Critical factors in the efficiency of the filter function are which filter attributes are available – and also: how many. Especially in reports intended for many recipients, it is good to have simple settings options: There should be just a few attributes – the most important ones, not as many as possible! This particularly applies if the reports are to be used on mobile devices such as iPhones or iPads, which have to make do with relatively small screens and reduced operation.

Which and how many filter criteria are displayed depends on how the reports were set up. With DeltaMaster, you can determine precisely which attributes should and should not be available. That is good news for everyone who feels that there are too many filter criteria on offer: Report editors can control whether to make work as easy as possible for the report recipients or to grant them maximum freedom. The key to setting up the reports is the filter context. This should always be given special attention.

Dimensions in the filter bar

To explain the adaptation options, we will first explore which attributes are offered in the filter bar in Presentation Mode. Generally, all dimensions from the analysis model are eligible. DeltaMaster goes to great lengths to keep the display as clear as possible. To decide whether a dimension is displayed (and whether this is only in the detailed view or compact view), DeltaMaster applies the following criteria:

a) Linking of measures and dimensions in the analysis model

b) The perspective of the report

c) The filter context of the report

d) The filter setting (view) of the report, i.e. the stored selection of members

e) The setting for visibility of dimension members and levels

We explain these criteria below.

a) Linking of measures and dimensions

In Presentation Mode, DeltaMaster automatically hides dimensions that are not linked with any measure of the current report; they would have had no effect on the report anyway. In Modification Mode, these dimensions are grayed out in the filter bar.

b) Perspective

Since DeltaMaster 6.1.3, it has been possible to group dimensions, hierarchies, levels, members, and measures into “semantic perspectives” when Modeling, thus laying a kind of mask or screen over the analysis model. Then, instead of having to cope with the full complexity of the model, report editors can hide what they don’t currently need. The hidden attributes are no longer accessible to report recipients either, and are not displayed in the filter bar.

c) Filter context

The filter context works in a very similar way, although it is only effective in relation to report reci­pients. It is used to control which dimensions, hierarchies, levels, and members report recipients should have access to. The settings apply to the compact view and detailed view alike. The filter context is logically sub-ordinate to the perspective: What is already hidden in the perspective cannot be shown again by the filter context.

d) Filter setting (view) of the report

With dimensions that are not hidden because of the mechanisms described above, we distinguish between whether they only appear in the detailed view in the filter bar or also in the compact view (and can therefore be seen by everyone). This primarily depends on which members are selected in the dimensions.

As you will recall, the stylized square at the front in the filter bar is used to switch between the compact view and the detailed view.

In the compact view, DeltaMaster shows all dimensions in which something specific is selected – i.e. something other than the standard member. The standard member is usually the “All member“ of a dimension, for example “All customers”, “All products”, “All cost centers”, etc. So, if specific custo­mers, products, cost centers, etc. are selected (and not “all”), DeltaMaster also displays the dimension in the compact view, otherwise only in the detailed view.

The dimensions in the compact view often also include (but not in the screenshot) the “flat” dimen­sions whose members are all on the same level, such as value type, view of period, cumulation, and scaling. These dimensions have no aggregated members and no non-specific standard member. Instead, something specific is always selected; for example, the members “Actual”, “Current”, “Not cum.”, and “1:1”. Therefore, these members can also be regularly seen in the compact view unless they are hidden, as described in section e) – and as we generally recommend.

e) Setting for visibility of dimension members and levels

When Modeling, you can explicitly stipulate that DeltaMaster, in contrast to the rules in section d), should display or hide specific members. Typical cases for these options are:

• Some specific members are so obvious that they don’t have to be displayed everywhere. With a budgeted income statement, for instance, you would have to point out that it is budgeted; by contrast, if the income statement contains the actuals, you don’t have to state this. Therefore, it is entirely possible to hide members such as “Actual”, “Current“, etc.

• Sometimes, you might also want to display a non-specific “All member“ immediately to indicate that this property is avai­lable and can be changed. The default setting of not display­ing a dimension if nothing specific is selected is dispensed with, as an invitation to the report recipients to deal with this attribute and select other, specific members.

These options affect all reports in the application. If selected members and dimensions are only to be removed from the filter bar in individual reports, you can work with perspectives; see below.

Filter context of reports

Probably the best-known tool for preparing the filter bar for report recipients is the filter context. Many users are familiar with the concept from DeltaMaster 5 under the name “View context”. This is still in place in DeltaMaster 6. It has simply been renamed “filter context“ and linked with the per­spectives.

The filter context is one of the Report Properties. In Modifi­cation Mode when you edit, these can be accessed via the context menu of reports.

All dimension groups, dimensions, hierar­chies, and levels available for this report are displayed in the structure tree. Available means: All dimensions, hierarchies, and levels of the analysis model except those that are already hidden via a perspective.

You can use the checkboxes to stipulate which dimensions, hierarchies, and levels are to be visible and selectable in Presentation Mode (box checked) and which are not (box unchecked).

Take note of hierarchies

The customer dimension in the example shows that two hierarchies are enabled: customer and branch. Experience suggests that it is often because of parallel hierarchies like these that report recipients are confronted with more selection options than they would like. Therefore, our tip is this: When setting the context, take note of the hierarchies as well as the dimensions.

Selecting levels

In the period dimension in the example, only one specific level was allowed: month level. In Presentation Mode therefore, the only category of time that can be selected via the menu is months. Years and quarters are grayed out, and can be “drilled down on and rolled up”, but not selected.

This setting is appropriate for reports with a typical monthly representation in which you want to ensure that the reader doesn’t switch to quarter or year level. Often, the time reference has a major impact on the structure and design of reports, so it is advisable to channel the variation options for the report recipients to reflect the intention of the report. In the standard reports generated by Delta­Master, the filter context is automatically set up in the relevant manner.

With many other attributes, too, it is worth adapting the granularity in the filter bar to the report type or report object. For example, Portfolio Analyses are part of strategic planning, so no daily values are processed in them. And if a Geo Analysis is based on a map that has a resolution of no more than three-digit zip codes, operating errors are prevented by a corresponding reduction in the customer dimension for this report. Adaptations of this kind simplify the interface for report recipients – and remind them that there are clear notions about what you can and can’t do with data.

If levels are excluded, DeltaMaster points this out in the dialog (“Selection restricted“ next to the hierarchy concerned).

Selecting members

In OLAP databases, the selection options intended to be available in Presentation Mode can also be defined as an individual group of members. The selection below the levels is used for this: Via the context menu, you can restrict the selection via member list (using the Dimension Browser) or via MDX Expression (using the MDX editor).

In principle, you know this logic from the Axis Definition of Graphical Tables: There, you can use Level selection, Member selection (“pick list“), or an MDX expression to determine which members are to feature in the rows and columns of the Graphical Table. The same three constructs can be used to stipulate which members are to be offered in the dimension menu of the filter bar in Presentation Mode.

If a selection of members has been defined, DeltaMaster points this out in the dialog (“Selection restricted“ next to the relevant hierarchy), and the context menus of the hierarchy and of the selection contain a further entry for canceling the restriction. If some hierarchy levels are disabled in addition to the selection of members, the intersection, i.e. only the members that are part of an enabled level, can be selected in Presentation Mode.

Allowing or preventing multi selection

A further, often convenient restriction can be stipulated via the context menu of dimensions: that only precisely one member may be selected in Presentation Mode, not multiple ones. This is ob­vious in the case of dimensions whose members are not suitable for addition due to their business logic; for example scenarios, value types, or currencies. In the time dimension, too, it is sometimes advisable to suppress multi selection, particularly if the report contains time analysis members that cannot be calculated for multiple periods or are hard to interpret. The standard reports of DeltaMaster with their cumulations and prior-year comparisons are an example of this – and they are also preconfigured accordingly by DeltaMaster in this regard. If Multi selection is not allowed, DeltaMaster shows this in the dialog next to the dimension.

