1. Developing Integrated Spreadsheets Using Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel
  2. Use Multiple Layouts for Multi-level Business Objects
  3. Create a Set of Dependent Layouts

Create a Set of Dependent Layouts

Create a set of dependent layouts for a hierarchy of business objects and link the layouts together.

Note:

Before you create a set of dependent layouts, ensure your REST service meets the requirements as set out in Requirements for Dependent Layouts.

To create a set of dependent layouts, run the New Layout Setup wizard on the first worksheet and select the parent and child business objects you want to include. If you choose to create a Form-over-Table layout as the primary layout, you'll need to indicate which child business object you want to use for table part of the layout. When you finish, Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel creates a new worksheet with a Table layout for each additional descendant business object in your hierarchy.

When you have created your layouts, you can configure appropriate queries to limit the number of rows to display in your layouts.

If you create a set of layouts but later decide you want to add another descendant business object, simply create a Table layout for the descendant business object and then link the new dependent layout to its immediate parent layout. See Add a Layout to a Set of Dependent Layouts.

When you create a dependent layout, you can choose to include columns from the parent or higher layout to help your business users track which child rows are associated with which higher-level rows. See Add Columns from the Parent Layout to Support Row Creation.

To enable the creation of items in a Table layout, you may need to add one or more columns to the layout from the layout's immediate parent. Including parent columns in the layout allows your business users to specify a unique parent for any new rows they create.

Let's use the example in this section to create a hierarchy of dependent layouts that mirrors your business object hierarchy.

The primary layout in a set of dependent layouts can be a Form-over-Table layout or a Table layout. This topic covers how to create a set of dependent layouts that uses a Form-over-Table as the primary layout, but the principle is the same for using a Table layout as the primary layout.

To create a set of dependent layouts:

  1. Select the cell in a blank worksheet where you want to locate the primary layout.
  2. In the Oracle Visual Builder tab, click Designer to launch the New Layout Setup wizard.
  3. When prompted, provide the service metadata document.

    If the service includes five or more business objects, select the business objects you want to include in the catalog, then click Next.

  4. Choose a top-level business object, then click Next. In our example, select purchaseOrders for a Form-over-Table layout showing purchase orders over lines (the first two levels in our hierarchy).
  5. Select the desired layout type for the primary layout, then click Next.
  6. Choose the child business objects you want to include in the set of dependent layouts, then click Next. In our example, select lines, attachments, schedules, and distributions.

    Description of bo_hierarchy_child.png follows
    Description of the illustration bo_hierarchy_child.png

    If you are creating a Form-over-Table layout as your primary layout and you selected more than one direct child of the primary business object, you will be prompted to select which business object you want to show in the table of the primary layout. Select a business object, then click Next.

    The add-in then displays a review of your choices. In this case, the add-in will create a Form-over-Table layout with purchaseOrders in the form and lines in the table. It will also create three linked Table layouts for attachments, schedules, and distributions.


    Description of layout_review_screen.png follows
    Description of the illustration layout_review_screen.png

  7. Review the layout details and then click Finish.
    The add-in creates a Form-over-Table layout for purchaseOrders and lines on the first worksheet as well as Table layouts for attachments, schedules, and distributions on separate worksheets in the workbook.

After you have created the set of dependent layouts, you can continue to configure your layouts as required.

Here are some of the changes you might want to consider making:

Note:

Before you publish and distribute your workbook to users, test the workbook to ensure that download, upload, or clear operations work on all layouts in the hierarchy as expected. See Manage Data in a Dependent Layout in Managing Data Using Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel.

Add a Layout to a Set of Dependent Layouts

You can add a Table layout based on a descendant business object to an existing set of dependent layouts by linking it to the parent business object's layout.

Let's suppose you have created a set of dependent layouts for a hierarchy of business objects that includes purchaseOrders (parent), lines (child), and schedules (grandchild). Now, you want to add another business object, distributions, which is the child business object of schedules and the great-grandchild of purchaseOrders.

To do this, start by creating a new worksheet and then adding a Table layout for distributions. When you create your Table layout, ensure that you select the same business object catalog that is used by your primary layout. When you've finished, use the Layout Designer to choose a parent layout for your new Table layout.

To add a new layout to a set of dependent layouts:

  1. Click the New Sheet icon to add a new worksheet.
  2. Click Designer to launch the New Layout Setup wizard.
  3. From the first screen of the wizard, choose the business object catalog and click Next.
  4. Choose the business object that's next in the hierarchy—for example, distributions—and click Next.
    The next screen of the wizard displays the layout type for the new layout. Because distributions is not a top-level business object in the hierarchy, only the Table Layout option is available.
  5. Click Next.
  6. Review the layout details and then click Finish.

    A new Table layout is created for the selected descendant business object in your hierarchy. Notice the Parent Layout field in the Layout Designer's General tab, shown here for a distributions layout. This field is only displayed in layouts where the business object is a child of another business object in the same business catalog.
    Description of dependentlayout_table.png follows
    Description of the illustration dependentlayout_table.png

  7. To set the parent layout for the new Table layout, click the Choose Parent Layout icon (Choose Parent Layout icon) in the Layout Designer's General tab.
  8. Select the appropriate layout from the Dependent Layouts window and click OK. If there is only one possible parent layout, a prompt appears asking you to confirm a parent for the layout. Click Yes to confirm the parent layout in the hierarchy, for example:

    Note:

    If you see a message, "No layouts found that this layout can depend on", it may mean the layout is not part of the same catalog or that the sibling business object you are trying to link has already been used in the table part of a Form-over-Table layout.