Search dimensions

You can use this special dimension type to search for process instances using particular values for a search attribute. The search dimension acts like a filter on the set of currently available process instances. As for the other dimension types, the set filter expression can be edited or removed. Several search dimension filters can be used simultaneously in an analysis.

A search criterion is specified in the front-end using the Edit filter pop-up menu for the search dimension. Alternatively, search criteria can be specified in the Process Instance Search Wizard.

A search criterion consists of a string. Optionally, a placeholder ? or * can be used at the end of the string. The * symbol stands for any sequence of characters, while the ? symbol stands for any single character.

The configuration of search dimensions includes the following simplifications compared to the other dimension types:

The configuration characteristics of a search dimension are summarized in the searchdim XML element:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

<!DOCTYPE keyindicatorconfig SYSTEM

'KeyindicatorConfiguration.dtd'>

<keyindicatorconfig>

...

<searchdim name="BELEGNR">

<description language="de" name="Suche Belegnummer"/>

<description language="en"

name="Searching for document number"/>

<dimitem attrname="AT_SAP_BELEGNR"

colname="BELEGNR" calculated="TRUE">

<description language="de" name="Belegnummer"/>

<description language="en" name="Document number"/>

</dimitem>

</searchdim>

...

</keyindicatorconfig>

A separate column is created in the database table for each search dimension.

XML tag

Description

name

Internal name of the dimension. A table is created in the database under this name. For the specified name, the guidelines described in the Table name chapter are applicable.

description
name

Language-specific interface name of the dimension in the PPM front-end.

dimitem

Definition of a column in the database table. Each search dimension has a single dimitem element, in which the dimension is described.

attrname

Name of the attribute used as a basis for the search dimension

colname

Name of the data column in the info cube. If this is not specified, the dimension name is used.
For the specified name, the guidelines described in the Table name chapter apply.

calculated

TRUE: Attribute value must be calculated.
Default value: FALSE

compression
value
(optional sub-element for dimitem)

The internal aggregation attribute AT_INTERNAL_COMPRESSCRITERION must be specified (Configure the internal aggregation attribute).

Only for dimtype="PROCESS"

Identical and differing dimension values are deleted when permanently aggregating using the command prompt (runppmcompress) (see PPM Operation Guide) and they are replaced by the specified aggregation value (Change aggregation behavior).

Search dimensions are written to the info cube for the process type group. If you are using several search dimensions in a process type group, you need to give the data columns different names.