1. Argos Moving Quickly into the Community
Bruce Knox
Project/Program Director a. k. a. Database Programmer Analyst
University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
ABUG Arkansas Tech University Russellville May 28, 2009

2. Introduction Purpose: Discuss the Argos User Community
Converting to Argos
Overcoming Organizational Inertia
Benefits:
Free Software
Conversion Tips
Tools for Ad Hoc Banner Reporting
Purpose:
Discuss the Argos User Community
Converting to Argos
Benefits:
Free Software
Conversion Tips
Tools for Ad Hoc Banner Reporting

3. Agenda Slide What’s an Argos? Trying the Product The Argos Community
Converting to Argos
Banner Record Selection Criteria
Argos Training
Overcoming Inertia
Example Apps
What’s an Argos?
Trying the Product
The Argos Community
Converting to Argos
Banner Record Selection Criteria

4. What’s an Argos?
OK, what’s an Argos?

5. What’s an Argos? Argos is a Web Based Evisions Ad Hoc Reporting Tool
Designed for Banner
Argos is a Web Based Ad Hoc Reporting Tool Designed for Banner
Well, it really isn’t designed ONLY for Banner. But, you might never guess that.

6. A.R.G.O.S. Ad hoc Report Generation and Output Solution
Easy to Use
Fast
Secure
ARGOS is an acronym,
but I see it as the Ad Hoc Reporting solution for Banner.
It is Secure, Easy to Use, and Fast.

7. Argos, in Design Mode looks a lot like MS Access
Argos may look a lot like MS Access in Query Design mode, but it is much more.

8. What’s an Argos? MS Access++ Built for the SQL Database
If you made MS Access from scratch into a better Reporting Tool for Banner …

9. Trying the Product
Trying the Product

10. Trying the Product: Get a Password
The Password gets you:
Software, Sample Queries and Reports, Documentation,
recorded and live Training, Help Desk …

11. Trying the Product: Download and Install

12. Trying the Product: DBA and SysAdmin
You will need IT for early parts of the Server Install
To do it right you need IT, but I actually installed the system on my PC for early testing.
If you already have MS Access connecting to Banner, you could install Argos without IT:)

13. Trying the Product: Download
The Sample DataBlocks are Useful pre-written “User” Objects.
These contain code for running many commonly used Queries.

14. Trying the Product: Install
We originally set ours up to use Banner Security.
But if you have Active Directory or LDAP in place, just use it.

15. Trying the Product: Import Sample DataBlocks
Imported the Sample Datablocks, those pre-written Query and Report Objects.

16. Trying the Product: Client Written Query
Note that this one was from Robert Long of UALR, now UCA.

17. Trying the Product: Note the Credit Given
Did you ever see a vendor give credit to a client before?

18. Trying the Product: Visual Design
This is the Operating Leger in
Report Query – Visual Design (Edit Mode).

19. The Argos Community
The Argos Community

20. The Argos Community Community is a big part of Argos
Sharing in Argos’ secured repository is encouraged.
The User Community is a big part of Argos.
And, Evisions actually encourages sharing of solutions in its code repository.

21. The Argos Community
Reviewed Code means that Evisions has tried it and it runs.

22. The Argos Community
Argos can do more than just reporting for Banner, but Banner is our primary interest.

23. The Argos Community
The repository is arranged by Functional Area.

24. The Argos Community
I immediately found 59 DataBlocks for our use (and we do not have Student or Alumni).
We also Acquired DataBlocks directly from a Sister Organization.
Note that the Source of the code is recognized

25. Converting to Argos
GUI or code? Argos is flexible.

26. Converting to Argos from a GUI Tool
Build DataBlocks via the Report Query – Visual Design GUI in Argos?

27. Converting to Argos from SQL
Or, Enter the Oracle Code in Argos’ “Free Type”?

28. Converting to Argos
Either way will work for you, but you still need to know the Banner Record Selection Criteria
Either way will work for you, but you still need to know the Banner Record Selection Criteria.

29. Banner Record Selection
The undoing of many a would be Banner programmer.

30. Banner Record Selection
-- names_create.sql Current Records VIEW from TABLE SPRIDEN-SPBPERS
CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW NAMES (
PIDM, ID, NAME, LEGAL_NAME, SORT_LAST
) AS
SELECT SPRIDEN_PIDM, -- PIDM,
SPRIDEN_ID, ID,
SUBSTR(DECODE(SPBPERS_NAME_PREFIX,'Mr',NULL,'Mr.',NULL,'Miss',NULL,'Mrs',NULL,
'Mrs.',NULL,'Ms',NULL,'Ms.',NULL,NULL,NULL, SPBPERS_NAME_PREFIX||' ')||
RTRIM(DECODE(NVL(SPBPERS_PREF_FIRST_NAME,'X'),'X',spriden_first_name,spbpers_pref_first_name))||' '||
RTRIM(spriden_last_name),1,25), -- Name,
SUBSTR(RTRIM(spriden_last_name)||', '||RTRIM(spriden_first_name)||' '||RTRIM(spriden_mi),1,25), -- Legal_Name,
SUBSTR(spriden_last_name,1,15) -- Sort_Last
FROM SPRIDEN, SPBPERS
WHERE SPRIDEN_PIDM = SPBPERS_PIDM (+)
AND SPRIDEN_CHANGE_IND IS NULL
AND SPRIDEN_ENTITY_IND = 'P' ;
Use Oracle Views for Current Record Oracle Views to simplify Ad Hoc Reporting.
This is our Name View. Which is by far my favorite.

