Viewing and manipulating the control desk extract results

A control desk allows you to extract and view selected data items. Some control desks also allow you to pass these data items on to another SunSystems functions, for example to print them.

When you run the control desk extract, the selected data items appear on the display form nominated for the control desk. The type of form that appears depends on the type of data being extracted by the control desk. For example, the transactions you extract when you run many of the standard Financials inquiries are displayed on the Financials Account Inquiry control desk.

Depending on how the control desk filter has been defined, you can perform the following actions on the extracted data:

  • resequence the data on display based on selected column(s).
  • if summary details have been set up for the filter, you can Implode the data to summarize it up to the next summary level, or if the data displayed is already summarized, you can Explode it to display the data in its detailed, presummarized format.
  • drill down to further details associated with a selected line being displayed, depending on the drill associations set up for the functions using Drill Association Designer.
Uwaga:  It may be possible to drill around to other linked data which would result in the launching of a new control desk, in a new session.
  • Select data items and pass them onto another batch process.

At any time you can choose to refresh or print the results of the control desk extract.

Imploding and Exploding the Results

The Implode and Explode commands are only available on a control desk if:

  • the filter being used summarizes the extracted data and supports the explode and implode commands.
  • the extracted data is displayed on a grid form.

The extracted data may be displayed initially in either a detail or summarized form. This is determined by the sort level that is selected as the summary level in Filter Designer.

Summarizing or Imploding the Data

If the data is displayed in a detailed form, it may be possible to summarize the data using either:

  • the Implode All action to summarize all of the details to the next level of summary OR
  • by highlighting the individual lines to be summarized and choosing the Implode action.

Summarized rows are identified with a '+' plus sign displayed in the first column of the grid. Multiple levels of summary are identified by multiple '+' plus signs. Up to four summary levels (implosions) can be performed for a single grid.

Uwaga:  When imploding data, only certain value columns are summarized, all other columns become spaces except for those that have been specified for the implosion level.

Detailing or Exploding the Data

Summarized data may be exploded using either:

  • the Explode All action, which expands all the data down to the next level of summary OR
  • by highlighting the individual lines to be exploded and choosing the Explode action.
Uwaga:  It is not possible to select, or to drill down/around, summarized rows where the drill column is blank.

See Using the Inquiry Results Forms for additional information on Explode and Implode.

Resequencing the Data

If the results of the control desks are displayed on a grid form, you may be able to resequence the data using the Sort action.

To resequence the data you select the column(s) to be sorted and then choose a Sort option from the Action menu, if it is available. The data is redisplayed at its lowest level of detail, in the selected sequence.

If you choose to sequence on multiple columns, the data sort sequence depends on the order in which you select the columns.

Uwaga:  If the resequence option is used, all summarized data is lost on the subsequent resequencing of the data.

Drilling Through the Results

The drill down facility allows you to inquire further on a selected piece of information by double clicking on the field.

For example, if you are viewing the journal lines posted to a particular account, you can drill down on the journal number to view the entire journal.

If you double click on a field and a drill association has not been associated with the data, you are prompted to choose the drill association you require.

Linking to the Data Entry Option

A control desk can include a specific action that links directly to the Entry facility for the type of data extracted by the control desk. For example, if the control desk extracts sales order details, this action would link to Sales Order Entry.

To use this option, you must first highlight a particular data item and then choose the Entry action.