Creating PeopleSoft Reports Using XML Publisher

Purpose

This tutorial covers the fundamental features of XML Publisher when it is integrated with Oracle PeopleSoft. You learn how to create templates and reports as well as how to publish your reports.

Time to Complete

Approximately one hour

Topics

This tutorial covers the following topics:

	Overview
	Scenario
	Prerequisites
	Install Oracle XML Publisher Desktop
	Modify an Existing Query
	Create and Register a Data Source
	Create an RTF Template
	Load XML Data in a Word Template
	Create a Pie Chart and a Bar Chart
	Create a Table
	Define a New Report
	Run and View the XML Publisher Report
	Summary

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Overview

XML Publisher is now also called "Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher" (BI Publisher). It is a template-based reporting tool that leverages standard technologies for data extraction and display. XML Publisher segregates the Data Logic from the Presentation Layout during development of the reports and combines them at run time. As a result, although a technical consultant might independently design generalized data extraction logic (using Application Engines/PeopleCode or PSQuery), a functional consultant or end user can design the Presentation using common desktop tools such as Microsoft Word based on the data source created by the technical consultant. Because queries can also be used as a data source, XML Publisher extends the flexibility of the tool essentially to the same people who need to view the reports (end users). This means that end users with minimal training are able to design templates and reports based on generally designed data sources, thus greatly reducing the cost of ownership.

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Scenario

The report that you build in this tutorial is a PeopleSoft query that shows the annual rate of salary for three departments: ADMIN, ADMISSION, and ALL_DEPTS. This data is only for the demonstration purposes of this tutorial. You build two charts and then a table. If you want, you can skip creation of the charts and create only the table.

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Prerequisites

To complete this tutorial, you should have:

1.	PeopleTools 8.48 running
2.	Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.4. and Microsof .Net 2.0
3.	Microsoft Word 2000 (or later versions)
	Note: Screen captures for this tutorial were taken in a Windows XP environment. Start menu options may thus vary slightly.

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Install Oracle XML Publisher Desktop

The XML Publisher Desktop/Template Builder is shipped with PeopleTools 8.48. You can also download the software from the PeopleSoft XML Publisher page.

1.	From the left navigation bar in PeopleSoft Applications, select XML Publisher> Setup > Design Helper to download the Template Builder.
2.	Download the Template Builder by clicking the Plug-in link. You can save the download anywhere (for example, in c:\temp).
3.	After the download is complete, install XML Publisher Desktop. Open File Explorer and navigate to the download directory (for example, c:\temp). The following example shows the expanded files under c:\temp\xmlp_desktop. Double-click setup.exe to start the installation process. A set of installation wizard pages guide you through the installation process.
4.	Select English, and then click Next.
5.	Ensure that no previous version of XML Publisher Desktop is installed. Click Next.
6.	The XML Publisher Desktop requires the installation of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 1.4 (or later versions). Enter the location for Java Runtime Environment and click Next.
7.	Deselect Open the Word Template Builder Tutorial file and click Next. Enter the name of the folder where you will install XML Publisher Desktop and click Next.
8.	Click Install for the installation to start.
9.	When the installation is complete, click Finish.
10.	After XML Publisher Desktop is installed, open Microsoft Word. Notice a menu item named Template Builder in the menu bar and a new toolbar.

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Modify an Existing Query

Initially you modify an existing query, PERSONAL_DATA_PAY, and apply criteria on department id to reduce the volume of data. To modify the query, perform the following steps:

1.	Log in to your PeopleSoft Application. Then, from the left menu, select Reporting Tools > Query > Query Manager. Enter PERSONAL_DATA_PAY in the begins with field. The query PERSONAL_DATA_PAY will return.
2.	To modify the query, click the Edit link under the Edit column. All the fields in the query are displayed.
3.	Because the filter will be on DeptID, click the filter icon on DeptID.
4.	On the Edit Criteria Properties page, select in list from the Condition Type drop-down list.
5.	Click the search icon for List Members in the Edit List box.
6.	Enter ADMIN and click Add Value.
7.	Similarly, add the departments ADMISSION and ALL DEPTS. When all the departments are entered for the criteria, click OK.
8.	On the Edit Criteria Properties page, click OK.
9.	Click the Run tab and run the report. Make sure only three departments (ADMIN, ADMISSION, and ALL DEPTS) are returned. The query should return only 30 rows.

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Create and Register a Data Source

Before you create any report, you must create and register a data source. User queries are data sources that the application uses to retrieve data for an XML Publisher report. XML Publisher supports PS Query, rowsets, XML files, and various other types of data sources. In this tutorial, the query you just modified will be your data source.

1.	Log in to your PeopleSoft Application. Then, in the left navigation bar, expand Reporting Tools > XML Publisher > Data Source.
2.	Because you will use a PS query, click Add a New Value. Select PS Query as the Data Source type and click the Look Up Query search icon for Data Source ID.
3.	Enter P in the begins with field and click the Lookup button.
4.	Scroll down and click PERSONAL_DATA_PAY.
5.	Click the Add button on the Data Source page.
6.	On the Data Source page, in the Data Source Properties section, enter the Description as Departmental Annual Salary. Click Generate under the Generate File column for Sample Data File.
7.	After the data source is generated, an XML file for PERSONAL_DATA_PAY is created. Click the Save button.

8.	Click the PERSONAL_DATA_PAY.XML file. The browser appears and displays the XML data in the file. Save the XML file in the C:\temp folder.

