InetSoft Webinar: Using Our BI Tool's Database Write Back Feature

This is the continuation of the transcript of a Webinar hosted by InetSoft in March 2018 on the topic of "InetSoft's New BI Software Release Introduces Databasse Write-back" The speakers are Mark Flaherty, CMO at InetSoft, and Jay Dastur, Senior Technologist.

Dastur: Are there any questions about using our BI tool’s database write back feature?

Flaherty: Yes, Jay we do have a couple of questions that we might as well take right here. Let’s look. Okay, the first one is can I write back to LOBs in an Oracle database?

Dastur: LOBs, Large Objects?

Flaherty: Yes.

Dastur: Yes, the write-back is basically an API. So when you make changes you can actually encapsulate your own business rules, and you can write back not only to a database, you can write back to a text file. You can write into an API or a Web service. So there is this layer in between where you can detect what's been changed, and you can decide how you want to update stuff.

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Flaherty: And then I guess there is a related question following about CLOBs and BLOBs?

Dastur: If it's a character LOB, yes, then it probably makes more sense, if it's like an image I don’t know how we use it with edit and image, but yeah if it's a character large objects, yeah you should be able to modify them.

Flaherty: One more question now, can you restrict which columns can be modified?

Dastur: Yes, absolutely so notice when Robert gets his quotes, he can change certain statuses. You can restrict what column gets modified, even certain ranges. Then Robert logs in, and he can change the status or the remarks column. Only the manager can change that, but you can change the discount. Even when he changes the discount, maybe he gives more than a 100% discount, the validation catches that. You can also have only certain date ranges be permissible.

Flaherty: Okay one more at this point, what if two people are in at the same time, how do you control cross interaction?

Dastur: Well at the back end is the data base so I guess you know whoever writes the data base initially. That is a good question. If you want to make things more secure and more synchronized, you can. You can leverage the database’s own controls and make sure no two people change things at the same time.

Flaherty: Okay, if two people come in at the same time, that is what keeps them from conflicting. What happens if a referential integrity on a database is broken?

Dastur: Referential integrity of the database is typically handled by the database.

Flaherty: I will see if we can follow up on that one. The next one is can a task be role driven?

Dastur: What do you mean a task be role driven, I need to have permissions on this?

Flaherty: Next one: if I put this in my dashboard portal, do I still have all of the default behavior? Do I lose some buttons or features such as exporting to Excel or the update database button?

Dastur: When you put in this your portal whatever is in this little window is what you can get. Everything over here outside can be customized. You can choose the buttons, individual viewsheets when embedded into a portal or portal framework with all the functions so you don’t lose any functionality.

Flaherty: Someone is asking if they can ask about the reporting tool? The answer is yes go ahead and post your question, we will get to that as well. Okay so Jay, continue.

Dastur: Yeah that is about it for the demo, those are the two examples.

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