39
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
Preface
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
Resources
xxi
• MicroStrategy Project Design Guide
Information to create and modify MicroStrategy projects, and
understand facts, attributes, hierarchies, transformations, advanced
schemas, and project optimization.
• MicroStrategy Basic Reporting Guide
Instructions to get started with MicroStrategy Desktop and
MicroStrategy Web, and how to analyze data in a report. Includes the
basics for creating reports, metrics, filters, and prompts.
• MicroStrategy Advanced Reporting Guide: Enhancing Your Business
Intelligence Application
Instructions for advanced topics in the MicroStrategy system, building on
information in the Basic Reporting Guide. Topics include reports,
Freeform SQL reports, Query Builder reports, filters, metrics, Data
Mining Services, custom groups, consolidations, and prompts.
• MicroStrategy Report Services Document Analysis Guide: Analyzing
Data with Report Services Documents
Instructions for a business analyst to execute and analyze a document in
MicroStrategy Desktop and MicroStrategy Web, building on basic
concepts about projects and reports presented in the MicroStrategy
Basic Reporting Guide.
• MicroStrategy Report Services Document Creation Guide: Creating
Boardroom Quality Documents
Instructions to design and create Report Services documents, building on
information in the MicroStrategy Report Services Document Analysis
Guide.
• MicroStrategy OLAP Services Guide
Information on MicroStrategy OLAP Services, which is an extension of
MicroStrategy Intelligence Server. OLAP Services features include
Intelligent Cubes, derived metrics, derived elements, dynamic
aggregation, view filters, and dynamic sourcing.
• MicroStrategy Office User Guide
Instructions for using MicroStrategy Office to work with MicroStrategy
reports and documents in Microsoft® Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and
Outlook, to analyze, format, and distribute business data.
39
Preface
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
xxii
Resources
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
• MicroStrategy Mobile Analysis Guide: Analyzing Data with
MicroStrategy Mobile
Information and instructions for using MicroStrategy Mobile to view and
analyze data, and perform other business tasks with MicroStrategy
reports and documents on a mobile device.
• MicroStrategy Mobile Design and Administration Guide: A Platform for
Mobile Intelligence
Information and instructions to install and configure MicroStrategy
Mobile, as well as instructions for a designer working in MicroStrategy
Desktop or MicroStrategy Web to create effective reports and documents
for use with MicroStrategy Mobile.
• MicroStrategy System Administration Guide: Tuning, Monitoring, and
Troubleshooting your MicroStrategy Business Intelligence System
Concepts and high-level steps to implement, deploy, maintain, tune, and
troubleshoot a MicroStrategy business intelligence system.
• MicroStrategy Supplemental Reference for System Administration:
VLDB Properties, Internationalization, User Privileges, and other
Supplemental Information for Administrators
Information and instructions for MicroStrategy administrative tasks such
as configuring VLDB properties and defining data and metadata
internationalization, and reference material for other administrative
tasks.
• MicroStrategy Functions Reference
Function syntax and formula components; instructions to use functions
in metrics, filters, attribute forms; examples of functions in business
scenarios.
• MicroStrategy MDX Cube Reporting Guide
Information to integrate MicroStrategy with MDX cube sources. You can
integrate data from MDX cube sources into your MicroStrategy projects
and applications.
Manuals for Analytics Modules
• Analytics Modules Installation and Porting Guide
• Customer Analysis Module Reference
• Sales Force Analysis Module Reference
34
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
Preface
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
Resources
xxiii
• Financial Reporting Analysis Module Reference
• Sales and Distribution Analysis Module Reference
• Human Resources Analysis Module Reference
Manuals for Narrowcast Services products
• MicroStrategy Narrowcast Server Getting Started Guide
Instructions to work with the tutorial to learn Narrowcast Server
interfaces and features.
• MicroStrategy Narrowcast Server Installation and Configuration Guide
Information to install and configure Narrowcast Server.
• MicroStrategy Narrowcast Server Application Designer Guide
Fundamentals of designing Narrowcast Server applications.
• MicroStrategy Narrowcast Server System Administrator Guide
Concepts and high-level steps to implement, maintain, tune, and
troubleshoot Narrowcast Server.
• MicroStrategy Narrowcast Server Upgrade Guide
Instructions to upgrade an existing Narrowcast Server.
Software Development Kits
• MicroStrategy Developer Library (MSDL)
Information to understand the MicroStrategy SDK, including details
about architecture, object models, customization scenarios, code
samples, and so on.
• MicroStrategy Web SDK
The Web SDK is available in the MicroStrategy Developer Library,
which is sold as part of the MicroStrategy SDK.
• Narrowcast Server SDK Guide
Instructions to customize Narrowcast Server functionality, integrate
Narrowcast Server with other systems, and embed Narrowcast Server
functionality within other applications. Documents the Narrowcast
33
Preface
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
xxiv
Resources
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
Server Delivery Engine and Subscription Portal APIs, and the Narrowcast
Server SPI.
