Intro To Dashboard
Intro To Dashboard
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Introduction to the Dashboard Course Contents
Contents
Introduction Epicor ERP Dashboards.....................................................................................5
Before You Begin....................................................................................................................6
Audience.........................................................................................................................................................6
Prerequisites....................................................................................................................................................6
Environment Setup..........................................................................................................................................6
Workshop Constraints..............................................................................................................................8
Overview.................................................................................................................................9
Authorization........................................................................................................................10
Dashboard Design................................................................................................................11
Standard Dashboards.....................................................................................................................................11
The Dashboard Program................................................................................................................................12
Dashboard Queries........................................................................................................................................13
Workshop - Attach the Initial Query........................................................................................................15
Grid Views.....................................................................................................................................................16
Workshop - Modify a Grid View..............................................................................................................17
Modify Display Columns..................................................................................................................17
Apply a Filter to the Grid.................................................................................................................18
Calculate the Amount Column Sum................................................................................................18
Group the Data by Fiscal Year and by Period....................................................................................19
Publish and Subscribe....................................................................................................................................20
Workshop - Attach a Second Query........................................................................................................21
Workshop - Use Publish and Subscribe Functionality...............................................................................22
Publish Columns..............................................................................................................................22
Apply Filter......................................................................................................................................22
Chart Views...................................................................................................................................................23
Workshop - Add a Chart View................................................................................................................23
Add New Chart...............................................................................................................................23
Adjust the Dashboard Display..........................................................................................................24
Change the Chart Type...................................................................................................................24
Additional Functionality.................................................................................................................................25
Tracker Views.........................................................................................................................................25
Workshop - Create a Tracker View...................................................................................................25
URL and XSLT Links.................................................................................................................................27
Workshop - Create a URL Link.........................................................................................................28
Workshop - Create an URL Query Phrase Subscriber........................................................................29
Publish the Part Number...........................................................................................................29
Create Part Images...................................................................................................................29
Subscribe to a Replacement Token...........................................................................................29
Test the MyParts URL Panel......................................................................................................30
Process Links...........................................................................................................................................31
This course provides an introduction to the dashboard - a personalized information and a command center.
You can create custom dashboards that display current information and the processes needed in to perform tasks
more efficiently. The data you choose to display is refreshed periodically. This information is always current, and
you can act on changes as they occur.
There are several standard dashboards included with the Epicor application for immediate use. This course,
however, covers how to modify existing dashboards and create customized dashboards that display information
you need.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand the general purpose and functionality of dashboards.
• Identify the authorization requirements to design and modify dashboards.
• List the key features of dashboards.
• Add queries and modify the information displayed on dashboards.
• Display query results through grid, chart, and tracker views.
• Modify query results in grid and chart views, apply rules to data, and use the publish and subscribe functionality.
• Add a URL to a dashboard.
• Use Query Phrase Subscribers.
• Add a process link to a dashboard.
• Create a customized tracker.
• Export and import dashboard definitions.
• Use dashboards.
• Build and deploy dashboards to the Main menu and to the Favorites bar.
Read this topic for information you should know in order to successfully complete this course.
Audience
Prerequisites
To complete the workshops in this course, the necessary modules must be licensed and operating in your training
environment. For more information on the modules available, contact your Epicor Customer Account Manager.
It is also important you understand the prerequisite knowledge contained in other valuable courses.
• Foundations Agenda Courses on Epicor Learning Center - These courses describe logging in to Epicor
ERP, using menus and toolbars, working with Tree view and sheets. They give you a quick overview how to
enter data in Epicor ERP, use searches to find data and work with grids. The courses in this agenda teach you
to personalize your application, print forms and reports and use trackers to view information.
Environment Setup
The environment setup steps and potential workshop constraints must be reviewed in order to successfully
complete the workshops in this course.
Your Epicor training environment, in which the Epicor demonstration database is found, enables you to experience
Epicor functionality in action but does not affect data in your live, production environment.
The following steps must be taken to successfully complete the workshops in this course.
1. Verify the following or ask your system administrator to verify for you:
• Your Epicor training icon (or web address if you are using Epicor Web Access) points to your
Epicor training environment with the Epicor demonstration database installed. Do not complete
the course workshops in your live, production environment.
