Targets

The list of long-term targetings can be filtered according to three items of information:

• The target name
•  The target category, with one of the values from the miscellaneous table 438: Target categories. This field is not mandatory.
•  The target author

User filtering

This field is used to filter the contents of the "Target list" section. If this box is ticked, only the targets created by the current user are displayed. When this is not the case, it is possible to view all the targets defined in the application.
By default, this box is always ticked when opening the window.

Target

This field is used to filter the contents of the "Target list" section. If this field is assigned, only the targetings carried out for the target entered are displayed. If this is not the case, all the targets belonging to a user or all the users (according to the user filter) are displayed.
By default, this field is not assigned when opening the window.

Target list

This grid displays the list of all the long-term targets depending on the header information. The displayed targets are classified depending on their generation date in descending order. For a single date, a second classification is carried out according to their chrono code again in descending order.

NB: A little arrow on the left of the grid is used to identify the selected target when reading the characteristics and the text description of the sample.

Characteristics

Display the characteristics

When a targeting is selected, this tick box is used to indicate whether a target characteristics read is required.

This information is indeed dynamically interpreted on each selection of a new targeting in the left-hand grid. When large volumes are in play in the table and it is necessary to pay attention to the nature of sample, the reading of these records can have a negative impact on the navigation in the grid.

Un-ticking this box makes the navigation between targetings instantaneous.

This tick box only affects the qualification of the four fields in the "Characteristics" section. The presentation support and the sample nature become available for viewing.

By default, this box is always ticked when opening the window.

Number of records

This field informs the user on the number of records that make up the selected target sample.

Number of populations

This field informs the user on the number of intermediary populations that have been required at the construction of the final sample obtained.

Total number of criteria

This field informs the user of the total number of criteria that are necessary to enter all the intermediary populations in order to identify the expected sample.

Number of criteria values

This field informs the user on the total number of occurrences of the criteria value entered for the selected target.

Presentation supports

This field indicates the presentation support that has been entered during the initial definition of the target. This support will be reused by default during later inquiries on the same targeting.

Nevertheless the user can freely decide to use selectively another support to carry out an inquiry on the contents of the sample. The user is helped with this by an associated selection list or via a tunnel on the presentation support management object.

This field also has available a contextual menu named "Personal preferences". Using this menu, the user sets their permanent personal preferences in terms of the presentation support for the current target. In this manner, the same presentation support will always be proposed by default on the creation of each new target defined by this user.

Sample nature

In the targeting definition window, the user is strongly advised to enter a brief text description for each intermediate population. This description is more useful than the a posteriori target criteria inquiry since it aids understanding the sample nature at a later date.

This grid reproduces these different descriptions. Each line corresponds to an intermediate population.

In the case where several lines will be displayed, the system adds the operator that is associated with them at the start of each line (only the grouping of brackets are not reproduced in this type of text display).

If a description has not been entered for an intermediate population, the system will display in its place the name of the selection support used.

The existence of these description lines avoid the use of the criteria inquiry in order to be reminded of the target composition.

Additional functions for the target inquiry:

This window contains four buttons at the bottom of the screen:

This button is used to delete all the components of the selected target, including the sample itself and all the criteria descriptions.

This button is used to start the process of the new target definition.

This button is used to access directly the sample contents inquiry without passing via the criteria definition window or more importantly without triggering a sample recalculation.

This button is used to view the definition of the a posterioriselection supports and the target criteria. It is then possible to modify the entered criteria and to potentially to trigger a sample recalculation.

• Target definition

The target definition window has the following characteristics:

Header information

Processed target

This field is required before all element definition. It specifies the principal target mission.

Once a target is entered, it can not be modified further.

NB: This field is automatically checked and then greyed out when it is accessed from a function in which the target is known. For example, the management of the targets, the marketing assistants, etc.

Presentation

This field is used to indicate the local preference for the presentation aid. By default, the presentation support suggested by the system is by order of priority:

• The user's personal preference for the support defined for the target entered.
• The presentation support associated with the target.

This field also has available a contextual menu "Default personal support". By using this menu, the user sets its permanent personal preferences in terms of the presentation support for the current target. In this manner, the same presentation support will always be proposed by default on the creation of each new target defined by this user.

• Populations tab

This tab is used to define the intermediate populations. An intermediate population is a sample of the target type that satisfies a combination of a maximum of nine criteria.

A final sample results from the grouping of several intermediate populations as a function of the operations that link them and the impact that is conferred by the groups of brackets.

When a single intermediate population is defined, the final sample corresponds exactly to that single intermediate population.

It is possible to define up to a maximum of nine intermediate populations. Each population has a number assigned corresponding to its line number in the grid. This number is further exploited to carry out the logical grouping of the populations.

The definition of intermediate populations is carried out using the following fields:

Operator:It is not possible to enter an operator if only a single intermediate population is defined. This field is only accessible from the definition of the second population.

The available operators are:

• And
• Or
• And not
• Or not

Shown below is the "truth" table for each operator:

• Selection support

A selection support is a precondition for all criteria entry. Certain supports do not however require the entry of criteria. These are the types "All records" and "Processing". Only the selection of the support is necessary in this case to identify an intermediate population. However, in this situation, the "Criteria" tab is inaccessible.

