Click on a category to show or hide its questions and tips. To view the answer for a specific question/tip, click on the question -- the answer will open in a new tab.
- What is BI launch pad?
- In order to receive access to BusinessObjects is training required?
- Setting your Preferences
- I changed my BI launch pad preferences from HTML mode to Applet (Java) mode in but it looks like I'm still in HTML mode when I log on. How can I fix this?
- Why is there a tilde ( ~ ) in the name of my Web Intelligence folder in My Favorites? Is that a default folder and if so, what goes into it?
- What's a "filter" and why should I use one (or several)?
- Can I work in multiple documents at the same time?
- Working with Timeouts
- How can I navigate between editing a report and editing a query?
- How can I navigate easily between report tabs or query tabs?
General
- Searching for corporate ("canned") reports in the repository
- How can I print when I have multiple tabs in a report but don't want them all printed?
- Is there any way to document in the Webi document what your query is about/doing/etc.?
- How can I copy a specific data value from a table, so I can paste it into something outside BusinessObjects?
- How do I purge the data from a report?
- When I open a report, I get a blank grey window. How can I fix that?
- When I login there's always a report that opens. Is there any way to set it so that just the Documents tab is open when starting?
- My Status bar is gone! How can I get it back?
- I deleted a report! How can I get it back?
Copying, Sharing, Saving, Exporting
- How can I make a copy of or edit a repository/corporate report?
- How do I create a shortcut to a corporate report and why not just copy the report?
- How can I share a copy of my report with someone else?
- I saved a report to my computer in Excel, where do I find it?
- When I download reports (using 'Save to my computer as Excel') and attempt to enter formulas, the formulas appear as text and don't compute. How can I fix this?
- For some reports, when saved as an Excel file, the report begins in row 2 and/or column B. How can I make my report begin at Cell A1?
- How can I export Webi report headers to Excel?
- When I save results to Excel, I don’t have the option to just open the results and work with them. I am forced to save first – how can I get around this extra step?
- When I save a report with data as a CSV file, all of the leading zeros are cut off any numbers when I open the file in Excel. How can I keep the zeros?
Page Setup
- Is there a feature to delete trailing blanks?
- How can I change the name of a column?
- Why am I getting a "Table or View does not exist" message?
- How can I see the order of the report sorts or breaks, and how can I change them?
- Formatting Reports by Right Clicking
- How do I show all values of a column when I make a break?
- What and where are the tools to help format reports?
- Why do I see 2-digit years and inconsistent number formats?
- How can I break on multiple columns at once (e.g., Name and Penn ID together)?
- How can I hide a column in a table?
- How can I undo an action that I just took when formatting my report?
- How can I create a pivot table (or crosstab)?
- How can I add a 'date last refreshed' to my report header?
- How can I add a section to a report? I'm dragging the object onto the report pane and it isn't working.
Analysis
- What's the difference between Count and Count ALL?
- I'm using the user response to a date prompt in a variable, but want to see it just as the date, without the time. How can I do this?
- What kind of a date formula can you create to add a specified number of days to a date?
- How can I add a report filter?
- How can I see and work with all of the filters applied on a report at once?
- Why do some rows show a MULTIVALUE warning for an amount in my table, while others show the actual amount?
- Why doesn't my "in list" work? For example: Divisions in list (COL,NUR,EAS,WH).
- How do I control query options (number of rows, etc.)?
- Can I build a query based on a spreadsheet?
- How do I create a query based on another query?
- How can I create complex conditions (now called 'Query Filters') by nesting or indenting them together, and using AND and OR?
- I have multiple queries in one report. How can I give them different names?
- What character do I use for a "wildcard" and how should I use it?
- Why am I getting a "No data to fetch" message?
- Can I take an existing query and run it against a different universe without having to build it again from scratch?
- How do I create a subquery?
- I just added an object to my query - why doesn't it appear on my report?
- How can I merge on shared dimensions in a report with multiple queries?
- How can I "unmerge" a shared dimension?
- How can I see how many rows of data were returned from my query?
- My Query Properties display box is missing information at the bottom. What can I do?
- How can I quickly duplicate a variable?
How Tos
Unsure where to start? You can also check these How Tos for step-by-step guidance for particular features.
- How to Navigate the READING Mode for Simple Exploring and Analyzing of Reports (PDF)
- How to Navigate the DESIGN Mode for Creating and Modifying Reports (PDF)
- How to Navigate the Query Panel (PDF)
- How to Navigate Between Editing a Query and Editing a Report (PDF)
- How to Work with Multiple Documents / Reports Open (PDF)
- How to Copy a Repository/Corporate Report (PDF)
- How to Share a Copy of a Document / Report (PDF)
- How to Save Documents / Reports as Excel, CSV, or PDF (PDF)
- How to Create a New Document / Report (PDF)
- How to Find Basic Report Formatting Tools (PDF)
- How to Add a Report Filter (PDF)
- How to Add a Query Filter (PDF)
- How to Create a Document Using Freehand SQL (PDF)
- How to Create a “Geo Mapped” Chart (PDF)
- How to Create a Reference Cell (PDF)
- SAP BusinessObjects Web Intellegence 4.1 - documentation from SAP
See how to build a query from a simple business question in a short Flash presentation. Print the content from each attached PDF if you prefer hard copy. (The screen shots here will look slightly different than the current version of BI4.x but the concepts are still the same.)
- General Ledger Questions
- How can I review our entertainment costs for last year? (Flash Video)
- I need to run monthly reports on how we are doing with current expenses. Are we within budget or not? (Flash Video)
- What ProCard transactions have been posted this month and the previous 2 months from my ORG and to what accounts have they been posted? (Flash Video)
- How many funds in our school are currently frozen and what are the current encumbrances on those funds? (Flash Video)
- How do our mail costs this year compare to last year? (Flash Video)
- Salary Management Questions
- How can I check my employees to make sure their employment status is correct and that their distributions are active? (Flash Video)
- How can I check to see how people have been paid so far this year? (Flash Video)
- How can I check to make sure that my employees' jobs and distributions are set up correctly? (Flash Video)
- What is the academic base salary for my faculty and what percentage of them were also paid administrative stipends? (Flash Video)
- What are the outstanding salary encumbrances for the grants that I manage? (Flash Video)
- Research (PennERA Proposals)
- Which proposals submitted over a year ago are still awaiting a final decision from the sponsor? (Flash Video)
- To what accounts can costs for my projects be charged? (Flash Video)
- Which of my awarded projects involve cost sharing? (Flash Video)
- What is the status of the regulatory approvals for my outstanding proposals? (Flash Video)
- What is the expected funding from the NIH for Dr. "Marie Curie" this fiscal year? (Flash Video)
Didn't find what you're looking for? Try the searching the FAQs for particular keywords (search page will open in a new tab).