Note It is recommended that multiple Epicor demonstration databases are installed. Contact
Support or Systems Consulting for billable assistance.
• The Epicor demonstration database is at the same version as the Epicor application. The
demonstration database is installed from the Epicor Administration Console using the "Add Demo
Database" command under Database Server. See Epicor ERP installation guides for details. If you are an
Epicor Cloud ERP customer (and have licensed embedded education), the demonstration database is
installed for you.
• Your system administrator restored (refreshed) the Epicor demonstration database prior to
starting this course. The Epicor demonstration database comes standard with parts, customers, sales
orders, and so on, already defined. If the Epicor demonstration database is shared with multiple users
(that is, the database is located on a server and users access the same data, much like your live, production
environment) and is not periodically refreshed, unexpected results can occur. For example, if a course
workshop requires you to ship a sales order that came standard in the Epicor demonstration database,
but a different user already completed this workshop and the Epicor demonstration database was not
restored (refreshed), then you will not be able to ship the sales order. If you are an Epicor Cloud ERP
customer see section below.
2. In the Current password field, enter the User ID of the user you are asked to log in as, for example,
'nancy'.
3. In the New password field, enter a new password, for example 'Train123'.
Important In Epicor ERP Cloud environment, the password must not contain user ID, must be
longer than 7 characters and include at least one uppercase letter.
5. Click OK. The Change Password window closes and you are logged on with the new user ID.
Note Record the new password. This is important as this will be the password everyone uses
when they log on with this User ID, until the database is refreshed.
3. From the Main menu, select the company Epicor Education (EPIC06).
Note If you need to work in a multi-company environment you will have to disable the Kinetic layout
for all the companies used in the course.
6. In the window that displays, in the Form To Use field, select Classic.
7. Select OK to confirm.
Note To refresh your Epicor training data, enter a support ticket in EpicCare and include your site ID.
Workshop Constraints
Overview
Dashboards are very flexible and powerful tools that provide easy access to critical information in a real-time
environment. Dashboards can often replace the need for workbenches, shop vision reports, ad hoc reports, and
even simple business intelligence reports.
Dashboards are developed to meet the needs of individual designers. Following are the main features:
• Customizable
• Standard and Custom Business Activity Query (BAQ) data sources
• Updatable and External Business Activity Query (BAQ) data sources
• Various BAQ data views, such as grids, charts, trackers, or SSRS Reports
• Component synchronization with Epicor application entry programs using publish and subscribe functionality
• Conditional formatting
• Copy and paste capabilities
• Dashboard definition import and export capabilities
• Technical and personal notes
• Process links
• Download and upload capabilities via SSRS Reports
• SSRS Report design using a dashboard
• URL/XSLT view
• Design environment
• Compilation of dashboard definition into assembly
• Web form generation
• Mobile Dashboards
• Main menu and Favorites bar deployment
Tip For more information on updatable and mobile dashboards, report views and links, publish views and
a dashboard deployment functionality, review Advanced Dashboards course.
Authorization
Use User Account Maintenance to enter basic information, security access, and application privileges for all
users. Anyone who accesses the Epicor application must be set up in this program.
Menu Path: System Setup > Security Maintenance > User Account Security Maintenance
Important User Account Maintenance is typically only accessible to system administrators. If you do not
have access to this program, contact your system administrator or IT personnel at your company for
assistance.
All users can access a dashboard once it is placed on the menu, but creating a new dashboard, or updating an
existing one, requires a security privilege.
To allow a user to work in the Designer Mode for dashboards, on the Options sheet, select the Dashboard
Developer check box.
Note When you provide a user with Dashboard Developer privileges, it becomes available in the Tools
menu in the Dashboard program. This allows a user to toggle the mode on and off as needed.
Dashboard Design
Before you create a dashboard, it is important to consider what information will be helpful to employees at your
organization. Initial questions may include:
• What is the appropriate format for this information?
• Should it be more graphical in nature?
• Should users be able to search for the data that displays in the dashboard?
• Is there an existing query you can use on the dashboard, or should you create a new one?
Once you obtain this information, begin the process of creating a customized dashboard.
Standard Dashboards
The Trackers folder of the Executive Analysis module contains many trackers and dashboards available in the
Epicor application.
