2
Getting Started

Chapter summary

This chapter provides basic information about Financial Analyzer.

Who should read this chapter

All workstation users should read this chapter.

List of topics

This chapter includes the following topics:

About Financial Analyzer

Financial Analyzer documents

You can work with four types of documents in Financial Analyzer:

Reports
Graphs
Worksheets
Data entry forms

Reports

You use reports to view your financial data from different perspectives and prepare presentations based on your analyses.

The following illustration shows an example of a Financial Analyzer report.

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Graphs

You use graphs to create visual representations of your financial data.

The following illustration shows an example of a Financial Analyzer graph.

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Worksheets

You use worksheets to enter and manipulate financial data.

The following illustration shows an example of a Financial Analyzer worksheet.

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Data Entry Forms

You use data entry forms to enter data using the Financial Analyzer Web interface.

The following illustration shows an example of a Financial Analyzer data entry form in a Web browser.

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Compatibility with other products

You can use Financial Analyzer in conjunction with the following products:

Oracle General Ledger - If your site has purchased Oracle General Ledger, you can integrate it with Financial Analyzer during installation and setup.
Microsoft® Excel - You can choose to install the Oracle Express Spreadsheet Add-In when installing a Financial Analyzer workstation. This enables you to fetch data from one or more Financial Analyzer databases and work with Financial Analyzer data in a spreadsheet environment.
Oracle Express Objects and Oracle Express Analyzer - If you have purchased Oracle Express Objects and Oracle Express Analyzer you can enable your Financial Analyzer databases for use with these products. You can then use Oracle Express Objects and Oracle Express Analyzer to develop custom applications.

Financial Analyzer Window

Financial Analyzer window components

The following illustration shows the components of the Financial Analyzer window.

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Description of Financial Analyzer window components

The following table describes the Financial Analyzer window components.

Component	Description
Title bar	Displays the name of the database or workstation.
Menu bar	Contains the names of Financial Analyzer menus. You open menus and then choose menu items to perform tasks.
Tool bar	Provides you with quick access to commonly used functions through a set of buttons. When you start up Financial Analyzer for the first time, the toolbar is displayed automatically.
Edit bar	Features an area for modifying report, worksheet, and graph components such as titles, labels, and footnotes. It can also be used in worksheets to edit data, and in reports to enter calculation formulas.
Edit bar buttons	Text description of the illustration U_02c005.gif In reports, the Formula Tools button invokes the Formula Tools dialog box, where you can edit formulas to perform report calculations. This button is disabled in Worksheets and Graphs. Text description of the illustration U_02c006.gif The Cancel button clears text or formulas from the edit bar. Text description of the illustration U_02c007.gif The Enter button moves text or formulas from the edit bar into the currently selected area.
Application window	The area where Financial Analyzer documents, such as reports, graphs, and worksheets, appear.

Financial Analyzer Menu Bar

Standard control menus

The Financial Analyzer menu bar always contains the following control menus.

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To see a control menu, move the pointer to the item you want to view and choose it. The following sections describe the control menus.

File menu

The following table describes the File menu.

Menu Item	Description
New	Creates a new document.
Open	Opens an existing document.
Close	Closes an open document.
Save	Saves an open document under its current name.
Save As	Saves an open document under another name.
Rename	Renames an existing document.
Delete	Deletes an existing document.
Add to Folder	Adds a document to a folder.
Print Preview	Enables you to view a document before you print it.
Print	Prints the current document.
Print Setup	Enables you to set up the printing specifications for a document.
Print Multiple	Enables you to print multiple documents within one print session.
Export to File	Exports data from a document to a file that can be used in another application.
Exit	Exits Financial Analyzer.
Recently Opened Document Name(s)	Lists the names of up to five recently opened documents, from which you can choose a document to open.

Edit menu

The following table describes the Edit menu.

