Writing Your Own Queries

When writing your own query, you define the set of choices and conditions that you want to use to retrieve data stored in the Warehouse. You determine such attributes as data elements to be returned (e.g., last name, city, age), conditions for selecting records (e.g., equal to or less than), and sort criteria (the order and priority in which results are to be sorted).

Detailed information can be found on the FAQs and How To's pages. Of particular help would be the following:

• How to Create a New Document / Report (PDF)
• Create Complex Query Filters by nesting or indenting them together, and using AND and OR (HTML)
• How do I create a query based on another query? (HTML)

Here are some generic instructions:

1. Log in to SAP BusinessObjects to access your document list.
2. Start a new report. Click on the new document icon.
3. Select the universe you'd like to use (i.e., PennERA Proposals). This will open the Query Panel, where you can start to build your query.
4. Select your [Result Objects]. Determine which data elements you want the report to display from the classes (folders) in the left [Data] panel and drag them to the [Result Objects] panel. (Double-clicking moves them too.)
5. Specify your [Query Filters]. Determine your record selection criteria (e.g., time period, ORG code, etc.).
6. Select the [Objects] that you want to use in query conditions and drag them either from the [Data] panel or from the [Result Objects] panel into the [Query Filters] panel. Use the operators (Equal to, Different from pattern, Matches pattern, In list, etc.) to further refine the filters.
7. Run the report. Once you've finished determining and arranging your [Result Objects] and [Query Filters], you can click [Run Query] (at the upper right corner of the Query Panel) to execute the report.
8. Adjust your query. You may want to add or remove [Result Objects] or change [Query Filters] once you see your results. To do this, return to the [Edit Query] window from the [Edit Report] window.
9. Format the report. Webi provides numerous ways to format your results. Possibilities include:
   
   • Filter values in columns
     
   • Rearrange columns
     
   • Format cells
     
   • Insert breaks
     
   • Create sections
     
   • Add calculations and variables
     
   • … and many more!
10. Save your work. Be sure to save the report if you'd like to use it again. As a best practice, purge the report of data (using the Purge button ) before saving it, to minimize the risk of unnecessarily storing confidential data.

Information Restrictions

More information about restrictions on University data is available in Warehouse Security.