Embedded Analytics Import

This program lets you import SYSPRO Embedded Analytics Dashboard packs (both standard and custom types) and all the associated files required to render the dashboard.

Exploring

The import process creates the required connections, sources and visuals it needs to populate the dashboard.

Imported dashboards are displayed in the Library of the Embedded Analytics Designer program, with the operator that imported the pack listed as the Author for that dashboard. From there you can modify and tailor the dashboard according to your requirements.

This program is accessed from the Program List of the SYSPRO menu:

  • Program List > Embedded Analytics

SYSPRO Business Activity Queries are SQL views that are created in the relevant company databases and (because they are defined in SYSPRO) are recognized as data sources. They provide a view into the business data commonly used during the typical business management process. The queries are built and secured in the core ERP system and then surfaced to users via their enterprise reporting and connectivity solutions.

An SYSPRO Embedded Analytics connection refers to the active connection with a smart connector that allows access to your data store.

Embedded analytics is the integration of data and analytics capabilities directly within SYSPRO.

This allows end users to access actionable insights and make better, faster decisions within their existing workflows, thereby improving product engagement and deepening customer relationships.

A Source configuration within SYSPRO Embedded Analytics is a bucketed collection of rows and columns pulled from a connected datastore (i.e. database). These collections and their cached aggregated results are used to drive the visual creation process, while simultaneously helping to build data-driven insights (i.e. dashboards).

A SYSPRO Embedded Analytics visualization (or visual or widget) is a single, reusable visual that’s driven by one of your defined sources. It's purpose is to be used as a component within Embedded Analytics dashboards.

Starting

To use this feature, the following module(s) must be installed according to the terms of your software license agreement:

  • SYSPRO Embedded Analytics

    In addition, you must have licensed Embedded Analytics designer seats configured within your SYSPRO license.

To use this program, the following setup option(s) must be configured appropriately:

Setup Options > System Setup > Connectivity

  • Application Gateway service settings

    This lets you connect to the SYSPRO Application Gateway service.

  • Embedded Analytics:

    • Embedded Analytics enabled

      This lets you activate or deactivate the usage of the SYSPRO Embedded Analytics feature.

    • Analytics Endpoint

      This lets you connect to SYSPRO Embedded Analytics.

    • Configure

      This configures your SYSPRO Embedded Analytics environment.

SYSPRO Ribbon bar > Setup > Operators

You can restrict operator access to programs by assigning them to groups and applying access control against the group (configured using the Operator Groups program).

You can restrict operator access to programs by assigning them to roles and applying access control against the role (configured using the Role Management program).

Solving

Each dashboard pack contains the following:

  • Dashboard configuration file

  • All Business Activity Queries used by the dashboard's visuals

  • Metadata file containing details about the pack

  • PDF document with detailed information pertaining to the dashboard within the pack

    Certain dashboards contain specific caveats in their use, which is explained, alongside the key metric definitions for each visualization on the dashboards.

To create an Embedded Analytics dashboard pack and export it (along with all its related files), proceed as follows:

  1. Open the Embedded Analytics Export program (Program List > Embedded Analytics).

  2. From the Dashboard listview, select the applicable dashboard that you want to export.

  3. Once selected, navigate to the Action column and select the Details function against the dashboard.

    This opens the Embedded Analytics Pack Details program, from where you can view the meta data associated with the selected dashboard.

    In addition, the BAQ details pane indicates all Business Activity Queries that are used by or associated with the selected dashboard pack.

  4. Within the Pack details form, update the entries as required:

    1. Name and Description:

      Leave as is, or edit as required.

      The more descriptive you are in your naming convention and description, the easier it is for other users to identify and understand the purpose of the dashboard pack.

    2. Owner:

      Indicate the user responsible for the dashboard pack creation.

    3. Documentation:

      Upload a PDF document to provide all the related details for the dashboard pack.