To review features and functionality standards of the dashboards framework, review existing application trackers
and dashboards. Examples include the Cash Receipt Tracker, Customer Shipment Tracker, and Payment Tracker.
There are aspects of the dashboard interface inherent to all dashboards.
Tree View
The dashboard's tree view displays all items that make up the dashboard, such as queries, grids, charts, trackers,
URL links, processes or reports.
Right-Click Functionality
Right-click each item in both the dashboard tree view and the display area to bring up context menus. Each menu
specifically relates to the selected item. Use the context menus to create new queries, launch a linked process,
or open a properties window.
Example You want to review the current information entered for Dalton Manufacturing in the Cash
Receipt Tracker. Right-click the Cust. ID field that displays the DALTON identifier to invoke the context
menu. Select Open With... and select Customer Entry.
As a result, Customer Maintenance launches, allowing you to edit Dalton Manufacturing's customer
information as needed.
Refresh Button
Each query has a specific refresh interval. This causes the data in each query to refresh automatically, at a specified
interval. You can manually click the Refresh button on the Standard toolbar. This updates the queries and web
pages that display on the dashboard with the latest information.
Use the Dashboard program to create and update dashboards in the Epicor application.
When you launch this program, the General sheet displays the blank slate to begin the design process. There is
a tree view on the left and a contents pane on the right. When Dashboard Developer privileges are granted for
the user, the program automatically displays in Developer mode.
Tip From the Tools menu, select the Developer option to toggle Developer mode on and off. Notice
when the Developer mode is off, both the tree view and the New button on the toolbar disappear.
Use the Dashboard sheet to review the dashboard as an end user; this sheet is available to all users with no
security restrictions.
Dashboard Queries
The first step when you design a dashboard is to add a query to the dashboard. Business Activity Queries (BAQs)
are created in Business Activity Query Designer and summarize specific data from a table, or multiple tables, in
the database.
First, search for the query and then decide which fields should display, or publish, within the display area. You
can use the dashboard to filter out unwanted data.
To add a query to a dashboard, click New > New Query. Enter the query ID or search for an existing query.
Many of the parameters in the Dashboard Query Properties window are also available at the grid level.
Note All queries that begin with the letter z are standard Epicor application queries included in the
application.
It is important to understand that once you add a query to a dashboard, all related views, such as grids or charts,
are based on the parameters established in the Dashboard Query Properties window. Any filter applied at the
query level is applied to all the grids and charts that use that query to display information.
There is also a Dashboard Grid Properties window where you can apply filters to a specific grid view of the
data. Depending on what information you want to display, it may be better to apply filters at the grid level as
opposed to the query level. This is useful when you want to display groups of information such as sales grouped
by territory or customer groups.
Following are the sheets found within the Dashboard Query Properties window:
General Sheet
Use the General sheet to enter the caption that displays on the query's title bar. The caption defaults from the
description of the query itself, but you can override it. You can also enter the refresh interval for the data.
The following are the fields found on the General sheet:
• Caption - This field defaults from the description of the query, but you can override it.
• Auto Refresh on Load - This option refreshes the data when you initially launch the dashboard. This eliminates
the need to click the Refresh button manually on the Standard toolbar.
• Refresh Interval - Use this field to indicate a data update span. Enter this value in minutes.
Example For a 90-second interval, enter 1.5, or one-and-a-half minutes. A negative one (-1) indicates
there is no automatic refresh. In this case, you must refresh the data manually using the Refresh or
Refresh All buttons on the Standard toolbar.
Publish Sheet
Use the Publish sheet to select which columns from the query display or publish on the dashboard. You can use
the information published out from one query to display on the title bar, as well as for subscription by another
query.
The columns that display in the Publish Columns list include all the fields built into the query when it was created.
Select the check boxes next to the fields you want to publish on the dashboard.
You can use the Publish to Title check box to publish specific data to the title bar of the dashboard.
Example In the Customer Tracker, the customer name displays in the title bar of the dashboard.
Note When you publish information from a query, the Query icon in the tree view of the dashboard
displays an additional icon (a satellite dish with an arrow pointing out) next to it.
You can use the Call Context Subscriber section fields in conjunction with Business Process Management (BPM)
functionality. Use these fields to publish values from the dashboard to a Business Process Management (BPM)
Updatable BAQ Directive. For more information, review Business Process Management topics within Application
Help.