Documentation for MicroStrategy Portlets
• Enterprise Portal Integration Help
Information to help you implement and deploy MicroStrategy BI within
your enterprise portal, including instructions for installing and
configuring out-of-the-box MicroStrategy Portlets for several major
enterprise portal servers.
This resource can be accessed using the MicroStrategy Product Manuals
page, as described in Accessing manuals and other documentation
sources, page xxv.
Documentation for MicroStrategy GIS Connectors
• GIS Integration Help
Information to help you integrate MicroStrategy with Geospatial
Information Systems (GIS), including specific examples for integrating
with ESRI mapping services.
This resource can be accessed using the MicroStrategy Product Manuals
page, as described in Accessing manuals and other documentation
sources, page xxv.
Help
Each MicroStrategy product includes an integrated help system to
complement the various interfaces of the product as well as the tasks that can
be accomplished using the product.
Some of the MicroStrategy help systems require a web browser to be viewed.
For supported web browsers, see the MicroStrategy Readme.
MicroStrategy provides several ways to access help:
• Help button: Use the Help button or ? (question mark) icon on most
software windows to see help for that window.
37
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
Preface
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
Resources
xxv
• Help menu: From the Help menu or link at the top of any screen, select
MicroStrategy Help to see the table of contents, the Search field, and the
index for the help system.
• F1 key: Press F1 to see context-sensitive help that describes each option in
the software window you are currently viewing.
For MicroStrategy Web, MicroStrategy Web Administrator, and
MicroStrategy Mobile Server, pressing the F1 key opens the
context-sensitive help for the web browser you are using to access
these MicroStrategy interfaces. Use the Help menu or ? (question
mark) icon to access help for these MicroStrategy interfaces.
Accessing manuals and other documentation sources
The manuals are available from your MicroStrategy disk or the machine
where MicroStrategy was installed.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these manuals. If you do not
have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, you can download it
from http://get.adobe.com/reader/.
The best place for all users to begin is with the MicroStrategy Basic
Reporting Guide.
To access the installed manuals and other documentation sources, see the
following procedures:
• To access installed manuals and other documentation sources on
Windows, page xxv
• To access installed manuals and other documentation sources on UNIX
and Linux, page xxvi
To access installed manuals and other documentation sources on Windows
1 From the Windows Start menu, choose Programs (or All Programs),
MicroStrategy, then Product Manuals. A page opens in your browser
showing a list of available manuals in PDF format and other
documentation sources.
2 Click the link for the desired manual or other documentation source.
33
Preface
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
xxvi
Resources
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
3 If you click the link for the Narrowcast Services SDK Guide, a File
Download dialog box opens. This documentation resource must be
downloaded. Select Open this file from its current location, and click
OK.
If bookmarks are not visible on the left side of an Acrobat (PDF)
manual, from the View menu click Bookmarks and Page. This step
varies slightly depending on your version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
To access installed manuals and other documentation sources on UNIX and
Linux
1 Within your UNIX or Linux machine, navigate to the directory where you
installed MicroStrategy. The default location is /opt/MicroStrategy,
or $HOME/MicroStrategy/install if you do not have write access to
/opt/MicroStrategy.
2 From the MicroStrategy installation directory, open the
Documentation folder.
3 Open the Product_Manuals.htm file in a web browser. A page opens in
your browser showing a list of available manuals in PDF format and other
documentation sources.
4 Click the link for the desired manual or other documentation source.
5 If you click the link for the Narrowcast Services SDK Guide, a File
Download dialog box opens. This documentation resource must be
downloaded. Select Open this file from its current location, and click
OK.
If bookmarks are not visible on the left side of an Acrobat (PDF)
manual, from the View menu click Bookmarks and Page. This step
varies slightly depending on your version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
50
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
Preface
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
Resources
xxvii
Documentation standards
MicroStrategy online help and PDF manuals (available both online and in
printed format) use standards to help you identify certain types of content.
The following table lists these standards.
These standards may differ depending on the language of this manual;
some languages have rules that supersede the table below.
Education
MicroStrategy Education Services provides a comprehensive curriculum and
highly skilled education consultants. Many customers and partners from
over 800 different organizations have benefited from MicroStrategy
instruction. For a detailed description of education offerings and course
curriculums, visit http://www.microstrategy.com/Education .
Type
Indicates
bold
•Button names, check boxes, options, lists, and menus that are the focus of actions or
part of a list of such GUI elements and their definitions
•Text to be entered by the user
Example: Click Select Warehouse.
Example: Type cmdmgr -f scriptfile.scp and press Enter.
italic
•New terms defined within the text and in the glossary
•Names of other product manuals
•When part of a command syntax, indicates variable information to be replaced by the
user
Example: The aggregation level is the level of calculation for the metric.
Example: Type copy c:\filename d:\foldername\filename
Courier
font
•Calculations
•Code samples
•Registry keys
•Path and file names
•URLs
•Messages displayed in the screen
Example: Sum(revenue)/number of months.
+
A keyboard command that calls for the use of more than one key (for example,
SHIFT+F1)
A note icon indicates helpful information for specific situations.
