I have a budget/actuals report I want to create in Webfocus but I am wondering how to I create my static budget numbers in the report?

Do I use a define or something? I tried searching in WF help and here on the forum.

Exactly what do you mean by static budget numbers? Does your source file have the actual and budget amount fields in it? Are you wanting to put a 'line number' on each line of the report?

I just want to be able to hard code a budget number for each region into the report somewhere. The budget number does not exist in any data source.

I just figured it out, used a compute to create the budget field.

COMPUTE BUDGET/D6CM = IF REGION EQ '100' THEN 239400 ELSE IF REGION EQ '200' THEN 191520 ELSE IF REGION EQ '300' THEN 191520 ELSE IF REGION EQ '400' THEN 175560 ELSE 0;

that works fine. To decrease code, you could use a DECODE:

COMPUTE BUDGET/D6CM = DECODE REGION('100' 39400 '200' 191520 '300' 191520 '400' 175560 ELSE 0);

You realize that by doing it this way you (or someone) is going to have to remember to change the program every time the budget changes. I would recommend that you put the data in a file and join to it.

I had that thought as well, but refrained from saying anything because I am guilty as well. Sometimes that's just the quickest way so Pat's comment is probably the correct/best way, but I'm not condemning Rob without knowing his whole process. (I know you're not either, Pat - thanks for the helpful tip.)

Rob, I would suggest that you put the static values in a file and use DECODE

COMPUTE BUDGET/D6CM = DECODE REGION(STATBUDG ELSE 0);

Use FILEDEF to point STATBUDG to a file containig Region and Budget pairs.

Darin,

Thank you for pointing out that my response was worded a little too sternly. It was meant to be a warning rather than an admonition. I hit something similar recently. The person in this job before me retired. She had set up tables that were read in as a DECODE to convert our cost centers to Region and District. Oddly enough, I can not find a database that contains this information. One of our regions opened a new District office and used a number from an office that had closed. Our Focus/WebFocus reports were all showing the old District name. The problem was that there was a file for operations, a file for sales, a file for revenue, etc. It took me weeks to find all of the places to change this district name. I'm STILL not sure I have them all.

Rob,

The best way to handle this if the budget is based on something logical (like a percentage of last years sales) is to compute it in the program (or a program that runs annually or quarterly depending on your budget period).

Warren,

Decode against a file is a good alternative but will fall foul one day if the file size exceeds limits (32000 chars currently?). Joining to a file, as Pat and Darin suggest, is a little more future proof.

T

Tony, I do agree, the file was suggested as a starting point, easy to set up and maintain.

Storing in a table is better, but then requires some sort of maintenance, MODIFY, MAINTAIN, TABLE HOLD from flat file or something else.

I suggest storing budgets and their associated keys (department, person, etc) in a fixed format 'flat' *.txt file at a fixed location, with a (hand crafted?) synonym. Update/extend the table as needed with any text editor.

The first step/task of your WebFOCUS procedure FILEDEFS to the *.txt file then copies (PRINT *) it to a FOCUS format temporary file with suitable indexes for quick retrieval.

The second step/task of the WebFOCUS procedure joins you file of actual expenses to the held file of budgets and prepares your report.