Contents

Title and Copyright Information

Part I Help for Users

Getting Started

• Accessing Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher
  • Logging in with Credentials
  • Logging in as Guest
• Setting My Account Preferences and Viewing My Groups
  • To Access the My Account dialog:
  • Setting General Preferences
    • Report Locale
    • UI Language
    • Time Zone
    • Accessibility Mode
  • Changing Your Password
  • Viewing Your User Groups
• About the Home Page
  • Create
  • Browse/Manage
  • Get Started
  • Recent
  • Favorites
• About the Catalog
  • Browsing the Catalog
  • Using the Location Bar to Find Your Place and Navigate Back
• About the Global Header
• Searching the Catalog
• For Oracle E-Business Suite Users: Switching Responsibilities and Reporting Organization

Viewing a Report

• About Viewing Reports in BI Publisher
• Viewing a Report
• Using the Report Viewer Options
  • Parameters
    • The Parameter Search Dialog
    • Flexfield Parameter Dialog
  • Layouts
  • View Report and Choose Other Output Types
  • Actions
• Creating an Ad Hoc Pivot Table with the Analyzer
  • Limitations of the Online Analyzer
  • Accessing the Online Analyzer
  • About the Online Analyzer Toolbar
• Creating an Interactive Pivot Table
• Saving the Interactive Pivot Table as a Layout
• Using the Analyzer for Excel
  • Features
  • Launching the Analyzer for Excel
• Using the BI Publisher Menu
• About the Open Template Dialog
• Logging in Through Excel

Creating Report Jobs

• Navigating to the Schedule Report Job Page
• Setting General Options
• Setting Output Options
  • Adding Outputs
  • Adding Destinations
    • Email
    • Printer
    • Fax
    • FTP
    • Web Folder
• Defining the Schedule for a Job
  • Defining a Recurrence Pattern
    • Once
    • Hourly/Minute
    • Daily
    • Weekly
    • Monthly
    • Annually
    • Specific Dates
  • Enabling a Schedule Trigger
• Configuring Notifications
  • Adding Notifications
    • Email
    • HTTP
• Submitting and Monitoring a Job
• Create a Job from an Existing Job
• Creating a Bursting Job
• Advanced Topics
  • Incrementing Date Parameters
  • Defining a Destination File Name Dynamically Using a Date Expression
    • Examples

Viewing and Managing Report Jobs

• About the Manage Report Jobs Page
• Viewing Jobs for a Specific Report
• Searching for Report Jobs
• Setting the Time Zone for Viewing Jobs
• Viewing Job Details
• Pausing Jobs
• Resuming Jobs
• Deleting Jobs
• Editing Jobs
• Refreshing the Manage Report Jobs Page

Viewing and Managing Report History

• Viewing Report Job History and Saved Output
• Viewing Job History for a Specific Report
• Searching for Report Job History
• Viewing Details of a Job History
• Downloading Data from a Report Job
• Republishing a Report from History
• Sending an Output to a New Destination
• Monitoring Running Jobs
• Canceling a Running Job
• Getting Error and Warning Information for Reports
• Deleting a Job History
• Refreshing the Report Job History Page

Managing Objects in the BI Publisher Catalog

• Overview of the Catalog
• Objects Stored in the Catalog
• Creating a Folder or Subfolder
• Performing Tasks on Catalog Objects
• Downloading and Uploading Catalog Objects
• Understanding the Impact of Taking Actions on Objects Referenced by Reports
• Exporting and Importing Catalog Translation Files

Part II Help for Creating Reports and Data Models

Introduction to Designing Reports

• Overview for Report Designers
• About the Layout Types
• About Setting Run-Time Properties
• About Translations
• About Style Templates
• About Sub Templates

