Introduction to
SuccessFactors Report Designer
Classroom Guide
Days 1 and 2
For SuccessFactors Talent Management
Last Modified 11/11/2011
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 1
Table of Contents
Course Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
Objectives ............................................................................................................. 2
Target Audience ................................................................................................... 4
Using this Guide ................................................................................................... 4
Additional Resources for SuccessFactors ............................................................ 5
Additional Resources for Report Designer ................................................. 5
Getting Started ..................................................................................................... 6
Life Cycle for Report Design ...................................................................... 6
Lesson 1: Researching the Data Model....................................................................... 9
Objectives ............................................................................................................. 9
Setting the Stage .................................................................................................. 9
SuccessFactors Table Structure......................................................................... 11
Reminder on SuccessFactors Table Relationships ............................................ 12
Refresher on Naming Conventions..................................................................... 12
Practice Researching Data Relationships .......................................................... 13
How to Create a Data Relationship Diagram ........................................... 15
Lab 1.
Develop a Data Model for Curriculum Status Report .......................... 17
Lab 2.
Develop a Data Model for the Sign-In Sheet ......................................... 18
Lab 3.
Develop a Data Model for a Report on Content Objects ..................... 19
Lab 4.
Stretch – Develop a Data Model for Online Status ............................... 21
Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 22
Lesson 1 Learning Extras: ......................................................................................... 23
Research More Complex Data Relationships ..................................................... 23
Optional: Use SQL Developer to Research ............................................. 23
Use Existing Reports to Research ........................................................... 24
Lesson 2: Run/Export Report from SuccessFactors ............................................... 25
Objectives ........................................................................................................... 25
Lab 5.
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Browse the Reports Menu in SuccessFactors ..................................... 26
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Lab 6.
Run a Report in SuccessFactors ........................................................... 27
Preparation for Exporting Files ................................................................ 28
Export the Report from SuccessFactors .................................................. 29
Lab 7.
Export the Report from SuccessFactors .............................................. 30
Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 32
Lesson 3: Navigating in SuccessFactors Report Designer .................................... 33
Objectives ........................................................................................................... 33
Open an Existing Report .................................................................................... 33
Lab 8.
Open an Exported Report and Set Up Workspace ............................... 34
Know your Workspace ............................................................................. 35
Get to Know the Report Designer GUI ............................................................... 36
Identify Key Terms and Structures ........................................................... 36
Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 38
Lesson 4: Establishing a Data Source for Testing ................................................... 39
Objectives ........................................................................................................... 39
Prepare the Report for Testing ........................................................................... 39
Data Source ............................................................................................. 39
Data Sets ................................................................................................. 40
Lab 9.
Create a Data Source for this Report .................................................... 41
Lab 10.
Optional Lab: Create a Data Source Hosted Customer ....................... 45
Lab 11.
Use the New Data Source and Preview the Report .............................. 46
Lab 12.
Set Preferences for Performance and Testing ..................................... 48
Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 49
Lesson 5: Edit a Report and Test in SuccessFactors .............................................. 51
Objectives ........................................................................................................... 51
Format Report Elements .................................................................................... 52
Lab 13.
Edit Existing Font for Fields and Labels ............................................... 55
Lab 14.
Edit Existing Field Data Type ................................................................. 56
Using the Data Set Editor ................................................................................... 58
Adding rows and columns to a report ................................................................. 62
Working with Successfactors labels ................................................................... 63
Lab 15.
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Exporting Labels from SuccessFactors ................................................ 64
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Inserting a new label ........................................................................................... 65
Lab 16.
Adding a New Database Field to a Report ............................................ 66
Lab 17.
Test this Report in SuccessFactors ...................................................... 67
Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 71
Lesson 5 Learning Extras: ......................................................................................... 73
Using Report Designer to browse the successfactors database......................... 73
Day 1 Summary ........................................................................................................... 77
Appendix A: Answer Key to Labs 1-4 ........................................................................ 80
Answer Key: Lab 1 – Curriculum Status Report ................................................. 81
Answer Key: Lab 2 – Sign-In Sheet/Offering Roster........................................... 82
Answer Key: Lab 3 – Online Data Model ............................................................ 83
Answer Key: Lab 4 – User Online Status ........................................................... 84
Appendix B: Additional Information and Best Practices ......................................... 85
The Design/Test Environment ............................................................................ 85
Process Flow for Running Admin-Side Reports.................................................. 86
Report Resources............................................................................................... 87
Strategy to Research an Existing Report ............................................................ 88
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 2
Table of Contents (Day 2)
Lesson 6: Analyze a Report Request and Make Changes ....................................... 95
Objectives ........................................................................................................... 95
Process flow for Modifying Reports with Report Designer .................................. 96
Case Study for Customizing a Report ................................................................ 97
Lab 17.
Locate Existing Scheduled Offerings .................................................. 101
Lab 18.
Locate and Run the Report in SuccessFactors.................................. 102
Create a Data Model for this Report ...................................................... 103
Export the Report from SuccessFactors ................................................ 104
Lab 19.
Export the Scheduled Offering Roster Report ................................... 105
Lab 20.
Analyze and Modify the Report in Report Designer .......................... 107
Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 111
Lesson 7: Filters, Parameters, and Bindings .......................................................... 113
Objectives ......................................................................................................... 113
Filters and Parameters ..................................................................................... 114
Bindings ............................................................................................................ 114
Steps to Create Binding Parameters for Child Queries .................................... 115
Research Binding Parameters for Child Queries .............................................. 117
Locate the Table Binding > Report Parameter ....................................... 120
Lab 21.
Edit the Data Set to Retrieve a New Field ........................................... 121
Lab 22.
Add Student Org Description to Sign In Sheet................................... 124
Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 125
Lesson 8: Operators, TBD, and Combining Fields ................................................ 127
Objectives ......................................................................................................... 127
Research Existing Report Operators ................................................................ 128
Lab 23.
Locate and Research Operators in Segment Table ........................... 130
Combining Fields into a Single Column ............................................................ 131
Lab 24.
Include Multiple Fields in a Column Binding ...................................... 132
Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 134
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Lesson 9: Adding a Search Selector, and Changing a Logo in the Library ........ 135
Objectives ......................................................................................................... 135
Lab 25.
Adding a Search Selector to a Report ................................................. 136
How Customer Logo and Styles Work .............................................................. 138
Lab 26.
Change the Library to Use Your Company Logo ............................... 139
Lab 27.
Change the Library to Use Your Company Colors ............................ 142
Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 144
Lesson 10: SuccessFactors Field Localization ...................................................... 145
Objectives ......................................................................................................... 145
Localized Fields ................................................................................................ 146
Impact on Reports ............................................................................................ 147
Adding Localization to a Custom Report .......................................................... 148
Course Summary....................................................................................................... 151
Appendix C: Report Samples ................................................................................... 153
Appendix D: Additional Information and Best Practices ...................................... 157
Strategy for Analyzing a Report Request ......................................................... 157
Compare Existing Report to Desired Output .......................................... 159
Prepare a Checklist ............................................................................... 159
Lab 28.
Preview the Report in Report Designer............................................... 162
Research and Edit Report Formatting ..................................................................... 165
Objectives ......................................................................................................... 165
Tips on Working with Elements ........................................................................ 166
Use Outline View to Locate Elements .................................................... 166
Define Fixed Column Width ................................................................... 168
Make Minor Changes to Data Format ............................................................... 169
Change Formatting of a Data Field ........................................................ 169
Add Table of Content for PDF ................................................................ 170
Research Highlighting Color on Alternate Rows .................................... 171
Import and Test the Report ............................................................................... 172
Checklist for Preparing a Report for SuccessFactors ............................ 172
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Lab 30.
Zip the Report and Library in SuccessFactors Report Designer ..... 173
Lab 31.
Import the Custom Report into SuccessFactors and Test ................ 174
Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 176
Setting Visibility for an Element ........................................................................ 177
Lab 32.
Always Hide the Field for Segment Number ....................................... 177
Lab 33.
Define Conditional Visibility for a Field............................................... 178
Using Simple Aggregation Fields...................................................................... 179
Lab 34.
Add an Aggregated Field for Total Enrolled ....................................... 179
Adding a New Field to the Data Set Query ....................................................... 180
Lab 35.
Add the DESCRIPTON Field to the Master Query .............................. 181
Lab 36.
Insert a New Row and Use the New Field ........................................... 182
Mapping Values to a Field Based on an Expression ........................................ 183
Lab 37.
Set Up Field Mapping to Display Alternate Value .............................. 183
Lab 38.
Creating a New Data Set to Retrieve a Field ....................................... 185
Stretch: Setting Conditional Format .................................................................. 186
Lab 39.
Create Conditional Formatting for the Attendance Field .................. 186
Working with Custom Columns......................................................................... 188
Lab 40.
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Develop a Data Model for a Report with Custom Columns............... 193
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 1
Course Introduction
This two-day course introduces you to Report Designer.
Day 1 focuses on researching the SuccessFactors Learning data
model, exploring basic SuccessFactors Report Designer functionality.
By the end of Day 1 you will have made minor changes to an existing
report and imported this new report back into SuccessFactors
Learning.
On Day 2, you will learn a variety of skills needed to plan, customize,
and test an existing report from SuccessFactors – the Sign-In
Sheet/Class Roster. Figure 1 illustrates the major skills you will
practice in this course.
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 1
Figure 1. Primary Skills for Introduction to SuccessFactors Report
Designer
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
 Explain how custom reports are integrated with SuccessFactors
 Use existing reports and data in the SuccessFactors application
graphical user interface (GUI) to research tables/fields in the
SuccessFactors database
 Build research skills finding fields that satisfy business
requirements for reports
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 Run reports in SuccessFactors to test existing behavior
 Export a report from SuccessFactors for use with Report
Designer
 Launch the Report Designer workspace and set up preferences
 Open an existing report and use Report Designer to research
report configuration and elements
 Make minor edits to a SuccessFactors standard report
 Test the report in Report Designer
 Use a request for a customized report and create a plan for
editing an existing report
 Locate the existing report and research the data source and
data sets/queries
 Make changes such as adding a field, adding another table to
the query, adding a search selector, and performing basic
calculations
 Test the report in the SuccessFactors application
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TARGET AUDIENCE
This training is intended for staff members responsible for using
Report Designer to customize existing reports.
USING THIS GUIDE
This classroom guide is designed for an instructor-led course. The
guide provides information and outlines common tasks performed
by report developers. For additional information, refer to the online
help.
Throughout the guide, you will see icons that call out various types
of information. This table illustrates the icons that indicate types of
comments, activities, labs, etc. that support the text.
Icon
Definition
Activity: Indicates an activity for you to complete that helps
reinforce the information you just learned.
Note: Indicates additional information that is related to the
information presented.
Tip: Indicates helpful hints and tips or other guidance that further
explains the information it accompanies.
Design Tip: Specific information that helps report designers/
developers using SuccessFactors Report Designer.
Lab: Indicates a hands-on computer lab. Follow the step-by-step
process outlined to perform specific tasks in the system.
Job Aid: Indicates there is a job aid available for the task. Job aids
provide detailed instructions and screen captures to help you
complete a task.
Warning: Warns against particular actions, or that a particular
condition might indicate a problem.
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 1
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SUCCESSFACTORS
Additional resources provide more information about the
SuccessFactors Talent Management system and reports, including:

