Can I execute a BR after saving data?

Jorge_Haces
New Contributor II

I'm trying to execute a calc after an input data in a CV, when the user click in the OS default save button (giving the flexibility to use a DB, CV or Excel addin with the same CV)

Is possible?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

If you are going to do this in EXCEL, your option will be to use WcfEventHandler. I wouldn't recommend using SaveDataEventHandler as that will run on every save operation.

View solution in original post

11 REPLIES 11

You'll have to use event handlers to do that. I would suggest using forms and then check which cubeview the handler came from and run a DM sequence.

Now few things that you need to keep in mind, the forms event handler will not work if your form is a dashboard(it cannot check which cubeview). You could use a SaveData event handler. However, that will be executed for every data save (which is not what you need).

If you are going to do this in EXCEL, your option will be to use WcfEventHandler. I wouldn't recommend using SaveDataEventHandler as that will run on every save operation.

ChrisLoran
Valued Contributor

I am surprised nobody's put this onto IdeaStream yet, a sort of auto-run-on-save, natively onto the platform, particularly since some older EPM products like Hyperion Planning had this as standard on their form designer.

Personally I'd like to see something like this

ChrisLoran_0-1675163737915.png

Many would say "this can all be done using Dashboard buttons", but of course (a) it doesn't stop you pressing the native save button on the standard toolbar, and (b) if you hide the standard CubeView toolbar in your dashboard, then you also lose the ability to export to PDF/Excel etc, and (c) like you mention, it doesn't work when saving from Spreadsheets/Excel, or non-dashboards.

It really is surprising that this functionality is not suggested in Idea Stream. For now, WcfEventHandler is the way to go.

GREAT IDEA CHRIS!

ChrisLoran
Valued Contributor

* As ck mentioned earlier, I would not use a SaveDataEventHandler because that will intercept every cell being written to the data unit, including calculate/setDataBuffer etc.
* I would also no recommend using a FormsEventHandler, because that only runs if the CubeView is run from a Forms workflow (won't work in dashboards, and won't work from Excel).

Personally, I use a WorkflowEventHandler, with the conditions:
If Not args.IsBeforeEvent _
AndAlso args.OperationName = BREventOperationType.Workflow.UpdateWorkflowStatus

This gets fired on any user-input data save, whether it be CubeViews/Form WF steps/Dashboards/Embedded Spreadsheet, or through Excel.

args.Inputs(3) contains what is called a Workflow Impact Message.
You need to test that it begins with the following text:
Dim strImpactMessage As String = args.Inputs(3)
If strImpactMessage.StartsWith("Reason = Save Data Cells") Then
 '--- run your custom finance calculation
End If

This string will also contain
The Data Entry Type, whether it is Excel or CubeView
The CubeView name (if applicable) that was used to save data
The TaskActivityID, from which you can lookup any data units affected by the save.

wnindl
New Contributor III

Chris,
Hope all is well. Need to bug you with a question.
First of all thanks for the source code. 
Do you by any chance already have a C# WorkflowEventHandler.
I am stuck at converting args.input(3) to C#.
Thanks in advance.

ChrisLoran
Valued Contributor

Sorry for the delay.
Here is a C# equivalent.

This has not been rigorously tested on a customer-like environment with multiple users. Therefore you must test it yourself.  Pay particular attention that it should execute only once when saving a cube view. It could have multiple threads attempting to run the event handler at the same time, so please check this doesn't happen in your application. This is why there is a lock statement in the event handler, to prevent multiple threads from the same session trying to run the Event Handler at the same time.

