Creating Excel XML Templates for Generating Excel formatted Reports

Agenda

Introduction using XML to get an EXCEL format

Creating a simple excel template

Old Vs. New

Pavel Bogouchevitch Neelima Kartha pbogouchevitch@astcorporation.com nkartha@astcorporation.com

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Prerequisites Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Created report data model

BI publisher desktop

BI Publisher Architecture

Connection to BI Publisher server that has sample data and templates Field browser to edit or delete

mappings Preview option with live or sample data Data field and repeating group

mappings

BI Publisher Features

XML Output

Excel Template

Retrieving XML Output

Application Developer Responsibility Concurrent Find your program Save Output Format as XML

XML Output

Building a Simple Template

1.BlankExcelTemplate.xls file

2.Designing the layout in Excel

3.Assigning BI Publisher defined names

4.Preparing the XDO_METADATA sheet

5.Testing template

Starting with a Blank Template

BlankExcelTemplate.xls provided by BI publisher XDO_METADATA sheet included

Blank Excel Template

Mapping XDO_METADATA Sheet Created for mapping

whenever field or repeating group is inserted

Mapping between the data and the spreadsheet

Creating a Sample Design

Determine how you want the data to be

placed

BI Publisher Defined Names

Mark cells with XDO_ defined names –necessary for mapping XDO_ is the required prefix

?order_date? is either: the XML tag name a name used for mapping derived value to the

cell Example: XDO_?EMPLOYEE_ID?

Name Manager

Grouping

XDO_METADATA Sheet

Required by BI publisher to process the template Consists of two sections Header section Column A entries necessary Value is required for only one: Template

Type : Type_Excel_Template

Data Constraints section Not required unless there are calculations

Mapping

Header Section

Data Constraints Section

Test the Template

To preview your report using sample data: Click Sample XML Click Preview Output will open in new workbook

Enabling Lookup Output 1. Setting template type to XLS (Enable option 'XLS' in XDO_TEMPLATE_TYPE lookup code, AOL ) A. Query out Type 'XDO_TEMPLATE_TYPE‘

B. Check 'Enable' checkbox of record 'XLS‘ C. Enter 'XDO_XLS_TEMPL_OUTPUTS' in 'Tag' field of this record D. Save

Enter 'XDO_XLS_TEMPL_OUTPUTS' in 'Tag' field of this record

2. Setting Output to Excel Enabling option ‘EXCEL’ XDO_XLS_TEMPL_OUTPUTS lookup code A. Query out Type ‘XDO_XLS_TEMPL_OUTPUTS‘ B. Make sure option 'EXCEL' is enabled

Enabling Lookup Output

Creating Data Definitions

Uploading Excel Template

Old VS New

VS

Alternative Method

Alternative Method

Alternative Method

Alternative Method

Limitations of Excel Templates

• Images are not supported for multiple sheets – images are displayed only on the first sheet

• manual coding or XSL/XSLT specifications

necessary when designs are complex