Prompts

(The page is still under construction)

Query has many purposes. Users may want to write a quick, one-time report, which may be discarded after its initial purpose is served. Other times, the users may wish to create a query which they could use again in the future, or which they may want to share with another user at the institution or a colleague at another institution. If the selection delimiter, created via the ‘Criteria’ tab in Query, is hardcoded (i.e., INSTITUTION = ‘BAR01’, STRM = ‘1156’, etc.), then the Query would have to be modified for the new institution or a new term during a future use. Instead of hardcoding the selection criteria, prompts may be used.

What is a Prompt:

A prompt is a way of entering selection criteria every time the query is run. Prompts allow users to create a report for multiple users or multiple purposes. Often a prompt value is needed in order for another prompt to work properly. So creating a prompt on the INSTITUTION field allows the query to be shared with other CUNY institution; creating a prompt on STRM (term) allows the query to be used over time (semester); creating a prompt on ACAD_PROG (Program) or ACAD_PLAN (plan) allows users to select data for a particular program or plan.

The following demonstrate the creation of a prompt. A new prompt can be built using thru:

• ‘Criteria’ tab or
• ‘Prompts’ tab

1. Prompts via ‘Criteria’ tab:

• • Select the ‘Criteria’ tab.
  • Press the ‘Add Criteria’ button.
  • In the ‘Expression 1 Type:’ box, select Field or Expression – the default is Field.
  • In the ‘Expression 1:’ box, (if Field is chosen), search for the field that the query should delimit (i.e., INSTITUTION).
  • Choose the ‘*Condition Type:’. Press the selection dropdown for options.
  • In the ‘Expression 2 Type:’ box, select ‘Prompt’, which is not the default.
  • In the ‘Expression 2:’ box, select the ‘New Prompt’ link.
  • When the ‘Prompt’ definition page opens, select the Field name or use the value which Query populates.
  • Change the ‘*Heading Type:’, ‘*Type:’ or ‘*Format’ fields, as desired.
  • Change the ‘*Heading Text:’ to what the prompt should read. This is what the user will see when running the query.
  • Change the ‘*Edit Type:’ to reflect the editing for the query. ‘No Edit Table’ allows the query to run if the prompt field is blank (important for optional prompts). The other three options require a value in the prompt field for the query to run. 
  • In the ‘*Prompt Table:’, select a table which will validate the value in the prompt field. This is available only if the ‘*Edit Type:’ is ‘No Edit Table’ or ‘Prompt Table’.
  • Select the yellow ‘OK’ button, which returns you to the ‘Criteria’ build page.
  • Select the yellow ‘OK’ button, which returns you to all the query criteria.
  • Select the yellow ‘Save’ button.
  • Run the query to test the prompt.

     2.Prompts via ‘Prompts’ tab:

• • Select the ‘Prompts’ tab.
  • Select the yellow ‘Add Prompt’ button.
  • Under ‘Field Name’, click on the search icon.
  • Enter the full or partial name of the field and click on the yellow ‘Search’ button.
  • One or more options may appear. Select the field that you want.
  • Edit the prompt properties.
  • Change the ‘*Heading Type:’, ‘*Type:’ or ‘*Format’ fields, as desired.
  • Change the ‘*Heading Text:’ to what the prompt should read. This is what the query runner will see.
  • Change the ‘*Edit Type:’ to reflect the editing for the query. ‘No Edit Table’ allows the query to run if the prompt field is blank (important for optional prompts). The other three options require a value in the prompt field for the query to run.
  • In the ‘*Prompt Table:’, select a table which will validate the value in the prompt field. This is available only if the ‘*Edit Type:’ is ‘No Edit Table’ or ‘Prompt Table’.
  • Select the yellow ‘OK’ button, which returns you to the ‘Prompts’ build page.
  • Hit the yellow ‘Save’ button.
  • Use the new prompt is the Criteria tab.