SuccessFactors website: http://www.SuccessFactors.com

Online SuccessFactors system help

Task-specific job aids
For more information about other courses and registration, contact
SuccessFactors Global University at training@SuccessFactors.com.
Additional Resources for Report Designer
For additional information, refer to the Online Help and/or the text,
BIRT: A Field Guide to Reporting. Figure 2 lists additional
resources.
Figure 2. Suggestion for Report Designer Resources
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GETTING STARTED
It is essential to research a report thoroughly and accurately and
have a good understanding of what changes are desired before
attempting to edit the report.
Once you have established that understanding, you must follow the
steps of the edit process until you are satisfied with the end result.
It is helpful to identify sample data that exemplifies the edits you
make and help test the customized report. It is also a good idea to
print the report before editing.
Life Cycle for Report Design
Figure 3 illustrates a process flow for customizing report design:
1. Identify an existing report in SuccessFactors that will be
updated.
2. Export a report from SuccessFactors Learning Administration
and save the original.
3. Extract the report to the workspace folder.
4. Open the report in SuccessFactors Report Designer.
5. Connect the report to a data source.
6. Preview the report in Report Designer.
7. Modify the report in Report Designer.
8. Preview the changes in Report Designer.
9. Package the new custom report using the zip tool in Report
Designer.
10. Import the report into a SuccessFactors staging/test
environment for further testing. Rename the report in the
process to prevent replacing the original report.
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11. Import the tested report in the SuccessFactors production
database for final testing.
12. Publish the final version of the report.
13. Update Workflows to allow administrators to run the new report..
Figure 3. Process Flow for Report Design
Note: Additional information and best practices are located at the end of this
guide in the appendices.
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Notes
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 1
Lesson 1:
Researching the Data Model
This lesson builds on your existing understanding of the
SuccessFactors data model. You will work through exercises to
practice researching data and data entity relationships, and apply
this knowledge when researching reports, especially when creating
a new report.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Explain why report developers need to know the
SuccessFactors data model
 Review and locate important resources used to research data
relationships when planning reports
 Create a mapping to the table/field for each piece of information
from a screen shot (to be provided) from the graphical user
interface (GUI) or sample report results
SETTING THE STAGE
Why do report developers need to know the SuccessFactors data
model? Because you are responsible for creating or editing queries
that return desired data from the relevant tables.
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Figure 4 illustrates the query and the report layout in
SuccessFactors Report Designer
Figure 4. Report Elements in SuccessFactors Report Designer
Note: If necessary, the instructor will provide a demonstration of the Report
Designer interface to help explain why the knowledge is necessary.
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SUCCESSFACTORS TABLE STRUCTURE
To make it easier to identify the different tables in the
SuccessFactors database, each table starts with a prefix that
identifies the primary functionality of the table.
Table 1. Key Tables Used in SuccessFactors Reports
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Table
Prefix
Relevant Report
PA_
The PA tables hold all of the Application data that is
stored in the database. This is the primary table type that
is used when creating custom reports.
PH_
The PH tables are comprised of all the History
information that is generated when a record is added,
edited, or deleted in the application. Audit reports can be
created using the information stored in these tables.
PS_
All of the System configurations, search selectors,
notifications, approval processes, etc. are stored in the
PS tables. Normally this group of tables is not used in
custom report writing.
PV_
To make it easier to create specific reports,
SuccessFactors has created a group of virtual tables
know as Views. A view is similar to a real database table
but it does not actually store any data. A view references
one or more existing tables in the database and is
generated dynamically. For example, custom user data is
stored in multiple tables and requires a complex query to
retrieve the data. The PV_AP_STUD_USER view can be
used to retrieve the same data but the query to retrieve
the information is much shorter.
PX_
When using a connector to import data from an HR
system into SuccessFactors, the data is temporarily
stored in the PX tables before it is moved to the PA
tables. The PX tables also store any system
customizations that a client has implemented. These
tables are not used in custom reports.
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REMINDER ON SUCCESSFACTORS TABLE RELATIONSHIPS
The SuccessFactors Learning application uses many different
tables to store the information that is used throughout the system.
Some of the more common tables used in reports are:
Table 2. Key Tables Used in SuccessFactors Reports
Table Name
Relevant Report
PA_STUDENT
Account Data
PA_SCHED
Sign-in Sheet
PA_SCH_SEG
Sign-in Sheet – Segments section
PA_ENROLL_SEAT
Sign-in Sheet – Enrollment section
PA_ORG
Org description used in many reports
PA_CPNT
Item Data, many others
PA_CPNT_EVTHST
Learning History
PA_CMPL_STAT
Learning History, Curriculum Item Status
REFRESHER ON NAMING CONVENTIONS
Throughout the years, terms used in the SuccessFactors
Learning’s front end have changed to reflect the growth of the
application. Table 3 is a summary of “That was then; this is now”.
Table 3. Evolution for Table Terminology
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Current Term
Database Term
Common Abbreviation
User
Student
STUD
Admin
User
USER, USR
Item
Component
CPNT
Curriculum
Qualification
QUAL
Scheduled Offering
Schedule Instance
SCHED, SCH
Competency
Competency
CPTY
Competency Profile
Proficiency Profile
PPRF
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PRACTICE RESEARCHING DATA RELATIONSHIPS
As a report developer, you may be asked to edit or create reports
that retrieve data from tables with which you are not familiar. You
must develop research skills and use resources to locate accurate
data and develop appropriate queries.
Identifying tables needed to create or modify a report can be a little
overwhelming at first. Here are a few techniques that can be used
to make this process easier:
1. Review an existing report. Odds are fairly high that there are
system-provided reports using the same tables that your report
will use. Export one of these reports and review the existing
query in Report Designer to identify the tables you need to
include in your query. * Refer to page 24 for more information
on searching existing report.
2. Use your available resources. If possible, use other query tools
such as SQL Developer or TOAD to search the tables in the
database. SQL Developer is discussed more in depth on Pg. 23.
If you do not have the ability to use a separate query tool then
use the Data Dictionary or the SuccessFactors ERD to locate
the tables and fields. Another solution is to use Report
Designer to browse the tables. Using Report Designer to
search tables is discussed further on Pg. 73.
3. Guess. Most of the time the entity name is part of the table
naming convention. For example, most of the student data is
stored in the PA_STUDENT table or the Assignment Profile
summary data is in the PA_ASSGN_PRFL table. Look for the
entity name in the table name and then review the data in the
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table. If the field you need is not in the selected table then
move on to the next one until you locate the fields you need.
In this next set of activities and labs, you will use a print out from a
report and identify key fields. Then you will create a simple entity
relationship diagram (ERD) to represent field relationships between
tables.
As you conduct your research, imagine that your boss has asked
you to develop a job aid that helps your colleagues understand data
relationships for the report requested.
Teams must research and present relationships for reports such as:

Curriculum Status

Sign-In Sheet

Object Details (for online content)
Before getting started, the instructor will demonstrate steps to
create an entity relationship diagram.
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How to Create a Data Relationship Diagram
Here is a summary of steps to create a relationship diagram:
1. Start with the report printout and identify each data element
displayed in the report.
2. Locate the table and field for each data element.
3. List any other relevant fields from the same table.
4. Draw the connector lines from each table to the report.
5. For secondary relationships, show which related table contains
the value displayed on the report.
Figure 5 illustrates one way that you might represent a data model
for the Learning History report.
Figure 5. Entity Relationships for the Learning History Report
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After building the basic model, you often realize that there are
additional pieces of information that you can use to enhance the
report.
What additional data is available from the simplified ERD shown in
Figure 6?
Figure 6. ERD for Learning History with Additional Tables
Describe a report query that would use this related data.
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Lab 1.
Develop a Data Model for Curriculum Status Report
Reports that display the status of a user’s assigned curricula require a patient analysis of the
tables.
Step
1.
Browse through SQL Developer or Report Designer and locate the tables
that contain the data shown above in the Curriculum Status Report, shown
in Figure 7.
Figure 7. Sample Curriculum Status Report
2.
Create an entity relationship diagram or another visual aid to show the
data model.
Hints:
 A curriculum used to be called a qualification in previous versions of
SuccessFactors.
 We looked at the PA_STUDENT table earlier. SuccessFactors often stores
data about a specific user’s status in tables that begin PA_STUD_*.
 Some fields are derived or calculated, based on the day that you run the
report.
 Answer key: See page 81.
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Lab 2.
Develop a Data Model for the Sign-In Sheet
Step
1.
View the Sign-In Sheet report illustrated in Figure 8.
Figure 8. Sample Sign-In Sheet
2.
Think about the way that the data in the report is stored in the
SuccessFactors GUI. Each section of the report is stored in a different tab
of the offering record.
3.
Create a visual data model to represent the relationships between the
tables and fields that contain data related to the Sign-In Sheet.
4.
Identify at least one field from PA_STUDENT that may be useful for the
sign-in sheet, but is not currently shown in the report:
Field name:
Purpose:
Hints:
 Notice in this report, the scheduled offering ID, item title, etc. are at the top of
the report. Then the segment information for that scheduled offering is
displayed. The enrollment data for that scheduled offering is shown last.
 When researching the tables, it may help to think of the segment details section
and the enrollment list section as sub-reports for the scheduled offering
Answer key: See page 82.
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Lab 3.
Develop a Data Model for a Report on Content Objects
Scenario: A customer posts a question asking if anyone has a way to display the
URLs used in content object links. Figure 9 illustrates the original question.
Figure 9. Request for Report to Display Path Name
In this lab, you will create a data model to show where the data is stored. As a
stretch exercise, can you write a query to retrieve the data?
Step
1.
As a help in getting started, remind yourself of the field in the GUI where
this information is stored. Figure 10 illustrates the relevant screens.
Figure 10. Object Details as Displayed in the SuccessFactors GUI
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2.
Create a data model to represent the relationships. Be ready to explain
the model to your classmates, showing the fields that join relevant tables.
Hints:
 Hint: ** Add some table names …
 Answer key begins on page 83.
 Stretch: Create a query to return desired results.
SELECT DISTINCT pca.dmn_id, pca.primary_param, pca.app_id
object_id, pcc.cpnt_id item_id, pc.cpnt_desc item_title,
pca.app_title object_title
FROM PA_CBT_APPLICATION pca, PA_CBT_CPNT pcc,
PA_CBT_CPNT_MOD pccm, PA_CPNT pc
WHERE pca.app_id = pccm.app_id
AND pcc.cpnt_id = pccm.cpnt_id (+)
AND pc.cpnt_id = pcc.cpnt_id
AND pc.notactive = 'N'
ORDER BY object_id, item_id
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Lab 4.
Stretch – Develop a Data Model for Online Status
Scenario: Lee is a manager who wants customizations to a report that displays a
user’s online status. She asks how much work it would be for you to customize
the existing report, shown in Figure 11.
Figure 11. Existing Report for Online Status
Before you can answer that question, you need to know what data is currently
used in the report and which tables/fields are being used. The best strategy is to
create an entity relationship diagram to represent the tables and related fields.
Hints:
 Answer key begins on page 84.
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CONCLUSION
This lesson built on your existing understanding of the
SuccessFactors data model. You worked through exercises to
practice researching data and data entity relationships, and applied
this knowledge when researching reports.
You should now be able to:
 Explain why report developers need to know the
SuccessFactors data model
 Review and locate important resources used to research data
relationships when planning reports
 Create a mapping to the table/field for each piece of information
from a provided screen shot of the GUI or sample report results
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Lesson 1 Learning Extras:
RESEARCH MORE COMPLEX DATA RELATIONSHIPS
As a report developer, you will be asked to edit or create reports
that retrieve data from multiple tables with more complex
relationships.
Optional: Use SQL Developer to Research
In SQL Developer, you can use the SQL tab to view code and look
for references.
To find a list of foreign keys, you can right-click a table name and
select Edit. Then view only the Foreign Keys, Check
Constraints, etc.
Figure 12 illustrates this dialog for the PA_QUAL table with details
on curriculum configuration.
Figure 12. View Edit Options > Foreign Keys for a Table
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Use Existing Reports to Research
Often you will be asked to edit an existing report or to create a new
report that has some data that exists in another report.
As you research the data model needed for the solution, you can
make use of existing queries from report records in the
PA_REPORT table. Then you can copy/paste a query and
research/edit as needed.
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Lesson 2:
Run/Export Report from
SuccessFactors
In this lesson, you will locate an existing report in the
SuccessFactors application and export it for use in SuccessFactors
Report Designer.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Find a report in SuccessFactors Talent Management
 Export the report for use in Report Designer
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Lab 5.
Browse the Reports Menu in SuccessFactors
Step
1.
Log in as an admin to the SuccessFactors Talent Management system.
2.
Navigate to the Reports menu.
3.
The left side of the Reports page displays filters. By default all reports for
which the admin has a workflow are displayed.
4.
Try filtering the list by category.
5.
Notice that the Search box is a keyword search on the report name and
description. (You cannot search on the Comments field of the report.)
Figure 13. Browse Reports Menu
Design Tip: An admin can use the Saved Reports tab to access
and edit settings for saved reports. Use the Report Jobs tab to
view and edit recurring reports.
* These options are available for published reports only.
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Lab 6.
Run a Report in SuccessFactors
Step
1.
Locate the report: Item Status - Grouped by Items in the Reports menu.
This report is located in the User Management category and has been
published for the Admin application. Once you locate the Item Status
report, click the expand icon (+) to find the one that is grouped by items.
2.
Click the pencil icon to view/edit report details. (This icon is enabled for
admins using the workflow for Edit Custom Reports.)
3.
Click the report name link to run the report.
4.
Identify the report parameters used by this report at runtime:
a. ______________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________
d. ______________________________________________
e. ______________________________________________
5.
Enter relevant criteria in one or more search selectors and run the report.
For example, search for all users whose last name begins with the letter A
and select the first ten resulting names.
6.
View the output and make notes about how the report header, title, and
footer are displayed.
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Preparation for Exporting Files
Design Tip: When you installed Report Designer and launch the
application the first time, a folder called workspace is created in
the ReportDesigner directory, as shown in Figure 14.
Figure 14. Directory Structure with Default Workspace Folder
When you create a new report or use the File > Save As option,
the application automatically stores files in this default workspace.
You can create a directory in another location, and use this instead.
Windows Vista/7 Tip: Microsoft made several security changes to
Windows Vista and Windows 7 and one of these changes prevents
applications from writing directly to the Program Files directory.
This change to Windows security effects the location of the Report
Designer workspace folder.
When you install Report Designer on a Windows Vista/7 machine
the workspace folder is still created in the ReportDesigner directory
but when you use the File > Save As option inside Report Designer
to save a report, Windows will automatically redirect the file to a
new “Virtual” Workspace folder located under the Users Profile.
The path to this virtual folder is
C:\Users\”UserName”\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files
(x86)\Plateau Report Designer\Workspace. This new virtual
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Workspace is hidden in Windows by default. In order to see this
location you will need to set your options in Windows to show
hidden files and folders. To make browsing this folder easier,
placing a shortcut to this folder on your desktop is recommended.
Suggestions for Saving the Report
Suggestions for saving the report include:
1. Create an Originals folder under Program Files >
SuccessFactors Report Designer > workspace.
2. Save zipped file to Originals folder.
3. Unzip file and copy .rptdesign and .rptlibrary files to the
workspace directory.
4. Rename the .rptdesign file to begin with your initials. (This
enables you to import the edited file back into SuccessFactors
with a unique name.)
Export the Report from SuccessFactors
Locate the report that closest matches the requested report in the
SuccessFactors Talent Management system. Then:
1. Export the report from SuccessFactors.
2. Open the report in Report Designer.
3. Research the report structure and data elements.
4. Identify the tables where additional elements are located.
5. Create a data model for the new report.
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Lab 7.
Export the Report from SuccessFactors
Step
1. From the Reports menu, search for and locate the Item Status report.
Figure 15 illustrates a case where you use the Item Status report.
Figure 15. Item Status Group By Items Report from Reports Menu
2. Select the Report Designer icon to launch the export dialog, shown in
Figure 16.
The export icon is enabled for admins who have the Export/Import Custom
Reports workflow.
Figure 16. Report Export
3. Note the name of the report and the name of the library.
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4. Click Export, then review the zipped file and confirm that you are
exporting the report and the SuccessFactors standard library.
5. Click the link: The exported file can be downloaded here.
6. Create a subdirectory called Originals in C:\Program
Files\SuccessFactors Report Designer and save the zip files into it.
7. Open the zip file and extract the files into the Originals folder.
8. Copy the .rptdesign and .rptlibrary files to the workspace directory.
9. Rename the .rptdesign file to begin with your initials. (This will enable you
to import the edited file back into SuccessFactors with a unique name.)
Note:
If you are currently using version 6.2 and below of the SuccessFactors Learning software,
the zip file will include two files; one that ends with. rptlibrary and one that ends
with .rptdesign.
If you are using version 6.3 or higher then the zip file will include an extra .rptlibrary file.
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CONCLUSION
In this lesson, you learned how to locate an existing report in the
SuccessFactors application and export it for use in SuccessFactors
Report Designer.
You should now be able to:
 Use the Reports menu in SuccessFactors to browse reports
 Locate an existing report by searching keyword and/or category
 Research the existing report and:
 List the options available to an admin running the report
 Identify report parameters and criteria
 Run the report to view results
 Export the report from SuccessFactors
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Lesson 3:
Navigating in SuccessFactors
Report Designer
This lesson introduces the SuccessFactors Report Designer. You
will begin to build an understanding of relevant terms and steps to
navigate the application.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Launch SuccessFactors Report Designer
 Open a report downloaded from SuccessFactors
 Save the report with a unique name
 Set up preferences
 Identify the purpose of report elements – grids, tables, text, and
data
OPEN AN EXISTING REPORT
When opening an existing report, always launch Report Designer
first, then open the report. Do not double-click the file in File
Explorer or right-click the report name in File Explorer and use
Open With. This action spawns new workspaces that are not under
the Program Files > SuccessFactors Report Designer > workspace
folder.
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Lab 8.
Open an Exported Report and Set Up Workspace
Step
1.
Launch SuccessFactors Report Designer (Start > Programs >
SuccessFactors Report Designer > SuccessFactors Report Designer).
2.
Select File > Open and browse to the report you downloaded from
SuccessFactors.
3.
Compare your workspace to the workspace displayed in Figure 17.
Figure 17. Sample Workspace with Most Views Visible
2.
For this class, set your view to match this layout:
a. Drag the tabs and drop them to arrange your views so that Data
Explorer and Outline are in the top left pane.
b. Place Resource Explorer in the bottom left pane.
3.
View the tabs below the report layout and make sure that you have two
more views: Property Editor and Properties.
4.
If needed, add a missing view by selecting Window > Show View and
selecting from the list (Figure 18).
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Figure 18. Views Used by Designers
Design Tip: If you select a view that is not currently in your
workspace, the Report Designer will insert a new pane. You can
decide where to place each view.
Right-click the tab to see menu options. You can select:

