What's New in Workbooks and Authoring

Copyright © 2010 Kinaxis Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1

Copyright © 2010 Kinaxis Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Duncan Klettvice president, analytics research

What's New in Workbooks and Authoring


Agenda

• Authoring improvements• Sending reports to customers or suppliers• Data change enhancements


Authoring Improvements

• Search tool• Using worksheets for In and Lookup• Changing worksheet table• Bucketing enhancements• Multi-scenario worksheets


Search Tool• Simple, but extremely useful

– Available 9.5 and later


Using Worksheets for IN and Lookup• Define a worksheet showing the data you want to work with (list

of items, or list plus value to find)• Know what you want (keys)• Special field Self to return reference

– {Part, Part.Site} IN InSelectedPartsWithShortages– Can also use Lookup to convert string BACK to reference– Special function Null(Table), e.g., Null(Part)


Changing Worksheet Table


Bucketing Enhancements

• Query– Percent– Reset point

• Be careful how you define for multiple resets• Grouping

– Anchor– Extended periods


Enhanced Bucketing


Enhanced Bucketing


Multi-scenario Worksheets• Clearer rules for calculating and merging

– Define multi-scenario field as high up composite tree as possible (where you want the query run for each scenario)

• Reference fields explicitly ABOVE the multi-scenario level– Field#0, #1, etc.– Allows calculations of “Difference” in same sheet as “Values”

• NO multi-scenario fields BELOW the multi-scenario level

“Normal” worksheet1 “Normal” worksheet2

“Multi-scenario” worksheet(contains multi columns)

(column labels automatically repeat)

Worksheet refers to fields explicitly(Quantity#0, Quantity#1, etc)

Queries run once foreach selected scenario

Operates on merged queries(Be sure to use Grouping)


Bonus for Authors

User-added calculated fields • You can now define expressions in the data model to add

common calculations• Use these calculated fields just like any other RapidResponse

calculated fields

Group with no GroupBy fields• Will ALWAYS produce a single record• Can be useful for composite sheets

Change columns, retain subtotals

Assert command


Sending Reports to Customers or Suppliers

Previous problems• Confusion handling multiple items per user• Complex syntax

– $SupplierID = “A,” “B,” “C,” etc.

• New List functions– ListAsSet (list)

e.g. Order.Supplier IN ListAsSet ($SupplierID)– $SupplierID = A, B, C

• (Better) Alternative– Field IN WorksheetIdentifyingValidSupplierIDs


Distribute Alert to Users in Group


Resulting Messages


Data Change Enhancements

Defining cross-scenario data changes• Cross-scenario can be “push” or “pull”

– Define source and destination worksheets as usual• Caution

– Referenced records can be different in different scenarios• Be sure to create any that you need

• New selections to allow (don’t allow):– Inserts– Deletes

• Improved error messages to help you get it right


Example: Process Creates Changed Data

• Want to “commit” these changes (ONLY) to another scenario

• Define method to track changes– OriginalQuantity– Special Type, etc.


Create Source and Destination Worksheets

• Define worksheets• Define command

– Define which scenario is source and destination• Test the command

– Recommend testing one step at a time– Data Change Commands do NOT autocreate referenced

records; therefore, Data Change needs to create them explicitly


New Data Change Controls


Defining the Command


Improved Error Reporting


Success!


Thank You!

Documents

What's New in Workbooks and Authoring