Menu Item	Description
Cut	Selects a portion of a document and moves it to the Clipboard.
Copy	Copies a portion of a document to the Clipboard.
Paste	Pastes the contents of the Clipboard into the current document.
Paste Link	Links selected tiles between two documents.
Clear	Clears the contents of selected cells in a report or worksheet.
Clear Link	Clears a link between two documents.
Highlight Special	Enables you to highlight labels, data, or both in reports and worksheets for formatting purposes.
Insert	Opens a cascading menu that contains the following items: Row/Column -- Opens the Insert Rows Dialog Box or the Insert Columns Dialog Box, which allow you to insert columns or rows in reports and worksheets. Page break -- Enables you to insert page breaks into reports and worksheets.
Move Insert	For reports that have inserted rows and columns, opens the Move Insert dialog box, which enables you to move inserted rows and columns in reports.
Delete	Opens a cascading menu that contains the following items: Row/Column -- Enables you to delete inserted columns or rows in reports and worksheets. Page break -- Enables you to delete inserted page breaks from reports and worksheets.

Format menu

The following table describes the Format menu.

Menu Item	Description
Number	Formats numbers in reports, graphs, and worksheets.
Alignment	Sets the horizontal and vertical positioning of a selected component in a document.
Font	Sets the typeface, font style, size, and color of text in a document.
Patterns	Sets the pattern and color of data cells and labels.
Axis Options	Sets axis options for selected axis in a graph.
Series Options	Enables you to modify the manner in which data series are represented in a graph.
Border	Adds a border to selected parts of a report, and sets width, color, and border style.
Row Height	Sets the row height in a report, worksheet, or data entry form.
Column Width	Sets the column width in a report, worksheet, or data entry form.
Page Setup	Sets page and print options, margins, headers, or footers.

Report menu

The following table describes the Report menu. This menu is accessible when a Report document is open.

Menu Item	Description
Report Options	Opens the Report Options dialog box, where you choose elements to display in the report.
Dimension Labels	Opens the Dimension Label Setup dialog box, where you can specify the text that the system will use when it creates row, column, and page labels.
Drill	When checked, enables drilling in reports.
Auto Redisplay	When checked, specifies that reports are to be automatically redisplayed when you make changes to them.
Asymmetric Format	Opens the Create Asymmetric Combination dialog box, where you can join the values of two dimensions and create a custom arrangement of their values.
Ranking/ Exception Report	Opens the Ranking and Exception Setup dialog box, where you can specify the criteria for a ranking and exception report.
Drill to GL	Provides detailed information in General Ledger that may not appear on a report. This option is accessible only if you are working with a report based on data that was loaded from General Ledger and you are set up to use the GL Link.

Graph menu

The following table describes the Graph menu. This menu is accessible when a graph document is open.

Menu Item	Description
Type	Opens the Graph Type dialog box, which enables you to specify the type of graph you want to use.
Legend	Opens the Legend dialog box, where you can specify whether to display a legend for your graph. This dialog box also enables you to format the legend.
Pie Options	Opens the Pie Options dialog box, where you can specify labels for a pie graph and/or its slices and perform other formatting functions.
Grid	Opens the Grid dialog box, where you can specify whether to display gridlines along the X- and/or Y-axis of a graph.
Graph Options	Opens the Graph Options dialog box, where you can specify information for graph controls, text, attributes, and axis titles.
Dimension Labels	Opens the Dimension Label Setup dialog box, where you can specify the text that the system will use when it creates row, column, and page labels.
Auto Redisplay	When checked, specifies that graphs are to be automatically redisplayed when you make changes to them.

Worksheet menu

The following table describes the Worksheet menu. This menu is accessible when a worksheet document is open.