Detached to float the pane for the selected view

Move > View to re-position this one view

Move > Tab Group to re-position this set of views
If you select Move, you can drag and drop the view or group.
Know your Workspace
Suggestion: Until you gain experience, keep all of your reports,
libraries, and resource files in the workspace directory.
It is important that you:

Know where the workspace is

Keep related files in the workspace where the report is saved
(later you can define a Resources folder if desired)
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
Save new reports into the workspace

Create backup files and maintain version control
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GET TO KNOW THE REPORT DESIGNER GUI
In this first set of activities, you will learn about Report Designer
terminology and structure. Follow along with the instructor during
this initial demonstration of the application.
Identify Key Terms and Structures
Review the purpose of the structures you can create in the Report
Designer (Figure 19).
Figure 19. File > New Menu in the Report Designer

Report: SuccessFactors provides a set of reports representing
our current existing reports available. . You can use the File >
Save As option to create your own versions of those reports, or
create your own new repots using File > New > New Report.

Template: After you have created a report, you may want to
save the layout as a template. Other designers can use the
template to create a new report following a consistent corporate
branding. The Report Designer provides several templates you
can optionally use when creating a new report.

Library: Provides a repository of shared elements for efficient
and consistent reuse in multiple projects.
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Activity: Explore the Workspace and Report Elements
Your instructor will help with a brief description of key elements you
need to design reports. Use online Help to research any specific
questions or details.
Explorer Panes
Layout Pane
Other Elements for Report Layout
Table Elements
Property Editor
Report Parameters
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CONCLUSION
This lesson introduced you to SuccessFactors Report Designer.
You now have an understanding of the relevant terms and steps to
navigate the application.
You should now be able to:
 Launch SuccessFactors Report Designer
 Open a report downloaded from SuccessFactors
 Save the report with a unique name
 Set up preferences
 Identify the purpose of report elements – grids, tables, text, and
data
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Lesson 4:
Establishing a Data Source for
Testing
This lesson helps you build an effective strategy for researching
existing reports in Report Designer.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Create a new data source to be used for testing
 Follow a strategy to research an existing report and locate:
 Data source(s)
 Data set(s) and queries
 Report parameters
PREPARE THE REPORT FOR TESTING
Data Source
A data source contains information to connect to the database
(used for reports to be imported in the LMS).
There are other data sources (text file, XML file, or web service)
that are applicable for reports that are NOT intended for import into
the LMS. These data sources are beyond the scope of this course.
A data source represents a location of the SuccessFactors TMS
database. This may is a development or testing environment, but
may also be a local database on your workstation.
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The database connection is needed in order to create data sources
by navigating or executing queries, and to test your report.
Data Sets
Each report has one or more data sets. The data sets represent a
database query.
For many reports, one data set is considered the “master” data set
that contains the primary query for the report. The other data sets
will take their place in a hierarchy related to the master set and they
will provide subsets of data and detail lines.
For example, the report, Item Status Grouped By Users, has two
data sets:

The master data set is called GroupByStudents

The child data set is called Component Details.
When you look at a printout of the report, you can often see the
data related to the master set because the report displays each
user/student in a new section. Within each section, there are detail
lines for the item/component assigned to the user.
Once the data source has been created for testing, each data set in
the report must be associated to the source.
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Lab 9.
Create a Data Source for this Report
Step
1.
In the Data Explorer tab, right-click Data Sources.
2.
Select New Data Source.
3.
Select JDBC Data Source from the list.
4.
Enter a name for your data source as shown in Figure 20.
Local Database
Figure 20. Add New Data Source
5.
Click Next.
6.
Select the Driver Class: oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver (v11.2) if you
connecting to a local database. If you are a hosted customer and you are
connecting to your hosted database then select the Driver Class:
de.simplicit.vjdbc.VirtualDriverBirtWrapper(v1.6).
Note: You may need to install Oracle drivers if none display in the list.
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7.
Enter the Database URL(hostname) with syntax:
jdbc:oracle:thin:@:[port]:[SID for your database]
8.
for the training environment:
jdbc:oracle:thin:@________________:1521:______________
9.
Enter the User Name ________ and Password _______ for the database.
10.
Leave JNDI URL blank, as shown in Figure 21.
Figure 21. Sample Configure Data Source Connection
11.
Click Test Connection to confirm that you can reach the environment.
12.
Click Finish.
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Design Tip: You may have another report that already uses the
data source you want. It is easy to copy the source from one report
to another. Highlight the data set from the existing report, right click,
and select Copy. Go to the destination report and highlight the
Data Sources menu. Then right click > Paste. (Sometimes there is
a slight delay in updating your view.)
If you are using a local instance with database ID of SP5, Figure 22
shows a sample with data source settings.
Figure 22. Data Source Settings for a Local Instance with SID “SP5”
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The data source will be displayed in the Data Explorer tab under
Data Sources, as shown in Figure 23.
Figure 23. The New Data Source Display
Later you will learn more about the standard DataSource that
appears in reports provided by SuccessFactors. For right now, just
leave it in the report.
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Lab 10.
Optional Lab: Create a Data Source Hosted Customer
Hosted customers receive files and set up instructions from the SuccessFactors Customer Services
Organization.
Step
1.
In the Data Explorer tab, right-click Data Sources.
2.
Select New Data Source.
3.
Select JDBC Data Source from the list.
4.
Set up the data as illustrated in Figure 24, selecting the following the
instructions provided by the Customer Services Organization.
Figure 24. Set Up Virtual JDBC Connection for Hosted Customer
Next you will edit data sets to run against the data source that you
indicated.
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Lab 11.
Use the New Data Source and Preview the Report
You now have a new data source to use for this report. Next you need to change the data set(s) to
use this new data source. Then, preview the report to be sure that your connections are working.
Step
1.
Double-click the data set and locate the data source.
2.
If this data source is not available (it is a database that is not available to
you), you will see the error message shown in Figure 25.
Figure 25. Error Message When Data Source is Not Available
3.
Change the data source to match the one you created in the previous lab.
Figure 26. Drop-Down List to Change Data Source in a Query
4.
Select Preview Results for this query to be sure that the data set finds
the data source.
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5.
Close the data set.
6.
Use the Preview tab to view report output for a small number of records.
7.
The Report Designer automatically saves the report when you preview a
report. (To ensure that you pick up your changes, however, you should
always save before previewing.)
8.
Try to undo previous step(s) by immediately right clicking and selecting
Undo. You can cycle back through several previous edits. Use the Edit >
Redo menu to change the report back again if desired.
Design Tip: If you have multiple data sets in a report, there is a
more efficient way to change the data source for each data set.
1. Highlight the first data set from the Data Explorer or Outline
view.
2. Navigate to Property Editor – Data Set > Advanced tab.
3. Highlight the current data source entry and use the drop-down
menu, as shown in Figure 27
Figure 27. Data Source Entry for Data Set
4. Do not navigate away from the data source field.
5. Select the next data set.
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Lab 12.
Set Preferences for Performance and Testing
Step
1.
Navigate to Window > Preferences.
2.
Navigate to Report Design > Data Set Editor > JDBC Data Set to set
important options that will improve performance for Report Designer. The
settings are particularly important if you are working on a database via a
slower network connection. Figure 28 shows the settings recommended
by SuccessFactors.
Figure 28. Recommended Settings for JDBC Data Set
3.
Figure 29 illustrates options for Report Design > Preview > Data that
apply when you view your data set.
Figure 29. Set Preferences for Preview Data
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CONCLUSION
In this lesson, you built an effective strategy for researching existing
reports in Report Designer.
You should now be able to:
 Create a new data source to be used for testing
 Locate:
 Data source(s)
 Data set(s) and queries
 Report parameters
 Output - by previewing the report
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Notes
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Lesson 5:
Edit a Report and Test in
SuccessFactors
In this lesson, you will learn how to make a few minor changes to a
report using SuccessFactors Report Designer. You will research
several formatting options, learn to use a different field from the
same data set, zip the report from Report Designer, and import it to
SuccessFactors for testing.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Research existing report layout and elements
 Identify a data field and locate its data set
 Research and edit data settings such as data type
 Locate and make a minor change to format
 Change a data field to display a different field from the same
data set
 Add a new row or column to the report layout
 Update a Data Set to include new database fields
 Insert new labels to an existing report
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FORMAT REPORT ELEMENTS
Report Designer allows you to format various report elements.
The Properties tab in the Property Editor is used to control the
formatting of report elements. Figure 30
Figure 30. Property Editor
This tab is composed of several different sections that can be
used to control the formatting of reports. This area is context
sensitive so the options available change based on the element
you have selected in the report layout.
 General - Standard formatting options such as font settings
and text layout options are available on this tab.
 Padding – Use this tab to control cell-padding sizes.
 Border – General cell border options such as border location,
color, and width are controlled here.
 Margins – Top, bottom, left, and right margins can be set in
this section.
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 Format Number – Use this section to change the format of
numbers used in the report. For example, if the report values
are currency then set the format to currency.
 Format DateTime – Controls the format of your date and time
values in this section of the properties tab.
 Format String – Change the formatting of string values to
uppercase, lowercase, or custom formats.
 Hyperlink – Use this area to create hyperlinks in your report.
 Page Break – This section is used to insert or remove page
breaks from a report.
 Visibility – A handy section for controlling the visibility of your
report elements. You can use the settings in this section to
hide elements that you want to include on the report but not
display to the end user.
 Localization – If you exported labels from the SuccessFactors
system then you can use the localization options to select the
available labels.
 Table of Contents – When creating PDF reports, this section
allows the creation of a table of contents that can be used to
navigate the report.
 Bookmark – This area is similar to the Table of Contents. If
you are creating a PDF report then use this to insert
bookmarks.
 Comments – A simple text box for entering comments about
the selected element.
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 User Properties - User properties can be created to provide
indirect access to the JavaScript classes for BIRT event
handlers written in Java code.
 Named Expressions – Expressions can be given a unique
name and default value. A named expression calculates a
value using JavaScript for use in a Java or JavaScript event
handler.
 Advanced – This section displays all properties for a given
report element.
To format report elements:
1. First highlight a single text or data field.
2. Select the Property Editor tab of the element.
3. Select the General menu, listed on the left.
4. Select and apply the desired formatting option.
Design Tip: You can format multiple elements at the same time.
Select the elements of the same type using Shift+click, then apply
the desired format option. This works when all elements are of the
same type – all data fields, or text fields, for example.
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Lab 13.
Edit Existing Font for Fields and Labels
Step
1.
Select the header row for the data table.
2.
On the Properties tab, click Font.
3.
Format the text using the Font editor.
Figure 31. Font Editor for Selected Row
4.
To align the column heading, select a single field, then you can see the
Align Left icon, shown in Figure 32.
Figure 32. Format Options for a Field
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5.
Research additional formatting.
6.
Read online help to learn about how you can apply styles to a report.
Tip: This skill is covered in a separate workshop.
Lab 14.
Edit Existing Field Data Type
Scenario: A supervisor asks if you can display the completion date without the
time. You need to find the existing field and its format. Then select a format
without the time stamp.
Step
1.
Locate the field Completion Date in the data set query and look at its
display using Preview Results – notice that the format includes data and
time.
2.
Locate the field for COMPL_DTE in the report layout and double-click the
field to open the column binding.
3.
Notice that the data type is defined as Date Time, as shown in Figure 33.
Figure 33. Data Type is Date Time
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4.
Change the data type to Date to display the date without the time.
5.
Test the report by viewing the Preview tab.
Design Tip: If you leave a date unformatted, it will use the locales
default format. However, if the designer sets the format (such as
MM-DD-YYYY), that format will be used for all locales, overriding
the locale preferences.
Design Tip: You can format a numeric field using the Property
Editor, shown in Figure 34.
Figure 34. Property Editor for a Numeric Data Field
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USING THE DATA SET EDITOR
Data Sets are used to identify the data that will be retrieved from
the data source. Report designers will create or modify the
queries in the data sets to retrieve the desired fields that will be
included in the report.
Report Designer employs tables to control the layout of the
reports and many of the reports use nested tables to separate the
data into a clean, easy to read format. Each table is bound to a
data set and this allows report designers to include fields from the
bound data set in the tables. Fields in a data set can only be
included in tables that are bound to that data set.
Design Tip: To identify the data set that a table is bound to do the
following: Select the table and then select the Binding tab in the
Property Editor. The bound data set is listed in the Data Set field
as shown in Figure 35.
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Figure 35. Data Set Binding
Once the bound data set has been identified, the report designer
can modify the data set to add or remove data in the report. To
modify the data set, locate it in the Data Explorer and then double
click it to open the Data Set Editor. This is shown in Figure 36
and Figure 37.
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Figure 36. Available Data Sets
Figure 37. Data Set Editor
The Data Set Editor provides several tools to help report
designers create and preview queries and these can be found on
the left hand side of the Data Set Editor. The Query tool is where
you create or modify the SQL code to add and remove fields from
the database. After you are finished with the query it is
recommended that you always click on the Preview Results
option before closing the Data Set Editor. This allows you to
verify that your SQL code is correct before you try to add the new
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fields to the report. You can also use the Data Set Editor to
browse your database. This is extremely helpful if you are a
hosted customer and do not have the ability to use external tools
such as SQL Developer. Steps on how to do this can be found at
the end of this lesson in the Learning Extras Pg. 73.
Design Tip: If you are new to SQL development itis recommended
that you make small changes to the SQL code and preview your
results often. It is much easier to troubleshoot 1 or 2 lines of code
than 15 lines.
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ADDING ROWS AND COLUMNS TO A REPORT
The tables that are used to create the layout of the reports in Report Designer
are made up of rows and columns. When you want to add new data to the
report you may need to create a new row or column to hold the new fields.
In order to add a new row or column the table must be selected first. Do this
by selecting the table tag at the bottom of the desired table as shown in
Figure 38.
Figure 38. Using the Table Tags to select a table
Once the table is selected new row and column headers will be visible. A row
or column can be selected by clicking on its header. If you need to insert a
new row or column right click on one of the rows or columns close to the
desired location and the choose Insert > Row or Column > Above or Below
as seen in Figure 39.
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Figure 39. Inserting a New Row or Column
WORKING WITH SUCCESSFACTORS LABELS
Labels are used in reports to identify the data that is being displayed to the
end user. The reports created by SuccessFactors assume that you want
to use labels from the SuccessFactors application. Labels are important if
you are supporting reports that print in multiple languages.
For example, a customer in Canada wants the report labels displayed in
English for some admins and in French for others. The choice is based on
the setting in the user or admin’s record under the Preference tab >
Active Locale ID field.
When the report runs, the SuccessFactors application locates the
matching label locale. The corresponding label value is displayed in the
appropriate language.
Admins with the appropriate workflow can export a label file from
SuccessFactors via System Admin > Tools > Label Import/Export.
The next lab explains the steps for exporting labels.
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Lab 15.
Exporting Labels from SuccessFactors
Step
1.
Make sure Report Designer is closed.
2.
Export the labels file from SuccessFactors.
3.
Copy the file into the directory where the report design file resides,
typically in the workspace directory.
4.
Open Report Designer. The labels should now be associated with the
report. If they are not then continue to step 5.
5.
Associate the label resource file with the report:
a. In an open report, go to Outline view and select the report name.
b. Go to the Property Editor – Report tab > Resources option.
c. If there is no entry in the Resource File field, select the Add button
and locate the ApplicationResources file.
d. After adding the resources file, you will see the relationship illustrated
in Figure 40.
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Figure 40. Shared Resources Folder with Application Resources File
INSERTING A NEW LABEL
Labels can be inserted into a report by right clicking the new blank cell and
choosing Insert > Label.
If you are not using labels from the SuccessFactors application then you
can simply type the label value into the new label. If you are using the
labels from the SuccessFactors application then do the following steps.
1. Select the label element and navigate to Property Editor – Label tab >
Localization.
2. Click the
icon to open the list of labels and browse to the entry you
want.
Select the label Key/Value and select OK, as shown in Figure 41
Figure 41. Selecting a Label
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Lab 16.
Adding a New Database Field to a Report
Your supervisor has asked you to add the employee email address to the Item Status Grouped by
Users Report..
Step
1.
Select the table where you are going to add the new field
2.
Click on the Binding tab in the Property Editor and review the information
in the Data Set field. The Data Set that is listed in this field
(GroupByStudent) is the Data Set that must be modified to include the
email address.
3.
Edit the GroupByStudent Data Set.
4.
Modify the query to include the email address of the student.
5.
Preview the Results in the Edit Data Set tool then click OK.
6.
Insert a new row below the existing row that currently contains the User
Name.
7.
Add a new label and use the localization option to enter the value of the
label.
8.
Drag the email_addr field from the Data Set to the second blank cell on
the new row.
9.
Preview the report.
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Lab 17.
Test this Report in SuccessFactors
You have made a few minor changes to this report and now want to test it in SuccessFactors.
The first step is to zip the file from Report Designer and then you will import the revised report
into SuccessFactors.
Step
1.
Select the Outline tab.
2.
Select the report title at the top of the Outline view.
3.
Click the Save Report Zip button.
Figure 42. Steps to Zip
4.
Wait for confirmation (Figure 43)
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Figure 43. Dialog to save file
5.
Verify that you have a unique file name in the workspace directory and
click Finish.
6.
Navigate to SuccessFactors > Reports > Import and browse for the
zipped file when prompted.
** FireFox 3.x is not able to read the Report Designer zipped files **
Note: If you zipped and saved to the Workspace folder, you will want to Import
from that folder too. Do not re-import the original zip from the Originals folder!
7.
Under Target Users, select the radio button for Administrators:
Figure 44. Target Users Prompt
8.
Do not check the checkbox to overwrite the SuccessFactors library file.
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9.
Click Import (Figure 45)
Figure 45. Report Import Wizard
10.
Complete the report details when prompted (Figure 46):
a. Enter a description and comments if desired (remembering that you
can search keywords in the description, but not in comments)
b. Select the correct category from the dropdown list (in our example, the
report was originally in the User Management category).
c. Enter the domain
d. Notice that by default, new reports are always saved as unpublished
Figure 46. Report Detail Screen
11.
Click Save when you are finished.
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12.
Close this window to return to the Browse Reports menu.
13.
Run the report to test it. If it works you may publish it too.
Your instructor may ask you to run through the process again and make a few
more minor edits if time permits.
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CONCLUSION
In this lesson, you learned how to make a few minor changes to
reports using SuccessFactors Report Designer. You researched
several formatting options, learned to use a different field from the
same data set, zipped the report from Report Designer, and
imported it to SuccessFactors for testing.
You should now be able to:
 Research existing report layout and elements
 Identify a data field and locate its data set
 Research and edit data settings such as data type
 Locate and make a minor change to format
 Change a data field to display a different field from the same
data set
 Add a new row or column to the report layout
 Update a Data Set to include new database fields
 Insert new labels to an existing report
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Notes
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Lesson 5 Learning Extras:
USING REPORT DESIGNER TO BROWSE THE
SUCCESSFACTORS DATABASE
NOTE: Steps are slightly different depending on how you define preferences
under Window > Preferences > Report Design > Data Set Editor > JDBC Data
Set. This graphic shows the default settings:
SuccessFactors suggests that you uncheck Prefetch all Schemas, then set
Maximum number of schemas to 1. You can set Maximum number of tables to
any value you wish.
1. Access the data set and navigate to Query > middle of the screen, Available
Items.
a. If you have left default preferences, you will see a screen similar to this
one:
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Select the schema name, in this case PLATEAU, from the Schema
dropdown list. Then select Apply Filter.
b. If you have changed preferences and do not pre-fetch schemas, TYPE
your schema name into the Schema field, then select Apply Filter. You
can expand the schema now to list the tables.
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Hosted customers need to know their schema ID such as
ACME_STAGING or ACME_SBX.
If you do not know your schema: Set preferences temporarily to
prefetch all schemas and set maximum number of schemas at a high
number. After you find YOUR schema from the list, write down the
schema ID for future use. Then set the preferences back to the
suggested values.
2. Use a filter to limit the tables returned to a subset of tables you want to
browse. The filter is case sensitive.
This filter finds table names that start with PA_CPNT
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3. After finding the table, expand the list of fields:
Note: You can drag a field from this list and drop it into your query.
However, you will pick up the schema owner (below, shown as PLATEAU)
and the full table name.
You need to edit this to remove the schema owner and use the same alias
as is used in the query. In the query shown below, “e” is the alias for the
PA_CPNT_EVTHST table.
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Day 1 Summary
Day 1 of this course focused on researching the SuccessFactors data
model and exploring SuccessFactors Report Designer (Report
Designer) functionality.
You should now be able to:
 Explain how custom reports are integrated with SuccessFactors
in SP5
 Use existing reports and data in the SuccessFactors application
graphical user interface (GUI) to research tables/fields in the
SuccessFactors database
 Build research skills finding fields that satisfy business
requirements for reports
 Run reports in SuccessFactors to test existing behavior
 Export a report from SuccessFactors for use with Report
Designer
 Launch the Report Designer workspace and set up preferences
 Open an existing report and use Report Designer to research
report configuration and elements
 Make minor edits to a SuccessFactors standard report
 Test the report in Report Designer
 Use a request for a customized report and create a plan for
editing an existing report
 Locate the existing report and research the data source and
data sets/queries
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 Make changes such as adding a field, adding another table to
the query, adding a search selector, and performing basic
calculations
 Modify the data in the report by adding rows and columns,
editing the Data Sets, and adding labels
 Test the report in the SuccessFactors application
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Notes
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Appendix A:
Answer Key to Labs 1-4
An
This appendix contains the answer keys to labs 1-5 in this guide.
Knowledge Services