Filter Sheet
Use the Filter sheet to apply filters to the data retrieved when the query is executed on the dashboard. Apply
these filters in addition to any filter criteria that you can apply at the query level itself.
Example You may only want to retrieve invoice information for customers in the state of Minnesota or
only want invoices that are not credit memos (invoice amounts greater than or equal to zero).
Pull in a custom or application Business Activity Query (BAQ) to populate the dashboard with the information
you need. You can modify the query's caption to a more appropriate query label.
Navigate to the Dashboard.
Menu Path: Executive Analysis > Business Activity Management > General Operations > Dashboard
Important This program is not available in Classic Web Access.
If you are not in Developer Mode, from the Tools menu, select Developer to enable this functionality.
2. On the General sheet, in the Definition ID field, enter XXXInvTracker (where XXX are your initials).
This value is the dashboard key identifier, it is used internally by the Epicor ERP application.
3. In the Caption field, enter the same value - XXXInvTracker (where XXX are your initials).
The value you enter in this field displays as:
• Name of the dashboard menu item deployed to the Main Menu and the Favorites list.
• Dashboard tile caption for mobile dashboards
4. In the Description field, enter XXX New Invoice Tracker (where XXX are your initials).
6. In the Query ID field, search for and select ARInvTracker and click OK.
This is a custom BAQ created in the Demonstration Database for the purposes of this course.
Tip
The process of creating BAQs is outside the scope of this course. To learn how to design a BAQ, review
the Business Activity Queries course.
8. Navigate to the XXX New Invoice Tracker (where XXX are your initials) sheet.
9. On the Standard toolbar, click Refresh to execute the query and retrieve the data.
Verify data displays in the grid and remain in the Dashboard for future workshops.
Grid Views
Use the New Grid View functionality to create a different grid view from a selected query.
Following are the key fields and sheets found within the Dashboard Grid Properties window:
General Sheet
Use the General sheet to identify which columns to display in the grid.
The following fields are found withing the General sheet:
• Caption - Similar to the Caption field in the Dashboard Query Properties window, this field is one level down
and displays as a heading for the view itself.
Example In the previous workshop example, the Dashboard Caption is XXX New Invoice Tracker
and the Query Caption is AR Invoice Tracker. In the following workshop, you will name the Grid
Caption as Open Invoice Header.
• Grid Caption - This field displays as a description in the grid's title bar. If the description is left blank, the
Caption displays in the grid's title bar.
• Show Group By - You can group a grid or tracker's data together through specific columns you select. To
activate this functionality, either select this check box on the General sheet, or right-click a tracker or grid and
select Show Group By.
If you enable this function, the Drag a column header here to group by that column box displays in the
title bar. The text instructs you to drag a column header into the title box.
To group data using additional levels, continue to click and drag additional column headers onto the box.
Each column you group by displays below the previous column. The data is then further grouped by each
selected group by column.
• Show Summaries - You can activate summaries on all value columns that display on the grid. To activate
this functionality, either select this check box on the General sheet, or right-click a tracker or grid and select
Show Summaries.
Once you enable this functionality, all value columns display a Sigma (∑) character.
To select the desired summarizing option, click the Sigma (∑) character, and from the Select Summaries
window, select one of the following options:
• Average
• Count
• Maximum
• Minimum
• Sum
Note You can select one or more of the above options.
Filter Sheet
Use the Filter sheet to apply a data filter at the grid level.
Example In the Customer Tracker, there is the Quote sheet, with additional sheets for Active, Expired,
and All Quotes. These sheets are actually grid views with filters applied to display the different groups of
data.
View Rules
Use the View Rules sheet to define how data displays within a grid.
The View Rules section allows you to select the field affected by the rule and the condition through which the
rule activates. The Rule Actions defines how the selected field displays within the grid view.
Example You can use conditions and actions to graphically indicate any data changes within a grid.
Image Columns
Use the Image Column sheet to add image columns to the current grid. You can then create row rules that
define when other images display in this column. You can set up a column not to have a default image. This
allows you to populate a column with image when specific rule conditions are met, using the View Rules sheet.
Example All image columns display at the bottom of the Select Field list on the View Rules sheet. Next,
define the caption you want to display above the new image column. This is the text that displays in the
column header. Finally, select an image from the Image Name list or select None. This is the default image
that displays if no other rules are applied against the image column. This allows you to create row rules to
display any specific images you want in this column.