Menu Item	Description
Worksheet Options	Opens the Worksheet Options dialog box, where you can choose elements to display in a worksheet.
Dimension Labels	Opens the Dimension Label Setup dialog box, where you can specify the text that the system will use when it creates row, column, and page labels.
Drill	When checked, enables drilling in worksheets.
Auto Redisplay	When checked, specifies that worksheets are to be automatically redisplayed when you make changes to them.
Drill to GL	Provides detailed information in General Ledger that may not appear on a worksheet. This option is accessible only if you are working with a worksheet based on data that was loaded from General Ledger and you are set up to use the GL link.
Worksheet Tools	Opens the Worksheet Tools cascading menu which contains the following items: Grow Data -- Opens the Grow Data dialog box, which enables you to grow data by a specified amount or percent across months. Increase Data -- Opens the Increase dialog box, where you can increase data for selected months by a specified amount or percent. Spread Data -- Opens the Spread dialog box, where you can apply a value to a parent in a hierarchy and spread that data to its descendants in the hierarchy. Recalculate -- Enables you to recalculate data after you have entered data for dimension values. Recalc Options -- Opens the Recalc Options dialog box, enabling you to specify options for recalculating data. Save Data -- Enables you to save worksheet data without saving the current worksheet definition. Reset Data -- Returns worksheet data to the values that were displayed when the worksheet was last opened or the worksheet was last saved.

Data Entry Form menu

The following table describes the Data Entry Form menu. This menu is accessible when a data entry form document is open.

Menu item	Description
Form Options	Opens the Data Entry Form Options dialog box, where you can perform the following functions: Show or hide text elements such as titles, subtitles, and footnotes. Enter annotations. Specify how NA values will be displayed.
Data Options	The Number Format submenu item opens the Number Format dialog box, where you can specify the number format (positive, negative, decimal) for a financial data item. The Calculations submenu item opens the Calculations dialog box, where you can associate a solve definition with a financial data item.
Dimension Labels	Opens the Dimension Labels dialog box, where you can specify the text that the system will use when it creates row, column, and page labels.
Asymmetric Format	Opens the Create Asymmetric Combination dialog box, where you can join the values of two dimensions and create a custom arrangement of their values.

Tools menu

The following table describes the Tools menu.

Menu Item	Description
Selector	Opens the Selector dialog box, which enables you to choose the dimension values that appear in a document.
Solve Definition	Opens the Solve Definition dialog box, which enables you to create and use solve definitions to calculate data.
Group Solve Definition	Opens the Group Solve Definition dialog box, which enables you to create and use group solve definitions to calculate data.
Copy Data	Opens the Copy Data dialog box, which enables you to copy financial data between financial data items or set the data in a financial data item to NA.
Maintain Folders	Opens the Maintain Folders dialog box, which enables you to create, add documents to, delete documents from, and order documents in, a folder.
Custom Colors	Opens the Custom Color dialog box, which enables you to customize and rename the standard colors that are available to you in Financial Analyzer.
Custom Menus	Opens the Custom Menus dialog box, which enables you to create custom menu items that run Express programs or call other applications.
Options	Opens the Options dialog box, which enables you to select optional elements to include in the Financial Analyzer window. Administrators can also specify the operational mode for their workstation.
Enable database DB for Express Clients	Enables your Financial Analyzer database to be compatible with Express Client software.

Maintain menu

The following table describes the Maintain menu.

Menu Item	Description
Dimension	Opens the Maintain Dimension dialog box, from which you can define and maintain dimensions.
Financial Data Item	Opens the Maintain Financial Data Item dialog box, from which you can define and maintain financial data items.
Time	Opens the Maintain Time dialog box, which enables you to create and maintain time dimension values and sets the current time.
Dimension Value	Opens the Maintain Dimension Value dialog box, where you can create and maintain dimension values.
Attribute	Opens the Maintain Attributes dialog box, which enables you to associate a characteristic with multiple values.
Hierarchy	Opens the Maintain Hierarchy dialog box, which enables you to define and maintain the tree structures used to relate dimension values.
Model	Opens the Maintain Model dialog box, where you can create and maintain models.
Data Loaders	Opens a cascading menu which contains the following options: Create -- Opens the Oracle Express Administrator Browser window, where you can create data loader programs. Maintain Groups -- Opens the Maintain Data Loader Groups dialog box, which enables you to create sets of data loaders that you can run as a single process. Run -- Opens the Run Data Loaders dialog box, where you can set up the data loaders and run them.

Manage menu

The following table describes the Manage menu.