31. Banner Record Selection
With Current Record Oracle Views anyone
can quickly create error free results.
With Current Record Oracle Views anyone
can quickly create error free results.

32. Banner Record Selection
Now a Quick Example
Now, A Quick Example

33. Banner Record Selection
Add our standard Names View.

34. Banner Record Selection
Add a special View for Degrees. (You always need two tables to get to the degree description!)

35. Banner Record Selection
Join them

36. Banner Record Selection
Quick! Error Free! Results!
I have some Oracle Views for Banner code available in my scripts repository.

37. Banner Record Selection
Look for:
Current Record Set or Special Views  
in my scripts repository
This is password protected and if you need the scripts password, just ask me for it.
I have collected some Oracle Views to get you started. If let me know if you need the scripts password?
(follow the hyperlink!)

38. Banner Record Selection
You should find these and many other Views:
Active_Employees
Active_Jobs
Age
FTVFUND_V FTVORGN_V FTVPROG_V FTVACCT_V FTVLOCN_V
GOREMAL_V
Names
Just in case we cannot link to the scripts repository.

39. Argos Training
Argos Training

40. Argos Training: Many Options
Free On-Line Recorded Training
Free On-Line Live Training
On-Site Training (Consulting and Development)
I am going to speak to the free training. There is a separate session covering the services offerings.

41. Argos Training
So Many Options … (next page)

42. Argos Training
… that I suggest this cut-to-the-chase approach.

43. Recorded Training for Designer
I really find that most of our Windows savvy functional users do not need to be trained to use Argos to run reports.

44. Argos Training
Could it be easier?
Next slide …

45. Recorded Training for Designer
This Quick Start page is all that many programmers and technical functional users need to get going.

46. Overcoming Inertia
The soft sell is the best approach.

47. Overcoming Inertia Designers are the hardest to move
Give them a Fast Path
Give them Obvious Improvements
Give them Examples
Programmers are set in their ways. The have a lot invested. So, the soft sell is the best approach.

48. Programmers or Designers
These help:
Folders for each Application or Functional Area
A Connection for any Shared ID/pw
Use a Banded Report Standard
Scheduled Reports can be Direct to Printer
Reports via Links using the API
With a little up front design, you can make it easier for programmers to move into Argos.
We have found little that we need that cannot be done in Argos.

49. Programmers or Designers
A standard DataBlock is very useful for simple reports.

50. Programmers or Designers
One can use a Standard DataBlock to speed up simple designs. (Deletes are easy.)

51. Programmers or Designers
A standard Banded Report is very useful.

52. Programmers or Designers
A standard Banded Report helps the user, the application manager, and the programmer.
Note that the Program Name, Database, and Path all change automatically whenever the object names are moved or renamed.

53. More Argos Resources
Eventually some will want much more training and it is available for free or as services.

54. More Argos Resources: Argos Training
Some will want much more training and much of it is available for free.
This is just a random, fairly typical schedule.

55. Knowledge Base, Listserv, Help Desk, …
Knowledge Base, Listserv, Help Desk, … and, the It Would Be Nice (IWBN) List.

56. Examples Apps
We use Argos for Banner and for non-Banner Applications.

57. We have these non-Banner Apps
HelpDesk
Publications
Irrigation
Wildlife
AIMS
There are many using the reporting API to run Argos Reports from Web sites.

58. Banner Support Apps Administrative Support Cash Management
Spot (Luminis)
These tend to be special solutions.

59. Report Viewers Need very little help They already know Windows
Here is how we do it … (next slide)

60. Argos Training: Report Viewers
For folks that will only be running reports, little training is required.
This is all that 9 out of 10 will need.
(Spot is our Luminis portal.)

61. Report Viewers
Just give them something useful
And they will use it.

62. Report Viewers
And they will use it.

63. Report Viewers
I have for years used SQL*Plus snippets to track down the cause of missing employees in our Directory.
Now I can do it in about 1/20th of the time it took before. Plus, the support staff can use it too.

64. Report Viewers
Our Luminis portal brings some strange questions from our Help Desk.

65. Report Viewers Why can the user Login to Luminis and not into Banner?
Why can they get into SSB but not INB?

66. Summary Download and Try It!
Argos is the Web Based Ad Hoc Reporting Tool for Banner
Go to the Argos Community for Free Code and Help
Try it and the Community!

67. Questions??? Bruce Knox at bknox @uaex.edu www.uaex.edu/bknox/

68. More Argos Resources
Argos
BannerArgos
Banner Reporting Solutions
From
use the Custom Google Search for my Banner Reporting pages
or look for the scripts repository (which requires the scripts password) which contains Current Record Views and more.