Database Views

Designer > Data > Database Views

Reports are created by extracting data from the platform, based on a selected category. A basic report can include information from a single object, and look very much like a View. In addition to reports based on objects and predefined categories, Database Views can define complex data models (categories) across multiple, related objects. Database Views pull fields from multiple, linked objects into a joined category, without directly affecting any of the objects, and yet providing full reporting capability.

Considerations

• Database Views can be used to build Reports or Web Tabs

Users that have the Customize Objects permission can create a Database View

Create or Edit a Database View

To create or edit a Database View:

1. Click Designer > Data > Database Views
2. Choose one of the following options:
   • Click the [New Database View] button to create a new Database View
   • Click the name of the Database view to edit
3. Select the desired Objects (move objects to/from the Selected Objects column)
4. In the Filter by Record Ownership section, use the Checkbox icon to choose one or more objects
   • The Objects selected here define the fields available for filtering in Reports
5. In the Custom Aliases section, note that the alias fields are autopopulated
   • The default alias name format for Custom Objects is different from the format for System Objects, but can be modified
6. Click [Next]
7. Define the relationship (Joins) between the objects selected

   See Defining Relationships (Joins) for more information

Define Relationships (Joins)

Define Relationships (Joins)

Create New Reports Using a Database View

To create a new report using a Database View

1. Create a Database View that includes the Related Objects of interest
2. From the application, click the Reports tab.
3. Click [Add Report]
4. In the Category tab, choose the Database View
   (Database Views are shown along with the standard single-object report categories.)
5. The field list for the report includes all fields available in the objects that part of the Database View.

Learn more: Add or Edit a Report

Considerations

• Edits to a Database View are only allowed after checking against existing reports
• Fields can be removed from the Database View for various reasons - an object can be removed and replaced with a new object or a new set of fields can be selected
• If any fields that are being removed are used in reports based on this Database View, the edits to the Database View will not be allowed; You will have to remove the fields from the affected reports before completing the edit on this Database View

Delete a Database View

To delete a Database View:

1. Click > Customization > Database Views
2. Click the Delete link next to the Database View to delete it

Considerations

• In order to delete a Database View, you must first delete any report that uses that category; If a Database View is used in any report, and you attempt to delete the Database View, you will get an error message
• The report(s) must be deleted first, then the Database View can be deleted
• If a Database View is used in a report and you attempt to delete the Database View, you will get an error message