Menu Item	Description
Distribution	Opens a cascading menu, which contains the following menu items: Distribute Structure -- Opens the Distribute Structure dialog box, which enables administrators to distribute structures, such as dimensions or reports, to their users. Distribute Data -- Opens the Distribute Data dialog box, which enables administrators to distribute data to their users.
Distribution Reports	Opens a cascading menu, which contains menu items that enable you to open the Distribution Report dialog box: Based on Distributed Values -- Provides information for values of a structure that have been distributed to at least one user. Based on All Values -- Provides information for all values of a structure, whether or not they have been distributed to a user.
Users	Opens the Maintain Users dialog box, which enables administrators to add and delete users from the system.
Write Access Profiles	Provides access to the Write Access Profiles dialog box, which enables you to set access restrictions on data. (Available in Super administrator and Administrator workstations.)
Submit Documents	Provides access to the Submit Documents dialog box, which enables you to select documents to submit to the shared database. (Available in non-Administrator workstations.)
Task Processor	Opens the Task Processor dialog box, which enables you to process tasks submitted by Administrator, Budget, and Analyst workstations. (Available in Super administrator and Administrator workstations.)
Task Queue	Opens the Task Queue dialog box, where you can view information about distribution tasks. (Available in all workstations.)
Refresh Structures	Opens the Refresh Preview dialog box, which enables you to view which structures will be added, deleted, or overwritten when you refresh your database. (Available in Administrator, Budget, and Analyst workstations).
Submit Data	Sends data to your administrator. In an Administrator workstation, sends data to the administrator's shared database or to the shared database maintained by a higher level administrator.
Refresh Data	In a Budget workstation, refreshes your database with data retrieved from the shared database. In an Administrator workstation, retrieves structures from the administrator's shared database or refreshes the administrator's shared database with structures distributed by a higher level administrator. (Available in Super administrator, Administrator, and Budget workstations.)
Oracle General Ledger Interface	If you have installed Oracle General Ledger, opens a cascading menu, which contains the following items: Submit Load from GL -- Opens the Submit Load from GL dialog box, which enables you to log into your GL Account and load data into General Ledger either manually or automatically. Refresh GL -- Opens the Refresh GL Structure dialog box, which enables you to see which database objects from General Ledger are to be added, deleted, or overwritten when you refresh your database. Write Budget to GL -- Opens the Write Budget to GL dialog box, which enables you to specify the data to write back to General Ledger. Add GL Dimension Values -- Opens the Add GL Dimension Values dialog box, which enables you to create dimension values for General Ledger segment values that were imported into Financial Analyzer but which had no associated balances at the time they were loaded. GL Access Settings -- Opens the GL Access Settings dialog box, which enables you to specify the financial data set to be downloaded and the name of the account on the host computer where the Oracle General Ledger data reside. (Available in Super administrator workstations.)

Window menu

The following table describes the Window menu.

Menu Item	Description
Cascade	Arranges open document windows in an overlapping fashion so that each title bar is visible and accessible.
Tile Horizontally	Arranges open document windows so that they share the application window equally and align horizontally without overlapping.
Tile Vertically	Arranges open document windows so that they share the application window equally and align vertically without overlapping.
Arrange Icons	Arranges document icons into rows with equal space between them.
Open Document Name(s)	Lists the names of currently open documents, from which you can choose a document, making it the active document on your screen.

Help menu

The following table describes the Help menu.

Menu Item	Description
Contents	Displays a list of topics about which you can view Help information.
Search for Help On	Displays the Search dialog box, where you can enter search keywords to find topics on which you need help.
How to Use Help	Provides further information on how to use Help.
About Financial Analyzer	Provides external and internal version numbers for Financial Analyzer.

Custom add-in menu

As an administrator, you can add a custom menu to the Financial Analyzer menu bar. The custom menu can contain options that invoke Express programs or other applications. When you create a custom menu, it appears on the menu bar between the Window menu and the Help menu. For more information, see "Using the Custom Menu Feature.

Financial Analyzer Toolbar

Definition: Toolbar

The toolbar provides quick access to frequently used commands.

Toolbar buttons

The following table shows each button on the toolbar and describes its function.