Creating and Editing Reports

• About Report Components
• Creating Reports: Process Overview
• Creating Reports
  • Selecting a Data Source
  • Choosing Guide Me or Use Report Editor
  • Selecting the Report Layout
  • Choosing Columns for Report Layouts
    • Table Layout
    • Chart Layout
    • Chart and Table Layout
    • Pivot Table Layout
    • Chart and Pivot Table Layout
    • Two Charts and Table Layout
  • Saving the Report
• Creating Reports Using a Direct Connection to a Subject Area
  • Creating Subject Area Reports
  • Adding Parameters
  • Creating Reports Using Multiple Subject Areas
• Editing Reports
• Adding Layouts to the Report Definition
  • Adding a Layout Using the Layout Editor
  • Adding a Layout by Uploading a Template File
  • Adding a Layout by Generating a Template File
• Configuring Layouts Using the List View
  • Applying a Style Template to the Layout
  • About the Layouts Toolbar
  • Configuring the Layout Settings Using the List View
  • Selecting Output Formats
  • Editing a Layout
• Configuring Parameter Settings for the Report
• Configuring Report Properties
  • Setting the General Properties
    • Description
    • Run Report Online
    • Excel Analyzer Options
    • Advanced Options
  • Setting the Caching Properties
  • Setting the Formatting Properties
  • Configuring Font Mapping
  • Configuring Currency Formats
• Accessing Reports via a URL
  • Security Considerations
  • Building the URL
  • Specifying Parameters in the URL

Creating BI Publisher Layout Templates

• Overview of BI Publisher Layouts
  • When to Use a BI Publisher Layout
  • Prerequisites, Recommendations, and Limitations
• Launching the Layout Editor
  • When Creating a New Report
  • When Editing a Report
  • When Viewing a Report
  • Selecting a Predefined Layout
    • Adding Shared Templates for All Users
    • Adding Personal Predefined Layouts
• About the Layout Editor Interface
  • About the Data Source Pane
  • About the Components Pane
  • About the Properties Pane
  • About the Static Toolbar
  • About the Tabbed Toolbar
    • Selecting and Deleting Layout Objects
    • About the Insert Tab
• Page Layout Tab
  • Paper Options
  • Header/Footer Options
    • Setting Properties for Headers and Footers
  • View Options
  • Display Unit
  • Interactivity: Event Configuration
    • Example of Filter Event Configuration
    • Configuring Automatic Filtering
    • Example: Show Selection Only
  • Setting Page Margins
  • Setting Maximum Connections for an Interactive Report
• Inserting Layout Components
• About Layout Grids
  • Adding a Border or Background Color
  • About the Insert Options
  • About the Join and Unjoin Options
  • Adding an Expand and Collapse Option
• About Repeating Sections
  • Setting Page Break Options for a Repeating Section
  • How Repeating Sections Display in Interactive Mode
  • Showing All Values in a Repeating Section
• About Data Tables
  • Inserting a Data Table
  • Setting Alternating Row Colors
  • About the Table Tab
    • Setting the Rows to Display Option
    • About Filters
    • Setting Filters for a Table
    • Managing Filters
    • About Conditional Formats
    • Applying Conditional Formats to a Table
    • Managing Formats
    • Controlling the Display of the Total Row
  • About the Table Column Header Tab
    • About Grouping
    • Example: Group Left
    • Applying Subtotals
    • Example: Group Above
  • About the Column Tab
    • About the Data Formatting Options for Columns
    • Applying Formatting to Numeric Data Columns
    • Applying Formatting to Date Type Data Columns
    • About the Formula Option
    • About the Sort Option
    • Removing a Sort Order
  • About the Total Cell Tab
    • Applying Data Formatting to a Total Cell
    • Applying a Formula
  • Inserting Dynamic Hyperlinks
• About Charts
  • Inserting a Chart
    • About the Chart Tab
    • Applying and Managing Filters
    • Converting a Chart to a Pivot Table
  • Changing the Formula Applied to a Chart Measure Field
  • Sorting a Chart Field
• About Gauge Charts
  • Inserting a Gauge Chart
  • Setting the Properties for a Gauge Chart
  • Applying and Managing Filters
• About Pivot Tables
  • Inserting a Pivot Table
  • Customizing a Pivot Table Menu
  • About the Pivot Table Tab
    • Applying Filters
    • Customizing the Display of Totals
    • Converting a Pivot Table to a Chart
    • Switching Rows and Columns
  • Customizing the Pivot Table Headers
  • Customizing the Pivot Table Data
• About Text Items
  • Displaying a Data Field Side by Side with a Text Item
  • About the Text Toolbar
    • Editing Font Properties
    • Inserting Page Numbers
    • Inserting the Date and Time
    • Inserting a Hyperlink
• About Images
• About Lists
  • Inserting a List
  • Customizing a List
    • Customizing the Font Style and the Selected Font Style Commands
    • Customizing Behavior of Selected Items
• Setting Predefined or Custom Formulas
  • About the Predefined Formulas
  • Applying a Custom Formula
    • About the Basic Math Functions
    • About the Statistical Math Functions
  • Applying a Custom Formula: Examples
• Saving a Layout

