Analytics and ACLScript 15.

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Published Sunday, December 20, 2020

© 2020 ACL Services Ltd. dba Galvanize

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 Table of contents
Using Analytics 25
Using Analytics 26
Getting started 27
Getting started 28
What is Analytics? 29
What is ACL for Windows? 32
Getting started with Analytics (non-Unicode edition) 35
Getting started with Analytics (Unicode edition) 69
Get help with Analytics 103
The Analytics user interface 105
The Analytics user interface 106
Analytics user interface overview 107
The structure of Analytics tables 115
Customizing Analytics 117
Configuring Analytics options 118
System options 119
Interface options 120
Table options 122
View options 127
Command options 129
Date and Time options 133
Numeric options 141
Print options 144
Application Font options 145
How Analytics preferences files work 146
Change font settings for views and reports 150
Change font size in views 151
Customize the Analytics toolbar 152
Adding custom items to the Analytics main menu 153
Running commands from the Analytics command line 158

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 Printing display area information 160
Send email notifications from Analytics 161
Analytics projects 163
Working with Analytics projects 167
Using the Analytics command log 173
Using notes in Analytics projects 177
Printing Analytics project information 183
Recovering Analytics projects that close unexpectedly 185
Common data preparation and analysis tasks 187
Common data preparation and analysis tasks 188
Saving results and specifying output folders 189
Harmonizing Analytics project folders and Windows folders 193
Extracting data 194
Appending output results to an existing table 200
Comparing data structures 202
Exporting data 203
Exporting exceptions to HighBond Results 208
About key fields 216
Concatenating fields 218
Generating random numbers 219
Generate a random selection of records 221
Defining and importing data 223
Defining and importing data 224
Data sources you can access with Analytics 227
Defining and importing data using the Data Definition Wizard 232
Import Microsoft Excel data 234
Import a Microsoft Access database file 247
Import a delimited text file 248
Defining and importing print image (report) files and PDF files 261
Quick Start: How to define a print image or PDF file 277
Define and import a print image file 283
Define and import a PDF file 291
Working with field definitions 299

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 Working with record definitions 304
Defining misaligned fields in a print image or PDF file 308
Defining and importing subsets of print image or PDF data 312
Working with multiline records and fields 314
Import an ACCPAC master file 320
Import a dBASE-compatible file 322
Import an SAP Audit Format file 324
Import an XML file 326
Selecting XML data structures 328
Selecting and configuring XML elements 329
Modifying XML column properties 331
About XML files 333
Import an XBRL file 335
Selecting XBRL elements 337
Selecting XBRL contexts 338
About XBRL files 339
Defining Analytics Server database profile data 340
Defining External Definition files 342
Defining Analytics tables manually 344
Formats of date and time source data 347
Importing data using the Data Access window 353
Working with the Data Access window 357
Joining tables in the Data Access window 368
Connecting to Active Directory 372
Connecting to Amazon Athena 381
Connecting to Amazon DynamoDB 383
Connecting to Amazon Redshift 388
Connecting to Amazon S3 392
Connecting to Apache Cassandra 394
Connecting to Apache Drill 402
Connecting to Apache HBase 405
Connecting to Apache Hive 407
Connecting to Apache Spark 413
Connecting to AWS Data Management 418

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 Connecting to Azure Data Management 420
Connecting to Azure Table Storage 422
Connecting to Box 424
Connecting to Cloudera Impala 426
Connecting to Concur 430
Connecting to Couchbase 435
Connecting to DocuSign 442
Connecting to Dynamics CRM 444
Connecting to Dynamics GP 446
Connecting to Dynamics NAV 448
Connecting to Dynamics 365 Business Central 450
Connecting to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations 452
Connecting to Dynamics 365 Sales 454
Connecting to Edgar Online 456
Connecting to Email 458
Connecting to Epicor ERP 468
Connecting to Exact Online 470
Connecting to Exchange 472
Connecting to Google BigQuery 483
Connecting to Jira 487
Connecting to JSON Services 495
Connecting to LDAP 502
Connecting to LinkedIn 511
Connecting to Marketo 513
Connecting to Microsoft SQL Server 519
Connecting to MongoDB 522
Connecting to MySQL 529
Connecting to NetSuite 532
Connecting to OData 534
Connecting to Open Exchange Rates 536
Connecting to Oracle 542
Connecting to Oracle Eloqua 545
Connecting to Oracle Sales Cloud 547
Connecting to Presto 549

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 Connecting to Qualys 554
Connecting to QuickBooks 558
Connecting to QuickBooks Online 560
Connecting to QuickBooks POS 562
Connecting to REST Data Services 564
Connecting to Rsam 577
Connecting to RSS/ATOM 581
Connecting to Sage 50 UK 586
Connecting to Sage Cloud Accounting 588
Connecting to Sage Intacct 590
Connecting to Salesforce 592
Connecting to SAP 596
Connecting to SAP ByDesign 619
Connecting to SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer 621
Connecting to SAP SuccessFactors 623
Connecting to ServiceNow 625
Connecting to SFTP 633
Connecting to SharePoint 636
Connecting to Slack 643
Connecting to Snowflake 645
Connecting to Splunk 647
Connecting to Square 649
Connecting to Stripe 651
Connecting to SugarCRM 653
Connecting to SurveyMonkey 655
Connecting to Sybase 657
Connecting to Sybase IQ 659
Connecting to Tenable.sc 661
Connecting to Teradata 666
Connecting to Twitter 672
Connecting to UPS 681
Connecting to USPS 683
Connecting to xBase 685
Connecting to ZenDesk 687

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 Import HighBond Projects data 689
Import HighBond Results data 693
Structuring data with table layouts 697
Working with table layouts 701
Configuring properties for table layouts 707
Viewing table layout properties 709
Updating data in Analytics tables 710
Modifying data sources for Analytics tables 712
Defining fields 714
Physical fields 716
Computed fields 723
Data types in Analytics 740
Custom data type 747
Modifying fields in table layouts 749
Rename a field in a table layout 750
Deleting fields from table layouts 751
Shifting fields in table layouts 752
Dumping data 755
Viewing table history 757
Using workspaces to share field definitions 758
About data filters 763
Displaying data with table views 766
Working with views 769
Customizing columns in views 777
Copying data from views 785
Generating graphs from views 786
How Analytics displays invalid data in views 787
Opening multiple tables 788
Formatting records to span multiple rows 791
Preparing data for analysis 793
Preparing data for analysis 794
Using expressions 795
Expression Builder overview 799

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 Creating expressions using the Expression Builder 801
Controlling rounding and decimal precision in numeric expressions 803
Controlling rounding in financial functions 810
Avoiding overflow errors in numeric expressions 811
Two common errors when using expressions 812
Using datetimes in expressions 814
Serial datetimes 827
How UTC offsets affect datetime expressions 830
Verifying audit data 832
Verifying data 833
Counting records 836
Totaling fields 838
Combining data 840
Alternative methods for combining data 847
Data structure and data format requirements 848
Harmonizing fields 852
Comparison of data combining methods 855
Appending tables 859
Append tables 869
Extracting and appending data 871
Extract and append data 876
Extracting and appending computed fields 880
Merging tables 882
Merge tables 886
Common uses of joining or relating 889
Joining tables 890
Join tables 900
Examples of join types 905
Fuzzy join 914
Automatic harmonization when joining tables 926
Relating tables 928
Relate tables 933
Modify relations 937
How table relations are structured 938

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 Using multiple key fields 942
Concatenate key fields 949
Sampling data 950
Sample selection methods 954
Audit sampling terminology 960
Record sampling (attributes sampling) 965
Record sampling tutorial 968
Calculating sample size for a record sample 977
Performing record sampling 984
Evaluating errors in a record sample 989
Monetary unit sampling 994
Monetary unit sampling tutorial 997
Calculating sample size for a monetary unit sample 1006
Performing monetary unit sampling 1014
Evaluating errors in a monetary unit sample 1023
Classical variables sampling 1029
Classical variables sampling tutorial 1038
Preparing a classical variables sample 1059
Performing classical variables sampling 1070
Evaluating errors in a classical variables sample 1078
Conditional sampling 1087
Analyzing data 1089
Analyzing data 1090
Profiling data 1092
Generating statistics 1094
Identifying outliers 1098
Sorting, filtering, and searching 1107
Quick sorting data in a view 1108
Quick filtering data in a view 1109
Quick searching data in a table 1114
Sorting and indexing 1121
Sorting records 1127
Indexing records 1135

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 Sorting or indexing using a computed key field 1143
Filtering data 1147
Global filters (view filters) 1151
Apply a global filter to a view 1156
Local filters (command filters) 1160
Searching data 1162
Selecting the first matching record 1167
Search and filter using Analytics functions 1173
Testing sequential order 1187
Testing for gaps 1194
Testing for duplicates 1203
Fuzzy duplicates analysis 1214
Testing for fuzzy duplicates 1218
Fuzzy duplicate helper functions 1222
Working with fuzzy duplicate output results 1225
Controlling the size of fuzzy duplicate results 1227
How the difference settings work 1231
How fuzzy duplicates are grouped 1236
Grouping data 1242
Stratifying data 1244
Aging data 1252
Classifying versus summarizing 1258
Classifying data 1260
Summarizing data 1266
Cross-tabulating data 1278
Creating histograms 1284
Machine learning analysis 1288
Predicting classes and numeric values 1290
Clustering data 1305
Performing Benford analysis 1311
Running R scripts 1316
Reporting your findings 1321
Reporting your findings 1322

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 Formatting and generating Analytics reports 1324
Working with Analytics graphs 1330
Changing graph formatting 1331
Drilling down into graphed data 1337
Editing graph commands 1338
Copying graphs to the clipboard 1339
Saving graphs as images 1340
Printing graphs 1341
Connecting to Analytics from a third-party reporting application 1342
Sharing and extending your data analysis work 1349
Sharing and extending your data analysis work 1350
Working with analysis apps 1351
Overview of the Analysis App window 1352
Running analytics in the Analysis App window 1355
Opening Analytics tables in the Analysis App window 1357
Packaging analysis apps for use in the Analysis App window 1358
Interpretations and visualizations 1361
Interpreting results data 1363
Viewing table data 1364
Data formatting options 1367
Filtering table data 1369
Export data to file 1371
Exporting interpretations to HighBond Results 1372
Visualizing table data in charts 1374
Data visualization best practices 1378
Chart display options 1382
Bar chart 1384
Pie chart 1391
Area chart 1396
Bubble chart 1402
Line chart 1407
Heat map chart 1413
Statistics 1419

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 Summary table 1421
Treemap chart 1424
Analytics and Robots 1430
Script development workflow in Analytics and Robots 1431
Committing scripts (uploading) from Analytics to Robots 1436
Viewing Robots tables, logs, and files 1441
Working with Analytics Exchange 1445
Guidelines for working with server tables 1446
Enabling server connections 1447
Server profiles 1448
Database profiles 1452
Creating database profiles 1453
Modifying database profiles 1455
Deleting database profiles 1456
Verifying database profiles 1457
Export database profiles 1458
Running analytic scripts that use a database profile 1459
Connecting to AX Server 1461
Modifying Analytics server table queries 1462
Disconnect from a server 1463
Viewing server activity 1464
Reference information 1465
Reference information 1466
Character and size limits in Analytics 1467
Reserved keywords 1474
Variables created by Analytics commands 1476
Keyboard shortcuts 1480

Scripting in Analytics 1483

Scripting in Analytics 1484
Getting started with scripting 1487
Get started with scripting 1488
Scripting for complete beginners 1489
What is a script? 1490

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 Your first Analytics script 1494
Comparing text data 1497
Filtering blank date values 1500
Making decisions in scripts 1503
Analytics scripting basics 1507
Comments 1512
Data types 1514
Expressions 1515
Defining computed fields with expressions 1517
Functions 1519
Variables 1521
Control structures 1523
Grouping and looping 1526
How to use functions 1534
What is a function? 1536
Familiarizing with different functions 1540
Using functions to create filters 1544
Using functions to clean data 1548
Cleaning and filtering data at the same time 1552
Advanced use of functions 1556
Using a function to group records by month 1558
Using variables with a function to allow user input 1565
Putting it all together: using functions in a script 1570
Top 30 Analytics functions 1575
Working with scripts 1589
Working with scripts 1590
Creating and editing scripts 1593
Testing and debugging scripts 1600
Run scripts 1606
Customizing the Script Editor 1611
Copy scripts 1612
Import scripts 1613
Importing from ScriptHub 1614

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 Export scripts 1616
Creating interactive scripts 1617
Creating custom dialog boxes 1619
Find and replace text 1633
Display variables 1634
Maintain variables 1635
Commands 1637
Commands overview 1638
ACCEPT command 1651
ACCESSDATA command 1656
ACTIVATE command 1669
AGE command 1671
APPEND command 1676
ASSIGN command 1685
BENFORD command 1688
CALCULATE command 1692
CLASSIFY command 1695
CLOSE command 1701
CLUSTER command 1703
COMMENT command 1707
COUNT command 1709
CREATE LAYOUT command 1712
CROSSTAB command 1714
CVSEVALUATE command 1719
CVSPREPARE command 1724
CVSSAMPLE command 1729
DEFINE COLUMN command 1733
DEFINE FIELD command 1736
DEFINE FIELD . . . COMPUTED command 1744
DEFINE RELATION command 1750
DEFINE REPORT command 1753
DEFINE TABLE DB command 1754
DEFINE VIEW command 1757

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 DELETE command 1759
DIALOG command 1763
DIRECTORY command 1771
DISPLAY command 1777
DO REPORT command 1782
DO SCRIPT command 1784
DUMP command 1787
DUPLICATES command 1789
ESCAPE command 1796
EVALUATE command 1798
EXECUTE command 1803
EXPORT command 1811
EXTRACT command 1823
FIELDSHIFT command 1829
FIND command 1832
FUZZYDUP command 1834
FUZZYJOIN command 1840
GAPS command 1848
GROUP command 1852
HELP command 1859
HISTOGRAM command 1860
IF command 1865
IMPORT ACCESS command 1867
IMPORT DELIMITED command 1870
IMPORT EXCEL command 1879
IMPORT GRCPROJECT command 1888
IMPORT GRCRESULTS command 1895
IMPORT LAYOUT command 1903
IMPORT MULTIDELIMITED command 1905
IMPORT MULTIEXCEL command 1914
IMPORT ODBC command 1922
IMPORT PDF command 1925
IMPORT PRINT command 1934
IMPORT SAP command 1943

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 IMPORT XBRL command 1950
IMPORT XML command 1955
INDEX command 1960
JOIN command 1964
LIST command 1972
LOCATE command 1975
LOOP command 1979
MERGE command 1982
NOTES command 1987
NOTIFY command 1989
OPEN command 1992
OUTLIERS command 1995
PASSWORD command 2004
PAUSE command 2007
PREDICT command 2009
PRINT command 2012
PROFILE command 2014
QUIT command 2017
RANDOM command 2019
RCOMMAND command 2022
REFRESH command 2030
RENAME command 2034
REPORT command 2036
RETRIEVE command 2040
SAMPLE command 2042
SAVE command 2051
SAVE LAYOUT command 2053
SAVE LOG command 2058
SAVE TABLELIST command 2060
SAVE WORKSPACE command 2062
SEEK command 2064
SEQUENCE command 2067
SET command 2071
SIZE command 2082

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 SORT command 2087
STATISTICS command 2094
STRATIFY command 2098
SUMMARIZE command 2104
TOP command 2113
TOTAL command 2114
TRAIN command 2117
VERIFY command 2123
Functions 2127
Functions overview 2128
ABS( ) function 2146
AGE( ) function 2147
ALLTRIM( ) function 2153
ASCII( ) function 2155
AT( ) function 2157
BETWEEN( ) function 2160
BINTOSTR( ) function 2169
BIT( ) function 2171
BLANKS( ) function 2173
BYTE( ) function 2175
CDOW( ) function 2177
CHR( ) function 2181
CLEAN( ) function 2183
CMOY( ) function 2185
COS( ) function 2188
CTOD( ) function 2190
CTODT( ) function 2195
CTOT( ) function 2200
CUMIPMT( ) function 2205
CUMPRINC( ) function 2207
DATE( ) function 2209
DATETIME( ) function 2213
DAY( ) function 2218

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 DBYTE( ) function 2221
DEC( ) function 2223
DHEX( ) function 2226
DICECOEFFICIENT( ) function 2228
DIGIT( ) function 2235
DOW( ) function 2237
DTOU( ) function 2240
EBCDIC( ) function 2243
EFFECTIVE( ) function 2245
EOMONTH( ) function 2247
EXCLUDE( ) function 2250
EXP( ) function 2253
FILESIZE( ) function 2255
FIND( ) function 2257
FINDMULTI( ) function 2262
FREQUENCY( ) function 2267
FTYPE( ) function 2269
FVANNUITY( ) function 2272
FVLUMPSUM( ) function 2276
FVSCHEDULE( ) function 2279
GETOPTIONS( ) function 2281
GOMONTH( ) function 2283
HASH( ) function 2286
HEX( ) function 2292
HOUR( ) function 2294
HTOU( ) function 2296
INCLUDE( ) function 2298
INSERT( ) function 2301
INT( ) function 2303
IPMT( ) function 2304
ISBLANK( ) function 2306
ISDEFINED( ) function 2308
ISFUZZYDUP( ) function 2310
LAST( ) function 2316

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 LEADING( ) function 2318
LEADINGZEROS( ) function 2320
LENGTH( ) function 2324
LEVDIST( ) function 2326
LOG( ) function 2330
LOWER( ) function 2332
LTRIM( ) function 2334
MAP( ) function 2336
MASK( ) function 2341
MATCH( ) function 2343
MAXIMUM( ) function 2351
MINIMUM( ) function 2354
MINUTE( ) function 2358
MOD( ) function 2361
MONTH( ) function 2363
NOMINAL( ) function 2366
NORMDIST( ) function 2368
NORMSINV( ) function 2370
NOW( ) function 2371
NPER( ) function 2372
OCCURS( ) function 2375
OFFSET( ) function 2378
OMIT( ) function 2380
PACKED( ) function 2384
PI( ) function 2387
PMT( ) function 2389
PPMT( ) function 2393
PROPER( ) function 2395
PROPERTIES( ) function 2397
PVANNUITY( ) function 2401
PVLUMPSUM( ) function 2405
PYDATE( ) function 2408
PYDATETIME( ) function 2410
PYLOGICAL( ) function 2413

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 PYNUMERIC( ) function 2415
PYSTRING( ) function 2417
PYTIME( ) function 2420
RAND( ) function 2422
RATE( ) function 2424
RDATE( ) function 2428
RDATETIME( ) function 2431
RECLEN( ) function 2434
RECNO( ) function 2435
RECOFFSET( ) function 2437
REGEXFIND( ) function 2439
REGEXREPLACE( ) function 2447
REMOVE( ) function 2456
REPEAT( ) function 2459
REPLACE( ) function 2461
REVERSE( ) function 2465
RJUSTIFY( ) function 2466
RLOGICAL( ) function 2467
RNUMERIC( ) function 2470
ROOT( ) function 2473
ROUND( ) function 2475
RSTRING( ) function 2477
RTIME( ) function 2481
SECOND( ) function 2484
SHIFT( ) function 2486
SIN( ) function 2488
SORTWORDS( ) function 2490
SOUNDEX( ) function 2495
SOUNDSLIKE( ) function 2499
SPLIT( ) function 2502
STOD( ) function 2506
STODT( ) function 2510
STOT( ) function 2515
STRING( ) function 2519

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 SUBSTR( ) function 2523
TAN( ) function 2527
TEST( ) function 2529
TIME( ) function 2531
TODAY( ) function 2537
TRANSFORM( ) function 2538
TRIM( ) function 2540
UNSIGNED( ) function 2542
UPPER( ) function 2544
UTOD( ) function 2546
VALUE( ) function 2550
VERIFY( ) function 2553
WORKDAY( ) function 2555
YEAR( ) function 2560
ZONED( ) function 2562
ZSTAT( ) function 2566
Analytic scripts 2571
Analytic scripts overview 2572
Developing analytic scripts 2576
Working with analytic headers 2582
Analytic development best practices 2590
Packaging analysis apps for import to AX Server 2596
Sample analytic scripts (analysis app) 2599
Running Python scripts on AX Server 2604
Running R scripts on AX Server 2609
Analytic headers and tags 2614
ANALYTIC tag 2618
FILE tag 2622
TABLE tag 2625
FIELD tag 2627
PARAM tag 2629
PASSWORD tag 2642
DATA tag 2645

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 RESULT tag 2650
PUBLISH tag 2657
Converting analytic scripts to Unicode 2659
Checking for Unicode compatibility 2662
Analytic engine error codes 2664

ACL for Windows Installation and Activation Guide 2671

ACL for Windows Installation and Activation Guide 2672
ACL for Windows installation and activation overview 2676
Galvanize Unicode products 2682
Install ACL for Windows 2689
Install ACL for Windows using silent installation 2697
Uninstall ACL for Windows 2707
Configuring Python for use with Analytics 2707
Troubleshooting installation and activation 2710
Connecting to HighBond over a proxy server 2715
ACL for Windows system requirements 2717
Connection requirements 2724

Glossary 2725
Glossary of Galvanize product terms 2726

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Using Analytics
 Using Analytics

Using Analytics
Analytics provides you with a wide-ranging set of tools for working with data. Beginning with the
import of data, Analytics gives you numerous options for progressing through the data analysis cycle.
Analytics does not impose or require any particular data analysis workflow. The commands,
functions, and other tools in Analytics can be assembled into whatever workflow you arrive at for
analyzing a particular data set and achieving your analysis objectives.
That said, understanding the general data analysis cycle can help you structure your work in
Analytics.

The data analysis cycle

The data analysis cycle contains five stages, which are summarized by the acronym PIPAR:
Plan, Import, Prepare, Analyze, Report

Planning your data analysis work is an important precursor to actually beginning

the analysis in Analytics.
"Plan your work" on
page 36 Make sure to review "Plan your work" on page 36.

Import the data You must import data into Analytics before you can analyze it.

Often you must perform one or more data preparation tasks before data is ready to
Prepare the data analyze.

You perform analysis in Analytics by using commands and other tools to gain
general insights about the data you are investigating, and to answer specific
Analyze the data questions.

Once your data analysis is complete, Analytics gives you several different ways to
Report the results report or present your results.

Tip
To get an understanding of how the data analysis cycle can work in Analytics, do the
introductory tutorial: "Getting started with Analytics (non-Unicode edition)" on
page 35

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Getting started
 Getting started

Getting started
This section of the Analytics Help provides a variety of introductory and overview information,
including:

"What is Analytics?" on the A high-level overview of Analytics features, and the end-to-end process of
facing page analyzing data using Analytics.

"What is ACL for Windows?" Information about the ACL for Windows installation package and the ACL for
on page 32 Windows main screen.

A beginner-level, one-hour tutorial that introduces you to the end-to-end

"Getting started with Analytics
process of analyzing data using Analytics.
(non-Unicode edition)" on
page 35 Recommended for all new users of Analytics.

"Get help with Analytics" on Where to go for help as you are using Analytics.
page 103

"The Analytics user interface" An overview of the Analytics interface, including customizable elements.
on page 106

"Analytics projects" on Information about Analytics projects, which you use to contain and organize
page 163 your work in Analytics.

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 Getting started

What is Analytics?
Analytics is a data analysis application that provides a powerful combination of features:
l Data access
Import a wide variety of different types of data from file-based data sources, databases, or
cloud data services.
l Data analysis
Use Analytics commands, functions, and other tools to gain general insights about the data you
are investigating, and to answer specific questions. You can perform data analysis ad hoc with
the user interface, or automate your analysis using ACLScript, the powerful scripting language
in Analytics.
l Reporting
Report your findings using native reporting features in Analytics, or import Analytics data into a
third-party reporting tool such as Tableau.
l Export capabilities
Export findings, or any other data, to popular file types such as Excel or delimited text. You can
also upload records to the Results app in the HighBond platform for processing and issue
remediation using workflow automation tools, and for data visualization.

Basic workflow
The diagram below shows the basic workflow associated with Analytics:
1. Import data to an Analytics table
2. Analyze the data and output a results table
3. Export the analysis results, or import them to a reporting tool
This step is optional. You can also use native reporting features in Analytics.

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 Getting started

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 Getting started

Working with data

Analytics provides immediate visibility into transactional data critical to your organization. The
application reads and compares data, but does not allow modification of source data to ensure that it
remains intact for complete data quality and integrity.
For more information, see "Data access by Analytics is read-only" on page 228.
Analytics allows you to work with data in the following ways:
l Analyze entire data populations, or samples of populations
l Identify trends and exceptions, and highlight potential areas of concern
l Identify control issues and ensure compliance with your organization's standards
l Age and analyze financial or time-sensitive transactions
l Automate analytic testing and receive immediate notification of results
l Log the analysis performed, allowing you to preserve analysis steps, and review and compare
results

Unicode and non-Unicode editions

Analytics is available in Unicode and non-Unicode editions. Both editions are contained in the same
installation package, and during the installation you specify which edition to install. In Analytics, in the
dialog box containing the product and subscription information (Help > About), Unicode or non-
Unicode appears after the version number.
For more information, see "Galvanize Unicode products" on page 2682.

Product name change

Starting with version 11.4, Analytics is a component of ACL for Windows, which also includes the
Analysis App window and Offline Projects.
Prior to version 10.0, Analytics was called ACL Desktop. The short form of the name was ACL.

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 Getting started

What is ACL for Windows?

ACL for Windows is a single, downloadable product that provides access to:
l Analytics
l the Analysis App window
l Robots
l Results
l Offline Projects

Note
Access to each component is determined by your Galvanize subscription type.

What can I access using the ACL for

Windows main screen?
Using ACL for Windows, you can:
l activate Analytics to begin using the product
l create or open an Analytics project in Analytics, or open an analysis app in the Analysis App
window
l connect to HighBond Results, where you can build workflows for organizing, tracking, and
remediating exceptions
l access Launchpad, which provides links to all HighBond apps for HighBond users, and links to
ScriptHub, Inspirations, and your user profile
l use Offline Projects to check out or check in a section from a HighBond project, and perform
work offline
l access resources such as Support, quick start guides, product forums, online Help, and
training courses

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Overview of ACL for Windows main screen

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Components
Number Component Description

1 Organization Switch between accounts (organizations) you have access to using this drop-down
selector list.

2 Toolbar Profile – Update your profile or sign out of ACL for Windows.
Information – Access help and product documentation or contact Support.

3 Recent
View recently accessed files in Analytics. Click Refresh List to update the list of
Analytics
files, or press F5.
Files

4 Open Open an existing Analytics project, analysis app, or HighBond project

5 Create o Analytic Project – Create a new Analytics project and open it in Analytics.
o Workflow – Open collections in Results for viewing, or build a new workflow for
organizing, tracking, and remediating exceptions

6 Sample Files Open pre-built Analytics projects that include a variety of sample data.

Switching your HighBond instance

You might belong to multiple instances of HighBond if your organization has more than one
subscription, you consult for multiple organizations, or you are part of a training instance. If you
belong to more than one HighBond instance, you can use ACL for Windows to switch between them.
Switching between HighBond instances allows you to activate ACL for Windows using different
subscriptions, and to access data belonging to different organizations or business units.
To switch your HighBond instance:

1. In ACL for Windows, select Sign Out and close from the profile drop-down list  .
You are signed out of your current instance.
2. Double-click the ACL for Windows shortcut on the desktop.
The Launchpad sign-in screen opens.
3. Sign in using your HighBond account, by entering your user name (email) and password and
clicking Sign In.
4. Select the appropriate instance from the drop-down list and click Activate Analytics .
ACL for Windows opens. Any activities you perform involving HighBond now use the instance
you just selected.

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Getting started with Analytics (non-

Unicode edition)
This getting started tutorial introduces you to the end-to-end process of analyzing data using
Analytics.

Estimated time 60 minutes

No previous Analytics experience is required. Some basic data analysis experience

Requirements is assumed, but not absolutely critical.

Analytics version 13.0 or later (non-Unicode edition)

Do this version of the tutorial if you're using the non-Unicode edition of Analytics.
Do the right version of If you're using the Unicode edition, do "Getting started with Analytics (Unicode
the tutorial edition)" on page 69.

Tip
To find out which edition of Analytics you're using, on the Analytics main menu, click
Help > About to open the Analytics dialog box. The edition designation appears after
the version number.

Note
The Chinese and Japanese user interfaces are Unicode-only.

Scenario

Review corporate credit card transactions

You're asked to review corporate credit card transactions from a two-month period. Your goal
is to get a general picture of how employees used cards during the period, and also to identify
any possible misuse of cards.
The transaction data is contained in three separate Excel worksheets. Before you can analyze
the data, you need to import it into Analytics, and combine the separate data sets into a single
Analytics table.

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After you've analyzed the data, you want to present the results of your analysis visually, to
better engage your audience.

Optional section
You're told that from now on, reviewing corporate credit card transactions will be a recurring
responsibility.
To allow yourself, or someone else, to perform future reviews quickly and accurately, you
decide to create a script to automate some of the work.

PIPAR – the data analysis cycle in Analytics

The data analysis cycle in Analytics contains five stages, which are summarized by the acronym
PIPAR:
Plan, Import, Prepare, Analyze, Report

Plan your work

Planning your data analysis work is important, and often critical. If you skip the planning stage, and
jump straight into running analytical commands against data, you may run into problems, create extra
work for yourself, or even miss important analytical insights.
Even a basic plan is better than no plan. With experience, and increasing knowledge of Analytics,
your planning will become more fully developed and more precise. Good planning is the key to data
analysis projects that progress smoothly and efficiently.

Planning guidelines
Develop clear, specific objectives
What is the intended end product of your analysis?

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You need clearly defined objectives in order to be able to plan how to achieve them. For example, in
this tutorial, your specific objectives are:
l identify the count, and total amount, of corporate credit card transactions in each merchant
category
l identify any transactions in prohibited categories
Map a step-by-step approach
How will you achieve your objectives?
Accomplishing an objective often requires more than one step, so map a detailed, step-by-step
approach to guide you along the way.
For example, two of the steps in the planning for this tutorial could be:
l combine all the individual transaction files into a single file
l group the combined transaction data into merchant categories
Once you've broken down the larger objectives into individual steps, you can consider which
Analytics features and functions to use to perform each step.
Identify what data you'll need
What data do you need to achieve your objectives?
Itemize the required source data to the level of specific data elements or fields. You won't be able to
achieve your desired output without the appropriate input.
In this tutorial you have the main transaction files, but to achieve your second objective you'll also
need a list of prohibited merchant category codes.
Consider technical requirements
Are there any technical considerations you must take into account?
Regardless of which tool you're using for data analysis, you must work within its constraints. Is the
source data stored in a location or a system that the tool can access, and in a format that it can read?
Is the analysis you're proposing supported by the tool?
For example, in order to combine multiple tables in Analytics, the data types of the corresponding
fields in each table must be the same. Analytics supports changing the data type of a field, but that's a
step you need to account for in your planning.
Be prepared to iterate
You may need to adjust your plan as you go along.
In the course of your analysis, you discover something unexpected that warrants further investigation.
You realize you need additional data and additional analytical steps.
Your plan can evolve as your understanding of the data evolves. And it can serve as the basis for a
more mature plan for future analysis of a similar nature.

Import data
You must import data into Analytics before you can analyze it.

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We'll familiarize with the import process by using the Data Definition Wizard to import three Excel
worksheets. Importing from Excel is one of the most common methods for acquiring data for analysis
in Analytics. However, Analytics supports importing data from a wide variety of data sources.

Open Analytics and "Sample Project.ACL"

Note
The steps below assume you have already activated Analytics.

Steps
1. Double-click the ACL for Windows shortcut on your desktop.
2. In the ACL for Windows screen, under Open, click Analytic Project.
3. Navigate to C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL Data\Sample Data Files
and double-click Sample Project.ACL.
Sample Project.ACL opens in Analytics.
If you did not install the Sample Data Files folder in the default location when you installed
Analytics, navigate to the location where you installed it.

Import the first two Excel worksheets

You will get started by importing two Excel worksheets at the same time. Importing multiple Excel
worksheets simultaneously is a great way to reduce labor.
Steps
1. From the Analytics main menu, select Import > File.
2. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select Trans_May.xls and click Open.
The Excel file is in the same folder as Sample Project.ACL.
3. In the File Format page, make sure the Excel file option is selected and click Next.
4. In the Data Source page, select both worksheets in the file:
l Trans1_May$

l Trans2_May$

5. Make sure Use first row as Field Names is selected, click Next, and then click Finish.
The two Excel worksheets are imported into two separate Analytics tables.

Import the third Excel worksheet

Now import the third Excel worksheet by itself. When you import a single worksheet, you have the
option of manually adjusting some of the metadata settings during the import process, rather than
doing it later in Analytics.
Steps
1. Repeat the steps in the previous procedure to locate and select Trans_April.xls.
2. In the File Format page, make sure the Excel file option is selected and click Next.

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3. In the Data Source page, select Trans_Apr$.

4. Make sure Use first row as Field Names is selected, and click Next.
5. In the Excel Import page, click the header to select the TRANS_DATE column and make the
following changes:
l In the Name field, change TRANS_DATE to DATE.

l In the Length field, change 19 to 10.

Note
You're making adjustments to a data field in the Data Definition Wizard, during
the import process. You can also make adjustments later, after you have
completed importing the data. You'll see the reason for the adjustments in the
next section of the tutorial.

6. Click Next, in the File name field type Trans_Apr, and click Save.
7. Click Finish, and then click OK.
The third Excel worksheet is imported into an Analytics table.
You should now have three new Analytics tables in the Overview tab of the Navigator. These tables
contain read-only copies of the Excel data. They do not contain the Excel source data itself.

Prepare data
Often you must perform one or more data preparation tasks before data is ready to analyze.
For this tutorial, you'll perform two preparation tasks:

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l make additional adjustments to harmonize data fields

l combine the three new Analytics tables into a single table for analysis
As well, as a best practice, you should always verify the validity of imported data before performing
analytical work. Even a small amount of invalid data in a table can invalidate all your subsequent data
analysis.

Why do I need to prepare data?

You're eager to get on with the analysis of the data, but without proper data preparation you may not
be able to perform the analysis. Or the analysis you perform may be flawed.
A wide variety of issues can affect source data making it unsuitable for analysis without some initial
preparation.
For example:
l The source data is spread between several different files and needs to be consolidated so that
it can be analyzed as a single set of data.
l Corresponding fields in different files need to be "harmonized", which means making them
identical in structure and format as a prerequisite to processing them.
l "Dirty data" needs to be cleansed and standardized, which you can do with Analytics functions.

Key point
The time you spend importing and preparing data may exceed the time you spend on the
actual analysis. However, they are critical initial stages, and provide the foundation that your
analysis is built on.

Adjust the table layouts

Every table in an Analytics project has a table layout. The table layout contains metadata such as
field names, the start position of fields, the length of fields, the data type of fields, and so on.
Before we can combine the three new Analytics tables into a single table, we need to harmonize
some of the metadata in the table layouts.
Here's what the Trans_Apr table layout looks like. You'll quickly learn your way around table layouts
as you become more familiar with Analytics. You can do a lot of useful things in the table layout.

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Adjust the Trans_Apr table layout

First, you need to change the data type of two fields in the Trans_Apr table.
Steps
1. Open the Trans_Apr table, if it is not already open.
To open a table, double-click it in the Navigator.
2. Above the table view, click Edit Table Layout .
3. Double-click the CARDNUM  field to open the field definition for editing.
4. Under Valid Data Types , double-click ASCII to update the data type of the field.
In the other two tables, the CARDNUM  field has an ASCII data type. For the most part,
combining data requires that corresponding fields in the tables being combined have the same
data type.

5. Click Accept Entry .

If a prompt appears, click Yes to save your changes.
6. Double-click the CODES field and change the data type to ASCII.
7. Click Accept Entry , and then click Close to exit the Table Layout dialog box.

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Adjust the Trans_May table layouts

To finish the adjustments, you need to change the data type of two fields in both the Trans1_May and
the Trans2_May layouts. You may also need to make an adjustment to the DATE field.
Steps
Follow the process above to make the following changes in both the Trans1_May and the Trans2_
May layouts:

Field Change data type to: Additional change

CODES ASCII

AMOUNT PRINT Enter 2 in the Dec. field to specify that numeric values
display two decimal places.

DATE no change Note

If the DATE field already has a length of 10, no
adjustment is required.

o In the Len. field, change 19 to 10. This change omits the

empty time data.
o In the Format dropdown list, select YYYY-MM-DD.

When you're finished, the May table layouts should look like the layout below.

Note
The date format (YYYY-MM-DD) isn't shown in the layout summary. The
DESCRIPTION field length is different in the two May layouts.

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Verify the imported data

Now let's verify the data in the three imported tables to make sure it's safe to proceed with additional
data preparation, and data analysis.

Note
We're verifying the data after updating the data types. When you verify data in
Analytics, you're checking that all the values in a field conform to the requirements of
the field's data type. So it makes sense to verify data only once the data types are
finalized.

Steps
1. Open the Trans_Apr table.
2. From the Analytics main menu, select Data > Verify .
3. In the Verify dialog box, select all the fields in the field list.

Tip
Use Shift+click to select multiple adjacent fields.

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4. Click OK.
The result should be: 0 data validity errors detected.

Learn more
Did you notice that Analytics automatically translated the action you performed in the
user interface into the ACLScript VERIFY command? Every command-level action you
perform in the user interface is automatically translated into its corresponding ACLScript
command, and captured and stored in the command log that accompanies each
Analytics project.
This automatic generation of valid, runnable script syntax is one of the most powerful
features in Analytics. We'll be looking at scripting in an optional section at the end of the
tutorial.

5. In the Navigator, double-click the Trans1_May table to open it, and repeat the steps to verify
the data.
6. Do the same for the Trans2_May table.
Both tables should not contain any data validity errors.

Note
If you get an error message stating Maximum error limit reached, check that
you correctly changed the format of the Date field in the table layout to YYYY-
MM-DD.

Learn more

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If you want to see what happens when Analytics does identify data validity errors, open
Tables\Badfile and run the verification process.

Combine the three Analytics tables

For the final data preparation task, you combine the three new Analytics tables into a single table.
For simplicity, the tutorial combines only three tables. However, you could use the same process to
combine 12 monthly tables into a single annual table and perform analysis on data for an entire fiscal
year.
Steps
1. From the Analytics main menu, select Data > Append.
2. Under Available Tables , double-click each of the new tables to add it to the Selected Tables
area.
3. Take a look at the fields in the three tables and notice how the names and data types are
identical based on the changes you made in the Data Definition Wizard and the Table Layout
dialog box.
To append corresponding fields, their names must be identical, and in most situations their
data types must be identical.

4. Select Use Output Table so that the output table with the combined data opens automatically
after you run the command.
5. In the To field, type Trans_All and click OK.

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6. Click Yes in the notification that pops up.

Note
Don't worry about the notification. The append command performs some
automatic harmonization of numeric fields, which saves you time and effort.

The new Trans_All table is created, and contains all the records from the three input tables.
The record count in the status bar at the bottom of the Analytics interface should say
Records: 481.
You're now ready to move on to some actual data analysis.

Analyze data
You perform analysis in Analytics by using commands and other tools to gain general insights about
the data you are investigating, and to answer specific questions.

Note
The analysis stage is where the strength of your earlier planning becomes apparent.
If you've formulated clear objectives regarding your investigation, you'll have a clearer
idea of the types of analysis to perform.

The data analysis

For this tutorial, you'll perform the following analysis of the data in the Trans_All table:
l group the credit card transaction records by merchant category code in order to discover:
l how employees are using corporate credit cards

l how much money is being spent in each category

l create a filter to isolate any prohibited transactions

Group credit card transactions by merchant category

code
Grouping or summarizing a set of data is an excellent way of quickly getting an overview of the data.
Steps
1. Open the Trans_All table, if it is not already open.
2. From the Analytics main menu, select Analyze > Summarize.

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3. In the Summarize dialog box, select the following fields and options:
Tab Field or option Select or type

Main Summarize On select CODES

Other Fields select DESCRIPTION

Subtotal Fields select AMOUNT

Avg, min, max select the checkbox

Output To select File

Name type Trans_All_Grouped

4. Click OK.
The new Trans_All_Grouped table is created. The table contains 110 records, one for each
unique merchant category code in the Trans_All table. The COUNT field tells you how many
source records are in each group.

Tip
Right-click the table view and select Resize All Columns to make the view
more compact.

Simple tools for investigation

Now that you have a summarized version of the data, you can use some basic Analytics tools to gain
general insight into corporate credit card use.
You can learn a lot about patterns of use, and possible misuse, in just a few clicks.

To gain this insight: Do this in the Trans_All_Grouped table:

What was the total o Select the Total AMOUNT header.

amount charged by o Select Analyze > Total.
employees during April Total expenditure was $187,177.13.
and May?

Where did employees o Right-click the Total AMOUNT header and select Quick Sort Descending
spend the most money?
The Description field shows you that the most money was spent on:
o Caterers
o Eating places and Restaurants
o Hilton International

What were the largest o Right-click the Maximum AMOUNT header and select Quick Sort Descending
single expenditures?
The Description and Maximum AMOUNT fields show you that the largest single
expenditure was a Club Med amount of $1999.06.
Is Club Med an authorized merchant code for the corporate credit card? If the credit
card limit is $2000, was an employee charging an amount just under the limit?

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To gain this insight: Do this in the Trans_All_Grouped table:

What does an o Right-click the COUNT header and select Quick Sort Ascending
examination of
Five categories had only a single charge each. Are some of them prohibited
infrequently used codes
categories? Perhaps one or more employees thought that misusing a company
reveal?
card only very occasionally would allow them to escape detection.
o Cigar Stores & Stands
o Dating & Escort Svcs.
o Babysitting services
o Amusement Parks
o Civic, Fraternal, and Social Associations

Are any of the categories o Right-click the DESCRIPTION header and select Quick Sort Ascending to
prohibited? alphabetize the field values for easier scanning
o Scan down the field looking for suspicious categories
Perhaps one or more of these categories are prohibited?
o Babysitting services
o Betting (including Lottery Tickets, Casino)
o Civic, Fraternal, and Social Associations
o Dating & Escort Svcs.
o Massage Parlors
o Precious Stones and Metals, Watches and Jewel
o Video Game Arcades/Establishments

Note
Manual scanning is impractical for all but small data sets. We'll look
at a more practical, more reliable method next.

Learn more
Perhaps you just want to perform some quick analysis and you don't want to output the results
to a new table. When you summarized the Trans_All table, instead of selecting File in the
Summarize dialog box, you could select Screen, and output the results to the
Analytics display area.

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Outputting to screen is only practical for smaller data sets. However, it has the advantage of
providing an easy way to drill-down on individual groups and see only the source records in
each group.

Create a filter to isolate prohibited transactions

Filters allow you to isolate just the records you are interested in at a particular moment. Filters are a
powerful tool for answering specific questions about data.

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A general review of the corporate credit card transactions alerted you to some possible prohibited
transactions. You decide to confirm whether any transactions are prohibited by matching a list of
prohibited merchant category codes against the data.
Steps

Create the filter expression

1. Open the Trans_All table.
2. Click Edit View Filter at the top of the table view to open the Expression Builder.
The Expression Builder is an Analytics component that lets you use the mouse to create
expressions, rather than typing expression syntax manually. Expressions are combinations of
values and operators that perform a calculation and return a result.
3. In the Functions drop-down list, select Logical , and then double-click the MATCH function to
add it to the Expression text box.
You're going to use MATCH to isolate several prohibited merchant category codes in the
CODES field.
4. In the Expression text box, highlight the comparison_value placeholder, and then in the
Available Fields list, double-click CODES.
The CODES field replaces comparison_value.
5. Copy the string of prohibited codes below and use them to replace the test1 , test2
<,test3...> placeholder:
"5094", "5993", "7273", "7295", "7297", "7994", "7995", "7996", "8641"

Note
Make sure you copy the entire string, including all quotation marks.

Your expression should look like this:

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Verify the expression and save and apply the filter

1. Click Verify to test that the syntax of your expression is valid.
Verifying expressions as soon as you create them is a best practice because it can help avoid
more time-consuming troubleshooting later.
If you get an error message, double-check that the syntax of the expression exactly matches
the syntax shown above.
2. In the Save As field, type or copy the filter name f_Prohibited_codes.
Galvanize recommends that you preface the names of saved filters with f_
3. Click OK.
The f_Prohibited_codes filter is applied to the Trans_All table. Transactions that use a
prohibited merchant category code are now isolated and plain to see. Consider a table with
tens of thousands of records, or more, and the value of filters quickly becomes apparent.

Remove or reapply the filter

Try removing and reapplying the filter:

1. To remove the filter, click Remove Filter .

2. To reapply the filter, do either of the following:
l Select the filter name from the Filter history drop-down list at the top of the view.

l Click Edit View Filter to open the Expression Builder, double-click the filter name in the
Filters list, and click OK.

Tip
The Filter history list holds a maximum of 10 filters, so at times you may need
to use the Expression Builder method for reapplying a saved filter.

Learn more

Beyond filters
Filters work well if the number of criteria or conditions contained by the filter are manageable.
The filter you created in this tutorial contains only 9 codes. But what if your list of prohibited
merchant category codes was several dozen, or more?
A more efficient approach would be to join an Analytics table containing the prohibited codes
with the transactions table. Every match in the joined output table would be a prohibited
transaction.