      This allows the creator of the dashboard pack to provide:

      • Documentation about the pack and what it hopes to achieve

      • What visuals are included within the dashboard

      • What users should expect to see in within the dashboard.

      Use the Preview function to view the document using the Document Viewer program.

    4. URL:

      Optionally indicate a website for more information about the dashboard author or their company.

  5. Select the Save function to record your changes.

    You are returned to the Embedded Analytics Export program.

  6. Select the Export Selected Dashboards toolbar function.

    This exports each pack in its entirety to a zip file (which includes all of its related files) with a seax extension.

    This zip file is exported to the \Work\Analytics folder on the application server.

    Considerations:

    • If the pack name already exists, a subscript is added to the end of the file name (e.g. Financial_Manager(1).seax).

    • The following characters are replaced in the file name:

      • All spaces are replaced by an underscore (_)

      • All semicolons are replaced by a dash (-)

  7. Exit the program.

To import an Embedded Analytics dashboard pack (along with all its related files), proceed as follows:

  1. Open the Embedded Analytics Import program (Program List > Embedded Analytics).

    You are presented with a list of all Embedded Analytics dashboard packs found within the following folders on the application server:

    • \Base\Samples

    • \Work\Analytics

  2. From the listview, select the applicable dashboard that you want to import.

  3. Once selected, navigate to the Details column and select the Details function against the dashboard.

    This opens the Embedded Analytics Pack Details program, from where you can view the meta data associated with the selected dashboard.

    In addition, the BAQ details pane indicates all Business Activity Queries that are used by or associated with the selected dashboard pack.

  4. Within the Pack details form, you can optionally preview the PDF document saved against the Documentation field.

    This allows the creator of the dashboard pack to provide:

    • Documentation about the pack and what it hopes to achieve

    • What visuals are included within the dashboard

    • What users should expect to see in within the dashboard.

  5. Exit the Embedded Analytics Pack Details program to return to the Embedded Analytics Import screen.

  6. Select the Import toolbar function.

    The import process creates the required connections, sources and visuals it needs to populate the dashboard.

  7. Exit the program.

Imported dashboards are displayed in the Library of the Embedded Analytics Designer program, with the operator that imported the pack listed as the Author for that dashboard. From there you can modify and tailor the dashboard according to your requirements.

The standard template dashboard packs (supplied by SYSPRO) are shipped with the product and stored within the \Base\Samples folder.

Custom template packs (created by third-party developers) can be stored within the \Work\Analytics folder on the SYSPRO Application server (i.e. you can't export a pack to a client-side folder).

Custom packs are not copied to the \Base\Samples folder.

If you delete a dashboard and then need to import it anew, you must first delete the current dashboard, as well as the visuals and sources that were created by the dashboard import process.

Failure to carry out this step will result in old visuals and sources being used in the re-imported dashboard.

This is to ensure that the re-import is successful and not at risk of using old sources or components.

Using

For an out of the box analytics experience within SYSPRO, the template dashboards offer pre-configured analytics experiences that cater to specific roles within your organization, providing insights into the various aspects of your business.

Not only do these template dashboards provide fully interactive workspaces for specific roles within an organization to engage with, but they also provide examples for learning how to create dashboards for embedding within SYSPRO.

  • Customer Analysis for Accounts Receivable

  • Supplier Analysis for Accounts Payable

  • Cashbook for Treasury Department

  • Finance Manager

  • General Ledger Analysis

  • General Ledger Dimension Analysis

  • Job Status Board

  • Production Capacity Board

  • Production Throughput Analysis

  • Inventory Management Analysis

  • Inventory Management Operations

  • Sales Analysis

  • Sales Orderbook

  • Supplier Performance

  • Supply Chain Analysis

  • Supply Chain Operations

  • WMS

  • System Utilization

Template Utilization

When using any of the template dashboard packs, be aware of the following:

  • The template dashboard packs are zipped files with a seax extension:

    • The naming convention for the Standard Template packs is:

      SEA_{short_name}.seax

      Where {short_name} indicates the unique name captured as part of the pack's meta data.