Preselecting filters dynamically

The procedures described above can be used to control which attributes are to be visible to report recipients and interactively selectable. But what should be selected in the starting configu­ration without users reaching for the mouse and setting a filter themselves, or before they do so? You can define a default selection for this (context menu of hierarchies). What is special about the default selection is that it is dynamic. In the filter context, you store an MDX or SQL expression that DeltaMaster evaluates when the session is opened in order to determine which members are to be (pre)selected at runtime. Various criteria can be taken into account here, such as the current date as per the system time or the current user. This makes the default selection a key tool for reducing the number of reports: Instead of preparing lots of reports that differ only in terms of the filter, you can determine the filter dynamically and apply it to a single report. We will address this in detail in the next issue of clicks!. If a default selection has been defined, DeltaMaster points this out in the dialog (“Default selection defined“ next to the hierarchy concerned).

Perspective and filter context

As mentioned above, semantic perspectives have a very similar effect as the filter context – but in Modification Mode as well as Presentation Mode. In Presentation Mode, the perspective of a report is an additional restriction: Only the selection options that are allowed both in the perspective and in the filter context (tab in the Report Properties) are available to report recipients. In Modification Mode, the perspective affects not only the filter bar, but also, for instance, the definition of the filter context in the Report Properties: Only the dimensions, hierarchies, and levels that have not already been hidden by the assigned perspective can be seen there.

One aspect also makes perspectives particularly efficient when designing the application for report recipients: They can be reused. For instance, if the same dimensions, hierar­chies, levels, or members are to be visible and selectable in multiple reports, you can create the corresponding settings once as a perspective (Modeling) and assign them to all relevant reports (Edit, Report Properties, Perspective tab). In this way, the reports are permanently linked with the perspective, and they also adopt subsequent changes automatically.

The dialog for defining a perspective (when Modeling) has a very similar structure to the one for the filter context: Perspectives allow you to enable and disable dimensions, hierarchies, and levels via checkboxes, and to select members. In addition, with OLAP databases, it is possible to Fix the selection (context menu of the members). A fixed selection cannot be changed in the filter bar in Modification Mode or Presentation Mode.

Dimensions that are disabled in the perspective are not displayed even if something specific is selected, for example a fixed member. In this way, filters can be made “invisible“ in selected reports.

Working with perspectives is described in DeltaMaster deltas! 6.1.3, feature 9; we will address this again in more detail in a future issue of clicks!.

Filter context of folders

As with reports, a filter context can also be set for folders (via Folder Properties in the context menu of folders). Please note that this initially applies only if the folder itself is selected in Presentation Mode (and not one of the contained reports). If a filter for a folder is amended in Presentation Mode, this change is passed on to all contained reports – a quick way of setting the filters for multiple reports in one go, e.g. to the current month. The attributes to be available for selection for a collective change of this kind are controlled via the filter context of the folder. If all dimensions are disabled, no folder-wide change is possible. This may also be desirable, for instance, in order to prevent inadvertent large-scale changing of the filter if the contained reports are very different.

In addition, the filter con­text of a folder can be used in order to set the filter context of the contained reports and (sub?)folders. The two additional options below the structure tree are used for this. A distinction is made here between disabling and restrictions on the one hand and enabling on the other. For instance, in the sub-ordinated folders and reports, you can enable (or disable or restrict) everything that is enabled (or disabled or restricted) in the current folder. The corresponding setting is transferred to the sub-ordinated objects when the dialog is closed, once rather than as a permanent inheritance or depen­dency – as would be the case with perspectives, which might well be the more elegant solution in many cases.

The outcome

With the described procedures, you ensure an uncluttered interface in Presentation Mode and decide which filters can be set. Browsing also relates to this – the dimensions and levels that the Hyper Browser takes into account arise directly from the filter context.

By contrast, the filter context has no direct effect on Navigating. It is possible to offer attributes for Navigating that cannot be selected in the filter bar. The Navigation context is used for designing the navigation attributes; it is described in detail in DeltaMaster clicks! 10/2016 (for reports) and 11/2016 (for measures).

A simple form of a permissions concept can be implemented indirectly through a combination of saved filters and the filter context: by saving a report with filters that users cannot change, or can change only to a limited extent, in Presentation Mode. The differences in relation to database-supported permissions are described in DeltaMaster clicks! 07/2017, including where these are superior.

Making additional selections is easier than deselecting

To finish with, here is some advice from experience: Particularly in larger applications with many dimensions and hierarchies, as a report editor, you can sometimes be unsure which ones should remain in the filter context and which ones should be hidden. In this situation, it is often easier if you first disable all dimensions (a link is specially provided for this on the Filter context tab) and then reenable the most important attri­butes – at least the time (period) and then the most important hierarchy in each case from the few dimensions that constitute the use case, for example customers, products, or cost centers.

Conversely, if you work on the basis of a full selection and painstakingly check dimension by dimension and hierarchy by hierarchy to see whether it might still be needed one day after all for a special evaluation, a relatively large number of attributes are still left over at the end. The 80:20 principle applies here as well: For most users and most tasks, only a few attributes are required. It is therefore worth designing the central, distributed, frequently used reports in such a way that they work with just a few attributes. And for the few users or situations for which many attributes are required, it may be a good idea to generate an additional report as an “expert view”.

However, if the applications become bigger, if more people work with them, or if different tasks are to be performed, then it may be worth arranging the applications on a user-specific basis in terms of content. This is possible with DeltaMaster: by means of an internal rights concept.

You can see how this works by e. g. having a look at the report list of DeltaMaster. The same application is shown each time in the screenshot below, but from the viewpoint of three different user groups: a regional sales representative on the left, the Head of Sales in the middle, and Controlling on the right.

The report list sometimes includes fewer reports, and sometimes more. Another difference is the button with the pencil (at the bottom), which is used to switch from Presentation Mode to Modi-fication Mode. In the example, this button is available to just one user group, Controlling (on the right). The returned values are identical in all three examples.

DeltaMaster and the databases

As a matter of principle, permissions in the overall system of a DeltaMaster solution need to be defined at two levels: in the database and in the DeltaMaster application. The responsibilities are clearly assigned:

• For the database, it is stipulated which data the users are allowed to access. Setting these rights is usually a task for the IT department. The relevant tools are part of database management and are of a technical nature.

• For the DeltaMaster application, it is possible to stipulate which users are allowed to access it – and, if applicable, which parts, namely which reports and folders. Granting these rights is a task for the department that operates DeltaMaster, usually the business department. The relevant tools are part of DeltaMaster and are accordingly easy to use.

The database is decisive when it comes to maximum confidentiality, data protection, and data security. Common database systems provide sophisticated and tried-and-tested protection mecha-nisms for this purpose. These apply to DeltaMaster as well as to all other programs with which the database can be queried. DeltaMaster executes database queries with the rights of the current user or of the user stated at the time of logging in (with the WebClient, if this has been configured; i.e. impersonation). DeltaMaster cannot tell whether there are other users or which data they would see.

The rights concept of DeltaMaster is independent of that of the database. Its task is to control how the users can work in DeltaMaster with the data that they receive from the database in accordance with their database rights. The DeltaMaster concept in this case is geared towards the application. The focal points are efficiency, ergonomics, organization, delegation, guidance, and leadership – it is therefore more about who is and isn’t supposed to see what, and less about who is allowed to see what.

Corresponding to the division of tasks between database and DeltaMaster, rights for different types of object can be assigned with

• the database objects for which permissions can be managed depend on the respective database system. With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), for example, permissions can be set for entire cubes, individual key figures (measures), filter properties (dimensions, hierarchies, dimension members), and even for specific cells (combinations of dimension members and measures).

• In DeltaMaster, rights can be maintained for reports, folders, the report list, and applications. In this issue of clicks!, we are concentrating on reports and folders.

I see what you don’t see

In particular, the DeltaMaster rights are used so that the same application has a different appearance and behaves in different ways depending on who is working with it. Here are a few example scenarios in which rights are beneficial:

• Taking account of different tasks in the business department
  The field-sales team uses reports as report recipients without creating them or changing their structure; by contrast, in-house staff must be able to do this. Some reports are only to be processed by Controlling.

• Mapping different operational functions in the same application
  Reports for different tasks are stored in the same DeltaMaster application, e.g. for Purchasing and Sales. Some reports, for instance regarding development of the margin or analysis of price effects, are relevant to both areas, and some are only needed by Purchasing or Sales. It is easier and there is no unnecessary distraction for the other department in question if these reports are hidden on a user-specific basis.