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Joins are beyond the scope of this tutorial, but they are a frequently used feature in Analytics.

Report results
Once your data analysis is complete, Analytics gives you several different ways to report or present
your results.
Traditional reports with columns of data are available, but we'll look at conveying results using the
more engaging data visualization described below.

Treemap visualization
This treemap visualization shows the grouped credit card transactions you output in the Trans_All_
Grouped table. The relation between groups is conveyed in two different ways:
l size of the box – indicates the count of individual transactions in each group
The larger the box, the greater the number of transactions. The boxes are arranged in size
from top left to bottom right.
l color intensity of the box – indicates the total amount of each group
The darker the box, the greater the total amount.
So, for example, the size of the Club Med box, in the bottom right quadrant, indicates only a small
number of transactions, but the color indicates that the total transaction amount is significant.

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First, a little pre-work

You're going to create the treemap visualization in Results, the issue remediation app in the cloud-
based HighBond platform. Access to a lite version of Results is included in your
ACL Robotics subscription.
In order to create the visualization, you must first create a simple, two-level data container to hold it.
The first level is called a Collection, and the second level is called an Analysis. They're quick and easy
to create.

Sign in to Launchpad and access Results

Note
If for some reason you cannot sign in to Launchpad or access Results, you can use
one of the alternative report creation methods listed in "Other reporting methods in
Analytics" on page 57.

Steps
1. Go to Launchpad (www.highbond.com).
2. Enter your HighBond account credentials (e-mail and password) and click Sign In.
Launchpad opens.

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3. Click Results .
The Results homepage opens.

Note
If you cannot access Results, you may not be assigned an appropriate
subscription type or Results role. Use one of the alternative report creation
methods listed in "Other reporting methods in Analytics" on page 57.
If you would like to access Results, contact your company’s Analytics account
administrator.

Create a Collection
Steps
1. From the Results homepage, click New Collection.
2. On the New Collection page, in the Name field, enter or copy ACL Tutorial.
3. At the bottom of the page, click Create Collection.
The Collection settings page opens.

Create an Analysis
Steps
1. At the bottom of the Collection settings page, under What's Next?, click create your first Data
Analysis .
The Analysis Details page opens.
2. On the Analysis Details page, in the Name field, enter or copy Sample Report.
3. Click Create Analysis .
The new ACL Tutorial Collection opens with the empty Sample Report Analysis that you just
created.

Note
Leave Results open. You will be coming back to create the data visualization.

Export data from Analytics to Results

The next stage is to export the Trans_All_Grouped table from Analytics to Results.
Steps
1. In Analytics, open the Trans_All_Grouped table.
2. From the Analytics main menu, select Data > Export.

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3. In the Export dialog box, select the following options:

Tab Option Select

Main View select View

Export As select HighBond

4. Click To, and in the Select Destination Test dialog box navigate to the Sample Report
Analysis container you just created and double-click to open it.
5. In the New data analytic field enter or copy Trans_All_Grouped and click Create.
You are returned to the Export dialog box and an ID number and data center code are prefilled
in the To text box.
6. Click OK.
The data in the Trans_All_Grouped table is exported to Results.

Create the visualization

Now you're ready to create the visualization in Results.
Steps
1. Return to the ACL Tutorial collection in Results and press F5 to refresh the browser window.
The Trans_All_Grouped table appears.
2. Under Remediate, click View Records .
The Table View opens and displays the records.
3. Click Add Visualization and click the Treemap visualization.

4. In the Configure Visualization panel, select the fields and options shown below.

Note

If you can't see the Configure Visualization panel, click Configure .

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5. Click Apply .
The Treemap visualization is generated.
You can hover your mouse over the individual boxes in the treemap to see the embedded data.
If you change the size of the browser window, the treemap dynamically updates by
repositioning boxes, and by displaying and suppressing a different selection of associated
descriptions.

Save the visualization

If you want to keep any visualizations you create you need to save them. You need to save each
visualization individually, and also the container that holds them, called an interpretation.

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Steps
1. Click Untitled at the top left corner of the Treemap visualization and type a title for the visualiz-
ation such as Transaction Treemap and press Enter.
2. Click Save > Save As .
3. In the Title field, type a name for the interpretation such as Tutorial visualizations and click
Save.
The interpretation and the visualization are both saved and can be reopened later.
4. Click the name of the collection, ACL Tutorial, in title bar to return to the Sample Report
Analysis container.
5. Click View Interpretations . The Interpretations dialog box appears and notice that it lists the
newly created interpretation, Tutorial visualizations.
You can create multiple visualizations and interpretations in each Analysis container. Each
visualization is based on the data in the Table View.

Other reporting methods in Analytics

In addition to the data visualizations available in Results, Analytics has several other methods you can
use for reporting the results of your data analysis:

Reporting method Description

Data visualizations in the Analysis The data visualization capability in Results is also available locally in
App window the Analysis App window, a freestanding component of Analytics.

Note
Some of the charts and visualizations available in Results
may not be available in the Analysis App window until a
new version of Analytics is released.

For more information, see "Interpretations and visualizations" on

page 1361.

Legacy Analytics charts Analytics contains a legacy charting and graphing capability that allows
you to create basic visual reports.
For more information, see "Working with Analytics graphs" on
page 1330.

Traditional columnar reports In some cases, a traditional text- and number-based report with rows
and columns of data is all you need.
For more information, see "Formatting and generating Analytics reports"
on page 1324.

Third-party reporting tool You can use a third-party reporting tool such as Tableau or Microsoft BI
and import data directly from Analytics.
For more information, see "Connecting to Analytics from a third-party
reporting application" on page 1342.

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Reporting method Description

Exporting data to Excel or CSV You can export data to Excel, or to a comma-separated file, and use the
reporting capabilities of Excel, or of any tool that can work with a CSV
file.
For more information, see "Exporting data" on page 203.

You're finished
Congratulations! You've completed your end-to-end introduction to analyzing data using Analytics.

Where to next?
You have several options for continuing to learn about Analytics:

Academy offers a range of courses for various experience levels. ACL Analytics
Foundations Program is a series of six mini-courses that teaches Analytics basics for new
users.
Academy is the Galvanize online training resource center. Go to the course catalog to see
the available courses.
Academy Academy courses are included at no extra cost for any user with a subscription.

You're currently in the Analytics and ACLScript Help. The Help provides reference-style
conceptual material, step-by-step instructions, and ACLScript syntax for all aspects of
Analytics.
For example, here are the Help topics for the append operation, which formed part of the
tutorial you just completed:
o "Appending tables" on page 859 (conceptual)
Analytics and o "Append tables" on page 869 (step-by-step instructions)
ACLScript Help o "APPEND command" on page 1676 (ACLScript syntax)

Community is a web-based platform with a variety of customer resources, including a

customer forum where experienced Analytics users share their expertise and answer
questions.
The customer forum is the best place to learn about the real-world usage and application
Community of Analytics.

Script your work (optional section)

Estimated time 20 minutes

Requirements No previous scripting experience is required.

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Analytics version 13.0 or later (non-Unicode edition)

You can gain a lot of value using Analytics in an ad hoc or manual fashion without ever writing a script.
For the most part, anything that can be done in a script can be done in the user interface, and vice
versa. However, to gain the most value, power, and efficiency from Analytics, you need to script.
The good news is that Analytics provides tools to make scripting relatively easy, even for a novice.

The case for scripting

Imagine that in addition to all your current responsibilities you're now responsible for reviewing
corporate credit card usage on a regular basis.

Save time
The basic review process is standardized. With each review cycle, you can spend time
repeating the basic process manually, or you can save time by automating the process.

Delegate with confidence

If the process is automated, maybe you can delegate the task to a more junior staff member. A
tested script gives you the confidence that less experienced employees can perform the task
consistently and accurately, without a significant increase to their workload.

What is a script?
An Analytics script is a series of ACLScript commands that perform a particular task, or several
related tasks. For example, everything that you just did manually in the first part of this tutorial could
also be performed using a script.
ACLScript is the command language that forms the basis of Analytics. Scripts are stored in
Analytics projects. Individual scripts appear in the Navigator, and are prefaced by the script icon .

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How the Analytics command log works

You may have noticed that the Navigator contains the Log tab. As a script writer, you'll discover that
the Analytics command log is your best friend.
Steps
1. Click the Log tab to open it.
You're looking at the Analytics command log. You can drag the Navigator panel wider to see
more of the content.
The log records the exact sequence of commands executed during each Analytics session,
and saves them as part of the Analytics project.
If you've just finished the first part of this tutorial, the log contains a list of all the actions you've
just performed in the user interface.

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2. In the log, locate and click the SUMMARIZE command that outputs results to a new table.

The command prefills the Command Line near the top of the Analytics interface, just below the
toolbar.

Note
If the Command Line isn't visible, select Window > Command Line from the
Analytics main menu.

3. Open the Trans_All table, if it is not already open.

4. If the f_Prohibited_codes filter is applied, remove it.
5. Click in the Command Line, change "Trans_All_Grouped.FIL" to "Trans_All_Grouped_2.FIL",
and press Enter.
The Summarize command is re-run on the Trans_All table and outputs the Trans_All_
Grouped_2 table, which replicates the first output table you created manually.
With a minimal amount of effort you re-performed all your earlier manual work required to
summarize the Trans_All table. Running a command from the command line is like running a
simple one-line script.

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Building a script by copying commands from the log

You'll again reuse ACLScript syntax from the log, but this time you'll copy the syntax to an
Analytics script. To keep things quick and easy, you'll script only a portion of the work you performed
manually in the tutorial, but you could script all of it.

Note
We're going to skip over some scripting best practices in order to keep this
introduction to scripting brief. The goal is to demonstrate how easy it is for even new
users to create scripts in Analytics.

Steps
1. In the log, locate and select the following commands:

2. Right-click the log and select Save Selected Items > Script.

3. In the Save Script As dialog box, enter the script name Append_and_filter and click OK.
4. In the Overview tab of the Navigator, double-click the newly created Append_and_filter script
to open it in the Script Editor.
The script opens and contains the complete syntax of the three commands you selected in the
log.
5. Take a moment to read the syntax for each command.
Do you see how the actions you previously performed in the user interface correspond to
individual pieces of ACLScript syntax? For example, after the APPEND command, there are the
names of the three tables you appended:
Trans_Apr Trans1_May Trans2_May
For the most part, the correspondence between ACLScript syntax and actions in the user
interface is relatively straightforward, which means the syntax is not that difficult to understand.

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6. Modify the script by adding _2 in the following locations:

You're adding _2 to avoid name conflicts with the table and filter you already created manually.

7. On the Script Editor toolbar click Run to run the script.

Click Yes to any prompts that appear.
The script runs and performs the following tasks:
l appends the three tables you imported from Excel into a single table, and opens the new
table
l creates the prohibited codes filter
l applies the filter to the new table
As you can see, running a script is much faster than performing the same actions manually.
Imagine the time savings, and improved consistency, in a real-world situation with much more
complex analysis performed on a weekly or monthly basis.

Note
You can also run a script by right-clicking it in the Navigator and selecting Run.
A script does not have to be open to be run.

The entire tutorial in a script

The entire tutorial you just performed manually appears below in a script (in the "Steps" section). To
finish this brief introduction to scripting, you're going to copy the script to Analytics and then redo the
tutorial work, but this time with just a couple of clicks of the mouse.

Note
The script assumes that the Sample Data Files folder is installed in the default
location. If the folder is installed in a different location, you need to modify the
navigation paths in the script to point to the correct location.
The tables created by the script are appended with _s so that they don't overwrite the
tables you created manually.

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Steps

Create a new, empty script

1. In the Overview tab in the Navigator, right-click the Scripts folder and select New > Script.
2. Right-click the New_Script, select Rename, type or copy Getting_Started_tutorial, and
press Enter.

Copy and paste the tutorial script

1. Click Show me the script below.
2. Click and drag to select the entire script and then press Ctrl+C to copy the script.

Note
It's important that you select the entire script and don't miss any lines.
Alternately, you can download a text file with the script here: Getting started
tutorial (non-Unicode edition)

3. Click in the Script Editor window and press Ctrl+V to paste the script syntax into the empty
Getting_Started_tutorial script.

Update and save the script

1. Update the navigation paths in the script:
a. Click the first line of the script.
b. Right-click and select Find.
c. Type the following entries in the Replace dialog box:
l Find what: user_account_name

l Replace with: the actual account name on your computer

d. Perform the find-and-replace of all instances of user_account_name

2. Click Save the Open Project , and click Yes in the prompt that appears.
If you do not find the save icon, select Window > Toolbar in the Analytics main menu to enable
the toolbar.

Run the script

On the Script Editor toolbar click Run to run the script.

The script runs and replicates all the tutorial work. Interactive notifications provide key information as
the script runs.
Show me the script

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Note
If you haven't worked with scripts before, the script syntax may look overwhelming at
first. Keep in mind that almost all the syntax was simply copied from the Analytics log.
The syntax for the interactive notifications in the script (DIALOG commands) was
auto-generated by another relatively simple Analytics tool.
The green COMMENT commands walk you through the script at a high level. You'll
recognize the tasks that you just completed in the preceding tutorial.

COMMENT
*** Non-Unicode Edition ***
This script performs all the actions that you performed manually in the "Get-
ting Started with ACL Analytics" tutorial.
END

COMMENT Allows overwriting of tables without a user confirmation.

SET SAFETY OFF

COMMENT Imports the three Excel worksheets.

IMPORT EXCEL TO Trans1_May_s "C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL

Data\Sample Data Files\Trans1_May_s.fil" FROM "Trans_May.xls" TABLE "Trans1_
May$" KEEPTITLE FIELD "CARDNUM" C WID 19 AS "" FIELD "CODES" N WID 4 DEC 0 AS
"" FIELD "DATE" D WID 19 PIC "YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss" AS "" FIELD "CUSTNO" C WID
6 AS "" FIELD "DESCRIPTION" C WID 95 AS "" FIELD "AMOUNT" C WID 9 AS ""

IMPORT EXCEL TO Trans2_May_s "C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL

Data\Sample Data Files\Trans2_May_s.fil" FROM "Trans_May.xls" TABLE "Trans2_
May$" KEEPTITLE FIELD "CARDNUM" C WID 19 AS "" FIELD "CODES" N WID 4 DEC 0 AS
"" FIELD "DATE" D WID 19 PIC "YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss" AS "" FIELD "CUSTNO" C WID
6 AS "" FIELD "DESCRIPTION" C WID 155 AS "" FIELD "AMOUNT" C WID 9 AS ""

IMPORT EXCEL TO Trans_Apr_s "C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL

Data\Sample Data Files\Trans_Apr_s.fil" FROM "Trans_April.xls" TABLE "Trans_
Apr$" KEEPTITLE FIELD "CARDNUM" N WID 16 DEC 0 AS "" FIELD "AMOUNT" N WID 6
DEC 2 AS "" FIELD "DATE" D WID 10 PIC "YYYY-MM-DD" AS "" FIELD "CODES" N WID 4
DEC 0 AS "" FIELD "CUSTNO" C WID 6 AS "" FIELD "DESCRIPTION" C WID 45 AS ""

COMMENT Adjusts the table layouts of the three new Analytics tables.

OPEN Trans_Apr_s
DELETE FIELD CARDNUM OK
DEFINE FIELD CARDNUM ASCII 1 16 WIDTH 19
DELETE FIELD CODES OK
DEFINE FIELD CODES ASCII 33 4 WIDTH 7

OPEN Trans1_May_s
DELETE FIELD CODES OK

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DEFINE FIELD CODES ASCII 20 4 WIDTH 7

DELETE FIELD AMOUNT OK
DEFINE FIELD AMOUNT PRINT 144 9 2 WIDTH 9
DELETE FIELD DATE OK
DEFINE FIELD DATE DATETIME 24 10 PICTURE "YYYY-MM-DD" WIDTH 27

OPEN Trans2_May_s
DELETE FIELD CODES OK
DEFINE FIELD CODES ASCII 20 4 WIDTH 7
DELETE FIELD AMOUNT OK
DEFINE FIELD AMOUNT PRINT 204 9 2 WIDTH 9
DELETE FIELD DATE OK
DEFINE FIELD DATE DATETIME 24 10 PICTURE "YYYY-MM-DD" WIDTH 27

COMMENT Verifies the imported data and provides user notifications.

OPEN Trans_Apr_s
VERIFY FIELDS CARDNUM AMOUNT DATE CODES CUSTNO DESCRIPTION ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans_Apr_s
table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans_Apr_s
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )

OPEN Trans1_May_s
VERIFY FIELDS CARDNUM CODES DATE CUSTNO DESCRIPTION AMOUNT ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans1_May_s
table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans1_May_s
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )

OPEN Trans2_May_s
VERIFY FIELDS CARDNUM CODES DATE CUSTNO DESCRIPTION AMOUNT ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans2_May_s
table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans2_May_s
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )

COMMENT Verifies the Badfile table and provides a user notification.

OPEN Badfile
VERIFY FIELDS InvoiceNo Prodno Price OrderQty ShipQty Total ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )

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(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Badfile

table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Badfile
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
CLOSE

COMMENT Appends the three new Analytics tables into a single combined table.
APPEND Trans_Apr_s Trans1_May_s Trans2_May_s TO "Trans_All_s" OPEN
DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 630 HEIGHT 100 ) (BUTTONSET TITLE
"&OK;&Cancel" AT 500 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "The combined transactions
table (Trans_All_s) contains %WRITE1% records" AT 12 28 )

COMMENT Groups the combined table by merchant category code.

SUMMARIZE ON CODES SUBTOTAL AMOUNT OTHER DESCRIPTION TO "Trans_All_Grouped_
s.FIL" OPEN PRESORT STATISTICS
DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 700 HEIGHT 100 ) (BUTTONSET TITLE
"&OK;&Cancel" AT 570 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "The grouped transactions
table (Trans_All_Grouped_s) contains %WRITE1% merchant category codes" AT 12
28 WIDTH 550 )

COMMENT Filters the combined table to show only prohibited transactions.

OPEN Trans_All_s
DEFINE FIELD f_Prohibited_codes COMPUTED MATCH(CODES, "5094", "5993", "7273",
"7295", "7297", "7994", "7995", "7996", "8641")
SET FILTER TO f_Prohibited_codes

COMMENT Successful completion message.

DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 ) (BUTTONSET TITLE
"&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "The script successfully com-
pleted" AT 12 28 )

COMMENT A user confirmation is required before overwriting a table.

SET SAFETY ON

You're finished
That's the end of this brief introduction to scripting. We hope you've seen enough to be convinced of
the value of scripting and that you want to learn more.

Where to next?
You have several options for learning more about scripting in Analytics:

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Option Useful information

Tutorials The Analytics Help contains the following beginner-level tutorials:

o "Scripting for complete beginners" on page 1489
o "Analytics scripting basics" on page 1507
o "How to use functions" on page 1534
The Help also contains a complete ACLScript language reference with detailed
information about every Analytics command and function.

Academy Academy offers both an introductory and an advanced scripting course:

o Introduction to scripting in ACL Analytics (ACL 106)
o ACL Analytics Scripting (ACL 303)
Academy is the Galvanize online training resource center. Go to the course catalog to see
the available courses.
Academy courses are included at no extra cost for any user with an ACL subscription.

Community Community is a web-based platform with a variety of customer resources, including a

customer forum where Analytics scripting is frequently discussed in depth.

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Getting started with Analytics

(Unicode edition)
This getting started tutorial introduces you to the end-to-end process of analyzing data using
Analytics.

Estimated time 60 minutes

No previous Analytics experience is required. Some basic data analysis experience

Requirements is assumed, but not absolutely critical.

Analytics version 13.0 or later (Unicode edition)

Do this version of the tutorial if you're using the Unicode edition of Analytics.
Do the right version of If you're using the non-Unicode edition, do "Getting started with Analytics (non-
the tutorial Unicode edition)" on page 35.

Tip
To find out which edition of Analytics you're using, on the Analytics main menu, click
Help > About to open the Analytics dialog box. The edition designation appears after
the version number.

Note
The Chinese and Japanese user interfaces are Unicode-only.

Scenario

Review corporate credit card transactions

You're asked to review corporate credit card transactions from a two-month period. Your goal
is to get a general picture of how employees used cards during the period, and also to identify
any possible misuse of cards.
The transaction data is contained in three separate Excel worksheets. Before you can analyze
the data, you need to import it into Analytics, and combine the separate data sets into a single
Analytics table.

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After you've analyzed the data, you want to present the results of your analysis visually, to
better engage your audience.

Optional section
You're told that from now on, reviewing corporate credit card transactions will be a recurring
responsibility.
To allow yourself, or someone else, to perform future reviews quickly and accurately, you
decide to create a script to automate some of the work.

PIPAR – the data analysis cycle in Analytics

The data analysis cycle in Analytics contains five stages, which are summarized by the acronym
PIPAR:
Plan, Import, Prepare, Analyze, Report

Plan your work

Planning your data analysis work is important, and often critical. If you skip the planning stage, and
jump straight into running analytical commands against data, you may run into problems, create extra
work for yourself, or even miss important analytical insights.
Even a basic plan is better than no plan. With experience, and increasing knowledge of Analytics,
your planning will become more fully developed and more precise. Good planning is the key to data
analysis projects that progress smoothly and efficiently.

Planning guidelines
Develop clear, specific objectives
What is the intended end product of your analysis?

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You need clearly defined objectives in order to be able to plan how to achieve them. For example, in
this tutorial, your specific objectives are:
l identify the count, and total amount, of corporate credit card transactions in each merchant
category
l identify any transactions in prohibited categories
Map a step-by-step approach
How will you achieve your objectives?
Accomplishing an objective often requires more than one step, so map a detailed, step-by-step
approach to guide you along the way.
For example, two of the steps in the planning for this tutorial could be:
l combine all the individual transaction files into a single file
l group the combined transaction data into merchant categories
Once you've broken down the larger objectives into individual steps, you can consider which
Analytics features and functions to use to perform each step.
Identify what data you'll need
What data do you need to achieve your objectives?
Itemize the required source data to the level of specific data elements or fields. You won't be able to
achieve your desired output without the appropriate input.
In this tutorial you have the main transaction files, but to achieve your second objective you'll also
need a list of prohibited merchant category codes.
Consider technical requirements
Are there any technical considerations you must take into account?
Regardless of which tool you're using for data analysis, you must work within its constraints. Is the
source data stored in a location or a system that the tool can access, and in a format that it can read?
Is the analysis you're proposing supported by the tool?
For example, in order to combine multiple tables in Analytics, the data types of the corresponding
fields in each table must be the same. Analytics supports changing the data type of a field, but that's a
step you need to account for in your planning.
Be prepared to iterate
You may need to adjust your plan as you go along.
In the course of your analysis, you discover something unexpected that warrants further investigation.
You realize you need additional data and additional analytical steps.
Your plan can evolve as your understanding of the data evolves. And it can serve as the basis for a
more mature plan for future analysis of a similar nature.

Import data
You must import data into Analytics before you can analyze it.

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We'll familiarize with the import process by using the Data Definition Wizard to import three Excel
worksheets. Importing from Excel is one of the most common methods for acquiring data for analysis
in Analytics. However, Analytics supports importing data from a wide variety of data sources.

Open Analytics and "Sample Project.ACL"

Note
The steps below assume you have already activated Analytics.

Steps
1. Double-click the ACL for Windows shortcut on your desktop.
2. In the ACL for Windows screen, under Open, click Analytic Project.
3. Navigate to C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL Data\Sample Data Files
and double-click Sample Project.ACL.
Sample Project.ACL opens in Analytics.
If you did not install the Sample Data Files folder in the default location when you installed
Analytics, navigate to the location where you installed it.

Import the first two Excel worksheets

You will get started by importing two Excel worksheets at the same time. Importing multiple Excel
worksheets simultaneously is a great way to reduce labor.
Steps
1. From the Analytics main menu, select Import > File.
2. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select Trans_May.xls and click Open.
The Excel file is in the same folder as Sample Project.ACL.
3. In the File Format page, make sure the Excel file option is selected and click Next.
4. In the Data Source page, select both worksheets in the file:
l Trans1_May$

l Trans2_May$

5. Make sure Use first row as Field Names is selected, click Next, and then click Finish.
The two Excel worksheets are imported into two separate Analytics tables.

Import the third Excel worksheet

Now import the third Excel worksheet by itself. When you import a single worksheet, you have the
option of manually adjusting some of the metadata settings during the import process, rather than
doing it later in Analytics.
Steps
1. Repeat the steps in the previous procedure to locate and select Trans_April.xls.
2. In the File Format page, make sure the Excel file option is selected and click Next.

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3. In the Data Source page, select Trans_Apr$.

4. Make sure Use first row as Field Names is selected, and click Next.
5. In the Excel Import page, click the header to select the TRANS_DATE column and make the
following changes:
l In the Name field, change TRANS_DATE to DATE.

l In the Length field, change 19 to 10.

Note
You're making adjustments to a data field in the Data Definition Wizard, during
the import process. You can also make adjustments later, after you have
completed importing the data. You'll see the reason for the adjustments in the
next section of the tutorial.

6. Click Next, in the File name field type Trans_Apr, and click Save.
7. Click Finish, and then click OK.
The third Excel worksheet is imported into an Analytics table.
You should now have three new Analytics tables in the Overview tab of the Navigator. These tables
contain read-only copies of the Excel data. They do not contain the Excel source data itself.

Prepare data
Often you must perform one or more data preparation tasks before data is ready to analyze.
For this tutorial, you'll perform two preparation tasks:

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l make additional adjustments to harmonize data fields

l combine the three new Analytics tables into a single table for analysis
As well, as a best practice, you should always verify the validity of imported data before performing
analytical work. Even a small amount of invalid data in a table can invalidate all your subsequent data
analysis.

Why do I need to prepare data?

You're eager to get on with the analysis of the data, but without proper data preparation you may not
be able to perform the analysis. Or the analysis you perform may be flawed.
A wide variety of issues can affect source data making it unsuitable for analysis without some initial
preparation.
For example:
l The source data is spread between several different files and needs to be consolidated so that
it can be analyzed as a single set of data.
l Corresponding fields in different files need to be "harmonized", which means making them
identical in structure and format as a prerequisite to processing them.
l "Dirty data" needs to be cleansed and standardized, which you can do with Analytics functions.

Key point
The time you spend importing and preparing data may exceed the time you spend on the
actual analysis. However, they are critical initial stages, and provide the foundation that your
analysis is built on.

Adjust the table layouts

Every table in an Analytics project has a table layout. The table layout contains metadata such as
field names, the start position of fields, the length of fields, the data type of fields, and so on.
Before we can combine the three new Analytics tables into a single table, we need to harmonize
some of the metadata in the table layouts.
Here's what the Trans_Apr table layout looks like. You'll quickly learn your way around table layouts
as you become more familiar with Analytics. You can do a lot of useful things in the table layout.

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Adjust the Trans_Apr table layout

First, you need to change the data type of two fields in the Trans_Apr table.
Steps
1. Open the Trans_Apr table, if it is not already open.
To open a table, double-click it in the Navigator.
2. Above the table view, click Edit Table Layout .
3. Double-click the CARDNUM  field to open the field definition for editing.
4. Under Valid Data Types , double-click UNICODE to update the data type of the field.
In the other two tables, the CARDNUM  field has an UNICODE data type. For the most part,
combining data requires that corresponding fields in the tables being combined have the same
data type.

5. Click Accept Entry .

If a prompt appears, click Yes to save your changes.
6. Double-click the CODES field and change the data type to UNICODE.
7. Click Accept Entry , and then click Close to exit the Table Layout dialog box.

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Adjust the Trans_May table layouts

To finish the adjustments, you need to change the data type of two fields in both the Trans1_May and
the Trans2_May layouts. You may also need to make an adjustment to the DATE field.
Steps
Follow the process above to make the following changes in both the Trans1_May and the Trans2_
May layouts:

Field Change data type to: Additional change

CODES UNICODE

AMOUNT PRINT Enter 2 in the Dec. field to specify that numeric values
display two decimal places.

DATE no change Note

If the DATE field already has a length of 20, no
adjustment is required.

o In the Len. field, change 38 to 20. This change omits the

empty time data.
o In the Format dropdown list, select YYYY-MM-DD.

When you're finished, the May table layouts should look like the layout below.

Note
The date format (YYYY-MM-DD) isn't shown in the layout summary. The
DESCRIPTION field length is different in the two May layouts.

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Verify the imported data

Now let's verify the data in the three imported tables to make sure it's safe to proceed with additional
data preparation, and data analysis.

Note
We're verifying the data after updating the data types. When you verify data in
Analytics, you're checking that all the values in a field conform to the requirements of
the field's data type. So it makes sense to verify data only once the data types are
finalized.

Steps
1. Open the Trans_Apr table.
2. From the Analytics main menu, select Data > Verify .
3. In the Verify dialog box, select all the fields in the field list.

Tip
Use Shift+click to select multiple adjacent fields.

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4. Click OK.
The result should be: 0 data validity errors detected.

Learn more
Did you notice that Analytics automatically translated the action you performed in the
user interface into the ACLScript VERIFY command? Every command-level action you
perform in the user interface is automatically translated into its corresponding ACLScript
command, and captured and stored in the command log that accompanies each
Analytics project.
This automatic generation of valid, runnable script syntax is one of the most powerful
features in Analytics. We'll be looking at scripting in an optional section at the end of the
tutorial.

5. In the Navigator, double-click the Trans1_May table to open it, and repeat the steps to verify
the data.
6. Do the same for the Trans2_May table.
Both tables should not contain any data validity errors.

Note
If you get an error message stating Maximum error limit reached, check that
you correctly changed the format of the Date field in the table layout to YYYY-
MM-DD.

Learn more

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If you want to see what happens when Analytics does identify data validity errors, open
Tables\Badfile and run the verification process.

Combine the three Analytics tables

For the final data preparation task, you combine the three new Analytics tables into a single table.
For simplicity, the tutorial combines only three tables. However, you could use the same process to
combine 12 monthly tables into a single annual table and perform analysis on data for an entire fiscal
year.
Steps
1. From the Analytics main menu, select Data > Append.
2. Under Available Tables , double-click each of the new tables to add it to the Selected Tables
area.
3. Take a look at the fields in the three tables and notice how the names and data types are
identical based on the changes you made in the Data Definition Wizard and the Table Layout
dialog box.
To append corresponding fields, their names must be identical, and in most situations their
data types must be identical.

4. Select Use Output Table so that the output table with the combined data opens automatically
after you run the command.
5. In the To field, type Trans_All and click OK.

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6. Click Yes in the notification that pops up.

Note
Don't worry about the notification. The append command performs some
automatic harmonization of numeric fields, which saves you time and effort.

The new Trans_All table is created, and contains all the records from the three input tables.
The record count in the status bar at the bottom of the Analytics interface should say
Records: 481.
You're now ready to move on to some actual data analysis.

Analyze data
You perform analysis in Analytics by using commands and other tools to gain general insights about
the data you are investigating, and to answer specific questions.

Note
The analysis stage is where the strength of your earlier planning becomes apparent.
If you've formulated clear objectives regarding your investigation, you'll have a clearer
idea of the types of analysis to perform.

The data analysis

For this tutorial, you'll perform the following analysis of the data in the Trans_All table:
l group the credit card transaction records by merchant category code in order to discover:
l how employees are using corporate credit cards

l how much money is being spent in each category

l create a filter to isolate any prohibited transactions

Group credit card transactions by merchant category

code
Grouping or summarizing a set of data is an excellent way of quickly getting an overview of the data.
Steps
1. Open the Trans_All table, if it is not already open.
2. From the Analytics main menu, select Analyze > Summarize.

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3. In the Summarize dialog box, select the following fields and options:
Tab Field or option Select or type

Main Summarize On select CODES

Other Fields select DESCRIPTION

Subtotal Fields select AMOUNT

Avg, min, max select the checkbox

Output To select File

Name type Trans_All_Grouped

4. Click OK.
The new Trans_All_Grouped table is created. The table contains 110 records, one for each
unique merchant category code in the Trans_All table. The COUNT field tells you how many
source records are in each group.

Tip
Right-click the table view and select Resize All Columns to make the view
more compact.

Simple tools for investigation

Now that you have a summarized version of the data, you can use some basic Analytics tools to gain
general insight into corporate credit card use.
You can learn a lot about patterns of use, and possible misuse, in just a few clicks.

To gain this insight: Do this in the Trans_All_Grouped table:

What was the total o Select the Total AMOUNT header.

amount charged by o Select Analyze > Total.
employees during April Total expenditure was $187,177.13.
and May?

Where did employees o Right-click the Total AMOUNT header and select Quick Sort Descending
spend the most money?
The Description field shows you that the most money was spent on:
o Caterers
o Eating places and Restaurants
o Hilton International

What were the largest o Right-click the Maximum AMOUNT header and select Quick Sort Descending
single expenditures?
The Description and Maximum AMOUNT fields show you that the largest single
expenditure was a Club Med amount of $1999.06.
Is Club Med an authorized merchant code for the corporate credit card? If the credit
card limit is $2000, was an employee charging an amount just under the limit?

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To gain this insight: Do this in the Trans_All_Grouped table:

What does an o Right-click the COUNT header and select Quick Sort Ascending
examination of
Five categories had only a single charge each. Are some of them prohibited
infrequently used codes
categories? Perhaps one or more employees thought that misusing a company
reveal?
card only very occasionally would allow them to escape detection.
o Cigar Stores & Stands
o Dating & Escort Svcs.
o Babysitting services
o Amusement Parks
o Civic, Fraternal, and Social Associations

Are any of the categories o Right-click the DESCRIPTION header and select Quick Sort Ascending to
prohibited? alphabetize the field values for easier scanning
o Scan down the field looking for suspicious categories
Perhaps one or more of these categories are prohibited?
o Babysitting services
o Betting (including Lottery Tickets, Casino)
o Civic, Fraternal, and Social Associations
o Dating & Escort Svcs.
o Massage Parlors
o Precious Stones and Metals, Watches and Jewel
o Video Game Arcades/Establishments

Note
Manual scanning is impractical for all but small data sets. We'll look
at a more practical, more reliable method next.

Learn more
Perhaps you just want to perform some quick analysis and you don't want to output the results
to a new table. When you summarized the Trans_All table, instead of selecting File in the
Summarize dialog box, you could select Screen, and output the results to the
Analytics display area.

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Outputting to screen is only practical for smaller data sets. However, it has the advantage of
providing an easy way to drill-down on individual groups and see only the source records in
each group.

Create a filter to isolate prohibited transactions

Filters allow you to isolate just the records you are interested in at a particular moment. Filters are a
powerful tool for answering specific questions about data.

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A general review of the corporate credit card transactions alerted you to some possible prohibited
transactions. You decide to confirm whether any transactions are prohibited by matching a list of
prohibited merchant category codes against the data.
Steps

Create the filter expression

1. Open the Trans_All table.
2. Click Edit View Filter at the top of the table view to open the Expression Builder.
The Expression Builder is an Analytics component that lets you use the mouse to create
expressions, rather than typing expression syntax manually. Expressions are combinations of
values and operators that perform a calculation and return a result.
3. In the Functions drop-down list, select Logical , and then double-click the MATCH function to
add it to the Expression text box.
You're going to use MATCH to isolate several prohibited merchant category codes in the
CODES field.
4. In the Expression text box, highlight the comparison_value placeholder, and then in the
Available Fields list, double-click CODES.
The CODES field replaces comparison_value.
5. Copy the string of prohibited codes below and use them to replace the test1 , test2
<,test3...> placeholder:
"5094", "5993", "7273", "7295", "7297", "7994", "7995", "7996", "8641"

Note
Make sure you copy the entire string, including all quotation marks.

Your expression should look like this:

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Verify the expression and save and apply the filter

1. Click Verify to test that the syntax of your expression is valid.
Verifying expressions as soon as you create them is a best practice because it can help avoid
more time-consuming troubleshooting later.
If you get an error message, double-check that the syntax of the expression exactly matches
the syntax shown above.
2. In the Save As field, type or copy the filter name f_Prohibited_codes.
Galvanize recommends that you preface the names of saved filters with f_
3. Click OK.
The f_Prohibited_codes filter is applied to the Trans_All table. Transactions that use a
prohibited merchant category code are now isolated and plain to see. Consider a table with
tens of thousands of records, or more, and the value of filters quickly becomes apparent.

Remove or reapply the filter

Try removing and reapplying the filter:

1. To remove the filter, click Remove Filter .

2. To reapply the filter, do either of the following:
l Select the filter name from the Filter history drop-down list at the top of the view.

l Click Edit View Filter to open the Expression Builder, double-click the filter name in the
Filters list, and click OK.

Tip
The Filter history list holds a maximum of 10 filters, so at times you may need
to use the Expression Builder method for reapplying a saved filter.

Learn more

Beyond filters
Filters work well if the number of criteria or conditions contained by the filter are manageable.
The filter you created in this tutorial contains only 9 codes. But what if your list of prohibited
merchant category codes was several dozen, or more?
A more efficient approach would be to join an Analytics table containing the prohibited codes
with the transactions table. Every match in the joined output table would be a prohibited
transaction.

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Joins are beyond the scope of this tutorial, but they are a frequently used feature in Analytics.

Report results
Once your data analysis is complete, Analytics gives you several different ways to report or present
your results.
Traditional reports with columns of data are available, but we'll look at conveying results using the
more engaging data visualization described below.

Treemap visualization
This treemap visualization shows the grouped credit card transactions you output in the Trans_All_
Grouped table. The relation between groups is conveyed in two different ways:
l size of the box – indicates the count of individual transactions in each group
The larger the box, the greater the number of transactions. The boxes are arranged in size
from top left to bottom right.
l color intensity of the box – indicates the total amount of each group
The darker the box, the greater the total amount.
So, for example, the size of the Club Med box, in the bottom right quadrant, indicates only a small
number of transactions, but the color indicates that the total transaction amount is significant.

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First, a little pre-work

You're going to create the treemap visualization in Results, the issue remediation app in the cloud-
based HighBond platform. Access to a lite version of Results is included in your
ACL Robotics subscription.
In order to create the visualization, you must first create a simple, two-level data container to hold it.
The first level is called a Collection, and the second level is called an Analysis. They're quick and easy
to create.

Sign in to Launchpad and access Results

Note
If for some reason you cannot sign in to Launchpad or access Results, you can use
one of the alternative report creation methods listed in "Other reporting methods in
Analytics" on page 91.

Steps
1. Go to Launchpad (www.highbond.com).
2. Enter your HighBond account credentials (e-mail and password) and click Sign In.
Launchpad opens.

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3. Click Results .
The Results homepage opens.

Note
If you cannot access Results, you may not be assigned an appropriate
subscription type or Results role. Use one of the alternative report creation
methods listed in "Other reporting methods in Analytics" on page 91.
If you would like to access Results, contact your company’s Analytics account
administrator.

Create a Collection
Steps
1. From the Results homepage, click New Collection.
2. On the New Collection page, in the Name field, enter or copy ACL Tutorial.
3. At the bottom of the page, click Create Collection.
The Collection settings page opens.

Create an Analysis
Steps
1. At the bottom of the Collection settings page, under What's Next?, click create your first Data
Analysis .
The Analysis Details page opens.
2. On the Analysis Details page, in the Name field, enter or copy Sample Report.
3. Click Create Analysis .
The new ACL Tutorial Collection opens with the empty Sample Report Analysis that you just
created.

Note
Leave Results open. You will be coming back to create the data visualization.

Export data from Analytics to Results

The next stage is to export the Trans_All_Grouped table from Analytics to Results.
Steps
1. In Analytics, open the Trans_All_Grouped table.
2. From the Analytics main menu, select Data > Export.

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3. In the Export dialog box, select the following options:

Tab Option Select

Main View select View

Export As select HighBond

4. Click To, and in the Select Destination Test dialog box navigate to the Sample Report
Analysis container you just created and double-click to open it.
5. In the New data analytic field enter or copy Trans_All_Grouped and click Create.
You are returned to the Export dialog box and an ID number and data center code are prefilled
in the To text box.
6. Click OK.
The data in the Trans_All_Grouped table is exported to Results.

Create the visualization

Now you're ready to create the visualization in Results.
Steps
1. Return to the ACL Tutorial collection in Results and press F5 to refresh the browser window.
The Trans_All_Grouped table appears.
2. Under Remediate, click View Records .
The Table View opens and displays the records.
3. Click Add Visualization and click the Treemap visualization.

4. In the Configure Visualization panel, select the fields and options shown below.

Note

If you can't see the Configure Visualization panel, click Configure .

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5. Click Apply .
The Treemap visualization is generated.
You can hover your mouse over the individual boxes in the treemap to see the embedded data.
If you change the size of the browser window, the treemap dynamically updates by
repositioning boxes, and by displaying and suppressing a different selection of associated
descriptions.

Save the visualization

If you want to keep any visualizations you create you need to save them. You need to save each
visualization individually, and also the container that holds them, called an interpretation.

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Steps
1. Click Untitled at the top left corner of the Treemap visualization and type a title for the visualiz-
ation such as Transaction Treemap and press Enter.
2. Click Save > Save As .
3. In the Title field, type a name for the interpretation such as Tutorial visualizations and click
Save.
The interpretation and the visualization are both saved and can be reopened later.
4. Click the name of the collection, ACL Tutorial, in title bar to return to the Sample Report
Analysis container.
5. Click View Interpretations . The Interpretations dialog box appears and notice that it lists the
newly created interpretation, Tutorial visualizations.
You can create multiple visualizations and interpretations in each Analysis container. Each
visualization is based on the data in the Table View.

Other reporting methods in Analytics

In addition to the data visualizations available in Results, Analytics has several other methods you can
use for reporting the results of your data analysis:

Reporting method Description

Data visualizations in the Analysis The data visualization capability in Results is also available locally in
App window the Analysis App window, a freestanding component of Analytics.

Note
Some of the charts and visualizations available in Results
may not be available in the Analysis App window until a
new version of Analytics is released.

For more information, see "Interpretations and visualizations" on

page 1361.

Legacy Analytics charts Analytics contains a legacy charting and graphing capability that allows
you to create basic visual reports.
For more information, see "Working with Analytics graphs" on
page 1330.

Traditional columnar reports In some cases, a traditional text- and number-based report with rows
and columns of data is all you need.
For more information, see "Formatting and generating Analytics reports"
on page 1324.

Third-party reporting tool You can use a third-party reporting tool such as Tableau or Microsoft BI
and import data directly from Analytics.
For more information, see "Connecting to Analytics from a third-party
reporting application" on page 1342.

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Reporting method Description

Exporting data to Excel or CSV You can export data to Excel, or to a comma-separated file, and use the
reporting capabilities of Excel, or of any tool that can work with a CSV
file.
For more information, see "Exporting data" on page 203.

You're finished
Congratulations! You've completed your end-to-end introduction to analyzing data using Analytics.

Where to next?
You have several options for continuing to learn about Analytics:

Academy offers a range of courses for various experience levels. ACL Analytics
Foundations Program is a series of six mini-courses that teaches Analytics basics for new
users.
Academy is the Galvanize online training resource center. Go to the course catalog to see
the available courses.
Academy Academy courses are included at no extra cost for any user with a subscription.

You're currently in the Analytics and ACLScript Help. The Help provides reference-style
conceptual material, step-by-step instructions, and ACLScript syntax for all aspects of
Analytics.
For example, here are the Help topics for the append operation, which formed part of the
tutorial you just completed:
o "Appending tables" on page 859 (conceptual)
Analytics and o "Append tables" on page 869 (step-by-step instructions)
ACLScript Help o "APPEND command" on page 1676 (ACLScript syntax)

Community is a web-based platform with a variety of customer resources, including a

customer forum where experienced Analytics users share their expertise and answer
questions.
The customer forum is the best place to learn about the real-world usage and application
Community of Analytics.

Script your work (optional section)

Estimated time 20 minutes

Requirements No previous scripting experience is required.

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Analytics version 13.0 or later (Unicode edition)

You can gain a lot of value using Analytics in an ad hoc or manual fashion without ever writing a script.
For the most part, anything that can be done in a script can be done in the user interface, and vice
versa. However, to gain the most value, power, and efficiency from Analytics, you need to script.
The good news is that Analytics provides tools to make scripting relatively easy, even for a novice.

The case for scripting

Imagine that in addition to all your current responsibilities you're now responsible for reviewing
corporate credit card usage on a regular basis.

Save time
The basic review process is standardized. With each review cycle, you can spend time
repeating the basic process manually, or you can save time by automating the process.

Delegate with confidence

If the process is automated, maybe you can delegate the task to a more junior staff member. A
tested script gives you the confidence that less experienced employees can perform the task
consistently and accurately, without a significant increase to their workload.

What is a script?
An Analytics script is a series of ACLScript commands that perform a particular task, or several
related tasks. For example, everything that you just did manually in the first part of this tutorial could
also be performed using a script.
ACLScript is the command language that forms the basis of Analytics. Scripts are stored in
Analytics projects. Individual scripts appear in the Navigator, and are prefaced by the script icon .

