AX1696

Displaying hyperlinks in web reports

Web reports can display hyperlinks within a column, so that each row can link to a designated page or plan file relating to the current row of the report. You can define two different types of links:

• Custom: Link to any page in the Axiom system by entering a relative URL. Variables can be used in the URL so that it is unique per row of the report.

• Plan File: Link to any set of plan files in the Axiom system. When using this option, Axiom dynamically generates the URL to each plan file on a per row basis, given a file group context. The row dimension of the report must be the key column of the plan code table in order to generate the links.

Example report with a hyperlink column

To configure a column in a web report to show hyperlinks:

1. On the Build tab of the Report Builder, in the Report Canvas, click a column name in either the Row Dimensions box or the Column Definitions box to select that column.

   You must select the column name in the setup boxes and not the column name in the grid below. Selecting a column name in the preview grid causes the Grid Configuration to display instead of the Column Configuration.

   NOTE: The ability to display hyperlinks within a column is not available if the report uses fixed rows. Additionally, the following column types cannot be enabled to display hyperlinks: dynamic columns and process columns.

2. In the Column Configuration panel, select the Advanced tab.

3. In the Link properties section, select Enable links.

4. Complete the Link properties as needed.

   

   Example hyperlink properties

Once a column is enabled to show links, the column will display the contents of the Link text property. If the Link text property is left blank, the normal column contents display. Column contents are styled as hyperlinks with blue underlined text when the report is viewed in Preview mode or in the report viewer.

Link properties

The following properties are available in the Advanced tab of the Column Configuration panel when Enable links is enabled.

Item	Description
Link type	Specifies the type of link to display in the column: Custom: You specify the relative URL for the hyperlink, including using variables to dynamically incorporate the current column value in the URL. Plan file: Axiom dynamically generates a hyperlink to the plan file associated with each row. In order to use this option, the report must have a specified File group context in the Report Configuration properties, and the row dimension must be the key column of the plan code table for that file group. For more information, see Setting up a report for plan file links. NOTE: This option only displays if the report meets the requirements to support plan file links. Otherwise, all links are custom links by default, and this option does not display.
URL	The URL to link on each row. The URL must be to a relative location within the Axiom system. When the report is viewed, the full URL will be generated by appending the relative URL to the current Axiom system address. To make the link dynamic, use the Insert Variable menu above the box to insert a variable for use within the URL. For more information, see Using variables in the link properties. For example, imagine that the report contains the key column of a plan code table (such as Dept or CapReq), and you want each plan code to link to the Process Routing page for a particular plan file process. The full URL to the Process Routing page uses the following syntax: https://mycompany.axiom.cloud/process/processdefinitionID/planfile?planvalue=plancode The process definition ID will be constant for the URL, but the plan code value needs to be the current row's department value. The {value} variable can be used for this purpose. The following relative URL with a variable would be entered into the URL field: /process/16682/planfile?planvalue={value} NOTE: The relative URL can be entered with or without the beginning forward slash. When the report is viewed, the column will resolve to use the full URL with the current column value. For example, the row showing Dept 22000 will have the following URL: https://mycompany.axiom.cloud/process/16682/planfile?planvalue=22000 When the user clicks on the hyperlink in this row, they will be taken to the Process Routing page for Dept 22000, for the plan file process associated with process definition ID 16682. NOTE: The URL property only displays if the specified link type is custom, or if the Link type option is not present because all links in the report are custom. When using the plan file link type, the URL to the plan file is automatically generated by Axiom.
Link text	Optional. Specifies the display text for the hyperlink column. Enter the desired text, using variables as needed. For more information, see Using variables in the link properties. If you want the link text to be the regular column value—meaning the same value that would display in the report if the column was not enabled as a link column—then you can leave this field blank. The regular column value is automatically used as the link text.
Link tooltip	Optional. Specifies the tooltip to show when a user hovers the cursor over the hyperlink. Enter the desired text, using variables as needed. For more information, see Using variables in the link properties.
Open link in new tab	Specifies whether the hyperlink opens in the same tab (replacing the report) or in a new tab. By default, the hyperlink opens in the same tab. Enable this option if you want the hyperlink to open in a new tab. NOTE: If the link type is Plan file and the plan files are spreadsheets that will open in the Axiom Desktop Client, then you should not enable this option because it does not apply. The links will work either way, but if you enable the option to open in a new tab, then Axiom will first open an empty browser tab and then launch the Desktop Client.

