KB8180: How to create dynamic custom groups in MicroStrategy Engine

• Strategy

This article discusses about how to create dynamic custom groups in MicroStrategy Engine

Sometimes it is useful to let the end-user determine the number of elements in a custom group at run-time. Using the Strategy Tutorial Project in Strategy Engine, a report is subject to the following requirements:

Prompt on the beginning and ending date.
Prompt on the number of days per band.
The report should return a set of dates and the sales amount, grouped in sets of the numbers of days input on the first prompt.

To achieve this, the following seven objects are needed:

Object 1:

Web Analyst NAME:TYPE: Numeric value promptDEFINITION: This object is the prompt that will ask the end-user for the number of days on each group.	Web Analyst NAME:TYPE: Numeric value promptDEFINITION: This object is the prompt that will ask the end-user for the number of days on each group.
Web Analyst NAME:TYPE: Numeric value promptDEFINITION: This object is the prompt that will ask the end-user for the number of days on each group.	NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: ApplySimple("#0", ?) This metric uses the prompt so it can be used in the calculations.NAME:TYPE: FilterDEFINITION:

Object 2:

NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: ApplySimple("#0", ?) This metric uses the prompt so it can be used in the calculations.NAME:TYPE: FilterDEFINITION:	NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: ApplySimple("#0", ?) This metric uses the prompt so it can be used in the calculations.NAME:TYPE: FilterDEFINITION:
NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: ApplySimple("#0", ?) This metric uses the prompt so it can be used in the calculations.NAME:TYPE: FilterDEFINITION:

Object 3:

NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: ApplySimple("#0", ?)

This metric uses the prompt so it can be used in the calculations.NAME:TYPE: FilterDEFINITION:

This filter determines the date range. In this case, no prompt is used for simplicity. Prompts may be used in this filter without issue.NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: Sum() {~+} <>

This metric will be the one shown on the report. Notice that this metric has the conditionality in it.NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: RunningCount(SALES)

This metric will be used for grouping purposes.NAME:TYPE: MetricDEFINITION: ( / )

This metric will be used for grouping purposes.NAME:TYPE: Custom GroupDEFINITION: This custom group is a custom group banding qualification created on the metric, with band size banding type and a step size of '1' (integers). Under 'Level…' choose the attribute.

Object 4:

Object 5:

Object 6:

To understand the approach, consider a report with the following elements:

The attribute
The four metrics above
'8' as an answer to the prompt

The report returns the following data:

Notice that at every eighth element, there will be an integer value for the metric.

Following the previous logic, create a custom group:

Object 7:

When this custom group is placed on a report with the metric and an answer of '8' for the prompt, the following results are returned:

Seven bands are dynamically created, six with eight dates each and the last one with six dates.

KB8180

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Knowledge Article

Published:

April 20, 2017

Last Updated:

January 3, 2019