• Assigning administration and operational use
  In planning applications, most reports serve as an input screen for the planners. In addition, project managers, application-support staff, and administrators have access to reports with which they can manage and monitor the process. Only these people are allowed to have access to these reports.

• Synchronizing visibility in DeltaMaster and access in the database
  Different rights apply in the database so that each sales representative can only access the data of their own customer base. By contrast, the Head of Sales can view all areas as well as the aggregated values. There is a report for each region in the report list. If someone opens the report of a region without having rights to this region in the database, the report remains empty, although it is still displayed in the report list. That is why it may be a good idea to reproduce the different rights from the database in the reports. (This situation often occurs if a report list contains a large number of static reports with an identical structure in which various members of the same dimension are applied across the board, for example all regions or branches. In these cases, it is often easier to use just one report but to structure it in such a way that it is dynamically dependent on the current user, instead of managing a large number of rights for a large number of reports.)

• Developing, testing, and approving reports
  A report editor is working on new reports for an existing application, but does not want to make them available to other users until all the finer points have been resolved. Until then, the reports remain in a “working folder”, which is visible to report editors only. To make the report available to pilot users and ultimately the general public, it is sufficient to define correspond-ding rights or simply move the report to a folder to which suitable rights already apply.

Simple protection against unwanted queries can also be achieved through the resources in Delta-Master alone: Presentation Mode is the only mode available to users who are classified as report recipients. In turn, this mode can be restricted by the filter context in such a way that only highly specific data can be retrieved. However, this obviously only applies to DeltaMaster, not to other query tools. There¬fore, when it comes to insurmountable access control that also protects against malicious and technically adept users, the database is the first line of defense.

Streamlined management apparatus

Two tools are available for managing DeltaMaster rights: DeltaMaster Role Management and DeltaMaster itself. The respective tasks are clearly delimited and facilitate the division of work between the IT department and the business department, as well as within the specialist department.

Rights for applications

DeltaMaster Role Management (DeltaMaster 5: Repository GUI) relates to applications and user groups. This tool is used to assign users to groups, activate the applications that are meant to be available to a user group, and stipulate the role in which the group can work with this application, i.e. the scope of functions that DeltaMaster offers them.

Report Recipients can use the application in Presentation Mode only, while Report Editors can also use it in Modification Mode; Application Administrators manage access rights. The screenshot shows that the “Gross Margin” application is activated for the “Sales” user group and that this group can access the application as Report Recipients. Other (or no) roles can be set for the “Administrator” and “Controlling” user groups.

If DeltaMaster is to apply rights within an application as well, activate the corresponding check box in the Files section. This makes it possible also to set rights for the reports and folders in this application. If the option is not activated, a simplified rights concept comes into effect for this application: User groups can be associated with the entire application in predefined roles (Report Recipient, Report Editor, Application Administrator, etc.).

If rights are to be changed and saved in an application, open the application via the options dialog box (context menu of a tile on the dashboard) and additionally with exclusive write access. In DeltaMaster 6, this access is also granted subsequently if you switch to Modification Mode in the already open application and no-one else already has exclusive write access. If you are a member of multiple groups, go to the Options dialog box and select the group you intend to work as a member of.

Rights in applications

Directly in DeltaMaster, in the Windows client, set the rights that apply “within” the application, mainly for reports and folders. To do this, it is necessary to grant rights, as described above, and to have sufficient rights, for example because you are opening the application as the Application Administrator or have been given appropriate permission as a Report Editor.

When you edit in Modification Mode, you reach the rights via the context menu of the respective object: Report rights in the context menu of reports, Folder rights in the context menu of folders, and rights for the entire report list in the context menu of the Reports heading. In addition, the rights can be defined for the application in the application menu (top left, ).

The rights for the selected report or folder are displayed in a dialog box (see the following screenshot), separated according to user group, and can be edited there if you have the corresponding permission.

Entries in brackets arise from inheritance (passing on), and those without brackets are set directly for the relevant object. Entries written in gray cannot be changed. This is always the case when there is no permission to grant rights, and when there are user groups with the role of Application Administrator (no rights can be taken away from them).

The following Rights can be set:

• All: Groups together all other rights.

• Display: Relates to the display in the report list. If this right is denied, DeltaMaster does not display the report or folder to these users. The report does not exist for the search function either, and links to this report are not available.

• Editing: Relates to the behavior of DeltaMaster in Modification Mode. If this right is denied but display is permitted, DeltaMaster behaves in Modification Mode in the same way as in Presentation Mode. For example, the structure and properties of Graphical Tables cannot be changed, and saving of the report is not possible.

• Right Management: Relates to the setting of these particular rights. This allows delegation of the administrative tasks.

If you pass on the Assignment Mode, the settings are also applied to the contained reports and to (sub)folders. Passing on is not possible for reports.

Essential condition: Repository

To manage rights in DeltaMaster applications, it is necessary to have a central authority that checks which user is working with the system and, on this basis, decides which information and functions are to be offered to the user. This authority is the DeltaMaster Repository, a component for database-supported provision and management of DeltaMaster applications, rather than in the form of the familiar DAS files. No permission management is possible with these; only the Repository can do this. A general overview of the properties and tasks of the Repository can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 01/2015.

Know what you’re doing before you do it

Many issues of clicks! end with an invitation simply to try it out yourself. Rights are an exception – there are reasons why only a few people in the company are entrusted with rights management. Although you cannot lock yourself out (DeltaMaster would warn against this), many and diverse interactions have to be borne in mind, and the more detailed the concept, the more interactions there are. As is so often the case, the simple solutions are the best. Just think of the database. In DeltaMaster, rights at application level are often enough – who is a Report Recipient in which application, who is a Report Editor, who doesn’t need to see them at all? If more detail is required, use a top-down approach. And this last tip is always useful: If there’s anything we can do for you, get in touch with us!

1. Automatic compact display
2. Formatting and scaling of measures
3. Formatting using calculated members

The first method is the most recent in DeltaMaster and the easiest to apply: Just activate the respective option, and the numbers appear in the report or throughout the application in a concise, decision-oriented notation.

You can find a comparison of the display with the numbers written out in full and the new compact display on the next page.

Numbers written out in full
Compact with K, M, B
Compact with apostrophes

The great thing about this automatic feature is that units can be entirely mixed: In the very same table, row, or column, some figures can be formatted in millions, others in thousands or billions, and the very small ones can be written out in full. This may seem surprising at first glance – but you will soon discover how easy on the eye these figures are, and how clear and distinct they look to us when the clutter of the less significant decimal places is removed.

In addition, if reports are scaled insensitively and indiscriminately with just one factor, strange num­bers often arise. We don’t talk of 0.1 million if we mean 100 thousand, or of 0.01 million or even 0 million if we mean 10 thousand. In this respect, formatting by DeltaMaster is in line with natural parlance: In the report, the numbers are set out as they would be pronounced in a meeting or on the phone.

The look of figures of different magnitudes can also be interpreted, for example amounts in the low millions and high thousands: The thousands have more digits, more digits means more detail, more detail means smaller values, and small values means less important. The large, important figures are short and simple. This makes the compact notation a wonderful, pragmatic tool for decision-oriented reports.

And the compact notation also makes life easier for report editors, as the formatting automatically adjusts to fit the respective values set out in the report. So if the user drills down from group to business unit, for example, the change of scale is automatically taken into account.

Compact for everyone, more compact for professionals

DeltaMaster provides two display variants, as shown above:

• The variant in thousands (K), millions (M), and billions (B) is the preferred choice for reports that are aimed at a wider audience. The abbreviations are widely used, including outside of controlling, and need no further explanation.

• The variant with apostrophes (one apostrophe for the thousand factor, two for millions, three for billions) is particularly compact. It is quite widespread among professionals: In meetings, it is common for a couple of figures on a flip chart to be appended with a little stroke, an apostrophe, to denote thousands, and with a second one to denote millions. What simplifies writing on a flip chart also makes the report easier to read and can be learned quickly, even though it is not yet standard everywhere.

No further settings or parameters are required. Percentages are excluded from the display regardless of how large they are. The display has no impact on the calculations: DeltaMaster always calculates with the exact values, including decimal places. The figures are exported to Microsoft Excel as num­bers written out in full to their original degree of precision, regardless of how they were displayed in DeltaMaster. Earlier versions of DeltaMaster do not support this formatting, but are not affected by the setting – the numbers are written out in full, as before. In planning applications, enter the numbers in full, not in compact notation.

