The reporting system
Introduction¶
CCH Tagetik has a reporting system based on specifically designed Excel sheets called forms. Using these forms, users can interact with the application databases to which they have access to insert, extract, consult and compare data.
These forms can be used both from the CCH Tagetik web interface and in Excel directly. Some jobs, like planning and designing a form, are carried out exclusively in Excel, while others, like running a form to navigate data, can be run both from Excel and from the CCH Tagetik Web interface. For more details on web forms, see Web forms.
A dedicated add-in must be installed to use reporting functions in Excel (see Excel add-in: technical features).
Ways of working on forms¶
In CCH Tagetik, forms can be used:
- as reports (also called output forms), to consult data from the database
- as data entry forms, to enter data in the database
However, regardless of the purpose for which the form was designed, the run mode and actions that can be run in the form depend on the tool being used.
| Element | Working mode | Actions on the form |
|---|---|---|
| Excel Add-in | Allows you to run: - all types of form in design mode - data entry forms in data entry mode - all types of form in navigation mode | - Creation and management of the structure of standard and transactional forms. - Data entry and form navigation. |
| Web interface | Allows you to run: - only data entry forms in data entry mode from the contributor cockpit - all types of form in navigation mode from the Forms tile. | - Creation and management of the structure of transactional forms. - Data entry and form navigation. - Inclusion of data entry forms as process tasks. |
Note: however, the general settings on forms are run in the CCH Tagetik settings (see Settings window).
Form types¶
Depending on how they are used, forms can ideally be divided into two fundamental types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Report | These forms are used to extract and view data that is directly present in the database or calculated data. They are not editable and can be either shared or ad hoc (Form accessibility (Form accessibility). |
| Data entry forms | These forms are used to enter data in application databases. The use of these forms depends on the user’s role and restriction on data handled by the form. They are divided into two groups: - Standard forms: allow data to be entered or modified in the database related to the dimensions of and can also be used to extract and consult data, i.e. as reports.. - Transactional form :they allow new elements to be created and data to be inserted or modified in the database. They also make it possible to manage dimensions other than standard dimensions and custom dimensions (e.g. SQL formulas), in order to increase the level of detail of the data entered. (see Elements of the transactional forms model). |
Form accessibility¶
Forms can be saved, and therefore made accessible, in several ways.
| Accessibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Shared | Report or data entry form saved in the application database and therefore accessible to all users with the relative rights. They can be exported and saved locally, thus becoming ad hoc. |
| Ad hoc | Report forms saved on a local computer by a specific user and therefore accessible to that user only. They can be loaded onto the application database and thus become shared. They are created specifically for data consultation. |
The function of forms¶
Depending on their settings, forms can be classified as follows:
- system form, i.e. forms predefined by the administrator which can be used as models for developing customised reports. They are not editable, but can be copied and edited to be adapted to various business needs.
- user form, or forms created and managed entirely by the user according to their needs.
Web forms¶
Web forms are forms which can both be opened in the Excel add-in and be run from the CCH Tagetik web interface. They allow the contributor user to access information contained in the database and to perform data entry jobs without having to use the Excel add-in.
All forms are created in Excel and potentially enabled so they are also available as web forms (see Enable web forms by default).
IMPORTANT: compared with forms accessible from Excel, web forms have certain limitations (see Features supported by web forms).
Form advanced selection¶
Advanced selection rules can be set in the form.
| Selection type | Description |
|---|---|
| Static forms | Manage a fixed structure, i.e. data from the database called up by the filters set in the matrix (see Form matrices). |
| Dynamic forms | Manage a structure that can change over time, i.e. elements calculated and called up when the form is run using advanced selection rules (see Dynamic matrices). |
Origin of the data¶
Depending on the project's needs, Financial Workspace data, on CCH Tagetik dimensions, or Analytical Workspace data can be managed in forms. Analytical Workspaces are used when the project is useful for creating datasets containing customised dimensions that supplement the CCH Tagetik dimensions.
For more details on Financial Workspaces, see The dimensions of CCH Tagetik.
For more details on Analytical Workspaces, see Forms on Analytical Workspace data.