 

 

 

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.Common;
using System.Globalization;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Microsoft.CSharp;
using OneStream.Finance.Database;
using OneStream.Finance.Engine;
using OneStream.Shared.Common;
using OneStream.Shared.Database;
using OneStream.Shared.Engine;
using OneStream.Shared.Wcf;
using OneStream.Stage.Database;
using OneStream.Stage.Engine;

// ------ CGL, Aug 2018, revised 2022 ---
// ------ Used to capture the standard cube-view SAVE button on the toolbar, to auto-run a specific Custom Finance BR on save -----

// ------ COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ----
// ---  Q. Why don't you just use a calculate button on a dashboard?
// ---  A. Because people will still press the regular toolbar save button and wonder why the auto-calc didn't work
// ---     You can hide the standard toolbar to prevent the standard save button, but then you lose all the other toolbar functions

// ---  Q. Why don't you use the Form event handler?
// ---  A. Because it doesn't fire when you save a cube view that's in a dashboard

// ---  Q. Why don't you use the SaveData event handler?
// ---  A. Because that runs for every data cell being written to the data unit and even captures calculated cells being written. So your application will grind to a halt when doing a cube calc.

// ---  Q. Why don't you use Process Cube button?
// ---  A. Because this isn't a typical consolidation use-case, and you only need to re-calculate limited/specific durable cells and have an almost instant calculation.
// ---     The last thing you want with an auto-calc-on-save is a status bar every time you press save And clog up your task activity log.

namespace OneStream.BusinessRule.WorkflowEventHandler.WorkflowEventHandler
{
    public class MainClass
    {
        private static Guid gPrevRunId = Guid.Empty;

#region "Class Definitions"
        private class RuleAndFuncPair
        {
            internal string strBRName;
            internal string strFuncName;

            public RuleAndFuncPair(string b, string f)
            {
                strBRName = b;
                strFuncName = f;
            }
        }

        private class CubeEntityPair
        {
            internal string strCube;
            internal string strScenario;
            internal int iScenarioId;
            internal string strEntity;
            internal int startTimeId;

            public CubeEntityPair(string c, string e)
            {
                strCube = c;
                strEntity = e;
                startTimeId = DimConstants.Unknown;
            }

            public CubeEntityPair(SessionInfo si, int cid, int sid, int eid, int tid)
            {
				
                strCube = BRApi.Finance.Cubes.GetCubeInfo(si, cid).Cube.Name;
                iScenarioId = sid;
                strScenario = BRApi.Finance.Members.GetMemberName(si, (int) DimTypeId.Scenario, sid);
                strEntity = BRApi.Finance.Members.GetMemberName(si, (int) DimType.Entity.Id, eid);
                startTimeId = tid;
            }
        }
#endregion
		
        private readonly string strKeyValueExcel = "_Excel";
		private readonly string strReasonSaveDataCells = "Reason = Save Data Cells";

        public object Main(SessionInfo si, BRGlobals globals, object api, WorkflowEventHandlerArgs args)
        {
            try
            {
                object returnValue = args.DefaultReturnValue;
                args.UseReturnValueFromBusinessRule = false;
                args.Cancel = false;

                if (!args.IsBeforeEvent && args.OperationName == BREventOperationType.Workflow.UpdateWorkflowStatus)
                {
					string strWFImpactMessage = args.Inputs[3].ToString();

                    // In this case , Inputs[3] is what is called internally the "Workflow Impact Message"
                    // It is constructed by the OneStream.Finance.Engine.DataCellWrite class, and spread over 5 lines of text:
                    // Reason = Save Data Cells
                    // Data Entry Type       = dataEntryAuditItem.Info.DataEntryType.ToString()
                    // Cube View Or Filename = dataEntryAuditItem.Info.CubeViewOrFileName
                    // Data Entry Audit ID   = dataEntryAuditItem.Info.UniqueID.ToString()
                    // Task Activity ID      = dataEntryAuditItem.Info.TaskActivityID.ToString()

                    if (strWFImpactMessage.StartsWith(strReasonSaveDataCells)) {
			            bool bMustExit = false;
			            DataEntryAuditInfo da = ConvertStringArgsToAuditInfo(si, strWFImpactMessage);						
			            lock ((args))
			            {
				            if (da == null)
				                throw new XFException(si, "WorkflowEventHandler Error: unable to get DataEntryAuditInfo", strWFImpactMessage);
							
			                if (da.UniqueID == gPrevRunId)
			                    bMustExit = true;    // -- there is another thread alredy running this save action, so exit --
			                else
			                    gPrevRunId = da.UniqueID;
			            }
			            if (!bMustExit)	this.RunCubeBR(si,globals,api,da,strWFImpactMessage);
					}

