Types of prompts in Microstrategy

Types of prompts in Microstrategy

The different types of prompts allow you to create a prompt for nearly every part of a report. Prompts can be used in many objects including reports, filters, metrics, and custom groups, but all prompts require user interaction when the report is executed.

The correct prompt type to create depends on what report objects you want users to be able to base a filter on to filter data, as described in the list below.

• Filter definition prompts allow users to determine how the report's data is filtered, based on one of the following objects:
• Attributes in a hierarchy: Users can select prompt answers from one or more attribute elements from one or more attributes. The attribute elements that they select are used to filter data displayed on the report. This prompt lets you give users the largest number of attribute elements to choose from when they answer the prompt to define their filtering criteria.
  For example, on a report displaying profit forecasts, if the prompt lets users select from the Product hierarchy, one user might choose to see forecasts for certain electronic products, while another user might select different electronics products, or all media products.
• Attribute forms: Users can select prompt answers from a list of attribute elements from a single attribute. This prompt is more restrictive than the hierarchy prompt, because the user has fewer attribute elements to select answers from.
• Attribute element lists: Users can select prompt answers from a limited list of specific attribute elements. This prompt is the most restrictive of the filter definition prompts, because the user has the fewest number of attribute elements to select answers from.
• Metrics: Users can define a metric qualification, which determines what data should be displayed for one or more specific metrics on the report.
• Object prompts allow users to select which objects, such as attributes, metrics, custom groups, and so on, to include in a report. Object prompts can determine the definition of either the report template or the report filter. Users can use this prompt to add more data to a report. Users can also choose from among a selection of filters, to apply a filter that is most useful for their analysis purposes.
• Value prompts allow users to select a single value such as a date, a specific number, or a specific text string. The value chosen by the user is compared to metric or attribute element values, and thus determines the data viewed by the user. Value prompts are used in metric qualifications. 

         The different kinds of value prompts are:

1. Date prompt: Users enter a specific date for which to see data. This prompt is used in a filter.
2. Numeric prompt: Users enter a specific number, up to 15 digits, which is then used as part of a filter, or within a metric, to look for specific numeric data.
3. Note: If a user enters more than 15 digits for a numeric prompt, the data is converted to scientific notation. If precision is needed beyond 15 digits, you should use a Big Decimal value prompt instead.
4. Text prompt: Users enter a word or phrase, which is then used as part of a filter to look for specific data with that text.
5. Big Decimal prompt: Users can enter up to 38 digits, to search for numeric data with the Big Decimal data type assigned to it.
6. Long prompt: Users enter up to 10 digits, to search for numeric data.
7. Prompts can also be used as part of a function expression, and value prompts are particularly suited to provide values for function arguments. 

• Level prompts allow the user to specify the level of calculation for a metric.
• System prompts are a special type of prompt that does not require an answer from the user. Instead, it is answered automatically by Intelligence Server. System prompts are located in the Public Objects/Prompts/System Prompts folder in MicroStrategy Developer