Button	Function
Text description of the illustration U_02c009.gif	Opens the New dialog box, which enables you to create a new document.
Text description of the illustration U_02c010.gif	Opens the Open dialog box, from which you can open a saved document.
Text description of the illustration U_02c011.gif	Enables you to save the active document.
Text description of the illustration U_02c012.gif	Opens the Selector dialog box, where you can specify the data with which you want to work.
Text description of the illustration U_02c013.gif	Displays the Font dialog box, which enables you to specify font, style, and size of text or data in a document.
Text description of the illustration U_02c014.gif	Opens the Patterns dialog box, which enables you to specify characteristics, such as color, pattern, line style, and width, in the current report, graph, or worksheet.
Text description of the illustration U_02c015.gif	Opens the Format Number dialog box, which enables you to change the format for numeric values and dates.
Text description of the illustration U_02c016.gif	The Save Data button saves the data in the current worksheet.
Text description of the illustration U_02c017.gif	Opens the Graph Type dialog box, where you can choose the type of graph that you want to view.
Text description of the illustration U_02c018.gif	Opens the Print dialog box, which enables you to print the active document.
Text description of the illustration U_02c019.gif	Enables you to access online information that explains how to perform a task or describes what is currently displayed on your screen.

Toolbar display options

You can control the following toolbar display options:

Whether the toolbar is displayed
Whether toolbar text is displayed
Toolbar style: raised or flat

To specify toolbar options, choose Options from the Toolbar menu. This activates the Options dialog box, where you can make your selections.

Financial Analyzer Edit Bar

Definition: Edit bar

The Edit bar enables you to edit text elements in reports, graphs, worksheets, and data entry forms as well as values and text in some dialog boxes.

Elements that you can edit

The following list describes the elements you can edit in each document type:

In graphs you can edit the title, subtitle, X-axis tick label, Y-axis tick label, axis title, legend label, or footnote
In reports, worksheets, and data entry forms you can edit titles, subtitles, row labels, column labels, or footnotes
In worksheets, you can edit data
In reports, you can edit calculation formulas

Starting Financial Analyzer

Logging in

You must connect to an Express Server session to start Financial Analyzer. After the first time you log in, the system saves the information that you enter in the Connect to Express Server dialog box. You only have to enter your password in subsequent sessions.

How to log into Express Server

Follow this procedure to log into Express Server.

Double-click on the Financial Analyzer icon.

The Connect to Express Session dialog box appears.
Complete the fields in the dialog box as follows:
- In the Username box, enter your username for the system on which the Express Server session you are logging into is located.
- In the Password box, enter your password.
- In the Domain box, enter the domain name for your PC, if required.
- In the Name box, enter the name of the personal database to which you want to connect.
- In the Path box, enter the full path for the database to which you want to connect.
- If you want to work in a stand-alone session, select Express installed on local workstation.
- In the Server box, enter the name of the server to which you want to connect.
- If multiple instances of Express Server are running on the server, enter the unique universal identifier (UUID) for the Express Server instance to which you want to connect.
Select OK.

The Financial Analyzer main window appears.

Note: Contact your system administrator to obtain the correct login information for your system.

Working in a Stand-Alone Session

Definitions: Thick and thin clients

Thick client

A client is considered thick if the personal database and Personal Express are installed on the PC and a majority of processing takes place on the PC.

Thin client

A client is considered thin if the personal database and express server are installed on the server and a majority of processing occurs on the server.

About working stand-alone

You can work without being attached to the shared database if your PC is set up as a thick client. When you start the software while working on a stand-alone workstation, the software warns you that you are not able to connect to the shared database and asks if you want to work unattached. If you choose Yes, you will be running in a stand-alone session, where you are unable to receive distributions or submit your work. During a subsequent work session when you are attached to the shared database, you can submit the data that you worked on during your unattached session.

You can specify a setting in the Options dialog box that tells the system to automatically ask if you want to work unattached to the shared database. Setting this option enables users who are working away from the office to bypass a set of message boxes requesting passwords and providing warning messages.

Conditions that must be met

You can work in a stand-alone session unattached to the shared database if the following conditions are met:

You are working on a Super administrator, Administrator, or Budget workstation.
You installed a personal copy of Financial Analyzer code.
You are working on a PC that is set up as a thick client.

