Custom attributes are additional categories of information that will be associated with your data, allowing you to customize the definition of each object type. You configure custom attributes sitewide using Visual KPI Designer.
An attribute definition includes an Attribute Name, Description, and Default Values. The Default Values are presented as a list in a pull-down menu within your KPI data definitions, allowing you to select one of the default members.
Visual KPI allows you to define up to 20 attributes, each of which is added to the structure of your KPI data definitions, using the Attribute Name as the column header.
Standard vs. Custom Attributes
Visual KPI comes with standard attributes out of the box. These attributes are defined by default, but you can define custom attributes in Visual KPI Designer using the Advanced Attributes feature.
Define Custom Attributes
Open the Attributes worksheet.
Click the Sitewide Settings configuration icon () and select Advanced/Attributes.
The Attributes configuration worksheet is added to the workbook. If it already exists in the workbook, the KPI Status configuration worksheet is activated and the current configuration data is retrieved from the database and displayed.
Attributes Configuration Toolbar
When you select one of the sitewide settings menu options, a worksheet opens with the related configuration data. For each worksheet, icons appear in the toolbar that affect only the data related to the selected worksheet.
Add an Attribute
Enter the Attribute Name. This is the text that will be used as the column header in the KPI data definitions.
Note: Use caution when naming your attributes. Do NOT use the same name for multiple attributes.
- The Reference Count is automatically updated each time you open the Attributes, indicating the number of selection queries that reference the attribute.
- Enter a Description for the attribute.
- In the Default Values column, enter the default members of the list, separated by semicolons. Example: Electricity;Electricity & Natural Gas;Natural Gas. Default Values are displayed in a list form in the attribute’s column in the KPI Data worksheets (only in the Visual KPI Designer).
- To save an attribute definition, enter an “x” in the (x) column for the attribute. Ensure all other attributes that you do NOT want to save do NOT have an “x” in their (x) column. Click the Save Attributes icon in the Attributes configuration toolbar. Only the marked attributes are saved.
Show KPIs with Attributes
Click the Membership of Selected Attributes icon () in the Attributes configuration toolbar to open a new worksheet that shows all KPIs configured with these attributes.
The new worksheet shows each attribute and all KPIs associated with the attribute.
