B I Z I N S I G H T Release Notes. BizInsight 7.3 December 23, 2016

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1 B I Z I N S I G H T 7. 3 Release Notes BizInsight 7.3 December 23, 2016

2 Copyright Notice makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents of this document and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. We welcome user comments and reserve the right to revise this publication and to make improvements or changes to the products and programs described in this publication at any time without notice. Mailing Address: Preston Rd., Suite 800 Dallas, TX Phone: Web Site: Copyright 2016 by All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Trademarks BizInsight is a registered trademark of Windows and Microsoft Excel are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. All other trademarks are acknowledged. 2 Page

3 Table of Contents I. New Features BizInsight Pack N Go BizNet Sample Data Trial Connector Status Messages Excel Cache Refresh Support Sync Excel Cache Now BizInsight 7 Standalone Product BizInsight Trial Prompt II. Product Enhancements BizInsight Suite and Desktop Merge Dynamic Multi-Value Support BizCloud Config Improvements Data Compression and Encryption Content Install Minimum Requirements Test Document Management System Integration BizInsight Dynamic Table with Data Validation Refreshable Pivot Tables III. Issues Resolved IV. Known Issues V. Best Practices Page

4 I. New Features 1. BizInsight Pack N Go Pack N Go creates a self-contained Excel workbook. Users can pack any data caches (ready cache items) from the Service into an Excel workbook for other users who do not have BizNet products installed. The data is packed in a special place to be converted into Excel cache tables. When Pack N Go recipients open the workbook for the very first time, the product installs a lite BizInsight product on the local computer and automatically unpacks. Within the workbook, users can freely change functions, refresh tables, and drilldown. The recipient of the workbook is not connected to the original data source, so the user is limited to the embedded data caches. The Pack N Go option is only available for BizInsight 7 + Connector installations and will not display on the BizInsight 7 ribbon when BizInsight 7 is the only product installed. A newer BizBroadcast version, , is available that is fully compatible with the Pack N Go feature so users can automate the self-contained Excel workbook creation process. 2. BizNet Sample Data Trial Connector The first BizInsight 7 connector that is completely self-contained and does not require database connectivity. This Connector is packaged with BizNet content and a database of sample data. The out-of-the-box solution is great for users who may want to demo the product without complex setup or connections to their real-time data sources. The data files have the option to be compressed and encrypted. 4 Page

5 3. Status Messages BizInsight 7 has been updated to provide status messages during data retrieval. The message includes the total rows, remaining record count, and time elapsed in seconds. This option is beneficial for customers using Cloud ERP systems where data retrieval can be slower. Status messaging can be disabled in the BizInsight 7 Navigation Pane Settings Preferences menu. For SQL Connectors installation, status messaging is disabled by default. 5 Page

6 4. Excel Cache Refresh Support This feature is designed for the BizInsight 7 trial version. Users may create a table with Superfunctions. When Superfunc tables are committed into Excel cache, the Superfunctions contained in the tables need to be refreshed twice in order to properly display the aggregated result. 6 Page

7 This setting is accessible from Settings button of the fx Query Data dialog. 7 Page

8 5. Sync Excel Cache Now This feature is designed for the BizInsight 7 trial version. Users who create or receive large workbooks containing Excel caches may want to modify the workbook. The Refresh Workbook button refreshes, recalculates, and syncs all Excel caches in the workbook. This process may take a long period of time, so clicking the Sync Now button shortens the process by syncing only the Excel caches without refresh and recalculation. Users can specifically target and modify a table or function without having to update the entire workbook. This setting is accessible from Settings button of the fx Query Data dialog. 6. BizInsight 7 Standalone Product BizInsight 7 can be installed without a Connector to an ERP system. The product only requires the BizNet API to be installed. When BizInsight 7 is installed without a Connector, the major difference is the Navigation Pane is hidden and the Save button in the fx Query data dialog is removed. 8 Page