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How the Analytics command log works

You may have noticed that the Navigator contains the Log tab. As a script writer, you'll discover that
the Analytics command log is your best friend.
Steps
1. Click the Log tab to open it.
You're looking at the Analytics command log. You can drag the Navigator panel wider to see
more of the content.
The log records the exact sequence of commands executed during each Analytics session,
and saves them as part of the Analytics project.
If you've just finished the first part of this tutorial, the log contains a list of all the actions you've
just performed in the user interface.

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2. In the log, locate and click the SUMMARIZE command that outputs results to a new table.

The command prefills the Command Line near the top of the Analytics interface, just below the
toolbar.

Note
If the Command Line isn't visible, select Window > Command Line from the
Analytics main menu.

3. Open the Trans_All table, if it is not already open.

4. If the f_Prohibited_codes filter is applied, remove it.
5. Click in the Command Line, change "Trans_All_Grouped.FIL" to "Trans_All_Grouped_2.FIL",
and press Enter.
The Summarize command is re-run on the Trans_All table and outputs the Trans_All_
Grouped_2 table, which replicates the first output table you created manually.
With a minimal amount of effort you re-performed all your earlier manual work required to
summarize the Trans_All table. Running a command from the command line is like running a
simple one-line script.

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Building a script by copying commands from the log

You'll again reuse ACLScript syntax from the log, but this time you'll copy the syntax to an
Analytics script. To keep things quick and easy, you'll script only a portion of the work you performed
manually in the tutorial, but you could script all of it.

Note
We're going to skip over some scripting best practices in order to keep this
introduction to scripting brief. The goal is to demonstrate how easy it is for even new
users to create scripts in Analytics.

Steps
1. In the log, locate and select the following commands:

2. Right-click the log and select Save Selected Items > Script.

3. In the Save Script As dialog box, enter the script name Append_and_filter and click OK.
4. In the Overview tab of the Navigator, double-click the newly created Append_and_filter script
to open it in the Script Editor.
The script opens and contains the complete syntax of the three commands you selected in the
log.
5. Take a moment to read the syntax for each command.
Do you see how the actions you previously performed in the user interface correspond to
individual pieces of ACLScript syntax? For example, after the APPEND command, there are the
names of the three tables you appended:
Trans_Apr Trans1_May Trans2_May
For the most part, the correspondence between ACLScript syntax and actions in the user
interface is relatively straightforward, which means the syntax is not that difficult to understand.

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6. Modify the script by adding _2 in the following locations:

You're adding _2 to avoid name conflicts with the table and filter you already created manually.

7. On the Script Editor toolbar click Run to run the script.

Click Yes to any prompts that appear.
The script runs and performs the following tasks:
l appends the three tables you imported from Excel into a single table, and opens the new
table
l creates the prohibited codes filter
l applies the filter to the new table
As you can see, running a script is much faster than performing the same actions manually.
Imagine the time savings, and improved consistency, in a real-world situation with much more
complex analysis performed on a weekly or monthly basis.

Note
You can also run a script by right-clicking it in the Navigator and selecting Run.
A script does not have to be open to be run.

The entire tutorial in a script

The entire tutorial you just performed manually appears below in a script (in the "Steps" section). To
finish this brief introduction to scripting, you're going to copy the script to Analytics and then redo the
tutorial work, but this time with just a couple of clicks of the mouse.

Note
The script assumes that the Sample Data Files folder is installed in the default
location. If the folder is installed in a different location, you need to modify the
navigation paths in the script to point to the correct location.
The tables created by the script are appended with _s so that they don't overwrite the
tables you created manually.

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Steps

Create a new, empty script

1. In the Overview tab in the Navigator, right-click the Scripts folder and select New > Script.
2. Right-click the New_Script, select Rename, type or copy Getting_Started_tutorial, and
press Enter.

Copy and paste the tutorial script

1. Click Show me the script below.
2. Click and drag to select the entire script and then press Ctrl+C to copy the script.

Note
It's important that you select the entire script and don't miss any lines.
Alternately, you can download a text file with the script here: Getting started
tutorial (Unicode edition)

3. Click in the Script Editor window and press Ctrl+V to paste the script syntax into the empty
Getting_Started_tutorial script.

Update and save the script

1. Update the navigation paths in the script:
a. Click the first line of the script.
b. Right-click and select Find.
c. Type the following entries in the Replace dialog box:
l Find what: user_account_name

l Replace with: the actual account name on your computer

d. Perform the find-and-replace of all instances of user_account_name

2. Click Save the Open Project , and click Yes in the prompt that appears.
If you do not find the save icon, select Window > Toolbar in the Analytics main menu to enable
the toolbar.

Run the script

On the Script Editor toolbar click Run to run the script.

The script runs and replicates all the tutorial work. Interactive notifications provide key information as
the script runs.
Show me the script

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Note
If you haven't worked with scripts before, the script syntax may look overwhelming at
first. Keep in mind that almost all the syntax was simply copied from the Analytics log.
The syntax for the interactive notifications in the script (DIALOG commands) was
auto-generated by another relatively simple Analytics tool.
The green COMMENT commands walk you through the script at a high level. You'll
recognize the tasks that you just completed in the preceding tutorial.

COMMENT
*** Unicode Edition ***
This script performs all the actions that you performed manually in the "Get-
ting Started with ACL Analytics" tutorial.
END

COMMENT Allows overwriting of tables without a user confirmation.

SET SAFETY OFF

COMMENT Imports the three Excel worksheets.

IMPORT EXCEL TO Trans1_May_s "C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL

Data\Sample Data Files\Trans1_May_s.fil" FROM "Trans_May.xls" TABLE "Trans1_
May$" KEEPTITLE FIELD "CARDNUM" C WID 19 AS "" FIELD "CODES" N WID 4 DEC 0 AS
"" FIELD "DATE" D WID 19 PIC "YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss" AS "" FIELD "CUSTNO" C WID
6 AS "" FIELD "DESCRIPTION" C WID 95 AS "" FIELD "AMOUNT" C WID 9 AS ""

IMPORT EXCEL TO Trans2_May_s "C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL

Data\Sample Data Files\Trans2_May_s.fil" FROM "Trans_May.xls" TABLE "Trans2_
May$" KEEPTITLE FIELD "CARDNUM" C WID 19 AS "" FIELD "CODES" N WID 4 DEC 0 AS
"" FIELD "DATE" D WID 19 PIC "YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss" AS "" FIELD "CUSTNO" C WID
6 AS "" FIELD "DESCRIPTION" C WID 155 AS "" FIELD "AMOUNT" C WID 9 AS ""

IMPORT EXCEL TO Trans_Apr_s "C:\Users\user_account_name\Documents\ACL

Data\Sample Data Files\Trans_Apr_s.fil" FROM "Trans_April.XLS" TABLE "Trans_
Apr$" KEEPTITLE FIELD "CARDNUM" N WID 16 DEC 0 AS "" FIELD "AMOUNT" N WID 6
DEC 2 AS "" FIELD "DATE" D WID 10 PIC "YYYY-MM-DD" AS "" FIELD "CODES" N WID 4
DEC 0 AS "" FIELD "CUSTNO" C WID 6 AS "" FIELD "DESCRIPTION" C WID 45 AS ""

COMMENT Adjusts the table layouts of the three new Analytics tables.

OPEN Trans_Apr_s
DELETE FIELD CARDNUM OK
DEFINE FIELD CARDNUM UNICODE 1 32 WIDTH 35
DELETE FIELD CODES OK
DEFINE FIELD CODES UNICODE 65 8 WIDTH 11

OPEN Trans1_May_s
DELETE FIELD CODES OK

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DEFINE FIELD CODES UNICODE 39 8 WIDTH 11

DELETE FIELD AMOUNT OK
DEFINE FIELD AMOUNT PRINT 287 18 2 WIDTH 9
DELETE FIELD DATE OK
DEFINE FIELD DATE DATETIME 47 20 PICTURE "YYYY-MM-DD" WIDTH 27

OPEN Trans2_May_s
DELETE FIELD CODES OK
DEFINE FIELD CODES UNICODE 39 8 WIDTH 11
DELETE FIELD AMOUNT OK
DEFINE FIELD AMOUNT PRINT 407 18 2 WIDTH 9
DELETE FIELD DATE OK
DEFINE FIELD DATE DATETIME 47 20 PICTURE "YYYY-MM-DD" WIDTH 27

COMMENT Verifies the imported data and provides user notifications.

OPEN Trans_Apr_s
VERIFY FIELDS CARDNUM AMOUNT DATE CODES CUSTNO DESCRIPTION ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans_Apr_s
table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans_Apr_s
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )

OPEN Trans1_May_s
VERIFY FIELDS CARDNUM CODES DATE CUSTNO DESCRIPTION AMOUNT ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans1_May_s
table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans1_May_s
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )

OPEN Trans2_May_s
VERIFY FIELDS CARDNUM CODES DATE CUSTNO DESCRIPTION AMOUNT ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans2_May_s
table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Trans2_May_s
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )

COMMENT Verifies the Badfile table and provides a user notification.

OPEN Badfile
VERIFY FIELDS InvoiceNo Prodno Price OrderQty ShipQty Total ERRORLIMIT 10
IF WRITE1=0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )

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(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Badfile

table: 0 data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
IF WRITE1>0 DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 )
(BUTTONSET TITLE "&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "Badfile
table: %WRITE1% data validity errors detected" AT 12 28 )
CLOSE

COMMENT Appends the three new Analytics tables into a single combined table.
APPEND Trans_Apr_s Trans1_May_s Trans2_May_s TO "Trans_All_s" OPEN
DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 630 HEIGHT 100 ) (BUTTONSET TITLE
"&OK;&Cancel" AT 500 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "The combined transactions
table (Trans_All_s) contains %WRITE1% records" AT 12 28 )

COMMENT Groups the combined table by merchant category code.

SUMMARIZE ON CODES SUBTOTAL AMOUNT OTHER DESCRIPTION TO "Trans_All_Grouped_
s.FIL" OPEN PRESORT STATISTICS
DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 700 HEIGHT 100 ) (BUTTONSET TITLE
"&OK;&Cancel" AT 570 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "The grouped transactions
table (Trans_All_Grouped_s) contains %WRITE1% merchant category codes" AT 12
28 WIDTH 550 )

COMMENT Filters the combined table to show only prohibited transactions.

OPEN Trans_All_s
DEFINE FIELD f_Prohibited_codes COMPUTED MATCH(CODES, "5094", "5993", "7273",
"7295", "7297", "7994", "7995", "7996", "8641")
SET FILTER TO f_Prohibited_codes

COMMENT Successful completion message.

DIALOG (DIALOG TITLE "User Dialog" WIDTH 490 HEIGHT 100 ) (BUTTONSET TITLE
"&OK;&Cancel" AT 360 12 DEFAULT 1 ) (TEXT TITLE "The script successfully com-
pleted" AT 12 28 )

COMMENT A user confirmation is required before overwriting a table.

SET SAFETY ON

You're finished
That's the end of this brief introduction to scripting. We hope you've seen enough to be convinced of
the value of scripting and that you want to learn more.

Where to next?
You have several options for learning more about scripting in Analytics:

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Option Useful information

Tutorials The Analytics Help contains the following beginner-level tutorials:

o "Scripting for complete beginners" on page 1489
o "Analytics scripting basics" on page 1507
o "How to use functions" on page 1534
The Help also contains a complete ACLScript language reference with detailed
information about every Analytics command and function.

Academy Academy offers both an introductory and an advanced scripting course:

o Introduction to scripting in ACL Analytics (ACL 106)
o ACL Analytics Scripting (ACL 303)
Academy is the Galvanize online training resource center. Go to the course catalog to see
the available courses.
Academy courses are included at no extra cost for any user with an ACL subscription.

Community Community is a web-based platform with a variety of customer resources, including a

customer forum where Analytics scripting is frequently discussed in depth.

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Get help with Analytics

There are several ways to get help when you are working with Analytics.

Context-sensitive Help
Press F1 from any location in Analytics, or click the Help button from most locations, to open
a Help topic that explains the currently active window, dialog box, tab, or wizard screen.
From this initial Help topic you can often click links to access additional, more detailed information in
the online Help.

Online Help and documentation

From the Analytics main menu, select Help > Analytics Help to access the online Help directly,
without any context sensitivity.
Generally, you should use the most recent version of the Help even if you are using an older version
of Analytics.

Software version and subscription

information
From the Analytics main menu, select Help > About to open a dialog box with the following
information:
l software version number
l edition type (Unicode or non-Unicode)
l name and company of the subscription license holder
l subscription expiry date

Community
Go to Community, a web-based platform with a variety of customer resources, including a customer
forum where you can post questions about Analytics features and functionality.

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Support
(Account sign-in required)
From the Analytics main menu, select Help > Contact Galvanize to open a web browser and
connect to Support.

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 The Analytics user interface

The Analytics user interface

This section provides general information about the Analytics user interface:
l an overview of user interface menus, tabs, dialog boxes, and other user interface elements
l the structure of Analytics tables
l customizable Analytics features
l an overview of Analytics projects
l other general information

Open Analytics
To open Analytics, double-click the ACL for Windows desktop shortcut, then click an option in ACL for
Windows:
l New Analytic Project – create a new, empty Analytics project
l Open Analytic Project – open an existing Analytics project
l Open Analysis App – open an existing analysis app
l Under Recent Analytics Files , or Sample Files – open a recently opened or a sample
Analytics project (.acl) or analysis app (.aclx)
If you create or open an Analytics project it opens in Analytics. If you open an analysis app, it opens in
the Analysis App window, a free-standing component of Analytics.

Close Analytics
To close Analytics, select File > Exit.
If any unsaved changes are detected in your project, you are prompted to save them before you exit.
Click Yes in the confirmation dialog box to save your changes and exit.

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Analytics user interface overview

The Analytics user interface includes a number of elements that display specific types of information,
and allow you to work with data:
l "The main Analytics user interface" below
l "Command dialog boxes" on page 110
l "Additional user interface elements" on page 114
l Data Definition Wizard

l Table Layout dialog box

l Expression Builder dialog box

l Dialog Builder

l The Analysis App window

Understanding the organization and function of the various user interface elements helps you work
effectively with Analytics.

The main Analytics user interface

The main Analytics user interface appears automatically when you open Analytics.

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Number Element Description

Title Bar Displays the name of the open Analytics project, and the ACL for Windows
1 component name.

Main Menu Provides access to most Analytics features, including menu commands for:
o Working with Analytics projects
o Performing data analysis
2 o Configuring options and connection settings

Toolbar Buttons in the toolbar are shortcuts to common actions. Analytics enables
buttons that are relevant to your current activity.
3 To display or to hide the toolbar, select Window > Tool bar.

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Number Element Description

Note
You can customize the buttons contained in the toolbar. For
more information, see "Customize the Analytics toolbar" on
page 152.

Navigator Displays information in three tabs about the open Analytics project:
o Overview tab – displays all items that belong to the project
You can right-click any project item to perform an action. To organize items
in the Overview, right-click the project icon and select New > Folder. You
can drag any project item into the folders that you create in the Overview.
o Log tab – displays the Analytics command log
All actions you take associated with the project are recorded and organized
chronologically in the log. Double-click log entries to open them, and right-
click log entries to perform an action.
o Variables tab – displays the names, values, and data categories of any
variables in the project
The contents of the tab are dynamically updated as variables are created,
deleted, or changed in value. Variable names are listed alphabetically.

Tip
To resize the Navigator, drag the divider between the Navigator
and the display area. You can also double-click the divider to
4 close or open the Navigator.

Command Line Allows you to enter ACLScript commands.

5 To display or to hide the command line, select Window > Command Line.

Filter and Quick A text box and drop-down list that allow you to perform two different tasks:
Search o Apply a filter to the data in the View tab
o Enter one or more search terms to perform a quick search of the data in the
6 View tab

Index Allows you to apply existing indexes to the table and to see if an index is
7 currently applied

Display Area Displays different types of information in the following tabs:

o View tab (shown above) - displays the active Analytics table
You can pin the View tab if you want to open more than one table. An
additional View tab opens for each additional table you open. You can
switch between tables using the individual View tabs.
The record number column is at the far left of the View tab. The number of
the currently selected record is highlighted in green.
If multiple views exist for the same table, buttons at the bottom of the View
tab let you switch between views.
8 o Results tab - displays the results of an analytical operation when output to

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Number Element Description

screen or graph, or displays selected command log entries

You can pin the Results tab to keep the content visible and cause
subsequent results to appear in an additional Results tab.
For operations with text and graph output, buttons at the bottom of the tab
let you switch back and forth between the two formats.
o Script Editor tab - displays the contents of a new or existing script
You can edit scripts manually, or use the tools available in Analytics, such
as syntax capture and copying commands from the log, to edit a script.
o Workspace Editor tab - displays the field definitions in a new or existing
workspace
Workspaces allow you to share field definitions among Analytics tables.

Tip
To resize the display area, drag the divider between the display
area and the Navigator. You can also double-click the divider to
close or open the Navigator.

Status Bar Displays information such as:

o The name of the active Analytics table
o The record count
o The details of any filters currently applied to the table
9 o The name of any currently running script

Command dialog boxes

When you select an Analytics command such as Summarize or Duplicates from the main menu, a
command dialog box opens. These dialog boxes contain options that allow you to specify:
l The input field or fields for the operation
l Various options that affect the behavior of the operation
l The format of the output results
Depending on the operation, the options are organized on two or three tabs in the dialog box:
l Main tab
l More tab, or Output tab, or both
The figures below show examples of the three tabs.

Note
The options in the dialog boxes vary somewhat depending on the operation you
select. There are a number of standard options, explained below, that appear for
most operations.
Options that are not standard are explained elsewhere in the Analytics and ACLScript
Help.

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The Main tab

Main tab option Allows you to . . .

field list or lists Specify the input field or fields for the operation

Subtotal Fields Specify one or more numeric fields to optionally subtotal as part of the operation

Presort Specify that the input field is automatically sorted before the operation is performed

Specify an IF statement that excludes records that do not meet the specified condition
If from the operation

Specify the name and location of the Analytics table that will contain the output results

Note
To
Appears on the Output tab (as Name) in command dialog boxes that have
(not shown) an Output tab

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The More tab

More tab option Allows you to . . .

Specify how many records in a table are processed by an operation:

o All – all records are processed
o First – the specified number of records are processed, starting at the first record in the
table
o Next – the specified number of records are processed, starting at the currently selected
Scope
record in the table
All | First | Next | o While – records are processed, starting at the first record in the table, as long as the
While WHILE statement evaluates to true

Specify that an Analytics table containing output results opens automatically upon
completion of the operation
Use Output Table Appears on either the Main tab or the More tab.

Append To Specify that output results contained in an Analytics table or text file are added to the
Existing File bottom of an existing Analytics table or text file

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The Output tab

Output tab option Allows you to . . .

Specify the format of the output results:

o Screen – displays the results in the Analytics display area
o Print – sends the results to the default printer
To o Graph – creates a graph of the results and displays it in the Analytics display area
o File – saves or appends the results to an Analytics table or a file
Screen | Print |
Graph | File Some operations do not support all four output formats

Specify an Analytics table or a text file when you save output results to a file
Depending on the operation, you may be able to save to either a table or a text file, or to
File Type only one of these options

Specify the name and location of the Analytics table or text file that will contain the output
results
Appears on the Main tab (as To) in command dialog boxes that do not have an Output
Name tab

Specify whether to save an Analytics table with output results locally or to the server (only
enabled when connected to a server table)
Local Appears on either the Main tab or the Output tab

Header Specify a text header to accompany the output results

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Output tab option Allows you to . . .

Not supported for all format types

Specify a text footer to accompany the output results

Footer Not supported for all format types

Additional user interface elements

Analytics also includes the following user interface elements, which are used to define and import
data, work with tables, build expressions, insert custom dialog boxes into scripts, and work with
analytics and analysis apps:
l Data Definition Wizard - a page-based wizard that provides a standard way to access a
variety of data sources, mostly file-based
The Data Definition Wizard is automatically displayed when you create a new
Analytics project, and when you add a new Analytics table to an existing project.
For more information, see "Defining and importing data" on page 224.
l Data Access window – a visual interface that contains a number of data connectors you can
use for accessing source data in either databases or files
For more information, see "Defining and importing data" on page 224.
l Table Layout dialog box – used to define or modify Analytics table layouts
Table layouts specify how Analytics should identify records in the data source and read
individual fields.
For more information, see "Table Layout dialog box" on page 700.
l Expression Builder dialog box – used to enter an expression in Analytics
An expression is a statement that combines data fields, operators, functions, filters, and
variables that Analytics evaluates and returns a value for.
For more information, see "Expression Builder overview" on page 799.
l Dialog Builder – used to create custom dialog boxes in Analytics scripts
Custom dialog boxes provide user interaction or feedback when a script is running.
For more information, see "Creating custom dialog boxes" on page 1619.
l The Analysis App window – used to run analysis apps and create data interpretations
The Analysis App window is a freestanding component of Analytics that provides a simple user
interface for running analytics, and bundled sets of analytics called analysis apps. It also
provides advanced data interpretations and visualizations, giving users a number of options for
reviewing the results of analysis.
For more information, see "Working with analysis apps" on page 1351.

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The structure of Analytics tables

Data in Analytics is contained in tables. When you view and analyze data in Analytics, you are doing
the work in an Analytics table. Analytics tables have a three-part structure:
l the source data file
l the table layout
l one or more views
Understanding how Analytics tables are structured is fundamental to working effectively in Analytics.
The diagram below illustrates the structure of an Analytics table.

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The source data file

The source data file contains raw data, without Analytics formatting information such as field names.
It exists outside the Analytics project. It can reside in the same Windows folder as the Analytics
project, or it can be located elsewhere on the same computer, or in a network location, or in a
database.

Analytics source data file

In most cases, when you create a new Analytics table, Analytics copies and imports source data into a
new Analytics source data file saved in a flat file format with a .fil extension. The .fil file serves as
the basis for the Analytics table.
The flat file format has fixed-length fields, and records identified by a fixed length, or by carriage
return and line feed codes, making it an easy format to interpret.
In some cases, such as .dbf and .txt files, Analytics can connect directly to the existing source data
file, and a .fil file is not required or created.

The table layout

The table layout is a structured interpretation of the raw data in the source data file. The table layout
contains metadata such as field definitions, which specify field names, the start position of fields, the
length of fields, the data type of fields, and so on.
Analytics requires the table layout in order to make sense of the raw data. The table layout also
specifies the location of the source data file. The table layout is part of the Analytics project file (.acl).
For more information, see "Structuring data with table layouts" on page 697.

One or more views

The view is an arrangement of named columns, with numbered records, that displays the data
structured by the table layout. When you look at data in the main Analytics window, you are looking at
a view.
You can create multiple views for the same table, each of them with a different selection and
arrangement of columns. The view is part of the Analytics project file (.acl).
Views also format the data for Analytics reports.
For more information, see "Displaying data with table views" on page 766.

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Customizing Analytics
Analytics is installed with a standard set of configuration settings that define the default behavior of
the application. You can change any of these settings in the Options dialog box (Tools > Options ) to
modify application behavior, including:
l turning features on or off
l changing how data is displayed
l controlling some aspects of command output

Other customizable options

This section of the guide also includes information about changing font settings for views and reports,
customizing the Analytics toolbar, and customizing the Applications menu to display user-defined
menu items such as scripts and frequently used commands.

Script Editor
For information about customizing the Script Editor, see "Customizing the Script Editor" on
page 1611.

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Configuring Analytics options

Use the Options dialog box to configure a variety of options that control how Analytics features
behave.
If required, you can configure the options differently for individual Analytics projects. For more
information, see "How Analytics preferences files work" on page 146.

Revert all options to the default settings

To revert all configurable options to the Analytics default settings, click Factory at the bottom of the
Options dialog box.

Caution
Clicking Factory sets all options on all Options tabs to their default settings, not just
the options on the active tab.

Settings stored in a preferences file

Settings for the configurable options are stored in a preferences file (.prf file). For more information,
see "How Analytics preferences files work" on page 146.

Steps
1. From the Analytics main menu, select Tools > Options .
2. Click the tab with the option that you want to change and modify the setting.
The following tabs are used to group related options:
l System tab
l Interface tab
l Table tab

l View tab

l Command tab

l Date and Time tab

l Numeric tab

l Print tab

l Application Font tab

3. Click OK to save your changes.

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System options
Use the option in the System tab to control how memory is used for sorting and indexing operations.

Use Additional System Resources for

Sorting and Indexing
When this option is selected, sorting and indexing operations can be faster, depending on the size of
the file being sorted or indexed, and the available memory on your computer.
Selecting the option allows Analytics to use a memory mapped file for sorting and indexing
operations. Using a memory mapped file can speed up the sorting or indexing of files that exceed the
available RAM on your computer. For example, a 500-MB file might take the same length of time to
sort regardless of how the option is set, but a 3-GB file might sort significantly faster if you enable the
option.
Similar to sorting smaller files, sorting very large files of multiple gigabytes may not show any
improvement in speed when the option is enabled. If you routinely sort very large files and
performance is an issue, you should consider increasing your computer’s RAM, increasing the
Windows paging file size, or both.

Additional information
l If Analytics is unable to determine the number of records in a file being sorted or indexed, a
memory mapped file is not used for the operation, even if Use Additional System Resources
for Sorting and Indexing is selected.
l Using additional system resources for sorting and indexing may slow down other tasks while
sorting or indexing is in progress.
l Unlike all other options in the Options dialog box, the setting for this option is not stored in the
Analytics preferences file. The option applies only to the computer on which it is set.
For more information about options stored in the preferences file, see "How Analytics
preferences files work" on page 146.

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Interface options
Use the options in the Interface tab to specify some of the basic behavior of Analytics.

Include Filters in Field Lists

Select this option if you want logical fields, including filters, to appear in field lists. Logical fields are
normally excluded from field lists. Because filters are actually implemented as logical fields, you can
use this option to have filters appear in field lists so you can apply commands to them.

Warn Before Overwriting Files

Select this option if you want Analytics to display a confirmation dialog box before overwriting any of
the following:
l fields in table layouts
l Analytics tables
l files, including Analytics data files (.fil)
If you turn this option off, Analytics overwrites fields, tables, and files without asking for confirmation.
You can also use the SET SAFETY command in a script or on the command line to turn this option on or
off. By turning this option off, you can avoid interruptions while executing a script that is designed to
overwrite existing fields, tables, or files.
If you change the setting using the Warn Before Overwriting Files checkbox, the change remains in
effect until you specifically change it again. If you use the SET SAFETY command to change the setting,
the change remains in effect for the duration of the Analytics session only.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET SAFETY {ON|OFF}

Enable ACL Server integration

Select this option to enable the functions that allow you to connect to AX Server.

Disable auto complete in scripts

Select this option to turn off keyword auto-completion in the Script Editor. On-screen help for function
parameters cannot be disabled.

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Disable Script Syntax Check Before

Commit Scripts
Select this option to turn off script syntax checking when committing scripts to the Robots app in
HighBond.

Note
This option controls script syntax checking only. It does not control analytic header
validation, which is a separate process that cannot be disabled.

Beep(s) Upon Task Completion

This option indicates the number of beeps that sound when Analytics completes a task. Enter a
number from 0 to 255. This option is especially useful if you expect a task to take a long time. The
default is 0.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET BEEP value

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Table options
Use the options in the Table tab to specify how Analytics processes tables.

Automatically Profile on Open

When the Automatically Profile on Open option is turned on, Analytics automatically executes the
Profile command on all numeric fields when you open a project, change tables, or change global
filters.
Analytics retains the information and uses it to provide minimum and maximum values for histograms
and stratifications, as well as absolute values for monetary unit sampling.

Note
Tables with numeric fields will open more slowly with this option on.

Delete Data File with Table

If you turn this option on, Analytics automatically deletes the associated data file when you delete a
table. You can use this option to quickly remove unwanted files from your hard disk, but it will prevent
you from accessing the data in the future.

Caution
Be careful when turning this option on. It may be an original data file that is deleted
along with the table.
Data files are deleted outright. They are not sent to the Windows Recycle Bin.

You can also use the SET DELETE_FILE command in a script or on the command line to turn this option
on or off.
If you change the setting using the Delete Data File with Table checkbox, the change remains in
effect until you specifically change it again. If you use the SET DELETE_FILE command to change the
setting, the change remains in effect for the duration of the Analytics session only.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET DELETE_FILE {ON|OFF}

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Don’t Share Table Layouts

Note
To prevent accidental deletion of field definitions, the Don't Share Table Layouts
checkbox is selected by default.

If you deselect this option, a single table layout can be shared by multiple data files or data sources
with an identical record structure. The feature works with only those Analytics operations that can
output results to an Analytics table with an identical record structure – extracting, sorting, sampling,
and merging – and with copying table layouts.
When sharing of table layouts is permitted, multiple source data files (e.g., Analytics data files (.fil)) or
data sources that have the same record structure share a single set of field definitions. When you add
a physical or computed field to a shared table layout, add a column to an associated view, or add a
view, the added field, column, or view is automatically added to all the Analytics tables that use the
shared table layout. When you delete a field, column, or view, it is no longer available to any of the
Analytics tables that use the shared table layout.
Generally, you should maintain a separate table layout for each data file. However, sharing a single
table layout can save labor if multiple data files with the same record structure require an identical set
of field definitions, and any updates to the table layout will apply to all the data files. For example,
extracting records from an annual transactions table into twelve separate monthly tables produces a
total of thirteen tables with the same record structure. If the Don’t Share Table Layouts checkbox is
selected, each table has its own layout. If the Don’t Share Table Layouts checkbox is deselected, all
the tables share the original table’s layout and the layout can be managed centrally.
Deleting a shared table layout from one of the tables that uses it does not perform a global deletion.
The shared table layout is still available to the other tables that use it.
Sharing does not extend beyond individual Analytics projects. If you copy a table to another project, a
new table layout is created, regardless of how Don’t Share Table Layouts is set.

Exact Character Comparisons

Use this option to control how Analytics compares character fields, expressions, or literal values.

Note
Blank spaces are treated like characters.

If the option is off

If the option is off, Analytics uses the shorter string when comparing two strings of unequal length.
The comparison starts with the leftmost characters and moves to the right.

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Exact Character Comparisons is off

True False

o "AB" = "AB" o "AB" = "ZZAB"

o "AB" = "ABC" o "AB " = "ABC"
o "AB" = "ABLMNOP" o " AB" = "AB"
o "AB " = "AB"

The examples with blank spaces

o "AB " = "AB" is True because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is used for comparison, and the blank space
in the third position is not considered.
o "AB " = "ABC" is False because all three characters are compared and the blank space and the "C" in
the third position are not equal.
o " AB" = "AB" is False because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is used for comparison, and the blank space
and the "A" in the first position are not equal.

If the option is on
If the option is on, comparison strings must be exactly identical to be a match. When comparing two
strings of unequal length, Analytics pads the shorter string with trailing blank spaces to match the
length of the longer string.

Exact Character Comparisons is on

True False

o "AB" = "AB" o "AB" = "ABC"

o "AB " = "AB" o "AB" = "ABLMNOP"
o "AB" = "ZZAB"
o "AB " = "ABC"
o " AB" = "AB"

The examples with blank spaces

o "AB " = "AB" is True because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is padded to match the length of the longer
string ( "AB " ), and "AB " and "AB " match.
o "AB " = "ABC" is False because all three characters are compared and the blank space and the "C" in
the third position are not equal.
o " AB" = "AB" is False because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is padded to match the length of the longer
string ( " AB" ), and "AB " and " AB" do not match.

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Getting rid of blank spaces

You can use the ALLTRIM( ) function to remove leading and trailing blank spaces and ensure that
only text characters and internal spaces are compared.
For example: ALLTRIM(" AB") = ALLTRIM("AB") is True when the values are wrapped with ALLTRIM
( ), but False otherwise.

Exact Character Comparisons and filters

The Exact Character Comparisons setting affects how filters work:
l The option is off – Address = "PO Box" returns all addresses that start with "PO Box"
l The option is on – Address = "PO Box" returns only those records that have the exact string
"PO Box" and nothing else in the Address field

Applicability
Some Analytics operations and functions are affected by the Exact Character Comparisons option
and some are not:

Affected Not affected

o Locate If operation o Join operation

o MATCH( ) function o Relate operation
o BETWEEN( ) function o FIND( ) function
o FINDMULTI( ) function

Log entry
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET EXACT {ON|OFF}

Display Format on Open

If you turn this option on, Analytics automatically displays the current table layout and computed field
definitions when you open a new table. The results appear in the command log.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET FORMAT {ON|OFF}

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Define Flat Files Manually

With this option selected, certain screens of the Data Definition Wizard are skipped when you create
a table from a flat file and you complete the data definition in the Table Layout dialog box.

Buffer Size
This option specifies the size of the data block read. The default is 33K (kilobytes), which is the
recommended buffer size for most applications.
Acceptable values range from 5 to 255. Changing the buffer size may provide small performance
improvements in certain environments. You should only change this setting if you are advised to do
so by Support.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET READAHEAD value

Sort Memory
This option specifies the maximum amount of system resources to be allocated for sorting and
indexing processes. The sort memory can be any value from 0 to 2000MB (megabytes), in 20MB
increments. To optimize Sort performance, set the sort memory according to the available physical
memory in the system. This enables Analytics to use the necessary amount of memory to sort a table
up to this maximum, if required.
If the sort memory is left as 0, Analytics uses the system resources currently available.

Sort Order
This option sets the sort sequence for character fields.
Choose the locale from the drop-down list. The default is “System Default” for the non-Unicode
edition of Analytics and “Mix Languages (UCA)” for the Unicode edition. By default, Analytics sorts
data in ascending order based on the byte order of each character in its character set. The Sort
Order option affects sort order when sorting or indexing, or performing a quick sort, and when testing
sequential order.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET ORDER values

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View options
Use the options in the View tab to specify how Analytics displays views.

Hide Filtered Records

When the Hide Filtered Records option is on, filtered tables display only those records that are
included by the filter.
If this option is turned off, filtered tables continue to display all records and records excluded by the
filter are highlighted.

Show Grid Lines

When this option is on, grid lines are displayed in views.

Test Column Widths

When this option is on and you change the width of a column, Analytics prompts you to save or
discard your work when you close a view.
If you turn this option off and the only changes to a view are column width changes, the changes are
discarded.

Show Right Edge of Page

When this option is on, Analytics displays a dotted line in the view to indicate the right margin. The
margin is based on the print setup options for the report.

Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros

When this option is off, Analytics accepts all invalid characters in a field.
If you turn this option on, Analytics replaces invalid character data with blanks and invalid numeric
data with zeros, from the first invalid character to the end of the field. This option affects all fields
except text fields: Analytics automatically replaces invalid data with blanks in text fields.
The Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros option is most useful with variable-length data files,
because it allows Analytics to correctly display them.

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Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET CLEAN {ON|OFF}

Redraw Seconds
This option displays the maximum amount of time in seconds that Analytics takes to redraw the view.
If redrawing takes longer than the specified amount of time, Analytics interrupts processing and
displays a message. The maximum you can specify is 100 seconds. The default time is 10 seconds.
You may need to increase the redraw time when using restrictive filters that select very few records,
especially when working with very large files. When you increase the redraw time, you may have to
wait longer to view the data. To reduce the waiting time, turn off the Hide Filtered Records option.

Global Page Title

Whatever you enter in this text box will appear, left justified, under the page number at the top of each
page you print. You can choose to leave this box blank.
Authorized group licensed versions of Analytics have customer-specified text in the Global Page
Title which cannot be modified.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET DESIGNATION value

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Command options
Use the options in the Command tab to specify how Analytics executes commands.

Autoexecute Commands
If you turn this option on, Analytics immediately executes certain commands using the selected field in
the view as input. You cannot edit the command or apply a local filter. The option applies only to some
command, and the selected input field must be the data type required by the command.

Automatic Output Filenames

If you turn this option on, Analytics auto-generates names for command output files. The auto-
generated name contains the command name and an incremental number starting at 01. You can
accept the name, or specify a more meaningful name.

Use Output Table

If you turn this option on, the Use Output Table checkbox, located in command dialog boxes that
create tables, is selected by default. When the checkbox is selected and you execute a command,
Analytics automatically closes the active table and opens the table created by the command. If you do
not want the output table to open, you can deselect the checkbox before running a command.

Show Group Tests in Log

When you run a script, this option affects the display of group results as they appear in the command
log. Analytics displays the group results of If, While, For, and Next tests beside the commands to
which they apply. Because more than one test in a group can apply to each command, the syntax can
get very long.
If you turn this option off, Analytics does not display the tests when a script is run.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET TEST {ON|OFF}

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Suppress XML Output for Command

Results
When this option is selected, command output to screen appears as plain text rather than formatted
text.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET SUPPRESSXML {ON|OFF}

Return Matches for Null Fields

This option controls how Analytics interprets null character values. A character value is “null” when it
is empty and contains no data. For example, NAME="" is an expression with a null character value:
there is nothing between the quotation marks.
When this option is selected, Analytics interprets a null as a wildcard. For example, the view filter NAME
= "" displays records with any value in the NAME field.
When this option is not selected, Analytics interprets a null literally as a null. For example, the view
filter NAME = "" displays only records with no data in the NAME field.

Intervals
This option indicates the number of intervals chosen by default for a stratification or histogram. Enter
a number from 1 to 255. The default is 10.

Error Limit
This option sets the default number of errors after which Analytics stops processing the Sequence or
Verify commands. Enter a number from 1 to 255. The default is 10.

Retry Command Attempts

Note
Applies to Analytics scripts only. Does not apply to the Analytics user interface.

Specifies the number of times Analytics attempts to import or export data if the initial attempt is
unsuccessful. Enter a number from 0 to 255. If you enter 0, no additional attempts are made after an
initial failure. The default is 0.

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There is no waiting period between retry attempts. Each successive attempt is made immediately
after a preceding failure.
The ability to specify retry attempts is useful when connecting to databases or cloud data services,
which can be temporarily unavailable.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET RETRY num
Applies to the following commands:

Import o ACCESSDATA
o IMPORT GRCPROJECT
o IMPORT GRCRESULTS
o REFRESH
(for tables initially created using ACCESSDATA or IMPORT SAP only)

SAP (Direct Link) o IMPORT SAP

o RETRIEVE

Export o EXPORT . . . ACLGRC

(export to HighBond Results)

Maximum Categories
This option specifies the maximum number of unique values that can occur in a character key field
used as input for the Train command. Enter a number from 1 to 255.

Notify Settings
Retry Attempts
This option specifies the number of times the Notify operation will attempt to send an email if the initial
attempt is unsuccessful. Enter a number from 0 to 255. If you enter 0, no additional attempts are
made after an initial failure. The default is 5.
One possible reason for the Notify operation failing to send an email is that the email server is
unavailable.

Retry Interval (seconds)

This option specifies the amount of time in seconds between additional attempts to send an email
after an initial failure. Enter a number from 1 to 255. The default is 10 seconds.

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Stop Script if Notify Fails

If you turn this option on, Analytics stops processing a script if the Notify operation fails. The script
stops after the initial failure, or after the specified number of Retry Attempts , if none of the attempts
are successful. The default setting is off, which allows a script to continue even if a Notify operation
fails.
An invalid email recipient is not considered a failure of the Notify operation and does not cause a
script to stop regardless of how Stop Script if Notify Fails is set.

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Date and Time options

Use the options in the Date and Time tab to specify how dates, datetimes, and times are displayed in
Analytics, and to configure several other options associated with dates and times.

Date Settings
Day, Month, Year
Use the Day , Month, and Year text boxes to specify the characters that represent these components
of date and datetime formats. The default values are ‘D’ for Day , ‘M’ for Month, and ‘Y’ for Year, but
you can specify different characters for languages other than English. The characters you specify
must be uppercase, they must all be different, and ‘D’, ‘M’, and ‘Y’ can only be used in their default
positions.

Date Display Format

This option lets you specify how Analytics displays dates, and the date portion of datetimes, in views,
reports, and exported files. It also controls the format of log entry dates. You can select one of the
formats in the Date Display Format drop-down list, or you can create your own date display format.

Note
This option has no effect on how Analytics reads dates from data sources. To specify
how Analytics reads dates, use the Data Definition Wizard, or the Format field in the
Table Layout dialog box. For more information, see "Formats of date and time source
data" on page 347.

Formats in the Date Display Format drop-down list

Select This Display Format: To Display This:

DD/MM/YY 31/12/14

DD/MM/YYYY 31/12/2014

MM/DD/YY 12/31/14

MM/DD/YYYY 12/31/2014

MMM DD, YYYY Dec 31, 2014

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Select This Display Format: To Display This:

YYYYDDD 2014365

YYYY-MM-DD 2014-12-31

Create your own date display format

To create your own date display format, enter your choice in the Date Display Format text box using
a combination of characters from "Date display format characters" below (assumes the default Day ,
Month, and Year format characters).
The following guidelines apply:
l The day, month, and year components can appear without spaces, or they can be separated
using blank spaces or any punctuation mark.
l The components can appear in any order.
l One or two of the three components can be omitted.
l The components cannot be less than two characters long.
l You must use uppercase characters to specify the format.
l The entire date display format, including any spaces and punctuation marks, cannot exceed 12
characters.

Date display format characters

Specify This Display Format: To Display This:

DD Day (1 – 31)

DDD Day (1 – 366)

MM Month (1 – 12)

MMM Month (Jan – Dec)

YY Year (00 – 99)

YYYY Year (1900 – 9999)

Note
If you specify a date display format that does not display all the available source data,
quick filtering by date or datetime is disabled. For example, if you specify the format
MMM YYYY for dates that have day, month, and year data, quick filtering on a date or
datetime value in a view returns zero results.

Changes to the date display format are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET DATE value

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Start of Century
Many data files use only two digits to represent the year, which means the century in which the year
occurs is unspecified. The two-digit year denoting the earliest year assigned to the 20th century can
vary from one set of data files to the next. This year is often called the start-of-century year or the pivot
year.
The pivot year applies to two-digit years only, and does not affect data that uses four digits to
represent the year. Analytics can read four-digit years from 1900 to 9999.
The default Start of Century setting is 40. With this setting, Analytics interprets two-digit years 40 to
99 as 1940 to 1999, and two-digit years 00 to 39 as 2000 to 2039.
To change the pivot year, enter a number from 0 to 99. For example, if you want to set 1950 as the
pivot year, enter 50 in the Start of Century text box. The table below provides examples of different
pivot years.

Start of Century setting Year in source data Interpreted as

00 00 to 99 1900 to 1999

40 40 to 99, 00 to 39 1940 to 1999, 2000 to 2039

50 50 to 99, 00 to 49 1950 to 1999, 2000 to 2049

99 99, 00 to 98 1999, 2000 to 2098

When working with data files that use a different pivot year from the Start of Century year, you can
use an expression to create a computed field that correctly interprets the two-digit year or converts it
to a four-digit year.
Changes to the Start of Century setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET CENTURY value

Aging Periods
This option sets the default aging periods for the Age dialog box. If you use a specific set of aging
periods frequently, you can enter the set in the Aging Periods text box and Analytics uses the setting
as the default aging periods in the Age dialog box. If necessary, you can still override the periods in
the Age dialog box.
Enter the periods in days, separated by commas without spaces. You can set as many aging periods
as you want.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET PERIODS values

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Abbreviations for Month Names

This option sets the default abbreviations for MMM-format month names. Month abbreviations must
be three characters long, in the correct order starting with January, and separated by commas
without spaces.
This option affects the way Analytics reads dates from a table, and displays dates in views, reports,
and output files. For example, if MMM-format dates in the input file are in French, you would specify
French month abbreviations:
Jan,Fév,Mar,Avr,Mai,...
Analytics would then correctly interpret the string Fév as the second month, and Avr as the fourth. If
you also choose a Date Display Format that uses MMM to display the month, Analytics uses the
abbreviations you provide to display the abbreviated month names in views, reports, and output files.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET MONTHS values

Time Settings
Hour, Minute, Second
Use the Hour, Minute, and Second text boxes to specify the characters that represent these
components of time and datetime formats. The default values are ‘h’ for Hour, ‘m’ for Minute, and ‘s’
for Second, but you can specify different characters for languages other than English. The characters
you specify must be lowercase, they must all be different, and ‘h’, ‘m’, and ‘s’ can only be used in their
default positions.

Time Display Format

This option lets you specify how Analytics displays times, and the time portion of datetimes, in views,
reports, and exported files. You can select one of the formats in the Time Display Format drop-down
list, or you can create your own time display format.

Note
This option has no effect on how Analytics reads times from data sources. To specify
how Analytics reads times, use the Data Definition Wizard, or the Format field in the
Table Layout dialog box. For more information, see "Formats of date and time source
data" on page 347.

