Modules:OB Analytics View

OB Analytics

Through this Window it is possible to visualize the information based on the Cube Definitions. In order to do so, Openbravo relies on an external technology called Saiku. Saiku is always used in Openbravo to show the Analytical Information, through this Window or other Windows implemented by different Modules.

Note. The first time any Window using Saiku is opened in an environment, some processes are launched before showing any information. Depending on the environment and the amount of data it has, this process may take a long time to finish. But this only happens the first time. Afterwards any Window using Saiku should be opened in a reasonable amount of time.

Note: before using the OB Analytics window it helps to read this additional information on multi-currency and date time mapping.

Toolbar

The Toolbar of Saiku allows to perform several actions, all of them are explained in the Saiku Documentation.

Some of the most notable ones are:

• Execute and Auto-Execute. The auto-execute button is enabled by default it controls if Saiku will fire a query automatically with every change in the definition, for example when dragging/dropping a dimension. If queries take a long time, it can make sense to un-toggle the auto-execute and click execute explicitly when your design is done.
• Toggle fields. Once you have designed your query, if you require more screen space, click the toggle fields button and the Rows, Columns and Filter axis drop zones will be removed.
• Toggle Sidebar. Similarly if you want to hide the left hand sidebar then clikc the Toggle Sidebar button and it will be hidden.
• Hide Parents. Hide parents will remove the total rows and columns from the parent memebers in the result set.
• Non Empty. MDX queries are created by crosstabulating data, therefore they often contain an awful lot of empty cells. The Hide Empty button is therefore enabled by default and it hides the empty cells, if you toggle this button you will likely then see a much larger resultset containing many empty cells.
• Swap Axis. OLAP has always had the idea of pivoting close to its heart, and here you can pivot the entire resultset 90 degrees. By clicking the Swap Axis button you will then, as suggested, move all the items on the Rows to the Columns axis and visa versa.

Cubes, Dimensions and Measures

• Cubes. In order to show the information, a Cube must be selected. In this drop down list, all the Cubes defined in Application Dictionary that are active, not flagged as a Template and are accessible by the User are shown. By selecting a Cube, the Dimensions and Measures are loaded.
• Dimensions. All the Dimensions defined in Application Dictionary for the corresponding Cube. By clicking on a Dimension, it's members are shown. Any member can be dragged to the workspace and dropped in either Rows, Columns or Filter.
• Measures. All the Measures defined in Application Dictionary for the corresponding Cube. Any Measure can be dragged to the workspace and droppedn in either Rows, Columns or Filter.

Note: the Refresh Button in the top-right, it can be used to refresh the schema if the cube definition has changed. Normally it is only relevant when changing the cube definition in the user interface.

Workspace

This area, along with the Dimensions and Measures, is the main area in which queries are created and results are shown.

It has two different parts, in the upper area is where the Rows, Columns and Filter axes can be found. By dragging Dimensions and/or Measures into this axes, the query is built. In the lower area the result is shown.

An Element of a Dimension or a Measure can be placed into any of the three axes. By placing it in the Rows or Columns axes, the Dimension or Measure will be shown in the Rows or the Columns or the Report accordingly.

The Filter axis works in a different way, though. By placing a Dimension or a Measure in the Filter axis, the results shown are a slice of the Cube that corresponds to that Dimension or Measure only. For example, by placing the Organization in the Filter, and filtering the Organization to show only values for F&B US, the results shown in the Report would represent only values for the Organization F&B US.

This is also useful for working with the Measures. For example, by placing Unit Sales Measure in the Filter axis, the values in the Report would represent the Unit Sales.

When a Dimension is placed in any Axis it is possible to filter this Dimension or to order it. By clicking on the arrows icon, a Dimension can be sorted. By clicking on on magnifying glass icon, a pop up will be shown with the available Members of the Dimension. By dragging any of them to the column on the right and clicking on the OK button, the Dimension will be filtered by that Member.

Graphics

In the right upper corner of the Window, there are some buttons that allows to show the values of the Report represented with graphics.

It is more extensively explained in the Saiku Documentation.