Discoverer Plus/ Report Writing

Overview

ODS First Look at Discoverer Plus Where to start… What you see Create a report Conditions/Parameters/Calculations Sorting/Formatting Totals Tips and Tricks

ODS Overview

ODS– Operational Data Store– OLAP Database - Online Analytical Processing– Tables/Views Designed For Reporting– Day Old Data– Incrementally Refreshed Nightly

ODS FunctionalityBanner ODS

MST_ENROLLMENT

MST_ADMISSIONS_APPLICATION MST_COURSE

_ATTRIBUTE

MST_RECRUITMENT_INFORMATION

MST_CURRICULUM

AS_ADMISSIONS_APPLICATION

AS_COURSE_ATTRIBUTE

AS_RECRUITMENT_INFORMATION

AS_ENROLLMENT

AS_CURRICULUM

ADMISSIONSAPPLICATION

COURSEATTRIBUTE

RECRUITMENTINFORMATION

ENROLLMENT

CURRICULUM

Discoverer

Nightly ETL Process

Banner INB/SSB

Finding Your Data In The ODS

ODS Metadata– Available From “Blue Screen”

http://banods0.ivytech.edu:9040/metadata/ODS_index.html

Discoverer Names and Definitions

Workbook/Worksheet

Table/Crosstab Page Items Business Area Folders/Views Joins

Items– Page Axis– Top Axis– Side Axis– Data Point

List of Values Conditions Parameters Calculations

Where to Start…

Available at:http://banods0.ivytech.edu:7779/discoverer/plus

Username/Password as assigned Database:

– ODWP for data from PROD (day old)– ODWT for test data

Open or create new report

What you see

When a report opens, if there are parameters set, you will need to input these before report will query

What you see

Creating a report

Using the Wizard– Walk through to add necessary parts of report

Start with ‘known’ items Add advanced conditions/calculations after

successfully running Use metadata lookup to find fields if you don’t

know where they are

Item Types

Strings and Dates Numbers Pre-defined calculation

– Will add item with a calculation on it– Bold value is the default

Conditions

Filters query results based on what report writersets– Ex: only show results where campus=A1

Can be combined with parameters to allow user to set values for conditions

Using % as a wildcard requires a ‘LIKE’ condition instead of ‘=’

Parameters

Conditions that users define value before query runs each time

Options– Required or Optional– Multiple values or single value

If allowing users to use a ‘%’ wildcard, the LIKE condition must be used

Sorting

Group Sort– Shows only the 1st occurrence of a value

Normal Sort Sort Order

– Group sorts must always precede normal sorts Breaks

– You can add lines, blank rows or page breaks at breaks in group sorts

Formatting

3 ways to format data– Icons in toolbar– Format -> Data– Right-click -> Format Data

Conditional Formatting– Assigns format when pre-set conditions are met

Setting default formats– Tools->Options->Formats– Will assign formats set to all future sheets created

Totals

Quick and Dirty totals– Select column then choose function from dropdown

menu

‘Normal’ total– Click ‘New Total’ button– Select Item, total type, grand/subtotal

Tips and Tricks

Smaller Datasets=shorter run times– Apply conditions to limit results– While building, restrict to only 1 result to test

Get data from one place if possible– Fewer joins will mean shorter run times

Addresses– Apply condition to ‘Address Rule’ (ex:STDNADDR) or

report may never return

Tips and Tricks

Avoid huge folders– Student, Government Student– Transaction History, Chart of Accounts, Fund

To close Discoverer: File -> Exit– Do not use the ‘Big Red X’– That will leave session open on server

Close Discoverer when you leave your desk– Discoverer will timeout when not in use– This will also leave your session open

Putting It All Together

Create A Report In Discoverer– Start with a form in Banner– Find the data elements for a report– Use the metadata to find the elements in the ODS– Use Discoverer Plus to create the report

Questions?

If you have issues writing a report, please create a HIM ticket and assign to ‘ITS Report Support’