Several contextual menus are proposed to aid the user in their search for the most appropriate support:

• The selection menu displays the list of all the selection supports available for the required target.
• Selection aids: This menu is used to access via a tunnel the selection supports management object. The left list corresponds only to the selection supports linked to the intended target. This is a very practical method to rapidly view the component elements for each available support.
•  Standard supports:This menu displays the standard supports sub-group. The standard supports are generated via the target criteria regeneration function. For a target other than "BPs" or "Contacts", this list is empty.
•  Personalized supports:This menu displays the selection support sub-group defined by the user. For a target other than "BP" or "Contacts", this list is identical to that displayed by menu 1.
•  Group supports:This menu displays only the list of the selection supports of the type "Table grouping" defined for the processed target whether they are standard or personalized.
•  Processing supports: This menu displays only the list of the selection supports of the type "Processing" defined for the processed target.
• First level supports: This menu displays only the list of the selection supports of the type "First level link" defined for the processed target whether they are standard or personalized.

Description

This field is used to characterize an intermediate population via a brief mnemonic description. The entry of such a description is particularly important for long-term targets. This description is in effect used to identify at a later date an old target.

Population grouping

In terms of the entry of a target, this field is used to define the impact of the inter-population operators via the brackets.

From the moment that several intermediate populations are defined and that an operator other than "And" has been introduced as one of these, it becomes important to check the contents of this field.

In fact, the system defines a default grouping, for each new population entered in the grid. As a function of the user requirements, the suggestion can either be satisfactory or require a modification.

NB: All modifications of the intermediate population grid lead to a standard group recalculation. As a consequence, there is no point in modifying this field during entry. On the other hand, attention should be paid to the latter just before the confirmation of a creation or for each modification.

The syntax rules on Population grouping field entry:

•  The number of opening and closing brackets must match;
•  All grouping expressions must contain a minimum of one start and end bracket;
• All populations and operators entered in the grid must be identified in the grouping expression;
•  The entry of the same population number several times is prohibited;
• The population numbers must imperatively be entered in ascending order.

• Grid: Summary

This grid displays the different descriptions entered for each intermediate population. Each line corresponds to an intermediate population.

In the case where several lines will be displayed, the system adds the operator that is associated with them at the start of each line (only the grouping of brackets are not reproduced in this type of text display).

If a description has not been entered for an intermediate population, the system will display the name of the selection support used.

• Criteria tab

The "Criterion" tab is used to complete the selection of the selection support by the entry of the target criteria.

This tab is only accessible if the support selected is of the type "first level links" or "Table group" The name of the current selection is displayed in the header of this tab.

It is possible to enter up to a maximum of nine criteria for each selection support. Each criterion has a number assigned corresponding to its line number in the grid. This number is further exploited to carry out the logical grouping of the criteria.

It is also possible to enter up to twenty five values by criterion.

The different criteria relative to a single table must be entered on adjoining lines (for example, it is not possible to enter a criterion in the BPADDRESS table in line 1 and 3 if the line 2 criterion concerns the BPARTNER table).

The criteria entry is carried out across the following fields:

Operator

It is not possible to enter an operator if only a single criterion is defined. This field is only accessible from the definition of the second criterion.

The available operators are:

• And
• Or

Table

This field is used to indicate the table on which a criterion will be controlled. The user can select a single table from the current selection support components. The user is aided in this by a contextual menu "Selection" displaying the available tables. These tables are sorted as a function of their level with respect to the target.

Field

This field is used to identify the field in the table that will be used as a selection criterion. The user is aided in this by a selection list loaded in the following fashion:

• If the table entered has been altered in the target criteria dictionary, only the fields declared as active will be displayed accompanied by their new name. These fields are also sorted depending on their order number in ascending order.
• If the table entered has not been altered, all the fields in the table will be displayed with their standard name.
• If the table entered has been altered, this field displays a contextual menu called "Target criteria", it is used to directly access the target criteria dictionary for the table in question. This menu is particularly useful to reactivate a field that is not found in the selection list because it is inactive.

NB: The specific/custom fields added to a table after the alteration of the latter are automatically taken into account in the criteria selection list. These are displayed at the end of the list.

Condition

The available conditions are dependent on the type of criterion selected. The grid shown below summarizes the available conditions depending on the different types possible:

Value

This grid is used to enter up to twenty five values for each criterion. Each value is systematically checked as a function of the criterion type concerned.

Where possible, the system tries as much as possible to generate an associated selection list. The is useful in particular for the fields of the type "Local menu", "Miscellaneous table", "Object data type", etc.

When a code is used as a criterion, the system also tries to generate a contextual menu displaying the code description.

Note on the entry of an empty character string: Several different entries are acceptable to carryout a selection such as: "I want to obtain all the BPs whose SIC code is not empty".

The first part linked to the criterion is always entered as follows:

In the values table, the following entries are accepted:

It is even more practical to enter nothing at all in the values grid.

