Creating custom reports in Oracle Transactional Business Intelligence (OTBI) involves a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface that empowers business users to generate insightful reports without needing extensive technical expertise. Here's a breakdown of the process:
1. Accessing OTBI :
- Log in to your Oracle Fusion application.
- Navigate to the "Tools" menu and select "Reports and Analytics."
- Click "Create" and then select "Analysis."
2. Selecting Subject Areas :
- Subject areas are pre-built data models that organize related data. Choose the subject area that contains the data you want to report on. For example, "Human Resources - Worker Assignment Real Time" for employee data or "Procurement - Purchase Orders - Lines Real Time" for purchase order details.
3. Designing the Report :
- Drag-and-Drop Interface:
- The OTBI interface displays the subject area's folders and columns.
- Drag and drop the columns you want to include in your report into the "Selected Columns" pane.
- Defining Filters:
- To narrow down your report's results, add filters.
- Drag and drop the column you want to filter into the "Filters" pane.
- Specify the filter criteria (e.g., equals, greater than, between).
- Adding Prompts:
- Prompts allow users to enter filter criteria when they run the report.
- This makes reports more interactive and flexible.
- Creating Calculations:
- You can create calculated columns to perform calculations on existing data.
- Use the formula editor to define your calculations.
- Formatting the Report:
- OTBI provides various formatting options to enhance the appearance of your report.
- You can change column headings, apply conditional formatting, and add charts and graphs.
- Views:
- OTBI has many different ways to view the data. You can use tables, pivot tables, graphs, and many other view types.
4. Saving and Sharing the Report :
- Save the Report:
- Once you're satisfied with your report, save it to a shared folder or your personal folder.
- Sharing and Permissions:
- You can control who has access to your report by setting permissions.
- You can also add the reports to dashboards.
- Scheduling Reports:
- OTBI allows you to schedule reports to run at specific times and deliver them via email.
Key Features for Customization :
- Subject Area Customization:
- While subject areas are pre-built, administrators can customize them to add or remove columns and create new subject areas.
- Advanced Filters:
- OTBI supports complex filter criteria, including logical operators and SQL expressions.
- Conditional Formatting:
- Highlight specific data based on defined conditions.
- Graphs and Charts:
- Visualize data using various chart types, such as bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs.
- Dashboards:
- Combine multiple OTBI reports into interactive dashboards.
Tips for Effective OTBI Reporting :
- Understand Your Data:
- Familiarize yourself with the subject areas and the data they contain.
- Start Simple:
- Begin with basic reports and gradually add complexity as needed.
- Use Filters and Prompts:
- Make your reports more interactive and relevant by using filters and prompts.
- Visualize Your Data:
- Use charts and graphs to make your reports more engaging and easier to understand.