9 7. BizInsight 7 Tutorial Workbook After installing BizInsight 7, the user is prompted to download a tutorial when Excel is first started. Each tutorial workbook is associated to the Connector(s) installed. The tutorial Excel workbook downloads and automatically opens for the user. This dialog will display at the first startup of BizInsight each day until the Don t Ask Me checkbox is selected. After checking Don t Ask Me, users can redisplay the tutorial prompt using the Click to Reset All Preferences which is accessible from the Navigation Pane > Preferences. 8. BizInsight Refresh Navigation Pane The Refresh button refreshes the Navigation Pane when the MetaData file location has been changed to a different path. The button is a quick option to display changes without closing and re-opening Excel. 9 Page

10 9. BizInsight Trial Prompt BizInsight 7 and Connectors come with a 30 day trial. While the product is being evaluated, a dialog will display once daily when the product is first launched with information on the trial end date. Users have the option to adjust the frequency of the trial notification. The trial end date can additionally be reviewed from the About ribbon button. After 30 days, the product will become disabled until an activation code is entered. 10 Page

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12 II. Product Enhancements 1. BizInsight Suite and Desktop Merge BizInsight Suite and BizDesktop are merged into a single msi file as BizInsight7. 2. Dynamic Multi-Value Support BizInsight 7 supports multi-value dynamic SQL Queries. Data values that contain special characters such as commas are not supported. 3. BizCloud Config Improvements The Content Installer has been enhanced to allow users to re-enter credentials after a Test Connection fails. 12 Page

13 4. Data Compression and Encryption BizInsight 7 provides users the option to compress or encrypt the data. This feature is used in combination with Pack N Go and Connector-less packaging. By default, serialization and encryption is enabled. The file extension assigned to serialized data varies depending on what Serialization options are selected: Serialization Compression Encryption Vault File Extension.vault.bz.boc These settings can be found on the General tab of the BizCloud Accelerator configuration tool accessible from the BizInsight 7 ribbon > Configuration > Advanced option. 5. Connector Messages 13 Page

14 Connector messaging has been added to the product and provides additional information about the ERP system data retrieval. The log is populated with general connection information and errors, if they occur. This option is required when Status Messaging is enabled. 6. Content Install Minimum Requirements Test At the first launch of a Connector installation, the installer automatically checks the system to determine whether it satisfies minimum system requirements. 14 Page

15 Users are allowed to continue with the installation if any of the requirements fail. The testing requirements can be started again if any requirements have not been met by clicking the Relevant Information link in the Connector and then clicking on (Click here to Retest). 7. Document Management System Integration 15 Page

16 BizInsight 7 provides integration to two documentation management systems: PaperSave and DocLink. Users can supply the URL link to their document management system by clicking on fx Query Data and then clicking on the gear icon. Select the radio button that corresponds to the document management system and then enter the URL needed to access that document management system. 8. BizInsight Dynamic Table with Data Validation BizInsight 7 tables can create a dynamic table with data validation. Select Table, populate the data information, and check Make Dynamic and Create Data Validations. In the example, the returned results are a two data validation lists on CompanyCode and FiscalYear, a dynamic expression, and a table. 16 Page

17 9. Refreshable Pivot Tables Pivot tables that are created from the BizInsight Query dialog with the Make Dynamic and Create Data Validations options selected will now automatically refresh when a parameter value is changed. 17 Page

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19 III. Issues Resolved 1. Conflicts with Version 5.0 and Version 7.0 connector installations on the same environment. 2. General performance updates to the cache management process and data integrity. 3. Improved support for legacy compression and encryption methods. 4. Better support for data validation creation and re-loading values in the Query Data dialog. 19 Page