To activate the display, switch to Modification mode.

Compact display as default in the application

As default for all reports in the current application, activate the display in the options (via the gear wheel  in the menu bar), on the Presentation tab. In appli­cations that you are creating with DeltaMaster 6.1.6 or higher, this is already the default setting.

Compact display in Graphical Tables

In addition, when you edit, you can set the display of numbers for Graphical Tables individually. You can find the options in the Edit menu (on the right) in the Presentation section. In this way for example, you can set the decision-oriented compact notation as the default and produce some “lookup tables” with accounting precision for other purposes. If none of the three options are selected, the general setting in the application options is applied.

An abbreviated display of numbers can also be attained with the following two methods. They are both based on the analysis model, one on measures and the other on (calculated) dimension members.

Formatting and scaling of measures

You can find all relevant settings in a central position: in the Measure Properties on the Format tab (see also DeltaMaster clicks! 02/2014).

Output of values in thousands or millions can be attained in two ways: via a Custom .NET formatting string or via Scaling.

• Formatting strings come from IT. They describe how a numerical value is to be output as text. For example, they can be used to control which characters are to be used as thousands separators and decimal separators, how many decimal places are to be taken into account, and how negative numbers are to be displayed. This implicitly also means that it is possible to convert numbers to thousands or millions.

The formatting string can either be stated as a constant expression (in the Custom field) or determined dynamically by means of an MDX expression, for example in accordance with hierarchy levels. The link next to the input field for custom formatting opens a Microsoft website that explains the structure of formatting strings (see also DeltaMaster clicks! 02/2008, with an example of filter-dependent formatting with MDX).

• Scaling is known in the business world as well, and relates to the numerical values themselves: They are converted (divided) and thus transformed. Here too, DeltaMaster calculates internally with the original values. Besides powers of ten, other factors can also be stated here as factors, for example in order to convert units of measurement. In addition, the factor can be calculated by means of an MDX expression. This must return a numerical value, for instance from a reference to the selected member in a specific dimension (for example currency, unit, value view) or in accordance with hierarchy levels.

Formatting and scaling work in parallel: Scaling transforms values, and formatting controls their notation. Scaling is easy to use, but additionally requires formatting (in case of doubt: Number with 0 decimal places). Formatting strings are not exactly intuitive, but if you understand how they work, you can often avoid the need for additional scaling.

The concise notation in K, M, and B set out above can also be achieved with formatting strings:

The comma between the hash and the zero means that group separators (thousands separators) will be output if required; in English, this is usually a comma. The commas after the zero result in the scaling – for each comma, the value is divided by 1,000.

The settings on the Format tab, including MDX expressions, can be saved as a format template for number formats and reused with other measures (I want to menu top right on the tab).

You can access the measure properties in DeltaMaster 6 when Modeling. If the key figure is displayed in the Filter bar, click on it once to edit the properties. Otherwise, click on the three dots after the measures to open the Measure Browser; then edit the properties via the context menu.

Formatting with calculated members

This case too is described in detail in DeltaMaster clicks! 02/2014. Formatting and scaling can be linked to (calculated) members as well as to measures. If applicable, an auxiliary dimension is often provided in the analysis model for this, for example unit or value view. In this way, a specific formatting can be applied to multiple measures, eliminating the need to format them separately. In addition, one measure can be combined with various members for formatting instead of deriving multiple measures with differing formatting from one basic measure.

One special feature is that the formatting members can also be set explicitly in Presentation mode – this is not possible with formatted measures, and neither possible nor necessary with the automatic compact notation.

Calculated members can be edited in DeltaMaster 6 when Modeling. In the Filter bar, click on the name of a dimension to open the Dimension Browser. It is possible to add and edit calculated members via the context menu and the I want to menu. The formatting options correspond to those of the measures, but an MDX expression is not possible here. Scaling is achieved via a calculation using an MDX expression in the Definition field.

The two structure-driven approaches (via measures and calculated members) are tried and tested and an efficient tool for special tasks, usually in larger applications. The automatic compact display is universal and easier, as well as being more effective by virtue of the clever, value-dependent scaling.

Compact in tiles and Sparklines

In the case of two special displays, DeltaMaster uses compact notations as a matter of course:

In zoomed Sparklines, where space is particularly tight, the columns or dots are labeled in a particularly readable manner thanks to the apostrophe short-form.

And on application and report tiles as well, Delta­Master automatically formats large, absolute numbers in a compact manner. Here, K represents thousands, M millions, and Bn billions.

Before: A long, un-wrapped table – or rather an almost empty screen and a list whose length can only be gaged with the scroll bar. Well-versed readers will have a hunch that even though the table starts with good news, such as the pleasing changes at the customers SuperOffice, Bavaria Furniture, etc., at least one piece of bad news will be lurking at the end of the list – the short bar next to SuperOffice suggests this. If you scroll to the end of the table, you will lose sight of the beginning. There would actually still be space here, …

After (see below): The same list in the screen section of identical size, wrapped and readable in full, including the already feared sharp negative variance.

Further suggestions on how to compare positive and negative variances in the same report can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 02/2015. – The above illustration is an example of a vertical wrap: A long table with one fixed column and one data column is wrapped across three display columns. DeltaMaster repeats the labeling of the columns automatically. The status bar points out the wrap so that you can see that the layout is a result of the formatting rather than of the structure (i.e. in the exam­ple, the revenue is always the same, and there are not three different measures with the same name, for instance).

The following illustration shows an example of a horizontal wrap: A table that was previously too wide, …

… fits entirely on the screen and is easy to read. Again, the screen section is the same as in the continuous display.

Give the wrap a try

You can activate the Table Wrap in Modification mode if you edit the properties of the Graphical Table (Edit menu, on the right) on the corres­ponding tab.

You have already encountered the two alternatives in the above examples.

• The horizontal wrap is suitable for wide tables: After a number of columns automatically determined by DeltaMaster or predefined by the user, the table is wrapped to the right, and the further columns are shown in a new display row. In figurative terms, what no longer fits at the back of the screen is continued underneath from the front (in a line pattern like a Z).
• The vertical wrap is suitable for long tables: After a number of rows automa­tically determined by DeltaMaster or predefined by the user, the table is wrapped at the bottom so that further rows are shown in a new display column. In figurative terms, what no longer fits at the bottom of the screen is continued at the side from the top (in a line pattern like a W).

Automatically wrapped is best

Where a choice can be made between automatic and custom in DeltaMaster, we generally recommend automatic. This also applies to the table wrap: In automatic wrapping, DeltaMaster derives the number of columns and rows dynamically from the available screen space in order to make optimum use of it.

In special data situations, you may wish to specify the number of columns or rows, for instance if the report needs to follow a specific symmetry. In the illu­stration on the right, the report already wrapped above is struc­tured with the sales areas in such a way that the sales areas of a region appear in pairs: South 1 next to South 2, North 1 next to North 2.

An essential condition for special cases such as this is normally that the structure of the data to be displayed is constant and the length and width of the report are independent of the Filters (View). In the case of nested axes, the columns and rows on the very inside are counted.

The options for equal column width or equal row height ensure a consistent grid in the wrapped table and therefore, in some cases, a more harmonious appearance of the report. This particularly applies if the labels in the column/row headings have differing lengths or have one row in some cases and multiple rows in others, as shown in the following example – without standardized row height on the left, and with on the right.

The starting point was a table with ten entries and a fixed column width (Properties of the Graphical Table, General tab); the wrap was forced after predefined five rows.

Editing a wrapped table

The table wrap is highly dynamic. An essential condition for that is a dynamic environment in which DeltaMaster has absolute authority over the output. This results in certain limits regarding use, namely by other programs (Microsoft Office, web browsers) and by other DeltaMaster functions that compete with the table wrap for control of the precious screen space. For instance, in the event of export, the table wrap is only retained if you export the table as an image; the WebClient does not support the table wrap currently. Automatic row and column structuring (separation) cannot be used concurrently with the table wrap. The analysis functions Zoom and Navigate, searching on the row axis, and displaying as Small Multiples are also not possible in wrapped tables. (Incidentally, the display of Graphical Tables as Small Multiples also adapts very well to the available screen space; despite different concepts, a certain similarity with the table wrap may be seen here.)

