Substitution Variables

Dashboards supports all Standard and Derived Substitution Variables. Predefined variables are available for Time and Scenario dimensions. All Standard and Derived Variables defined in Financial Reporting Area are available. When dashboards are run, they are generated for the global variable values as configured in Maintenance > Reports > Cube Settings > Substitution Variables.

You can override substitution variable values for a Dashboard when you perform a run or edit. For example, you might have a quarterly substitution variable added to multiple charts to display the current quarter. But, let’s say you want to see chart results for a prior quarter to compare and contrast with the current quarter. You can open the substitution variables page from the dashboard, change the value for the current quarter substitution variable to the prior quarter, and run the dashboard.

In Practice: How to Select a New Substitution Variable Value to Override the Existing Value

In this example, the @CURQTR@ substitution variable value is overridden and changed from Q42017 to Q32017. The dashboard is executed with the new value.

1. Open a dashboard in edit mode.

2. Click the Substitution Variables icon (shown in image below). The Substitution Variables page displays as shown below. A consolidated list of all dashboard specific substitution variables used in all charts, tables, filters, and text objects is displayed. Note that if a single variable is used multiple times in a dashboard, it is displayed only once on this page and the value is the common value. Default values set up for each Substitution Variable on the Maintenance Substitution Variable setup page (accessed by navigating to Maintenance > Reports > Cube Settings > Substitution Variables) are displayed.

   

   Note that the substitution variable icon t is displayed for standard and derived variables from the Dashboard edit and run interfaces when:

   Substitution variables are used in filters (both dashboard and chart level)

   Substitution variables are used in charts

   Substitution variables are used on horizontal or vertical axis

   Substitution variables are used on secondary axis

   Substitution variables are used in tables

   Substitution variables are used in text areas

   Substitution variables are used in KPIs

   Substitution variables are used in titles, subtitles, or descriptions

   Substitution variables are used in custom members

   

3. Click Run. The dashboard executes and replaces the newly selected value. Note that The values updated are not saved and have no effect on the default values selected and saved in the Maintenance Substitution Variable setup page for the substitution variable.

   

   On the Substitution Variables page, the Dimension , Reporting Area, and Variable columns are shown (along with the Value column).

   If a dimension is used in the dashboard that is shared across reporting areas (Financial, Workforce, and Scorecard, [does NOT apply to Dynamic Planning]). For example let’s say @CURMTH@ and the same dimensional variable in used in multiple dashboard charts created on different reporting areas. If this is the case, the variable is shown only once on the page. The value is applied across all reporting areas and corresponding charts.

   For all derived values used within the dashboard elements, the corresponding standard variable shown and the derived variable values are calculated based on the standard variable value set.