Lab 1 – Curriculum Status Report

Lab 2 – Sign-In Sheet/Offering Roster

Lab 3 – Custom Columns

Lab 4 – Online Data Model

Lab 5 – User Online Status
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ANSWER KEY: LAB 1 – CURRICULUM STATUS REPORT
SELECT a.stud_id, a.qual_id, a.assgn_dte, sq.qual_id_root as qual_id_root,
q.qual_title,decode(PKG_STUDENT.get_stud_qual_status(a.stud_id, a.qual_id,
sq.qual_id_root),'Y','Yes','N','No') as Completed
FROM pa_stud_qual_relation sq, pa_qual q,
(SELECT sq.stud_id, sq.qual_id, min(sq.assgn_dte) as assgn_dte
FROM pa_stud_qual_relation sq,
(SELECT COUNT(*) as cnt_all_quals
FROM pa_stud_qual_relation
WHERE stud_id = ? ) aqc,
(SELECT COUNT(*) as cnt_filtered_quals
FROM pa_stud_qual_relation sq
WHERE stud_id = ? ) fqc
WHERE stud_id = ?
/** and PKG_STUDENT.get_stud_qual_status(sq.stud_id, sq.qual_id,
sq.qual_id_root) = [Complete] */
AND ((cnt_all_quals = cnt_filtered_quals
AND sq.qual_id = sq.qual_id_root)
OR (cnt_all_quals > cnt_filtered_quals))
GROUP BY sq.stud_id, sq.qual_id)a
WHERE a.qual_id = q.qual_id AND a.qual_id=sq.qual_id
AND a.stud_id=sq.stud_id AND a.assgn_dte = sq.assgn_dte
Note: PKG_STUDENT.get_stud_qual_status is a pre-defined package that retrieves status.
Otherwise, writing a query to retrieve the status of a curriculum would be complex. The query
would need to evaluate status based on a variety of factors, including effective date, item type
(required or optional), whether a pool of requirements is present; status of subcurricula, etc.
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ANSWER KEY: LAB 2 – SIGN-IN SHEET/OFFERING ROSTER
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ANSWER KEY: LAB 3 – ONLINE DATA MODEL
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ANSWER KEY: LAB 4 – USER ONLINE STATUS
Master query from User Online Item Status report
SELECT DISTINCT sc.cpnt_typ_id, sc.cpnt_id, sc.rev_dte, c.rev_num
FROM pa_cbt_stud_cpnt sc, pa_cpnt c, pa_student st
WHERE sc.cpnt_typ_id = c.cpnt_typ_id
AND sc.cpnt_id = c.cpnt_id
AND sc.rev_dte = c.rev_dte
AND sc.stud_id = st.stud_id
Object Details query from User Online Item Status report.
SELECT module_name, total_time, NVL(total_times, 0) as total_times,
last_access, complete, finished, has_access
FROM pa_cbt_stud_cpnt_mod
WHERE stud_cpnt_id = ?
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Appendix B:
Additional Information and Best
Practices
An
This appendix provides additional information and best practices for
Report Designer.
THE DESIGN/TEST ENVIRONMENT
The design database used for SuccessFactors Report Designer
cannot access/implement SuccessFactors security domains.
SuccessFactors recommends that you use a copy of the database
to create scenarios for testing. Another alternative is to provide a
specific set of tables from the staging environment as a view for the
designer. Your database administrator can help set up the best
testing environment.
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PROCESS FLOW FOR RUNNING ADMIN-SIDE REPORTS
Figure 47 illustrates a process flow for running a report in
SuccessFactors:
1. The admin accesses and runs the report, entering criteria via
the search selectors.
2. The report engine processes the report and the SuccessFactors
application program interfaces (APIs) implement domain
security and search filters.
3. The admin views the report output with data that is filtered
based on domain restrictions, where applicable.
Figure 47. Process Flow for Running a Report in SuccessFactors
Administration
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REPORT RESOURCES
Go to Report Design > Resource to see the location of the folder
that contains report resources, as shown in Figure 48.
Resources include images, libraries, application resource files with
labels, etc.
Figure 48. Set Preferences for Storing Shared Resources
Suggestion: Until you gain more experience, accept the default
location for the Resource folder. Later you can set up a central
location to store the libraries, application resources file, graphics,
and related resources.
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STRATEGY TO RESEARCH AN EXISTING REPORT
Before making edits, you should understand the design of the
existing report. The instructor will demonstrate a research strategy.
Steps to research a report:
1. Open the report in SuccessFactors Report Designer.
2. Locate the existing data source.
3. If needed, create a new data source as described on page 41.
4. Edit data set(s) and associate each with the correct data source.
5. Look at the data set (such as the example in Figure 49) and
describe the query in plain English:
Figure 49. Data Set Query for KSO Account Profile Report
6. Locate the comment text in the data set query, and locate search
selector(s) and table being used to enforce domain security.
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Design Tip: To learn more about search selectors, go to Help >
Help Contents > SuccessFactors Report Designer > Search
Filters. In the next class, you learn to add a new search selector.
7. Locate the list of report parameters shown in Figure 50 – you
viewed the same parameters at run time in SuccessFactors.
For search selectors: The name of the report parameter must
exactly match the search selector named in the comment field
of the data set query.
Figure 50. Report Parameters (Report Search Selectors)
8. Locate the library in the Resource Explorer. Drill down and find
the list of report parameters available, as shown in Figure 51.
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Figure 51. Listing of Report Parameters in SuccessFactors Library
9. Look at the Layout tab, shown in Figure 52, and identify the
elements used in the report. Research grouping if present.
Figure 52. Layout View of Account Profile Report
10. Use Outline view, shown in Figure 53, to locate more complex
configurations with nested tables.
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Figure 53. Outline View of Report Elements
11. Optional; Research column binding for several fields, as shown
in Figure 54. (You will learn more about column bindings on
Day 2.)
Figure 54. Column Binding for a Data Field and Expression Builder
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12. Locate the formatting for the labels and for the data fields by
highlighting an element and locating Property Editor –
[ElementType], then scrolling to the relevant tab.
Figure 55 illustrates the Property Editor view when you have
selected a label report element.
Figure 55. Property Editor – Label Tab
13. Go to the Master Page tab for the report and view the General
tab for properties such as layout (landscape or letter), etc.
14. If you have a graphic image as a background, you can find the
source under Property Editor > Advanced > Background as
shown in Figure 56.
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Figure 56. Master Page > Property Editor > Advanced > Background
15. Research report-level configuration by selecting Outline view
and highlighting the name of the report, then view the Property
Editor > Report tab.
a. View the Comments tab for designer notes.
b. View the Resources tab for locate any application resources
files used for labels (see next step)
c. View the Advanced tab for configuration such as scripts that
run when creating the report
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Notes
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 2
Lesson 6:
Analyze a Report Request and
Make Changes
In this lesson, you will research the Sign In Sheet/Class Roster as it
exists in the standard format provided by SuccessFactors. You will
analyze a report request and plan a strategy for your report design
efforts.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Recall the process flow to modify and test reports from
SuccessFactors
 Analyze a requested report and identify changes
 Go to SuccessFactors and locate the existing report
 Run the report to view the standard output before any customizations
 Prepare a test plan and identify test data
 Export the report and its library from SuccessFactors Learning
 Open the report in Report Designer and save with a new name
 Modify a Query in Report Designer
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PROCESS FLOW FOR MODIFYING REPORTS WITH REPORT
DESIGNER
To modify reports with Report Designer:
Gather requirements.
Find the system Report Designer report.
Run the report and verify it will work.
Export the report.
Save original report to the Originals folder.
Extract and change the name of the *.rptdesign file.
Open *.rptdesign in Report Designer.
Connect report to test datasource.
Preview and update report.
Preview report (use filters in master dataset and/or parameters in child datasets).
Remove filters (if used), save, and zip the report.
Import into and test report in SuccessFactors.
Publish the report
Update Workflows
Note: Filters and parameters used in testing will be explained in a later lesson.
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CASE STUDY FOR CUSTOMIZING A REPORT
A scheduled offering roster is a good example of a report with
multiple queries and opportunities to customize the output. For this
reason, you will use the SuccessFactors-provided Scheduled
Offering Roster report for most of the skills that you will practice.
Figure 54 illustrates the report as provided by SuccessFactors.
Figure 54. Standard Sign In Sheet Provided by SuccessFactors
Figure 55 illustrates the requested report that you will be able to
produce by the end of this course. See Appendix C for larger
samples.
Figure 55. Requested Output for Sign In Sheet
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The scenarios presented for each lesson and related labs assume
that you are the report developer for your company. The business
requirements for customizing the report are based on requests that
the Professional Services Organization have gathered from
SuccessFactors customers, including our own internal trainers.
Learning a design skill and applying your knowledge to the
Scheduled Offering Roster is a good foundation for working with
other custom reports.
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Group Activity 1:
Compare the existing report to the desired report and answer the
following:
Which fields/columns need to be added?
What formatting changes should be made?
Create an Entity Relationship Diagram that includes all database
tables and fields used in the desired report.
Please see “Strategy for Analyzing a Report Request” in Appendix D
for best practices.
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Prepare a Test Plan with Test Data
Brainstorm about characteristics of several scheduled offerings that
would be representative samples. Think of these as providing a
baseline for the existing report. This data will be used to complete
the labs that follow. For fields/columns that are being added, are
there sample data that we can use to observe the desired outcome?
Research Existing Behavior in SuccessFactors
You will run the report first from SuccessFactors to view the current
output and existing behavior. Then you will plan your edits.
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Lab 17.
Locate Existing Scheduled Offerings
Step
1.
Log in to SuccessFactors Administration with the URL, login, and
password provided by the instructor.
2.
Locate a scheduled offering with students enrolled and a facility (i.e.,
scheduled offering 51 or different one indicated by your instructor).
Record the identifiers:
3.
If needed, register users into the scheduled offering.
Record their user IDs:
4.
If needed, edit email addresses and organization data for the selected
users.
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Lab 18.
Locate and Run the Report in SuccessFactors
Step
1.
Locate the Class Roster report in the Reports menu.
1.
Click the pencil icon to view/edit report details. (This icon is enabled for
users with the workflow for Edit Custom Reports.)
2.
Click the hyperlinked report title to run the report, noting the admin
prompts for search selectors/criteria.
3.
Review the structure of the report, shown in Figure 56, focusing on the
three sections of the report.
Figure 56. Existing Report and Three Sections in the Layout
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Create a Data Model for this Report
Let’s look at the relationships between the tables used in the Scheduled
Offering Roster report. Figure 57 and 58 illustrate the data model.
Figure 57. Data Model for Scheduled Offering and Segments
Figure 58. Data Model for Scheduled Offering and Enrollment
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Think about the relationship between the scheduled offering and its
segments and its enrollment details. At run time, the query in the
scheduled offering data set retrieves the scheduled offering(s) that
should be included in the report.
SuccessFactors retrieves the first scheduled offering, then “feeds”
the scheduled offering identifier to the data set for its segments.
Next SuccessFactors retrieves the enrollment data for this
scheduled offering. SuccessFactors repeats this set of steps until
all scheduled offerings are retrieved.
Figure 59 illustrates these relationships, using “?” to represent the
scheduled offering ID in the segment data and enrollment details.
Figure 59. Relationship between Master Query and Child Queries
Export the Report from SuccessFactors
The next step in the analysis is to export the report from
SuccessFactors. Then you will open the report in Report Designer
and research the report structure and data elements.
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Lab 19.
Export the Scheduled Offering Roster Report
Step
1.
From the Reports menu, find the report.
2.
Select Export.
3.
Review the zipped file and confirm that you are exporting the report and
the SuccessFactors standard library to your Originals folder.
4.
Unzip the file into your Report Designer workspace on your workstation.
5.
Rename the report and record the names of the report and library files.
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Group Activity 2
Consider what changes need to be made to the report in order to
include a Facility Description and Phone Number field.
Which table needs to be added to the SQL statement?
___________________________________________
Which field joins this table to an existing one?
___________________________________________
Which fields do we need from the new table?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Where will we find which data set / query we will need to modify to
include the necessary SQL statements?
___________________________________________
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Lab 20.
Analyze and Modify the Report in Report Designer
Add Facility Description and Phone Number to Report
Step
1.
Open the report in Report Designer (save with a different name if
necessary).
2.
Locate the data source and modify to a testing source.
3.
Preview the report before making any edits. If errors occur during preview,
Report Designer may need to be reinstalled with the latest version.
4.
Go to Outline view and highlight the name of the report, then view the
Property Editor – Report pane (Figure 60) to learn more.
Figure 60. Property Editor – Report Pane
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5.
View each major report element in Layout view and identify its data set.
Figure 61. Relationship between Master Query and Child Queries
6.
Look at the data set for the Schedule_Master, viewing the query, search
selector, and security domain as shown in Figure 62.
Figure 62. Query for Master Schedule Data Set
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7.
Determine which query needs to be edited to add the Facility Description
and Phone Number.
8.
Edit the appropriate query to include the necessary SQL statements. (See
next page for answers.)
9.
Refresh bindings (in Layout window, select table of master query, in
Property Editor window, click binding tab, scroll to the bottom right and
click Refresh).
10.
Select the second Component Type ID, (below Self Desc) right-click and
Delete.
11.
Insert a label for Facility Description (find label in SuccessFactors:
System Admin > References > Labels – search for Label ID containing
label.Facility)
12.
Delete TBD in the cell you want to place the Facility Description.
13.
Click and drag the Facility_Desc field from the Data Explorer window in
the Schedule Master section into the cell.
14.
Preview the report and note whether the desired data show in the report.
15.
Follow the last few steps to add the label and data field for Facility Phone
Number.
16.
Save and zip the report and import into SuccessFactors to test.
In the next lesson, we will discuss how to filter our results for a specific set of data.
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ANSWER KEY: LAB: FACILITY DESCRIPTION SQL
Edit the Schedule_Master data set to include this SQL
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CONCLUSION
You should now be able to:
 Analyze a requested report and identify changes
 Go to SuccessFactors and locate the existing report
 Run the report to view the standard output before any
customizations
 Prepare a test plan and identify test data
 Export the report and its library from SuccessFactors
 Open the report in Report Designer and save with a new name
 Modify a query in Report Designer
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Lesson 7:
Filters, Parameters, and
Bindings
This lesson discusses different options for testing reports in Report
Designer with Filters enabled in a Master data set, Parameters set
for child data sets, and column and table bindings.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Recognize Filters and Parameters and when they are used.
 Research Binding Parameters for Child Queries
 Test the report in Report Designer:
 Edit the master schedule query to display one or more
specific scheduled offerings
 Edit the child query data sets to use the scheduled offering(s)
from the master schedule query
 Test the report using a known scheduled offering
 Insert a new column in a table that uses a field from the same
data set
 Add a field from a data set that is not the same as the existing
table binding
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FILTERS AND PARAMETERS
In Report Designer, when we want to test the Master Query in our
report for a given group of data records (and not have the system
return all possible values) we use a filter. A filter is a simple addition
to the Where statement in SQL that we will remove prior to export.
If we forget to remove the statement, our report will not work
properly in SuccessFactors.
Before we can test a query in a Child data set, we may need to
define one or more parameters that would normally be passed from
the Master to the Child at runtime in SuccessFactors. Since the
parameters are currently undefined, we can create some for testing
which we will not need to remove when we export.
BINDINGS
Each report element that uses a child query contains a dataset
parameter binding that defines the relationship to the relevant field
from the parent data set.
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STEPS TO CREATE BINDING PARAMETERS FOR CHILD
QUERIES
Passing information from the parent query to the child query
requires 3 steps to be completed when designing the report.
1. Open the child data set in the Data Set Editor and add a
new Parameter. (This step tells Report Designer to
prepare for a value to be passed from the parent query
but it does not tell Report Designer what is being
passed.)
a. In the Data Set Editor click on the Parameters link
and then click the New button.
b. Give the new parameter and name, data type, and a
default value of “” as displayed in Figure 63.
Figure 63. New Parameter
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2. Update the query to include a placeholder for the value
that is being passed from the parent. Do this by adding a
line in the Where statement identifying the field that will
be updated based on the value passed.
3. For example, if the Scheduled Offering ID is the value
being passed then the new line of code would look
something like this:
Where ss.schd_id = ?
4. Add a new Data Set Parameter Binding to the child
table in the Layout view. (You must complete steps 1
and 2 before you can do this step. If you try to do this
step first you cannot add a Data Set Parameter Binding.)
a. Select the child table and click on the Binding tab in
the Property Editor.
b. Click the
button.
c. Edit the existing Data Set Parameter Binding.
d. Click the
button and add the entity that is being
passed from the parent query to Expression Builder
as displayed in Figure 64.
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Figure 64. Expression Builder
e. Click OK and OK again.
RESEARCH BINDING PARAMETERS FOR CHILD QUERIES
Research the binding parameters for the SegmentInfo_Child data
set. After reviewing these steps with the instructor, you will conduct
the next lab and research the settings for the Enrollment data set.
1. Find the WHERE clause and locate the value for the scheduled
offering ID, “ WHERE schd_id = ?”.
Figure 65 illustrates the relationship between the master query and the child query
represented by “?”, which is a binding parameter.
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Figure 65. Parameter Value in the Data Set for Segment Info
Reminder: When you generate the report in SuccessFactors, the system first
runs the master query based on the scheduled offerings selected by the admin.
For each scheduled offering ID, the system then runs each child query.
Double-click the entry in the Parameters screen and provide the identifier you used in
the Master Schedule query, then select Preview Results, as shown in Figure 66.
Figure 66. Entry in Parameters Screen and Output from Preview Results
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Design Tips: Figure 67 and Figure 68 illustrate troubleshooting tips
related to dataset parameters.
Figure 67. Tip – Cannot Preview with Parameter Mismatch
Figure 68. Tip – No Records Returned in Preview Results Window
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Locate the Table Binding > Report Parameter
To research/edit the dataset parameter binding for the Enrollment
table in Layout view, refer to Figure 69 and:
1. Select the Enrollment table.
2. Select the Binding tab from Property Editor – Table view.
3. Select the Dataset Parameter Binding button.
4. View the existing parameter setting.
5. Select the Edit button to view details.
6. Select
Expression Builder to drill down to the column
binding from the Schedule Master data set.
Figure 69. Table Binding > Dataset Parameter Binding for Enrollment
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Lab 21.
Edit the Data Set to Retrieve a New Field
Scenario: You want to print a sign-in sheet that displays the instructor’s e-mail
address in the Segment section. This field (PA_INST.email_addr) is not currently
available in the dataset query.
Solution Plan A: You can follow the instructions in this lab and:

Find the appropriate data set (SegmentInfo), then add the field to the query
so it is available for the report

Insert a new column in the Segment section table

Insert a label for the column heading, then insert the data field for the
instructor’s e-mail address

Create a column binding

OR: Solution Plan B: Create a new data set. This solution implements a
parameter binding to create relationship between this new data set and its
parent (segment info). (See Appendix for more information on Creating a New
Data Set.)
Add the Query to the Dataset
Step
1.
Go to the SegmentInfo data set and double-click.
2.
Select the Query option from the menu.
3.
Edit the query to include the instructor email address.
Challenge: If you feel adventurous, you may use the nvl syntax to replace
a null value with a specific (Figure 70). You may decide to use an alias for
the email address as well.
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Figure 70. Existing Query after Adding E-Mail Address Field
4.
Use the Preview Results menu to test your query.
Edit Existing Table and Add Column
Step
1.
Select the table for Segment Info.
2.
Right-click the Instructor column.
3.
Select the option to insert a column on the right.
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Add Label and Data Fields
Step
1.
Insert a label for the column heading and call it “Instructor E-Mail”.
2.
Insert a new data element for the instructor e-mail address field and create
the column binding.
Figure 71. Column Binding for Instructor E-Mail in Segment Info
3.
Click OK.
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Lab 22.
Add Student Org Description to Sign In Sheet
Scenario: The customer has asked that the student’s organization be listed in
the Sign In Sheet. They want the description for the organization, not the
organization ID. You can re-use the column currently used for the supervisor ID.
Solution: You will work through the solution independently or as a group,
selecting the strategy that you prefer. Decide the best way to handle a student
record for which no organization is designated.
Save a new version of the report with your results.
Test the report in SuccessFactors using scheduled
offerings
with good test data.
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CONCLUSION
You should now be able to:
 Recognize Filters and Parameters and when they are used.
 Research Binding Parameters for Child Queries
 Test the report in Report Designer:
 Edit the master schedule query to display one or more
specific scheduled offerings
 Edit the child query data sets to use the scheduled offering(s)
from the master schedule query
 Test the report using a known scheduled offering
 Insert a new column in a table that uses a field from the same
data set
 Add a field from a data set that is not the same as the existing
table binding
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Notes
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Lesson 8:
Operators, TBD, and
Combining Fields
This lesson provides several scenarios for managing fields in an
existing report. The activities begin with basic design skills and
become more complex.
The examples shown in this lesson are based on working with the
Scheduled Offering Roster report. After following these directions,
you may wish to try similar steps with a different report.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Research SuccessFactors operators used in standard reports
 Combine multiple fields by creating a calculated column
 Test the report in SuccessFactors using scheduled offerings
with good test data
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RESEARCH EXISTING REPORT OPERATORS
There are some tasks that would be complicated for a report
developer to define. For example, you want the Scheduled Offering
Roster to print the segment start/end date and time in the time zone
preferred by the admin running the report.
For this reason, SuccessFactors developers have created
operators that contain subsets of code to use in Report Designer.
In the next lab, you will research existing operators – then decide if
you want to use the operator or replace the data field without an
operator.
Design Tip: Here is an easy way to find a field from a
SuccessFactors standard report that uses an operator. Look for
text fields with an entry of “TBD” (To Be Decided).
If you generate the report in Report Designer, you might see a
result labeled TBD. That occurs because the values that the
operator requires are not provided by Report Designer – they are
only available when a person runs the report from inside the
SuccessFactors application.
Let’s research the field that will display the Item Type, Item ID, and
Revision Date on one line.
Figure 72. Data Field for Item Using an Operator
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Refer to Figure 73 and follow these steps to research a field that
uses an operator:
1. Select the text field marked TBD.
2. Navigate to the Advanced menu of the Property Editor – Text
tab.
3. View the entry for the Event handler class (this provides the
path to the Java code that the operator uses).
4. View the entries for operator details:
 OPERATOR_COLUMNS lists fields to be combined
 OPERATOR_NAME provides descriptive identifier
 SHOW_INPUT is set to true for SuccessFactors operators
Figure 73. Operator Details for Item Field
If you want to create your own computed column for the Item field,
you can simply delete the text field and add your own field.
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Lab 23.
Locate and Research Operators in Segment Table
Scenario: In previous versions of SuccessFactors reports, it was difficult to
create a field that combined elements such as “Last Name, First Name”.
Solution: SuccessFactors created an operator to concatenate the fields and
display the full name – the FormatPersonFullName operator. Many standard
reports for SuccessFactors use this operator.
Step
1.
Locate each field in the Segment table in Layout view that uses an
operator (each field that contains the text “TBD”).
2.
View the Advanced menu on the Property Editor – Text tab to research
the fields used and the operator name, as shown in Figure 74.
Figure 74. Operators Used in the Segment Table
3.
Decide if you want to keep the operator to display segment start and end
times in the admin’s time zone.
4.
Remove the field for Instructor name from the table – in the next topic and
lab, you will re-create a data field in a way that does not need an operator.
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COMBINING FIELDS INTO A SINGLE COLUMN
Ways to combine fields into a new field/column binding:
1. In the data set as a SQL query with concatenate syntax – see
SuccessFactors reports for examples.
2. In the data set as a computed column – one advantage is
ability to preview the results before running the report.
3. In the field as an aggregated string with the concatenation
function (refer to Forum example)
4. In the table as inline data:
 Select all elements in the cell (if all fields are of same data
type; otherwise, click each field and continue, then repeat)
 Go to the Properties Editor tab > Properties sub-tab >
Advanced
 Scroll down and expand Section
 Change Display from block to inline.
5. Use the SuccessFactors operator that concatenates the field.
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Lab 24.
Include Multiple Fields in a Column Binding
Scenario: You do not want to display the entire item key (item type + item ID +
revision date). You want to display the item title followed by the item ID. The
desired result is shown in Figure 75.
Figure 75. Sample with Combined Item Title and Item ID
Solution: Edit the column binding for Item Title and add the Item ID field to the
expression. Steps are illustrated in Figure 76.
Figure 76. Steps to Create an Expression with Two Fields
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Step
1.
Right-click the existing field and select Edit/Value Expression.
2.
Select the Expression Builder icon to open the existing column binding.
3.
Add the string shown here to add a second field and to place the field
value in parentheses: + “(“ + +”)”.
Place your cursor between the plus symbols so you can insert the field.
4.
In the Category column, select Available Column Bindings.
5.
In the Sub-Category column, select the element with the field you want.
6.
In the final column, locate the field ACT_CPNT_ID for the activity/item
associated with this scheduled offering.
7.
Double-click on the field to insert it in the parentheses.
8.
Select OK twice to save the changes, then preview results.
9.
Apply what you learned to create a field for the Instructor name.
Design Tip: There are different ways to handle values that might
be null. Here is one example that shows treatment for null values in
a computed column. Note the correct placement of parentheses
and plus signs.
(dataSetRow["FNAME"]!=null ? (dataSetRow["FNAME"] + " ") : " ") +
(dataSetRow["MI"]!=null ? (dataSetRow["MI"] + " ") : " ") +
(dataSetRow["LNAME"] !=null ? dataSetRow["LNAME"] : "")
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CONCLUSION
You should now be able to:
 Research SuccessFactors operators used in standard reports
 Combine multiple fields by creating a calculated column
 Test the report in SuccessFactors using scheduled offerings
with good test data
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Lesson 9:
Adding a Search Selector, and
Changing a Logo in the Library
This lesson provides advanced scenarios for managing fields in an
existing report.
The examples shown in this lesson are based on working with the
Scheduled Offering Roster report. After following these directions,
you may wish to try similar steps with a different report.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Add a Search Selector to a report
 Change the Library to use your Company Logo
 Test the report in SuccessFactors using scheduled offerings
with good test data
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Lab 25.
Adding a Search Selector to a Report
Scenario: Figure 77 illustrates an additional requirement – the requester wants a
new search selector for this scheduled offering report.
Figure 77. Desired Search Selectors
Solution: Add an additional search selector for the person running the report.
Add the search selector syntax to the comment in the data set for the master
query. Also add the report parameter from the library to the report.
Add Facility Search for the Sign In Sheet
Step
1.
Locate the search selector from the SuccessFactors library (in the
Resource Explorer window, expand Shared Resources, SuccessFactors
Report Library, and Report Parameters).
2.
Press and drag the FacilitySearch parameter to the Outline window into
the Report Parameters section for the report.
3.
Add the selector to a comment in the query for which the search applies.
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4.
Figure 78 illustrates one example. Your query should include the
statement: “and s.Facility_ID in [FacilitySearch]” or similar.
SELECT
pce.stud_id,pce.cmpl_stat_id,pce.compl_dte,pce
.cpnt_desc
FROM pa_cpnt_evthst pce, pa_student ps
WHERE pce.stud_id=ps.stud_id
/** and pce.stud_id in [UserSearch] and
pce.compl_dte > [LearningEventFromDate] and
not pce.compl_dte > [LearningEventToDate] and
(pce.cpnt_typ_id,pce.cpnt_id,pce.rev_dte)in
[ItemSearch] and [security:PA_STUDENT ps] */
ORDER BY compl_dte
Figure 78. Include Search for User, Completion Date Range, and Item
Save, Zip, and Test the report in SuccessFactors using
scheduled offerings
with good test data.
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HOW CUSTOMER LOGO AND STYLES WORK
SuccessFactors releases a library that contains a master page that
is used on most reports. The master page contains the
SuccessFactors logo. Originally, SuccessFactors Learning only
used one library file “Plateau.rptlibrary”. Starting with
SuccessFactors Learning 6.3, the system has introduced a second
library file “PlateauThemes.rptlibrary”, this is the library file that will
be modified to change the logo or styles in version 6.3 and above.
You can tell that the master page is linked to the library. Check the
library icon in Outline view > MasterPages, as shown in Figure 79.
Figure 79. View of Master Page Linked to SuccessFactors Library
If you edit the logo in a report, you will only change the logo for that
report. Once you run the report in SuccessFactors, the system will
pick up the logo that is stored with the SuccessFactors library.
Usually SuccessFactors discourages customers from making
changes to the SuccessFactors-provided library. But in this case,
we recommend careful editing by an experienced designer who
understands the effect of making this change.
Caution: You can edit the SuccessFactors library and export it to
SuccessFactors. When prompted, you can select the Overwrite option. If you
overwrite the library, every report in SuccessFactors that uses the
SuccessFactors logo, styles/themes, etc, will pick up your changes.
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Lab 26.
Change the Library to Use Your Company Logo
Scenario: Your company uses a logo as a heading at the top of reports. You
want to include the logo in the standard reports that SuccessFactors provides.
The logo should appear in the upper left corner of the master page so that it will
repeat on every page. This is similar to placing an image on the master slide of
PowerPoint.
Solution: Edit the SuccessFactors master page in the SuccessFactors library
and use your company logo in place of the SuccessFactors or Plateau logo.
Save the library and export it to SuccessFactors, overwriting the original library
when prompted.
Step
1.
Create or locate a folder to keep a separate copy of the edited library
and several sample reports.
This helps avoid overwriting the library in your workspace until you have
finished editing and testing.
2.
Place the company logo file in the folder for editing the library file.
3.
Copy the existing Plateau.rptlibrary and PlateauThemes.rptlibrary file into
this folder.
4.
Select File > Open File.
5.
Select Files of Type as .rptlibrary.
6.
Locate and open the library file that corresponds to your version of
SuccessFactors.
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7.
Access the master page, as shown in Figure 80.
Figure 80. Master Page and Logo in the Library
a. Select the Master Page tab under the Layout view window.
b. Expand the MasterPages menu in Outline view.
c. Select the Simple Master Page-Plateau Master Page to view layout
in the Master Page tab on the right.
8.
Double-click in the existing logo to open the Edit Image dialog.
9.
Select Embedded Image.
10.
Select the Add Image button.
11.
Browse to the image of your corporate logo and click Open.
12.
Select the Insert button.
13.
Open an existing report that uses the Plateau master page.
14.
Preview the report to view the new image.
Design Tip: If you have a report open while editing the library, you
may need to close the report file and open it again to view updates.
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The embedded image looks like the following in the .rptlibrary xml.
Because it is embedded, you can make the image available to any
report that uses this library.
<property name="name">[image name]</property>
<property name="data">
[gif binary.. long string of characters]
</property>
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Lab 27.
Change the Library to Use Your Company Colors
Scenario: The library includes styles for fonts and colors. The color background
for many table headers is orange or light blue. Your company uses different
background colors.
Solution: Edit the styles used in the existing report library to reflect your
company’s themes.
Step
1.
Open the library file that corresponds to your current version of
SuccessFactors. (for example: Plateau.rptlibrary)
2.
Open the Scheduled Offering Roster report.
3.
In the Scheduled Offering Roster, locate the existing style used in an
element that you want to change, as illustrated in Figure 81. Note that you
will not actually make the change in the report itself – you just want to
identify the style element.
Figure 81. Row Background Using Style tableSubSectionColumnHeaderColor
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4.
Locate the style in the library, as illustrated in Figure 82. In the Outline
window, expand Themes and Plateau Stylesheet and scroll down to the
appropriate element (in our example, TableSectionTitleColor) and doubleclick it.
Figure 82. How to Change the Background Color Style
5.
Change the color to the one that your company prefers by clicking
Background and selecting the color using either the color button or the
RGB dropdown list.
6.
Save your changes.
7.
Continue and change other styles as desired.
8.
Save the edits to the library.
9.
Go to the Scheduled Offering Roster and refresh the library (in Outline
view, highlight the report name and right click > Refresh Library), then
view the changes.
Design Tip: You might find that you need to close the report
design file and open it again to pick up the new settings.
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CONCLUSION
You should now be able to:
 Add a Search Selector to a report
 Change the Library to use your Company Logo
 Test the report in SuccessFactors using scheduled offerings
with good test data
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Lesson 10:
SuccessFactors Field Localization
This lesson provides detailed information on using localized fields
in reports. The information in the lesson pertains to reports that
are used in version 6.2 of SuccessFactors and above. If your
company is using an earlier version of the application then you can
skip this lesson.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Identify the different localized fields
 Understand the impact of data localization on reports
 Update custom reports to display SuccessFactors localized
fields
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LOCALIZED FIELDS
Many of SuccessFactors customers are global companies with a
diverse workforce. Customers can purchase separate language
packs that allow the users to interact with the software using their
native languages. Language packs do not translate data on the fly.
This means that values that are added through the admin side are
not translated by the language pack. For example, if an admin
creates a new item they must give the item a title. When an
employee views the item title on the user side it will display in
language that the admin used when creating it.
Starting in SuccessFactors Learning version 6.2, many of the key
fields in the database have been localized. This means that when
an admin creates the entity they have the ability to include
translated values for the fields. (Figure 83)
Figure 83. Title Translations
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Localization is primarily focused on titles and descriptions. The list
below includes the most often used localized entities.
Localized Entities
 Item title and description
 Curriculum title and description
 Scheduled offering title
 Learning event item title
 Item type description
 Completion status description
 Assignment type description
IMPACT ON REPORTS
The process for adding localized data fields to a report is a little
different from adding standard data fields. When adding standard
data field, all a report designer needs to do is modify the query to
include the new field and then add it to the report. When the report
is previewed in Report Designer the value for the field is displayed
to the end user.
If you follow the same steps above to add a localized data field to a
report the result of your report would be different. Instead of
displaying the value of a data field the system displays the system
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label of a localized entity as seen in Figure 84.
Figure 84. Results of a query returning localized data fields.
This change in localization requires additional syntax to be added
to the column bindings of the localized data fields. This is not only
the case for new reports going forward but also any custom reports
built prior to 6.2 using Report Designer.
ADDING LOCALIZATION TO A CUSTOM REPORT
When adding a localized data field to a custom report the simplest
method is to insert a new data binding in the layout view and use
the Expression Builder to add the data field.
1. Right click in the location where you want the field to be displayed
on the report and insert a data binding as displayed in
Figure 85.
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Figure 85. New Data Binding
2. Enter a name, data type, and then click the
button to open the
Expression Builder as displayed in Figure 86. .
Figure 86. Data Binding Options
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3. Enter the following in the Expression Builder (replacing qual_title
with the intended localized database column)
reportContext.getMessage (dataSetRow [“qual_title”],
reportContext.getLocal())
Figure 87. Expression Builder
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Course Summary
You should now be able to:
 Explain how custom reports are integrated with SuccessFactors
 Use existing reports and data in the SuccessFactors application
graphical user interface (GUI) to research tables/fields in the
SuccessFactors database
 Build research skills finding fields that satisfy business
requirements for reports
 Run reports in SuccessFactors to test existing behavior
 Export a report from SuccessFactors for use with Report
Designer
 Launch the Report Designer workspace and set up preferences
 Open an existing report and use Report Designer to research
report configuration and elements
 Make minor edits to a SuccessFactors standard report
 Test the report in Report Designer
 Use a request for a customized report and create a plan for
editing an existing report
 Locate the existing report and research the data source and
data sets/queries
 Make changes such as adding a field, adding another table to
the query, adding a search selector, and performing basic
calculations
 Test the report in the SuccessFactors application
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Notes
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Appendix C:
Report Samples
Figure 88. Sign In Sheet/Scheduled Offering Roster BEFORE
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Figure 89. Sign In Sheet/Scheduled Offering Roster AFTER
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Figure 90. Guide to Report Markups and Skills
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Appendix D:
Additional Information and Best
Practices
An
This appendix provides additional information and best practices for
Report Designer.
STRATEGY FOR ANALYZING A REPORT REQUEST
Steps in analyzing a report include:
1. Compare existing report to the desired output (page 159).
2. Prepare a checklist for each edit and assess the level of effort
(page 159):
 Identify changes that simply require editing report format,
such as font, color, etc. (low degree of effort)
 Identify fields that are from the same tables as the existing
report (low to medium degree of effort)
 Identify fields from tables that are not in the existing report
(medium to high degree of effort, depending on complexity)
 Determine whether use of a different search selector from
the library is necessary (low degree of effort)
 Determine if a new report parameter is needed to collect
input from the admin running the report (low to high degree
of effort)
3. Develop a test plan and edit data in the SuccessFactors
application to support the test plan such as add segments and
register users into a scheduled offering (page 100).
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4. Locate the existing report in SuccessFactors (if relevant) and
research existing behavior (page 100).
5. Create a data model representing the source of each desired
field, and relationships between relevant tables (page 103).
6. Export the report from SuccessFactors (page 104).
7. Research the report in Report Designer.
8. Preview the report in Report Designer (page 162).
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Compare Existing Report to Desired Output
Figure 91 is the requested Sign In Sheet with mark ups. Your
instructor will provide a larger sample to use for your analysis.
Figure 91. Desired Output
Prepare a Checklist
Use Table 1 to list the edits, designating each as a change to the
existing format (F), layout (L), or data (D). Identify