Apart from this, the table can still be adapted and structured in Modification mode. For example, you can:

• change the structure of the table by adding, removing, or changing the sequence of dimensions and measures;
• calculate and display variances (Magic Button Deltas);
• display graphics and Sparklines (Magic Button Graphic or History or the Edit menu);
• calculate and display shares (Magic Button Share);
• drill down and roll up branches; and
• display and hide member properties (context menu).

In particular in operational reports, e.g. evaluations of customers, products, or materials – you can make the reports much easier to read with the table wrap. Give it a try now!

Greetings, fellow data analysts!

In the last issue, we discussed how DeltaMaster can make it easier for you to input data in planning applications. Most of the functions described are available in all applications without having to be set up specifically for this purpose. However, some functions do need to be set up, while you will get more benefit from others if you prepare them carefully. These tasks are the responsibility of report editors and application administrators. This issue of DeltaMaster clicks! provides an overview of where you can make adjustments in DeltaMaster. In other words, it serves as a kind of checklist for making sure that your users can work efficiently. After all, the better an application is set up, the more comfortable it is for everyone to use.

Best regards,
Your Bissantz & Company team

Graphical Tables as input screens

In DeltaMaster, planning and reporting are closely interconnected and use the same interface and formats. A data input report – or if you prefer, a data input mask – is basically structured in the same way as designing a report for reporting and analysis, namely as a Graphical Table (pivot table). There are also some finer points when it comes to data input. You can find out about them below, where we will also tell you where to find further information. All settings must be made in Edit Mode.
There are six aspects to consider:

1) Application
All the settings that apply to the entire application, and especially how the application interacts with the database, are grouped under Options.

2) Measure
Measure Properties let you define a specific treatment for measures in the application. For example, income and expense measures can be handled differently, or absolute values can be treated differently to rates and proportions. In particular, the rules on Input forwarding and Value fixation can be edited here.

3) Report
Under Report Properties, you can use the Filter context to determine which filters (dimensions) should be provided and whether (copying) Processes should be available to users.

4) Table
You can use the Axis Definition to determine the elements and measures for which planners should be required to input data. The Table properties contain options on the behavior of the data input report. You can switch between aggregated and detailed planning via Navigation and Links.

5) Cells
In some cases, you may want to always fix cells so that this fixing cannot be removed when data is entered.

6) Extended functions
For special tasks, the Action menu can be used to integrate extended functions into the interface, such as external programs or stored procedures.

In the following sections, we will discuss these six areas in greater detail and present the main adjustments available to you.

1) Applications

Two Options tabs are relevant for planning purposes: Data Input and Cell Comments.

a) Data input

The Data Input tab lets you activate planning functions – this checkbox is what turns the application into a planning application in the first place. The external conditions need to be met: The data source must offer write-back support, the user must be authorized, and a planning license for DeltaMaster must be available.

The second option is used to improve the responsiveness of the system during data input as required. Users generally expect reports to update and show the latest figures after every piece of data is entered – as long as the recalculation process does not slow things down. If the database response time means this cannot be guaranteed, you can turn off automatic recalculation; in this case, the user simply hits the F9 key to update the report when a longer input sequence is complete.

If Transaction control in presentation mode is enabled, DeltaMaster treats all data input as a transaction in the database theory sense of the word. The transaction begins as soon as the user begins inputting data (Input button). It ends as soon as the user accepts  or rejects  the data input – this is the equivalent of committing to or rolling back the transaction. If the input is rejected, all of the data entered since the start of the transaction is reverted and the database is returned to how it was before the transaction. Transaction control offers additional options for influencing data input and storage. For example, conditions that must be met before DeltaMaster accepts the transaction can be formulated in the Table Properties (see section 4a), and a calculation or simulation function can be implemented as a project-specific extension (see section 6). If transaction control is not enabled, the Input, Accept, and Reject buttons are not displayed and the report is ready for data input as soon as it is opened. In this case, any data entered can only be reverted to the extent described in the following section.

The fourth option has a similar effect to the second, but for writing rather than reading. DeltaMaster collects the data inputted until the report is recalculated, and only writes it to the database at this point. This lets users enter a sequence of values without being slowed down by any delay in writing to the database. The most recent input sequence can be reverted using the key combination Shift+F9.

b) Cell comments

In the same way as planned values, DeltaMaster can administer comments on individual values, known as cell comments. These comments are often more important than the figures themselves when it comes to the business interpretation of planning data, since they can explain all of the considerations leading to or resulting from the value. Under Options, you can define whether the application should use cell comments, how cell comments should be aggregated across several dimension levels, and whether DeltaMaster should generate proposed values for new comments. Extensive information on cell comments and how to set them up can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 10/2015.

c) Report comments

The second comment option in DeltaMaster involves database-assisted report comments. These refer not to individual cells (values), but to the report as a whole – and to the filter settings (view) that apply when saving the respective comment. This means that the same report can have different comments for different views. When inputting data, you can go to report comments by clicking on the icon of a speech bubble and a pen () in the status bar of the report.

The function is enabled and the database and table from/to which the comment should be read/written are defined in the Options. DeltaMaster can generate or update the table automatically if desired. You can use the Report Properties (see section 3c) to control which reports have report comments available.

2) Measure

A Data Input tab can also be found in the Measure Properties (when Modeling). The most important settings relate to Input forwarding and Fixation.
Input forwarding is used to describe dependencies between measures. One frequently cited example is the rebate rate, a measure defined in DeltaMaster that cannot be saved directly in the database, but that must be apportioned to the “revenues” and “rebate” operands. This apportionment is controlled using rules in the Measure Properties. Extensive information can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 07/2014.

If you Allow fixation for the current measure, the user can “freeze” values using the F6 key. This means they remain unchanged even when the parent, sister, or child values change, and the change is instead distributed around them. The Table Properties also let you define the dimension in which the fixation should apply (see section 4a). An example of how fixation works can be found in Delta-Master clicks! 02/2017.
Optional displaying as a checkbox is intended for status fields and similar. Instead of having to enter 0 or 1 as a numerical value to set or remove a status, this provides users with a familiar control element.

3) Report

DeltaMaster saves a defined view along with every report – a number of filters that apply to the report, e.g. a certain month, a customer region, and a product group. These parameters also apply for planning and determine what the values entered refer to. When you Edit a report, you can define options for Data input in the Report Properties and use the Filter context to control which properties should be available for filtering.

a) Data input

Even in planning applications, there may be reports in which no input is desired, e.g. status reports, value overviews, or lookup tables. This tab lets you disable the input function for the respective report.

If (copying) processes are defined in the application, this tab also lets you define which of these processes should be available in the current report. The processes are only available in Presentation Mode, not in Edit Mode. To define the processes, you need to use the correct “Maintenance Pack” for the respective DeltaMaster 6 release.
Users can use the processes to flexibly copy existing values before selectively changing and adding to them. For example, the actual revenues for the previous year can be copied over as the planned revenues for the new year, or the existing planned seasonal revenue distribution for an item can be applied to similar items. Calculations are also possible, e.g. a 10 percent increase. Extensive information on the processes can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 09/2014.

b) Filter context

Filter context is not a planning-specific function, but performs the same role in planning as in pure repor¬ting applications – and has the same high degree of importance. The filter context determines which filter-setting options are available to users, e.g. which month, customers, and products should be displayed or planned. Visually speaking, the filter context determines which filter properties (dimensions) are provided in the filter bar above the report. The fewer the properties, the clearer and easier to use the application will be in Presentation Mode. In other words, you should always pay particular attention to the filter context in both planning and reporting.

c) Comment

If database-assisted report comments are enabled in the application (see section 1c), this function can be activated for each report via the Comment tab.

4) Table

It goes without saying that the structure and properties of the Graphical Table have an effect on the input options. Axis Definition is of fundamental importance. It determines the planning objects (dimension elements) and planned figures (measures) for which values are recorded by DeltaMaster. The following options are also worth a look when it comes to the design of the planning application.

a) Properties: Data input

In the first big input field, you can use an MDX expression to determine the cells in which Data input is permitted. Cells for which the expression returns the value “true” can accept data input and are automatically colored light gray. The expression is pre-set as “false” in new reports, meaning that data input is initially disabled and must be explicitly enabled. If the MDX condition cannot be evaluated, e.g. due to syntax errors, data input is disabled for the entire report.