Customize dashboard grid views to display the information you need. You can adjust, summarize, and group
columns; apply filters to data, and save layouts for future use.
1. In the tree view, right-click the ARInvTracker: Summary grid icon and select Properties.
The Dashboard Grid Properties window displays.
2. On the General sheet, in the Caption and Grid Caption fields, enter Open Invoice Header.
• Customer_CustID
• Customer_Name
• InvcHead_DocInvoiceAmt
• InvcHead_DocInvoiceBal
• InvcHead_FiscalPeriod
• InvcHead_FiscalYear
1. In the tree view, right-click the Open Invoice Header grid icon and select Properties.
The Dashboard Grid Properties window displays.
1. In the Open Invoice Header grid, in the Amount column heading, click the ∑ (Sigma) icon.
The Select Summaries window displays.
2. In the Select Summaries window, select the Sum check box and click OK.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the grid to review the results and view the Amount column's sum total.
This is the total value of all open invoices.
1. Drag the Fiscal Year column header up to the header area. When the arrows display, release it.
Notice the changes to the grid.
2. Click the + (plus sign) next to the first Fiscal Year entry to expand the grouped data and view details.
3. Drag the Period column header from the first group up to the header area. When the arrows display, release
it to the right of the Fiscal Year column header.
Notice the data is now sorted first by Fiscal Year and then by Period.
4. Click the + (plus sign) next to the first Fiscal Year and Period entry to expand the grouped data and view
details.
5. Right-click anywhere in the grid and select Show Group By to disable the group by functionality.
The grid again displays ungrouped data.
6. From the Tools menu, select Layouts > Save Layouts as Default to save the grid layout.
Use the unique dashboard framework to publish data from one query and subscribe to another. This enables
related information to display when a specific record is selected in the dashboard.
Example When a particular customer is selected in the Customer Tracker, the Customer ID is published
from one query, and every other query on the dashboard, such as Quotes, Orders, Shipments, and Invoices,
subscribes to that Customer ID. This means that all queries display related records for the selected customer.
Publish
Information published from one query displays on the title bar, as well as for subscription by another query. To
publish the information, in the tree view, right-click the query icon and select Properties. In the Dashboard
Query Properties window, on the Publish sheet, select the information to publish for both the title bar and
the subscription.
Subscribe
To subscribe to published data, in the tree view, right-click a query or a grid icon and select Properties. Navigate
to the Filter sheet and set up a filter that only displays data in a particular field when it equals the value of the
data published.
Example When a customer is selected in the Customer Tracker, the Customer ID is published out of
one query. All other queries on the dashboard have filters to only display data for the selected customer
ID.
Add a second query to the dashboard. Use this query to filter information displayed using the publish and subscribe
functionality.
2. In the Query ID field, search for and select the ARInvLn01 query and click OK.
3. On the Standard toolbar, click the Refresh icon to execute the query and retrieve the data.
4. In the tree view, right-click the ARInvLn01:Summary grid icon and select Properties.
The Dashboard Grid Properties window displays.
5. On the General sheet, in the Caption field, delete the content and enter Invoice Detail.
This is the name of the grid that will display in the tree view.
8. In the Dashboard Grid Properties window, click OK and view the results.
Notice the information presented in both grids is not yet synchronized.
9. Click Save.
Remain in the dashboard for future workshops.
The publish and subscribe functionality allows you to view related information for a particular record all in one
window.
Publish Columns
1. In the tree view, right-click the ARInvTracker query icon and select Properties.
The Dashboard Query Properties window displays.
3. In the Publish Columns section, select the InvcHead_InvoiceNum and Customer_Name check boxes.
These two fields will be published from the query.
5. Under the Publish to Title check box, in the first field, select Customer_Name.
This field displays in the title bar of the dashboard.
7. In the Dashboard Query Properties window, click OK and view the results in the dashboard.
Note The customer name of the invoice selected should display on the title bar. As you select invoices
from different customers on the Open Invoice Header grid, the customer name changes on the title
bar.
Apply Filter
1. In the tree view, right-click the Invoice Detail grid icon and select Properties.
The Dashboard Grid Properties window displays.