Setting Report Processing and Output Document Properties

• Overview
• PDF Output Properties
• PDF Security Properties
• PDF Digital Signature Properties
• PDF/A Output Properties
• PDF/X Output Properties
• RTF Output Properties
• HTML Output Properties
• FO Processing Properties
• RTF Template Properties
• PDF Template Properties
• Flash Template Properties
• CSV Output Properties
• Excel 2007 Output Properties
• All Outputs
• Defining Font Mappings
  • Making Fonts Available to BI Publisher
  • Setting Font Mapping at the Site Level or Report Level
  • Creating a Font Mapping
  • BI Publisher's Predefined Fonts
    • Included Barcode Fonts

Using the Data Model Editor

• Data Model Overview
• Creating Data Sets
• Structuring Data
• Adding Parameters and Lists of Values
• Adding Event Triggers
• Adding Flexfields
• Adding Bursting Definitions

Using the Data Model Editor

• What Is a Data Model?
• Components of a Data Model
• Features of the Data Model Editor
• About the Data Source Options
• Process Overview for Creating a Data Model
• Launching the Data Model Editor
  • About the Data Model Editor Interface
• Setting Data Model Properties
  • XML Output Options
  • Attachments to the Data Model
    • Attaching Sample Data
    • Attaching Schema
    • Data Files
  • Managing Private Data Sources

Creating Data Sets

• Overview of Creating Data Sets
• Editing an Existing Data Set
• Creating a Data Set Using a SQL Query
  • Entering SQL Queries
  • Using the SQL Query Builder
    • Understanding the Query Builder Process
    • Using the Object Selection Pane
    • Selecting a Schema
    • Searching and Filtering Objects
    • Selecting Objects
    • Supported Column Types
    • Adding Objects to the Design Pane
    • Resizing the Design and Results Pane
    • Removing or Hiding Objects in the Design Pane
    • Specifying Query Conditions
    • Creating Relationships Between Objects
    • Saving a Query
    • Adding a Bind Variable to a Query
    • Editing a Saved Query
  • Defining SQL Queries Against the Oracle BI Server
• Creating a Data Set Using a MDX Query Against an OLAP Data Source
  • Creating a Data Set Using a MDX Query
• Using MDX Query Builder
  • Understanding the MDX Query Builder Process
  • Using the Select Cube Dialog
  • Selecting Dimensions and Measures
    • Adding Dimension Members to the Slicer/POV Axis
  • Performing MDX Query Actions
  • Applying MDX Query Filters
  • Selecting MDX Query Options and Saving MDX Queries
• Creating a Data Set Using an LDAP Query
• Creating a Data Set Using a Microsoft Excel File
  • About Supported Excel Files
  • Guidelines for Accessing Multiple Tables per Sheet
  • Using a Microsoft Excel File Stored in a File Directory Data Source
  • Uploading a Microsoft Excel File Stored Locally
    • Refreshing and Deleting an Uploaded Excel File
• Creating a Data Set Using an Oracle BI Analysis
  • Additional Notes on Oracle BI Analysis Data Sets
• Creating a Data Set Using a View Object
  • Additional Notes on View Object Data Sets
• Creating a Data Set Using a Web Service
  • Adding a Simple Web Service: Example
  • Adding a Complex Web Service
  • Additional Information on Web Service Data Sets
• Creating a Data Set Using a XML File
  • About Supported XML Files
  • Using a XML File Stored in a File Directory Data Source
  • Uploading a XML File Stored Locally
    • Refreshing and Deleting an Uploaded XML File
• Creating a Data Set Using a CSV File
  • About Supported CSV Files
  • Using a CSV File Stored in a File Directory Data Source
  • Uploading a CSV File Stored Locally
    • Editing the Data Type
    • Refreshing and Deleting an Uploaded CSV File
• Using Data Stored as a Character Large Object (CLOB) in a Data Model
  • How the Data Is Returned
    • Additional Notes on Data Sets Using CLOB Column Data
  • Handling XHTML Data Stored in a CLOB Column
    • Retrieving XHTML Data Wrapped in CDATA
    • Wrapping the XHTML Data in CDATA in the Query
• Creating a Data Set from an HTTP XML Feed
  • Additional Information on Data Sets Created from HTTP XML Feed
• Creating a Data Set from an Oracle Endeca Query
  • Additional Notes on Oracle Endeca Query Data Sets
• Testing Data Models and Generating Sample Data
• Including User Information Stored in System Variables in Your Report Data
  • Adding the User System Variables as Elements
  • Sample Use Case: Limit the Returned Data Set by User ID
    • Creating Bind Variables from LDAP User Attribute Values