To allow the fixation that is fundamentally permitted for a measure (see section 2) in the current report, select the dimension in which it should apply.

The second big input field is only available if transaction control is enabled (see section 1a). You can implement input validation or plausibility checks by setting a Commit condition in the form of an MDX expression for this field. As soon as the user completes the transaction, DeltaMaster evaluates the condition and only transfers the data input to the database if “true” is returned.

DeltaMaster makes data entry easier for the user by automatically moving the selection to the next input-ready cell when the Enter key is pressed. This is convenient as reports are typically edited from top to bottom and left to right.

b) Properties: Cell comments

If cell comments are enabled in the application, you can determine whether and how these should be showed in the current report: with a flag (red corner) that brings up a tool tip when the user points the mouse at this corner or as text directly in the cell.

c) Navigation

Like the filter context, the Navigation settings apply to both reporting and planning. Yes, you can navigate within a data input report, too – and enter values in the cells displayed! So it is also worth examining and setting up the navigation context as described in DeltaMaster clicks! 10/2016 and 11/2016.

d) Links

Links are another way of moving from an overview to a detailed view. In planning, they are typically used to link from an annual figure to the seasonal distribution while retaining the context, e.g. a specific customer group. Links compete with navigation to a certain extent. DeltaMaster clicks! 03/2015 discusses links in detail – and explains why navigation is often the better option.

e) Comment

Report comments are ideal for user documentation. You can use them to connect information on the business relevance of the figures that are the subject of the query, the planning process, or the report structure directly with the report, thereby making users’ work easier. Comments recorded using the icon of a speech bubble and a user silhouette () are stored in the application for all views. This means they are available to all users and cannot be edited in Presentation Mode (unlike database-assisted report comments; see section 3c).

5) Cells

In some data input reports, you may want to prevent users from making accidental or deliberate changes when entering data. To achieve this, you can always fix certain cells in the report (context menu or key combination Ctrl+F6). This function is typically used for linked reports, e.g. if you want to plan annual figures in one report and the monthly distribution in a second linked report – but you need to ensure that the total figure for the year remains constant and the user can only change the weightings of the individual months. Permanently fixed cells are indicated by a black lock symbol.

6) Extended functions

If required, functions from external programs may be provided using the Action Menu. Users can make use of these functions, e.g. stored procedures or tools, without leaving DeltaMaster.

Examples of these actions include:

• Data can be imported from Excel row by row using special import routines. Checking rules in the external program code are used to get the editor to validate the transferred values or to check them for plausibility – i.e. so that this is done decentrally, rather than centrally after the Excel list has been submitted.

• To enable integrated planning, planned figures from Procurement and Sales that are initially drawn up separately can be transferred to the income statement.

Project-specific extensions also include the option to call up a specific stored procedure from the data input report. This is mainly used for intermediate calculations and simulations. DeltaMaster displays an additional button (“f”) for this purpose.

These special functions must be programmed individually and therefore typically form part of larger planning projects.

For the sake of completeness, you should bear in mind that this issue only relates to Graphical Tables and that data can also be inputted using SQL Drill Through.

Greetings, fellow data analysts!

When we demonstrate how DeltaMaster can be used to analyze variances during seminars and webinars on reporting, we sometimes find ourselves being asked the question: Where do you actually get the planned figures from that you use to calculate the variances? The answer is simple: From DeltaMaster! Some people may use it solely as a reporting and analysis tool, but for others, it is the most important instrument for collecting and storing planned figures. In this DeltaMaster clicks! issue, we reveal what users need to know about inputting data. The next issue will be aimed at report editors and application administrators, giving them an overview of how and where to adapt the DeltaMaster application to make data entry as easy as possible.

Best regards,
Your Bissantz & Company team

Data input reports

Planning in DeltaMaster uses Graphical Tables (pivot tables), i.e. the same format you know so well from reporting and analyses. In DeltaMaster, a data input screen is simply a report in which you can enter values using your Windows client, web browser or iPhone/iPad app. The option of making planning applications available on the web is especially popular: Planning cycles often involve employees who do not yet work interactively with DeltaMaster and instead receive their reports by e-mail or as PDF files in a user directory, for example. The web means they can be involved without having to install software – a link to the planning application is all they need to start inputting data.

If transaction control is enabled in the application, you can start to Input data by clicking on the corres¬ponding button at the top-left of the report; otherwise you can start to input data immediately. During data input, the Input button is replaced by symbols for accepting and saving the values   or canceling and discarding the data inputted . Filters, which can be set above the report, work in the same way as in reporting applications.

The small gray arrows and menu symbols in the cells and headers may also be familiar to you from reporting. They indicate links to other reports, typically to detailed views, e.g. from annual figures to the monthly distribution.

Select and input

Values are inputted intuitive¬ly: Select the desired cell and enter the new value or change calculation using the keyboard. Values can be inputted in cells with a gray background; the other cells are not editable.

• Click on a cell to select it. A dotted border shows that the cell has been selected. You can also move between cells using the keyboard, either with the arrow keys or using Tab and Shift+Tab.

• Type the new value or change calculation into the selected gray cell. If you are used to doing so, you can switch the selected cell into input mode beforehand using the Enter key or the F2 key, but you don’t have to do it this way. Enter the new value then hit the Enter key.

Once you have completed your input by hitting the Enter key, DeltaMaster automatically moves the selection to the next cell down or to the right (depending on the configuration). The double-click, by the way, has the same function as in reporting applications: It is used to perform a predefined navigation step or – in DeltaMaster 6.1.5 or later – an automatic navigation step if no or no more navigation steps are predefined. This is worth noting because you can actually input values in cells displayed as a result of navigation. In many cases, this can be especially useful as automatic sorting picks out the most important items in each navigation step, e.g. the products or customers with the highest revenues – and once these have been processed, you may well have already planned a good amount of the total value.
To select a cell in the app, touch it until the on-screen keyboard appears.

In-cell calculations

The value entered can be an absolute value that replaces the previous value or it can be a calculation – a little formula that calculates the new value based on the existing value and the change entered. This eliminates the need for pocket calculators or other tools.

Absolute values are inputted as simple figures with or without an algebraic sign before the value. Values inputted with a percentage sign are interpreted as decimals. For example, entering “8%” results in a value of 0.08.

DeltaMaster recognizes calculations when one of the operators “+” (plus), “-“ (minus) or “*” (multiply) is placed after the figure. The following calculations are available:

• Addition, subtraction: The operators “+” and “-“ are used to add the value entered to the existing value or to subtract the value entered from the existing value. These operators must be placed after the value entered, as otherwise they will be treated as algebraic signs. Absolute figures (“10+”) and percentages (“10%+”) are acceptable arguments. In the case of percentages, DeltaMaster calculates the proportion of the existing value and adds or subtracts it accordingly.

• Multiplication: The operator “*” is used to multiply the existing value by the value entered. It may be placed in front of or after the value entered. Percentages may also be used in this case.

The following table illustrates how the input formats work:

DeltaMaster also supports rules on how the values entered are calculated and saved in the database. This is known as input forwarding. Relationships between the measures can also be taken into account. More information can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 07/2014.

Automatic aggregation and distribution of changes in values (splashing)

When you input values in hierarchies, DeltaMaster ensures that the totals are always correct. The parent and child elements in the hierarchy are adjusted automatically when values are entered: The aggregated elements are updated (bottom-up) and the change in value is automatically distributed proportionately (top-down) so that the total corresponds to the new value and the proportions remain the same. This is also known as splashing. The process is fully automated, so you do not need to do anything yourself.

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Fix values

If your planning encompasses multiple dimension levels, you may wish to selectively disable the automatic value adjustments performed by DeltaMaster when aggregating/splashing. Certain values can be “frozen” so that they remain unchanged even when the parent or child values change. To ensure that the totals are still correct, DeltaMaster will automatically distribute the change in value around the frozen values. Cell fixation is the tool in question. You can turn it on or off via the context menu for a cell or by hitting the F6 key (provided the respective measure and the report are configured accordingly). The illustration shows how the fixation works.

