Writeback mode

In writeback mode, you can change the cell values of cells that contain a INFOR.GET.VALUE formula directly in your report.

By default, writeback mode is disabled for all users. The administrator can enable and disable writeback mode for specific users, groups of users, or all users. The administrator can also define whether writeback is enabled with or without splashing by defining a custom setting for Office Integration in EPM Administration. The custom setting must be named WritebackBehavior and, in the Value column, the administrator specifies one of these values:

  • 0

    Writeback is disabled for all users.

  • 1

    Writeback is enabled without splashing for all users.

  • 2

    Writeback is enabled with splashing for all users.

  • A value in the JSON format

    Used for specific users, user groups, or application roles. For example:

    {
       "D": "0",
       "Permissions":[
          {
             "ugo":["ReportDesigner","administrator","someone@somecompany.com"],
             "v":"2"
          },
          {
             "ugo":["ReportPlanner","guest"],
             "v":"1"
          }
       ]
    }

    The JSON string contains these elements:

    • D: Defines the default behavior of writeback mode. If it contains 0, writeback is disabled for all non-specified users.
    • ugo: Contains an array of specific users, user groups, or application roles. If a user has a different permission level than a role that is assigned to that user, then user permissions prevail. If a user has multiple roles, the writeback option for the role with the highest rank prevails.
    • v: Defines a writeback permission level for the specified users.

    The default behavior of writeback mode for all non-specified users (D) and a writeback permission level for specified users (v) is defined with one of these values:

    • 0: Writeback is disabled.
    • 1: Writeback is enabled without splashing. Writeback works on base cells. Aggregated cells are written back only if writeback rules are present. If they are not present on a rule-calculated cell or aggregated cell, writeback does not take place and a cell's original value is reverted back.
    • 2: Writeback is enabled with splashing.

    If "D" or "v" contain any other value than 0, 1, or 2, then writeback is disabled.

    The custom setting name and the value in JSON format are not case sensitive.

If the administrator modifies the WritebackBehavior custom setting, the affected users are notified.

If more than one custom setting is defined with the WritebackBehavior name, the name is incremented as WritebackBehavior1, WritebackBehavior2, etc. for each setting instance. The settings with the incremented names are not used by the system even if they contain valid JSON strings or simple value 0, 1, or 2. The system uses only the setting with the non-incremented name (WritebackBehavior) and a valid JSON string or simple value 0, 1, or 2.

If no WritebackBehavior custom setting is defined or if it contains no value or an invalid value, then writeback and splashing are disabled.

The WritebackBehavior custom setting is used only for the client. If you have no permission to perform writeback on the server, then writeback is not performed on the server. This happens if, for example, you have only view permission for the OLAP Data Role.

After writeback mode is enabled, you can specify new values directly in data cells. To perform writeback or splashing operations, specify new values for cells that contain an INFOR.GET.VALUE formula. The values are then written back to the database.

You can delete values with the #DEL or #DELETE function within the INFOR.WRITE.VALUE formula or you can specify #DEL or #DELETE in an active cell. In Office Integration, a deleted value is removed from the database but is displayed as 0 in a cell..

This is an example of the INFOR.WRITE.VALUE formula syntax:

INFOR.WRITE.VALUE("value", "data connection", "cube"{,"cell_property", "cell_coordinate",...})

The "value" parameter can be of any data type or can be a cell reference.

This table shows the result of using the "#DEL" or "#DELETE" function as the "value" parameter when the custom settings value is set to 1 or 2 in leaf or aggregated cells:

Custom settings value Cell type Result
1 Leaf cells

The value is deleted from the database.

0 is displayed in a cell.

1 Aggregated cells

#VALUE! is displayed.

The value is not deleted.

After the recalculation, the original value is restored.

2 Leaf and aggregated cells

The value is deleted from the database.

0 is displayed in a cell.

Multiple writeback

To perform multiple cell writeback, select a contiguous area, specify the writeback value and press Ctrl+Enter.
Note:  Only the writeback-enabled formulas can be used to write back values.

Splashing

You can also use writeback commands to specify different distribution methods. With splashing, you can specify how values that are written back to base elements affect their consolidated elements. You can select cells and change their values in the database. You might, for example, create a forecast for a year by increasing the values in a previous year by a particular percentage.

Note: We recommend that you perform one splashing operation at a time. If you preform multiple splashing operations simultaneously, you must ensure that the affected cells from one splashing operation are not in conflict with the affected cells from other splashing operations.

Calculation options

The writeback behavior depends on the calculation option that you select in the Microsoft Excel toolbar.

If you work on large reports, or want to make multiple changes at once, we recommend that you select the manual calculation option.

Automatic calculation

If automatic calculation is selected, the writeback is performed immediately.

When you specify a new value for a cell that contains an INFOR.GET.VALUE formula, that value is taken and the writeback is performed immediately. All value formulas are recalculated.

Manual calculation

If manual calculation is selected, writeback commands are executed only when you recalculate the report. To recalculate the report, click the required recalculation button in the writeback mode user interface or press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F9.

Manual calculation works similarly to non-immediate writeback. For example, when you type over the INFOR.GET.VALUE formula, no calculation or writeback is performed until you calculate the report. When you calculate the report, all the changes are processed in the order of the formula calculation that is defined by the Excel calculation engine.