AX2358

Using the GetData Function Wizard

You can use the GetData Function Wizard to assist you in building GetData functions. GetData functions can be used in Axiom files to return table data. For example, GetData can be used to:

  • Look up department and account descriptions for use in headers and labels in planning files and reports.
  • Look up drivers and statistics for use in planning calculations.
  • Return individual data points or summed data, such as NYB1 data for all revenue accounts for department 4200.

To use the GetData Function Wizard, right-click in any cell in an Axiom file and then select Axiom Wizards > GetData Function Wizard. You can also launch the wizard using the Function Library on the Axiom Designer tab.

In the wizard, you can specify a database column and table, and a filter criteria statement. You cannot complete the other optional parameters of GetData, and you cannot use cell references or Excel functions. However, you can use the wizard to create a basic function, and then edit the function as desired once it has been inserted into the spreadsheet.

The GetData function wizard can only be used to build new GetData functions, it does not edit existing functions. If you open the wizard from a cell that already contains a GetData function (or any formula or value), the contents of the cell will be overwritten with the new GetData function.

As you complete the wizard options, the GetData function is constructed in the Preview box at the bottom of the dialog. This box shows you what will be inserted into the cell when you click OK.

Selecting a column and table

In the wizard, the only required selection for GetData is the database column. When you select a database column, the table (third parameter) is completed automatically. If the selected column is an alias, the wizard specifies "Alias" as the table.

NOTES:  

  • To find the desired column, you can view the list by table, table type, folder, and alias. You can also filter the list by typing into the filter box.
  • To select an alias, you must set View by to Alias. This lists all aliases defined in the system. Alias columns are not listed under the tables they are associated with.

Key columns are automatically filtered out of the column list.

Defining a filter criteria statement

To define the filter criteria statement for the function, you can type a statement, or use the Filter Wizard . If you type a statement, you can use the Validate filter button to validate the filter syntax.

The filter criteria statement is not required, but it will be used in most cases. If the selected column is from a reference table, the filter criteria statement is necessary to specify the point of data to be returned. If the selected column is from a data table, the filter criteria statement is necessary to specify the rows to be summed, otherwise the function will return summed data for all rows.

See also