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In the example, an increase is planned for the North region but the total for Germany is fixed. This means the values for the other regions must be reduced. However, one of the regions, South, is also fixed. DeltaMaster therefore distributes the change across the East and West regions, as the following breakdown illustrates.

In the report, the lock symbol is used to designate fixed cells. A gray lock indicates fixing that can be set and removed by the user when inputting data (in Presentation Mode), e.g. in order to distribute planned values to various customers without changing the total. A black lock indicates fixing that can only be set and removed in Edit Mode; the effect is the same.

Cell comments

The reason why a planned figure comes about or the considerations behind it are often as impor¬tant as the figure itself. With this in mind, com¬ments can be stored for all planned values. To enter, edit, and delete cell comments, use the corresponding function in the context menu (or the key combination Ctrl+F2 in DeltaMaster 6.1.6 or later). A small red triangle in the cell corner indicates that a cell contains a comment. Depending on how the application is configured, comments are also displayed at higher levels so that the user does not miss them even when the respective branch is closed in the report. More detailed information can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 10/2015. Cell comments cannot be made using the app.

Report comments

In addition to the individual values, planners can also comment on the report as a whole. If this function is enabled, an icon of a speech bubble and a pen can be found in the status bar of the report on the right-hand side (). Clicking opens an input area in which you can create and edit a comment on the report.

The two small icons in the input area are used to accept or discard the input. Report comments are stored centrally in a database with a reference to the current filter settings (view). This means that different comments can be created for the same report for different months, scenarios, plan versions, customer groups, etc.

The icon of a speech bubble and a user silhouette shown above () is for comments that can only be edited in Edit Mode, i.e. by report editors and application administrators. These comments can be shown and hidden when inputting data in Presentation Mode. In planning applications, they are often used to assist users, e.g. by providing information on the business relevance of the figures that are the subject of the query, the planning process, or the report structure.

Copy and paste

The copy and paste functions can be used to edit an entire cell area in your Windows client or web browser. The cell area is selected using the mouse or the keyboard.

• Mouse: Click on a cell at the corner of the desired cell area, e.g. the top left-hand corner. Hold down the Shift key and click on the cell in the diagonally opposite corner of the desired cell area, e.g. the bottom right-hand corner.

• Keyboard: Select a cell in the corner of the area. Hold down the Shift key and use the arrow keys to extend the area from this cell upwards, downwards or to either side.

You can use the usual key combination of Ctrl+C to copy the selected values to the clipboard. Use Ctrl+V to paste the values from the clipboard into the report. This lets you transfer values from different cell areas of the same report, from other DeltaMaster reports, or from Microsoft Excel, for instance. If you try to cut data using Ctrl+X, a confirmation prompt will appear in order to prevent you from accidentally deleting data.

Selecting a cell area is only relevant for copying and cutting, not pasting. If the clipboard contains multiple values, DeltaMaster automatically pastes these into the input-ready cells below and next to the selected cell irrespective of whether these cells are also selected. If the target cells already contain values, these will be overwritten without prompting.

Copy and paste values retaining their distribution

In the copying process described in the previous section, values are entered in the cells of the table in the same way as if they had been inputted directly. By means of splashing, the copied value is distributed across the cells below the target cell in accordance with the existing distribution of the target. DeltaMaster also offers a second copying variant, in which the copied value is transferred along with all of the values below the respective cell in line with the multi-dimensional data structure. This preserves the existing value distribution of the source. You can copy values while preserving their distribution by dragging and dropping in your Windows client or web browser.

In the example, an entire value structure is dragged from one budget version to a second, empty version. This lets you quickly pre-fill the second version with values. If you were to simply enter or copy and paste the total as a value, DeltaMaster would have to distribute this value equally to all of the child cells, which typically results in unrealistic value distribution (and requires a lot of computing time).

Copy and paste data areas

The two copying processes described above (copy cell values using Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V, copy value distributions by dragging and dropping) are intended for visible cells or cell areas in the report. DeltaMaster also lets you copy, move, or fill larger data areas or even entire sections of the OLAP cube. These (copying) processes work like macros that are predefined and which include all of the settings for the copying process, so you can easily access them when inputting. The processes are often used to pre-fill planned values, e.g. by transferring the actual figures for the previous year as the planned figures for the current year or by copying seasonal distributions.

If processes are defined for the current report, these are available in the Execute Process section of the Report menu (on the right-hand side). If this section is not shown, this means no processes are defined for the current report. Launching a process initially opens a dialog informing you about what the process will do and letting you set parameters depending on the configuration of the process definition. Information on working with processes can be found in DeltaMaster clicks! 09/2014.

Run special functions

A project-specific additional DeltaMaster module lets you integrate an action menu with application-specific functions into the interface. This is displayed next to the application menu in the top left-hand corner of the DeltaMaster window. Like the menu, it is only visible when the mouse pointer is moved to the menu bar area.

If a calculation or simulation function is implemented in the planning project, DeltaMaster displays an additional button with an “f”, the symbol for mathematical functions.

Inputting data records with SQL Drill Through

All of the processes described here relate to inputting data in Graphical Tables. You can also input data in SQL Drill Through and save it in a relational database. The underlying concept, the application scenarios, and the preparations in terms of the database are different to those for the typical multidimensional planning applications assumed in the above discussion. In particular, relational input applications let you create new data records, e.g. new inquiries or orders (transaction data) or new customers, materials, or scenarios (master data). Users typically input not only numerical values in the tables, but also other data types, especially text. We mention it here for the sake of completeness – relational inputs will be the subject of

Greetings, fellow data analysts!

Fulfilling some of the analytic requirements from business departments is often easier said than done. Let’s assume that your new marketing director wants to know what the current demand profile is and how it has changed over time. But what is a demand profile? How would you describe it or show its development? A little business sense is helpful to begin with. A demand profile could be the revenue breakdown by article groups. You could then also formulate the task as follows: Which article groups generate which share of revenues and how have those shares changed over time? That is where DeltaMaster 6 comes into play. With just a single mouse click, you can calculate shares as well as visualize them and their development. We’ll explain how below. You’ll see that some analyses are even easier done than said!

Best regards,
Your Bissantz & Company team

Automatically calculating shares in lists

Many reports on business operations are created as simple lists that contain just a single data column displaying, for example, volumes or revenues for customers, articles, or materials.

In DeltaMaster 6, you can easily display the shares of the total as an additional column – with a single click on the Share/% Magic Button.

This function recognizes and supports multilevel lists. In other words, you do not need to worry about which level the calculation is based on. If you wish to rename the column, you can enter an alias in the Axis Definition.

The filters (view) are decisive for the summation. Whether subordinate members are visible or hidden in the Axis Definition (e.g. due to a Ranking or filter rules) does not make a difference. If these types of limitations apply, DeltaMaster indicates this in the status bar of the report.

The additional column has no effect on the analysis model and, in this sense, works like Row, Column, and Table Aggregations. That makes it very easy to use; however, you cannot use these shares to make other calculations somewhere else. If the Share Magic Button is not available, this is due to the underlying data: DeltaMaster does not offer this function if this presentation is not possible with the current table structure.

A further mouse click, this time on the Graphic/Auto Magic Button, visualizes the shares as segments. In the screenshot on your right, the values determine the intensity of the color as well. This feature in the Options on the Presentation tab is available as of DeltaMaster 6.1.5.

These segments are not to be confused with pie charts. Normal charts would slice the pie and leave the slices on the “plate” so that you cannot compare the slices. DeltaMaster, in contrast, shows a segment for each object so that each slice gets a separate plate. To be precise, we really should be speaking here of sectors, as this is the geometric term when pie pieces have their points in the center. Segments, on the other hand, are cut off from the circle by chords. You can completely break a circle down into sectors but not into segments (with the exception of a semicircle). For business scenarios, however, that is basically just quibbling. When you talk about markets, you talk about segments. Period.

Now let’s take a look at the options for visualizing shares.

Visualizing shares: Fill Bars, Fill Columns, Fill Circles

If you want to visualize shares as charts, the Graphic Magic Button is the place to get started – and a click on Auto is always worth the effort. When you click on this button, DeltaMaster creates the right visualization for the data automatically.