Structuring Data

• Working with Data Models
  • About Multipart Unrelated Data Sets
  • About Multipart Related Data Sets
  • Guidelines for Working with Data Sets
• Features of the Data Model Editor
• About the Interface
• Creating Links Between Data Sets
  • About Element-Level Links
  • About Group-Level Links
• Creating Element-Level Links
  • Deleting Element-Level Links
• Creating Group-Level Links
  • Deleting Group-Level Links
• Creating Subgroups
• Moving an Element Between a Parent Group and a Child Group
• Creating Group-Level Aggregate Elements
• Creating Group Filters
• Performing Element-Level Functions
• Setting Element Properties
• Sorting Data
• Performing Group-Level Functions
  • The Group Action Menu
  • Editing the Data Set
  • Removing Elements from the Group
  • Editing the Group Properties
• Performing Global-Level Functions
  • Adding a Global-Level Aggregate Function
  • Adding a Group-Level or Global-Level Element by Expression
  • Adding a Global-Level Element by PL/SQL
• Using the Structure View to Edit Your Data Structure
  • Renaming Elements
  • Adding Value for Null Elements
• Function Reference

Adding Parameters and Lists of Values

• About Parameters
• Adding a New Parameter
  • Defining a Text Parameter
  • Defining a Menu Parameter
    • Customizing the Display of Menu Parameters
  • Defining a Date Parameter
• About Lists of Values
• Adding Lists of Values
  • Creating a List from a SQL Query
  • Creating a List from a Fixed Data Set
• Flexfield Parameter Support
  • Prerequisites for Using Flexfields
  • Adding a Flexfield Parameter and List of Values
    • Adding the Flexfield List of Values
    • Adding the Menu Parameter for the Flexfield List of Values
  • Adding the Flexfield Component to the Data Model

Adding Event Triggers

• About Triggers
• Adding Before Data and After Data Triggers
  • Order of Execution
• Creating Schedule Triggers

Adding Flexfields

• About Flexfields
• Adding Flexfields
  • Entering Flexfield Details

Adding Bursting Definitions

• About Bursting
• What is the Bursting Definition?
• Adding a Bursting Definition to Your Data Model
• Defining the Query for the Delivery XML
• Passing a Parameter to the Bursting Query
• Defining the Split By and Deliver By Elements for a CLOB/XML Data Set
• Configuring a Report to Use a Bursting Definition
• Sample Bursting Query
• Creating a Table to Use as a Delivery Data Source

