbars and Menus
Field and Report Explorers
Report Designer panel
The Status Bar

III. Working with Reports

Opening, Saving and Closing reports
Retrieving reports
Creating BO projects
Sharing reports

IV. Analyzing Data

Editing Blocks to Manipulate Data
Adding Blocks to an Existing Report
Master/Detail Reports
Adding New Reports to a Document

V. Creating and Editing Queries

Using the Report Designer Panel
Editing a Query
Building a Query
Running a Query
Saving Queries

VI. Conditional Processing

Simple Conditions
User Defined Single Value Conditions
Pre-Defined Conditions

VII. Using Functions

Filtering Data
Sorting Data
Ranking Data
Using Alerters
Inserting Simple Calculations

VIII. Presentation Styles

Tables, Crosstabs and Charts
Using/Applying Templates
Formatting Blocks
Formatting Pages
Formatting Breaks
Special Fields
Using Headers and Footers
Adding Logos and Pictures
Creating Templates

IX. Formatting a Report

Adding graphical elements
Combining text objects with database fields
Applying specialized formatting
Inserting fields with pre-built functions

X. Using Variables and Arrays

Using variables
Using arrays

XI. Building Parameterized Reports

Defining and creating parameters
Building a report with multiple parameters
Using edit masks and descriptions
Creating a date range parameter
Grouping using parameters

XII. Using Report Templates

Applying report templates
Building a template without a data source
Removing a template

XIII. Summarizing Data with Cross-Tabs

Building a basic cross-tab
Formatting a cross-tab

XIV. Using Report Sections

Using sections
Using group related functions to format sections
Using section underlay
Using multiple column reporting

XV. Building Specialized Reports

Using the Running Total Expert
Creating a form letter
Adding a hyperlink to a report
Using Dynamic Graphic Locations
Building a report with alerts
Building a top N report

XVI. Using Custom Functions

Creating custom functions
Using custom functions
Modifying custom functions
Creating Formulas
Using Formula Editor panel

XVII. Using Subreports

Defining subreports
Creating an unlinked subreport
Creating a linked subreport
Creating an on-demand subreport
Using shared variables in a subreport
Using subreports to link �unlinkable� data

XVIII. Using Drill Operations

Defining scope of analysis
Understanding role of universe hierarchies
Creating a drillable report
Drilling up and down data hierarchies