In the example above, DeltaMaster has automatically recognized that we are interested in shares. With a simple click on Auto, the software will present the segments to emphasize this.

For special types of share views that cannot be generated automatically or deliberately need to vary from the automated design, you can work with the menu of the Graphic button. This menu contains six different chart types, which you can recognize by the icons with partially filled graphical elements. You can combine these charts into three pairs: bars, columns, and circles, each with shapes of the same (constant) or different (variable) sizes.

The shares are already calculated

The chart types with shapes of the same size are intended for visualizing shares that are contained in the table’s structures as percentage values – in other words, as a Measure or through (Calculated) Members (see DeltaMaster clicks! 07/2008). You can also use the Share Magic Button to visualize these calculated values.

The shapes with the same sizes everywhere represent the constant, maximum share of 100 percent whereas the filling indicates the respective share. In other words, the presentation is normalized. The list above with the calculated share column is an example.

If the table does not contain percentage values, all three chart types will be deactivated in the Graphic menu because the visualization cannot be used. DeltaMaster does not display any elements as charts for values exceeding 100 percent; after all, it cannot do more than fill the shape’s entire border. This is why you should only use fill elements when you are working with genuine shares – and not with other percentage values such as relative variances, load capacity, or goal achievement rates, which can exceed 100 percent.

Calculating, displaying, and visualizing shares

The chart types with variable shapes represent absolute and relative sizes at the same time: the absolute ones on the outside (as the border of the shape), the relative ones on the inside (as a filled segment). In contrast to the variant explained above, the shares do not already have to be in the table. Instead, DeltaMaster calculates them automatically, displays them in the respective cells as a second value, and visualizes them as charts.

Since the scale is very important in this type of presentation, DeltaMaster regulates it automatically and documents it in the report’s status bar.

• Shapes, globally scaled
  In order to illustrate relationships in absolute terms, DeltaMaster views all of the values from the table together and draws the bars, columns, and circles to the same scale. Since the length, height, and area (of the circle) are proportional to the absolute values, they are comparable throughout the table.
• Segments are calculated based on the typical reading direction and are drawn cell by cell
  The shares on which the size of the filled segments depends are calculated row by row for columns, and column by column for bars and circles. This means that DeltaMaster adds up the total for each column or row and calculates the share of the individual values in relation to the column or row totals respectively. DeltaMaster displays these shares in the cells and highlights them as filled inner segments of the bars, columns, or circles.

What is so ingenious about this visualization is that it displays the absolute size and the share at the same time.

This logic implies that these segments cannot be viewed additively. That is obvious with circles because you cannot combine circular segments with different radii into a whole. That also applies to bars and columns: Small values result in small bars or columns – and small shares as well. This is why only a small part of the small bars or columns is filled. If you placed the parts end to end, you would not get a length of 100 percent because each section is measured in relation to its own absolute value. When interpreting the chart, take a close look at the outer dimensions to compare the absolute sizes. The filled inner segment gives you a feel for the share of an object.

If multiple hierarchy levels are displayed on the axis, you need to ensure that the calculations refer to the correct level. You can define this level in the Axis Definition on the Options tab; this setting is also valid for Row, Column, and Table Aggregations.

The chart types with a variable size are ideal for absolute values. Since DeltaMaster calculates the shares automatically, you no longer need to model measures or calculated members in order to create a share analysis. This presentation also works with percentage values. Reading them, however, takes some practice because each cell contains two percentage values – the original value, which is treated as a percentage point, and the (unweighted) share calculated from the total.

Adding charts

As with all chart types, you can add graphical elements for shares to a report in one of three ways:

1. By clicking on the icon in the Graphic menu
   To show the chart in all (suitable) columns or rows at once, click on the corresponding icon in the menu of the Graphic Magic Button.
2. By dragging the icon from the Graphic menu and dropping it in the table
   To show the chart in only specific columns or rows, drag the icon from the menu and drop it in a row or column – either on the headers or directly on the values in the table. DeltaMaster automatically recognizes where the charts should be displayed (i.e. bars and circles in columns, columns in rows). You can follow these steps several times to add charts to multiple columns or rows in succession.

A subtle change in the menu indicates that you can use the drag-and-drop function: When you hover over an icon with your mouse, the menu’s frame border opens and invites you to drag the icon out.

1. By activating the Graphic in the Edit menu (on the right)
   As an alternative to option a), you can also use the menu to the right of the report to display a specific chart type in the entire table. Clicking on the Graphic entry opens and closes the list of chart types. By clicking on a chart type, you activate and deactivate this chart type for the entire table. From the Edit Menu, you can activate the chart types, as described here with a constant size, as Fill Bars, Fill Columns, and Fill Circles. The variants with a variable size are available only through the Graphic Magic Button. (These share values that are calculated and displayed in addition are part of the magic, as it were.)

Each table supports only one chart type so the report stays easy to read.

To remove the charts, follow these same steps in reverse. If you want to remove all charts, click on the icon highlighted in orange on the Graphic Magic Button or the bold entry below Graphic in the Edit Menu (on the right). If you merely want to remove charts from specific columns or rows, drag one of the elements that you want to remove from the report and drop it either back in the bar with the Magic Buttons or in the empty space next to the table.

Settings

The Properties of the table include options for defining the size settings: the width (or length) for Fill Bars; the width, height, and alignment in the cell (i.e. the position of the columns in relation to the values) for Fill Columns; and the radius for Fill Circles. These parameters are valid for charts with constant and variable sizes alike (for variable sizes, the parameter applies to the extreme value; all others are measured proportionally). In most cases, you don’t need to worry about these parameters: The default values are designed to create an appealing presentation and enable good differentiation.

You can find an abbreviated form of these settings in the Edit Menu (on the right). By clicking on the gear icon next to the active chart type, you directly open the respective tab in the Table Properties. DeltaMaster also offers this icon for Color and Sparklines, provided that color and/or sparklines are activated in the report.

Analyzing changes in shares

You can run a very productive analysis simply by letting DeltaMaster take charge automatically. This also allows you to intuitively visualize how the shares have changed over time.

What makes this presentation so special is the coloring of the segments. The colors show if a share is greater than or less than it was in the previous period. This is very helpful because shares rarely change rapidly, the values are typically close to each other, and the segments otherwise are almost impossible for the naked eye to differentiate. Take a look at the Standards in the screenshot above. The 44.4 percent from August seems to be just as large as the 43.0 percent from September. The color clearly shows, however, that the share has dropped! The color of the shape depends on the Business Intelli­gence factor of the Measure (in this case, blue for units sold). The color of the segment depends solely on the difference with respect to the previous month. A smaller share is colored red for revenues as well as for costs, whereas a larger share is colored blue.

Otherwise, the structure of the Graphical Table closely resembles those of the other automated share analyses. The circles have variable sizes and are globally scaled so that you can compare the absolute values row by row over time, and column by column in the structure. The shares are calculated by column; each column (period), therefore, adds up to 100 percent. That is how you show how the demand profile has changed! The marketing director that we mentioned in our introduction would be very pleased.

You can generate this presentation with a single mouse click on the Graphic/Auto Magic Button. Your only prep work is to put together the data you need in the report. That is not hard at all because the task at hand defines it: one KPI (Measure), the time, and the profile-forming attributes. You merely need to pay attention to a few details regarding the way the report is structured:

• The Measure is located in the filter (the “slicer”) and thus listed in the top-left part of the table.
• The time members are located on the column axis. Calculated Members, including Time Analysis Members, or other dimensions cannot be used there.
• The dimensions that create the profile and for which the shares are to be calculated are located on the row axis.

The presentation displayed above can only be created using automation and not through individual settings in DeltaMaster. You can also interpret that this way – with DeltaMaster, you get the best results automatically!

Compatibility

The calculated share column described at the beginning works in DeltaMaster 5 as well, but without the show/hide option. You can also use DeltaMaster 5 to define and display Fill Bars, Fill Columns, and Fill Circles with a constant size for shares that are already in the table. Fill elements with variable sizes and the one-click capabilities to show share values are only available in Delta­Master 6. In DeltaMaster 5, they are displayed as simple bars, columns, or circles and without the share values.