Uploading Style Templates

• Understanding Style Templates
• Uploading a Style Template File to the Catalog
• Assigning a Style Template to a Report Layout
• Updating a Style Template
• Adding Translations to a Style Template Definition

Understanding Subtemplates

• What Is a Subtemplate?
  • About RTF Subtemplates
  • About XSL Subtemplates
• Creating the Sub Template Object in the Catalog

Part III Help for Administrators

Introduction to Oracle BI Publisher Administration

• Introduction
• Configurations Performed by the BI Platform Installer
• Flow of Tasks for First Time Setup of BI Publisher
• Starting and Stopping BI Publisher
  • Using Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console
• About the Administration Page
• About Integration with Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition
• About the Security Model Options
• About the Data Source Connections
• About Report Delivery Destinations
• About Setting Runtime Configuration Properties
• About the Server Configuration Settings

Setting Up Data Sources

• Overview of Setting Up Data Sources
  • About Other Types of Data Sources
  • About Data Sources and Security
  • About Proxy Authentication
  • Choosing JDBC or JNDI Connection Type
  • About Backup Databases
  • About Pre Process Functions and Post Process Functions
• Setting Up a JDBC Connection to the Data Source
• Setting Up a Database Connection Using a JNDI Connection Pool
• Setting Up a Connection to an LDAP Server Data Source
• Setting Up a Connection to an OLAP Data Source
• Setting Up a Connection to a File Data Source
• Viewing or Updating a Data Source

Implementing a Digital Signature

• Introduction
• Prerequisites and Limitations
• Obtaining Digital Certificates
• Creating PFX Files
• Implementing a Digital Signature
  • Registering Your Digital Signature ID and Assigning Authorized Roles
  • Specifying the Signature Display Field or Location
  • Specifying a Template Field in a PDF Template for the Digital Signature
  • Specifying the Location for the Digital Signature in the Report Properties
• Running and Signing Reports with a Digital Signature

Security Configuration Page and Overview

• Enabling a Local Superuser
• Enabling a Guest User
• Authentication and Authorization Options
• Authentication: Support for Single Sign-on
• Security Model
• Granting Data Access to Roles and Permissions

Setting Up Delivery Destinations

• Configuring Delivery Options
• Adding a Printer or Fax Server
• Adding an E-Mail Server
• Adding a WebDAV Server
• Adding an HTTP Server
• Adding an FTP Server
• Adding a Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) Server

Configuring Server Properties

• Setting the Path to the Configuration Folder
• Configuring the Catalog
  • Configuring the Oracle BI Publisher File System Catalog
  • Configuring BI Publisher to Use the Oracle BI EE Catalog
    • Configuring the BI Search Fields
• Setting General Properties
  • The System Temporary Directory
    • About Temporary Files
    • Setting the System Temporary Directory
    • Sizing the System Temporary Directory
  • Setting the Report Scalable Threshold
  • Setting the Database Fetch Size
• Setting Server Caching Specifications
• Setting Retry Properties for Database Failover
• Enabling Monitor and Audit
• Setting Report Viewer Properties

Configuring the Scheduler

• Understanding the BI Publisher Scheduler
  • Architecture
  • About Clustering
  • How Failover Works
• Set Up Considerations
  • Choosing JNDI or JDBC Connection
  • Supported JMS Providers
• About the Scheduler Configuration
  • Configuring the Shared Directory
• Configuring Processors and Processor Threads
• Adding Managed Servers
  • Adding a Managed Server
  • Configure the Processors in BI Publisher
• Scheduler Diagnostics
  • Resolving Quartz Configuration Errors

Integration Reference for Oracle BI Enterprise Edition

• About Integration
  • Prerequisites
• Configuring BI Publisher to Use the Oracle BI Presentation Catalog
• Configuring Integration with Oracle BI Presentation Services
• Setting Up a JDBC Connection to the Oracle BI Server

Index