A warning icon alerts you to important information such as potential security risks; these
should be read before continuing.
37
Preface
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
xxviii
Resources
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
Consulting
MicroStrategy Consulting Services provides proven methods for delivering
leading-edge technology solutions. Offerings include complex security
architecture designs, performance and tuning, project and testing strategies
and recommendations, strategic planning, and more. For a detailed
description of consulting offerings, visit
http://www.microstrategy.com/Consulting.
International support
MicroStrategy supports several locales. Support for a locale typically includes
native database and operating system support, support for date formats,
numeric formats, currency symbols, and availability of translated interfaces
and certain documentation.
MicroStrategy is certified in homogeneous configurations (where all the
components lie in the same locale) in the following languages—English (US),
French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish,
Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, and Swedish. A
translated user interface is available in each of the above languages. For
information on specific languages supported by individual MicroStrategy
system components, see the MicroStrategy readme.
MicroStrategy also provides limited support for heterogeneous
configurations (where some of the components may lie in different locales).
Please contact MicroStrategy Technical Support for more details.
A translated user interface is available in each of the above languages.
Technical Support
If you have questions about a specific MicroStrategy product, you should:
1 Consult the product guides, Help, and readme files. Locations to access
each are described above.
2 Consult the MicroStrategy Knowledge Base online at
https://resource.microstrategy.com/support.
A technical administrator in your organization may be able to help
you resolve your issues immediately.
40
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
Preface
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
Resources
xxix
3 If the resources listed in the steps above do not provide a solution,
contact MicroStrategy Technical Support directly. To ensure the most
productive relationship with MicroStrategy Technical Support, review the
Policies and Procedures document in your language, posted at
http://www.microstrategy.com/Support/Policies. Refer to the terms of
your purchase agreement to determine the type of support available to
you.
MicroStrategy Technical Support can be contacted by your company’s
Support Liaison. A Support Liaison is a person whom your company has
designated as a point-of-contact with MicroStrategy’s support personnel. All
customer inquiries and case communications must come through these
named individuals. Your company may designate two employees to serve as
their Support Liaisons, and can request to change their Support Liaisons two
times per year with prior written notice to MicroStrategy Technical Support.
It is recommended that you designate Support Liaisons who have
MicroStrategy Administrator privileges. This can eliminate security conflicts
and improve case resolution time. When troubleshooting and researching
issues, MicroStrategy Technical Support personnel may make
recommendations that require administrative privileges within
MicroStrategy, or that assume that the designated Support Liaison has a
security level that permits them to fully manipulate the MicroStrategy
projects and has access to potentially sensitive project data such as security
filter definitions.
Ensure issues are resolved quickly
Before logging a case with MicroStrategy Technical Support, the Support
Liaison may follow the steps below to ensure that issues are resolved quickly:
1 Verify that the issue is with MicroStrategy software and not a third party
software.
2 Verify that the system is using a currently supported version of
MicroStrategy software by checking the Product Support Expiration
Schedule at http://www.microstrategy.com/Support/Expiration.asp .
3 Attempt to reproduce the issue and determine whether it occurs
consistently.
4 Minimize the complexity of the system or project object definition to
isolate the cause.
45
Preface
MicroStrategy Functions Reference
xxx
Resources
© 2011 MicroStrategy, Inc.
5 Determine whether the issue occurs on a local machine or on multiple
machines in the customer environment.
6 Discuss the issue with other users by posting a question about the issue
on the MicroStrategy Customer Forum at
https://resource.microstrategy.com/forum/.
The following table shows where, when, and how to contact MicroStrategy
Technical Support. If your Support Liaison is unable to reach MicroStrategy
Technical Support by phone during the hours of operation, they can leave a
voicemail message, send email or fax, or log a case using the Online Support
Interface. The individual Technical Support Centers are closed on certain
public holidays.
North America
Email: support@microstrategy.com
Web: https://resource.microstrategy.com/support
Fax: (703) 842–8709
Phone: (703) 848–8700
Hours: 9:00 A.M.–7:00 P.M. Eastern Time, Monday–Friday except holidays
EMEA:
Europe
The Middle East
Africa
Email: eurosupp@microstrategy.com
Web: https://resource.microstrategy.com/support
Fax: +44 (0) 208 711 2525
The European Technical Support Centre is closed on national public holidays in each country.
Phone:
• Belgium: + 32 2792 0436
• France: +33 17 099 4737
• Germany: +49 22 16501 0609
• Ireland: +353 1436 0916
• Italy: +39 023626 9668
• Poland: +48 22 321 8680
• Scandinavia & Finland: +46 8505 20421
• Spain: +34 91788 9852
• The Netherlands: +31 20 794 8425
• UK: +44 (0) 208 080 2182
• International distributors: +44 (0) 208 080 2183
Hours:
• United Kingdom: 9:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M. GMT, Monday-Friday except holidays
• EMEA (except UK): 9:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M. CET, Monday-Friday except holidays
Documents you may be interested
Documents you may be interested
