1. Developing Integrated Spreadsheets Using Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel
  2. Manage Catalogs and Business Objects
  3. Use Row Variables for a Business Object

Use Row Variables for a Business Object

A row variable is a custom field you can add to a layout that allows business users to capture details for a row, such as a range start date for a date effective object. The row variable feature is intended to provide improved support for date effective objects.

When creating an integrated workbook for a date effective business object, you'll need to configure additional REST request headers of type Effective-Of. These headers may include a range attribute, such as RangeStartDate, that requires a date. See Support for Date Effective Objects.

The row variable feature provides a way for the business user to capture an appropriate date for a row that can be used in the header during upload.

Configure a Row Variable for a Layout

Create a row variable for a business object and add it to your layout. A row variable is similar to a business object field and allows business users to capture details for a row, such as a range start date for a date effective object.

Unlike a business object field, a row variable is not defined in the service metadata and the value of a row variable isn’t included in upload request payloads.

This feature is intended to provide support for workbooks with date effective objects. If you create a layout for a date effective object, you may need to create a REST request header of type Effective-Of that includes a range start date. This header can use an expression to reference a date value stored in the row variable you create.

This task uses the example of a row variable to capture the RangeStartDate range attribute that will be referenced in an Effective-Of REST request header. See EffectiveOf Headers in Multi-Row Requests for more information.

To configure a row variable for a layout:

  1. Open the Business Object Editor for the data effective object.
  2. Click the Variables tab in the Business Object Editor.
    Row variables are not defined in service metadata so the Row Variables list is empty until you create one.
  3. Click Add Row Variable (Add Row Variable).
  4. Select the new variable, then click Edit Row Variable (Edit Row Variable) to open the Row Variable Editor.
  5. Type an ID and title for the row variable, then select a data type from the Data Type list.
    In this case, choose Date (no time) for the date effective object's new row variable.
  6. If required, configure the row variable with help text, a description, and a default value.

    The Help Text value is displayed in a popup next when the column header or form field label is selected. This value can be localized. The description is an internal technical description and only appears in the designer.

    For information about default values, see Default Values for Row Variables.

  7. Click Done to close the Business Object Editor.
  8. From the Layout Designer, click the Columns tab, then click Manage Columns (Manage Columns).
  9. From the Table Column Manager, click the Variables tab from the Available Fields pane, then select the new row variable—in this case, Range Start Date.

    Description of add-row-variable.png follows
    Description of the illustration add-row-variable.png

    If required, drag the row variable to another position in the Selected Fields list.

Now that you've created a row variable and added it to your layout, your business users can use this row variable to select a range start date for an updated row.

If you've created the row variable for a date effective object, go ahead and configure a REST request header that references this row variable. See Configure a Request Header

Default Values for Row Variables

The default value is used to populate the row variable for a new row during row creation. If the variable is editable, the business user can change the value before upload.

You can use an expression in the default value field. Some functions are supported depending on the data type. For example, the add-in supports the Now() and Today() functions for the date data types. Please note that reserved words are not supported. See About Expressions.

Note:

Default values are not applicable to read-only row variables or row variables with lists of values.