Format changes to font, background color, graphics, etc.

Layout changes such as master page landscape view versus
portrait, new columns in an existing table, addition of a footer

Data output that is displayed differently – data type is date, not
date/time, display name without middle initial, provide a value to
display if the field is null, etc.

Data output in the existing report that is not shown in the
customized version – for example, notice that the segment
number is not displayed in desired output

Data field that is NOT in the current report and identify its
source (table/field) and its relationship to the existing report

Data fields that use aggregated values (calculated totals,
averages, differences)
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Table 1. Checklist of Tasks to Complete
F: Format change
L: Layout change
Description
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L
D
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Sample Checklist of Tasks to Complete
Key: F – Format change
LOE – Level of Effort
L – Layout change
D – Data change
LAB – Lab that covers this task
Description
F
L
D
LOE
LAB
Logo is different
Replace entry for title and one for full item ID,
item type and rev date, with “Title (Item ID)”
Background of row for sched offering is blue
instead of orange
New data: Facility description
New data: Facility phone number
New data: Email address of user
New data: Organization description for user
New data: Total Users (a sum user names)
Remove/hide data: Segment ID
Remove data: User ID
Data formatting: The start time/date and end
time/date formatted without time zone
Walk-in sign-in at bottom of report
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Lab 28.
Preview the Report in Report Designer
Scenario: You want to run several sample reports to see how the data looks in
Report Designer. This is especially helpful when you have made a change and
want to preview the output.
However – your master query has no limit on the scheduled offerings to be run
for the report. If you just select Run >View Report from the file menu, you will
generate a roster for every scheduled offering in the system.
Solution: Use the Preview pane and change the maximum number of data
records returned.
Design Tip: The Preview pane provides a simplified view of the
data, and may not display all of the formatting.
Preview the Report Using the Preview Pane
Step
1.
Select the option for Preview from the bottom set of tabs.
2.
After the “Processing … “ message appears, select Click to Change.
3.
Edit maximum rows display a few results, then select OK.
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Figure 92. Preview Pane > Change Max Records Returned
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Notes
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Research and Edit Report
Formatting
This topic is geared toward users with basic skills who will be
responsible for modifying the look of the report. This level of
designer would probably not change the contents or add new fields.
OBJECTIVES
For this task, report designers will:
 Format text elements and make other changes such as:
 Edit font and alignment
 Define fixed column width
 Research format options such as highlighting alternate rows
 Include an application resources file for SuccessFactors labels
 Edit the library to use:
 Customer logo in place of Plateau or SuccessFactors logo
 Customer style colors in place of SuccessFactors colors
 Zip the report and the library from Report Designer
 Import the report in SuccessFactors and test
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TIPS ON WORKING WITH ELEMENTS
This section provides practice with a variety of skills related to
managing elements in Report Designer.
Use Outline View to Locate Elements
You often have multiple nested grids, lists, and tables. This may
make it hard to find the icon for the one you want to edit, as shown
in Figure 93. Look at the report layout and identify the sections of
this report.
Spend several minutes making sure that you can navigate to each
element. Refer to page 516 in the BIRT Field Guide or online help
for definitions of the elements.
Figure 93. Layout View of Multiple Nested Elements
Go to the Outline view > Body element to navigate to the element
more easily.
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Figure 94. Outline View > Body Element > Table Listings
Design Tip: Name elements to make it easier to find tables and
data in the report and when building expressions.
To add a name:
1. Use the Outline view and Right-click on the table name.
2. Select Rename to create a meaningful name.
3. Select Refresh to pick up the changes.
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Define Fixed Column Width
On occasion you may find that working with column widths is
challenging. Usually the Report Designer is WYSIWYG (what you
see is what you get). But column widths do not always appear in
your output exactly as you see them in the Report Designer.
It may be easiest to define a specific column width:
1. Select the table and highlight a column, as shown in Figure 95:
Figure 95. Table with the Start Column Selected
2. Go to the Property Editor tab and select General.
3. Specify a desired column width, as shown in Figure 96:
Figure 96. Properties > General >Width Field for a Table Column
Suggestion: Preview using the PDF view for most accurate view
for how this report looks when printed.
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Design Tip: Similar to Microsoft ® Excel or Word, you can merge
cells in a Report Designer table. However, the cells must be empty
first before merging. If there is a value in a cell you want to merge,
temporarily move the element to another cell until you have finished
merging. Steps:
1. Shift/Click multiple empty cells.
2. Right click and select Merge Cells.
You can also split a cell into multiple cells by right clicking and
selecting Split Cell.
MAKE MINOR CHANGES TO DATA FORMAT
Earlier in this course, you learned about making basic format edits.
Research additional options relevant for the Scheduled Offering
Roster. In this topic, you will research several additional functions
and read online help to learn the steps.
If you have a specific question for your company’s report, feel free
to use your own example.
Change Formatting of a Data Field
Highlight a data field and view the Format menus from the
Property Editor – Data tab.
Research options available to format a data field that is a number,
date/time, or a string.
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Add Table of Content for PDF
Navigating a long report in PDF is made easier by inserting a table
of contents, as shown in Figure 97.
Figure 97. Table of Content in PDF Format
Highlight the scheduled offering ID data field in the report and
navigate to the Table of Content menu from the Property Editor –
Data tab. Use the Expression Builder to add this field for a table of
contents.
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Research Highlighting Color on Alternate Rows
The Scheduled Offering Roster report uses the highlighting function
to change the background color for alternating rows. This enhances
the readability of the report. Preview the report with test data where
you have at least six students enrolled to see how this works.
Steps to define highlight settings, as shown in Figure 98:
1. Select the row in the table that contains the data that is
highlighted – this is the detail row of the Enrollment table.
2. Select the Highlights tab in the Properties Editor tab.
3. Select the Add button.
4. In the If the following condition is true section, type:
Total.runningcount() % 2 (divide number of rows by 2).
5. Select Equal To in the next drop down.
6. Enter 0 in the final field (when you divide the number of rows by
2, the remainder is zero = apply this setting to even rows).
7. Select a background color for even rows and select OK.
8. Repeat steps for odd rows if desired, using “Not Equal To 0”.
Figure 98. Steps to Add Counter Variable to the Table Row
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IMPORT AND TEST THE REPORT
Prepare a new custom report to use in SuccessFactors
Zip the report and the library from Report Designer
Import the report in SuccessFactors and test
Checklist for Preparing a Report for SuccessFactors
 Make edits in Report Designer and test in Report Designer
 Edit the query to remove the filters you used for this testing
session
 Confirm that the report uses the SuccessFactors data source from
the library
 Save the report
 Zip the file from Report Designer
 Import the report into SuccessFactors
 Test the report in SuccessFactors
 Revise the report in Report Designer and repeat design steps as
needed
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Lab 30.
Zip the Report and Library in SuccessFactors Report Designer
Step
1.
Select the Outline tab.
2.
Select the report title at the top of the Outline view.
3.
Select the Save Report Zip icon.
Figure 99. Steps to Save a Zipped Report
4.
BE PATIENT and wait for confirmation (Figure 100), then select Finish.
Figure 100. Dialog to Confirm Save File
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Lab 31.
Import the Custom Report into SuccessFactors and Test
Step
1.
Make sure that you have a unique file name.
2.
Go to SuccessFactors > Reports > Import and browse for the zipped file
when prompted.
** FireFox 3.x is not able to read the Report Designer zipped files ***
3.
Under Target Users, select the radio button for Administrators:
Figure 101. Target Users Prompt
4.
Select Rename if this is a second version of an existing report, then
provide the name that the admin will see in the Browse menu.
5.
De-select the checkbox to overwrite the Plateau library file, then click Import.
Figure 102. Report Import Wizard
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6.
Complete the report details when prompted (Figure 103):
a. Enter a description and comments if desired (remembering that you
can search keywords in the description, but not in comments)
b. Select the correct category from the dropdown list
c. Enter the domain
d. Notice that by default, new reports are always saved as unpublished
Figure 103. Report Detail Screen
7.
Click Save when you are finished. (You may need to re-position the table
in order to access the Save button.)
8.
Close this window to return to the Browse Reports menu.
9.
Test your report.
10.
Confirm that search selectors work as designed.
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CONCLUSION
You should now be able to:
 Format text elements and make other changes such as:
 Editing font and alignment
 Remove the time stamp from a field with a date and time
format
 Use padding and alignment to manage layout
 ________________________________
 Edit the library to use:
 Customer logo in place of Plateau or SuccessFactors logo
 Customer style colors in place of SuccessFactors colors
 Zip the report and the library from Report Designer
 Import the report in SuccessFactors and test, troubleshooting as
needed
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SETTING VISIBILITY FOR AN ELEMENT
There are several ways to work with the visibility attribute of an
element. You can define the visibility property for a single field, or
for an entire element (row, table, grid, etc.).
There are two labs in this section – one example always hides a
field and the other example uses conditional visibility.
Lab 32.
Always Hide the Field for Segment Number
Scenario: The report requester does not want the report to display the field for
segment number in the segment info table. Set visibility for the field to always
hide the field.
Step
1.
Select the segment number field.
2.
Navigate to Property Editor – [Element] > Visibility tab.
3.
Check Hide Element.
4.
Select For all outputs, as shown in Figure 104.
Figure 104. Element Visibility – Always Hide this Field
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Lab 33.
Define Conditional Visibility for a Field
Scenario: The report requester asks if you can hide a table if no data is returned.
Solution: Define conditional visibility for a grid or table. Hide the element if the