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Create an RTF Template

You use a Microsoft Word plug-in to build an RTF template. You use a preexisting RTF template file named Personal_Data_Pay.rtf. Download the template from here and save the RTF file under c:\temp.

	Load XML Data in a Word Template
	Create a Pie Chart and a Bar Chart
	Create a Table

Load XML Data in a Word Template

You open a base template and load the XML data. To load the XML data, perform the following steps:

1.	Open the file named Personal_Data_Pay.rtf in Microsoft Word
2.	Click Data and select Load XML Data.
3.	In the Please select XML data dialog box, select the PERSONAL_DATA_PAY.xml file and click Open.
4.	When the "Data loaded successfully" message appears, click OK.

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Create a Pie Chart and a Bar Chart

If you do not want to create a pie chart or a bar chart, skip this section.

To create a pie chart and a bar chart, perform the following steps:

1.	From the first cell in the table, delete the text <insert a pie chart here>. From the menu, select Insert > Chart.
2.	In the Chart window, select Row and enter the details as shown below.
3.	Click OK. Resize the pie chart to fit within the width of the cell.
4.	Similarly insert a bar chart. Delete the text <insert a vertical bar chart here>. Select Insert>Chart from the menu. In the Chart window, select Row and enter the details as shown.
5.	Click OK. Resize the bar chart.
6.	Save the template and preview in PDF format. Click Preview and select PDF from the drop-down list.

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Create a Table

You create a tabular report for which you have already loaded the data. To create a table, perform the following steps:

1.	Move the cursor below the table for the charts, add some blank lines, and insert a new table. Click Insert and select Table/Form.. from the drop-down list.
2.	The Insert Table/Form window appears. Select Row from the Data Source list on the left.
3.	Drag Row from the left to the Template column and select Drop all Nodes.
4.	Delete the following fields by selecting the field and clicking the delete button: @rownumber Position Nbr Acct Cd Monthly Rt Hourly Rt As a result, you should have four fields.
5.	Provide grouping details. Select Row in the template column and, from the properties window, select DEPTID from the drop-down list for the Grouping property.
6.	Click OK. You are returned to Word. Resize the table to match the image below by dragging the sizing handles for the columns.
7.	Use Word features and select the G DEPTID field and cut and paste above the table.
8.	Select the inner table and the control character E (as shown).
9.	Cut and paste the selected area a few lines below the outer table.
10.	Delete the outer table. Select the outer table and, from the menu, select Table > Delete > Table.
11.	Enter a new row at the end of the table to display the department average annual rate. Place the cursor inside the row of the table and, from the menu, select Table > Insert > Rows Below. Enter Average Rate for the first column in the new row.
12.	Change the column headings as shown.
13.	Add a department average rate field to the last row in the Annual Salary Rate column. Click anywhere in the empty Annual Salary Rate column of the Total row to position your cursor. Select Insert > Field.
14.	In the Field window, select Annual Rt and average for Calculation. Select the On Grouping check box. Click Insert and then click Close.
15.	Your table should look like the image below:
16.	Change the format of the column data for Annual Salary Rate. Double click ANNUAL_RT. The Text Form Field Options window appears. Change Type to Number. Select the Number format $#,##0.00 and edit it as shown. Enter $999 in the Default number field. Click OK.
17.	Similarly change the format for average ANNUAL_RT.
18.	Save the template and preview in PDF format. Select Preview > PDF. The preview report displays dummy data. You can add other Word features to the template.

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Define a Report

You now define a report with the RTF template that you created. To define the report, perform the following steps:

1.	Select XML Publisher > Report Definition.
2.	On the Report Definition page, click Add a New Value. Enter the report name PERSONAL_PAY.
3.	For Data Source ID, click the Look up Datasource icon.
4.	Enter P in the begins with field and click the Lookup button.
5.	From the list, select PERSONAL_DATA_PAY as the data source. Click the Add button.
6.	On the Definition tab, enter a description for the report. Select Active as the Report Status.
7.	Click the lookup icon for Report Category ID.
8.	Select the ALLUSER category.
9.	On the Template tab, upload the RTF template. Set the template Status to Active.
10.	Click the Upload button. Browse for the Personal_Data_Pay.rtf template and click Upload.
11.	On the Output tab, select PDF as the default output. Click Save. You can now view the report in the Report Viewer.

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Run and View the XML Publisher Report

1.	From the left navigation bar in PeopleSoft Applications, select Reporting Tools > XML Publisher > Query Report Viewer.
2.	On the Query Report Viewer page, click the Search button.
3.	From the list of reports, select PERSONAL_PAY and then click View Report.
4.	While the report is being processed, the word Processing appears at the top. After processing is complete, a three-page PDF report is displayed with charts and a table. Congratulations! You just created a report in PeopleSoft Applications using XML Publisher!

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Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to:

	Install Oracle XML Publisher Desktop
	Modify an existing query
	Create and register a data source
	Create an RTF template
	Define a new report
	Run and view the XMLP report

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Related Information

In this tutorial, you learned how to create reports using XML Publisher in a PeopleSoft environment. XML Publisher is also available as a stand-alone product known as "Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher" (BI Publisher). BI Publisher has easy-to-use wizards and additional features that enable access to a wider range of data sources, such as relational databases that provide JDBC connections, XML feeds via HTTP, and Web services. BI Publisher speeds up template creation and report definition, and it provides a greater variety of template types and output formats (you can create templates using Excel to create Excel worksheets or Adobe Flex to create Flash output). To learn more about Oracle BI Publisher, choose several other OTN tutorials here.

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