                }
                return returnValue;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                throw ErrorHandler.LogWrite(si, new XFException(si, ex));
            }
        }

        public String GetRHS(string str)
        {
            int EqualsPos = str.IndexOf('=');
            if (EqualsPos > 0)
                return str.Substring(EqualsPos + 1).Trim();
            else
                return string.Empty;
        }


        private DataEntryAuditInfo ConvertStringArgsToAuditInfo(SessionInfo si, string strWFImpactMessage)
        {
            String[] strLines = strWFImpactMessage.Split(new String[] {Environment.NewLine}, StringSplitOptions.None);
            if (strLines.Length >= 5)
            {
                DataEntryAuditInfo daInfo = new DataEntryAuditInfo();
                daInfo.DataEntryType = (DataEntryType)Enum.Parse(typeof(DataEntryType),this.GetRHS(strLines[1]));

                if (daInfo.DataEntryType == DataEntryType.CubeView)
                    daInfo.CubeViewOrFileName = this.GetRHS(strLines[2]);
                else if (daInfo.DataEntryType == DataEntryType.Excel)
                    daInfo.CubeViewOrFileName = string.Empty;
                daInfo.UniqueID = Guid.Parse(this.GetRHS(strLines[3]));
                daInfo.TaskActivityID = Guid.Parse(this.GetRHS(strLines[4]));
                return daInfo;
            }
            else
                return null;
        }
		
#region "Run Cube View BR"
        private void RunCubeBR(SessionInfo si, BRGlobals globals, object api, DataEntryAuditInfo da, string strWFImpactMessage) // WorkflowEventHandlerArgs args)
        {

            if (da.DataEntryType != DataEntryType.CubeView && da.DataEntryType != DataEntryType.Excel)
                // -- if it's not a CubeView or Excel then don't do anything
                return;

            if (da.DataEntryType == DataEntryType.CubeView && string.IsNullOrEmpty(da.CubeViewOrFileName))
                throw new XFException(si, "Error, cannot obtain Cube View from Workflow Impact Message", strWFImpactMessage);

            RuleAndFuncPair whatToRun = GetBRfromCubeView(si, da);

            if (!(whatToRun == null))
            {
                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(whatToRun.strFuncName) & !string.IsNullOrEmpty(whatToRun.strBRName))
                {
                    List<CubeEntityPair> strEnts = GetDataEntryEntities(si, da.UniqueID);
                    if (strEnts.Count == 0)
                        throw new XFException(si, "Unable to get entity from saved data, please reselect the entity from drop-down list and try again", strWFImpactMessage);
                    else
                        System.Threading.Tasks.Parallel.ForEach(strEnts, e =>
                        {
                            string strTimeFilter = this.GetTimeFilter(si, e.iScenarioId, e.startTimeId);
                            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(strTimeFilter))
                                throw new XFException(si, "Error could not get the time periods for which to auto-run calculations", whatToRun.strBRName + ":" + whatToRun.strFuncName);

                            Dictionary<string, string> nameValue = new Dictionary<string, string>();
                            nameValue.Add(DimType.Consolidation.Name, ConsMember.Local.Name);
                            nameValue.Add(DimType.View.Name, ViewMember.YTD.Name);
                            nameValue.Add(DimType.Time.Name, string.Empty);

                            nameValue.Add(CustomCalculateWcf.constTimeFilter, strTimeFilter);
                            nameValue.Add(DimStringConstants.Cube, e.strCube);
                            nameValue.Add(DimType.Scenario.Name, e.strScenario);
                            nameValue.Add(DimType.Entity.Name, e.strEntity);
                            BRApi.Finance.Calculate.ExecuteCustomCalculateBusinessRule(si, whatToRun.strBRName, whatToRun.strFuncName, nameValue, CustomCalculateTimeType.MemberFilter);
                        });
                }
            }
        }
#endregion

