The Barcode Reader prompt lets users scan an item's barcode using the iPhone camera to answer a prompted report or document. Users can also type the barcode directly using a numeric keypad.
Note: Users can only scan item barcodes on the iPhone. However, the numeric keypad is available on both the iPhone and iPad.
You can add a Barcode reader prompt to a report or document by defining a prompt and setting its display style to Barcode Reader. The prompt as then displayed as a Barcode Reader when the report or document is executed on the iPhone or iPad.
You can:
Define a Value prompt with the display style set to Barcode Reader to filter report results based on a product barcode.
Define an Attribute Element prompt with the display style set to Barcode Reader to search for an item in an attribute element list. If an item's barcode matches the barcode scanned or typed by the user, its name is returned in the search and can be selected to answer the prompt.
Note: To support the scanning of barcodes using MicroStrategy Mobile for iPhone or iPad, you must store the barcode data used in the associated prompt with a database data type that supports text data. MicroStrategy recommends using the VarChar data type for your database to store the barcode data.
The following barcode types are supported:
UPC-A
UPC-E
EAN-8
EAN-13
For general information about prompts, see About prompts. For more information on prompts displayed on the iPhone or iPad, including the Geo Location and Barcode Reader prompts, see Creating iPhone and iPad prompts.
DHTML must be enabled. See Enabling DHTML in MicroStrategy Web.
If you want analysts to answer a prompt by selecting from the results of a search object, a search object must already be created.
Do one of the following:
On the MicroStrategy Web home page, click Create Prompt. The Create Prompt page opens, with a list of the types of prompts you can create. Click Value.
From any
folder page, click the Create Prompt
icon on the menu.
To define the prompt type to be presented to the user
The Create Prompt page opens. Select the Text prompt option.
On the General tab, specify a title and instructions for the prompt in the Title and Instructions fields.
To restrict the number of prompt answers
To require users to answer the prompt before running the report, specify whether the prompt requires an answer. Select the Prompt answer is required check box.
To specify the minimum number of characters that can be entered as a bar code, select the Minimum number of characters check box and type a value in the field.
To specify the maximum number of characters that can be entered as a bar code, select the Maximum number of characters check box and type a value in the field.
You can determine whether users can save and reuse their prompt answers, and if so, how many prompt answers they can save for the prompt. From the Personal answers allowed drop-down list, select one of the following:
None: Users cannot save and reuse prompt answers.
Single: Users can save and reuse only one prompt answer.
Multiple: Users can save and reuse multiple prompt answers.
To specify the layout and display style of the prompt
On the Style tab, from the Display style drop-down list, select Barcode Reader.
To ensure that the prompt's text fields and options are of a fixed size, select the Fixed textbox width check box and type a value in the field.
To save the prompt
To save the prompt, select Save As. The Save As dialog box opens.
Specify a name, description, and the location in which to save the prompt and click OK.
DHTML must be enabled. See Enabling DHTML in MicroStrategy Web.
If you want analysts to answer a prompt by selecting from the results of a search object, a search object must already be created.
Do one of the following:
On the MicroStrategy Web home page, click Create Prompt.
From any
folder page, click the Create Prompt
icon on the menu.
The Create Prompt page opens with a list of the types of prompts you can create. Click Attribute Element List.
To determine the attribute whose elements the user is able to choose from
Click Select Attribute. Select the attribute whose elements are displayed in the prompt and click OK. Users select their filter criteria from a list of these attribute elements.
To define the specific elements the user is able to choose from
Choose one of the following options:
List all elements (no restriction): This option displays all of the attribute’s elements to the user when he is answering the prompt.
Use a predefined list of elements: Select this option to create a list of attribute elements from which users can choose. Click Add, select the elements to include in the list, then click OK. To remove an object, highlight it and click Remove. To remove all items, click Clear.
Use a filter to reduce the number of elements: This option is useful for attributes with a large number of elements, such as Customer or Employee. You can select a filter that returns a specific set of customers, for example, the top 100 customers this month. Browse to and select the filter.
On the General tab, specify a title and description for the prompt in the Title and Instructions fields.
To restrict the number of prompt answers
To require users to answer the prompt before running the report, specify whether the prompt requires an answer. Select the Prompt answer is required check box.
Set the maximum and minimum number of prompt answers allowed, if desired. Enter these numbers in the Minimum number of answers and Maximum number of answers fields. You can specify a minimum number even if you do not specify a maximum number.
Determine whether users can save and reuse their prompt answers, and if so, how many prompt answers they can save for the prompt. From the Personal answers allowed drop-down list, select one of the following:
None: Users cannot save and reuse prompt answers.
Single: Users can save and reuse only one prompt answer.
Multiple: Users can save and reuse multiple prompt answers.
To specify the layout and display style of the prompt
On the Style tab, from the Display style drop-down list, select Barcode Reader.
From the Barcode mapping attribute form drop down list, select the attribute form to use to look up item barcodes. When a user scans or types a barcode with the iPhone, the barcode value is used to filter the list of attribute elements. Only the elements whose attribute form value matches the barcode are displayed.
To save the prompt
To save the prompt, select Save As. The Save As dialog box opens.
Specify a name, description, and the location in which to save the prompt and click OK.
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