Getting Started with Custom Line Item Wizard

The Custom Line Item wizard allows you to create custom line items that you can use in your alerts and reports. The Getting Started section walks you through the following steps to create a custom line item:

1.	Creating a custom line item

2.	Testing a custom line item

3.	Editing a custom line item

Before creating your custom line item, consider the following:

•	Verify that the line item does not already exist. Aloha Insight furnishes you with predefined line items that can meet the needs of most companies.

You can download a complete list of line items by clicking on the Help icon and selecting the Line Item Description link.

•	Define exactly what information you are trying to extract in the report or monitor in the alert. At this stage, you might want to write down the expected result to compare later to the line item.

•	Write down any calculations you want to use in the line item.

While working in the Custom Line Item wizard, keep in mind that your access and rights to the Custom Line Item wizard depend on your security settings, which are defined in Security Class Setup wizard within Aloha Insight. Now you are ready to create your custom line item.

To create a custom line item:

1.	Click Add on the Welcome to Custom Line Items screen. The Custom Line Item Properties screen appears.

2.	Type a name for the new custom line item.

3.	Type an optional description. A description is useful for denoting the report currently using the custom line item.

4.	Select the category for the custom line item. This determines the ‘Category’ where you access the custom line item in the Reports Builder wizard and Alerts Setup wizard. If you do not select a category, the category defaults to Custom.

5.	Select one of the following predefined formats for the result of the line item in the ‘Format’ drop-down list:

•

Number

•

Currency

•	Decimal to nearest 10th

•	Decimal to nearest 100th

6.	Click Next to display the Build Custom Line Item Formula screen.

When you build your custom line item formula, determine the first item you will insert. After determining what is first, insert it into the formula using the following procedure:

To insert a line item:

1.	Click Line Item to display the Line Item Selection screen.

2.	Select the category of the line item from the ‘Line Item Options’ drop-down list. All line items associated with this category display in the list box.

3.	Select the line item you want to insert into the custom line item formula.

4.	Enter a new name, if desired, in the ‘Line Item Name’ text box. This is the name that appears in the formula. If you select a custom line item to use in the formula, the actual formula for that custom line item appears. Custom line items are denoted with an asterisk.

5.	Click Next to insert the line item in the formula on the Build Custom Line Item Formula screen.

To insert a number:

1.	Type the number(s) into the ‘Numbers’ text box, or click the individual number buttons on the screen.

To type a negative number, click before entering the number.

2.	Click Insert to add the number to the custom line item formula.

To insert a mathematical operator:

Click one of the following mathematical operators:

•	Multiplication

•	Subtraction

•

Division

•

Addition

•	Open parenthesis

•	Closed parenthesis

You must use proper mathematical syntax. Use the parenthesis just as you would in an algebraic equation; therefore, you can start a custom line item with an open parenthesis.

Testing a Custom Line Item

Test your custom line item to verify it returns the desired results. If the custom line item does not return the desired result, you can edit the custom line item as needed.

To test a custom line item:

1.	Click Test. You receive a prompt to save the formula.

2.	Click Yes to save the formula.

3.	Select a store with valid data.

4.	Type a date or click to select a date from the calendar.

5.	Click Test. The result displays to the right in read-only format.

6.	Click Done to return to the Build Custom Line Item Formula screen.

7.	If you are satisfied with the result, click Save to return to the Welcome to Custom Line Items screen. If you are not satisfied with the result, continue to Editing a Custom Line Item Formula and then test the custom line item until it returns the desired value.

Editing a Custom Line Item Formula

You can edit the custom line item you are currently building or edit an existing custom line item. Click the part of the custom line item you want to edit. Clicking on any part of the custom line item displays a pop-up menu that allows you to edit or delete your current selection, or clear the entire formula.

You left-click on the line item to display the pop-up menu.

To edit a line item:

1.	Click the line item in the formula and a pop-up menu appears with options to Edit Line Item, Delete Line Item, or Clear Formula.

2.	Select Edit Line Item to choose a different line item from the Line Item Selection screen, or enter a new name for the line item.

OR

Select Delete Line Item to delete the line item.

OR

Select Clear Formula to clear the entire formula.

To edit a number:

1.	Click the number to display a pop-up menu.

2.	Select Edit Number to display a secondary pop-up menu.

3.	Select the number to edit in the text box.

4.	Type the new number, or click each number button.

To type a negative number, click before entering the number.

5.	Click Insert to insert the new number in the ‘Custom Line Item Formula’ text box.

To edit a mathematical operator:

1.	Click the operator to display a pop-up menu.

2.	Select Edit Operator to display a secondary pop-up menu. A check mark displays next to the currently used operator.

3.	Select the new operator.

After you edit the custom line item, test the custom line item to verify it returns the desired result.

Editing the Custom Line Item Properties

To change the name, description, or category of the custom line item:

To edit the custom line item properties

1.	Click Update Properties to display the Update Properties screen.

2.	Enter the new name or description.

3.	Select the new category.

4.	Select a new format.

5.	Click Save after you have made all changes to the custom line item.