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Formats in the Time Display Format drop-down list

Select This Display Format: To Display This: To Display This:

hh:mm 23:59 11:59

hh:mm P 11:59 P 11:59 A

hh:mm PM 11:59 PM 11:59 AM

hh:mm:ss 23:59:59 11:59:59

hh:mm:ss P 11:59:59 P 11:59:59 A

hh:mm:ss PM 11:59:59 PM 11:59:59 AM

hh:mm:ss±hh:mm 23:59:59-05:00 11:59:59-05:00

Create your own time display format

To create your own time display format, enter your choice in the Time Display Format text box using
a combination of characters from "Time display format characters" on the next page (assumes the
default Hour, Minute, and Second format characters).
The following guidelines apply:
l The hour, minute, and seconds components can appear without spaces, or they can be
separated using blank spaces or any punctuation mark.
l The components must appear in hour, minutes, and seconds order.
l The seconds component can be omitted. The hour and minutes components cannot be
omitted.
l The components must be two characters long.
l You must use lowercase characters to specify the format.
l Including the optional AM/PM indicator switches the time display from the 24-hour clock to the
12-hour clock. The AM/PM indicator can be positioned anywhere after the hour component,
and can be prefaced by a space, if desired.
l The UTC offset must be prefaced with either a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-).
l The minutes component can be omitted from the UTC offset. Do not omit the minutes
component if any of the time data you are displaying contains UTC offsets that are not whole
hours.
l The entire time display format, including any spaces, punctuation marks, and the plus or minus
sign, cannot exceed 14 characters.

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Time display format characters

Specify This Display Format: To Display This:

hh Hour (00 – 23)

mm Minute (00 – 59)

ss Second (00 – 59)

A or P AM/PM indicator (A and P)

AM or PM AM/PM indicator (AM and PM)

+ or - UTC offset indicator (+ and -)

Note
If you specify a time display format that does not display all the available source data,
quick filtering by datetime or time is disabled. For example, if you specify the format
hh:mm for times that have hour, minute, and seconds data, quick filtering on a
datetime or time value in a view returns zero results.

Changes to the time display format are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET TIME value

Display Times with UTC Offset as UTC

Analytics can accept local time data that includes a UTC offset (explained below), such as 10:30:15-
05:00 (-05:00 is the UTC offset). UTC is Coordinated Universal Time, the time at zero degrees
longitude, and the UTC offset is a time zone indicator.
The Display Times with UTC Offset as UTC option lets you specify whether Analytics converts the
local time to UTC without a UTC offset (the default setting), or displays UTC-based data as local time
with a UTC offset. For example, here are the two different ways of displaying the same piece of UTC-
based data:
l 31/12/2014 15:30:15
(Display Times with UTC Offset as UTC checked, default setting)
l 31/12/2014 10:30:15-05:00
(Display Times with UTC Offset as UTC unchecked)
When Display Times with UTC Offset as UTC is checked, Analytics incorporates the UTC offset in
the main piece of time data, and adjusts the main piece of time data by an appropriate number of
hours. In the example above, conversion to UTC increments the local time data by 5 hours.

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Conversion of local time to UTC is for display purposes only, and does not affect the source data,
which continues to contain the UTC offset. You can change back and forth between the two different
display modes whenever you want to.
When Analytics performs calculations on local time data with a UTC offset, the UTC offset is automat-
ically incorporated and the calculation is performed on the UTC equivalent of the local time. If Display
Times with UTC Offset as UTC is checked, you see the actual time data that is being used in a
calculation, which can make the results easier to understand. For more information, see "How UTC
offsets affect datetime expressions" on page 830.

About UTC
UTC is a global time standard that has replaced Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). For most purposes,
the two standards are equivalent. The final portion of UTC-based time data (for example, -05:00, or
+01:00) is a UTC offset that indicates how far behind or ahead the local time value is compared to
UTC. For example:
l 31/12/2014 10:30:15-05:00 represents December 31, 2014, 10:30:15 AM, Eastern Standard
Time (North America).
l 31/12/2014 15:30:15 (UTC) represents the same point in time at zero degrees longitude.
For UTC-based datetime data, if conversion to UTC goes forward or backward across the boundary
of midnight, the date is adjusted by one day.

Note
The UTC offset is also referred to as the time zone offset, although the two are not
exactly the same. More than one time zone can have the same UTC offset.

How Analytics displays UTC-based and non-UTC time data

UTC-based time data

‘Display Times with UTC Offset as ‘Display Times with UTC Offset as
Source data UTC’ selected (default setting) UTC’ not selected

Time Display Format = hh:mm:ss

31/12/2014 10:30:15-05:00 31/12/2014 15:30:15 31/12/2014 10:30:15-05:00

01/01/2015 00:30:15+01:00 31/12/2014 23:30:15 01/01/2015 00:30:15+01:00

Time Display Format = hh:mm:ss+hh:mm

31/12/2014 10:30:15-05:00 31/12/2014 15:30:15+00:00 31/12/2014 10:30:15-05:00

01/01/2015 00:30:15+01:00 31/12/2014 23:30:15+00:00 01/01/2015 00:30:15+01:00

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Non-UTC time data

‘Display Times with UTC Offset as ‘Display Times with UTC Offset as
Source data UTC’ selected (default setting) UTC’ not selected

Time Display Format = hh:mm:ss

31/12/2014 10:30:15 31/12/2014 10:30:15 31/12/2014 10:30:15

Time Display Format = hh:mm:ss+hh:mm

31/12/2014 10:30:15 31/12/2014 10:30:15+00:00 31/12/2014 10:30:15+00:00

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Numeric options
Use the options in the Numeric tab to specify how Analytics processes and displays numeric data.

Stop on Numeric Overflow

When you select this option, Analytics stops processing when a numeric overflow occurs. If the
results of mathematical operations, including intermediate calculations, exceed 22 digits, Analytics
may stop processing. In the view, affected fields display ###ERR###.
When you turn this option off, Analytics continues to process, but it truncates excess digits, starting
from the left, which produces inaccurate calculations. When the user attempts division by zero,
Analytics substitutes a large number for the result.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET OVERFLOW {ON|OFF}

Verify Data
If you turn this option on, every time you process a field while a table is open, Analytics automatically
checks whether the contents of a data field correspond to the field’s data type in the table layout
(Character, Numeric, Datetime, Logical, etc.). Processing stops when an error occurs, unless the
Blank Invalid Data option is also on.
If you turn this option off, Analytics does not test for data validity, therefore improving processing
speed.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET VERIFY {ON|OFF}

Blank Invalid Data

This option is only available when the Verify Data option is turned on. If you turn Blank Invalid Data
on, Analytics automatically replaces invalid character data with blanks and invalid numeric data with
zeros.
If you enable this option and process a field that contains invalid data, Analytics creates an error log in
the same folder as your Analytics project files and displays the message: “Invalid data encountered in
file, values zeroed. See file ERROR.LOG”. To view or print the log, you can use a word processor or
text editor to open it in the directory in which you store your working files. You can access the error log
while in Analytics, by using the Type or Dump commands.

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Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax, where BLANK indicates
that the option is selected and ON means that the Verify Data option is selected, but Blank Invalid
Data is not:
SET VERIFY (BLANK|ON}

Expression Field Width

This option specifies the default display width in characters for numeric computed fields or ad hoc
numeric expressions when Analytics cannot determine the maximum width. The default is 12
characters, based on Analytics’s default application font.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET WIDTH characters

Decimal Place Symbol

Analytics uses a period as the default decimal place character. You can change the default setting to
either a comma or a space by entering the new character in the text box. Among the three separators
(decimal, thousands, and list), the decimal separator must be unique.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log as a change to the Default Numeric Format.

Default Numeric Format

By default, Analytics displays numbers using a numeric format that does not use thousands
separators and denotes negative numbers with a leading minus sign.
You can modify the Default Numeric Format option to display numeric values using a different
format. You can select one of the predefined formats from the drop-down list, or create a format of
your own. For example, you may want to select a format that specifies a thousands separator or uses
a different indicator for negative numbers.
The format you specify is an application-wide default format that applies to all numeric fields and
columns that do not have field-level or column-level formatting specified. You may want to avoid
specifying a format with a currency sign because all numeric fields, including those that are not
currency, will have the currency sign. If required, you can format currency fields at the field level or
column level. For more information about field-level and column-level numeric formatting, see
"Format numeric values in a view" on page 780.
Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET PICTURE format

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Thousands Separator
Analytics uses a comma as the default thousands separator for numeric output. You can change the
default setting to either a period or a space by entering the new character in the text box. The
thousands separator cannot be the same as the decimal separator.

List Separator
Analytics uses a comma as the default list separator, which is used primarily to separate function
parameters. You can change the default setting to either a semi-colon (;) or a space by entering the
new character in the text box. The list separator cannot be the same as the decimal separator.

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Print options
Use the options in the Print tab to specify the default print settings for reports and margin settings for
printed output.

Include Report History with Reports

When this option is selected, a report history is added as the last page in the report. The report history
includes the Analytics project, table, and data file names, the REPORT command used to generate
the report, any table layout notes, and the table history.

Include Field Definitions in Table History

When this option is selected, field definitions for each physical data field and computed field in the
table layout are added to the report. The field definitions include any field notes. This option has no
effect unless the Include Report History with Reports option is also selected.

Include View Note in Report History

When this option is selected, any view notes associated with the active view are added to the report.
This option has no effect unless the Include Report History with Reports option is also selected.

Margins
The Left Margin, Top Margin, Right Margin, and Bottom Margin text boxes allow you to specify the
margins for all printed output. To change a value, enter the new value in the text box, or click the up
and down arrows beside the text box to increase or decrease the value.
If you specify a margin that exceeds your printer’s printable area, Analytics uses the maximum of your
printer’s printable area as the margin.
Changes to each of the individual margin settings are recorded in the log using the following syntax:
SET MARGIN {LEFT|RIGHT|TOP|BOTTOM} value

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Application Font options

Use the options in the Application Font tab to specify the fonts used to display data in all windows,
except the View tab in the display area.

Fixed-width Font
Analytics uses fixed-width fonts for information displayed in the Table Layout, Script, and
Workspace windows. The default fixed-width font is Courier New. You can choose another font from
the list box.

Proportional Font
Analytics uses proportional fonts in views and reports, and to display information such as the project
file name, the table, and the record count in the status bar. The default proportional font is Arial. You
can choose another font from the list box.

Language Version
Analytics allows letters, numbers, and the underscore character to be used in field names. The
default Standard language version setting accommodates Western European characters for field
names. The Thai setting allows Thai characters to be used in addition to English.

Script Editor Settings

Analytics allows the Script Editor background and font styles to be customized. You can choose the
Script Editor background color, and colors and styles of the default text, comments, and command,
parameter, and function keywords. For more information about customizing the Script Editor, see
"Customizing the Script Editor" on page 1611.

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How Analytics preferences files

work
Note
Preferences file behavior was changed in version 10.0 of Analytics. This topic
explains how preferences files work in version 10.0 and later.

The settings for the configurable options in Analytics – that is, the Options dialog box settings – are
stored in a preferences file (.prf file) called aclwin15.prf (non-Unicode edition) or acl15.prf
(Unicode edition).
Any changes you make in the Options dialog box are automatically saved to the .prf file. The changes
remain in effect unless you specifically change them again.

Global versus project-specific preferences

files
A single, global .prf file can govern the behavior of Analytics and all Analytics projects that you open,
or you can associate different .prf files with individual Analytics projects as a way of customizing
preferences on a project-by-project basis. For example, you can specify that different projects use
different date display formats, or that one project deletes the source data file when you delete a table
layout, and another project does not.

Importance to Analytics script writers

Understanding preferences files can be important for Analytics script writers if they provide their
scripts to other Analytics users and need to control Analytics preferences settings on the other users’
computers.

Global preferences file

When you install Analytics, a .prf file with the default configuration settings (Factory settings) is
created in the following location:
l The application data folder – C:\Users\< user account name >\AppData\Local\ACL
(Windows 10 location)

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Note
The application data folder may be hidden by the Windows operating system. If
required, enable the Windows folder option to show hidden files and folders.

The .prf file in the application data folder contains the global preference settings for Analytics. Any
changes you make in the Options dialog box are saved to this global .prf file, unless you are using a
project-specific .prf file.
The global .prf file is used when:
l you open Analytics without opening an Analytics project
l you open a project that does not have a project-specific .prf file
l you close a project without closing Analytics.

Per-user global preference settings

If more than one user account accesses Analytics on the same computer, separate .prf files exist in
the application data folders for each user account, and different users can have their own global
preference settings.

Automatic regeneration of global .prf file

If the global .prf file in the application data folder is deleted, renamed, or cannot be used for some
other reason, a new .prf file with the default configuration settings is automatically created in the
application data folder when you open Analytics.

Project-specific preferences files

If you want to customize the preference settings for one or more Analytics projects, you can manually
copy the global .prf file from the application data folder to the folder containing the individual Analytics
project. The copied .prf file now becomes a project-specific .prf file.

Caution
If you copy the global .prf file, be careful not to inadvertently move the file rather than
copy it. If you move the file, any global preference settings you have created will be
lost, and replaced by the default configuration settings.

Note
If you have different versions of Analytics installed side-by-side, make sure to copy
the correct version of the .prf file.

The Analytics project file with the .acl extension and the project-specific .prf file must be in the same
folder for the association between the two to take effect. When the project is open, the preference

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settings specified in the project-specific .prf file are used. Any changes you make in the Options
dialog box are saved to the project-specific .prf file rather than the global .prf file.

The benefit of project-specific .prf files

The benefit of project-specific .prf files is that you can customize preferences based on the require-
ments of specific projects and the scripts within a project.
If you send an Analytics project to another user, you can also send the project-specific .prf file to
ensure that when the user runs any scripts within the project the results are consistent with the results
on your own computer.
At the same time, because the .prf file is project-specific, it does not affect the other user’s global
preference settings.

Reverting to the global .prf file

At any time, you can revert to using the global .prf file for a project by deleting or renaming the project-
specific .prf.

Identifying which preferences file is being

used
Analytics displays the path for the currently active .prf file at the bottom of the Options dialog box. If
the path to the application data folder is being displayed, the global .prf file is being used. If a path to
an Analytics project folder is being displayed, a project-specific .prf file is being used.

Reverting to the default configuration

settings
You can revert to the default configuration settings (Factory settings) at any time by clicking the
Factory button at the bottom of the Options dialog box. Clicking Factory sets all options on all
Options tabs to their default settings, not just the options on the active tab. The reversion to the
default settings applies only to the currently active .prf file shown at the bottom of the Options dialog
box.

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Preferences file order of precedence

An Analytics project is open
When you open an Analytics project, a .prf file is loaded using the following order of precedence:
1. Project-specific .prf file in the folder containing the Analytics project
2. If no project-specific .prf file is found, load the global .prf file in the application data folder
3. If no global .prf file is found, automatically recreate the global .prf file in the application data
folder using the default configuration settings (Factory settings) and load the recreated file

No Analytics project is open

When you open Analytics without opening a project, a .prf file is loaded using the following order of
precedence:
1. Global .prf file in the application data folder
2. If no global .prf file is found, automatically recreate the global .prf file in the application data
folder using the default configuration settings (Factory settings) and load the recreated file

Creating preference settings for the

duration of an Analytics session
You can use the SET command to create temporary preference settings that remain in effect for the
duration of an Analytics session only. For example, SET DATE "DD MMM YYYY" temporarily changes the
date display format.
This behavior applies whether you use the SET command in the Analytics command line or in an
Analytics script.
As soon as you close Analytics, the settings revert to whatever is stored in the applicable .prf file. The
SET command never makes any change to a .prf file.
For more information, see "SET command" on page 2071.

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Change font settings for views and

reports
Use the Select View Fonts dialog box to customize the font settings used to display text in views and
reports. You can either customize the font used for each area of the view or report individually, or you
can change the font settings for all areas at once.
Any changes you make to the font settings affect only the current view, and reports based on the
view. The settings are added to the Analytics project and persist between Analytics sessions. If you
create a new view, it replicates the font settings of whatever view is currently open. If required, you
can change the font settings for the new view immediately after creating it.
1. Do one of the following:

o Click Change Font in the display area.

o Right-click in the view and select Select View Fonts .
2. In the Select View Fonts dialog box, click one of the following buttons:
o All – The selected font settings are applied to all areas of the view and report unless more
specific settings are applied to individual areas.
o Header – The font settings for the report header.
o Titles – The font settings for column headers.
o Data – The font settings for view and report data.
o Totals – The font settings for report subtotals.
o Footer – The font settings for the report footer.
3. In the Font dialog box, make any necessary changes to the font settings and click OK.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 if you want to change the font settings for any additional areas.
5. Click OK.

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Change font size in views

You can temporarily increase or decrease the font size in the views in an Analytics project. The
change in size affects all views in the project, and persists until you reset the size or exit Analytics.
1. Click into an open view.
2. Do one of the following:
o Press Ctrl++ repeatedly to increase the font size (Ctrl + the Plus key on the number pad).
o Press Ctrl+- repeatedly to decrease the font size (Ctrl + the Minus key on the number pad).
o Press Ctrl+0 to reset the font size to the default size (Ctrl + 0 on the number pad).

Note
You must use the Plus, Minus, and 0 keys on the number pad, not on the main
keyboard. On laptops, press Fn+Ctrl+ the appropriate key on the number pad.

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Customize the Analytics toolbar

Customize the Analytics toolbar by adding buttons for the features that you use most often, and
removing those you use less frequently. You can also reorder the buttons in the toolbar, and add
separators to group related buttons.
1. If required, select Window > Tool bar to display the toolbar.
2. Double-click an empty spot on the toolbar to open the Customize Toolbar dialog box.
3. Complete any of the following steps:
o Select a button in the Available toolbar buttons list and click Add to add it to the toolbar.
o Select a button in the Current toolbar buttons list and click Remove to remove it from the
toolbar.
o Select the Separator button in the Available toolbar buttons list and click Add to insert a
vertical line to visually group related buttons. You can add as many separators as you need.
o Select a button in the Current toolbar buttons list and click Move Up or Move Down to
change the location of a button. The order of the buttons from top to bottom corresponds to
their location from left to right on the toolbar.
The toolbar dynamically updates as you make changes.
4. If required, you can click Reset to reverse all the changes you have just made to the toolbar.

Note
Once you click Close the changes are saved and Reset does not reverse them.
You can revert to the default toolbar settings by selecting Tools > Options >
Factory .

5. Click Close to save your changes.

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Adding custom items to the

Analytics main menu
You can add custom items such as your own Analytics scripts, and frequently used commands, to the
Analytics main menu. The custom items appear under the Applications menu. This capability is
especially useful if you create scripts for others to use, and you want a single, easy-to-use location for
accessing the scripts.

Project-level or global access

You can create custom menu items that are restricted to individual Analytics projects, or you can
make the items available globally, whenever Analytics is open.
l project-level access – locate the text file (*.mnu) containing the custom menu items in the
same folder as the Analytics project (*.acl)
l global access – locate the text file (*.mnu) containing the custom menu items in the same
folder as the Analytics executable (ACLWin.exe)
You can also combine approaches, and create both project-level and global custom menu items.

Note
If you want other Analytics users to have the custom menu items, give them the *.mnu
file with instructions about where to locate the file.

The configurable menu file (*.mnu)

You use one or more text files with a .mnu file extension to build your custom menu items.

Sub-menu entries
Each *.mnu file creates a separate sub-menu entry under the Applications menu. For example,
Account scripts.mnu creates the Account scripts sub-menu entry and this menu structure:
Applications > Account scripts .
Sub-menu entries appear in alphanumeric order on the Applications menu.

Custom menu items

Contained within each sub-menu entry are the individual custom menu items. For example, you might
have two items that run the following scripts:

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l Accounts Payable Analysis

(Applications > Account scripts > Accounts Payable Analysis )
l Accounts Receivable Analysis
(Applications > Account scripts > Accounts Receivable Analysis )
Custom menu items appear on sub-menus in the order that the items are listed in the *.mnu file.
Using one or more *.mnu files, you can build multi-level, cascading sub-menus to meet your require-
ments.

Tip
Users can become disoriented by too many sub-menu levels. A best practice is to limit
sub-menu levels to three.

Maximum number of custom menu items

The Applications menu can contain a maximum of 179 custom menu items. The maximum applies to
the total number of custom menu items across all sub-menu levels and all *.mnu files.

Menu file syntax

Note
The required syntax in the menu file must be specified precisely. Even a single extra
space can cause Analytics to ignore the menu file and the custom menu items do not
appear.
Follow the requirements below exactly.

Tip
Create or edit your menu files in a text editor such as Notepad++ with all non-printing
characters displayed so that you can see exactly what characters are contained in the
file.
Use a monospaced or fixed-width font so that individual characters align vertically.

A sample menu file, Template.mnu, is included in the Sample Data Files folder installed with
Analytics.
l Template.mnu creates the sub-menu entry Template in the Applications menu in Sample
Project.acl, and in the three other sample Analytics projects contained in the Sample Data
Files folder.
l The Template sub-menu entry contains six custom menu items at the first level.
l One of the first-level custom menu items, Margin Analysis , contains four custom menu items
at the second level.
l Most of the custom menu items in Template.mnu are simply placeholders to illustrate the
concept of menu files.

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The content of Template.mnu is reproduced below, with accompanying syntax requirements.

Content of Template.mnu

MAIN MENU 6 .
Margins Analysis 8 menu_def .
Inventory Analysis PAUSE 'SAMPLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS BATCH' .
Accounts Payable Analysis PAUSE 'LAUNCH YOUR A/P BATCH(ES)' .
Accounts Receivable Analysis PAUSE 'DO A/R BATCH(ES) HERE' .
Internal Audit Functions PAUSE 'SAMPLE INTERNAL AUDIT PROCESSES' .
Quit ACL QUIT .
.
MARGINS ANALYSIS 4 .
Exception Listing PAUSE 'DO Batch where margin<=0' .
High Margin Products PAUSE 'Sample Batch top 5 margins' .
Low Margin Products PAUSE 'Calculate lowest 5 margins' .
Margin Statistics STATISTICS .

Menu file syntax requirements

Property Requirement

Each line of the menu file must be exactly the same length.
Although not required, it is good practice to use a period (.) to visually mark the end of
Line length each line, immediately before the line break.

The lines in the menu file are counted from zero (0).
Keep this numbering scheme in mind whenever you specify line number references in
the menu file syntax. If the text editor you are using displays and counts line numbers
beginning at 1, you need to decrement the text editor line number by 1 when you specify
menu file line number references.
In the example above, the Margins Analysis menu item appears on line 1, and the
Line numbering MARGINS ANALYSIS sub-menu syntax block appears on lines 8 through 12.

Blank lines can appear between syntax blocks but not within syntax blocks.
Blank lines, composed of space characters, must be the same length as the other lines in
the menu file.
Although not required, one or more blank lines between syntax blocks provides visual
Blank lines separation in the menu file.

Syntax blocks define each group of custom menu items. You can use multiple syntax
blocks to create multiple menu levels.
o The left side of the block contains the names of the menu items, one per line. These
are the names that appear on the menu in Analytics.
Syntax blocks o Names can be a maximum of 35 characters.

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Property Requirement

o The right side of the block contains either an ACLScript command or a line reference
to a lower-level block of syntax.
o Lines on the right side of the block must all start at character position 37.
o Use only space characters to align text elements. Do not use tab characters.

Note
Even one tab character in a menu file will cause the file to be ignored.
Use a text editor that can display tab characters so you can check for
their presence.

Each syntax block begins with a single heading line.

The left side of the line contains the block identifier in uppercase and the right side
contains the number of lines within the block.
In the example above, line 0 contains the block identifier MAIN MENU and specifies that
there are 6 lines in the block. The heading line is not counted.
Block identifiers are optional. They keep syntax blocks organized within the menu file.
They do not appear anywhere in the Analytics Applications menu structure.
If you omit a block identifier, the specified number of lines in the block must still start at
Block heading character position 37.

A reference from a menu item to a lower-level block of syntax takes the form num menu_
def. num specifies the line number on which the lower-level block of syntax starts – that is,
the heading line of the lower-level syntax block.
Reference to a
lower-level block of In the example above, line 1 contains the Margins Analysis menu item, which refers to the
syntax line on which the MARGINS ANALYSIS lower-level syntax block starts ( 8 menu_def ).

Custom menu items can specify:

o any valid ACLScript command
o a line reference to a lower-level block of syntax
To create a custom menu item that runs an Analytics script, specify DO SCRIPT script_
name. For example:
Calculate Median Value script       DO SCRIPT Calculate_Median_Value

Note
The script must be included in the Analytics project in which the custom
menu item appears.

Short commands can be entered directly in the .mnu file. Longer commands with multiple
Custom menu parameters should be saved in a script, which can be referenced using the DO SCRIPT
items command.

Create or edit a menu file

The easiest way to create a menu file is to copy the Analytics sample menu file (Template.mnu) and
then modify it.

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Keep the following points in mind when you edit a menu file that is already in use:
l Before you edit any menu file, make a backup copy of it.
l If you add or remove lines, make sure to adjust any line number references appropriately.
l Wherever possible, add new items at the end of the menu file in order to maintain the existing
line references.
1. Copy Template.mnu from the Analytics Sample Data Files folder to a working location.

Caution
Do not edit the original template file. If you run into problems you can recopy the
original file and start again.

2. Rename the copied file to something appropriate.

The name you give the file becomes the name of the sub-menu entry on the Analytics Applica-
tions menu.

Note
If you are creating a menu file from scratch, change the file extension to .mnu.

3. Open the renamed file in a text editor such as Notepad++ and edit it to build sub-menus and
custom menu items.
Follow the "Menu file syntax requirements" on page 155 above exactly.
4. Do one of the following:
l Save the file in the folder containing the Analytics project in which you want the custom menu

items to appear.
l Save the file in the Analytics executable folder to make the custom menu items available in

all Analytics projects opened on the computer.

Tip
You can create both project-level and global menu files, if required.

5. Close and reopen Analytics to refresh the Applications menu.

The sub-menu entry and the custom menu items should now be available in the Applications
menu.
If the sub-menu and the custom menu items do not appear, carefully check the content of your
menu file against the syntax requirements above. Make all non-printable characters visible in
the text editor you are using. An extra space at the end of a line, or a tab character anywhere in
the menu file, causes the file to be ignored.

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Running commands from the

Analytics command line
Most of the functionality in Analytics that is completed by selecting options from menus and entering
the required information in dialog boxes can also be completed by running commands from the
command line.

Analytics includes a language called ACLScript that is used throughout the application to process
commands and record analysis steps. For example, when you select Analyze > Count from the main
menu and complete the required information in the Count dialog box, Analytics automatically
converts the information you entered to a command statement that is used to run the command and
record the action in the log.

Guidelines for using the command line

l You can only enter one command at a time.
l Commands are not case-sensitive. You can use uppercase or lowercase characters.
l Commands can include a set of required and optional parameters.
l When the text for a command is long, Analytics expands the Command Line text box and
wraps lines to display the entire command. Click outside the text box to collapse it and click
inside the text box to display the entire command again.
l You can abbreviate commands, functions, and keywords in ACLScript. The abbreviation must
include the leading characters of the command, function, or keyword. The abbreviation can be
as short as you like, provided it uniquely identifies the term. In most cases you will need to enter
at least the first three characters.
For detailed information about the syntax required for each ACLScript command, see "Commands
overview" on page 1638.

Steps
1. If the Command Line text box is not visible, select Window > Command Line.
2. Enter the command text using one of the following methods:
l Type in the command using the required syntax.

l Click an entry in the Log tab in the Navigator to add the command to the command line. You

can run the command as is, or edit it before running the command.

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Copy the command syntax from an existing Analytics script, or other text file, and paste it in
l

the Command Line text box. You can run the command as is, or edit it before running the
command.
3. Optional. If the command has a dialog box associated with it in the Analytics user interface,
click Edit Command to display the associated dialog box, which you can use to modify the
parameter settings for the command.
4. Click Run or press Enter to run the command.
The Run, Clear Entry , and Edit Command options are also available by right-clicking in the
Command Line text box.

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Printing display area information

You can print the information displayed in the display area in the active View tab, Script Editor tab,
Results tab, or Workspace Editor tab. If you print the information in the View tab, the default report
settings for the view are used.
To print information in the display area:
1. Open the view, workspace, or script you want to print.
2. Select File > Print.
3. If the information in the display area is more than one page long, you have the option to specify
a page range. To specify a range, select Pages and enter the start page number and end page
number to print.
4. If you want to change the printer, or any printer properties (paper size, page orientation, etc.),
click Setup and make any necessary changes in the Page Setup dialog box and click OK.
5. Click Print.

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Send email notifications from

Analytics
You can send email notifications, which can optionally include file attachments, directly from
Analytics. This functionality is primarily used in scripts to notify users when processing has completed,
or an error occurs.
You can also send messages from Analytics if you know the required information about your mail
server configuration and the mail server security configuration does not prevent it.

Note
The email notification feature can be used with any mail server that supports SMTP
(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), which is used by Microsoft Exchange and many
other mail servers. Email notification uses port 25, so this port must be open on the
mail server or the command fails.
If email notification fails with an error message, contact your IT department to find out
if port 25 is blocked on your network.

1. Select Tools > Notify by Email .

2. Complete the following information:
l Sender – Enter the email address to send the message from.

l Password – Enter the email account password.

l Mailbox Path – Enter the hostname or IP address of your SMTP mail server.

If you are using a local mail system, enter the path to a local mailbox or click Browse to open
the Browse for Folder dialog box.
l To – Enter the email addresses of recipients. Separate the names and addresses of multiple
recipients with commas.

Note
Enter a maximum of 1020 characters.

l Cc – Optional. Enter the email addresses of “carbon copy” recipients. Separate the names
and addresses of multiple recipients with commas.

Note
Enter a maximum of 1000 characters.

l Bcc – Optional. Enter the email addresses of “blind carbon copy” recipients. Separate the
names and addresses of multiple recipients with commas.
l Subject – Enter the text of the subject line.
l Text – Enter the text of the message.

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l Attachment – If you want to include an attachment, specify the path and filename of the file,
or click Browse to open the Select File dialog box.
3. Click OK.

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Analytics projects
Analytics projects are the highest level of organization in Analytics, and they store the information
associated with a data analysis project.
The main Analytics project file (.ACL) stores most of the project information. A set of additional files
store particular types of information about the project, such as the log or indexes. Data is stored
outside the project in native Analytics data files, or in a database.
The Analytics project you are currently working with is displayed in the Overview tab in the
Navigator. The contents of the log are displayed in the Log tab. Only one project can be open at a
time.
Sample Project.ACL appears below in the Navigator.

Navigator: Overview tab

Analytics projects contain several different item types. You can view and work with these items in the
Navigator.
The table below lists the item types that can appear in the Navigator treeview.

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Icon Item type Description

Table An Analytics table, which consists of two parts: a table layout and an associated
data source.
The table layout contains information about how to display the data, such as
record length and field names. The data source is a file or data set (e.g., database
table) that contains the content of the table. The data source exists outside the
Analytics project.

Server Table A table with a table layout that resides locally in Analytics, and an associated data
source on a server. The table layout connects to the data source using a
database profile and/or server profile.

Script A series of ACLScript commands that can be run from within the Analytics project.

Server Script An ACLScript file (.aclscript, formerly .bat) that is located on a server.

Workspace An Analytics project item that contains one or more field definitions that have
been saved for reuse with other tables.

Project The top-level entry in the treeview is the Analytics project. Projects are stored in
physical files with a .ACL file extension.

Log A record of the commands issued when working with the Analytics project.

Folder A folder inside the Analytics project. These folders exist only in the Analytics
project file (.ACL). They are not physically created as Windows folders.

Navigator: Log tab

The table below lists the types of entries that can appear in the Log tab in the Navigator.

Icon Entry type Description

Group A group of log sessions within a specific date range.

Session entry Individual sessions indicated by date and time. Sessions are created whenever
you open the project, or when you create a session manually.

Command Identifies a command completed successfully.

successful

Command failed Identifies a command that failed.

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Analytics project files

The following file types are used to record information for Analytics projects. When you back up or
archive a project, you must ensure that you copy all of the files to restore the complete project.

File type
(extension) Description

The Analytics project file is where all of the critical information for your data analysis
project is stored:
o table layout and view definitions
o scripts
o project folders
Analytics Project file
o command syntax that updates tables using the Refresh from Source command.
o table history
(.ACL/.acl) o workspaces

A temporary autosave file is created each time the project is opened.

The purpose of the file is to record all unsaved changes to the Analytics project, so
Analytics Project auto- that the changes can be recovered if Analytics closes unexpectedly.
save file
If the project is saved and closed normally, the .ac file is deleted, otherwise you are
(.ac) prompted to restore your project from this file.

In many cases, when you define an Analytics table from a data source, the data is
copied from the data source into a new Analytics data file with a .fil file extension.
Analytics data file
For a list of data source types that copy data to .fil files, see "Data sources you can
(.fil) access with Analytics" on page 227.

The log file records all commands executed by Analytics while the project is open.
Log file
The default log is assigned the same name as the Analytics project file, with a .log
(.log) extension. If necessary, you can specify a custom log file name.

An index file used to associate log entries with particular sessions. Sessions are
Log index file
created each time you open a project, and can also be created manually at any
(.lix) time.

An index file is created when you index an Analytics table. The file name is the
same as the name of the index in Analytics, with an .inx extension.
An index file is also created when you use the Quick Sort Ascending or Quick Sort
Index file
Descending commands on a table. The filename for indexes created by quick sort
(.inx) commands is ACLQSTMP.inx

Additional Analytics file types

Four additional file types can be created from an Analytics project, or imported into an Analytics
project.

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These file types are not required by the project, however if they exist, you may want to include them in
any backup process.

File type
(extension) Description

Table layout file An external copy of an Analytics table layout.

(.layout)

View file An external copy of an Analytics view.

(.rpt)

Analytics script file An external copy of an Analytics script or analytic.

(.aclscript)

Workspace file An external copy of an Analytics workspace.

(.wsp)

Analytics analysis app files

Analysis apps are bundled sets of Analytics analytics. Analytics are regular Analytics scripts written
using the ACLScript language, with the addition of an analytic header that allows the script to run in
AX Client, AX Web Client, or the Analysis App window.
Analytics are created and tested in Analytics and in order to be run in the Analysis App window they
must be packaged and saved outside Analytics as an analysis app package with an .aclapp file
extension.
When the .aclapp file is opened in the Analysis App window it is automatically installed as an analysis
app file with an .aclx file extension.
For more information, see "Working with analysis apps" on page 1351.

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Working with Analytics projects

Analytics projects provide a way to group and organize all the tables and processing associated with a
data analysis project. You can create as many Analytics projects as you need. The data analysis
completed in Analytics is recorded in the command log in the Analytics project from the moment a
project is created.

Create a new Analytics project

When you create a new project, a best practice to create a new Windows folder for the project, and
maintain a one-to-one relation between Analytics projects and Windows folders. Use the Windows
folder, and subfolders as required, to store:
l The Analytics project file (.acl) and all associated files, such as index files (.inx)
l Source data files
l Analytics data files (.fil)
l Results files produced from analysis performed in Analytics
You can create a new project from within Analytics, or from the ACL for Windows main screen.
Show me how

Note
The combined length of the Analytics project path and the project name, including the
file extension (.acl), cannot exceed 259 characters.

Create a new project from Analytics

1. From the Analytics main menu, select File > New > Project.
2. In the Save New Project As dialog box, select a folder to save the project in, enter a file name,
and click Save.
The new project is created and the Data Definition Wizard opens. You can proceed through the
wizard to create a new Analytics table in the new project, or click Cancel if you do not want to
create a table.

Create a new project from ACL for Windows

1. In the ACL for Windows main screen, click New Analytic Project.
2. In the Save As dialog box, select a folder to save the project in, enter a file name, and click
Save.
The new project is created and opened in Analytics.

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Open an existing Analytics project

When you open an existing Analytics project a new session is created, and all commands processed
by Analytics are recorded in the log.
You can open an existing project from within Analytics, or from the ACL for Windows main screen.
Show me how

Open an existing project from Analytics

1. From the Analytics main menu, select File > Open Project.
2. In the Project dialog box, navigate to an Analytics project file (.acl), select the file, and click
Open.
The project opens in Analytics. If another project is open in Analytics, you will be prompted to
save any changes to that project, and it will be closed before the selected project is opened.

Open an existing project from ACL for Windows

1. In the ACL for Windows main screen, click Open Analytic Project, or select an Analytics
project (.acl) under Recent Analytics Files .
2. If you clicked Open Analytic Project, navigate to an Analytics project file (.acl), select the file,
and click Open.
The project opens in Analytics.

Save an Analytics project

The first time you save an Analytics project, you need to specify the filename and location. You can
save the latest version of the project in the same location using the Save Project menu command. If
you want to save a copy of the project, use the Save Project As menu command and choose a
different filename and location.
Show me how
1. Do one of the following:
o If you want to save the current version of the project select File > Save Project.
o If you want to save the current version of the project with a different name, select File >
Save Project As , and then enter the new filename and choose the location in the Save
Project As dialog box and click Save.
If you select this option, the project is saved with the new name, but the new project is not
opened in Analytics.
2. If there are any project items that have been modified since the project was last saved, you will
be prompted to save them. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box(es).

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View Analytics project properties

You can view a number of properties associated with an Analytics project, and quickly navigate to the
folder containing the project.
Show me how
1. Right-click the Analytics project in the Overview tab in the Navigator.
The Analytics project is the top-level entry in the treeview.
2. Select Properties .
3. In the Project Properties dialog box, click on the following tabs to view or modify project
properties:
o General – This tab displays the basic properties of the project file: the file name, the file
location, the last modification date and time, and the physical size of the project file.
You can click Open file location to navigate directly to the folder containing the Analytics
project file (.acl).
o Notes – This tab displays any notes associated with the project. You can modify existing
notes or add new notes. For more information, see "Add or edit Analytics project notes" on
page 177.
o Views – This tab displays all the views in the project, using the form view name[table layout
name]. You can maintain the views in the project from this tab. For more information, see
"Working with views" on page 769.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box and save any changes you have made.

Copy a project item from another Analytics

project
You can copy Analytics project items into your current project from any Analytics project on your
computer or on an accessible network drive.
You can copy multiple project items simultaneously if they are of the same type – for example, you
could copy multiple scripts simultaneously. If you want to copy items of different types – for example,
scripts and tables layouts – you need to repeat the procedure below for each item type.
If you want to import a project item that exists as a separate file outside an Analytics project, see
"Import a project item" on the next page.
Show me how
1. Open the project that will contain the copied item or items.
2. In the Overview tab of the Navigator, right-click the Analytics project entry, or a project folder,
and select Copy from another Project > [Project Item Type] where Project Item Type is one
of the following options:
o Table

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o View
o Script
o Workspace

Note
When you copy a table, you are copying the table layout only, not the source
data file (.fil).

3. In the Locate Project File dialog box, locate and select the Analytics project you want to copy
the project items from and click Open.
4. In the Import dialog box, complete any of the following tasks to add project items to the To
project_name list:
o Double-click an individual project item.
o Ctrl+click multiple project items and then click the right-arrow button.
o Click Add All to add all the project items.

You can remove project items from the To project_name list by double-clicking an individual
project item, by using Ctrl+click to select multiple project items and then clicking the left-arrow
button, or by clicking Clear All .
5. Click OK to copy the project item or items into the current project.
If an item with the same name already exists in the project, the copied item is given an
incrementing numeric suffix.

Import a project item

You can import Analytics project items that exist as separate files outside an Analytics project – for
example, an Analytics script saved as an .aclscript file, or a table layout saved as a .layout file. You
can import only one project item at a time.
If you want to import a project item from another Analytics project, see "Copy a project item from
another Analytics project" on the previous page.
Show me how
1. In the Overview tab of the Navigator, right-click the Analytics project entry and select Import
Project Item > [Project Item Type] where Project Item Type is one of the following options:
o Table
o View
o Script
o Workspace
2. In the Project dialog box, locate and select the appropriate file type and click Open.
File types and project items correspond as follows:

File extension Project item

.layout table layout

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File extension Project item

.rpt view

.aclscript script

.wsp workspace

3. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.

The project item is imported into the current project. If an item of the same type, with the same
name, already exists in the project, the imported item is given an incrementing numeric suffix.

Export a project item

You can export Analytics project items as separate files saved outside the Analytics project – for
example, an Analytics script can be saved as an .aclscript file, and a table layout can be saved as a
.layout file. Project items exported as separate files can later be imported into any Analytics project.
You can export only one project item at a time.
Project items and file types correspond as follows:

Project item File extension

table layout .layout

view .rpt

script .aclscript

workspace .wsp

Show me how

Note
Limit the item name to 64 alphanumeric characters, not including the file extension, to
ensure that the name is not truncated when the item is imported back into Analytics.
The name can include the underscore character ( _ ), but do not use any other special
characters, or any spaces, or start the name with a number. Special characters,
spaces, and a leading number are all replaced by the underscore character when the
item is imported.

Export a table layout, a script, or a workspace

1. In the Overview tab of the Navigator, right-click the item and select Export Project Item .
2. In the Save As dialog box, choose a location to save the item, rename the item if required, and
click Save.

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3. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.

The project item is exported to the location you specified.

Export a view
1. Open the table associated with the view.
2. In the Overview tab of the Navigator, right-click the table and select Properties > Views .
3. Select the view, and click Export.
4. In the Save As dialog box, choose a location to save the view, rename the view if required, and
click Save.
5. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.
The view is exported to the location you specified.

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Using the Analytics command log

Analytics includes a powerful logging feature that serves two main purposes:
l Tracking analysis
The log records the exact sequence of commands executed during each Analytics session,
and saves them as part of the Analytics project. Recording the sequence of commands
ensures that audit steps can be verified and replicated whenever necessary.
l Recording Analytics command syntax
The log records the ACLScript syntax used to execute each command. Having access to the
exact syntax allows you to:
l easily rerun commands from the log instead of manually recreating them through the user
interface
l create scripts based on selected log entries
l view and learn the ACLScript syntax associated with commands accessed through the user
interface

Add sessions to the log

A new session is automatically created in the log each time you open an Analytics project. Each
session includes the date and a timestamp indicating when the session started.
You can also manually add a session to the log whenever you want to create a group of log entries.
For example, you might want to add a distinct session for each stage of audit analysis you perform.
When you manually add a session you have the option of including a session name.
1. Right-click in the Log tab and select Add New Session.
2. (Optional) In the Session Name text box, type a name to identify the session.
Session names can be a maximum of 30 characters.
3. Click OK.

Add comments to the log

You can manually add comments to the Analytics command log. Use comments to document steps in
your analysis, and to add explanations or descriptions that are relevant to the audit project. When you
add a comment it is added as the last item in the log.
1. Select Tools > Comment.
2. Enter the text of the comment in the Comment text box and click OK.
Single-line comments are displayed in the log treeview. To view multiline comments, double-
click the comment entry in the treeview.

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Search the log

You can search the log for particular command names or strings in log entries and session entries.
1. Click the Log tab in the Navigator.
2. Right-click the log entry where you want to start the search and click Find.
3. In the Find dialog box, in the Find what field, enter the search string.
4. Specify any of the Find options, as required:
Option Description

Only exact matches are found.

Match whole For example, a search for “SET L” does not match “SET LEARN” if this option is
word only selected, but it would otherwise.

Only matches with exactly matching upper and lower case are found.
For example, a search for “Comment” does not match “COMMENT” if this option is
Match case selected, but it would otherwise.

Up, Down Specifies the search direction.

5. Click Find Next.

If a match is found, the first log entry that contains the search string is highlighted. Click Find
Next to navigate to the next match.

Copy log entries

You can copy log entries to the clipboard, and then paste the entries into the Script Editor or
Workspace Editor in Analytics, or into another application. Copying entries from the log is an
alternative to exporting the entries to a new file or a script.
1. Click the Log tab in the Navigator.
2. Select the checkbox beside each log entry that you want to copy.
You can select:
l individual entries
l log sessions
l date ranges
l the entire log
If you select a log session or date range, all sub-entries are also automatically selected.

3. Right-click in the Log tab and select Copy .

The log entries are copied to the Windows clipboard.
4. Paste the log entries into a destination.

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Export log entries

You can export Analytics log entries, or the entire contents of the log, to an external file, or to a new
Analytics script in the current project.
1. Click the Log tab in the Navigator.
2. Select the checkbox beside each log item that you want to export.
You can select:
l individual entries
l log sessions
l date ranges
l the entire log
If you select a log session or date range, all sub-entries are also automatically selected.

3. Right-click in the Log tab and select Save Selected Items > [Export Type] where Export Type
is one of the following options:

HTML an HTML file (.htm)

Log File a new Analytics log file (.log)

Script a new Analytics script in the current project

WordPad a temporary new file in WordPad

Text a text file (.txt)

4. Specify a file name or a script name and click Save or OK.

To save a temporary WordPad file, use Save as in WordPad.

Delete log entries

You can delete the following entries from the log:
l individual entries
l log sessions
l date ranges
l the entire log
If you select a log session or date range, all sub-entries are also automatically selected.
When you delete a portion of the log, or the entire log, the following comment is automatically inserted
at the point of deletion: A range of the Log has been deleted.

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1. Click the Log tab in the Navigator.

2. To delete all entries in the log:
a. Right-click in the Log tab and select Delete Entire Log.
b. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.
3. To delete individual entries:
a. Select the checkbox beside each entry, session, or date range you want to delete.
b. Right-click and select Delete Selected Items .
c. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.

Rerun commands from the log

You can select any single-line command in the log and rerun it from the command line.
You can also select and rerun the multiline version of the DEFINE FIELD...COMPUTED command.
Other multiline commands, such as GROUP, cannot be rerun from the command line and can only be
run in scripts.
When you rerun commands you can run them as is, or modify them before running them.
1. Click the Log tab in the Navigator.
2. Click the log entry with the command you want to rerun.
The command prefills the Command Line near the top of the Analytics interface, just below the
toolbar.

