Changing view properties

You can change the settings used when initially inserting a view on the worksheet by changing the view properties. This is useful if want to change the layout or placement of the view on the worksheet or if you want to add or remove formatting. These rules apply:

  • The changes you make may overwrite existing data.
  • If you move the data area, any Excel formatting and any cell values derived from Excel formulas will automatically be preserved.

To change the properties of a view:

  1. With a workbook open, click Enter Design Mode for Views.
  2. Select CPM Views > View Properties .
  3. Click the Layout tab. This is where you select the layout of the dimensions and data area.
  4. If you want off-grid dimensions to display on the worksheet, select Place Dimensions on worksheet. If dimensions are being automated to display elsewhere, such as a toolbar, do not check this option.
  5. In the Automatic Placement Starts at Cell box, specify the location you want. Or, click on the button to the right and select a cell in the workbook itself.
  6. The Custom Placement list includes the dimensions that are defined in the view definition as either off-grid and visible or as on-grid with rotation enabled. You can select a custom starting point for each of these dimension cells. Select the dimension from the list on the left, and then select one of the three options on the right. The dimensions that appear are those defined for this view.
    Option Description
    Place automatically Select this option if ou want the dimension to display on the worksheet. This is selected by default.
    Place Dimension at cell Select this option if you want to place the dimension in a specific cell. Select the option and then enter the location or click on the button to the right and select a cell in the workbook itself.
    Do not place on sheet Select this option if you do not want the dimension to display on the worksheet.
  7. Select whether to place the member names To the right of the dimension name (Across), or Below a dimension name (Down).
  8. If you need to move the data area, specify a new starting cell in the Starting at cell box in the Data Area group. The data area and any Excel formulas or inserted rows or columns that you have defined within it are moved to the new location.
    Data area settings override any conflicting off-grid dimension settings. Excel Services will first try to place the dimension names going down the worksheet, not across. If there is not enough room between the off-grid dimensions and the data area, Excel Services will place the remaining dimensions/members across the worksheet.
  9. Click the Format tab.
  10. Select the Format as in view definition option if you want the dimensions to retain the formatting defined for the view. If you select this option, any changes to the view definition automatically display each time the workbook is opened. If you do not select this option, the existing formatting in the workbook is preserved; changes to the view definition are not reflected in the view unless the Reload View Definition command is selected.
  11. Select the Autosize dimensions option to adjust the columns to fit the text after the dimensions are inserted. If you de-select this option, text that requires a larger space than the column size allows will overrun into the next cell (if it is empty) or it is truncated. This is standard Excel behavior. If you check both autosize options, first the columns for the data area are autosized, and then the columns for the off-grid dimensions are autosized.
  12. Click OK. The off-grid dimensions and/or data area for the current view, if any, will refresh to respect changes to the properties.