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.  The other three options require a value in the prompt field for the query to run.

    NOTE that: No Edit Table allows the query to run if the prompt field is blank (important for optional prompts)
  • 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 criteria page
  • 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. The other three options require a value in the prompt field for the query to run.

    No Edit Table allows the query to run if the prompt field is blank (important for optional prompts).

  • 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.