Note
If the Command Line isn't visible, select Window > Command Line from the
Analytics main menu.

3. If required, edit the command in the Command Line text box.

4. Click Run .

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Using notes in Analytics projects

There are several different types of notes you can create in Analytics to record information about
specific project items. Notes are particularly useful for recording details of a process that is repeated
on a regular basis. When more than one person will be working with an Analytics project, notes make
it easier for others to understand the procedures you design.
You can add notes to the following items:
l Analytics project
l table layout
l view
l record
l field
l script
l workspace

Add or edit Analytics project notes

You can add a note to an Analytics project to record any details about the project that you want to
keep for future reference, or document for other users. You can edit the content of a project note at
any time.
Show me how
1. Right-click the Analytics project in the Overview tab in the Navigator.
The Analytics project is the top-level entry in the treeview.
2. Select Properties .
3. In the Project Properties dialog box, click the Notes tab.
4. Enter a new note or edit the existing note.
To delete the note, delete all the text.
5. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes.

Add or edit table layout notes

You can add a note to a table layout to record information such as when or how the data source was
accessed, the computed fields that are defined, or the analysis steps that need to be completed on
the table. You can add a table layout note in either the Overview tab of the Navigator, or the Table
Layout dialog box. You can edit the content of a table layout note at any time.
If you maintain table layout notes in the Navigator, you do not need to open the table to add, edit,
delete, or read the note.

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Table layout notes appear in printed Analytics reports if Include Report History with Reports is
selected in the Options dialog box (the default setting). For more information, see "Print options" on
page 144.
Show me how

Add or edit a note from the Overview tab

1. Right-click the table in the Overview tab in the Navigator and select Properties .
2. In the Table Properties dialog box, click the Notes tab.
3. Enter a new note or edit the existing note.
To delete the note, delete all the text.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes.

Add or edit a note from the Table Layout dialog box

1. Select Edit > Table Layout.
2. Click the Table Layout Options tab.

3. Click Edit Table Layout Note .

4. Enter a new note or edit the existing note.
To delete the note, delete all the text.
5. Click Close .
The note is automatically saved.
6. Click Close  to exit the Table Layout dialog box.

Add or edit view notes

You can add a note to a view to provide additional information about the view. The note is specific to
that particular view, and is copied to any new views created from that view. You can edit the content of
a view note at any time.
View notes appear in printed Analytics reports if you select Include View Note in Report History in
the Options dialog box. For more information, see "Print options" on page 144.
Show me how
1. At the bottom of the View tab, right-click the button for the view you want to add a note to and
select Properties .
2. In the View Properties dialog box, click the Notes tab.
3. Enter a new note or edit the existing note.
To delete the note, delete all the text.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes.

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Add or edit record notes

You can add a note to a record to provide additional information about the record, or to create a link to
a related file. A note added to a record is available in any views of the table that include the record.
You can edit the content of a record note at any time.

Note icon
Records that have a note attached are identified by a note icon next to the record number in the view
. Tables that have one or more records with a note are identified in the Overview tab in the
Navigator with a note icon in the bottom left corner of the standard table icon  .

The RecordNote field

When you add the first record note in a table, Analytics automatically adds a field called RecordNote
to the table layout, which is used to contain record notes. You can display record notes in views, or
include them in printed Analytics reports, by adding the RecordNote column to the view. Once you
have added the RecordNote column, you can double-click values in the column to quickly and easily
maintain record notes.

Steps
Show me how

Tip
To add or edit multiple record notes simultaneously, use the NOTES command.

1. Right-click the appropriate record number in the record number column in the View tab (the
grey, first column on the far left) and select Edit Note.
2. Enter a new note or edit the existing note.
To delete the note, delete all the text.
3. If you want to create a link to a related file, do the following:
a. Position the cursor at the location in the note where you want to insert the link.

b. Click File Reference .

c. Select the appropriate file in the Open dialog box and click Open.
A link to the file is added to the note using the following syntax:
file:///<path_to_file>
4. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes.
5. If you want to display record notes in a view, or include them in printed Analytics reports, do the
following:

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a. Right-click in the display area and select Add Columns .

b. In the Available Fields list, double-click RecordNote and click OK.

Save record notes

If required, you can save record notes to a text file or to another Analytics table.
Whenever you update the data in an Analytics table (Refresh from Source) all record notes in the
table are automatically deleted. You can save the record notes prior to updating the table, or you can
use the Analytics option that allows you to save the notes in the process of updating the table. The
saved notes are formatted slightly differently depending on how you save them.
Show me how

Save record notes to a text file prior to updating a table

1. Enter the following syntax in the command line:
LIST Recno() RecordNote to <file_name.txt>
For example, LIST Recno() RecordNote to Ap_trans_record_notes.txt
The name of the text file must not include any spaces.

2. Click Run .

Save record notes to another Analytics table prior to

updating a table
1. Perform a standard extract by fields and select the RecordNote field.
2. Select at least one other field to extract, or create the expression “Recno( )” and add the
expression as an additional field to extract.
Analytics does not allow you to extract the RecordNote field by itself.

Save record notes to a text file while updating a table

In the process of updating a table, click Yes when prompted to save notes to a file.
The record notes are saved to a file called <table_name.txt>. The file is located in the same folder as
the Analytics project.

Delete record notes

You can delete record notes individually or selectively, or delete all the record notes in a table at once.

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Show me how

Delete record notes individually

1. Right-click the appropriate record number in the record number column in the View tab (the
grey, first column on the far left) and select Edit Note.
2. Delete all content from the Edit Note dialog box, ensuring that you delete any spaces or line
breaks that precede or follow text, and click OK.

Note
Individually deleting all the record notes in a table does not delete the auto-generated
RecordNote field from the table layout, which means the note icon continues to
appear with the table icon in the Overview tab in the Navigator.
If your intention is to delete all the record notes in a table, use the method for deleting
all record notes, which also deletes the RecordNote field.

Delete record notes selectively

1. Enter the following expression in the command line, using an IF statement that identifies the
records with notes you want to delete:
NOTES IF <appropriate filter criteria> CLEAR
For example, NOTES IF Location = "03" CLEAR deletes any notes for Location #3 records.

2. Click Run .

Delete all the record notes in a table at once

1. If the RecordNote column appears in the view, remove it by right-clicking the column header
and selecting Remove Selected Columns .
2. Select Edit > Notes > Delete All Notes from Table.
3. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.
All record notes are deleted, the RecordNote field is deleted from the table layout, and upon a
screen refresh, the note icon disappears from the table icon in the Navigator.

Add or edit field notes

You can add a note to a field to provide additional information about the field. The note appears in the
Note column in the Edit Fields/Expressions tab in the Table Layout dialog box. You can edit the
content of a field note at any time.
Field notes appear in printed Analytics reports if you select Include Field Definitions in Table
History in the Options dialog box. For more information, see "Print options" on page 144.

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Show me how
1. Select Edit > Table Layout.
2. In the Edit Fields/Expressions tab, double-click the field you want to add a note to.

3. Click Edit Field Note .

4. Enter a new note or edit the existing note.
To delete the note, delete all the text.
5. Click Close  .
The note is automatically saved.

6. Click Accept Entry  .

Add or edit script notes

You can add a note to a script project item to record any general details about the script that you want
to keep for future reference, or document for other users.
Notes added to a script project item are external to the script itself, and are not the same as inline
comments added to the body of a script. You can edit the content of a script project item note at any
time.
You do not need to open the script to add, edit, delete, or read the note.
Show me how
1. Right-click the script in the Overview tab in the Navigator.
2. Select Properties .
3. In the Script Properties dialog box, click the Notes tab.
4. Enter a new note or edit the existing note.
To delete the note, delete all the text.
5. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes.

Add or edit workspace notes

For more information, see "Add or edit a workspace note" on page 762.

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Printing Analytics project

information
You can print a report from Analytics with complete and detailed information about the following items
in the current Analytics project:
l Table layouts, including field definitions and filter syntax
l Views
l Scripts
l Indexes
l Workspaces
l Preference settings
l Project notes
l Command log
You can choose to print information about some or all of the items. The report can be used to create a
permanent record of the project settings in use when an analysis was completed, or to assist in
troubleshooting problems with an Analytics project.

Note
If you choose to print the command log, the entire log is printed, which could be
numerous pages depending on the size of the log.

To print Analytics project information:

1. Select File > Print Project Contents .
2. In the Print Documentation dialog box, select the font point size to use for the generated report
from the Font Size drop-down list.
3. Select one or more of the following item types to print the information associated with all
occurrences of the item type in the project:
l All Table Layouts
l All View Definitions
l All Script Definitions
l All Index Definitions
l All Workspace Definitions
If you do not want to print information for all occurrences of an item type, leave the associated
checkbox blank and use Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select individual items.
4. To include additional project information, or specify how the output should be formatted, select
any of the following checkboxes:

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o Preferences – prints a list of the currently selected preference settings in the Options dialog
box
o Project Notes – prints any notes recorded for the project
o Log – prints the entire command log
o Page Break after each Category – inserts a page break after each project item category,
and after preferences, project notes, and log entries. If the checkbox is not selected, each
category is listed immediately after the previous category.
o Page Break after each Item – inserts a page break after each item within a category. For
example, if you have selected three scripts, a page break will be inserted after each of the
script definitions. If the checkbox is not selected, each item is listed immediately after the
previous item in the category.
5. Click Print.
6. In the Print dialog box, configure any necessary printer settings and click Print. You can use
the Print dialog box to modify settings, such as the printer to send the print job to and printer-
specific options such as the page size and page orientation.

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Recovering Analytics projects that

close unexpectedly
If Analytics closes unexpectedly while an unsaved project is open, the next time you open the project
you have the choice of opening an autosaved Working copy of the project (.ac file), or opening the
Last-saved version of the project (.acl file).
l Open the Working copy – If you open the Working copy and then save your changes, the
Last-saved version of the project file is overwritten and the original Working copy is deleted.
l Open the Last-saved version – If you open the Last-saved version and then save your
changes, the Last-saved version of the project file is updated and the Working copy is deleted.
l If you are uncertain which option to choose – You can click Cancel and back up both the
Working copy and the Last-saved version, so you retain the option of using either project file.

Guidelines
When you attempt to open a project that closed unexpectedly, an ACL Analytics dialog box is
displayed presenting you with three options for recovering the project file. Select the appropriate
option from the following:
l Click Working if you made modifications to project items or performed analysis steps after you
last saved the project and you do not want to lose the log entries for these operations.

Note
The Working copy has the most complete information, but it may be corrupted if
Analytics closed while a command was being processed.

l Click Last-saved if any unsaved changes in the project are not important to you.
l Click Cancel if you want to retain the option of using either version of the project file. After you
close the dialog box, navigate to the Windows folder where the project files are stored and
create a backup of both the Working copy and the Last-saved version using different file
names.

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Common data preparation and
analysis tasks
 Common data preparation and analysis tasks

Common data preparation and

analysis tasks
When you use Analytics to prepare or analyze data, some general tasks frequently recur:
l saving output results
l specifying the location where output results are saved
l extracting data
l appending data
l exporting data
This section explains these tasks in greater detail. It also provides information about key fields,
concatenating fields, and generating random numbers.

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Saving results and specifying output

folders
When you perform an operation on an Analytics table and save the results to a new Analytics table or
a text file, you have several options regarding the manner in which you save the results, and the
location of the output folder.

Note
Analytics tables include a table layout, visible in the Navigator, and an associated
source data file with a .fil extension, not visible in the Navigator, stored in a Windows
folder.
Understanding the difference between the table layout and the source data file can be
important when saving results and specifying output folders.
For more information, see "The structure of Analytics tables" on page 115.

Saving results
When saving results to an Analytics table or a text file, you have the following options:
l Save – save the results to a new Analytics table or a text file
l Append – append the results to an existing Analytics table or a text file
l Overwrite – overwrite an existing Analytics table or a text file
Appending updates the source data file but does not alter the table layout. Overwriting replaces both
the source data file and the table layout.

Note
Some Analytics operations support saving result to either an Analytics table or a text
file, but not both.

Appending or overwriting source data in another project

Typically, you append to or overwrite a table in the open Analytics project. By navigating to the
appropriate Windows folder when saving results, you can append to or overwrite the source data file
for an Analytics table in another project.
When you do so, the updated or overwritten table remains in the other project and is also added to the
open project, with both table layouts in the two projects sharing the same source data file.

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Caution
Before saving results in this manner, you should be certain that overwriting source
data in another project is your intended outcome.

Specifying output folders

When you save results, there are two types of ‘output folder’ to consider:
l An Analytics project folder – contains the resulting Analytics table layout (does not apply
when saving results to a text file)
l A Windows folder – contains the resulting source data file (.fil) associated with the Analytics
table layout, or contains the resulting text file

Analytics project folders are not Windows folders

Analytics project folders are not Windows folders, and creating an Analytics project folder does not
create a corresponding Windows folder. Analytics project folders are virtual folders inside the
Analytics project file (.acl). You can move a table layout between Analytics project folders and it has
no effect on the location of the table’s source data file in a Windows folder.

Table layout and source data file placement options

When saving results to an Analytics table, you have several options regarding placement of the table
layout and the source data file. You can independently control placement of the table layout and the
source data file by using the SET FOLDER command for table layout placement, and standard
Windows navigation for source data file placement.

Item Placement options (output folder)

Table layout o the Analytics project folder containing the active table (the default)
o an Analytics project folder other than the active table folder, specified using the
SET FOLDER command

Source data file o the Windows folder containing the Analytics project (the default)
(.fil) o a Windows folder other than the folder containing the Analytics project
o the Prefix folder on AX Server (server tables only; the default)
o a folder on AX Server other than the Prefix folder (server tables only)

Using SET FOLDER to specify the Analytics project

output folder
Before outputting results, you can use the SET FOLDER command to set which Analytics project
folder is used for the table layout. You enter the SET FOLDER command in the Analytics command
line, or include it in a script. Several examples are provided below.

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The output folder remains as whatever you set it – until you reset it, or close the project. When you
reopen the project, the output folder reverts to the default of the active table folder.

Note
File paths specified in the SET FOLDER command must use a forward slash.

Command syntax Description

SET FOLDER /Results The table layout is placed in the Results Analytics project folder rather than the
active table folder.

SET FOLDER /Result- The table layout is placed in the Duplicates Analytics project subfolder rather than
s/Duplicates the active table folder.

SET FOLDER / The table layout is placed in the Analytics project root directory rather than the
active table folder.

SET FOLDER Resets the output folder to the default of the active table folder.

DISPLAY OUTPUTFOLDER Displays the current Analytics project output folder.

Interaction between table layouts and Analytics project

folders
The interaction between table layouts resulting from operations and Analytics project folders is
summarized in the table below.
In all cases, the Windows folder where you choose to save the source data file has no bearing on the
location of the table layout or the project folder within Analytics.

Output folder in Analytics is

Output folder in Analytics is active specified by SET FOLDER
Action table folder (default) command

Save results to new Analytics table Table layout added to same Table layout added to Analytics
Analytics project folder as active project folder specified by
table SET FOLDER command

Append results to existing Existing table layout not moved Existing table layout not moved
Analytics table in project

Save results and overwrite existing Table layout moved to same Table layout moved to Analytics
Analytics table in project Analytics project folder as active project folder specified by
table, unless already in same SET FOLDER command, unless
folder already in same folder

Append results to existing Table layout added to same Table layout added to Analytics
Analytics table in another project Analytics project folder as active project folder specified by
table SET FOLDER command

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Output folder in Analytics is

Output folder in Analytics is active specified by SET FOLDER
Action table folder (default) command

Table layout in other project Table layout in other project

unaltered unaltered
Save results and overwrite existing Both table layouts share the same Both table layouts share the same
Analytics table in another project source data file source data file

Specifying the Windows output folder

By default, the source data file (.fil) associated with a table layout is output to the Windows folder
containing the Analytics project. To output the data file to a different Windows folder:
l in the user interface – navigate to the folder when using a command dialog box
l in a script – specify a file path in any command that outputs a table. For example:

CLASSIFY ON Vendor_Number SUBTOTAL Invoice_Amount TO "C:\Data

analysis\January\Classified_transactions_Jan.FIL"

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Harmonizing Analytics project

folders and Windows folders
It is possible to harmonize the structure of Analytics project folders and Windows folders if a direct
parallel between the two sets of folders is important or helpful for your audit workflow. Analytics
project folders are not Windows folders, and creating an Analytics project folder does not create a
corresponding Windows folder. However, you can manually create and manually maintain a parallel
folder structure if required. No programmatic link ever exists between the two sets of folders.
To harmonize Analytics project folders and Windows folders:
1. In an Analytics project, create the folders you require. For example, “Original Data”, “Working
Files”, “Results”, and so on.
2. In the Windows folder containing the project, or another Windows folder, create subfolders that
exactly replicate the structure of the Analytics project folders.
3. Organize your initial audit content appropriately. For example, put original data files such as
Excel or Access files in the appropriate Windows folder. When using the Data Definition
Wizard to import one of these files to Analytics, save the new source data file (.fil) in the same
Windows folder as the original data file, or in another appropriate Windows folder. Finally, save
the Analytics table layout in the Analytics project folder that corresponds with the Windows
folder containing the new source data file.

Tip:
To ensure the table layout is saved in the appropriate Analytics project folder,
begin the import process by right-clicking the folder.

4. Prior to performing an operation that saves results to an Analytics table, if necessary, use the
SET FOLDER command to specify the appropriate Analytics project folder for the resulting
table layout.
For more information, see "Saving results and specifying output folders" on page 189.
5. In the dialog box associated with the operation, specify the appropriate Windows folder for the
source data file using an absolute or relative file path, or by navigating to the folder.
For example: C:\Results\Classify.fil, or Results\Classify.fil.

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Extracting data

Extracting allows you to copy some or all of the records or fields from an Analytics table to a new
Analytics table.
The new table can be:
l an identical copy containing all the source table records and fields
l a subset of the records in the source table
l a subset of the fields in the source table
l a subset of both the records and the fields in the source table
The existing sort order in the source table is maintained in the new table.

Note
Extracting data and appending it to the end of an existing Analytics table is a data
combining technique. It is explained in the section on combining data. For more
information, see "Extracting and appending data" on page 871.

The usefulness of extracting data

The following are some of the reasons for extracting data to a new table:
l produce a subset of only the data relevant to a particular analysis, and reduce file size and
processing time
l use filters to isolate particular items in a separate table for further analysis
l preserve the integrity of an original data file by extracting its content to a working copy of the file
l convert computed fields to physical fields populated with the actual computed values
l extract data from a server table to a new, local table
l extract data from two or more related tables to a new Analytics table

The difference between extracting data and

copying a table
The difference between extracting all data, and copying a table in the Navigator (Edit > Copy ), is that
extracting creates a new source data file (.fil) as well as a new table layout, whereas copying creates
only a new table layout that remains associated with the original source data file.

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Extracting by record, by view, or by fields

When you extract data, you have the following options:
l Record – extract entire records
l View – extract all the fields in a view
l Fields – extract a selection of individual fields
When you extract entire records, the record is copied exactly, including any data stored in undefined
gaps in the table layout.
When you extract all the fields in a view, or individual fields, any undefined portion of a record is
ignored, even if you extract all the fields in the source table.

Extracting computed fields

Computed fields remain as computed fields when you extract by record. They are converted to
physical fields of the appropriate data type, and populated with the actual computed values, when you
extract by view or by fields.

Extracting time data in a computed field

If a computed field contains local times with a UTC offset (for example, 23:59:59-05:00), the local
times and the UTC offset are preserved when you extract by record.
When you extract by view or by fields, the local times and the UTC offset are converted to UTC
without an offset. For example, 23:59:59-05:00 becomes 04:59:59.

Additional details about extracting by view

Selecting the View option in the Extract dialog box allows you to extract exactly the data that is
currently displayed in the active view.
The following details apply when extracting by view:

Only fields that are currently displayed in the view are extracted. Any additional fields that
are part of the table layout but not displayed in the view are not extracted.
All fields in the view are extracted. If you want to extract a subset of fields, remove the
Which fields are unwanted fields from the view, create a new view with just the required fields, or use
extracted? extract by fields instead of extract by view.

The fields are extracted in the order they appear in the view. If you want to extract the
fields in a different order, rearrange them in the view, or create a new view with the fields
Field order in the desired order, prior to extracting.

If a filter is currently applied to the view, only the data that meets the filter criteria is
Filtering extracted.

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Records notes are extracted only if the RecordNote column has previously been added
Record notes to the view.

If any alternate column titles are specified at the view level, extract by view preserves the
view-level titles. If you use the syntax in the command log to rerun the extract command,
Alternate column alternate column titles specified in the table layout are used, and view-level titles are
titles ignored.

Specifying extract by view is not supported in scripts or from the command line. When
Scripts
rendered in ACLScript, extract by view is actually an extract by fields ( EXTRACT FIELDS )
Command line using all the fields in the active view, in the order in which they appear in the view.

Extracting logical fields

Extracting logical fields requires that Include Filters in Field Lists is selected (Tools > Options >
Interface).

Setting a control total

If you are extracting all the records in a table, or all the data in a view or a selection of fields, you can
set a control total on a numeric field to verify that all the data is in fact extracted.
You set a control total for a field in the Table Layout dialog box. Once you have extracted the data, in
the new table select Tools > Table History to compare the input and output control totals. For more
information, see "Define a physical field" on page 718.

Extracting data from server tables and local

tables
You can extract data from both server tables and local tables. Data extracted from a server table can
be saved to a table on the server, or on your local computer. Data extracted from a local table can be
saved only to a table on your local computer.

Steps
You can extract some or all of the records or fields from an Analytics table and output them to a new
Analytics table.

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Note
Extracting data and appending it to the end of an existing Analytics table is a data
combining technique. It is explained in the section on combining data. For more
information, see "Extract and append data" on page 876.

Show me how
1. Open the table from which you want to extract records or fields.
2. Select Data > Extract.
3. On the Main tab, select one of the following:
l Record – extract entire records

The fields in the record are extracted in the order they appear in the table layout.
l View – extract all the fields in the current view
The fields are extracted in the order they appear in the view.
l Fields – extract a selection of individual fields
The fields are extracted in the order you select them.
If you want to extract data from a child table in a table relation, select Fields , or select View if
the child table fields have previously been added to the view. You cannot extract child table
data using the Record option.

Note
If you are extracting one or more computed fields, selecting Record preserves
the extracted fields as computed expressions.
Selecting View or Fields converts the extracted fields to physical fields of the
appropriate data type and populates them with the actual computed values.

4. If you selected Fields , do one of the following:

o Select the appropriate fields from the Extract Fields list.
o Click Extract Fields to select the appropriate fields, or to create an expression, then click
OK.
Click Extract Fields if you want to select fields from a child table in a table relation. The From
Table drop-down list in the Selected Fields dialog box allows you to select the appropriate
child table.
5. If there are records in the current view that you want to exclude from processing, enter a
condition in the If text box, or click If to create an IF statement using the Expression Builder.

Note
The If condition is evaluated against only the records remaining in a table after
any scope options have been applied (First, Next, While).

6. Do one of the following:

o In the To text box, specify the name of the new Analytics table.

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o Click To and specify the name of the new Analytics table, or select an existing table in the
Save or Save File As dialog box to overwrite the table.
If Analytics prefills a table name, you can accept the prefilled name, or change it.
You can also specify an absolute or relative file path, or navigate to a different folder, to save
the new table or overwrite an existing table in a location other than the project location. For
example: C:\Results\GL_2011.fil or Results\GL_2011.fil. Regardless of where you
save or overwrite the table, it is added to the open project if it is not already in the project.
7.l IfSelect
you are connected
Local to save to
thea output
server table
table,todothe
one of the
same following:
location as the project, or to specify a path or
navigate to a different local folder.
l Leave Local deselected to save the output table to the Prefix folder on a server.

Note
For output results produced from analysis or processing of Analytics Exchange
server tables, select Local . You cannot deselect the Local setting to import
results tables to Analytics Exchange.

Select Use Output Table if you want the output table to open automatically upon completion of
the operation.
8.
9. Click the More tab.
10. Select the appropriate option in the Scope panel:
l All
l First

l Next

l While

Show me more
All This option is selected by default. Leave it selected to specify that all records in the view are
processed.

First Select this option and enter a number in the text box to start processing at the first record in the
view and include only the specified number of records.

Next Select this option and enter a number in the text box to start processing at the currently selected
record in the view and include only the specified number of records. The actual record number
in the leftmost column must be selected, not data in the row.

While Select this option to use a WHILE statement to limit the processing of records in the view based
on a particular criterion or set of criteria. You can enter a condition in the While text box, or click
While to create a WHILE statement using the Expression Builder.
A WHILE statement allows records in the view to be processed only while the specified
condition evaluates to true. As soon as the condition evaluates to false, the processing
terminates, and no further records are considered. You can use the While option in conjunction
with the All, First, or Next options. Record processing stops as soon as one limit is reached.

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Note
The number of records specified in the First or Next options references either the
physical or the indexed order of records in a table, and disregards any filtering or quick
sorting applied to the view. However, results of analytical operations respect any
filtering.
If a view is quick sorted, Next behaves like First.

11. If required, select EOF (End of file processing) to force the extract operation to execute one
more time when the end of a table is reached.
The EOF parameter is usually used if you are extracting records as part of a larger analytic
process and the Extract command occurs inside a group in a script. If you are extracting
records based on a comparison between sequential records, you may need to use EOF to
ensure the final record in a table is extracted.
12. Click OK.
13. If the overwrite prompt appears, select the appropriate option.

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Appending output results to an

existing table
Any Analytics operation that allows you to output results to a new Analytics table or a text file also
allows you to append the results to an existing Analytics table or a text file. Appending attaches the
records in the output results as a group to the end of the existing table or file – that is, after the last
record in the existing table or file.

How sorting works

Any existing sort orders in the output results and the target table or file are separately maintained in
the respective record sets in the resulting combined data. If required, you can subsequently sort the
combined table to create a single sort order throughout all records.

Identical data structure required

For appending to an Analytics table to be successful, the records in the output results and the target
table must be exactly identical in structure. The following structural characteristics must all be
identical:
l the selection of data elements
l the number and order of fields
l the data type and length of corresponding fields
l the format of corresponding date and datetime fields
l the length of records
If even one characteristic of the record structures is not identical, jumbled data can result. Identical
structure is not a requirement when appending to text files.
For more information about record structure, see "Data structure and data format requirements" on
page 848.
For information about using the DISPLAY command to compare the data structures of two tables,
see "Comparing data structures" on page 202.

The Append To Existing File option

Selecting the Append To Existing File option prior to performing an Analytics operation forces the
append of the output results to the target table. The append takes place regardless of whether the
data structures are identical. Select this option only if you are certain the data structures are identical.

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The Append button

A safer approach when appending to an Analytics table is to leave Append To Existing File
deselected. If the option is deselected, upon processing of the active table Analytics compares the
record lengths of the output results and the target table. If the record lengths are identical, the
Append button appears as an option in the overwrite prompt.

Limits of the Append button

Even if the Append button appears, the two data structures may not be identical. For example, the
output results and the target table could each have a record length of 100 characters, but the fields
could be in a different order, there could be a different number of fields, or the data type of aligned
fields (same start position and field length) could be different.

When the Append button does not appear

If the Append button does not appear, the record lengths are not identical, which means one or more
aspects of the data structures are not identical, and may require manual harmonizing before you
proceed. This automated check occurs only if the target table is in the open Analytics project.

Warn Before Overwriting Files option

In order for the overwrite prompt to appear, Warn Before Overwriting Files must be selected in the
Options dialog box (the default setting). If Warn Before Overwriting Files is deselected, the
overwrite prompt does not appear, the automated check of record lengths is not performed, and
output results always overwrite target tables rather than being appended to them — unless you select
Append To Existing File.

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Comparing data structures

You can use the DISPLAY command to display the table layout of an Analytics table. The table layout
specifies the data structure of the table.
Before appending a source table or output results to a target table, or merging two tables, you can
display the table layouts of both tables and visually compare the structures to check if they are
identical. The data structures of the two tables must be identical in order for the append or merge
operation to work correctly.
The following data structure elements are displayed by the DISPLAY command:
l record length
l field name
l number of fields
l field order
l field start position
l field length
l field data type
l number of decimal places for numeric fields
l field format details
l computed field expression

Compare data structures

1. Open the source table.
2. Enter DISPLAY in the command line and click Run .
Data structure information for the source table is displayed in the Results tab.
3. Click the pin icon to pin the Results tab and preserve the data structure information.
4. Open the target table.
5. Enter DISPLAY in the command line and click Run .
Data structure information for the target table is displayed in a second Results tab.
6. Click the pin icon to pin the Results tab and preserve the data structure information.
7. Click back and forth between the two Results tabs to visually compare the two data structures.
Any difference in data structures will prevent an append or merge operation from working
correctly. You may need to first manually harmonize the data structures. For more information,
see "Harmonizing fields" on page 852.
If you are combining two tables, another option is combining the data outside Analytics. For
more information, see "Alternative methods for combining data" on page 847.

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Exporting data

You can convert and export Analytics data to use in other applications. Destination applications and
formats include:
l Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls)
l Text (.txt)
l Delimited text (.del)
l Comma-separated values (.csv)
l Microsoft Access (.mdb)
l Windows clipboard for pasting into other documents or applications
l XML (.xml)
l JSON (.json)
l dBASE III PLUS (.dbf)
l HighBond (export exceptions to Results)
For more information, see "Exporting exceptions to HighBond Results" on page 208.

Opening an exported file

In the Analytics results tab, the screen display of the export command log entry contains links to:
l the exported file
l the folder containing the file
The links allow you to conveniently open the file, or the folder containing the file, directly from
Analytics.
The exported file opens in the application associated with the file extension if the application is
installed on your computer.

Exporting to Excel
You can export Analytics tables as individual Excel worksheets to newly created or existing Excel
files. Exporting to an existing Excel file is supported for *.xlsx only.

Character and size limits

The following limits apply when exporting data to an Excel file:

o Excel 2007 and later (*.xlsx) – a maximum of 1,048,576 records

Number of records o Excel 97 and 2003 – a maximum of 65,536 records

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Analytics tables that exceed these maximums export successfully, but the excess
records are ignored and not exported.

o no specific field length limit

o combined field lengths cannot exceed the overall record length limit of 32 KB
(32,765 characters in non-Unicode Analytics, 16,382 characters in Unicode
Analytics)
Length of fields o for Excel 2.1, a maximum of 247 characters

o a maximum of 64 characters
Length of field names o for Excel 2.1, a maximum of 248 characters

Datetime and time data exported to Excel

Datetime and time data exported to Excel may not display correctly when you initially open the Excel
file. Datetimes may display only the date portion, and times may display “00/01/1900”. The complete
datetime and time data is present in the Excel file, however you need to modify the way the cells are
formatted in Excel to allow the data to display correctly.

Exporting data from server tables

You cannot save data exported from a server table to the server. You can export data from both
server tables and local tables to your local computer.

Steps
You can export some or all of the records or fields in an Analytics table to use in other applications.
Show me how

Specify the fields to export

1. Select Data > Export.
2. On the Main tab, select one of the following:
l Fields – specify which fields you want to export

When you select this option, the fields are exported using the physical field names in the
table layout.
For information about renaming fields, see "Rename a field in a table layout" on page 750.

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l View – export all fields in the current view

When you select this option, the fields are exported using the column display names. The
fields are exported in the same order as they appear in the view.
For information about renaming columns, see "Rename columns in a view" on page 779.
3. If you chose Fields , do one of the following:
l Select the field(s) to export from the Export Fields list.

l Click Export Fields to select the field(s), or to create an expression.

Select the export format

Select the export format from the Export As drop-down list and follow the guidelines below.

Delimited or Text Do one of the following:

(or comma-separated o Delimited – optionally select Export with field names to include the field names
values) or the column names as headings in the export.
Select the Column Separator and Text Qualifier characters that you want to use
in the delimited file.
o Text – optionally select Export with field names to include the field names or the
column names as headings in the export.
Field values in the exported text file are separated with blank spaces and values
are not qualified.

Tip
To export to a comma-separated values file (*.csv), select
Delimited and make sure to select a comma , in the Column
Separator drop-down list. When specifying the export file name in
the To field, include the .csv file extension. For example: vendors.csv

Excel (.xlsx) Do one of the following:

o To create a new Excel file, or export to an existing Excel file
Keep the default name in the Add worksheet text box, or change it if required.
When you export to a newly created or existing *.xlsx Excel file a worksheet is
automatically created in the Excel file. The worksheet has the same name as the
Analytics table you are exporting from unless you change the name.

Note
If you specify a worksheet name, it can contain only alphanumeric
characters or the underscore character ( _ ). The name cannot
contain special characters, spaces, or start with a number.
You can overwrite a worksheet in an existing Excel file, but only if
the worksheet was originally created by exporting from
Analytics to Excel.
You cannot overwrite worksheets that were created directly in
Excel, or any worksheet that has been renamed.

o To overwrite an existing Excel file

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Delete the name in the Add worksheet text box, and leave the text box empty.
When you overwrite an existing Excel file, a worksheet with the same name as
the Analytics table you are exporting from is automatically created in the
resulting Excel file.

XML o Optionally select Export with XML Schema to include the XML Schema in the
exported XML file.
The XML Schema contains metadata that describes the structure of the XML file,
including the data type of the fields. You can validate the file against the Schema
once the file has been exported.

Exports from the Unicode Do one of the following:

edition of Analytics o Select Unicode – if the data you are exporting contains characters that are not
supported by extended ASCII (ANSI)
The exported data is encoded as Unicode UTF-16 LE.
o Do not select Unicode – if all the characters in the data you are exporting are
supported by extended ASCII (ANSI)
The exported data is encoded as extended ASCII (ANSI). Any unsupported
characters are omitted from the exported file.

Note
The Unicode option is available only when you export to Clipboard,
Delimited, Text, or XML.
For more information, see "Galvanize Unicode products" on
page 2682.

HighBond o See "Exporting exceptions to HighBond Results" on page 208.

(HighBond users only)

Finalize the export

1. If there are records in the current view that you want to exclude from processing, enter a
condition in the If text box, or click If to create an IF statement using the Expression Builder.

Note
The If condition is evaluated against only the records remaining in a table after
any scope options have been applied (First, Next, While).

The IF statement considers all records in the view and filters out those that do not meet the
specified condition.
2. Do one of the following:
o In the To text box, specify the name of the file that will contain the exported data.
o Click To and specify the file name, or select an existing file in the Save or Save File As
dialog box.

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If Analytics prefills a table name, you can accept the prefilled name, or change it.

Note
If you are exporting data to the clipboard, the To text box is disabled because
you are not saving the data in a file.

3. Click the More tab.

4. Select the appropriate option in the Scope panel:
l All
l First
l Next

l While

Show me more
All This option is selected by default. Leave it selected to specify that all records in the view are
processed.

First Select this option and enter a number in the text box to start processing at the first record in the
view and include only the specified number of records.

Next Select this option and enter a number in the text box to start processing at the currently selected
record in the view and include only the specified number of records. The actual record number
in the leftmost column must be selected, not data in the row.

While Select this option to use a WHILE statement to limit the processing of records in the view based
on a particular criterion or set of criteria. You can enter a condition in the While text box, or click
While to create a WHILE statement using the Expression Builder.
A WHILE statement allows records in the view to be processed only while the specified
condition evaluates to true. As soon as the condition evaluates to false, the processing
terminates, and no further records are considered. You can use the While option in conjunction
with the All, First, or Next options. Record processing stops as soon as one limit is reached.

Note
The number of records specified in the First or Next options references either the
physical or the indexed order of records in a table, and disregards any filtering or quick
sorting applied to the view. However, results of analytical operations respect any
filtering.
If a view is quick sorted, Next behaves like First.

5. If you are exporting to a delimited file or a text file, optionally select Append To Existing File if
you want to append the exported data to the end of an existing file.
6. Click OK.
7. If the overwrite prompt appears, select the appropriate option.

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Exporting exceptions to HighBond

Results

If you use HighBond, you can export exception data in an Analytics table to a table in Results. To
export exceptions, you use the standard procedure for exporting data from Analytics, with some
minor differences.

Security requirements
The ability to export exception data to a control test requires a specific HighBond role assignment, or
administrative privileges:
l Users with a Professional User or Professional Manager role for a Results collection can export
results to any control test in the collection.

Note
Only users with the Professional Manager role can overwrite existing data in a
control test.

l HighBond account admins and Results admins automatically get a Professional Manager role
in all collections in the HighBond instances they administer.

Password requirement
Password not required
You do not need to specify a password to export to Results if you used online activation to activate
your copy of Analytics. The password is automatically created and sent to Results based on activation
information stored on your computer.

Password required
You do need to specify a password to export to Results if you used offline activation to activate your
copy of Analytics. The required password value is a HighBond access token.

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Note
A password is also required if you use a script to export to Results, and you run the
script in Robots, Analytics Exchange, or the Analysis App window.

Acquire a HighBond access token

1. On the Analytics main menu, select Tools > HighBond Access Token.
The Manage API tokens page opens in your browser. You may be required to first sign in to
Launchpad.
2. Do one of the following:
l Use an existing token – In the Token column, click the partially masked token that you want

to use and enter your HighBond account password. The unmasked token is displayed.

Tip
Use an existing token unless you have a reason for creating a new one. If the
existing token does not work, create a new one.
Using an existing token cuts down on the number of tokens you need to
manage.

l Create a new token – Click Create token > Analytics and enter your HighBond account
password.
A new Analytics token is created.

Note
If you are a Launchpad System Admin, you also have the option of creating
an API token. You should reserve API tokens for their intended purpose,
which is programmatic access to the HighBond platform.

3. Click Copy to copy the token.

Tip
Do not close the dialog box containing the token until you have successfully
pasted the token.

4. In Analytics, paste the token into the password prompt.

5. In Launchpad, close the dialog box containing the token.
If you created a new token, a partially masked version of the token is added to the top of your
list of tokens.
For more information, see Creating and managing access tokens.

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Caution
Safeguard your access tokens like any account password. They contain information
unique to your HighBond account. You should not share access tokens.

Export limits
The limits that apply when exporting to a control test in Results are shown below.
Within these limits, you can export multiple times to the same control test. If data already exists in the
control test, you have the option of overwriting it, or appending the new data.

Note
Although you can export up to 100,000 records to a control test, a better approach is
to create smaller, more focused exception sets.

Item Maximum

Records per export 100,000

Records per control test 100,000

Fields per record 500

Characters per field 256

Keeping fields aligned between Analytics

and Results
If you are round-tripping data between Results and Analytics, you need to ensure that all field names
in the Results table meet the more stringent Analytics field name requirements. If you do not, you risk
misaligning your Analytics and Results data.
For example, any special characters in Results field names are automatically converted to
underscores when they are imported into Analytics, which means the field names no longer match the
original names in Results. If you then export the Analytics data back to the original table in Results,
fields are no longer correctly matched.
To avoid this problem with data that you intend to round-trip, make sure that before you upload the
data to Results from CSV or Excel files it meets these Analytics field name requirements:
l no special characters or spaces
l does not start with a number
l contains only alphanumeric characters, or the underscore character ( _ )

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Note
When you append data to questionnaire fields, the display name of the column in
Results remains the name that is specified in the questionnaire configuration, even if
you changed the display name in Analytics.

Overwrite option and Results primary key

When you export exception data from Analytics to an existing Results table you have the option of
appending the exported data to the table, or completely overwriting the table.
If the Results table has a field specified as a primary key, and the data you are exporting contains a
corresponding field, the export behavior differs somewhat. (For more information about specifying a
primary key in Results, see Specifying a primary key.)
The different possibilities are summarized below.

No primary key in Results Primary key in Results

Overwrite table option exported data is appended to the o matching value – if a matching value
not selected existing Results table exists in the primary key field in
Results and the corresponding field
exported from Analytics, the record
in Results is updated with the values
present in the exported record
o no matching value – if a matching
value does not exist in the primary
key field in Results and the
corresponding field exported from
Analytics, the record in Results is not
updated and the exported record is
appended to the table

Overwrite table option exported data replaces (overwrites) the exported data replaces (overwrites) the
selected existing Results table existing Results table

Export exceptions to Results

Specify the fields to export
1. Open the table with the exception data that you want to export.
2. Select Data > Export.
3. On the Main tab, select one of the following:
l Fields – specify which fields you want to export

When you select this option, the fields are exported using the physical field names in the
table layout.
For information about renaming fields, see "Rename a field in a table layout" on page 750.

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l View – export all fields in the current view

When you select this option, the fields are exported using the column display names. The
fields are exported in the same order as they appear in the view.
For information about renaming columns, see "Rename columns in a view" on page 779.
4. If you chose Fields , do one of the following:
l Select the field(s) to export from the Export Fields list.

Tip
You can Ctrl+click to select multiple non-adjacent fields, and Shift+click to
select multiple adjacent fields.

l Click Export Fields to select the field(s), or to create an expression.

Select the export options

1. In the Export As drop-down list, select HighBond.
2. Do one of the following:
l Append to the Results table

If you want to append the exported data to the existing table in Results leave Overwrite table
deselected.

Note
Analytics fields can only be appended to existing Results fields if they have
matching physical field names, regardless of their display name in either
application. In Analytics, the physical field name is the name in the table
layout.
The order of fields within the two applications does not affect field name
matching.
Exported fields with physical names that do not match the physical name of a
field in the Results table create new columns in the table.

l Replace (overwrite) the Results table

If you want to replace the existing table in Results select Overwrite table.
For more information, see "Overwrite option and Results primary key" on the previous page.
3. (Optional) If you want to export column display names to Results, select Include field display
name.
Selecting this option makes the column display name and the physical name in Results
identical to the names in Analytics.
If you do not select Include field display name, the result depends on whether you are
exporting by fields or by view:

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Exporting Fields Exporting View

Include field Field name in Results is the field name from Analytics. Display name in Results is
display name the display name from Analytics.
selected

Include field Field name and display name in Field name and display name in
display name not Results are the field name from Results are the display name
selected Analytics. from Analytics.

Note
Do not select Include field display name if you are appending a view to a
Results table that was initially created by exporting a view from an Analytics
version older than 14.1. Doing so may export columns with field names that are
not the same as the names in Results, which will create new columns in Results
and misalign the data between applications.

Finalize the export

1. If there are records in the current view that you want to exclude from processing, enter a
condition in the If text box, or click If to create an IF statement using the Expression Builder.

Note
The If condition is evaluated against only the records remaining in a table after
any scope options have been applied (First, Next, While).

The IF statement considers all records in the view and filters out those that do not meet the
specified condition.
2. Do one of the following:
If you know the ID number of the table you are exporting to:
Enter the number in the To text box.
l Enter the number without any quotation marks – for example, 99
l Enter only the number. Do not enter a file name.
l If you are exporting to a data center other than North America, you must also specify the
data center code. The control test ID number and the data center code must be separated by
the at sign (@) – for example, 99@eu.
The data center code specifies which regional HighBond server you are exporting the data
to:
l ap – Asia Pacific
l au – Australia
l ca – Canada
l eu – Europe
l us – North America

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The North America data center is the default, so specifying @us is optional.
If you do not know the ID number of the table you are exporting to, or if you want to create
a new table:
a. Click To, and in the Select Destination Test dialog box navigate to the appropriate analysis
folder.
b. Do one of the following:
l Select an existing table and click OK .

l Enter a name in the New data analytic field and click Create.

You are returned to the Export dialog box and the control test ID number and data center
code are prefilled in the To text box.
3. Click the More tab.
4. Select the appropriate option in the Scope panel:
l All
l First
l Next

l While

Show me more
All This option is selected by default. Leave it selected to specify that all records in the view are
processed.

First Select this option and enter a number in the text box to start processing at the first record in the
view and include only the specified number of records.

Next Select this option and enter a number in the text box to start processing at the currently selected
record in the view and include only the specified number of records. The actual record number
in the leftmost column must be selected, not data in the row.

While Select this option to use a WHILE statement to limit the processing of records in the view based
on a particular criterion or set of criteria. You can enter a condition in the While text box, or click
While to create a WHILE statement using the Expression Builder.
A WHILE statement allows records in the view to be processed only while the specified
condition evaluates to true. As soon as the condition evaluates to false, the processing
terminates, and no further records are considered. You can use the While option in conjunction
with the All, First, or Next options. Record processing stops as soon as one limit is reached.

Note
The number of records specified in the First or Next options references either the
physical or the indexed order of records in a table, and disregards any filtering or quick
sorting applied to the view. However, results of analytical operations respect any
filtering.
If a view is quick sorted, Next behaves like First.

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5. Click OK.
A progress indicator appears while the exception data is exported to Results. When the export
operation is complete, an entry is created in the log.

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About key fields

Several operations in Analytics make use of key fields:
l joining
l relating
l merging
l sorting
l indexing
Depending on which operation you are performing, the term ‘key field’ can have a different meaning,
and key fields can have a different function. Key fields in Analytics also differ somewhat from the
typical definition of a key field in relational database terminology.

Key fields when joining, relating, or merging

Joining, relating, and merging in Analytics are all data combining operations involving two or more
tables. The term ‘key field’, in this context, means the common field in two tables being combined from
which values are compared and matched – or in the case of merging, compared and interfiled.
Appending, another method for combining data in Analytics, does not make use of key fields.