#region "Helper Functions"		
        private String GetTimeFilter(SessionInfo si, int sId, int iStartTimeId)
        {
            ScenarioType st = BRApi.Finance.Scenario.GetScenarioType(si, sId);

            if (st == ScenarioType.Actual)
                return "T#" + TimeDimHelper.GetNameFromId(iStartTimeId);
            else
            {
                // --- for other scenarios such as Budget/Forecast/Plan/LongTerm
                // --- generate list of valid time members from now until the end time (as configured in the scenario settings)
                // --- caters for varying input frequency by year
                int tId = iStartTimeId;
                int iLastPerId = tId;
                WorkflowTrackingFrequency wtf = BRApi.Finance.Scenario.GetWorkflowTrackingFrequency(si, sId);
                if (wtf == WorkflowTrackingFrequency.Range)
                    iLastPerId = BRApi.Finance.Scenario.GetWorkflowEndTime(si, sId);
                else
                    iLastPerId = TimeDimHelper.GetLastPeriodInYear(tId);

                System.Text.StringBuilder sbTimeEntries = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
                while (tId <= iLastPerId)
                {
                    BRApi.Finance.Time.GetFirstPeriodInYear(si, tId);

                    if (sbTimeEntries.Length > 0)
                        sbTimeEntries.Append(',');
                    sbTimeEntries.Append("T#" + TimeDimHelper.GetNameFromId(tId));
                    bool bIsNextYear = true;

                    tId = TimeDimHelper.GetNextPeriod(tId, out bIsNextYear);
                    if (bIsNextYear)
                    {
                        // --- test if next year has a different input frequency ---
                        Frequency inputFreq = BRApi.Finance.Scenario.GetInputFrequencyForYear(si, sId, TimeDimHelper.GetYearFromId(tId));
                        tId = BRApi.Finance.Time.ConvertIdToStartIdUsingAnotherFrequency(si, tId, inputFreq);
                    }
                }

                return sbTimeEntries.ToString();
            }
        }

        // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        private RuleAndFuncPair GetBRfromCubeView(SessionInfo si, DataEntryAuditInfo da)
        {
            // -- Assumes table x_CbViewRules with following columns
            // cvName   varchar    Cube View Name (matches CubeViewItem.Name)
            // busRule  varchar    Finance BR name
            // funcName  varchar   Function name within the BR to execute. Ensure the BR main function has this funcName in its SELECT CASE statement

            using (DbConnInfo dbConn = BRApi.Database.CreateApplicationDbConnInfo(si))
            {
                if (OneStream.Shared.Database.DbSql.DoesTableExist(dbConn, "CVX_CalcOnSave"))
                {
		            string strKey = da.DataEntryType == DataEntryType.CubeView ? da.CubeViewOrFileName : strKeyValueExcel;
		            string strSQL = string.Format("SELECT [busRule], [funcName] FROM [CVX_CalcOnSave] WITH (NOLOCK) WHERE [cvName]='{0}'", strKey);
					
                    using (DataTable dt = BRApi.Database.ExecuteSql(dbConn, strSQL, false))
                    {
                        if (dt.Rows.Count > 0)
                        {
                            DataRow dr = dt.Rows[0];
                            return new RuleAndFuncPair(dr["busRule"].ToString(), dr["funcName"].ToString());
                        }
                        else
                            return null;
                    }
                }
                else
                    throw new XFException(si, "Error, solution table [CVX_CalcOnSave] has not been created.", "Remove the WorkflowEventHandler or run the CVX solution setup");
            }
        }


        // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        // --- Gets the list of cube/entity combinations that are impacted by looking up the Audit Entry table with the supplied audit ID ---
        // --- so we know for which entity to run the custom finance BR.  This could be extended to return a list of entities if cube view could impact multiple entities.  '
        private List<CubeEntityPair> GetDataEntryEntities(SessionInfo si, Guid gAuditId)
        {
            List<CubeEntityPair> lst = new List<CubeEntityPair>();

            using (DbConnInfoApp dbConnApp = BRApi.Database.CreateApplicationDbConnInfo(si))
            {
                string strSQL = string.Format("SELECT CubeId,ScenarioId,EntityID,Min(TimeId) as TimeId FROM DataEntryAuditCell WITH (NOLOCK) WHERE AuditSourceID = CAST('{0}' As UNIQUEIDENTIFIER ) GROUP BY CubeId,ScenarioId,EntityID;", gAuditId.ToString());
                using (DataTable dt = BRApi.Database.ExecuteSql(dbConnApp, strSQL, false))
                {
                    foreach (DataRow dr in dt.Rows)
                    {
                        int iCubeId     = (int)dr["CubeId"];
                        int iScenarioId = (int)dr["ScenarioID"];
                        int iEntityId   = (int)dr["EntityID"];
                        int iTimeId     = (int)dr["TimeId"];

                        lst.Add(new CubeEntityPair(si, iCubeId, iScenarioId, iEntityId, iTimeId));
                    }
                }
            }

            return lst;
        }
#endregion
		
    }
}

 

 

Caution : samples issued from this Community Forum are for guidance only and not to be interpreted as complete solutions.  Many snippets/suggestions have been built in a limited OneStream application environment and not representative of a customer production application with high volumes of data and multiple users.  The Community Forum is not responsible for consequences if a consultant takes code examples from here but does not rigorously test them in their own customer environment.

ChrisLoran
Valued Contributor

Sample CREATE TABLE schema as used by my example:
You can create your own using Data Table Manager, or through an extender rule to "Create Solution Table" , or through a Create Table script in the SQL Table Editor component.

CREATE TABLE [CVX_CalcOnSave] (
[cvName] [nvarchar](100) NOT NULL,
[cvGroup] [nvarchar](100) NOT NULL,
[busRule] [nvarchar](100) NOT NULL,
[funcName] [nvarchar](100) NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_CVX_CalcOnSave] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ([cvName] )
) ;

ChrisLoran
Valued Contributor

Example dashboard you can build on top of this table, so admins can configure what Finance BR/Functions should be run when saving each Cube View.  This is much better than hard-coding stuff into Data Mgmt jobs.

ChrisLoran_0-1678802567599.png

The special entry "_Excel" is for when you do XFSetCell or QuickViews from Excel or Embedded Spreadsheet, where you haven't opened any particular cube view. There you can also specify a Custom Calculate BR to run, as a special "cube view"  name of "_Excel"  (underscore is important)

 

jesvam
New Contributor II

Hi Chris! Thanks a lot for this, and thanks for your help last November if you may remember hehe!

I tried to write a SaveDataEventHandler to run in a dashboard available under a workflow Forms Workspace step, but realized it doesn't actually trigger when it's a DataAttachment being saved.

Do you know if your suggested approach here would work for DataAttachments? I'm assuming it's the same issue with a data attachment technically not being a datacell even though having a reference to one?

I have a main dashboard with embedded dashboards within tabs. On the first tab there is a cube view where dataattachments / comments can be saved. Then there is another tab with a Bi Viewer with a DataAdapter that pulls data from the DataAttachment table.

I guess from a technical perspective, the user navigates like this

1. Load main dashboard (which is not the one with the Bi Viewer)

2. Component Selection Change with the cube view on the first tab  

3. Save operation / event with the cube view, saving a dataattachment

4. Tab navigation to the tab with BI Viewer

Somehow during or after 3 I need to refresh the DataAdapter for the BI Viewer. 

Do you have any idea how to go about this? I could just add a button but it's not very elegant. I can raise a ticket if that's more suitable.

Br, Jesper