Create a configured report as data source

Create a category for the configured report

You can only use reports as data source for analytics dashboards if they are assigned to a category related to the functionality. As a prerequisite, you must define a category name for the functionality.

1. In the Presentation tab of Alfabet Expand, expand the explorer node XML Objects.
2. Right-click on the XML object UseCaseCategories in the explorer and select Edit XML from the context menu. The XML object opens in the middle pane.
3. Add the following code as child XML element to the XML root element UseCaseCategories, if the use case is not yet available:
   • <UseCaseInfo UseCase="AlfabetDatabaseReportConnection">
   • <ScopeInfo Scope="Report" Categories="CommaSeparatedListOfCategories" />
   • </UseCaseInfo>
4. Substitute CommaSeparatedListOfCategories with a category name. If you enter more than one name comma separated, all names will be valid as category name for the functionality.
5. In the toolbar, click the Save   button.

Create the configured report

1. In the Reports tab of Alfabet Expand, right click the root node or the relevant folder node and select Create New Report.
2. Click the new report in the explorer and set the relevant attributes:
   • Type: Select either Query to base the report on an Alfabet query or NativeSql to base the report on a native SQL query.
   • Name: Change the name to a meaningful technical name. The technical name is displayed in the data provider editor as part of the information about selected data sources.

     Rules for defining technical names

     Technical names should be unique and should not contain white spaces and special characters except underscore and hyphen. They are used to identify configuration objects unambiguously in technical processes.

   • Caption: Change the caption to a meaningful caption. The caption is displayed in the data provider editor in the selector for data sources.
   • Category: Select the category you created for the AlfabetDatabaseReportConnection use case (see above).
   • Alfabet Query/Native SQL Query/Query As Text: Define the query returning the data that shall be available for the analytics dashboard. Depending on the Type you selected, either define a native SQL query or an Alfabet query.
   • Description: Optionally enter a description describing the scope of the data source.
3. In the toolbar, click the Save   button.
4. To test if the output matches your demands, right-click the configured report and select Review Report.