query returned no results.
Step
1.
Locate the enrollment table.
2.
Navigate to Property Editor – [Element] > Visibility tab.
3.
Figure 105 illustrates the Visibility properties setting that hides the
Student Listing table if no rows are returned. Confirm that this behavior is
what your report requester wants.
Figure 105. Define Conditional Visibility
Design Tip: You can build much more complex visibility
expressions with AND/OR logic, using Java script, BIRT functions,
or operators in the Expression Builder.
Test the report in SuccessFactors using scheduled
offerings
with good test data.
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USING SIMPLE AGGREGATION FIELDS
Report Designer has a variety of built-in functions to aggregate
values. Right click in a table cell and select Insert > Aggregation
to see a list of functions.
Lab 34.
Add an Aggregated Field for Total Enrolled
Scenario: The enrollment section of the Sign in Sheet lists the names of the
users enrolled in the offering. Instructors have asked that the roster indicate the
number of students enrolled.
Solution: Insert a field to count the number of user IDs returned in the
enrollment section.
Step
1.
Place your cursor in the footer row of the enrollment table.
2.
Right click and select Insert > Aggregation, then complete the
Aggregation Builder as shown in Figure 106.
Figure 106. Settings to Count the Number of Rows
3.
Preview the report to test the aggregation.
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ADDING A NEW FIELD TO THE DATA SET QUERY
Scenario: The Sign In Sheet report provided by SuccessFactors
has no field to display a description for the scheduled offering. You
want to add a row display the description.
Output Before Your Edits
Figure 107. Scheduled Offering Details before Adding Description
Output After Your Edits
Figure 108. Scheduled Offering Details after Adding Description
In this example, there is no label next to the description. That is
because the description may be blank and you do not want a label
without any description.
You could also insert the label, but set the Visibility property to
hide the results if the description is blank.
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Lab 35.
Add the DESCRIPTON Field to the Master Query
Step
1.
List the steps to add this new field to the Schedule_Master query:
a.
b.
c.
d.
2.
Add the field to the query.
3.
Preview the results while you are still in the query.
4.
Refresh the table binding after changing the data query:
Whenever you change a data set, be sure to refresh the table binding, as
shown in Figure 109
Figure 109. Refresh the Table Bindings for a New Field
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Lab 36.
Insert a New Row and Use the New Field
Step
1.
Select the table with the scheduled offering details and highlight the
existing row for Item ID.
2.
Right-click and select Insert > Row Below to create a new detail row in
the same table.
3.
With your cursor in the new row, insert the new field:
a. Locate the field in the data set via the Data Explorer view.
b. Select the field, then drag and drop it in the table row.
c. Select OK when prompted with the new column binding.
Notice that one advantage of the drag-and-drop method is that the
Report Designer automatically assigns the appropriate column
binding.
4.
Stretch: Insert a label for this field. Hide the label if this field is null.
Design Tip: You can configure row settings to include extra white
space before the segment details begin. To do this:
1. Define row height.
2. Change row alignment to bottom
Test the report in SuccessFactors using scheduled offerings
with good test data.
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MAPPING VALUES TO A FIELD BASED ON AN EXPRESSION
How should the report handle null values? One method is to define
the behavior in the query, using this syntax: nvl(phon_num,'202
555-1212')
You can use another feature in Report Designer – map the results
of the field and use an alternate value.You can define output in
Field A based on conditions for Field A.
Research the behavior, then identify an example from your report
where you can use the mapping functionality. Lab 36 gives one
idea that you can use.
Lab 37.
Set Up Field Mapping to Display Alternate Value
Scenario: The report requester wants the report to display a value when the
instructor e-mail is missing from the instructor record. If no e-mail address exists,
the requester wants to display the address for the training mailbox –
training@acme.com.
Solution: Define mapping for the field to provide alternate text.
Step
1.
Highlight the field in Layout view.
2.
Navigate to Property Editor – Data > Map tab and select Add to open
the dialog window.
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3.
To display “training@acme.com’ when the e-mail address is null, set up a
new map rule, as illustrated in Figure 110:
Figure 110. Mapping for E-Mail Address Field if Value is Null
4.
Select OK to save this map rule.
5.
Test the report with several records – for which you should have a mix of
instructors with e-mail addresses and those without.
Design Tip: Another example of mapping is a report that displays
item classification. Define mapping where when value = ‘TIMEBASED’, report displays ‘Instructor Led’.
You can also set value for Field A based on results of Field B. If
due date (Field B) is less than today, then Field A should display,
‘Overdue’. Notice that you can use expression builder to create a
rather complex rule. And you could use java script if the logic is
even more complex.
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Lab 38.
Creating a New Data Set to Retrieve a Field
Scenario: The customer has asked that the Instructor’s e-mail address be listed
in the Sign In Sheet.
Solution Plan A: Follow the steps from the previous lab and edit an existing
query, adding a join.
Solution Plan B: Create a new data set. This solution implements a parameter
binding (?) to create relationship between this new data set and its parent
(segment info).
Step
1.
Create a new data set query to retrieve the instructor e-mail from PA_INST.
2.
Create a new column to hold this field.
3.
Inside the new column, insert a “mini” table with a single detail row – use
the new data set for this table.
4.
Create a “link” between the new table and its parent, using the Dataset
Parameter Binding button.
Design Tip: This method is necessary if you have a field that can
return multiple values. For example, to display all entries from the
Phone Numbers tab of the user record.
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STRETCH: SETTING CONDITIONAL FORMAT
Earlier you learned how to set up conditional visibility. If time
permits, research the use of conditional formatting. For example,
you may want to display a due date in bold font if the learning
assignment is overdue. Or show a status in red if a curriculum is
incomplete.
Lab 39.
Create Conditional Formatting for the Attendance Field
Scenario: The person requesting the Scheduled Offering Roster report wants to
highlight reports for which enrollment is low.
Solution: Define conditional highlighting and turn the aggregated total
attendance field red if the scheduled offering is below the minimum registration.
Step
1.
The minimum registration must be in the data set for this to work, so add
this field to the Enrollment Info data set.
2.
Remember to refresh the table binding.
3.
Select the Total Attendance field and to the Highlights tab (under the
Layout view).
4.
Set up the formatting, using online Help for tips – or refer to Figure 111 for
one solution.
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Figure 111. Settings for Conditional Formatting
5.
Test your output with a variety of scheduled offerings to be sure that the
formatting worked as intended.
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WORKING WITH CUSTOM COLUMNS
Many customers add custom fields into the SuccessFactors system
and these are referred to as custom columns. The custom columns
are related to specific entities in the application
List of entities that support custom columns are as follows:
Object
DB Abbreviation
Class
CLASS
Curricula
Qual
Exam
EXAM
Goal
IDP_GOAL
Instructor
INST
Item
CPNT
Objective
OBJECTIVE
Organization
ORG
Question
QUESTION, CBT_QUESTION
Scheduled Offering
SCHED
User
STUD
Job Codes
Job Code
Adding custom columns to a report requires an understanding of
the tables used to store the data. The system uses three different
tables to store the data in one custom column. These three tables
are different based on the entity that custom column is related to.
The three table sets are:
PA_USRCL_[OBJECT]
PA_USRRF_[OBJECT]
PA_[OBJECT]_USER
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The [OBJECT] tag in the above example represents the object that
the custom column is related to. For example, if we were including
user custom columns in the report the three tables we would use
are:
PA_USRCL_STUD
PA_USRRF_STUD
PA_STUD_ USER
To understand what is stored in each of these tables, identify what
custom columns are comprised of in the system. Looking at Figure
112 you can see that a custom column includes 5 key fields.
1. Column Number
2. Label
3. Referenced (yes or no)
4. Referenced ID
5. Referenced Descriptions.
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Figure 112. Custom Column Fields
Now that we know what data is used in the custom column let us
identify which fields go in which tables. In the examples below we
will continue to use the user custom column tables.
The first table is PA_USRCL_STUD. This table is the first one
created when a custom field is added. This table holds the Column
Number, Label, and Referenced.
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PA_USRCL_STUD
COL_NUM
LABEL
REFERENCED
100
Training Coordinator
Y
200
Business Unit
Y
300
Primary Solution Area
Y
The second table is PA_USRRF_STUD. If the custom column
uses referenced data (Referenced = Y in the PA_USRCL_STUD
table) then the reference values are stored in this table. The main
columns in this table are COL_NUM, USER_ID, and USER_DESC.
The USR_ID is the Referenced ID for the referenced value and the
USER_DESC is Description.
PA_USRRF_STUD
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COL_NUM
USR_ID
USER_DESC
300
745
Public Safety
300
746
Transportation
300
747
Utilities
300
748
Mining
300
749
National Security
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The last table is PA_STUD_USER. This table stores the values
entered for each object (in this example the user). The primary
fields in this table are COL_NUM, STUD_ID, and USER_VALUE.
The STUD_ID is object ID and the USER_VALUE is the value
entered in the custom column. When populating the
USER_VALUE the system will use the USR_ID from the
PA_USRRF_STUD table if it is a referenced field or the actual
value entered if the column is not referenced.
PA_STUD_USER
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COL_NUM
STUD_ID
USER_VALUE
300
JUAGOULD
748
300
THADAMICO
746
300
DASALLEN
747
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 2
Lab 40.
Develop a Data Model for a Report with Custom Columns
Scenario: A training manager has requested that you add the Primary Solution
Area from the User Custom Column to a report. Using the three tables in the
previous example, answer the following question to help you create your query.
1.
What three tables are required for the user custom column to exist?
2.
What field would we need to display in the report, the USER_VALUE or
the USER_DESC?
Design Tip: The custom columns on the user record are the most
commonly used custom columns in reports. For this reason,
SuccessFactors has created a database view for user record
custom columns. A view references one or more existing tables in
the database and is generated dynamically.
The custom column user data is stored in multiple tables and
requires a complex query to retrieve the data. The
PV_STUD_USER view can be used to retrieve the same data but
the query to retrieve the information is much shorter.
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Introduction to Report Designer: Day 2
Notes
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