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When building your BI Publisher report template, you can preview the report in Microsoft Word and finalize it before you upload it to a Report Definition in the online system.

In BI Publisher Template in Word, instead of  relying on previews that only display sample data, you can display the actual data that will appear in the final result.  This can be done if you are creating a query-based report by downloading the query to XML.  Then you load that XML file into your Word template (Load XML Data).

For details, read the following article:   FAQs about Using Real Data When Designing and Previewing Your BI Publisher Word Template 

Examples of the two formats are shown below (from a HEUG presentation XML Publisher – Beyond the Basics). 

SAMPLE DATA PREVIEW

REAL DATA PREVIEW

BI Publisher Data Source:  You do not need to create the BI Publisher Data Source until you want to test the report online with PeopleSoft.

Alternate XML:  Another way to preview real data, this time when creating the Report Definition Template page, is to check the box named Use Alt. XML (Alternate XML) and select any available XML File for your preview.  A dialog box will open allowing you to browse for and upload any XML File, including the file that will display the real data.

There is a new page in the blog related to BI Publisher, specifically concerning templates.  In addition to the BI Publisher/XMLP page, the documentation on the PROCEDURES ~ General page and the related information on the COMM GEN page, this is a page that focuses on the creation, design and benefits of reporting templates.

On the NEW BIP Templates page you will find a brief introduction to the basics of templates.  In addition to Oracle documents and HEUG Links, there is a Sample Templates section that demonstrates the parts involved in building a template, using the BI Publisher and MS Word tools as they apply.  Each demonstration concludes with a sample of the output to give you an idea of how the results might appear.   For example, in the document Using Tables for repeating data, you can see three examples of output – Simple, Single Header and Row Striping:

The HEUG Webinar presented on 02/23/2016 is now available for download.

Presented by the University of Wisconsin – Platteville, this webinar – Communications and PS Query: Best Friends Forever! – covered the following:

Review of Communication Basics

• Setting Up
• Designing
• Assigning and Sending

Communication Queries

• Custom Extract Data Queries
• Population Selection Queries

The presenter began with a practical explanation of the basic steps of Comm Gen, followed by a discussion of the types of queries used with Comm Gen:  Custom Extract Data and Population Selection.  She included some helpful hints such as creating a Test version of the Custom Extract Data Query to review the data to make sure you are returning the info you expect.  She also gave a couple of troubleshooting tips that the user would find helpful when working with each type of query.

(To see a previous presentation by UW-Platteville on Comm Gen, you can click the link to this Alliance Presentation:  Older and Wiser: A Review of Our 3C Communication Implementation.  This, and other HEUG links, can be found on the PROCEDURES ~ General page.)

Can’t log in to HEUG.ORG?  As an employee of Wesleyan, a HEUG Institutional member, you can access the HEUG website.  To request a login for the website, from the HEUG home page, click on Request Login in the upper right-hand corner and follow the instructions.

Tags: HEUG

Available now for download is the HEUG Webinar entitled BI Publisher in the Registrar’s Office which was presented yesterday, February 15, by UNT Health Science Center.

You can watch the PowerPoint presentation and listen to the speakers’ commentary on their use of BI Publisher.  It includes examples of detailed formatting in a typical report.  Among the finished reports shown are a Schedule of Classes, Board Score Verifications, and Enrollment Verifications.

Among the subjects covered are:

• What is BI Publisher?
• What do I need to get started?
• Basics of Using the Microsoft Word Add-in
• How do I upload the query data to Microsoft Word?
• How do I put in data & preview the report?
• How do I put in a table?
• Advanced BI Publisher Tips
• How does the UNTHSC Office of the Registrar use BI Publisher?

 You can view the recording and slides of the presentation in the HEUG Online Education Series Archive:

BI Publisher in the Registrar’s Office

Can’t log in to HEUG.ORG?  As an employee of Wesleyan, a HEUG Institutional member, you can access the HEUG website.  To request a login for the website, from the HEUG home page, click on Request Login in the upper right-hand corner and follow the instructions.

Tags: Enrollment, HEUG