Getting XML for Expense Reports

It seems all the instructions for BI Publisher is geared for reports are are not run with Report Interface data selections.

I am trying to use BI Publisher with Expense Reports (R09E116|ZJDE0001) which is called from the Expense Entry (P09E2011).

I have loaded the blank template, created and submitted the Report Definition (of course no information since there is no values for the RI parameters). When I run it against the normal way through the P09E2011, I get the normal expense report (and yes, I have tried submitting specs for the R09E116|ZJDE0001)

How can I get XML to develop the Template? This will be the same issue we will have with Checks and Vendor EFT's.

uplaod a blank rtf (or "hello world") as a report def. Run as normal to server (if applicable, in draft mode or reprint mode of older data). download from WSJ row exit the XML source.

Use that source to develop the template.

Upload new template to existing report definition.

Use "republish" on existing data to confirm server is publishing it correctly with new template.

Then you are good to go.

(For an app that calls a version, you can, from a form exit in the version detail in Batch Versions, hook up a report definition to always be used for certain versions -- especially useful for those called by schedulers and blind submission.)

We have done that. No matter what we do, the output goes to BV since we have to call the R09E116|ZJDE0001 from the P09E2011. This is the only way to call the expense report.

We even transferred the XMLP and the RD to production since our INI's are set for all security going through Production. This will not change.

Oracle has been completely useless on this.

Excerpt from my paper. You are missing this piece.

Final Setup for the Users
The method we used to run the reports during development will not be the same method used by the users. The users will continue to run reports off of the menu as normal. They will continue to go to “Work with Submitted Jobs” to view reports output from BIP. To make this happened, we have a little more setup to do.

You need to associate the BIP Report Definition (RD) with the proper UBE/Report version.
1) In OMW, check out the report version.
2) Click on the Design Button.
3) Click on Revise Version.
4) Click on the Report Definition form exit.
5) Select the Report Definition.
6) Click on OK to get back to the OMW.
7) Check the version back in.

One thing to add. If you have done this last piece of set up. and you have verified the latest version specs are on the server and you are running everything on the server, it may be a BIP configuration issue that the CNC guy should be able to help with I hope.

We have resolved the issue. Since the Expense Report Print Version is called from Expense Report Entry, we had to define the Report Definition directly in the version. Once we did a build on it, everything worked.

I got the XML and have about 90% of the template completed. I even loaded the updated template into XMLP in DV and republished the RD to get actual printout. The rest of the issues (template design will be in a forthcoming post)


BTW: 8.98.33 has some nice enhancements. Especially for bursting.