Primary and secondary tables and key fields

The first table you open when joining or merging becomes the primary table, and the key field you
choose becomes the primary key field. The second table you open becomes the secondary table, and
the key field you choose becomes the secondary key field.
When you relate tables, primary is referred to as ‘parent’, and secondary is referred to as ‘child’.
You are free to choose whatever primary and secondary tables and key fields you want when
combining data. Analytics does not enforce any particular choice of field, although it does require that
key field pairs have an identical data structure.

Unique key and foreign key designation not retained

from source data
Data imported into an Analytics table, either locally or on a server, is stored in a non-relational flat file
(a .fil file). In a .fil file, fields that may previously have functioned as primary keys, unique keys, foreign
keys, or secondary keys in a relational database are not treated any differently from non-key fields.
A primary key from a relational database, such as employee ID, only becomes a primary or parent
key in an Analytics table when you designate it as such in an Analytics command. As a user making a
decision about how to construct a join or a relation in Analytics, you may need to know which fields

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were primary or unique keys in a source database. However, Analytics does not contain this
information.
The same situation is true when you directly access database tables using an Analytics database
profile. Analytics retains no information about which fields are key fields in the database, and you may
need to know this information yourself when constructing a database query.

Uniqueness of Analytics key fields not enforced

Analytics does not enforce uniqueness in the key fields you designate in Analytics commands.
Identical values can exist in both the primary and the secondary key fields.

Key fields when sorting or indexing

Sorting and indexing in Analytics are single-table operations that impose a sequential order on a
table. In this context, the term ‘key field’ means the field upon which the sorting or indexing is based,
containing the values that are sorted or indexed.

Equivalent to a ‘sort key’ or an ‘index key’

The sorting or indexing key field in Analytics is equivalent to the ‘sort key’ or ‘index key’ in general
computing or database terminology. Uniqueness is not enforced.
You are free to choose whatever key field you want when sorting or indexing data. Analytics does not
contain any information about fields that may have been sort or index keys in the original source data,
although the values in those fields may still be in sequential order.

Keys and nested sorting or indexing

In the case of nested sorting or indexing, a ‘primary’ sort or index key takes precedence over a
‘secondary’ sort or index key. Primary and secondary keys are established simply by the order in
which you select them.

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Concatenating fields
If your analysis requires testing or processing two or more fields in a table as a single data element,
you can create a computed field that concatenates (adds together) the fields. You can then test or
process the combined data in the computed field.
For example, you could concatenate first, middle, and last name fields into a single field containing full
names, or concatenate vendor ID and location code fields to produce unique identifiers for each
outlet of every retail chain in a table.

Note
You can concatenate only character fields. If necessary, use Analytics functions to
convert non-character data prior to concatenating.

1. Open a table and select Edit > Table Layout.

2. Click Add a New Expression .
3. Enter a Name for the concatenated field.
4. Click f(x) to open the Expression Builder.
5. Build an expression using two or more fields and the Add operator (+ ).
If required, you can include separator characters, such as blanks, in the expression, and use
the TRIM( ) function to remove trailing blanks from fields. For example:
TRIM(first_name) + " " + TRIM(middle_name) + " " + last_name
6. Click OK.
If you get an “Expression type mismatch” error, one or more of the fields are probably not
character fields.

7. Click Accept Entry and click Close to exit the Table Layout dialog box.
For information about how to add the computed field to the view, see "Add columns to a view"
on page 777.

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Generating random numbers

You can use Analytics to generate a set of random numbers. You can specify certain parameters,
such as the size of the set, and the range.
Typically, the set of generated values is used for applications outside Analytics, such as drawing a
random selection of hard-copy files.

Note
If you require a random selection to be statistical valid or representative of the entire
population, you need to follow a more formal sampling process. For more information,
see "Sampling data" on page 950.

To generate random numbers:

1. Select Tools > Generate Random Numbers .
2. In the Main tab enter the following information:
o Number – The size of the set of random numbers to be generated.
A maximum of 32767 numbers can be generated.
o Seed – Optional. The value used to initialize the random number generator.
You can specify a seed value, or you can enter a seed value of ‘0’, or leave the seed value
blank, if you want Analytics to randomly select a seed value.
If you specify a seed value, it can be any number. Each unique seed value results in a
different set of random numbers. If you respecify the same seed value, the same set of
random numbers is generated. Explicitly specify a seed value, and save it, if you want to
replicate a particular set of random numbers.
o Minimum – The smallest possible number in the set of random numbers. Any valid numeric
value or expression is allowed.
o Maximum – The largest possible number in the set of random numbers. Any valid numeric
value or expression is allowed.
o Columns – The number of columns used to display the set of random numbers. The default
number of columns is 6.
o Unique – Specifies that only unique numbers are included in the set of random numbers.
The default behavior is to allow duplicates in the set of random numbers.

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Note
You should not select Unique when the specified size of the set of random
numbers exceeds 75 percent of the range between Minimum and
Maximum . Doing so can result in too many random number selections being
discarded.

o Sorted – Specifies that the set of random numbers is displayed in ascending order.
By default, the numbers are displayed in the order in which they are randomly selected.
o Append To Existing File – Specifies that the output results should be appended to the end
of an existing file instead of overwriting the existing file.
3. Click the Output tab.
4. Select the appropriate output option in the To panel:
o Screen – displays the set of random numbers in the Results tab in the Analytics display area.
o File – saves the set of random numbers to a text file.
5. If you selected File as the output type, specify the file name in the Name text box in the As
panel, or click Name and browse to select an existing file.
If the Append To Existing File checkbox is selected the output is appended to a file with the
same name, if found, otherwise you are prompted to either overwrite the file or append the
output.
You can also specify an absolute or relative file path, or navigate to a different folder, to save or
append the output to a file in a location other than the project location. For example:
C:\Output\random.txt or Output\random.txt.
6. Click OK.

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Generate a random selection of

records

You can use Analytics to generate a random selection of records.

The method outlined below selects records at random, however the resulting output cannot be
considered representative of the entire population of records .
If you intend to do analysis on the selected records and project the results back to the entire
population, the selection needs to be statistically valid, or representative. For more information, see
"Sampling data" on page 950.

Steps
1. Open the table from which you want to randomly select records.
2. From the main menu, select Sampling > Record/Monetary Unit Sampling > Sample.
3. Under Sample Type, select Record.
4. Under Sample Parameters , select Random .
5. Specify the following values:
l Size – the number of records that you want to randomly select
l Seed – (optional) a seed value to initialize the Analytics random number generator

The seed value can be any number. You can recreate the same random selection of records
by respecifying the same seed value.
Enter a seed value of ‘0’, or leave the seed blank, if you want Analytics to randomly select a
seed value.
lPopulation – the total number of records in the table
lTo – the name of the output table
6. Click OK.

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Defining and importing data
 Defining and importing data

Defining and importing data

Before you can analyze data in Analytics you must create an Analytics table to contain the data. You
create an Analytics table by defining and importing data. Regardless of the type of source data,
defining and importing follows the same basic process:

Navigate or con- Navigate to a source data file, or connect to a file or a database containing the
1 nect source data.

Define the source data, which means: specify information about the structure and
characteristics of the source data so that Analytics can read it.

Note
Analytics automatically defines certain source data formats so that
2 Define user definition of the data is not required. 

Import or read dir- Import the source data into a native Analytics data file, or read the data directly from
3 ectly the source without creating an Analytics data file.

Name and save the Name and save the automatically created Analytics table.
4 Analytics table

Note
When connecting to any data source, or importing from any data source, Analytics is
strictly read-only. For more information, see "Data access by Analytics is read-only"
on page 228.

Components for defining and importing data

Analytics provides two components for defining data, importing data or reading data directly from the
source, and creating an Analytics table:
l the Data Definition Wizard
l the Data Access window

The Data Definition Wizard

The Data Definition Wizard is a page-based wizard that provides a standard way to access a variety
of data sources, mostly file-based.
The basic process for defining and importing data using the wizard is consistent, but the selection and
sequence of pages presented depends on the type of data source you are using.

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New projects and tables

By default, the Data Definition Wizard is automatically displayed when you create a new
Analytics project, and when you add a new Analytics table to a project (Import > File, or File > New
> Table).

The Data Access window

The Data Access window is a visual interface that contains a number of data connectors you can use
to access source data in either databases or files. The data connectors use either native
Analytics ODBC drivers, or whatever Windows ODBC drivers you have installed.
Once you connect to a data source using the Data Access window you have a standard set of options
for defining and importing the data:
l Table search and selection
l Field selection
l Table joins
l Data filtering
l Data import preview
l Data import size estimate
l Field length specification
l SQL mode for directly editing the SQL import statement

Which component should I use for defining

and importing data?
In many cases, the type of data source you want to access dictates which component you must use.
For a list of all the data sources you can access with Analytics, and which component you must use to
access them, see "Data sources you can access with Analytics" on page 227.
For some data sources you can use either the Data Definition Wizard or the Data Access window – for
example, when importing Microsoft Excel or Access files.
In general, the Data Access window is a modern, visual interface with greater ease of use than the
Data Definition Wizard.
The table below compares the different options available with the two different components:

Option Data Definition Wizard Data Access window

Select tables Yes Yes

Search tables No Yes

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Option Data Definition Wizard Data Access window

Select fields Depends on the data source Yes

No Yes
Import multiple tables (Yes for Excel) (up to 5)

Join tables No Yes

Filter data No Yes

Yes Yes
(basic) (modern interface, easily
Preview data import refreshable)

Estimate data import size No Yes

Specify field length Yes Yes

Depends on the data source Yes

Rename fields (in SQL Mode)

Depends on the data source No

(data type can be changed after
Change field data type import)

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Data sources you can access with

Analytics
You can access a wide variety of file types, databases, and cloud data sources with Analytics.
The information provided below about data sources includes:
l Access method – whether you use the Data Definition Wizard or the Data Access window to
access the data, or if you can use either
l Data read method – whether the resulting Analytics table reads data from an Analytics data file
(.fil) or directly from the data source
Data in a .fil file is static and must be manually updated, whereas data sources that are
accessed directly are updated with the most current information each time the Analytics table is
opened.

Note
The maximum record length supported by an Analytics data file (.fil) is 32 KB. Any
record that exceeds 32 KB causes the import process to fail.

Using the Data Access window to access

any ODBC data source
You can use the Data Access window to create a connection to any ODBC-compliant data source.
The following ODBC options are available in the Data Access window:
l ACL connectors – Analytics contains a number of native data connectors to data sources such
as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and Salesforce. See "Databases and cloud data services" on
page 229 for the entire list of native data connectors.
l ACL DSN connectors (Bundled) – contains the data connectors that are provided by our data
partner, CData.
l Windows DSN connectors – Use any Windows ODBC driver or DSN already installed or
configured on your computer.
l Other connectors – Install any ODBC driver you require, and use it with the Data Access
window.

Note
Certain requirements or prerequisites exist when using the Data Access window to
connect to a database or a cloud data service. For more information, see "Before you
connect to a database or a cloud data service" on page 357.

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Data access by Analytics is read-only

When connecting to any data source, or importing from any data source, Analytics is strictly read-
only. Analytics cannot add, update, or delete data in a data source, or modify a data source in any
way. This restriction applies to all data sources accessible by Analytics: file-based data sources,
databases, and cloud data services.
Analytics data files (.fil) created from imported data are also treated as read-only by Analytics.
Analytics cannot alter .fil files, with the exception of refreshing the file from the data source.
.fil files are completely separate from the data source used to create them. Deleting a .fil file has no
effect on the data source.

File-based data sources

Use Data Definition Use Data Access Analytics table reads
Data source Wizard window from

Adobe Acrobat Yes No Analytics data file (.fil)

(.pdf)

ACCPAC master file Yes No data source

dBASE-compatible file Yes No data source

(.dbf)

Delimited text Yes Yes Analytics data file (.fil)

(.csv or .txt)

Microsoft Access Yes Yes Analytics data file (.fil)

(.mdb or .accdb)

Microsoft Excel Yes Yes Analytics data file (.fil)

(.xls or .xlsx)

Print Image (Report) Yes No Analytics data file (.fil)

(.txt)

SAP private file Yes No Analytics data file (.fil)

format/DART
(.dat)

XBRL Yes No Analytics data file (.fil)

(.xml or .xbrl)

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Use Data Definition Use Data Access Analytics table reads

Data source Wizard window from

XML Yes No Analytics data file (.fil)

(.xml)

SAP No No Analytics data file (.fil)

(via Direct Link, an
optional utility)

HighBond

The Projects app Yes No Analytics data file (.fil)

The Results app Yes No Analytics data file (.fil)

External Definition

AS/400 FDF Yes No data source

(.fdf)

Cobol Yes No data source

(.cob)

PL/1 Yes No data source

(.txt)

Databases and cloud data services

You must use the Data Access window to access the databases and cloud data services listed below.
The imported data is saved to an Analytics data file (.fil). For more information, see "Importing data
using the Data Access window " on page 353.

Note
You can use the Data Access window to access any ODBC-compliant data source,
not just the native data connectors listed below. For more information, see "Using the
Data Access window to access any ODBC data source" on page 227.

l Active Directory
l Amazon Athena
l Amazon DynamoDB
l Amazon Redshift
l Amazon S3
l Apache Cassandra
l Apache Drill
l Apache HBase

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l Apache Hive
l Apache Spark
l AWS Data Management
l Azure Data Management
l Azure Table Storage
l Box
l Cloudera Impala
l Concur
l Couchbase
l DocuSign
l Dynamics CRM
l Dynamics GP
l Dynamics NAV
l Dynamics 365 Business Central
l Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations
l Dynamics 365 Sales
l Edgar Online
l Email
l Epicor ERP
l Exact Online
l Exchange
l Google BigQuery
l Jira
l JSON
l LDAP
l LinkedIn
l Marketo
l Microsoft SQL Server
l MongoDB
l MySQL
l NetSuite
l OData
l Open Exchange Rates
l Oracle
l Oracle Eloqua
l Oracle Sales Cloud
l Presto
l Qualys
l QuickBooks
l QuickBooks Online
l QuickBooks POS
l REST Services
l Rsam
l RSS/ATOM
l Sage 50 UK
l Sage Cloud Accounting
l Sage Intacct
l Salesforce

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l SAP
(requires a separate subscription entitlement)
l SAP ByDesign
l SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer
l SAP SuccessFactors
l ServiceNow
l SFTP
l SharePoint
l Slack
l Snowflake
l Splunk
l Square
l Stripe
l SugarCRM
l SurveyMonkey
l Sybase
l Sybase IQ
l Tenable SecurityCenter
l Teradata
l Twitter
l UPS
l USPS
l xBase
l Zendesk

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Defining and importing data using

the Data Definition Wizard
The Data Definition Wizard is a component of Analytics that you can use to perform the following
tasks in a single, wizard-based process:
l define data
l import data
l create a new Analytics table
The wizard provides a standard way to access a variety of different data sources. The basic process
for creating an Analytics table from a data source is consistent, but depending on the data source, the
wizard presents different pages and options. For example, the wizard behaves quite differently if you
are importing an Excel file, a PDF file, or an XML file.
By default, the Data Definition Wizard is automatically displayed when you create a new
Analytics project, and when you add a new Analytics table to a project (Import > File, or File > New
> Table).

Note
You can also import data using the Data Access window. For more information, see
"Importing data using the Data Access window " on page 353.
When connecting to any data source, or importing from any data source, Analytics is
strictly read-only. For more information, see "Data access by Analytics is read-only"
on page 228.

Defining data
You may be required to define the data as you import it, which means to specify metadata such as:
l field names
l field lengths
l field data types
l format of numeric and datetime values
The image below shows the definition of the DATE field in an Excel worksheet being imported using
the Data Definition Wizard.

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Varying degrees of automation

Whenever possible, the Data Definition Wizard uses one of the following methods to automatically
define source data:
l Reads layout information contained in the source file
l Parses the source file and identifies patterns in the data
l Queries the database for layout information
The data definition process is more involved for files that do not contain any layout information. In
these cases, the Data Definition Wizard prompts you to provide the required information.

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Import Microsoft Excel data

Import Microsoft Excel data to Analytics for analysis using a variety of different tools.

How it works
You use the Data Definition Wizard to select one or more Excel files, specify one or more worksheets
to import, and import the Excel data to Analytics. The imported data creates one or more new
Analytics tables and associated data files (.fil). Each imported worksheet creates a separate
Analytics table.
The Analytics data file contains a copy of the Excel data that is completely separate from the original
Excel file.
You can import data from an Excel file even if you do not have Microsoft Excel installed on your
computer.

Import a single worksheet or multiple worksheets

You have the option of importing a single Excel worksheet or multiple Excel worksheets in a single
operation. The import process differs somewhat, depending on which option you use:
l single worksheet – you have the option of manually defining the source Excel data during the
import process
l multiple worksheets – Analytics automatically defines the source Excel data and no manual
definition is possible during the import process
For example, during the import of multiple worksheets, you cannot:
l specify the data type or length of fields
l selectively exclude fields from the import
Once the data is in Analytics, you can make any necessary adjustments to the data definition in
the Table Layout dialog box.

Import a named range

Instead of importing an entire worksheet, you can import a named range, which is a defined portion of
a worksheet. See the Excel Help for information about creating a named range.

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Combine multiple worksheets

After you import multiple Excel worksheets into individual Analytics tables you might want to combine
them into a single Analytics table. For example, you could combine the data from twelve monthly
tables into a single annual table containing all the data. You can combine the worksheets only after
you have imported them into individual Analytics tables.
For information about combining multiple Analytics tables, see "Appending tables" on page 859.

Tip
To reduce labor, try combining the multiple tables first before making any required
adjustments to the data definition in the new combined table.

Guidelines
Review the guidelines below to assist you with importing Excel data.

Data types and missing data

To get the best results when importing Excel data, ensure that in each worksheet you intend to
import:
l each column contains the same type of data
l there are no blank rows or blank columns

Maximum numbers of columns and characters

Excel 2007 and later
The maximum number of Excel columns, and the maximum number of characters in a field, that you
can import from .xlsx or .xlsm files is not limited to a specific number.
Importing from these Excel file types is governed by the record length limit in Analytics data files (.fil)
of 32 KB. If any record in the source Excel data would create an Analytics record longer than 32 KB,
the import fails.

Note
When the new table opens in Analytics, a maximum of 256 columns are displayed in
the default view. If the table contains additional columns, you can manually add them
to the view, if required.

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Excel 97 – 2003
The import of .xls files (Excel 97 - 2003) uses an older type of processing, and is subject to the
following maximums:
l 255 columns
l 255 characters per field
l 32 KB per record
l 65,000 rows

Supported versions of Excel

You can import data from any version of Excel from Excel 3.0 to Excel 2016.
If you want to import data from an earlier version of Excel, you need to save the Excel file to another
file format that Analytics can import, such as .csv.

Excel Protected View

Analytics cannot import from an Excel workbook if Protected View is active for the workbook. You
must first enable editing in the workbook, save and close the workbook, and then perform the import.

Web-based Excel files not supported

Analytics does not support directly importing Excel files created from web applications such as
Google Sheets. You must first open the file in Excel, save it under a different file name, and then
import the new file using Analytics.

How overwriting works

If you import Excel data and create a new Analytics table that has the same name as an existing table
in the Analytics project you have the option of overwriting the existing table.
Show me more

Both parts of a table overwritten

Overwriting of Analytics tables is complicated by the fact that both parts of a table can be overwritten:
l the table layout, displayed in the Navigator
l the associated source data file, stored in a Windows folder
(For information about table layouts and source data files, see "The structure of Analytics tables" on
page 115.)

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The two parts of the table are overwritten independently of each other. If both parts have the same
name as the new table, both are overwritten. This scenario is the most common.
But if the table layout and the source data file have different names, only the one with the same name
as the new table is overwritten.
This overwrite behavior applies whether you are importing a single Excel worksheet, or multiple
worksheets.

Overwriting when importing multiple worksheets

When you import multiple Excel worksheets, overwriting also depends on both the Overwrite
existing tables and Output Path settings.
The sections below summarize the different possible outcomes of overwriting when importing multiple
worksheets, starting with the most common scenario.

Same name: new table, existing table layout, existing

source data file

Same "Output Path" as existing source Different "Output Path" from existing
data file source data file

o existing table layout overwritten o existing table layout overwritten, linked

o existing source data file overwritten to new source data file
o new source data file created
"Overwrite existing o existing source data file preserved,
tables" selected unlinked

"Overwrite existing o new table layout and source data file o new table layout and source data file
tables" not selec- created, with numeric suffix created, with numeric suffix
ted

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Same "Output Path" as existing source Different "Output Path" from existing
data file source data file

 For example:  For example:

l table layout –Table_A2 l table layout –Table_A2
l source data file –Table_A2.fil l source data file –Table_A2.fil
o existing table layout and source data o existing table layout and source data
file preserved file preserved

Different name: existing table layout

Same "Output Path" as existing source Different "Output Path" from existing
data file source data file

o new table layout created o new table layout and source data file
o existing source data file overwritten created
"Overwrite existing o new and existing table layouts both o existing table layout and source data
tables" selected linked to source data file file preserved

o new table layout and source data file o new table layout and source data file
created, with numeric suffix created
o existing table layout and source data
 For example:
file preserved
l table layout –Table_A2
l source data file –Table_A2.fil
"Overwrite existing
tables" not selec- o existing table layout and source data
ted file preserved

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Different name: existing source data file

Same "Output Path" as existing source Different "Output Path" from existing
data file source data file

o existing table layout overwritten, linked o existing table layout overwritten, linked
to new source data file to new source data file
o new source data file created o new source data file created
"Overwrite existing o existing source data file preserved, o existing source data file preserved,
tables" selected unlinked unlinked

o new table layout and source data file o new table layout and source data file
created, with numeric suffix created, with numeric suffix
 For example:  For example:
l table layout –Table_A2 l table layout –Table_A2
l source data file –Table_A2.fil l source data file –Table_A2.fil
"Overwrite existing
tables" not selec- o existing table layout and source data o existing table layout and source data
ted file preserved file preserved

Import a single Excel worksheet

Import a single Excel worksheet, or named range, to create a new Analytics table. You have the
option of manually defining the source Excel data during the import process.
Show me how

Note
Make sure the Excel file is closed before you begin the import process.

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Locate and select the Excel file

1. Select Import > File.
2. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the Excel file and click Open.
Microsoft Excel files have an .xlsx or an .xls file extension.
3. In the File Format page, verify that the Excel file option has been selected and click Next.

Specify the worksheet to import

1. In the Data Source page, select the worksheet or the named range to import.

Note
To see any named ranges, deselect System Table Only .

Worksheets are identified with a dollar sign ($) appended to the worksheet name. The dollar
sign is added temporarily, and does not appear in the Analytics table name.
2. Review the default settings on the page, make any required updates, and click Next.
Setting Description

Values in the first row in the worksheet or the named range are used as field
names in the Analytics table.

Note
Use first row as Field If you use this setting, the row used as field names is whatever
Names line number is specified in Start On Line.

The line number on which to start reading the worksheet.

This setting allows you to skip lines at the beginning of a worksheet that
contain information you do not want to import. For example, if the first three
lines of a worksheet contain header information, enter 4 to start reading data
on the fourth line.

Note
The start line for a named range is always the first line in the
Start On Line named range, regardless of the Start On Line setting.

Import all fields as Assigns the Character data type to all the imported fields.
character type

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Setting Description

Tip
Assigning the Character data type to all the imported fields
simplifies the process of importing Excel files.
Once the data is in Analytics, you can assign different data
types, such as Numeric or Datetime, to the fields, and specify
format details.
Import all fields as character type is useful if you are importing
a table with identifier fields automatically assigned the Numeric
data type by Analytics when in fact they should use the
Character data type.

Analytics uses only the first 100 records in the worksheet or the named range
to determine the data type of fields, and the length of fields, in the Analytics
table.
With large Excel files, using First 100 records significantly speeds up the
import process.

Caution
Select this option only if you are confident that values in the first
100 records accurately reflect the data type and length of all
subsequent values.
If any values after the first 100 records are of a different data
type, or are longer, the resulting Analytics table will contain
inaccurate or truncated data.
Inaccurate or truncated data in critical fields will very likely
First 100 records invalidate the results of subsequent data analysis.

Analytics uses all the records in the worksheet or the named range to
determine the data type of fields, and the length of fields, in the Analytics table.
With large Excel files, using all the records to determine data type and field
length significantly slows down the import process.

Entire Excel Note

Worksheet or Named Select this option if you are uncertain about the consistency of
Range the data types or the length of values in the Excel data.

Edit the Analytics field properties

Analytics makes a best guess about the properties associated with each field in the Excel data. You
can accept the default settings, or follow the steps below to manually define the fields.
1. In the Excel Import page, select each column heading in the preview table to see the
properties associated with the field.
2. For each field, review the settings assigned by Analytics to the properties listed below, and
make any required updates.
3. When you have finished reviewing and editing properties, click Next.

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Property Description

Ignore this field The data in the field is not imported.

Name The name for the field in the table layout.

You can keep the name assigned by Analytics, or enter a different name.

Column Title The column title for the field in the default Analytics view.
If you do not specify a column title, the Name value is used.

Length The length of the field in the table layout. Specify the length in characters.
If a datetime field has no time data and displays 00:00:00 after the date, you can shorten
the length of the field to omit the empty time data.

Note
Maximum field length is 32,767 characters (non-Unicode edition) or
16,383 characters (Unicode edition). The entire field length, up to the
maximum, is imported into Analytics, but only the first 256 characters are
displayed in the table view. The remainder of the data is present, and can
be analyzed, but it is not visible in the view. To see all the data, open the
Table Layout dialog box.

Tip
Increase the length of a field if you selected First 100 records in the
previous screen, but you are uncertain about the length of subsequent
values in the field.

Note
If you selected Import all fields as character type in the Data Source page, the options below
do not apply and are disabled.

Type The data type assigned to the field in Analytics.

You can keep the data type assigned by Analytics, or select an appropriate data type from
the drop-down list.

Value A read-only property that displays the first value in the field.
The value dynamically updates based on any edits you make.

Decimal Numeric fields only. The number of decimal places in the source data.

Note
The Decimal text box appears automatically when you select a Numeric
data type.

Input Format Datetime fields only. The format of datetime values in the source data.
Select a format that matches the data, or if necessary create a format to match the data.
The format you specify must exactly match the format in the source data.
For more information about date and time formats, see "Formats of date and time source
data" on page 347.

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Property Description

Note
The Input Format text box appears automatically when you select a
Datetime data type.

Save the Analytics data file

In the Save Data File As dialog box, enter a name for the Analytics data file and click Save.
If Analytics prefills a data file name, you can accept the prefilled name, or change it.
You can also navigate to a different folder to save the data file if you do not want to use the default
location opened by Analytics.

Finalize the import

1. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
If you want to make any changes, click Back to get to the appropriate page in the wizard.
2. Enter a name for the table layout that you are adding to the project, or keep the default name,
and click OK.
The new Analytics table is created with data from the imported file.

Import multiple Excel worksheets

In a single operation, import multiple Excel worksheets, or named ranges, from an Excel file, or from
multiple Excel files. Once imported to an Analytics project, each worksheet or named range becomes
a separate Analytics table.
Analytics automatically defines the source Excel data and no manual definition is possible during the
import.
Once the data is in Analytics, you can make any necessary adjustments to the data definition in the
Table Layout dialog box.
Show me how

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Note
Make sure all Excel files are closed before you begin the import process.
All first rows in the worksheets and named ranges that you import should use a
consistent approach. First rows should be either field names, or data, across all data
sets. Avoid mixing the two approaches in a single import operation.
If the data sets have an inconsistent approach to first rows, use two separate import
operations.

Locate and select the Excel file or files

1. Select Import > File.
2. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the Excel file or files and click Open.
Microsoft Excel files have an .xlsx or an .xls file extension.
You can Shift+click to select multiple adjacent files, or Ctrl+click to select multiple non-
adjacent files.
3. In the File Format page, verify that the Excel file option has been selected and click Next.

Specify the worksheets to import

1. In the Data Source page, select the worksheets or the named ranges to import.

Note
To see any named ranges, deselect System Table Only .

Select individual worksheets or named ranges, or select the first checkbox if you want to select
all the worksheets and named ranges in the Excel file or files.
Worksheets are identified with a dollar sign ($) appended to the worksheet name. The dollar
sign is added temporarily, and does not appear in the resulting Analytics table name.
2. Review the settings assigned by Analytics, make any required updates, and click Next.
Setting Description

The name for the table in the Analytics project.

Keep the name assigned by Analytics, or double-click a table name, type a different
name, and press Enter.

Note
The table name applies to both the new table layout and the new
Table Name source data file created when importing the data.

Use first row as Values in the first row in each worksheet or named range are used as field names
Field Names in the resulting table layouts.

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Setting Description

Note
If you use this setting, the row used as field names is whatever line
number is specified in Start On Line.
This setting applies globally to all worksheets and named ranges
that you import.

Existing tables with identical names in the Analytics project are overwritten.

Overwrite
existing tables For detailed information, see "How overwriting works" on page 236.

The line number on which to start reading the worksheets.

This setting allows you to skip lines at the beginning of worksheets that contain
information you do not want to import. For example, if the first three lines of each
worksheet contain header information, enter 4 to start reading data on the fourth
line.

Note
The start line for a named range is always the first line in the named
Start On Line range, regardless of the Start On Line setting.

Prepend the Excel file name to the name of the Analytics table or tables.

Tip
Include File If worksheets in different files have the same name, prepending the
Name Excel file name allows you to avoid table name conflicts.

Assigns the Character data type to all the imported fields.

Tip
Assigning the Character data type to all the imported fields simplifies
the process of importing Excel files.
Once the data is in Analytics, you can assign different data types,
such as Numeric or Datetime, to the fields, and specify format details.
Import all fields as character type is useful if you are importing a
table with identifier fields automatically assigned the Numeric data
Import all fields type by Analytics when in fact they should use the Character data
as character type type.

Analytics uses only the first 100 records in the worksheet or named range to
determine the data type of fields, and the length of fields, in the resulting Analytics
tables.
With large Excel files, using First 100 records significantly speeds up the import
First 100 records process.

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Setting Description

Caution
Use this option only if you are confident that values in the first 100
records accurately reflect the data type and length of all subsequent
values.
If any values after the first 100 records are of a different data type, or
are longer, the resulting Analytics table will contain inaccurate or
truncated data.
Inaccurate or truncated data in critical fields will very likely invalidate
the results of subsequent data analysis.

Analytics uses all the records in the worksheet or named range to determine the
data type of fields, and the length of fields, in the resulting Analytics tables.
With large Excel files, using all the records to determine data type and field length
significantly slows down the import process.

Entire Excel Note

Worksheet or Use this option if you are uncertain about the consistency of the data
Named Range types or the length of values in worksheet columns.

Specifies the folder where the new Analytics data files (.fil) are saved.
If you leave Output Path blank, the Analytics data files are saved in the folder
Output Path containing the Analytics project.

Finalize the import

In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics tables and click Finish.
If you want to make any changes, click Back to get to the appropriate page in the wizard.
The new Analytics tables are created with data from the imported worksheets or named ranges.

Note
If a numeric suffix has been added to a Table Name in the Final page, a table with the
same name already exists in the Analytics project and you have chosen not to
overwrite existing tables.
For detailed information, see "How overwriting works" on page 236.

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Import a Microsoft Access database

file

You can create an Analytics table by defining and importing a Microsoft Access database file.
The Access file can be any version from Access 2000 to Access 2010. To import a file from an earlier
version of Access you can save the file in another file format that Analytics can define and import.
You can import an Access file even if you do not have Microsoft Access installed on your computer.
1. Select File > New > Table.
2. If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, select Local and click Next.
3. Select File and click Next.
4. In Select File to Define, locate and select the file you want to create the Analytics table from
and click Open. Microsoft Access database files have a .mdb or .accdb file extension.
5. In the File Format page, verify that the Access database option has been selected and click
Next.
6. Complete the following steps in the Data Source page:
a. Select the table or view to import. The available options are listed in the Select the Access
Table/View list.
b. If you want to increase or decrease the maximum number of characters imported from text
fields, enter a new value in the Maximum Character Field Length text box.
You can enter from 1 to 255 characters.
c. If you want to increase or decrease the maximum number of characters imported from
memo or long text fields, enter a new value in the Maximum Memo Field Length text box.
You can enter from 1 to 32767 characters (non-Unicode Analytics), or 16383 characters
(Unicode Analytics).
d. Click Next.
7. In the Save Data File As dialog box, modify the filename and location for the Analytics data
file, as necessary, and click Save.
8. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
9. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to your project and click OK.

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Import a delimited text file

Import a delimited text file to Analytics for analysis using a variety of different tools.

How it works
You use the Data Definition Wizard to select one or more delimited text files and import the data to
Analytics. The imported data creates one or more new Analytics tables and associated data files (.fil).
Each imported delimited text file creates a separate Analytics table.
The Analytics data file contains a copy of the delimited data that is completely separate from the
original delimited text file.
You can import delimited text files located on your local computer or on a network drive. Users of
Analytics Exchange can also access delimited text files located on an Analytics Server.

Import a single file or multiple files

You have the option of importing a single delimited text file or multiple files in a single operation. The
import process differs somewhat, depending on which option you use:
l single file – you have the option of manually defining both file-level and field-level properties
during the import process
l multiple files – you can manually define only file-level properties during the import process.
Analytics automatically defines field-level properties and no manual definition is possible during
the import
For example, during the import of multiple files, you cannot:
l specify the data type of fields
l selectively exclude fields from the import
Once the data is in Analytics, you can make any necessary adjustments to the data definition in
the Table Layout dialog box.

Combine multiple files

After you import multiple delimited text files into individual Analytics tables you might want to combine
them into a single Analytics table. For example, you could combine the data from twelve monthly
tables into a single annual table containing all the data. You can combine the files only after you have
imported them into individual Analytics tables.
For information about combining multiple Analytics tables, see "Appending tables" on page 859.

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Tip
To reduce labor, try combining the multiple tables first before making any required
adjustments to the data definition in the new combined table.

The structure of delimited text files

Delimited text files typically have a .txt or .csv file extension, although other file extensions are
possible. Delimited text files are often used to import data from spreadsheet or database applications
into Analytics. Each spreadsheet or database row becomes a row in the delimited text file, with each
row or record separated by a line separator. The valid line separators are:
l CR – carriage-return
l LF – line-feed
l CRLF – carriage-return line-feed (the standard DOS/Windows character sequence)

Field separator character

Fields in each record in the delimited text file are separated by a field separator character. There are
three main types of delimited text file, based on the field separator character they use:
l Comma separated values (.csv) – Commas are used to delimit the fields in each record.
l Tab separated values – Tabs are used to delimit the fields in each record.
l Text files (.txt) – Commas, tabs, or another field separator character are used to delimit the
fields in each record. Other common field separator characters are spaces, pipes ( | ), and
semicolons ( ; ).

Text qualifier character

If a field separator character is used, a text qualifier character is also used to enclose character field
values and isolate them from field separators. Common text qualifier characters are double (" ") or
single (' ') quotation marks.
For example, if a comma is the field separator character, enclosing the value $1,000 in text qualifiers
("$1,000") ensures that the value is interpreted as a single value and not as two values ($1 and 000).

Example of a delimited text file

The example below shows the first four rows in a delimited text file.
l The first row contains the field names.
l The field separator is a comma. Each row includes seven fields separated by commas.
l The text qualifiers are double quotation marks. The last field includes a text qualifier, so
that the comma in the dollar value is not interpreted as a field separator.

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First_Name,Last_Name,CardNum,EmpNo,HireDate,Salary,Bonus_2011
Lila,Remlawi,8590122497663807,000008,12/28/2007,52750,"$1,405.40"
Vladimir,Alexov,8590122281964011,000060,10/5/2007,41250,"$4,557.43"
Alex,Williams,8590124253621744,000104,8/12/2010,40175,"$7,460.02"

How overwriting works

If you import delimited data and create a new Analytics table that has the same name as an existing
table in the Analytics project you overwrite the existing table.
Show me more

Both parts of a table overwritten

Overwriting of Analytics tables is complicated by the fact that both parts of a table can be overwritten:
l the table layout, displayed in the Navigator
l the associated source data file, stored in a Windows folder
(For information about table layouts and source data files, see "The structure of Analytics tables" on
page 115.)
The two parts of the table are overwritten independently of each other. If both parts have the same
name as the new table, both are overwritten. This scenario is the most common.
But if the table layout and the source data file have different names, only the one with the same name
as the new table is overwritten.
This overwrite behavior applies whether you are importing a single delimited text file, or multiple files.

Overwriting when importing multiple delimited text files

When you import multiple delimited text files, overwriting also depends on both the Overwrite
existing tables and Output Path settings.
The sections below summarize the different possible outcomes of overwriting when importing multiple
delimited text files, starting with the most common scenario.

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Same name: new table, existing table layout, existing

source data file

Same "Output Path" as existing source Different "Output Path" from existing
data file source data file

o existing table layout overwritten o existing table layout overwritten, linked

o existing source data file overwritten to new source data file
o new source data file created
"Overwrite existing o existing source data file preserved,
tables" selected unlinked

"Overwrite existing o error message "Existing file or table o error message "Existing file or table
tables" not selec- names detected" appears names detected" appears
ted

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Different name: existing table layout

Same "Output Path" as existing source Different "Output Path" from existing
data file source data file

o new table layout created o new table layout and source data file
o existing source data file overwritten created
"Overwrite existing o new and existing table layouts both o existing table layout and source data
tables" selected linked to source data file file preserved

o error message "Existing file or table o new table layout and source data file
"Overwrite existing names detected" appears created
tables" not selec- o existing table layout and source data
ted file preserved

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Different name: existing source data file

Same "Output Path" as existing source Different "Output Path" from existing
data file source data file

o existing table layout overwritten, linked o existing table layout overwritten, linked
to new source data file to new source data file
o new source data file created o new source data file created
"Overwrite existing o existing source data file preserved, o existing source data file preserved,
tables" selected unlinked unlinked

"Overwrite existing o error message "Existing file or table o error message "Existing file or table
tables" not selec- names detected" appears names detected" appears
ted

Import a single delimited text file

Import a single delimited text file to create a new Analytics table. You have the option of manually
defining both file-level and field-level properties during the import process.
Show me how

Locate and select the delimited file

1. Select Import > File.
2. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the delimited text file and click Open.
Delimited text files can have several different file extensions, including .txt and .csv.

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Specify the delimited file properties

1. In the Character Set page, verify that the correct character set option is selected and click
Next.
2. In the File Format page, verify that Delimited text file is selected and click Next.
3. In the Delimited File Properties page, review the settings assigned by Analytics to the
properties listed below, make any required updates, and click Next.
Property Description

Start on Line The line number on which to start reading the file.
This setting allows you to skip lines at the beginning of a file that contain
information you do not want to import. For example, if the first three lines of a file
contain header information, enter 4 to start reading data on the fourth line.

Field Width For the selected column heading in the preview table, specifies the length of the
field in the resulting table layout. Specify the length in characters.
You can keep the length assigned by Analytics, or enter a different length.

Note
Maximum field length is 32,767 characters (non-Unicode edition) or
16,383 characters (Unicode edition). The entire field length, up to the
maximum, is imported into Analytics, but only the first 256 characters
are displayed in the table view. The remainder of the data is present,
and can be analyzed, but it is not visible in the view. To see all the
data, open the Table Layout dialog box.

Tip
If you intended to periodically refresh the resulting Analytics table
from updated source data, or re-use the import command, enter a
longer field length than the one assigned by Analytics.
A longer field length provides extra space if updated values in the
source data are longer than any of the current values. Values that
exceed the available field length are truncated.

Use first row as Values in the first line in the file are used as field names in the resulting table
field names layout.

Note
If you use this setting, the row used as field names is whatever line
number is specified in Start on Line. If the field names are not
correct, you can update them in a subsequent page in the Data
Definition Wizard.

Treat Duplicate qualifier characters are ignored.

Consecutive
For example, “ACL Services Ltd. dba Galvanize”” (terminating with two double
qualifiers as one
quotation marks) is equivalent to “ACL Services Ltd. dba Galvanize” if you select
this option.

Field Separator The character that separates fields in the file:

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Property Description

o Comma
o TAB
o Semicolon
o Other – allows you to specify the character that is used as the field separator

Text Qualifier The text symbol that identifies values contained in fields:
o Double Quote
o Single Quote
o None – indicates that no text qualifier is used
o Other – allows you to specify the character that is used as the text qualifier

Clear CR and Cleanses the imported data of misplaced carriage return (CR) and/or line feed (LF)
Clear LF characters.
Misplaced CR/LF characters can cause incorrect line breaks within records. When
enabled, the option replaces any CR/LF characters with a space. Only CR/LF
characters that occur inside a pair of text qualifiers are replaced.
For Windows files, select both Clear CR and Clear LF.
The two options are disabled if Text Qualifier is None.

All Character Assigns the Character data type to all the imported fields.

Tip
Assigning the Character data type to all the imported fields simplifies
the process of importing delimited text files.
Once the data is in Analytics, you can assign different data types,
such as Numeric or Datetime, to the fields, and specify format details.
The All Character option is useful if you are importing a table with
identifier fields automatically assigned the Numeric data type by
Analytics when in fact they should use the Character data type.

Replace NULLs Cleanses the imported data of misplaced NUL characters.

Misplaced NUL characters can cause gaps and incorrect field divisions within
records. When enabled, the option replaces any NUL characters with a space.

Save the Analytics data file

In the Save Data File As dialog box, enter a name for the Analytics data file and click Save.
If Analytics prefills a data file name, you can accept the prefilled name, or change it.
You can also navigate to a different folder to save the data file if you do not want to use the default
location opened by Analytics.

Edit the Analytics field properties

In the Edit Field Properties page, review the settings assigned by Analytics to the properties listed
below, make any required updates, and click Next.

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Note
Select a column heading in the preview table to see the properties associated with the
column.

Property Description

Ignore this field Excludes the field from the resulting table layout.
The data in the field is still imported, but it is undefined, and does not appear in the new
Analytics table. It can be defined later, if necessary, and added to the table.

Name The name for the field in the table layout.

You can keep the name assigned by Analytics, or enter a different name.

Column Title The column title for the field in the default Analytics view.
If you do not specify a column title, the Name value is used.

Note
If you selected All Character in the Delimited File Properties page, the options below do not
apply and are disabled.

Type The data type assigned to the field in the resulting Analytics table.
You can keep the data type assigned by Analytics, or select an appropriate data type from
the drop-down list.
For information about the supported data types in Analytics, see "Data types in Analytics"
on page 740.

Value A read-only property that displays the first value in the field.
The value dynamically updates based on any edits you make.

Decimal Numeric fields only. The number of decimal places in the source data.

Note
The Decimal text box appears automatically when you select a Numeric
data type.

Input Format Datetime fields only. The format of datetime values in the source data.
The format you specify must exactly match the format in the source data.
For more information about date and time formats, see "Formats of date and time source
data" on page 347.

Finalize the import

1. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
If you want to make any changes, click Back to get to the appropriate page in the wizard.

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2. Enter a name for the table layout that you are adding to the project, or keep the default name,
and click OK.
The new Analytics table is created with data from the imported file.

Import multiple delimited text files

In a single operation, import multiple delimited text files. Once imported to an Analytics project, each
delimited file becomes a separate Analytics table.
You can manually define only file-level properties during the import process. Analytics automatically
defines field-level properties and no manual definition is possible during the import.
Once the data is in Analytics, you can make any necessary adjustments to the data definition in the
Table Layout dialog box.
Show me how

Note
All first rows in the files that you import should use a consistent approach. First rows
should be either field names, or data, across all files. Avoid mixing the two
approaches in a single import operation.
If the files have an inconsistent approach to first rows, use two separate import
operations.

Locate and select the delimited files

1. Select Import > File.
2. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the delimited text files and click Open.
Delimited text files with the following file extensions are supported: .txt, .csv, .del, .dat
You can Shift+click to select multiple adjacent files, or Ctrl+click to select multiple non-
adjacent files.

Make the initial import preparations

1. In the Delimited File Properties page, select the files to import.
Keep the files selected by default, or deselect any files you do not want to import. Select the
first checkbox if you want to deselect or select all the files.
2. Review the settings assigned by Analytics, make any required updates, and click Next.
Setting Description

The name for the table in the Analytics project.

Table Name Keep the name assigned by Analytics, or double-click a table name, type a different

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Setting Description

name, and press Enter.

Note
The table name applies to both the new table layout and the new
source data file created when importing the data.

Existing tables with identical names in the Analytics project are overwritten.

Overwrite
existing tables For detailed information, see "How overwriting works" on page 250.

Specifies the folder where the new Analytics data files (.fil) are saved.
If you leave Output Path blank, the Analytics data files are saved in the folder
Output Path containing the Analytics project.

3. If the error message "Existing file or table names detected" appears, click OK and do one or
both of the following:
l Select Overwrite existing tables if any existing table layouts or associated data files with

identical names can be overwritten.

l In the Table Name setting, rename imported tables as required to avoid overwriting any

existing table layouts or associated data files.

4. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes to continue, or No to go back and change the selection
of files.

Specify the delimited file properties

Note
The properties you specify apply to all files being imported. If the files are inconsist-
ently structured, the properties will not be accurate for all files and there could be
problems with the import.