20 IV. Known Issues 1. Pivot table created with BizInsight are not refreshable. 2. BizInsight Desktop Edition requires unique column headers to build tables and SuperFunctions into cache. Users are required to rename duplicate column headers. 3. The Select Data capability requires users to be on the worksheet on which the data exists. 4. BizInsight Tables are automatically assigned Excel range names when created. Deleting the Table does not delete the assigned Excel range name and it will continue to display in the Select Data dialog until manually deleted. 5. In some tablet environments, or desktop environments that have text magnifier enabled (a display setting in Control Panel), BizInsight dialogs are not ideally sized and may have to be expanded to display all of their buttons. Once a user resizes a window, size selection will be preserved the next time the product is used. 6. Native Excel functions cannot be embedded in BizInsight Functions. 7. Editing local data cache column headers requires the data to be re-selected (using the Select Data button) in order for that data set to be usable by BizInsight Functions. 8. Formula Modifiers with BizInsight Functions. Formula modifiers, such as *-1, that are used with BizInsight Functions will not be represented in the BizInsight Query dialog when the Function is being edited. The formula modifier will be included when the Function is inserted into a cell. 9. Blank cells and Zeros Blank cells are considered a null value, not a zero. This should be kept in mind when building parameters that are looking for zero values. If you have a column of numbers that have empty cells, you will want to populate these cells with zeroes before building filter parameters that are looking for zeroes. 10. Lotus Syntax The use of Lotus syntax in a BizInsight Function is not supported. 11. Available Values Populate Only for Default Profile The list of available values that populate parameter fields comes from other data sources and additional API calls using the Default profile. This means that a user must manually type in their parameters or use cell referencing if using a non-default profile. 20 Page

21 12. Missing Columns in BizInsight Query Data Dialog Users can only filter on columns that are listed in the data source s table schema. 13. Intacct Entities list brings back all parent locations The entities list brings back all parent locations from Intacct, but not all parent locations are entities. Some data sources may return an error if they supply a parent location that isn t an entity. 14. Filters Parameter Case Sensitivity Values on required parameters are case sensitive. Values on non-required parameters are not case sensitive. 15. BizInsight 7 tables will not refresh with BizBroadcast This issue is addressed in the soon to be released BizBroadcast version 2.3. The current workaround is to commit the BizInsight 7 table as an Excel cache which will be refreshed properly by BizBroadcast. 21 Page

22 V. Best Practices 1. Using Selected Excel Data The product requires that you have a unique name for your data. Utilize a unique Range Name or Table Name across all workbooks in a single Excel session. The product works best when you do not alter the Worksheet Name, Range Name, or Table Name used when selecting the data (Select Data button). However, if you decide to change the Worksheet Name, Range Name, or Table Name, the easiest way to make sure your data is updated successfully is to add the data again using the Select Data button on the ribbon. If you decide to change the Worksheet Name, Range Name, or Table Name and do not re-add the data using the Select Data option, here are the exceptions to data synchronization: Renaming a Table Name or Range Name will cause the Cell Address to be used in place of the original name. If the renamed Table Name or Range Name is resized on refresh, the data will not be available in BizInsight. Renaming a Worksheet Name and then setting focus to another Worksheet will allow BizInsight to locate the renamed Worksheet. However, if you fail to set focus to another Worksheet after renaming the Worksheet, updated data will not be available in BizInsight. Re-naming a workbook will not cause data synchronization failures. 2. Use of Named Ranges or Cell Ranges vs. Tables Selecting Excel tables for use as a data source (as opposed to a range of cells or a named range) is best practice. With tables, deleting a row or column from a table that has been selected with the Select Data button will update the selection of data seen by the product. This feature is not supported with cell ranges and only partially supported with the use of named ranges (for example, adding rows or columns to the outer edge of a named range is not supported). 3. Working with Dates, Times, and DateTimes When working with data that is either a Date, Time, or DateTime data type, it is important for users to format the cells containing that data accordingly. Cells containing date values should be formatted as Date, cells containing time values should be formatted as Time, and cells containing a date and a time should be formatted with a custom format that contains both date and time (i.e. mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss AM/PM ). 22 Page