When you can work stand-alone

Using this feature, you can continue to work productively even if:

You have to be away from your office and do not have the ability to communicate with the shared database.
You are unable to connect to the shared database because of communications problems within your normal working environment.

When you cannot work stand-alone

You cannot work stand-alone if:

You are using an Analyst workstation. This is because Analyst workstations must always attach directly to the shared database.
You are on a workstation that does not have a copy of personal code installed.
You are working on a PC that is set up as a thin client.

Using the Custom Menu Feature

About the Custom Menu feature

As an administrator, you can add a custom menu to the Financial Analyzer menu bar. The custom menu can contain menu groups and menu items.

Menu group -- Provides access to a submenu of related menu items. You can add up to ten menu groups to a custom menu.
Menu item -- Accesses a single executable or Express program.

The menu structure that you create can include one or more single-level menu items, one or more menu groups (each of which branches to multiple menu items), or a combination of menu items and menu groups.

Creating a custom menu

You choose Custom Menus from the Tools menu to create a custom menu. This opens the Custom Menus dialog box, where you can perform the following functions:

Enter a descriptive name for the custom menu.
Insert one or more menu groups and specify the order in which they will appear on the menu.
Insert one or more menu items under the main menu or a menu group, specify the order in which items will appear, and provide information about the custom programs that are called by the menu items.

You provide the following information for each menu item:

The type of users who will have access to the menu item.
The type of program that the menu item will call: Express routine or an executable.
The name of the program that will run when a user chooses the custom menu item.
If users will be prompted to provide information in order for the program to run, the text that will prompt the user for input.
How the custom program window will appear to the user: Normal, Minimized, or Maximized.
If a message will be displayed when the program is completed.

Example: Creating a custom menu

The following illustration shows the Custom Menus dialog box for a custom menu that includes one group and one item. In this example, the menu name is Custom Programs, the menu group is APIs, and the menu item under the menu group is API123, an Express program.

Text description of custmenu.gif follows

Text description of the illustration custmenu.gif

How the custom menu is displayed

The custom menu is displayed on your Financial Analyzer menu bar after you have created at least one custom menu group or item. If you do not change the menu name, the menu bar displays the default name, "Add-In,"; if you change the menu name, the menu bar displays the name that you provide.

Distributing the custom menu

You distribute custom menu groups and items to the users who need access to these programs. You can give different users access to different options.

Note: While you can use Financial Analyzer's distribution feature to propagate the custom menu groups and items that you create, you cannot use it to distribute your custom programs. You must perform this task manually.

Modifying the Custom menu

You choose Custom Menus from the Tools menu to modify the custom menu. This opens the Custom Menus dialog box, where you can change information for menu name, menu groups, and menu items. You can also rearrange the order of groups and items on the menu and delete a group, an item, or even the entire menu.

Ensure that you distribute custom menu modifications to the appropriate users.

Related information

For more information about working with a custom menu, see the following topics in the Financial Analyzer Help system:

"Creating Custom Menu Groups and Items"
"Deleting Custom Menu Groups and Items"

Using Online Help

Overview

The online Help system included with the software is comprehensive and easy to use. It is your best source of procedural information and is designed to give you step-by-step instructions on how to do almost everything in the application.

How to access the Help system

To access the Help system, click on the Help button on the toolbar or select the Help menu from the Menu bar. The initial help screen contains a list of underlined topics. Choose these topics for more information.

How to find specific information

Use the following procedure to find information on specific topics in the Help System.

Choose Search for help on... from the Help menu,

or

Choose Search at the top of the Help screen.

The Help topics dialog box appears.
Select the Index tab.
In the box at the top of the tab, type the first few letters of the word you are looking for. The list of topics below will change to reflect what you have typed.
Highlight the appropriate topic and press Enter.
- If the topic you selected is related to a single help topic, Financial Analyzer displays that help topic.
- If the topic you select is related to more than one help topic, Financial Analyzer displays the Topics Found dialog box.
If the Topics Found dialog box is displayed, highlight the appropriate topic and press Enter.
To return to the help topic that you last viewed, choose Back.

2 Getting Started