1. In the Delimited File Properties page, review the settings assigned by Analytics to the
properties listed below, make any required updates, and click Next.
Property Description

Start on Line The line number on which to start reading the files.
This setting allows you to skip lines at the beginning of files that contain information
you do not want to import. For example, if the first three lines of each file contain
header information, enter 4 to start reading data on the fourth line.

Field Width For the selected column heading in the preview table, specifies the length of the
field in the resulting table layout. Specify the length in characters.
You can keep the length assigned by Analytics, or enter a different length.

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Property Description

Note
Maximum field length is 32,767 characters (non-Unicode edition) or
16,383 characters (Unicode edition). The entire field length, up to the
maximum, is imported into Analytics, but only the first 256 characters
are displayed in the table view. The remainder of the data is present,
and can be analyzed, but it is not visible in the view. To see all the
data, open the Table Layout dialog box.

Tip
If you intended to periodically refresh a resulting Analytics table from
updated source data, or re-use the import command, enter a longer
field length than the one assigned by Analytics.
A longer field length provides extra space if updated values in the
source data are longer than any of the current values. Values that
exceed the available field length are truncated.

Use first row as Values in the first line in each file are used as field names in the resulting table
field names layouts.

Note
If you use this setting, the row used as field names is whatever line
number is specified in Start on Line.
This setting applies globally to all files that you import.

Treat Duplicate qualifier characters are ignored.

Consecutive
For example, “ACL Services Ltd. dba Galvanize”” (terminating with two double
qualifiers as one
quotation marks) is equivalent to “ACL Services Ltd. dba Galvanize” if you select
this option.

Field Separator The character that separates fields in the files:

o Comma
o TAB
o Semicolon
o Other – allows you to specify the character that is used as the field separator

Text Qualifier The text symbol that identifies values contained in fields:
o Double Quote
o Single Quote
o None – indicates that no text qualifier is used
o Other – allows you to specify the character that is used as the text qualifier

Clear CR and Cleanses the imported data of misplaced carriage return (CR) and/or line feed (LF)
Clear LF characters.
Misplaced CR/LF characters can cause incorrect line breaks within records. When
enabled, the option replaces any CR/LF characters with a space. Only CR/LF
characters that occur inside a pair of text qualifiers are replaced.
For Windows files, select both Clear CR and Clear LF.
The two options are disabled if Text Qualifier is None.

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Property Description

All Character Assigns the Character data type to all the imported fields.

Tip
Assigning the Character data type to all the imported fields simplifies
the process of importing delimited text files.
Once the data is in Analytics, you can assign different data types,
such as Numeric or Datetime, to the fields, and specify format details.
The All Character option is useful if you are importing a table with
identifier fields automatically assigned the Numeric data type by
Analytics when in fact they should use the Character data type.

Replace NULLs Cleanses the imported data of misplaced NUL characters.

Misplaced NUL characters can cause gaps and incorrect field divisions within
records. When enabled, the option replaces any NUL characters with a space.

Finalize the import

In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics tables and click Finish.
If you want to make any changes, click Back to get to the appropriate page in the wizard.
The new Analytics tables are created with data from the imported files.

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Defining and importing print image

(report) files and PDF files
Print image files, also called report files, are electronic copies of printed reports. Adobe PDF files are
application files or scanned files that have been saved in the standard PDF format. The way you
define and import print image files or PDF files is almost identical. For that reason, most of the topics
in this section apply to both file types.
PDFs can be more challenging to define and import than print image files because data columns that
appear to be aligned in the source PDF may become misaligned once Analytics has parsed the PDF
(part of the file definition process). Analytics includes two PDF parsers: Xpdf and VeryPDF. You can
try using both parsers to see if one gives better results.

Caution
Use control totals to verify that the Analytics table created from an imported print
image or PDF file contains all the data from the source file. Unintentionally excluding
records is a possibility when defining print image or PDF files. You should always
verify that you have a complete data set in Analytics before beginning any analysis.

Key points for successfully defining a print

image or PDF file
Defining a print image or PDF file can be tricky. It is more of an art than a science, one that can require
you to carefully analyze the arrangement of the data in the source file in order to plan an effective
approach. Arrangements of data in print image or PDF files are typically less standardized than
arrangements in other file formats, which complicates the definition process. Success can require an
iterative process.
There are a number of key points or techniques, outlined below, that can help you avoid frustration. It
is recommended that you review these points carefully before, or as, you define a file, or if you
encounter problems.
General points
l "The file definition process is iterative" on the next page
l "You will get better with practice" on the next page
Misaligned data
l "Workarounds for misaligned data" on page 263
Fields and records
l "Fields are blue, records are gray, and undefined data is white" on page 264
l "You can define three kinds of data: detail, header, and footer" on page 265

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l "Do not select field names in the source file" on page 268

Capturing records
l "Specify a unique value to capture a set of records" on page 268
l "Tips for choosing a unique value" on page 269
l "Precisely capture a set of records" on page 270
l "Use multiple criteria to capture a set of records" on page 273
l "Check record definitions and field definitions throughout the entire file" on page 274
l "You can define multiline records and fields" on page 274
Additional considerations
l "Define and import only data you need" on page 274
l "Control the order of fields in the resulting Analytics table" on page 274
l "Analytics may auto-define a file" on page 275
l "Use control totals to verify the resulting Analytics table" on page 275

General points
The file definition process is iterative
Successfully defining a print image or PDF file is typically an iterative process and may require a
certain amount of trial and error. You will need to perform some or all of the following individual tasks:
l define one or more fields
l define a set of detail records based on a unique value
l define one or more header or footer records
l modify or further build criteria to fine tune a captured set of records
l review each field and record definition for accuracy
l edit inaccurate field or record definitions
l make multiple passes through a file as one way of dealing with misaligned data

You will get better with practice

Defining print image or PDF files may initially seem quite difficult – especially defining files with
misaligned data. With practice, you will get better at assessing the structure of the data in a source
file, and finding appropriate methods for defining it.
You can use two of the sample files included with Analytics to practice:
l REPORT3.TXT is easier to define. Analytics auto-defines the detail records in the file, however
you need to edit the auto-definition because it contains errors.
l Inventory.pdf is more challenging to define because it contains misaligned data (unless you
parse the file page by page). Analytics is unable to auto-define any part of the misaligned file,
so you must create a manual definition from scratch.
Analytics auto-defines the detail fields and records in another sample file, Report.txt, perfectly.
You may find it useful to study the auto-definition of Report.txt in the Data Definition Wizard.

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Misaligned data
Workarounds for misaligned data
In the Data Definition Wizard, misaligned data columns in a parsed PDF or print image file (see
"Aligned and misaligned data in a parsed PDF file" below) can make it difficult or labor-intensive to
create an Analytics table that is usable. If misaligned data is a significant problem, consider any of the
following approaches.

Note
The most suitable approach for your situation depends on the nature of the data you
are trying to define, and your experience with Analytics. New users of Analytics
should consider asking for the data in a different format.

l Go back to the source of the file and ask for the data in a different format.
l Try converting the file using conversion software — for example, software that converts a PDF
file to an Excel file or a text file. Import the converted file to Analytics.
l Try copying and pasting PDF data into a text editor. Then import the text file to Analytics.
l Use one or more of the following techniques to define misaligned fields:
l Create a field definition that is long enough to capture the leftmost and the rightmost

characters in a misaligned field.

l Create overlapping field definitions.

l Create a single, long field definition that encompasses multiple misaligned fields.

For more information, see "Defining misaligned fields in a print image or PDF file" on page 308.
l Import the source file more than once. With each import, define a different subset of records.
Append the resulting Analytics tables to assemble a complete data set.
For more information, see "Defining and importing subsets of print image or PDF data" on
page 312.

Aligned and misaligned data in a parsed PDF file

The two leftmost data columns in the parsed PDF file shown below are aligned. The remainder of the
data columns are misaligned.

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Fields and records

Fields are blue, records are gray, and undefined data is
white
As you use the Data Definition Wizard to define fields and records in a print image or parsed PDF
file, three colors indicate the status of the data:
l Aqua-blue highlighting indicates that the data is part of a defined field. All defined fields are
also part of a defined record.
l Gray highlighting indicates that the data is part of a defined record, but is not part of a defined
field.
l White background indicates that the data is completely undefined.

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Note
Only aqua-blue highlighted fields become part of the resulting Analytics table.
Gray highlighted data in a defined record is ignored unless it is also defined as a field.
The gray portions of a record between defined fields are omitted in the resulting
Analytics table.
Completely undefined data is ignored. If you want to include any of this data in the
resulting Analytics table, you must define additional fields and records.

Defined fields, defined record, and undefined data

You can define three kinds of data: detail, header, and

footer
In the Data Definition Wizard, you can define three kinds of data in a print image or PDF file.

Location in
"The different kinds of data in
Kind of data Description Example a PDF file" on the next page

The basic content of a file, o credit card transac- #2, outlined in blue
arranged in records. tions
o inventory records
Defining detail data is
mandatory. You cannot define
a print image or PDF file
Detail data without defining detail data.

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Location in
"The different kinds of data in
Kind of data Description Example a PDF file" on the next page

The identifying information that o store number and #1, outlined in red
appears above blocks or location where the
subsets of detail records. credit card transac-
tions took place
Defining header data is o “Product Class”
optional. If you do not need the
information
header information, you do not
Header data need to define it.

The information that appears o subtotaled credit card #3, outlined in aqua-blue
below blocks or subsets of transactions by store
detail records. o “Class Totals”
Defining footer data is optional.
If you do not need the footer
information, you do not need to
Footer data define it.

Additional guidelines
l You can define detail, header, or footer data in any order you want. A sequence is not
enforced.
l You can also specify field names (outlined in green in "The different kinds of data in a PDF file"
below). The method for specifying field names differs from the process for defining detail,
header, or footer data.

Note
Do not use Header data to attempt to define field names that may appear in a
print image or PDF file.

The different kinds of data in a PDF file

The example below highlights the different kinds of data in a PDF of an inventory valuation report.

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Detail data and header data in a parsed PDF file

The example below shows the inventory valuation report above once it has been parsed in the Data
Definition Wizard. One detail record with five fields, and one header record with two fields, have
been defined.

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How header and footer data is treated

Although the Data Definition Wizard treats header or footer data like a record with fields, only detail
data becomes an actual set of records in the resulting Analytics table. Any header or footer data you
define becomes one or more fields added to the detail records.
The added header and footer fields repeat the same value for every record in an individual block or
subset of records. For example, “Store 3” for one block of records, “Store 4” for the next block, and so
on.

Do not select field names in the source file

Do not attempt to define field names by selecting them in the print image or PDF file. Although it may
feel counter-intuitive, leave all field names in the source file unselected. Instead, you create field
names by typing their names into the Field Definition dialog box. If you select field names in the
source file, Analytics treats the field names as data contained in fields.

Specify a unique value to capture a set of records

The key to accurately capturing a set of records is selecting or specifying a value unique to the set of
records. In other words, the value appears in a specific byte position (character position) in all the
records in the set, and does not appear in that position anywhere else in the source file. The unique
value can be one character or multiple characters.
For example, in "Selecting a value unique to the set of records" on the facing page, the decimal point
in the “Unit Cost” field is selected as the unique value. It appears in the same position in every amount
in the field, and it does not appear in that position above or below the field.
You can select or specify the unique value in either of two places:

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l In the initial data value you select to begin defining the initial data field
l In the same row as the initial data value

Selecting a value unique to the set of records

In the example below, the unique value is in the same row as the initial data value. The initial data
value, surrounded by a box after being selected, is the first product number in the “Product No” field.

Tips for choosing a unique value

To choose a unique value, look for record data in which one or more consistently positioned
characters are unique, or uniquely positioned, when compared to data above or below the set of
records.
Any of the following possibilities could be good candidates for the unique value because they normally
appear in the same position in every record, and they do not normally appear in that position outside
the set of records:
l a decimal point in numbers
l one or both slashes in dates
l one or more hyphens in ID numbers
l a string of characters forming a standard prefix
l in header or footer data, a label that appears consistently, such as “Customer ID:” or
“Subtotal:”
The initial selection of the unique value creates an Exact Match criterion in the Record Definition
dialog box. In the example below, the criterion specifies that a decimal point must appear in byte
position 74 in order for any record to be included in the set of records.

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If required, you can change the exact match to a generic match, such as Numeric , or Non-Blank ,
which can provide greater flexibility when specifying a unique value. For more information, see
"Working with record definitions" on page 304.

Precisely capture a set of records

Precisely capturing a set of records can be challenging. You may choose a value you think is unique
to the set of records you want to capture and discover that some of the required records are not
captured, or additional non-record data is captured.
To understand this situation better, it may help to think of a print image or PDF file as a grid formed by
columns and rows. Imagine each column is exactly one character or one space wide, and extends
from the very top of the file to the very bottom of the file.

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When you select or specify a value, in a specific position, to capture a set of records, Analytics
considers any character or characters in that position, from the top of the file to the bottom, as it
searches for the value. Characters are considered even if they are outside those rows that you
consider record data. If the value you specified is not sufficiently precise, additional, non-record data
can be captured and included in the set of records.

Imprecisely defined data field

In the example above, if you specified a generic numeric value in the first position of the “Product No”
field as the unique value for capturing a set of records, any numbers in that position anywhere in the
file would be captured in addition to the actual first digit of the product number. See the example
below.

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Precisely defined data field

If, however, you specified a generic numeric value encompassing all nine digits of the field, you would
create a criterion that is sufficiently precise to capture only the intended set of records.

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Use multiple criteria to capture a set of records

You may find that a single criterion, such as a slash in a date field, is not sufficient to precisely capture
a set of records. Perhaps some of the date values are missing. Or, by chance, a slash appears in the
same position in header or footer information, outside the set of records you want to capture. In this
situation, you can add additional criteria to fine-tune the captured set of records.

Note
You can use criteria to either include or exclude rows in the source file.

Some examples of multiple criteria:

l Include rows that have the first slash in a date field AND the second slash in the date field
l Include rows that have the decimal point in a numeric field AND exclude rows that contain the
word “Subtotal”
l Include rows that have alpha characters in the first specified set of byte positions OR include
rows that have alpha characters in the second specified set of byte positions
For more information, see "Working with record definitions" on page 304.

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Check record definitions and field definitions throughout

the entire file
As you define records and fields, make sure to scroll through the file to check the accuracy of the
definitions. Blank values, unexpected characters, and misaligned data can cause any of the following
problems:
l some of the records in the file are excluded
l non-record data is incorrectly captured as a record
l field data is incompletely contained within a field definition, which truncates values
l data from two different fields appears in a single field definition
If a record definition is incorrect, you need to modify or further build the criteria used to capture the set
of records. For more information, see "Working with record definitions" on page 304.
If a field definition is incorrect, you need to edit the definition. For more information, see "Working with
field definitions" on page 299.

You can define multiline records and fields

You can define record or field data that extends beyond one line or one row in a source file. For
example, the address data in each record could be arranged on multiple lines. For more information,
see "Working with multiline records and fields" on page 314.

Define and import only data you need

Do not waste time or complicate the definition and import process by defining data fields you do not
need for your analysis. Only define header or footer records if they add valuable information. Each
additional data element you include can add complexity and make the definition process more
difficult.

Control the order of fields in the resulting Analytics table

The order in which you define fields in a detail record is the order in which they appear in the resulting
Analytics table. If you delete a detail field during the definition process, and then re-add it, it loses its
original position and is placed last among detail fields. Detail fields remain together, regardless of any
internal reshuffling.

Tip
If you use an initial detail field to capture detail records, but you do not want the field to
appear first in the resulting Analytics table, you can use the field to capture records,
and then delete it and re-add it.

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Header and footer fields appear in the resulting Analytics table in the order in which you define them.
They appear before detail fields if you have not defined an initial detail field, and they appear after
detail fields once you have defined an initial detail field.
You also have the option of reordering fields once you have finished importing the print image or PDF
file into Analytics. You can drag columns to reorder them in a view. You can also extract by view if you
want to create a new table in which the fields in the table layout are physically reordered. For more
information, see "Extracting data" on page 194. You may find reordering fields in Analytics is easier
than trying to maintain a precise field order in the Data Definition Wizard.

Analytics may auto-define a file

Analytics may auto-define a print image or PDF file if it can identify recurring patterns in the data. If
the initial appearance of the source file in the Data Definition Wizard includes aqua-blue field
definitions and gray record definitions, then Analytics has either partially or fully auto-defined the file.
If you check the field and record definitions throughout the file and you judge the auto-definition to be
complete and accurate, the work of defining the file is largely complete. You can proceed to the next
page in the Data Definition Wizard.
Frequently, Analytics’s auto-definition is not completely accurate and you need to decide which is
easier: editing the auto-definition, or deleting the entire auto-definition and starting a manual
definition from scratch. You can delete and start over at any point, so you may want to try some
editing initially, and then if it becomes apparent that the auto-definition is too far away from what you
require, delete it at that point.

Note
Only detail records are auto-defined. Header or footer data, if you require it, must be
manually defined.

Use control totals to verify the resulting Analytics table

Before beginning any data analysis, make sure you use control totals to verify that the Analytics table
created from a print image or PDF file contains all the data present in the source file. An incomplete
Analytics table will render any analysis you do invalid.
To verify an Analytics table using control totals:
1. Do one of the following:
l If the records are grouped in the source file, classify or summarize the Analytics table to
group the records in the same manner.
When you classify or summarize, select Subtotal Fields that match one or more subtotal
fields in the source file.
For more information, see "Classifying data" on page 1260, and "Summarizing data" on
page 1266.
l If the records are not grouped in the source file, total any fields in the Analytics table that are

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also totaled in the source file.

For more information, see "Totaling fields" on page 838.
2. Output the results to screen, or to a new Analytics table, and compare the subtotals or totals in
Analytics with the numbers in the source file.
If all numbers are identical, you have a complete data set.
If one or more numbers are not identical, the data in the Analytics table varies from the data in
the source file. If you imported subsets of data, and reassembled a complete data set in
Analytics, one possibility is that duplicate records exist in the Analytics table. For information
about removing duplicate records, see "Remove duplicates" on page 1210.
If duplicate records are not the problem, you may have to redo the definition and import of the
source file. If you redo the definition, make sure to check the field and record definitions
carefully, to ensure you are accurately capturing the data.

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Quick Start: How to define a print

image or PDF file
To start manually defining a print image or PDF file you select an initial data value, and then capture
an associated set of records.
l "Workflow for defining a print image or PDF file" on the next page – the basic workflow for
defining a print image or PDF file prior to importing it into Analytics
l "Quick start steps" on page 280 – step-by-step instructions with screen captures
The best way to learn how to define these types of files is to try defining one of the sample files
included with Analytics. “REPORT3.TXT” is easier to define. “Inventory.pdf” is more challenging.

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Workflow for defining a print image or PDF

file

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Quick start steps

The procedure below outlines the basic steps for defining a print image or PDF file. For detailed
instructions, see "Define and import a print image file" on page 283 or "Define and import a PDF file"
on page 291.
1. Proceed through the Data Definition Wizard until the source file appears.
For detailed instructions, see "Define and import a print image file" on page 283, or "Define and
import a PDF file" on page 291.
2. Select a value in the initial field you want to define.
In the example below, the first value in the “Product No” field is selected.

The Field Definition dialog box opens.

3. Type a name for the field, update the data type if required, and click OK.
The value you selected is outlined with a box.
4. In the value you selected, or in the same row in the file, select one or more characters that are
unique to the set of records you want to capture.

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For more information, see "Defining and importing print image (report) files and PDF files" on
page 261.
In the example below, the decimal point in the “Unit Cost” field is selected.

The Record Definition dialog box opens, and the initial field and the associated set of records
are defined.
The field is aqua-blue, and the records are gray. Undefined data continues to have a white
background.

5. If required, change the Record Type, or modify or further build the criteria used to capture the
set of records, and click OK.

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For detailed information, see "Working with record definitions" on page 304.

6. Define additional fields in the record by selecting a value in each field.
Additional fields automatically conform to the set of records.
If field values vary in length, select the longest value, or select extra blank spaces to allow for
longer values elsewhere in the field.
In the example below, three fields are defined: “Product No”, “Loc”, and “Product Description”.

7. When you have finished defining the fields you require, click Next.
The remainder of the defining and importing process is similar to the process for defining and
importing other data formats such as Excel and delimited text files.
For complete instructions, see "Define and import a print image file" on the facing page, or
"Define and import a PDF file" on page 291.

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Define and import a print image file

You can create an Analytics table by defining and importing a print image file.
When you use the Data Definition Wizard to process a print image file, Analytics may fully or partially
auto-define the file, or you may need to manually define the file.

Note
Defining print image files can be challenging. If you encounter problems, review
"Defining and importing print image (report) files and PDF files" on page 261.

Locate and select the print image file

1. Select File > New > Table.
2. If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, select Local and click Next.
3. In the Select Local Data Source page, select File and click Next.
4. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the print image file you want to create
the Analytics table from and click Open.
Print image files typically have a .txt file extension.
5. In the Character Set page, verify that the correct character set option has been selected and
click Next.
6. In the File Format page, verify that Print Image (Report) file is selected and click Next.
The print image file is parsed and the Print Image File Definition page displays the parsed file.

Define the print image file

1. In the Print Image File Definition page, scroll vertically and horizontally to examine the parsed
file.
Highlighting indicates whether Analytics has auto-defined data in the file:

Highlighting Meaning

Aqua-blue highlighting Data auto-defined as a field.

Data auto-defined as a record.

Record definition depends on at least one field being defined in the
Gray highlighting record.

White background Undefined data.

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Highlighting Meaning

Analytics was not able to detect a pattern in the data and could not auto-
define it.

2. Do one of the following:

Result of auto-definition Action to take

If Analytics auto-defined the entire file perfectly, and you do not

want to:
o update the generic field names
If Analytics auto-defined the file
o add any header or footer data to the detail data
and you do not want to make any
updates go to "Finalize the print image file definition" on page 288

If Analytics auto-defined the entire file perfectly, and you want to:
o update the generic field names (“Field_1”, “Field_2”, and so on),
go to "Edit the auto-definition" below
o If you want to add header or footer data to the detail data, go to
"Manually define the print image file" on the facing page

Tip
You can also update the generic field names in a sub-
If Analytics auto-defined the file sequent page in the Data Definition Wizard, which yo-
and you want to make updates u may find more convenient.

If the auto-definition:
o contains errors
o excludes data that you need
o includes data that you do not need

you must do one of the following:

o "Edit the auto-definition" below
o delete the entire auto-definition and "Manually define the print
image file" on the facing page

Tip
If the auto-definition contains significant errors, deletin-
If the auto-definition contains g the entire auto-definition and manually defining the f-
errors ile can be easier.

If the parsed file is entirely undefined, indicated by a completely

If the parsed file is entirely white background, you must "Manually define the print image file"
undefined on the facing page

Edit the auto-definition

If you want to edit the auto-definition (or a manual definition), in the Print Image File Definition page,
do any of the following:

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Edit task Instructions

Right-click an aqua-blue field and select Edit Field, or double-click the field.
You can make a number of changes, including:
o updating the field name
o updating the data type
o under Advanced Options:
l changing the field length (Field Width)
l changing the starting position of the field
Edit a field definition For detailed information, see "Working with field definitions" on page 299.

Right-click a gray record and select Edit Record, or double-click the record.
You can make two main changes:
o update the categorization of the record – detail, header, and footer are the
options
o modify the criteria that Analytics used to capture the set of records
Edit a record definition For detailed information, see "Working with record definitions" on page 304.

Right-click a field or a record and select Delete Field or Delete Record.

You can delete definitions for fields that you do not want in the Analytics table, or
that you want to define manually because of errors in their auto-definition.
If you delete a record definition, any field definitions contained by the record are
also deleted, and all instances of the record definition in the file are deleted.

Note
You are deleting the field definition or the record definition only, not
the actual data. If necessary, you can redefine the same field or
record data.

Tip
If you want to selectively delete records, select Edit Record and fine-
tune the criteria that Analytics used to capture the set of records.
Delete a field definition For detailed information, see "Working with record definitions" on
or a record definition page 304.

Manually define the print image file

Tip
Before you begin, you may find it helpful to first review the basic version of the steps
below, with accompanying screen captures: "Quick start steps" on page 280.

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Note
You can also define a print image file using saved field and record definitions, if they
exist.
For more information, see "Define the print image file using a set of saved field and
record definitions" on the facing page.

1. In the Print Image File Definition page, select a data value to start defining one of the fields in
the table.
For example, you could select a social security number in an SSN field. When you select the
data value, the Field Definition dialog box opens.
Guidelines:
l You can select a value anywhere in the data. You do not have to use the first field in the
table, or select the first value in a field.
l The value you select can be detail data, header data, or footer data.
l Do not select field names. Leave all field names in the source file unselected. If you select
field names in the source file, Analytics treats them as data contained in fields.
l If field values vary in length, select the longest value, or select extra blank spaces to allow for
longer values that may be lower in the field and not currently displayed.
If you intend to use the initial data value you selected to uniquely identify a set of records, see
"Working with field definitions" on page 299.
2. Enter a name for the field, if necessary update the data type, and click OK.
3. In the data value you just selected, or in the same row in the file, select the character, or string
of characters, that uniquely identifies the set of records in the source file.
For example, select:
l a slash in a date value
l a decimal point in a numeric value
l a unique identifying value anywhere in the row containing the data value you selected
When you select the unique character or characters, the Record Definition dialog box opens,
and all records containing the character or characters are highlighted gray.
For detailed information, see "Defining and importing print image (report) files and PDF files"
on page 261.
If you need to define a record that extends beyond one row in the source file, see "Working with
multiline records and fields" on page 314.
4. If required, update the Record Type to match the type of data you are defining: detail, header,
or footer.
5. If required, modify the criteria used to capture the set of records.
For example, you could add additional criteria to omit some of the records that were initially
captured.
For detailed information, see "Working with record definitions" on page 304.

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6. Click OK.
The field you defined is highlighted aqua-blue, and the associated set of captured records is
highlighted gray.
7. Scroll vertically to examine the defined field, and the associated set of captured records.
8. If the field is not defined correctly, or if the set of captured records needs adjustment, double-
click the field or the record, and make the necessary edits in the Field Definition dialog box, or
the Record Definition dialog box.
For more information, see "Working with field definitions" on page 299, or "Working with record
definitions" on page 304.
9. Define the remaining fields in the record by selecting a representative data value for each field.
Additional fields automatically conform to the set of records.
Guidelines:
l Define only those fields you want in the resulting Analytics table.
l With each field definition, scroll vertically to examine the defined field. Edit the definitions as
required.
For example, if data values are not fully contained by a field, you need to adjust the length or
starting position of the field, or both.
For more information, see "Edit the auto-definition" on page 284.
l If you need to define field values that extend beyond one row in the source file, see "Working
with multiline records and fields" on page 314.

Tip
The order in which you define detail fields is the order in which they appear in
the resulting Analytics table.
If you delete a detail field during the definition process, and then re-add it, it
loses its original position and is placed last among detail fields.

10. If you want to define another record, repeat steps 1 to 9.

Guidelines:
l When you select a data value to start defining a new field and associated set of records,
ensure New Record is selected in the dialog box that appears, and click OK.
l You can define multiple header or footer records, but only one detail record. The order in
which you define the different record types is not enforced.

Define the print image file using a set of saved field and
record definitions
You can define a print image file using field and record definitions from a previous file definition
session that have been saved in a print image query file. The print image query file must already
exist, and the saved definitions must match the current data.

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Note
Loading a print image query file deletes any current field and record definitions.

1. In the Print Image File Definition page, click Load.

2. Navigate to a previously saved print image query file, select it, and click Open.
The definitions are applied to the current data.
Print image query files have a .txt extension.

Note
Only load a file with definitions that you know match, or closely match, the
current data.

3. After loading the file, do one of the following:

l If the entire file is now perfectly defined – go to "Finalize the print image file definition"
below
l If the file definition needs adjustment – go to "Edit the auto-definition" on page 284

Finalize the print image file definition

1. Optional. If you want to save the current set of field and record definitions to a print image query
file, do the following:
a. Click Save.
b. Enter a name for the print image query file and click Save.

Note
Field and record definitions often represent a lot of work, and it is recommended
that you save them.
If you subsequently discover that the imported data needs an adjustment, and
must be redefined and reimported, saved definitions do not have to be
recreated from scratch.

2. When you are satisfied with all field and record definitions, click Next.

Note
If required, you can return to this point in the process and make updates to the
field and record definitions.

Save the Analytics data file

In the Save Data File As dialog box, enter a name for the Analytics data file and click Save.
If Analytics prefills a data file name, you can accept the prefilled name, or change it.

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You can also navigate to a different folder to save the data file if you do not want to use the default
location opened by Analytics.

Edit the Analytics field properties

In the Edit Field Properties page, review the settings assigned by Analytics to the properties listed
below, make any required updates, and click Next.

Note
Select a column heading in the preview table to see the properties associated with the
column.

Property Description

Ignore this field Excludes the field from the resulting table layout.
The data in the field is still imported, but it is undefined, and does not appear in the new
Analytics table. It can be defined later, if necessary, and added to the table.

Name The name for the field in the table layout.

You can keep the name assigned by Analytics, or enter a different name.

Column Title The column title for the field in the default Analytics view.
If you do not specify a column title, the Name value is used.

Type The data type assigned to the field in Analytics.

You can keep the data type assigned by Analytics, or select an appropriate data type from
the drop-down list.
For information about the supported data types in Analytics, see "Data types in Analytics"
on page 740.

Value A read-only property that displays the first value in the field.
The value dynamically updates based on any edits you make.

Decimal Numeric fields only. The number of decimal places in the source data.

Note
The Decimal text box appears automatically when you select a Numeric
data type.

Input Format Datetime fields only. The format of datetime values in the source data.
The format you specify must exactly match the format in the source data.
For more information about date and time formats, see "Formats of date and time source
data" on page 347.

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Finalize the import

1. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
If you want to make any changes, click Back to get to the appropriate page in the wizard.
2. Enter a name for the table layout that you are adding to the project, or keep the default name,
and click OK.
The new Analytics table is created with data from the imported file.

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Define and import a PDF file

You can create an Analytics table by defining and importing an Adobe PDF file.
When you use the Data Definition Wizard to process a PDF file, Analytics may fully or partially auto-
define the file, or you may need to manually define the file.

Note
Defining PDF files can be challenging. If you encounter problems, review "Defining
and importing print image (report) files and PDF files" on page 261.

Locate and select the PDF file

1. Select File > New > Table.
2. If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, select Local and click Next.
3. In the Select Local Data Source page, select File and click Next.
4. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the PDF file you want to create the
Analytics table from and click Open.
Adobe PDF files have a .pdf file extension.
5. In the File Format page, verify that PDF Adobe Acrobat file is selected and click Next.

Define the PDF file

1. In the PDF File Definition page, if required, enter the password for the PDF file and click Next.
2. If you want to specify a particular page or page range for parsing, rather than All pages, select
Pages , and specify one or more page numbers.
You can specify individual pages separated by commas (1,3,5), page ranges (2-7), or a
combination (1, 3, 5-7, 11).

Tip
In some circumstances, parsing a PDF file on a page-by-page basis can help
with data misalignment.
If you take this approach, you need to import the file more than once, create
more than one Analytics table, and then append the resulting tables in
Analytics.
For more information, see "Defining and importing subsets of print image or
PDF data" on page 312.

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3. Leave the PDF Parser at the default setting of Xpdf, or select VeryPDF.
If you are importing the file for the first time, and you have no reason to do otherwise, leave the
setting at Xpdf.
If you have already encountered data alignment issues when using Xpdf with the file, select
VeryPDF to see if the parsing results are better.
4. Click Next.
The PDF file is parsed and the PDF File Definition page updates to display the parsed file.
5. Scroll vertically and horizontally to examine the parsed file.
Highlighting indicates whether Analytics has auto-defined data in the file:

Highlighting Meaning

Aqua-blue highlighting Data auto-defined as a field.

Data auto-defined as a record.

Record definition depends on at least one field being defined in the
Gray highlighting record.

Undefined data.
Analytics was not able to detect a pattern in the data and could not auto-
White background define it.

6. Optional. If the data in the parsed file is misaligned, click Back , switch the parser selection in
PDF Parser, and click Next.
The PDF file is re-parsed using the parser you selected, which may produce better data
alignment.
Any existing field and record definitions are deleted when you re-parse the file.
7. Do one of the following:
Result of auto-definition Action to take

If Analytics auto-defined the entire file perfectly, and you do not

want to:
o update the generic field names
If Analytics auto-defined the file
o add any header or footer data to the detail data
and you do not want to make any
updates go to "Finalize the PDF file definition" on page 297

If Analytics auto-defined the entire file perfectly, and you want to:
o update the generic field names (“Field_1”, “Field_2”, and so on),
go to "Edit the auto-definition" on the facing page
If Analytics auto-defined the file o If you want to add header or footer data to the detail data, go to
and you want to make updates "Manually define the PDF file" on page 294

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Result of auto-definition Action to take

Tip
You can also update the generic field names in a
subsequent page in the Data Definition Wizard,
which you may find more convenient.

If the auto-definition:
o contains errors
o excludes data that you need
o includes data that you do not need

you must do one of the following:

o "Edit the auto-definition" below
o delete the entire auto-definition and "Manually define the
PDF file" on the next page

Tip
If the auto-definition contains significant errors,
If the auto-definition contains deleting the entire auto-definition and manually
errors defining the file can be easier.

If the parsed file is entirely undefined, indicated by a completely

If the parsed file is entirely white background, you must "Manually define the PDF file" on the
undefined next page

Edit the auto-definition

If you want to edit the auto-definition (or a manual definition), in the PDF File Definition page, do any
of the following:

Edit task Instructions

Right-click an aqua-blue field and select Edit Field, or double-click the field.
You can make a number of changes, including:
o updating the field name
o updating the data type
o under Advanced Options:
l changing the field length (Field Width)
l changing the starting position of the field
Edit a field definition For detailed information, see "Working with field definitions" on page 299.

Right-click a gray record and select Edit Record, or double-click the record.
You can make two main changes:
o update the categorization of the record – detail, header, and footer are the
options
o modify the criteria that Analytics used to capture the set of records
Edit a record definition For detailed information, see "Working with record definitions" on page 304.

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Edit task Instructions

Right-click a field or a record and select Delete Field or Delete Record.

You can delete definitions for fields that you do not want in the Analytics table, or
that you want to define manually because of errors in their auto-definition.
If you delete a record definition, any field definitions contained by the record are
also deleted, and all instances of the record definition in the file are deleted.

Note
You are deleting the field definition or the record definition only, not
the actual data. If necessary, you can redefine the same field or
record data.

Tip
If you want to selectively delete records, select Edit Record and fine-
tune the criteria that Analytics used to capture the set of records.
Delete a field definition For detailed information, see "Working with record definitions" on
or a record definition page 304.

Manually define the PDF file

Tip
Before you begin, you may find it helpful to first review the basic version of the steps
below, with accompanying screen captures: "Quick start steps" on page 280.

Note
You can also define a PDF file using saved field and record definitions, if they exist.
For more information, see "Define the PDF file using a set of saved field and record
definitions" on page 296.

1. In the PDF File Definition page, select a data value to start defining one of the fields in the
table.
For example, you could select a social security number in an SSN field. When you select the
data value, the Field Definition dialog box opens.
Guidelines:
l You can select a value anywhere in the data. You do not have to use the first field in the
table, or select the first value in a field.
l The value you select can be detail data, header data, or footer data.
l Do not select field names. Leave all field names in the source file unselected. If you select
field names in the source file, Analytics treats them as data contained in fields.
l If field values vary in length, select the longest value, or select extra blank spaces to allow for
longer values that may be lower in the field and not currently displayed.

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If you intend to use the initial data value you selected to uniquely identify a set of records, see
"Working with field definitions" on page 299.
2. Enter a name for the field, if necessary update the data type, and click OK.
3. In the data value you just selected, or in the same row in the file, select the character, or string
of characters, that uniquely identifies the set of records in the source file.
For example, select:
l a slash in a date value
l a decimal point in a numeric value
l a unique identifying value anywhere in the row containing the data value you selected
When you select the unique character or characters, the Record Definition dialog box opens,
and all records containing the character or characters are highlighted gray.
For detailed information, see "Defining and importing print image (report) files and PDF files"
on page 261.
If you need to define a record that extends beyond one row in the source file, see "Working with
multiline records and fields" on page 314.
4. If required, update the Record Type to match the type of data you are defining: detail, header,
or footer.
5. If required, modify the criteria used to capture the set of records.
For example, you could add additional criteria to omit some of the records that were initially
captured.
For detailed information, see "Working with record definitions" on page 304.
6. Click OK.
The field you defined is highlighted aqua-blue, and the associated set of captured records is
highlighted gray.
7. Scroll vertically to examine the defined field, and the associated set of captured records.
8. If the field is not defined correctly, or if the set of captured records needs adjustment, double-
click the field or the record, and make the necessary edits in the Field Definition dialog box, or
the Record Definition dialog box.
For more information, see "Working with field definitions" on page 299, or "Working with record
definitions" on page 304.
9. Define the remaining fields in the record by selecting a representative data value for each field.
Additional fields automatically conform to the set of records.
Guidelines:
l Define only those fields you want in the resulting Analytics table.
l With each field definition, scroll vertically to examine the defined field. Edit the definitions as
required.
For example, if data values are not fully contained by a field, you need to adjust the length or
starting position of the field, or both.
For more information, see "Edit the auto-definition" on page 293.

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l If you need to define field values that extend beyond one row in the source file, see "Working
with multiline records and fields" on page 314.

Tip
The order in which you define detail fields is the order in which they appear in
the resulting Analytics table.
If you delete a detail field during the definition process, and then re-add it, it
loses its original position and is placed last among detail fields.

10. If you want to define another record, repeat steps 1 to 9.

Guidelines:
l When you select a data value to start defining a new field and associated set of records,
ensure New Record is selected in the dialog box that appears, and click OK.
l You can define multiple header or footer records, but only one detail record. The order in
which you define the different record types is not enforced.

Define the PDF file using a set of saved field and record

definitions
You can define a PDF file using field and record definitions from a previous file definition session that
have been saved in a print image query file. The print image query file must already exist, and the
saved definitions must match the current data.

Note
Loading a print image query file deletes any current field and record definitions.

1. In the PDF File Definition page, click Load.

2. Navigate to a previously saved print image query file, select it, and click Open.
The definitions are applied to the current data.
Print image query files have a .txt extension.

Note
Only load a file with definitions that you know match, or closely match, the
current data.

3. After loading the file, do one of the following:

l If the entire file is now perfectly defined – go to "Finalize the PDF file definition" on the
facing page
l If the file definition needs adjustment – go to "Edit the auto-definition" on page 293

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Finalize the PDF file definition

1. Optional. If you want to save the current set of field and record definitions to a print image query
file, do the following:
a. Click Save.
b. Enter a name for the print image query file and click Save.

Note
Field and record definitions often represent a lot of work, and it is recommended
that you save them.
If you subsequently discover that the imported data needs an adjustment, and
must be redefined and reimported, saved definitions do not have to be
recreated from scratch.

2. When you are satisfied with all field and record definitions, click Next.

Note
If required, you can return to this point in the process and make updates to the
field and record definitions.

Save the Analytics data file

In the Save Data File As dialog box, enter a name for the Analytics data file and click Save.
If Analytics prefills a data file name, you can accept the prefilled name, or change it.
You can also navigate to a different folder to save the data file if you do not want to use the default
location opened by Analytics.

Edit the Analytics field properties

In the Edit Field Properties page, review the settings assigned by Analytics to the properties listed
below, make any required updates, and click Next.

Note
Select a column heading in the preview table to see the properties associated with the
column.

Property Description

Ignore this field Excludes the field from the resulting table layout.
The data in the field is still imported, but it is undefined, and does not appear in the new
Analytics table. It can be defined later, if necessary, and added to the table.

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Name The name for the field in the table layout.

You can keep the name assigned by Analytics, or enter a different name.

Column Title The column title for the field in the default Analytics view.
If you do not specify a column title, the Name value is used.

Type The data type assigned to the field in Analytics.

You can keep the data type assigned by Analytics, or select an appropriate data type from
the drop-down list.
For information about the supported data types in Analytics, see "Data types in Analytics"
on page 740.

Value A read-only property that displays the first value in the field.
The value dynamically updates based on any edits you make.

Decimal Numeric fields only. The number of decimal places in the source data.

Note
The Decimal text box appears automatically when you select a Numeric
data type.

Input Format Datetime fields only. The format of datetime values in the source data.
The format you specify must exactly match the format in the source data.
For more information about date and time formats, see "Formats of date and time source
data" on page 347.

Finalize the import

1. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
If you want to make any changes, click Back to get to the appropriate page in the wizard.
2. Enter a name for the table layout that you are adding to the project, or keep the default name,
and click OK.
The new Analytics table is created with data from the imported file.

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Working with field definitions

A field definition is information that delineates a single field in a print image or PDF file. Because a
print image or PDF file is an image, without any metadata identifying fields and records, you need to
specify one or more field definitions to identify the fields in the file, and differentiate them from
surrounding data or white space.
One or more field definitions may be automatically created by Analytics during the file definition
process, or you may have to manually create field definitions.

Using the initial data value to uniquely

identify a set of records
To start manually defining a print image or PDF file, you select an initial data value, and then capture
an associated set of records. If you decide to use part or all of the initial data value to uniquely identify
the set of records, follow the guidelines below when choosing the field containing the initial data value.
l The field can be positioned anywhere in the record. It does not have to be the first field in the
record.
l Look for a field in which the data has a consistent structure. For example:
l a date field with a consistent format such as MM/DD/YYYY

l an SSN field

l a credit card number field

l any ID or numeric field with a consistent structure

You will have greater success using a consistently structured field than you will using a field
with varying contents.
l One or more consistently positioned characters in the field must be unique, or uniquely
positioned, when compared to data above or below the field.
l Avoid a field with missing values. It is possible to use a field with missing values, but it
complicates the process of defining the file.

Note
The value you use to uniquely identify a set of records does not have to be contained
in the initial data value or the initial data field. It can occur anywhere in the row
containing the initial data value. For more information, see "Defining and importing
print image (report) files and PDF files" on page 261.

The Field Definition dialog box

The Field Definition dialog box is where you specify the information that delineates a field in a print
image or PDF file.

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The figure below shows the Field Definition dialog box with the Advanced Options expanded.

The table below explains the purpose of each item in the Field Definition dialog box:

Item name Purpose

Name Specifies a field name other than the generic field name assigned by Analytics.
The name you specify becomes the physical field name in the resulting Analytics table –
that is, the field name in the table layout.

Type Specifies the data type of the field.

The options are Character, Numeric, and Datetime. If the values in a numeric or datetime
field are inconsistent, you can try defining and importing the fields as character data.

Starts on Line Specifies which line in a record contains the start of the field.
For example:
o If each record containing the field appears on a single line, then the value must be ‘1’
o If each record containing the field spans two lines, and the field starts on the second
line, then the value must be ‘2’

Starts in Column Specifies the starting byte position of the field.

For example, if three blank spaces at the beginning of a line precede the first character in
a field, then the Starts in Column value must be ‘4’ (non-Unicode Analytics), or '7'

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Item name Purpose

(Unicode data in Unicode Analytics).

Note
The starting position of a field is critical to the success of the defining and
importing process. Once a field is defined, scroll through the source file to
ensure the starting position accommodates all values in the field. Adjust
the starting position if necessary.
For Unicode data, typically you should specify an odd-numbered starting
byte position. Specifying an even-numbered starting position can cause
characters to display incorrectly.

Field Width Specifies the length in bytes of the field.

The length you specify becomes the physical field length in the resulting Analytics table –
that is, the field length in the table layout.

Note
Field length is critical to the success of the defining and importing process.
Once a field is defined, scroll through the source file to ensure that the
field is long enough to accommodate all values in the field. Adjust the
length if necessary.
For Unicode data, specify an even number of bytes only. Specifying an
odd number of bytes can cause characters to display incorrectly.

Field Height Specifies the number of lines that constitute a single value in the field.
For example:
o If each value appears on a single line, then the field height must be ‘1’
o If each value spans two lines, then the field height must be ‘2’
o If each value spans a varying number of lines, such as the content of a Note field, set
the field height to accommodate the value that spans the greatest number of lines (see
Ends on blank line below)

Decimals Specifies the number of decimal places in numeric values.

(numeric fields
only)

Format Specifies the format for numeric or datetime data.

(numeric and The format needs to match the format of the numeric or datetime values in the source file.
datetime fields
For example:
only)
o If numbers such as -1,234.00 appear in the field, you need to select or specify the
format -9,999,999.99.
o If dates such as 31/12/2015 appear in the field, you need to select or specify the format
DD/MM/YYYY. Use MMM in the format to match months that use abbreviations or that
are spelled out.

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Item name Purpose

Tip
If numeric or datetime data in the source file is inconsistently formatted,
you can import it as character data and try to clean up the inconsistencies
using Analytics functions in the resulting Analytics table.

Convert to single Specifies that multiline fields defined in the source file are imported to Analytics as a
field single field containing the data from all lines.
(character fields For example, if you define address data that spans several lines, selecting Convert to
only) single field creates a single field with all the address data on one line.
(multiline fields If you leave Convert to single field unselected (the default setting), multiline fields are
only) imported to Analytics as multiple fields each containing the data from a single line.

