KB438450: Transaction Services documents using data blending can change the datatype of decimal metrics to integers if the source data includes no decimal values in MicroStrategy 10.0-10.6

SYMPTOM:
Transaction Services grids using data blending will change datatype for a metric to integer if all of its source data is integer regardless of actual datatype. For example a decimal metric only returning integer values 1, 2, 3, 4 will not allow a text field transaction to write in 5.3 if the grid uses data blending. This works fine if the grid does not use data blending.
 
STEPS TO REPRODUCE:
Follow the steps below to reproduce this issue in tutorial:

1. Create a table in the warehouse with the following data 
   West Wed Jul 19 00:00:00 BST 2017 5 
   South Mon Jul 17 00:00:00 BST 2017 3 
   North Sun Jul 16 00:00:00 BST 2017 2 
   East Tue Jul 18 00:00:00 BST 2017 4 
    
2. Make sure the third column has the datatype decimal/double 
3. Create a FFSQL report which is select * from the table above 
4. Create a regular report with region and revenue 
5. Create a transaction services report with a single metric input of datatype double/decimal 
6. Create a document with a grid using the FFSQL report and set the formatting to fixed 2 decimal places for the metric. 
7. Setup a transaction on the grid using the transaction services report with the metric input mapped to the FFSQL report metric with an input type of text field 
8. Run the document in web and notice you can type a decimal value into the grid (such as 3.55) 
9. Edit the document and add the regular report 
10. Edit the grid and add revenue and region to the grid 
11. Run the document in web and see that you can no longer type in a decimal value to the grid (as soon as you hit enter the value rounds to an integer) 
     
    

CAUSE:
This is a defect with data blending. The datatypes are modified by data blending automatically instead of being preserved from the source dataset.
 
ACTION:
This is fixed in Strategy 10.7. Upgrade to take advantage of the fix.
 
WORKAROUND:
Add a decimal value to the base report. Then use a view filter on the document to filter out the fake decimal value from the document grid.
  KB438450