7. Select different invoices on the Open Invoice Header grid and view the results on the Invoice Detail grid.
Chart Views
Use the New Chart View functionality to create a chart from the data within the selected query.
General Sheet
Use the General sheet to set up chart definitions. The following are the availabe axes you can set up for the
chart view:
• Chart By (X axis) - This defines the chart's horizontal axis.
• Chart On (Y axis) - This defines the chart's vertical axis.
• Group By (Z axis) - This indicates which columns are available for grouping the data. Use this feature to
group all the records in a grid by a specific column.
Filter Sheet
Use the Filter sheet to apply a filter at the chart level to display specific information.
Example Apply a filter to the chart view to only display sales for the current or previous year. In this
situation, the chart must be labeled appropriately.
Colors Sheet
Use the Colors sheet to define a Color Model for the chart view. The following are the four available Color
Models:
• Linear Random
• Linear Range
• Pure Random
• Wireframe
When you select the Grey Scale check box, colors will display in shades of gray.
1. In the tree view, right-click the ARInvTracker query icon and select New Chart View.
2. In the Caption field, delete the content and enter Graph – Annual Sales.
5. In the Chart On: (Y axis) field, select the Amount check box.
8. In the Start Color and End Color fields, enter colors of your choice.
1. Drag the Graph - Annual Sales sheet up towards the AR Invoice Tracker query caption, until the gray
outline displays a tab on the top.
3. Notice the AR Invoice Tracker panel now contains two sheets: ARInvTracker: Summary and Graph -
Annual Sales.
2. On the left side of the chart, hover the mouse over the Settings sheet.
6. Press the Alt key and left-click and move the mouse to change the angle of the graph.
Additional Functionality
There are additional views and links you can add to further customize a dashboard and to increase its usability.
Tracker views increase dashboard search functionality, whereas URL, XSLT, and Process Links allow you to quickly
access other web pages, style sheets, and programs. You can also export and import dashboard definitions.
Tracker Views
Use the New Tracker View functionality to create a tracker from a selected query.
Example The Customer Tracker contains an Advanced Search sheet, which is a Tracker view on the
dashboard. This sheet contains several fields where you can enter your search criteria. These fields include
Customer ID, Name, Territory, Customer Type, and Address fields such as City, State, and Zip. Use this
sheet to find the information you need without having to search through all the records in the dashboard.
Use the Caption field to enter the name of the Tracker view that displays in the tree view.
Use the Publish View check box to publish the Tracker view from the dashboard. You can then add this view
to a different dashboard. To learn more about this functionality, review Advanced Dasboards course.
The following sheets are found within the Dashboard Tracker View Properties window:
General Sheet
Use the General sheet to identify the fields you want to display in the Tracker view. It also contains options to
enable the fields for input, define the related condition for the user input, embed a grid view, show group by,
and show summaries.
Filter Sheet
Use the Filter sheet to apply a filter at the Tracker level to display specific information.
1. In the tree view, right-click the ArInvTracker query icon and select New Tracker View.
The Dashboard Tracker View Properties window displays.
2. In the Caption field, delete the content and enter Advanced Search.
9. Click the Up Arrow button (to the right of the scroll bar) to reposition the Customer ID field to the top of
the list.
12. Click the Up Arrow button (to the right of the scroll bar) to reposition the Customer Name field to just
below the Customer ID field.
16. Navigate to the Advanced Search sheet and on the Standard toolbar, click Clear.
20. Navigate to the Advanced Search sheet and on the Standard toolbar, click Clear.
Remain in the dashboard for future workshops.
Use the New URL/XSLT View option to display either a website using a URL address or data using an XSLT
Stylesheet on your dashboard. When you use this functionality, enter a web address or define a network path
to an XSLT file.
The following fields are found on the Dashboard URL/XSLT Properties window:
• Caption - This is the name that displays on the web page's title bar.
• URL/XSLT Address - This is the web address for the website or the network directory path to the XSLT
stylesheet.
Example www.epicor.com or \\EpicorERPSServerName\Foldername\filename.xslt.
• Publisher - Select the field to link to this URL. Use this field to subscribe to a published web address.
• Query Phrase Subscribers - Use this section to set a publisher to a specific replacement token on a URL
phrase.
Website Features
When you enter a web address, the Epicor application passes the URL to Microsoft® Internet Explorer®, allowing
you to use the typical Internet options for the web pages.