Fill if Blank Specifies that a field value is copied to subsequent blank values until a new field value
occurs.
For example, if the value “01” in the Product Class field appears in only the first record of
a block of Product Class 01 records, selecting Fill if Blank causes the value “01” to
appear with every record.

Ends on blank line Specifies that values in a multiline field terminate when they encounter a blank line.
(multiline fields This option addresses a situation that occurs when values in a multiline field span a
only) varying number of lines. You must set the Field Height to accommodate the value that
spans the greatest number of lines. However, doing so can cause a mismatch between
values with fewer lines and field or record boundaries. Selecting Ends on blank line
causes the field height, and the field or record boundaries, to dynamically resize to fit the
number of lines occupied by each value.

Note
This feature only works if one or more blank lines separate each value in
the multiline field.

Column Defaults Note

for Reporting: The Column Defaults for Reporting settings are optional. They do not
o Width affect processing of the field in the Data Definition Wizard. The same
o Alternate properties can be set later, in Analytics.
Column Title
o Suppress Specifies properties of the field as it appears in the default view in the resulting Analytics
Totals table, and in Analytics reports.
(numeric fields o Width – Specifies the display width of the field in bytes.
only)
This value is used as the column size when displaying the contents of the field in
o Control Total Analytics views and reports.
(numeric fields o Alternate Column Title – Specifies a column heading to use, instead of the field name,
only) when displaying the field in Analytics views and reports.
o Suppress Totals – Specifies that values in the field are not automatically totaled in
Analytics reports.
By default, Analytics automatically totals numeric fields in reports. You can suppress
this behavior if the field contains data, such as unit prices, for which totals are not
meaningful.

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Item name Purpose

o Control Total – Specifies that the field is a control total field.

A control total is the sum of values in a numeric field, which can be used to check data
integrity. When you extract or sort data to a new table, Analytics includes the input and
output totals of a control total field in the table history. Input refers to the original table.
Output refers to the new table. If the two totals match, no data was lost in the extract or
sort operation.
If you specify control totals for more than one field, the table history reports on only the
numeric field with the leftmost starting position.

Note
The Control Total setting in the Field Definition dialog box does not
create control totals when you import a print image or PDF file to
Analytics. For information about creating control totals for this purpose,
see "Defining and importing print image (report) files and PDF files" on
page 261.

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Working with record definitions

A record definition is information that captures, or delineates, a set of records in a print image or PDF
file. Because a print image or PDF file is an image, without any metadata identifying fields and
records, you need to specify one or more record definitions to identify the records in the file, and
differentiate them from surrounding data or white space.
Defining a set of detail records is required when defining a print image or PDF file. You may also want
to define header or footer records, but they are not a requirement.
A detail record definition may be automatically created by Analytics during the file definition process,
or you may have to manually create one or more record definitions.

The starting point is selecting an initial data

value
The starting point for a record definition is selecting an initial data value in an initial data field. A
character or characters in the initial data value, or in the row containing the initial data value, form the
basis for the record definition, which identifies the set of records associated with the initial data field.
For more information, see "Defining and importing print image (report) files and PDF files" on
page 261.
Once the initial data field and the set of associated records are defined, you specify as many
additional field definitions as required to break up the remaining portion of the record into its separate
data elements.

The Record Definition dialog box

The Record Definition dialog box is where you specify the information that delineates a set of records
in the source file. It allows you to perform two main tasks:
l Specify the type of data represented by the records: detail, header, or footer
l Modify or further build the criteria used to capture the set of records
You do not start completely from scratch. Analytics will already have specified some information,
which you must often fine-tune, or add to.
The figure below shows the Record Definition dialog box with two criteria, and with its three menus
open. The menus and the adjacent text fields are what you use to modify or further build the criteria
that capture the set of records.

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The Record Definition dialog box includes the following elements:

1. Record type specification
2. Individual criteria
3. Criteria builder
The table below explains the purpose of each item in the Record Definition dialog box:

Item name Purpose

Record Type: Specifies the type of data represented by the records: detail, header, or footer.
o Detail o Detail records – the main information in a file
o Header For example, in a file listing overdue invoices, the invoice entries are the detail
records. You can define only one set of detail records in a file.
o Footer
o Header records – the identifying information that appears above blocks or subsets of
detail records
For example, a file might list account information for each customer (header record),
followed by a list of each customer’s unpaid invoices (detail record). If necessary, you
can define more than one set of header records.
o Footer records – information that appears below blocks or subsets of detail records
For example, a file might list subtotals for each customer’s unpaid invoices (footer
record). If necessary, you can define more than one set of footer records.

Note
Although header and footer data is initially treated like a separate record
in the Data Definition Wizard, in the resulting Analytics table this data
becomes one or more additional fields, with repeated values, added to the
detail record.

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Item name Purpose

Transparent Specifies that header records do not split multiline detail records.
(applies to header If a header record splits a multiline detail record in the source file, which can happen at a
records only) page break, selecting Transparent unifies the detail record in the resulting Analytics
table.

Record Name Allows you to customize the default record names that appear in the leftmost column in
the Data Definition Wizard.
You may find customizing a default name useful if you are creating multiple header or
footer records. The value appears in the Data Definition Wizard only and does not
appear in the resulting Analytics table.

Lines in Record Specifies the number of lines that constitute a single record in the source file.
For example, if each detail record in the source file appears on a single line, then the
value must be ‘1’. If each detail record spans three lines, then the value must be ‘3’.

Include or Exclude Specifies whether records that match the criteria should be included in, or excluded from,
the set of records.
(part of the criteria
builder) This menu contains the following options:
o Include – include records that match the criteria
o Exclude – exclude records that match the criteria

Match On Specifies the method to use, or the type of characters to use, to uniquely identify the set of
records in the file.
(part of the criteria
builder) This menu contains the following options:
o Exact Match – matching records must contain the character, or string of characters, in
the Text field, in the specified Line of the record, starting at the specified Start position
o Alpha – matching records must contain one or more alpha characters, in the specified
Line of the record, at the specified Start position, or in all positions of the specified
Range
o Numeric – matching records must contain one or more numeric characters, in the
specified Line of the record, at the specified Start position, or in all positions of the
specified Range
o Blank – matching records must contain one or more blank spaces, in the specified Line
of the record, at the specified Start position, or in all positions of the specified Range
o Non-Blank – matching records must contain one or more non-blank characters
(includes special characters), in the specified Line of the record, at the specified Start
position, or in all positions of the specified Range
o Find in Line – matching records must contain the character, or string of characters, in
the Text field anywhere in the specified Line of the record
o Find in Range – matching records must contain the character, or string of characters, in
the Text field, in the specified Line of the record, anywhere in the specified Range
o Custom Map – matching records must contain characters that match the character
pattern in the Text field, in the specified Line of the record, starting at the specified
Start position
The Custom Map option uses the same syntax as the MAP( ) function.

Text For Exact Match, Find in Line, or Find in Range, specifies the character, or string of
characters, that uniquely identifies the set of records in the file.
(part of the criteria

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Item name Purpose

builder) For Custom Map, specifies the character pattern that uniquely identifies the set of records
in the file.
The field is disabled for the other Match On options.

Line Specifies which line of the record the criteria applies to.
(part of the criteria For example, if you create a custom map to match zip codes, and the zip codes appear on
builder) the third line of a three-line record, you must specify ‘3’ in Line.
For single-line records, the value is always ‘1’.

Start or Range Specifies either:

(part of the criteria o the starting byte position in the record for the comparison against the criteria
builder) o the range of bytes in the record for the comparison against the criteria
You can highlight a position or range in the source file to automatically populate the Start
or Range field. You can also manually enter position or range numbers. For ranges, uses
the syntax start byte:end byte.

Logic Allows you to add or delete criteria, and specify the logical relations between criteria. You
can add a maximum of 8 criteria.
(part of the criteria
builder) This menu contains the following options:
o And – adds an additional criterion with a logical AND
o Or – adds an additional criterion with a logical OR
o Insert Criteria – inserts an empty criterion below the criterion to which it is applied
The criterion is initially inserted with a logical AND. You can change to a logical OR,
but only after you have specified values for the inserted criterion.
o Delete Criteria – deletes the criterion to which it is applied
o New Group – creates a separate criteria group
The New Group option allows you to build multiple criteria groups, which operate as
separate blocks of logic. The groups are related to one another with either a logical
OR or a logical AND.
o End – designates a criterion as the final criterion
Selecting End for a criterion deletes any subsequent criteria, including criteria in other
groups.

Tip
The Logic buttons may become unresponsive if you are missing values in
a criterion. Supply any missing values to reactivate the Logic buttons.

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Defining misaligned fields in a print

image or PDF file
The procedure below outlines techniques for defining misaligned fields in a print image or PDF file.
The techniques require that you only approximately define the misaligned fields in the Data Definition
Wizard. Once the data is in Analytics, you create one or more computed fields that use Analytics
functions to precisely shape the data in the fields, including aligning all values.
For information about creating a computed field, see "Define a conditional computed field" on
page 735.
To define misaligned fields in a print image or PDF file:
1. Define any aligned fields in the usual manner.
At a minimum, you must define at least one field as part of defining a set of records. Try to
create a set of records that captures all the record data in the file, even if much of the data is
misaligned.
For more information about defining a set of records, see "Quick Start: How to define a print
image or PDF file" on page 277.
2. Use one or more of the following techniques to define misaligned fields:
o Create a field definition that is long enough to capture the leftmost and the rightmost
characters in the misaligned field.
In Analytics, you will use the ALLTRIM( ) function to align the field.
o Create overlapping field definitions, if necessary.
In some cases, data misalignment results in the values in two different fields overlapping.
Define each field separately, so that all the values that belong in each field are captured by
their respective field definitions.
The same byte positions will be contained by the end of one field definition and the
beginning of the other field definition. In the shared byte positions, try to capture consistently
structured data – for example, a single unbroken string of characters, rather than a single
string in some records, and two separate strings, or no characters, in other records.
In Analytics, you will use the ALLTRIM( ), the REGEXREPLACE( ), and the SPLIT( )
functions to align the fields and get rid of unwanted characters.
o Create a single, long field definition that encompasses multiple misaligned fields.
If an entire section of a set of records is misaligned, you can use a long field definition to
capture the problematic section of the record data. The field must be long enough to
capture the leftmost and the rightmost characters in the block of misaligned data.
If misaligned data occurs in separate sections of a set of records, create additional long field
definitions to capture each misaligned section.

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Note
If the values in a field vary in the number of words they contain, try to create a
separate field definition for these values, or ensure that these values
represent the last field at the end of a long field definition encompassing
multiple misaligned fields. The “Product Description” field in the sample
“Inventory.pdf” is an example of a field in which values vary in number of
words.

In Analytics, you will use the ALLTRIM( ), the REGEXREPLACE( ), and the SPLIT( )
functions to break up the single field into separate, aligned data elements.
3. Check the entire file to ensure that none of the values in the misaligned fields are outside the
aqua-blue highlighting of their field definition. Adjust the length of the field definition, if required.
4. Make sure that a data type of Character is specified for each field definition in the Field
Definition dialog box.
5. Complete the import process in the usual manner.
In the Edit Field Properties page, make sure that a data type of ASCII or UNICODE is
specified for every field.
For more information, see "Define and import a print image file" on page 283, or "Define and
import a PDF file" on page 291.
6. For a misaligned field with no data from an overlapping field, create a computed field in
Analytics that uses the following expression:

ALLTRIM(misaligned_field_name)

Leading and trailing spaces are removed from the field, which aligns all values in the field.
7. For a misaligned field that contains data from an overlapping field, do the following in Analytics:
a. Create an initial computed field that uses the following expression to replace one or more
spaces between the field value and the unwanted characters with a single space:

ALLTRIM(REGEXREPLACE(misaligned_field_name, "\s+", " "))

The expression also removes leading and trailing spaces from the misaligned field.
b. Create a second computed field that uses one of the following expressions to extract the field
value and discard the unwanted characters.
l If the unwanted characters are at the end of the field, use this expression:

SPLIT(initial_computed_field_name," ", 1)

l If the unwanted characters are at the beginning of the field, use this expression:

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SPLIT(initial_computed_field_name," ", 2)

Tip
If unwanted characters are sometimes at the end of a field, and sometimes at
the beginning, or if they are present in only some of the records, you need to
create a conditional computed field that applies different versions of the
SPLIT( ) expression to different parts of the misaligned field. For example, the
condition RECNO( ) > 100 allows you to apply a version of the expression to
only those records beyond the first 100 records.
For more information, see "Define a conditional computed field" on page 735.

8. For a long field definition that encompasses multiple misaligned fields, do the following in
Analytics:
a. Create an initial computed field that uses the following expression to replace one or more
spaces between data elements with a single space:

ALLTRIM(REGEXREPLACE(long_field_name, "\s+", " "))

The expression also removes leading and trailing spaces from the long field.

Tip
You may find including the OMIT( ) function in the expression is useful for
removing pieces of data that appear inconsistently and complicate
subsequent processing. For example, OMIT(ALLTRIM(REGEXREPLACE
(long_field_name, "\s+", " ")), "-") does the same as the expression above,
and also removes hyphens.

b. Create a second computed field that uses this expression to extract the first data element:

SPLIT(initial_computed_field_name," ", 1)

c. Create as many additional computed fields as required, using variations of the same
expression, to extract all the data elements.
For example:

SPLIT(initial_computed_field_name," ", 2)
SPLIT(initial_computed_field_name," ", 3)

To specify successive data elements, keep increasing the number in the segment parameter
of the SPLIT( ) function.

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Note
For field values that contain more than one word, such as the values in the
“Product Description” field in the sample “Inventory.pdf”, this technique isolates
each word in a separate field. If required, you can reunite the values by
concatenating the separate fields. For more information, see "Concatenating
fields" on page 218.

9. Once you have finished extracting all the data elements to separate fields, do the following to
convert numeric and datetime data to the appropriate data type:
a. For numeric fields, create a computed field that uses this expression:

VALUE(field_name, number_of_decimal_places)

For more information, see "VALUE( ) function" on page 2550.

b. For date fields, create a computed field that uses this expression:

CTOD(field_name, "date_format")

For more information, see "CTOD( ) function" on page 2190.

To converted datetime or time values, use the CTODT( ) or the CTOT( ) functions.

Tip
You can save labor, and create fewer computed fields, by converting the data
type at the same time you apply functions to correct misaligned data. For
example:
VALUE(ALLTRIM(misaligned_field_name), 2)

10. Once you have created all the required computed fields, add them to the table view.
You do not need to add the initial computed field to the view, and you can remove any
misaligned fields, or long field or fields, from the view.
For more information, see "Add columns to a view" on page 777, or "Remove columns from a
view" on page 778.

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Defining and importing subsets of

print image or PDF data
If defining a complete set of records in a print image or PDF file is difficult or even impossible because
of misaligned data, you can define and import multiple subsets of data from the file. In Analytics, you
can then append the resulting Analytics tables to assemble a complete data set.
This technique works best if the source file in the Data Definition Wizard contains blocks of records
in which all fields are aligned within each block. If the data is more randomly misaligned, see "Defining
misaligned fields in a print image or PDF file" on page 308.

Tip:
For PDF definition, you have the option of parsing the PDF file on a page-by-page
basis. In some cases, data misalignment occurs across page breaks. You may be
able to solve an alignment issue by using page-sized subsets of data.

To define and import a subset of print image or PDF data:

1. Perform the definition and import process in the usual manner, with these differences:
o Define and import the same file multiple times.
With each iteration, define a different subset of records. The fields in each subset must be
internally aligned.
A subset of records does not need to be contiguous. For example, the fields in records at
the start and at the end of a file could be aligned with each other, but misaligned with fields in
the middle of the file.
o Devise a method for keeping track of which records are included in each subset.
If you unintentionally capture the same record more than once, you can remove duplicate
records from the reassembled data set in Analytics. For more information, see "Remove
duplicates" on page 1210.
o With each iteration, make sure the data structure remains consistent.
Ensure that the name, the length, the data type, and the order of corresponding fields
remain consistent. Maintaining this consistency of data structure makes appending the
resulting Analytics tables much easier.

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Tip:
After importing the first subset, open the resulting table in Analytics, and
enter DISPLAY in the command line to display the data structure of the table
layout. Use the displayed table layout information as a guide for creating the
subsequent subsets of records and fields.
To save labor, use the generic Analytics field names (“Field_1”, “Field_2”,
and so on) when defining and importing subsets of records. Once you have
reassembled the data set in Analytics, you can rename all the fields in the
reassembled table.

2. When you save each Analytics data file, and each Analytics table layout, use an incrementing
numeric suffix to prevent overwriting tables you have already created. For example, “Table_
1.fil”, “Table_2.fil”, and so on.
3. Once you have defined and imported all the records in the source file, append the multiple
Analytics tables.
For more information, see "Extracting and appending data" on page 871.

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Working with multiline records and

fields
You can define record or field data that extends beyond one line or one row in a source file. For
example:
l Address data or comment data arranged on multiple lines
l Different types of data stacked together in a single field
l Multiline fields with values that vary in the number of lines they contain
The sections that follow explain how to define files with data arranged in this manner.

Multiline records versus multiline fields

In a source file, multiline records contain data on more than one line or row that all belongs to the
same record. (See "Multiline record with a one-line field and a multiline field" below.)
The fields in a multiline record may or may not be multiline fields. For example, a two-line record could
be a succession of one-line field values that have been wrapped to a second line by the layout of a
print image or PDF report.
Multiline fields contain field values that span two or more lines or rows in the source file. For example:
addresses that are arranged on multiple lines, or comment fields with text on multiple lines. If a field is
multiline, the record containing the field must also be multiline.

Multiline record with a one-line field and a multiline field

The example below shows a three-line record that contains the one-line “Cust No” field and the three-
line “Name & Address” field.

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Defining a multiline record

You can define a multiline record using either of these methods:
l Select an initial data value in the first line of a record, and a unique value in the last line of the
record.
In "Initial data value in the first line of a record and unique value in the last line" below, a
customer number is selected in the first line, and a zip code is selected in the last line. "Defined
multiline record" on the next page shows the resulting multiline record.
l Define the first line of a record, and then in the Record Definition dialog box, edit the record
definition by specifying the appropriate number of lines in the Lines in Record setting. You can
use this method when it is not possible to specify a unique value in the last line of the record.

Initial data value in the first line of a record and unique

value in the last line

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Defined multiline record

Defining fields in a multiline record

You have the following options when defining fields in a multiline record:
l You can define values that occupy a single line as a single-line field
In "Single-line and multiline fields" on the facing page, the following values are all defined as
single-line fields: customer number, city, state, zip code, transaction amount, and limit.
To define a single-line field, select a single instance of one of the values in the field.
l You can define values that occupy multiple lines in one of two ways:
l As multiple fields each containing the data from a single line

In "Single-line and multiline fields" on the facing page, the customer name and street
address are defined in this manner.
To define multiple, single-line fields, select a single instance of the multiline data. By default,
Analytics creates a separate field for each line. For each field, an incrementing numeric
suffix is added to the field name.
l As a single field containing the data from all lines
In "Single-line and multiline fields" on the facing page, the comment values are defined as a
single field.
To define a single field containing the data from all lines, select a single instance of the
multiline data. In the Field Definition dialog box, under Advanced Options , select Convert
to single field.

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Single-line and multiline fields

Preview of the fields in the resulting Analytics table

The example below shows how the defined fields in "Single-line and multiline fields" above appear in
the resulting Analytics table.

Defining fields that vary in height

You can use the Ends on blank line setting in the Field Definition dialog box to define multiline fields
in which the values vary in the number of lines they occupy. The setting specifies that values

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terminate when they encounter a blank line. This feature only works if one or more blank lines
separate each value in the multiline field.

Mismatch between field boundaries and field values

The example below shows the problem that can occur when field values vary in height.
The field height is set to ‘5’ to capture all five lines of the first value in the “Name & Address” field.
Because the second value has only three lines, the five-line field height captures too much data,
encompassing all of the second value, and the first line of the third value. The result is a mismatch
between field boundaries and field values, which also creates mismatched record boundaries.

Field boundaries resized to fit field values

The example below shows how the problem can be solved by selecting Ends on blank line. Now,
field and record boundaries dynamically resize to fit the number of lines occupied by each field value.

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Import an ACCPAC master file

You can create an Analytics table by defining and importing an ACCPAC master file. The file can be
on your local computer or a network drive, or in a folder located on an Analytics Server (if installed).
1. Select File > New > Table.
The first page displayed in the Data Definition Wizard depends on your configuration. If
integration with Analytics Server is enabled the Select Platform for Data Source page is
displayed, otherwise the Select Local Data Source page is displayed.
2. Complete one of the following steps to select the location of the file:
o If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed and you want to use Analytics to
define the file, select Local and click Next. In the Select Local Data Source page select
File and click Next.
o If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed and you want to use an Analytics
Server to define the file, select ACL Server and select the Windows server profile from the
drop-down list, and then click Next. In the Select ACL Server Data Source page select
Flat Files and click Next.
o If the Select Local Data Source page is displayed select File and click Next.
3. In the Select File to Define page, locate and select the file you want to create the Analytics
table from and click Open.
4. In the Character Set page, verify that the correct character set option has been selected and
click Next.
5. In the File Format page, verify that the ACCPAC master file option has been selected and
click Next.
6. In the Identify Fields page, complete any of the following actions to modify the fields identified
in the record:
o Delete an existing field separator by clicking on the field separator line you want to remove.
o Move an existing field separator by clicking and dragging the field separator line to the new
location.
o Create a new field separator by clicking the grid in the position where you want to add the
field separator.
7. When you have identified all of the fields in the record, click Next.
8. In the Edit Field Properties page, you can modify the name and properties for each field by
selecting the column header for the field you want to modify in the preview table and updating
any of the following properties:
o Ignore this field – If you do not want the field to be included in the Analytics table layout,
select this checkbox.
o Name – Keep the name assigned by Analytics for the field in the table layout, or enter a
different name.

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o Column Title – Enter the column title to display in the default Analytics view. If a column title
is not specified the Name value is used.
o Type – Select the appropriate data type from the drop-down list. For information about the
supported data types in Analytics, see "Data types in Analytics" on page 740.
The Decimal and Input Format text boxes appear automatically when you select the
corresponding data type.
o Value – A read-only property that displays the first value in the field. The value is updated
based on any edits you make.
o Decimal (numeric fields only) – Specify the appropriate number of decimal places.
o Input Format (datetime fields only) – Specify the format that matches the data. For more
information about date and time formats, see "Formats of date and time source data" on
page 347.
9. Click Next after you have finished editing the field properties you want to change.
10. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
11. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to the project, or keep the default name,
and click OK.

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Import a dBASE-compatible file

You can create an Analytics table by importing any file that conforms to the dBASE file format
standard. The Data Definition Wizard parses the data in the dBASE-compatible file and uses this
information to automatically define the Analytics table layout.

The dBASE file format

Exporting data in the dBASE file format is an option found in many databases and business applica-
tions, so it can be used to access data from a variety of data sources. If the exported file conforms to
the dBASE standard, this is a convenient way to access data with Analytics because the file contains
all of the required field definitions. If the exported data does not fully conform to the dBASE standard,
Analytics may be unable to define the file.

The Record_Deleted field

dBASE files always include a field called “Record_Deleted” that is used to keep track of deleted
records. Analytics defines a corresponding field in the table layout, which is not required and you can
delete it from the table layout after removing it from the default view.

dBASE file criteria

Data exported to a dBASE file must meet the following criteria in order to be imported to Analytics:

Column names can have a maximum length of ten characters. The first ten characters of
Column names each field must be unique or the duplicate fields cannot be exported.

Field names Field names must be specified in the first row, and data must start in the second row.

Each column should contain values of only one data type. For example, if the first value in
Data type a field contains character data, the field will be exported as character data.

Fields that contain only numbers will be exported as numeric data. In some cases, this
will result in a field with the wrong data type in Analytics. For example, invoice numbers
Fields with num- are numeric values, but they are often stored in character fields. When this occurs, you
bers need to change the field data type in the Table Layout dialog box.

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Steps
1. Select File > New > Table.
The first page displayed in the Data Definition Wizard depends on your configuration. If
integration with Analytics Server is enabled the Select Platform for Data Source page is
displayed, otherwise the Select Local Data Source page is displayed.
2. Complete one of the following steps to select the location of the file:
o If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed and you want to use Analytics to
define the file, select Local and click Next. In the Select Local Data Source page select
File and click Next.
o If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed and you want to use an Analytics
Server to define the file, select ACL Server and select the Windows server profile from the
drop-down list, and then click Next. In the Select ACL Server Data Source page select
Flat Files and click Next.
o If the Select Local Data Source page is displayed select File and click Next.
3. In the Select File to Define page, locate and select the file you want to create the Analytics
table from and click Open.
dBASE-compatible files have a .dbf file extension.
4. In the File Format page, verify that the dBASE compatible file option has been selected and
click Next.
5. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
6. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to your project and click OK.

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Import an SAP Audit Format file

You can create an Analytics table by defining and importing an SAP Audit Format file (formerly
known as the SAP Private File Format). SAP Audit Format files have a .dat file extension.
You can define and import Audit Format files located on your local computer or on a network drive.

Note
Galvanize offers two utilities for directly accessing an SAP system and importing data
to Analytics:
l SAP connector – one of the Analytics connectors, available with an additional
subscription
l Direct Link – an optional add-on that can be purchased from Galvanize

SAP AIS and SAP DART

An SAP Audit Format file is produced by an SAP data extract. SAP AIS (Audit Information System)
and SAP DART (Data Retention Tool) are both SAP utilities that can produce data extracts.
When creating extracts using these SAP utilities, the SAP user can specify the file output format.
Some Analytics-friendly output formats are spreadsheet, text, dbf, and the SAP Audit Format. These
extracts can then be imported into Analytics using the Data Definition Wizard. The ideal format to use
is the SAP Audit Format because it requires the least amount of effort to import into Analytics.

Steps
1. Select File > New >Table .
The first page displayed in the Data Definition Wizard depends on your configuration. If
integration with Analytics Server is enabled the Select Platform for Data Source page is
displayed, otherwise the Select Local Data Source page is displayed.
2. Complete one of the following steps to select the location of the file:
o If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed and you want to use Analytics to
define the file, select Local and click Next. In the Select Local Data Source page select
File and click Next.
o If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed and you want to use an Analytics
Server to define the file, select ACL Server and select the server profile from the drop-down
list, and then click Next. In the Select ACL Server Data Source page select Flat Files and
click Next.

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o If the Select Local Data Source page is displayed select File and click Next.
3. In Select File to Define, locate and select the file you want to create the Analytics table from
and click Open.
4. In the Character Set page, verify that the correct character set option has been selected and
click Next.
5. In the File Format page, verify that the SAP private file format / DART option has been
selected and click Next.
6. In the SAP Private File Format page, select the appropriate option for field naming:
l Use local language field descriptions as ACL field names – Select this option to use the

localized field descriptions configured for the SAP system, instead of the standard German
language field names. This option is recommended if the Analytics table will be used in only
one language.
l Use standard-delivered SAP German abbreviations as ACL field names – Select this

option if you prefer to use the German field names, or if the Analytics table will be used in
multiple languages.
7. Click Next.
8. In the Save Converted SAP File As dialog box, enter the file name and modify the folder
location for the Analytics data file, as necessary, and click Save.
9. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
10. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to your project and click OK.

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Import an XML file

You can create an Analytics table by defining and importing an XML file. The Data Definition Wizard
allows you to select the XML elements to import, configure the structure of the resulting Analytics
table, and customize column headings and data types for the elements you are importing.

Note
In some cases, you may need to adjust one or more field definitions in the resulting
Analytics table so that the data displayed in the view accurately reflects the data in the
source XML file. You adjust field definitions in the Analytics table layout.
Analytics imports the exact raw data contained in an XML file, and you can see this
source data in the table layout. On occasion, a field definition created during the table
definition and import process misinterprets the source data, and the definition
requires subsequent adjustment. For example, a numeric field could be misinter-
preted as a date field, and dates rather than numbers may initially appear in the view.

1. Select File > New > Table.

2. If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, select Local and click Next.
3. In the Select Local Data Source page, select File and click Next.
4. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the XML file you want to create the
Analytics table from and click Open.
XML files have a .xml file extension.
5. In the File Format page, verify that the XML file option has been selected and click Next.
6. In the Select XML Data Structures page, select one or more XML data structures to include in
the resulting Analytics table:
a. To select a data structure, click the name of the associated XML element.
b. Click Add to add the data structure to the Preview pane.

Note
Generating a preview of the data in a large XML file can be slow, so the Auto
Preview option is automatically deselected for XML files larger than 2 GB.

c. Select and add all the data structures you want to include in the Analytics table.
d. If necessary, select a data structure in the Preview pane and click Remove to remove it.
e. Click Next.
An XML data structure is a collection of XML elements and attributes. For more information,
see "Selecting XML data structures" on page 328.
7. In the Select XML Elements page, fine-tune the selection of XML elements and attributes and
click Next.
For more information, see "Selecting and configuring XML elements" on page 329.

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8. In the Preview Data page, modify the name or properties for any field, if necessary.
To modify field properties, select the appropriate column heading in the preview table, in the
bottom half of the page, and update any of the following properties:
o Name – Keep the name assigned by Analytics for the field in the table layout, or enter a
different name.
o Column Title – Enter the column title to display in the default Analytics view. If a column title
is not specified the Name value is used.
o Type – Select the appropriate data type from the drop-down list. For information about the
supported data types in Analytics, see "Data types in Analytics" on page 740.
The Decimal and Input text boxes appear automatically when you select the corresponding
data type.
o Value – A read-only property that displays the first value in the field. The value is updated
based on any edits you make.
o Decimal (numeric fields only) – Specify the appropriate number of decimal places.
o Input (datetime fields only) – Specify the format that matches the data. For more information
about date and time formats, see "Formats of date and time source data" on page 347.
9. Click Next.
10. In the Save Data File As dialog box, enter a name for the Analytics data file, and if necessary
modify the location where the file will be saved, and click Save.
11. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
12. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to the project, or keep the default name,
and click OK.
13. Review the data in the new Analytics table and update any field definitions, if required.
If a field has the wrong data type specified, the data may not appear in the view, or the data
may be misinterpreted. For example, a numeric value may be interpreted as a date.
14. To update a field definition, do the following:
a. Select Edit > Table Layout.
b. In the Edit Fields/Expressions tab, double-click the field you want to modify.
c. Make the necessary changes to the field definition and click Accept Entry .
For example, you may need to change the Type from Datetime to Numeric .

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Selecting XML data structures

Use the Select XML Data Structures page of the wizard to select one or more XML data structures
to include in an Analytics table.
XML data structures consist of elements, nested child elements, and attributes that Analytics
identifies when it analyzes an XML file. They are displayed in the XML Data Structures treeview,
which is a hierarchical representation of the XML file. Each XML data structure is represented by a
table icon , and the name of the XML element and nested elements or attributes that it contains.
Prior to selecting one or more XML data structures you should review the XML file and determine a
suitable Analytics table structure for your audit objectives. With that table structure in mind, select
only XML data structures with columns that match columns in the intended table structure. You can
use the subsequent pages in the wizard to fine-tune the individual elements to include, and modify
column properties.
If you need to analyze an XML file with a complex structure, you may need to import the XML file more
than once. You can select different data structures for each Analytics table you create, and then join
or relate the tables in Analytics.
To select data structures:
1. In the XML Data Structures treeview, click the name of an XML element to select the
associated data structure for inclusion in the resulting Analytics table.
The names of the columns in the data structure, with sample data, are displayed in the Sample
Structure pane. Names preceded by the @ symbol are derived from an XML attribute rather
than an XML element.

Note
If more than one instance of a nested element exists within the data structure,
the repeated element may not be listed in the data structure in the treeview. You
can select the specific instances of the repeated element in a subsequent page
of the wizard.

2. Click Add to add the data structure to the Preview pane.

All the displayed elements and attributes in the selected data structure are added, with column
names that correspond to the element and attribute names.
The data is displayed if Auto Preview is checked.

Note
Generating a preview of the data in a large XML file can be slow, so the Auto
Preview option is automatically deselected for XML files larger than 2 GB.

3. Repeat steps 1 to 2 to add any additional data structures that you want to include in the
Analytics table.
4. Click Next.

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Selecting and configuring XML

elements
Use the Select XML Elements page of the wizard to select or fine-tune the individual XML elements
and attributes that will appear in the resulting Analytics table. You can also modify column properties,
if necessary.
In the XML Elements treeview, Analytics provides a hierarchical representation of all elements and
attributes contained in the XML file. A green check mark identifies elements or attributes you
previously selected. If you previously selected multiple data structures, they are now combined in a
single Preview table. Data from the selected columns is displayed if Auto Preview is checked.

Note
Generating a preview of the data in a large XML file can be slow, so the Auto Preview
option is automatically deselected for XML files larger than 2 GB.

To select and configure elements:

1. If you want to remove a column, select the column in the Preview table and click Remove.
2. If you want to add a column, select the element or attribute in the XML Elements treeview and
click Create Column.

Note
If adding an element violates your intended Analytics table structure and causes
gaps to appear in the table, data of the same kind probably needs to be merged
in a single column (step 4 below).
If adding an element creates duplicate or multiple identical records (identical
except for the added element), more than one instance of the element probably
exists within a parent element and the instances need to be split into separate
columns.

3. If you want to move a column, select the column and click the left or right arrow button, or drag
the column to a new position.
4. If you want to merge data of the same type in a column, select the column in the Preview table,
select the element or attribute to add in the XML Elements treeview, and click Add to Column.
5. If you want to modify column properties, select the column in the Preview table and click
Column Properties .
Make any of the following changes in the XML Column Properties dialog box and click OK:
l Change the name of the column.
l Change the data type of a column.

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l If the column is assigned the Text data type, repeat the name of the column in each row of
the column.
l If an element is repeated in the data structure, assign specific instances of the repeated
element to the column. For example, if there are multiple <description> elements in a data
structure, you could assign only the first instance to a Description column.
l Remove a specific column from a merged column.
6. Click Next.

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Modifying XML column properties

Use the XML Column Properties dialog box to modify properties of the selected column. You can
specify how the field will be defined in the Analytics table, and the data that will be retrieved from the
XML file.
The Source column displays the hierarchy of each element selected as the field’s data source. For
example, a value of /catalog/cd/title/ describes the following nested structure in the XML file:

<catalog>
  <cd>
    <title></title>
  </cd>
</catalog>

To modify the properties of a column:

1. If you want to change the name of the column, enter the new name in the Column Name text
box.
The default value for the field is the name of the first source element. The Column Name value
is the name of the field in the Analytics table layout.
2. If you want to change the data type of the column select Text, Numeric, or Datetime in the
Column Type drop-down list.
If Analytics cannot determine the datetime format, enter the Date Format that matches the
data. The Date Format field appears when Datetime is selected.
If you change the column data type and data no longer appears in the column, the data type
and the data are mismatched.
3. If you want to remove an XML element from a column, select the element in the Source column
and click Remove.
4. If you want to display the name of the XML element in each row, instead of the data stored in
the element, select Name in the Type drop-down list. This option only applies to columns where
the column type is text.
5. If there are multiple instances of the same XML element at the same level in the hierarchy, and
you want to choose only one element or a subset, you can use the Instance field to specify the
instance(s) to select.
For example, if you entered a value of 2 in the Instance field, only the value in second
<description/> element would be selected for the column from the following example:

<organization>
  <company/>
  <description/>

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  <department/>
  <description/>
</organization>

You can enter a single number, multiple numbers separated by commas, a numeric range, or a
combination of these. For example, if you want to include the first instance, and the fifth to tenth
instances, in a single column, enter the following: 1, 5-10. By default, all instances are initially
displayed in the column.

Tip:
If you want to add different instances of a repeated element to different columns
in an Analytics table, you need to create a column for each instance and set the
Instance field to the appropriate value.

6. Click OK.

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About XML files

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language commonly used to transmit data between
computer systems or applications.Analytics can import any well-formed XML document. A well-
formed document is one that follows XML syntax rules.

XML file structure

XML files are structured in a standard way and support any number of hierarchy levels. Hierarchy
levels are represented by nesting XML elements within other elements. A data structure is a group of
elements that can be mapped to an Analytics table. Each data structure is identified with a table icon
in the Data Definition Wizard. When you define an XML file, Analytics identifies any data
structures in the file that can be used to create an Analytics table.

Mapping XML data structures to Analytics

tables
When you import a simple XML document with only one data structure, it can be mapped directly to
an Analytics table. If you have a more complex XML file with several data structures, you may be able
to combine the multiple data structures into a single Analytics table. If combining multiple data
structures does not give the desired results, you can import each data structure into a separate
Analytics table. You can then define relations between the resulting Analytics tables using the Relate
Tables command.

File extensions
XML files typically use a standard file extension (.xml). In some cases, other file extensions are used,
and the first line of the document identifies it as an XML file. If a non-standard file extension is used,
you need to manually select the XML file format in the Data Definition Wizard.

XML elements and attributes

XML uses elements and attributes to identify the structure and content of data. Analytics can import
both elements and attributes.
An element is a unit of XML data delimited by tags, and each XML element can enclose other
elements. In the following example, the name element defines the value “John Smith”:

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<name>John Smith</name>

An attribute provides additional information about an element. In the following example, the type
attribute specifies that the account element represents a checking account:

<account type="checking">991110101</account>

In the Data Definition Wizard, attribute names are automatically preceded by the @ symbol to
distinguish them from element names. For example, an attribute named “type” is displayed as
“@type”.

XML sample
XML files usually include a mixture of elements and attributes, and at least one data structure. The
following example shows the contents of a simple XML file that contains two client records:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<accounts>
  <client>
    <name>John Smith</name>
    <ID>JS004</ID>
    <account type="checking">991110101</account>
    <account type="savings">991110808</account>
  </client>
  <client>
    <name>Jane Smith</name>
    <ID>JS005</ID>
    <account type="checking">771110103</account>
    <account type="savings">771110303</account>
  </client>
</accounts>

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Import an XBRL file

You can create an Analytics table by defining and importing an XBRL file. The Data Definition
Wizard allows you to select the elements to import, and customize column headings and data types
for the elements you are importing.
1. Select File > New > Table.
2. If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, select Local and click Next.
3. In the Select Local Data Source page, select File and click Next.
4. In the Select File to Define dialog box, locate and select the file you want to create the
Analytics table from and click Open.
XBRL 2.1 files have a .xbrl or .xml file extension. The difference between an XBRL file and
other XML files is that in the XBRL file the top-level, or root, element tag is <xbrl>.
5. In the File Format page, verify that the XBRL 2.1 file option has been selected and click Next.
6. In the Select XBRL Contexts to Import page, select the XBRL contexts to include in the
Analytics table and click Next. For details on this process, see "Selecting XBRL contexts" on
page 338.
7. In the Select Elements to Import page, select the elements to include in the Analytics table
and click Next. For details on this process, see "Selecting XBRL elements" on page 337.
8. In the Preview Data page, you can modify the name and properties for each field by selecting
the appropriate column heading in the preview table, in the bottom half of the page, and
updating any of the following properties:
o Ignore this field – If you do not want the field to be included in the Analytics table layout,
select this checkbox.
o Name – Keep the name assigned by Analytics for the field in the table layout, or enter a
different name.
o Column Title – Enter the column title to display in the default Analytics view. If a column title
is not specified the Name value is used.
o Type – Select the appropriate data type from the drop-down list. For information about the
supported data types in Analytics, see "Data types in Analytics" on page 740.
The Decimal and Input text boxes appear automatically when you select the corresponding
data type.
o Value – A read-only property that displays the first value in the field. The value is updated
based on any edits you make.
o Decimal (numeric fields only) – Specify the appropriate number of decimal places.
o Input (datetime fields only) – Specify the format that matches the data. For more information
about date and time formats, see "Formats of date and time source data" on page 347.
9. Click Next after you have finished editing the field properties you want to change.
10. In the Save Data File As dialog box, enter a name for the Analytics data file, and if necessary
modify the location where the file will be saved, and click Save.

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11. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
12. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to the project, or keep the default name,
and click OK.

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Selecting XBRL elements

Use the Select Elements to Import page of the wizard to select the XBRL elements to include in your
Analytics table.
The Elements table lists all of the elements associated with the context(s) you previously selected. By
default, all the elements are initially selected for inclusion in the Analytics table.
To select the elements to import:
1. Do any of the following:
o Select or deselect the checkbox next to individual elements.
o Click Select All to select all of the elements.
o Click Deselect All to deselect all of the elements.
o Click Reverse Selection to select all of the deselected elements and deselect all of the
selected elements.
The Import Size panel displays the number of individual records that will be imported into the
Analytics table and the total number of records in the XBRL file.
2. When you have finished selecting XBRL elements, click Next.

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Selecting XBRL contexts

Use the Select XBRL Contexts to Import page of the wizard to select an XBRL context type and
individual contexts.
The XBRL data imported to an Analytics table must all be associated with the same context type
(instant, period, or forever). Importing multiple context types into a single Analytics table is not
supported.

Note
If you are working with a complex XBRL file you may need to, or may find it easier to,
define more than one Analytics table for the various contexts in the file, and then
define relations between the tables using the Relate Tables command.

To select XBRL contexts:

1. Select the Context Type you want to add to the Analytics table.
All contexts in the XBRL file with a matching context type are displayed in the Available
Contexts pane.
2. Select one or more contexts in the Available Contexts pane and click the right arrow button to
move them to the Selected Contexts pane.
You can also click Add All to add all available contexts. When you add one or more contexts to
the Selected Contexts pane, the Import Size panel displays the number of individual records
that will be imported to the Analytics table.
When you select an individual context in either pane, the Context Properties area displays
entity and period information. You can click View Scenario if any scenario information is
associated with the context.
3. When you have added all the contexts required for the Analytics table, click Next.

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About XBRL files

eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) is an XML-based standard for defining and
exchanging business and financial data. XBRL can be used to submit financial data to regulators, and
to transfer data between companies or between systems within a company. Analytics supports the
current XBRL 2.1 standard.
An XBRL instance document is an XML file that uses XBRL elements and conforms to the XBRL
standard. XBRL elements are also referred to as items . Examples of XBRL instance document types
include balance sheets, general ledgers, and financial statements.
An XBRL document is a valid XML file that often uses the standard XML file extension (.xml). The root
element <xbrl>, the first element in the file, identifies the file as an XBRL file.

About XBRL contexts

An XBRL document includes elements and data that define one or more contexts . Contexts
categorize the main body of data contained in the file. Each element or item in the file must reference
a particular context. Contexts specify the following:
l Entity – The company, business unit, etc., to which the data pertains.
l Period – The period for which the data is valid. There are three possible periods:
l Instant – The data is valid for a specific date or datetime. For example, the value of a bank
balance on 01 Jan 2012 at 9:00 a.m.
l Period – The data is valid for a specific date range or datetime range. For example, financial
transactions occurring between 01 Jan 2012 and 31 Dec 2012.
l Forever – The data is not date or time dependent. For example, an account number is valid
for an indefinite or undefined period of time.
l Scenario (optional) – Additional contextual information about the associated elements. For
example, whether the values contained in the elements are actual, projected, or budgeted.
An XBRL document can contain multiple contexts. For example, a document may contain one
context for the period 01 Jan 2011 to 31 Dec 2011, and another for the period 01 Jan 2012 to 31 Dec
2012. In the Data Definition Wizard, each context is available as a separate block of data that you
can choose to import or not.

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Defining Analytics Server database

profile data
If your company has one or more Windows Analytics server products installed and configured, and
you have created a server profile and database profile to connect to the data source, you can create
Analytics tables that directly access data from Oracle, SQL Server, or IBM DB2 databases.
Each time you open the Analytics table the most current data is retrieved from the database by
rerunning the query used to create the Analytics table. The WHERE and ORDER clauses can be
modified after the Analytics table is created.

Analytics Server table limitations

The following limitations apply when you define an Analytics table using a database profile:
l If you use an Analytics Server table in an Analytics join it must be the primary table.
l Only one Analytics Server table can be used in Analytics when relating tables and it must be
the parent table.
l You cannot index Analytics Server tables. If you need to order the data you must specify an
ORDER clause when you define the table, or modify the table properties in Analytics to add an
ORDER clause.
l The Quick Sort Ascending and Quick Sort Descending options are not enabled in the View
window for Analytics Server tables.

Steps
1. Select File > New > Table.
2. In the Select Platform for Data Source page, select ACL Server and select the Windows
server profile to use from the drop-down list, and click Next.
3. In the Select ACL Server Data Source page, select Database Profile and select the
database profile to use from the drop-down list, and click Next.
4. In the Select Database/Schema page, select the schema (Oracle) or database (SQL Server
and IBM DB2) to access from the Schema drop-down list and click Next.
5. In the Select Tables page, select the database tables, views, and synonyms/aliases to add to
your query by selecting the item in the Available Tables list and clicking the right-arrow button.
You can select up to five tables, but if you select more than one table, each additional table you
select must be related to a previously selected table. Selecting multiple tables, particularly
tables with large numbers of records, will typically result in longer wait times before data is
displayed in Analytics.
When you select more than one table, Analytics displays the Identify Relationship dialog box
which you must use to identify the field in the table you are adding that relates to a table that

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