Here are tips on using SEQUEL’s Client Table feature

Do your end users want to slice and dice their data many different ways? Do some of your users need access to data even when they are not connected to the network? SEQUEL’s Client Table feature can help.

What is the Client Table feature?
SEQUEL’s Client Table is an interactive online analytical processing (OLAP) tool that gives end users the ability to interact with System i data and allows them to summarize large quantities of data quickly.

When a Client Table view is executed, data is copied to the user’s PC. The data is static until the next time the view is executed. Users perform interactive analysis locally on their copy of the data. This allows them to disconnect from the network and continue to work with the data. Users can filter data, pivot (rearrange) data, drill down for more detail, preview (and print) results, and export their data to Microsoft Excel.

Getting Started
Select a view and choose New > SEQUEL Client Table. The Client Table Wizard creates a table from any view in four easy steps:

1. Give the table a title. (The Wizard creates a default title which you can change.)

2. Identify the rows or dimensions for the table. The rows are the unique records listed down the left side of the table. You can group your data by customer, salesperson, country, state, or other fields. You can even select multiple fields as the unique rows in your table.

3. Select the field(s) that will be the columns or categories of data across the top of your table. This spreads the data across the table as it is built. You can identify product class, sales region, month, year, or any other field as your column. Again, you can choose multiple categories, such as fiscal year and quarter.

4. Decide what field(s) you want as your table data. People usually choose a numeric field, such as year-to-date sales, expenses, or budget, that can be summarized in the body of the table.

Note: Help/Systems recommends that you select all of the fields in the underlying view with which you want to work.

Design mode
Once the Wizard has created the table, you can work with a subset of your data in the Client Table designer. In design mode, you can change the rows or columns by dragging and dropping from the list of available fields. You also can apply data markers, create percentages (for rows and columns), or add ranking.

To add calculated fields, go to Format > Calculated Fields. Click on add and enter your formula. Once you close the panel, your table is updated instantly with the new column.

Go to Format > Layout to change display characteristics of the fields, hide fields, or apply ranking or percentages.

Data markers provide a powerful way to add visual impact to the information displayed. You can apply background and font colors conditionally for any number of ranges. Go to Format > Data Markers to add high and low values for a specific field and define the colors you want to apply based on this range. Continue adding data markers until all the ranges are defined.

The result
Once you have defined the view, files, and fields, added calculations, data markers, and other layout changes to the table, you are ready to run the view.

While displaying table data, you can filter the results by using the drop-down menu for any field. When you identify the data to be filtered, the field is highlighted in the display to indicate that the data has been filtered.

One of the most powerful Client Table features is the ability to pivot (rearrange) data once it’s displayed. By moving fields in and out of the rows and columns, or swapping a row or column, data can be analyzed and displayed in many ways. And, because the data is local on your PC, this analysis happens almost instantly!

Another Client Table feature is the ability to drill from summary data into detailed records. Select the summary value you want to drill into by double-clicking its cell. A new window with the detail data displays.

Finally, you can decide which levels of data you want to show or hide, depending on the analysis you are trying to perform. Simply expand or collapse fields to create your custom view.

Summary
There are many advantages to using the Client Table feature. It offers dynamic pivoting and filtering capabilities that you don’t have with the Host Table feature. You can apply data markers, create calculated fields, and save the results as a special object that can be viewed without SEQUEL ViewPoint. You can take data with you, even when you are not connected to the network. You even can export your table to Excel for further flexibility. It’s time to take a closer look at the SEQUEL Client Table feature.

Contributed by Jill Martin, Technical Services Manager

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 24th, 2007 at 8:30 am and is filed under SEQUEL. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.