Setting Prompts in BusinessObjects Reports

This guide provides general guidelines and step-by-step demonstrations of each type of prompt used in BusinessObjects.

BusinessObjects User Guide
Locating Reports in the Folder System
Setting Prompts in Reports
- Prompt Status Icons
- Provider & Reporting Group Prompts
- CoC Code Prompts
- Date Prompts
- Picklist Prompts
- Text & Number Prompts
Running a Report in "View" Mode
Running a Report in "Schedule" Mode
Viewing Previously Scheduled Reports

Prompt Status Icons

Prompts can have four different statuses, represented using icons as shown below.

	A checkmark in a box indicates that the prompt is mandatory and has been completed. If the prompt is set correctly, no further action is required.
	A lowercase letter "i" in a box indicates that the prompt is mandatory but has not been completed. The report will not run until all mandatory prompts are complete.
	A checkmark with no box indicates that the prompt is optional and has been completed. Refer to report guide or contact helpdesk to determine when to complete optional prompts.
	No icon indicates the prompt is optional and incomplete. Refer to report guide or contact helpdesk to determine when to complete optional prompts.

Provider & Reporting Group Prompts

Select Provider(s) or Select Project(s)

Most reports will contain a prompt that asks you to select providers (or projects). This is where you will select the project(s) you want to have included in the report. This prompt may allow one or multiple projects to be selected, depending upon the report.

Select Reporting Group(s)

Some reports contain an option to utilize one or more reporting groups. This prompt should only be utilized when instructed by an ICA Team Member.

Important! Unless otherwise instructed by an ICA team member or a report guide, the "Select Provider(s)" and "Select Reporting Group(s)" prompts should never be used at the same time. One should always be blank or set to "none selected."

EDA Provider

The EDA Provider should be set based upon the information entered into the select provider(s) and select reporting group(s) prompts. The EDA Provider is a very important prompt and must be set correctly, as it determines how the data is pulled into the report. If it is pulled using the wrong EDA Provider (or no EDA Provider), the data could pull incorrectly, and you could get an inaccurate report.

If a single project is selected under "Select Provider(s)," then the same project should be selected as the EDA Provider.
If multiple projects have been selected under "Select Provider(s)," then one of the projects selected should be selected as the EDA Provider.
If one or more reporting groups have been selected under "Select Reporting Group(s)," then one of the projects within one of the reporting groups should be selected as the EDA Provider.
The only time an EDA Provider prompt should be left as "-Default Provider-" is when instructed by an ICA team member or report guide.

Step-by-Step Demonstration: Select Project(s) Prompt

1: Select the provider/reporting group prompt you wish to set.
2: Enter text into the search box, then click the magnifying glass icon or press enter on the keyboard to initiate the search.
3: Select the provider(s)/reporting group(s) for which you wish to run the report.

CoC Code Prompts

In general, CoC Code prompts should be left as "none selected" or blank unless a specific report guide (or instructions from an ICA team member) says otherwise.

Step-by-Step Demonstration: CoC Code Prompt

1: Select the prompt you wish to set.
2: Click the refresh button to show all available options in the picklist.
3: Select the CoC code(s) for which you wish to run the report.

Date Prompts

Most BusinessObjects reports will have anywhere from one to four date prompts. The most common prompts are shown below.

Enter Start Date

When entering the start date for the report, just enter the first day of the reporting period. You must include the month, day and year in month/day/year format. For example, if the start of your reporting period is January 1, 2022, you would enter "01/01/2022," "1/1/22," or something along those lines. You can also use the date picker available in BusinessObjects, if you'd prefer to use that instead of entering the date via the keyboard.

Enter End Date PLUS 1 Day

When entering the end date for the report, you must enter the day after the reporting period ends. This is why the end date prompt usually refers to "PLUS 1 Day". Much like the start date, you must enter the month, day and year in month/day/year format. If the end of your reporting period is May 31, 2022, you would enter "06/01/2022," "6/1/22," or something along those lines.

Important! If a report does not say "PLUS 1 Day" for the End Date, you must still add one day to the end of the report period.

Enter Effective Date

Many BusinessObjects reports have a prompt that says "Enter effective date." If the report utilizes a start and end date, then the effective date you should enter must match the date you entered into the end date prompt. If, however, the report does not have a date range, the effective date will typically be the date you are running the report.

Important! If a report has both an End Date PLUS 1 Day prompt and an Effective Date prompt, they must always match in order for the report to generate properly. If they do not match, the report may show a significant amount of data as missing even though the data may have been properly entered.

Step-by-Step Demonstration: Enter Start Date Prompt

1: Select the date prompt you wish to set.
2: Enter the date in m/d/yy or mm/dd/yyyy format, then click on the words "manual entry" or press enter on keyboard to set the prompt.

Picklist Prompts

Picklist prompts are prompts where you are offered a list of options from which to make a selection other than the provider, reporting group, or CoC code. The most common picklist prompt is a yes/no prompt, where the user selects either "yes" or "no" based upon the prompt question, followed by a funding source prompt.

Step-by-Step Demonstration: Funding Source Prompt

1: Select the picklist prompt you wish to set.
2: Click the refresh button to show all available options in the picklist.
3: Select the option(s) for which you wish to run the report.

Text & Number Prompts

Number and text prompts are the least common form of prompt in BusinessObjects reports, but they do exist. These are fields where you will enter a number or some free text, depending upon the field. The most common number and text prompts are prompts which ask you to enter the capacity of your project (number prompt) or to enter a grant ID (text prompt), though there are other number and text prompts.

Example: Text Prompt

1: Select the prompt for which you need to enter text/numbers.
2: In the field, enter the text you wish to appear. Then click "manual entry" or press enter on keyboard to set the prompt.

Need Assistance?

If you have any other questions about how to use BusinessObjects or need assistance, please use the "Contact the Helpdesk" button in the lower right-hand corner of the screen to request assistance.