Using variables in the link properties

The following variables can be used in the URL, Link text, and Link tooltip properties, so that these values can be unique per row of the report. To insert a variable, use the Insert Variable menu above each field. Once the variable has been inserted into the field, you can enter any additional text as needed.

Item	Description
{value}	Resolves as the raw column value for the current row. For example, if the column is a numeric column, the value will not have numeric formatting and will show all decimal places. This variable is most appropriate for use in the URL property, when the URL contains the column value. For example, the URL to the Process Routing page contains the plan code value.
{formattedvalue}	Resolves as the formatted column value for the current row, honoring any default formats for the column type and applied formatting in the Column Configuration properties.
{column:TableName.ColumnName}	Resolves as the raw value in the specified table column, for the current row. This can be used if you need to reference a value from a different column than the current column in any of the URL properties. Edit the variable to replace the TableName.ColumnName text with the desired table column name. For example: {column:Dept.Description}
{column:TableName.ColumnName:format}	Resolves as a formatted value in the specified table column, for the current row. This can be used if you need to reference a numeric value from a different column than the current column in any of the URL properties, and you need to apply formatting to that numeric value. Edit the variable as follows: Replace the TableName.ColumnName text with the desired table column name. Replace the format text with syntax that indicates the desired numeric format. See the following table for details on this syntax. For example: {column:BGT2022.m1:$#,#}

NOTE: If you use a variable to display values from a different column as the Link text, the total row will continue to display the total of the actual column values. It is recommended to omit the column from the total row in this case.

Number format syntax

Number format syntax is case-sensitive. All examples assume the raw value is 1234.5678

Syntax	Description	Examples
0 (zero)	The zero placeholder replaces the zero with the corresponding digit if such is present. Otherwise, zero appears in the result string.	0 returns 1234 00000 returns 01234
# (pound)	The digit placeholder replaces the pound sign with the corresponding digit if one is present. Otherwise, no digit appears in the result string.	# returns 1234 ##### returns 1234
. (period)	The decimal placeholder determines the location of the decimal separator in the result string.	0.00 returns 1234.57 #.## returns 1234.57
, (comma)	The group separator placeholder inserts a localized group separator between each group.	0,0 returns 1,234 #,# returns 1,234
% (percent)	The percentage placeholder multiplies a number by 100 and inserts a localized percentage symbol in the result string.	#% returns 123456%
$ (dollar)	The currency placeholder specifies that the number will be formatted by using the currency culture settings. The $ symbol is replaced with the localized currency symbol. $ is interpreted as a format specifier in the format string.	$#,#.00 returns $1234.57

Setting up a report for plan file links

You can enable a column to link to plan files in a file group, without needing to manually create the necessary URLs to the plan files. The application will automatically generate the correct URL syntax to each plan file.

In order to do this, the report must be set up as follows:

• A file group must be specified as the File group context for the report. The plan file hyperlinks will open the plan files in the designated file group.

  • Click the gear icon to view the Report Configuration panel.

  • Click Edit over the File group context field.

  • Select a file group or file group alias, then click OK. Selecting a file group alias means the report will be dynamically associated with the file group that is currently assigned to the alias. For example, if the Current Budget alias is updated so that it points to the Budget 2023 file group instead of the Budget 2022 file group, the report will update to link to plan files in the Budget 2023 file group.

• The row dimension for the report must be the key column of the plan code table. For example, if the plan code table of the file group is Dept, the row dimension for the report must be Dept.Dept.

Example Report Configuration panel with a designated file group context

Once the report is configured so that plan file links are possible, then the Plan file link type becomes available as an option in the Link properties. Once this option is selected, the URL field becomes hidden because Axiom will automatically generate the necessary URL to the plan files.

In the following example, the Dept column has been enabled to contain hyperlinks to plan files. The Link text field has been left blank to use the column values in the Dept column, which have been configured to show descriptions.

Example link properties to use plan file links

When the report is viewed, the column enabled for plan file links will contain hyperlinks to the plan files in the designated file group. If the plan files are web-enabled, the hyperlinks open the plan files in the browser. If the plan files are spreadsheet-based, the hyperlinks open the plan files in the Axiom Desktop Client.

Example report with a column enabled for plan file links