    • The standard template dashboard packs (supplied by SYSPRO) are shipped with the product and stored within the \Base\Samples folder.

    • Custom template packs (created by third-party developers) can be stored within the \Work\Analytics folder on the SYSPRO Application server (i.e. you can't export a pack to a client-side folder).

      Custom packs are not copied to the \Base\Samples folder.

  • Each dashboard pack contains the following:

    • Dashboard configuration file

    • All Business Activity Queries used by the dashboard's visuals

    • Metadata file containing details about the pack

    • PDF document with detailed information pertaining to the dashboard within the pack

      Certain dashboards contain specific caveats in their use, which is explained, alongside the key metric definitions for each visualization on the dashboards.

  • The Embedded Analytics Import program lets you seamlessly import the templates you require into all companies available within your SYSPRO environment.

    Whereas the Embedded Analytics Export program lets you export your dashboards from one SYSPRO instance to another.

  • Imported dashboards are displayed in the Library of the Embedded Analytics Designer program, with the operator that imported the pack listed as the Author for that dashboard. From there you can modify and tailor the dashboard according to your requirements.

SYSPRO takes no responsibility for the use of these template dashboards in an organization for decision-making, reconciliation, and accounting purposes. SYSPRO provides no warranties or support in their use and every organization has unique requirements and caveats that govern their business or accounting, and as such the design of the template, and dashboards may not cater for every need based on your setup rules, configuration options and system setup.

  • Columns in a listview are sometimes hidden by default. You can reinstate them using the Field Chooser option from the context-sensitive menu (displayed by right-clicking a header column header in the listview). Select and drag the required column to a position in the listview header.

  • Fields on a pane are sometimes removed by default. You can reinstate them using the Field Selector option from the context-sensitive menu (displayed by right-clicking any field in the pane). Select and drag the required fields onto the pane.

    The captions for fields are also sometimes hidden. You can select the Show Captions option from the context-sensitive menu to see a list of them. Click on the relevant caption to reinstate it to the form.

    If the Show Captions option is grayed out, it means no captions are hidden for that form.

  • Press Ctrl+F1 within a listview or form to view a complete list of functions available.

Referencing

This lets you import Embedded Analytics dashboard and all of its associated files and Business Activity Queries.

Imported dashboards are displayed in the Library of the Embedded Analytics Designer program, with the operator that imported the pack listed as the Author for that dashboard. From there you can modify and tailor the dashboard according to your requirements.

This selects all dashboard packs within the Template Packs listview.

The listview is refreshed when you select this function.

This deselects all dashboard packs within the Template Packs listview.

The listview is refreshed when you select this function.

This refreshes the data displayed.

This pane provides a list of all Embedded Analytics dashboard packs found within the following folders on the application server:

  • \Base\Samples

  • \Work\Analytics

Column Description

Selected

This lets you select which dashboard packs within the listview you want to import.

Name

This indicates the name of the dashboard pack and may contain the targeted user, department or role.

For example:

  • Cashbook Analysis for Treasury Department

  • Sales Orderbook

Description

This indicates the description of the Embedded Analytics dashboard pack.

Owner

Indicate the user responsible for the dashboard pack creation.

Created date

This indicates the date on which the pack was created.

Modified date

This indicates the date on which the pack was last maintained.

Version

This indicates the current version number of the dashboard pack.

This version number is automatically incremented every time a pack is maintained.

Details

Select the Details link within this column to view or edit the meta data associated with the selected dashboard pack, using the Embedded Analytics Pack Details program.

Extract path

This indicates the location to which the pack will be imported.

File name

This indicates the file name of the dashboard pack.

File date

This indicates the date on which the dashboard pack was created.

Folder

This indicates the location of the dashboard pack file.