Write-Back Limitations

Write-Back Limitations OBIEE 11G

Users can write back to any data source (except for an ADF data source) that allows the execution of SQL queries from the Oracle BI Server. As you configure for write back, keep the following limitations in mind:

• Numeric columns must contain numbers only. They should not contain any data formatting characters such as dollar signs ($), pound signs or hash signs (#), percent signs (%), and so on.
  
• Text columns should contain string data only.
  
• You can use the template mechanism only with table views and only for single-value data. The template mechanism is not supported for pivot table views or any type of view or for multiple-value data.
  
• All values in write-back columns are editable. When displayed in non printer friendly context, editable fields are displayed as if the user has the Write Back to Database privilege. However, when a logical column is mapped to a physical column that can change, the logical column returns values for multiple level intersections. This scenario can cause problems.
  
• Any field in an analysis can be flagged as a write-back field, even if it is not derived from the write-back table that you created. However you cannot successfully execute the write-back operation if the table is not write-back enabled. The responsibility for correctly tagging fields lies with the content designer.
  
• A template can contain SQL statements other than insert and update. The write-back function passes these statements to the database. However, Oracle does not support or recommend the use of any statements other than insert or update.
  
• Presentation Services performs only minimal validation of data input. If the field is numeric and the user enters text data, then Presentation Services detects that and prevents the invalid data from going to the database. However, it does not detect other forms of invalid data input (values out of range, mixed text and numeric, and so on). When the user clicks the write-back button and an insert or update is executed, invalid data results in an error message from the database. The user can then correct the faulty input. Content designers can include text in the write-back analysis to aid the user, for example, "Entering mixed alphanumeric values into a numeric data field is not allowed."
  
• The template mechanism is not suitable for entering arbitrary new records. In other words, do not use it as a data input tool.
  
• Write-back analyses do not support drill-down. Because drilling down modifies the table structure, the write-back template does not work.

Thanks,
Satya Ranki Reddy