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Using the Embedded Report Widget

The Embedded Report widget shows an SBM report on a transition or state form. Because the report is embedded, users can view relevant information without having to navigate away from the form. For example, when the Embedded Report widget is based on a relational field, fields in a related item can be displayed in the widget.

The report can be:

For details on configuring reports for the widget, refer to Embedded Report Configuration Dialog Box.

Referencing Reports Defined Outside SBM Composer

When you embed a report defined in Serena Work Center or the SBM User Workspace, you should use a special report URL that contains a report reference name. This preserves the report URL if the process app is promoted to another environment (such as a production environment).

If you do not use the report reference name, the report URL will contain a report ID and field IDs (for Query at Runtime fields). Report IDs and QAR field IDs change when a process app is promoted to another environment, so the report will not work in the new environment.

To reference a report:

  1. In Serena Work Center or the SBM User Workspace, create the report you want to reference.
  2. Save the report, and in the Save As section on the page, type a report name in the Title box, and type a reference name in the Reference Name box. The reference name must be unique within an application, but can be the same as the report title.
    Restriction:
    • The Reference Name box is only present if you have "Regular User" product access with the Remote Administration privilege (granted in SBM Application Administrator) or if you have "Managed Administrator" product access with the Deploy privilege (granted in SBM Application Repository).
    • This box is disabled if the Privilege Category is Private.
  3. In the confirmation message, click Reference Link. A message opens that contains the report URL.
  4. Alternatively, run the report, click the Copy URL to Clipboard icon, and then select Reference Link in the dialog box that opens.
  5. Press CTRL+C to copy the report URL to the Windows Clipboard.
  6. In SBM Composer, drag an Embedded Report Widget from the Form Palette to a custom state or transition form.
  7. Click Configure Report on the General tab of the widget Property Editor.
  8. Paste the URL into the Embedded Report Configuration Dialog Box that opens.
  9. The report URL may contain query-at-runtime parameters that enables users to select search criteria when the report runs. To map these parameters to these values, click the Query tab in the widget Property Editor, and follow the instructions in Using the String Builder Tool.
    Tip: When you embed a query-at-runtime report URL, note the following options:
    • You can include the part of the URL that specifies values for the query-at-runtime fields: 
      "&HasRuntimeParams=1&F_TS_CONTACT="
      ...and bind form field values to the query-at-runtime parameters.

      For example, if you added the Contact field to the form, you could bind the value of that field to the &F_TS_CONTACT= parameter, and the report on the form would show all the defects for this contact.

    • You can include the part of the URL that specifies values for the query-at-runtime fields: 
      "&HasRuntimeParams=1&F_TS_CONTACT="
      ...and not bind form field values to the query-at-runtime parameters.

      In this example, the report engine runs the report as if no value was selected in the query-at-runtime parameter for the report, and that part of the report query is ignored when building the report.

    • You can remove the part of the URL that specifies values for the query-at-runtime fields. This means SBM will run the report and ask the user for query-at-runtime field values.

Related Topics

Embedded Report Widget

Embedded Report Configuration Dialog Box

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