You can also set up this feature to update the URL based on a website address included in the selected query.
As you select a different record in a query, the URL also updates with the web address listed with this record. To
do this, define a value within the Publisher list.
Example Through the Dashboard, view the current sales orders linked to each customer. You also create
a URL tab and link the URL to the field within each customer record. As you select different customer
records in the query, the URL automatically displays each customer's website.
Note To ensure the web page displays current information, occasionally click the Refresh button on the
Standard toolbar.
Field Data
Caption Epicor Website
URL/XSLT Address www.epicor.com
Publisher Leave this field blank
4. On the Epicor Website sheet, click Refresh to refresh the web site.
5. Move the Epicor Website sheet to the top of the window next to the AR Invoice Tracker by dragging
the URL sheet up until the gray outline displays with a tab on the bottom. Release the URL sheet when the
tab displays.
Remain in the dashboard for the next workshop.
In this workshop, publish a part number field from the invoice tracker query. Use the Dashboard URL/XSLT
Properties window to set a published part number to a specific replacement token. The token creates a reference
to a selected part picture and displays it within the URL panel. In this workshop, create two part images to
demonstrate the displaying images process. In the real environment, you can create images for all part pictures
that exist in a database and display them within dashboards using the same process.
1. In the tree view, right-click the ArInvLn01 query icon and select Properties.
The Dashboard Query Properties windows displays.
4. Click OK.
The part number field is now published from the query.
3. Save the pictures in the folder on your local machine, for example, on your desktop.
You can name the folder PartPictures, for example.
3. Next to the URL/XSLT Address field, click the Browse (...) button.
The Open window displays.
5. Click Open.
Example The following displays the URL/XSLT Address to an image saved on your desktop in the
folder named PartPictures.
C:\Users\<UserName>\Desktop\PartPictures\DCD-200-ML.bmp
6. In the URL/XSLT Address field, replace the image name with [MyParts].
The part name is replaced with token and the URL/XSLT Address field now displays the following path:
Example
C:\Users\<UserName>\Desktop\PartPictures\[MyParts].bmp
1. In the dashboard, navigate to the AR Invoice Tracker > Open Invoice Header sheet.
4. In the Invoice Detail grid below, select the part and view the MyParts URL panel that displays the respective
part image.
Process Links
To further streamline your use of the Epicor application, use the dashboard to create a direct link to a process
you commonly use. Once the process is linked to the Dashboard, you can launch it from the Dashboard tree
view.
Important You must have security access to the programs in the application to launch them from the
dashboard.
In this workshop, use the dashboard to create a direct link to a commonly used process.
4. In the Search Results grid, select Customer (OMMT1110) and click OK.
5. Click the Test button to verify you can access the program.
The Customer Maintenance form displays.
You can copy and paste data displayed in the grid directly to Microsoft® Excel® for a further analysis.
To copy data, right-click anywhere in the grid and select one of the following options:
• Copy All - Use this option to copy all data that display in the grid, without column labels.
• Copy All Include labels - Use this option to copy all data that display in the grid, including column labels.
• Copy To Excel - If Microsoft Excel is installed on your machine, you can use this option to automatically
launch Microsoft Excel and copy all data from the grid into a spreadsheet. If you apply any Group By settings
in the grid, these will be retained in the spreadsheet. This functionality is available on all grids except in
Dashboard runtime.
• Copy Selection - Use this option to copy specific rows that display in the grid, without column labels.
• Copy Selection Include labels - Use this option to copy specific rows that display in the grid, including
column labels.
Copy data that display in the Open Invoice Header grid and paste them to Microsoft Excel.
2. Right-click anywhere in the Open Invoice Header grid and select Copy All Include Labels.
Use the Dashboard’s Import/Export functionality to make your dashboard definitions available to users at another
location. When you export this definition as a .dbd file, users that are outside your network can then import this
dashboard definition onto their client machines, using your dashboard as a base for their own configurations.
You can also use this functionality to archive your dashboard. This allows you to save older versions of your
dashboard that, if needed, you can import back into your Epicor application at a later date.
Note You should always export a dashboard definition before you make major changes. If something
goes wrong during your changes, you can restore your dashboard to its original working configuration.
