Text, checkbox & date

In addition to number and dropdown input columns, you can also use columns of types text, checkbox and date to capture manual data.

Let's cover them one by one.

If you are using Inforiver Writeback Matrix, you need to sign in to start inserting a data input column.

1. Inserting text data input fields

Text columns or measures can be inserted to capture text.

STEP 1: Select Text from the Data Input dropdown.

STEP 2: The text column side panel is shown in the image below.

You can choose to insert as a visual measure or column. Text entry can be enabled or disabled in the total/subtotal rows using the Allow entry on total/subtotal rows checkbox. Input access can be configured using the Allow input option.

Click Create.

Configuring a text data input field

STEP 3: The text column gets inserted. Double-click on any of the cells and start typing the text in the editor. Press Enter to commit the text entry.

Text data input field created

2. Using HTML content within text data input columns

You can include your HTML content within the Text data input column as well as in DAX measures, which can be written back.

Double-click within the Text data input column and click on the rich text editor icon, which opens the text editor window. Select the script option in the window, enter your HTML code, and click Apply.

Entering HTML code within the Text Data input column

The image below shows the Text rendered by the HTML code.

The inserted HTML code is rendered and displayed

While doing a writeback, you can choose to writeback as plain text or as text with Html tags.

This is done by enabling or disabling the Text input measure as HTML toggle under Export > Settings > Data tab in the Writeback Settings side pane.

Text input measure as HTML toggle in WriteBack Settings

The images below show the written-back text when the toggle is disabled and enabled.

WriteBack as HTML toggle is disabled

Writeback as HTML toggle is enabled

You can also add HTML code within a DAX measure, which will be rendered. The image below shows the DAX measure created with an HTML code.

DAX measure created using HTML

HTML code rendered within a DAX measure

The image below shows the DAX measure Comment-HTML and Comments Text column exported as HTML in PDF

DAX measure with HTML is exported in PDF when the "Writeback as HTML" toggle is enabled.

3. Configuration options for text data inputs

3.1. Word wrap

Inforiver provides an option to wrap the text for long entries that get truncated.

Click on the word wrap icon in the Home ribbon to wrap text as per the width of the field.

Word wrap feature for long text data inputs

3.2. Text validations

Inforiver allows adding data validations for text inputs. You can add validations to check the length and data type (numeric/text/alphanumeric).

When the text entered does not conform to the specified length, Inforiver throws an error and does not retain the incorrect entry.

Error thrown when entered text does not match the length specification

You can also enforce that a text entry should be an email or URL, or even provide a regular expression using the Custom option. For example, if you choose Email as Field Validation and the data entered is not a valid email ID, Inforiver will generate a pop-up error notification.

Data validation error when the entered text is not an email

2. Checkbox

Checkbox columns or measures can be inserted to capture binary inputs. Click on 'Checkbox' in the 'Data input' dropdown.

Data input column - Checkbox

The checkbox column side panel is shown in the below image.

You can choose to insert as a visual measure or column. Entry can be enabled or disabled in the total/subtotal rows using the 'Allow entry on total/subtotal rows' checkbox. Input access can be configured using the 'Allow input' option.

Click 'Create'.

Checkbox column

Click on any of the cells to check the checkbox.

Making a selection

Checkboxes are widely used in reports for data selection, such as shortlisting specific transactions or marking approval and review status. You can filter data based on checkbox values using the 'Checked' and 'Unchecked' options. An application within Inforiver Matrix would be to use the checkbox filter to Writeback only the selected records.

Applying filters on checkbox fields

3. Date

Date columns or measures can be inserted by clicking on 'Date' in the 'Data input' dropdown. You can insert an empty column or copy the dates from the rows in the report.

Data input column - Date

i) Create an empty series

When you select this option, an empty date column is created and the side panel opens as shown in the image.

Date column type properties

You can choose to insert it as a visual measure or column. Entry can be enabled or disabled in the total/subtotal rows using the 'Allow entry on total/subtotal rows' checkbox. Input access can be configured using the 'Allow input' option.

You can also configure other optional fields as below:

Format

The date format can be changed by clicking the 'Format' dropdown. Choose the desired format.

Date format

Minimum and Maximum Date

You can set the minimum and maximum date ranges for the date input. Users will not be able to enter any dates that fall outside this range. You can enter both dates to specify a range, or just the minimum or the maximum date. To select a date, click the calendar icon.

Minimum and maximum date ranges

Default value

In a report that has thousands of rows, manually entering or copying dates in a data input-date field can be a tedious task. In such cases, you can set a default date. All rows will be filled with the configured default date as soon as you click Create.

There are multiple options to set a default date:

• Static value: Use the date picker to set a common date for all the rows. In the image below, the created date column is pre-filled with the default date - 07/01/2024.

Static value as default date

• Measure: Select the measure (native measure/formula measure/date input column) from which the default date should be sourced. In the example below, the default value is sourced from a formula measure that is available within the same report.

Setting a measure value as default date

• Dimension: When you have a date dimension in your row, you can select the row dimension from which the default date must be picked. The default date in the example below is picked from the row dimension, 'Order Date'.

Setting a dimension value as default date

The default date option is available for both visual measures and visual columns. Invalid date format errors are implicitly handled as blanks for a clean export and writeback.

After configuring the required settings, click Create.

Create date column

The date column gets inserted.

Entering a date

To enter data, double-click on a cell. Select a date from the calendar/date picker.

Choosing a date as input

The date gets captured in the chosen format.

Date gets captured

ii) Copy from rows

If your report has a list of calendar dates in the row dimension, and you want to replicate the same dates in an input column, you can use the ‘copy from rows’ option, instead of manually entering it for each record.

Copy from rows

Inforiver automatically detects the date format which can be verified from the pop-up.

Automatic date format detection

In rare cases when the format mapping is not as expected, you can map them manually using the help suggestions and click Submit.

Suggestions for manual mapping

The date column is inserted as shown, which follows the dates in the rows. By default, the first of January is the fiscal year's start.

Date column inserted

Note: Inforiver accepts both hierarchical and non-hierarchical date formats. For example, the visual below has date formats such as half-years, quarters, and months assigned as individual fields instead of using a date hierarchy. Inforiver automatically maps them using the custom formats.

Mapping non-hierarchical date format

The inserted date column is shown below after setting the required fiscal year.

Date column inserted

Unconventional date formats are also accepted and automatically mapped.

Unconventional date formats mapped

Setting the start of the fiscal year

You also have the option to select the start of the fiscal year while copying the dates. Click 'Change fiscal year start' to choose.

Change fiscal year start

In the below example, the fiscal year start is set to April 5th. Click Submit to insert.

Fiscal year starting date is changed

The date column is inserted with the specified fiscal month and date.

Date column inserted

In the next section, we'll cover the data input features available only in Inforiver Writeback Matrix.