Export
To export a dashboard, from the File menu, select the Export Dashboard Definition option. When you export
a dashboard, the definition is saved as a .dbd file. You can also export both a dashboard definition and the
Business Activity Queries (BAQs) it contains. This gives other users access to the BAQs the dashboard uses. To do
this, from the File menu, select the Export Dashboard and BAQs option.
Import
To import a dashboard, from the File menu, select the Import Dashboard Definition option. Importing a
dashboard definition brings the dashboard definition, (optionally with any queries used, into the dashboard.
After you design a dashboard, you must build and deploy it so other users can access it. Use the Tools > Deploy
Dashboard option to compile the dashboard definition into a classic or Kinetic user interface (UI) finished assembly
and then deploy it to the server.
When the dashboard definition is compiled, deploy it to the main menu and the Favorites bar so all users can
access it.
Tip For the details on Kinetic applications, refer to the new Kinetic Help.
In this workshop, build and deploy the dashboard as the UI application and make it available to all users.
3. On the Standard toolbar, click Refresh and verify the dashboard is functional.
5. In the Deploy Dashboard window, select the Deploy Smart Client Application.
The remaining options include the options you can use when running the Epicor ERP using the Classic Style:
• Add Menu Tab - this option adds the dashboard as a separate tab on the Main Menu.
• Add Favorite item - adds the dashboard as an option on the Favorites menu.
For this workshop, you only select the Deploy Smart Client Application to build the dashboard as a finished
assembly you will place on the menu.
7. Once the process is complete and the status pane displays Finished, click OK.
Menu Path: System Setup > System Maintenance > Menu Maintenance
Important This program is not available in Classic Web Access.
4. For the Menu ID, enter XXX (where XXX are your initials).
5. In the Name field, enter XXX Invoice Tracker Dashboard (where XXX are your initials).
6. In the Order Sequence field, enter 190 to position the new menu item at the end of the menu items.
Tip
If the sequence number is already used, try another one.
9. Click the list in the Dashboard field and select the record for XXX New Invoice Tracker (where XXX are
your initials).
In this workshop task, you test, generate and deploy the dashboard you created as a Kinetic application.
1. Navigate to Dashboard.
Menu Path: Executive Analysis > Business Activity Management > General Operations > Dashboard
Important This program is not available in Classic Web Access.
2. In the Definition ID field, enter XXXInvTracker (where XXX are your initials) to select the dashboard you
created earlier.
3. Select Refresh.
4. Select Save.
7. Test the dashboard to make sure it loads the information you need and displays it in the format you want,
and then exit the dashboard.
You return to the Deploy Dashboard window.
9. Select Deploy.
This generates the Kinetic dashboard file and uploads it to a folder to the following directory:
Server/Apps/MetaUI. The name of the folder is the name of the generated Kinetic dashboard program,
you can review it in the field at the bottom of the Deploy Dashboard window. In this workshop, the name
will be as follows: Ice.UIDbd.XXXInvTracker, where XXX are your initials. Note the name as you will need
it in the next workshop. Now you are ready to add the Kinetic dashboard to the main menu.
In this workshop, add the Kinetic dashboard as a menu item to make it available for other users within your
company.
2. In the tree view, select the Financial Management > Accounts Receivable > General Operations folder
and expand it (this will be the folder where the application will place the new item), and then select New
Menu.
Make sure a blank menu item appears as the first one in the General Operations folder.
3. In the Menu ID field, enter UD_XXX, where XXX are your initials.
5. In the Name field, enter XXX Invoice Tracker Kinetic Dashboard, where XXX are your initials. It will
display as the name of your Kinetic dashboard in the main menu.
6. In the Order Sequence field, enter 191 to position the new menu item at the end of all the other menu
items in this folder.
Tip If this sequence number is already used, try another one.
8. From the Program drop-down list, select the Ice.UIDbd.XXXInvTracker program (where XXX are your
initials) that was generated in the previous workshop.
Note The URL field fills in with the Kinetic dashboard URL:
/metafx/#/view/Ice.UIDbd.XXXInvTracker, where XXX are your initials.
9. Select Save and restart the Epicor ERP application. You can now launch your custom Kinetic dashboard
from the Financial Management > Accounts Receivable > General Operations folder in the main
menu, it is now available to all users within your company.
Conclusion