Criteria grouping

This field is used to define the impact of the inter-criteria operators within the brackets.

From the moment that several criteria are defined and that an operator other than "And" has been introduced as one of these, it becomes important to check the contents of this field.

In fact, the system defines a default grouping, for each new criterion entered in the grid. As a function of the user requirements, the suggestion can either be satisfactory or require a modification.

Syntax rules for the entry of the Criteria grouping field:

•  The number of opening and closing brackets must match;
•  All grouping expressions must contain a minimum of one start and end bracket;
• All criteria and operators entered in the grid must be identified in the grouping expression;
•  It is prohibited to enter several times the same criterion number;
• The criteria numbers must imperatively be entered in ascending order.

Additional functions for the target definition

Once a target supplement is defined, the user has available several possibilities:

•  Save the entry, exit the window and trigger the search of the sample at an appropriate moment (this method is well adapted to targeting on large volumes).
• Start the search to obtain certain information immediately and then to destroy the sample.
• Start the search with the intention of storing the sample obtained for later use.

This list is not exhaustive. The combination of the four buttons below provides the user with a wide freedom of management.

This button is used to save the creation or the modification carried out in the target window.

This button is the only method to start the sample search. At the end of the search (whose duration depends directly on the volume of the tables implicated in the targeting), the confirmation window is displayed with the first records in the list.

This button is only operational for the first saving of the target. It identifies the short or long-term nature of the target.

If at the end of the generation and the sample inquiry, the user clicks on the button, the target will be considered as long-term. It can then be subject to later manipulations.

If at the end of the generation and the sample inquiry, the user clicks on the button, the target will be considered as short-term. In this case, all the information entered and the sample generated will be destroyed.

During any later manipulation on a long-term target, the choice between theandbutton will be without effect. The target will be saved in the database until the user requests its deletion.

Target confirmation

The Confirmation window for a sample has a double role. It ensures both the generation of the samples and their presentation (which can be set up).

In fact, its structure that is composed of a grid of 15 columns, is totally dependent on the presentation support used at the time of a targeting.

Its different characteristics are detailed below.

• Header information

Target

This field recalls the nature of the records displayed in the confirmation window.

Sample total

This field identifies the total number of records comprising the sample.

Result inquiry

Only the information defined in the associated presentation support for the target are displayed in the confirmation window. This information can come from the target table itself or from linked tables.

The maximum number of items of information that can be displayed in this window is limited to 15 by the record.

When all the information displayed comes from the target table, the number of lines displayed in this window is always equal to the number of records comprising the sample.

But when certain information comes from the tables linked to the table, the number of lines in the inquiry can be different to the number of lines comprising the sample.

The precise nature of this phenomenon is explained below.

Taking the example of a sample composed of 15 BPs. Firstly the first presentation support is defined, simply comprising the following information:

In this support, all the information displayed comes from the target table. During the display of the sample contents, there will be fifteen lines. Each record corresponds to a BP.

In order to find out a bit more about the BPs, the Postal code and the town are added. The presentation support now looks like:

The BPADRESS table is re-linked as standard with the BP table via the BPA0 index with a 1 to 1 cardinality. The new sample is now displayed with its new presentation. Fifteen lines are still obtained corresponding to the fifteen BPs.

The BP/Address link is of the 1 for 1 type, because the BPA0 index contains the default address of the BP. In this way, even if a BP has several addresses, the display always reflects the postcode and town for the default address of the BP.

On the other hand, if the user defines a new specific/custom index (named BPAA for example) on the Addresses table. This index will be composed of uniquely the "Entity type" and the "Entity code". To use this new index, it is necessary to actualize the setup of the table linked to the target.

In the following example, thirteen BPs have only a single address, whilst the last two each have three.

Using the same presentation support as before, the sample is rerun. Nineteen lines are obtained for a sample containing fifteen BPs.

In fact, this time it is using a BP/Address link with a multiple cardinality. The difference compared with the first display is that this time is is not just the default address for each BP that has been requested, but all the addresses for each BP.

This display type can greatly increase the proportions of a sample display.

For example, this type of display carried out with the tables such as the Telephone calls, Appointments, Service requests... can increase the sample of 15 BPs to a display of perhaps two hundred lines or more.

In conclusion, the nature or the link used to associate a table to a target directly influences the contents of the confirmation window. Thus, it is generally cautious to set aside the use of fields coming from tables with high cardinality with the target to the presentation supports defined as personal. This practice is used to save a default support for the target with a stable behavior. Stable behavior means the assurance of having available a number of lines always equal to the sample population.

NB: If the processed target is exploited in X3 through a management object, a "Detail" contextual menu is available to access by tunnel the detail of the chosen record.

Print view

The confirmation window offers a "Functions - Print view" menu, which provides the following options:

• A paper print-out of the sample
•  Offers a global inquiry, paginated with break level and totals reports.
• Offers a first level of analysis of the sample on the basis of a dimension per print.

The print view generates a Crystal Report report whose structure varies as a function of the criterion used in the sort.

If the sort field is different to the primary key for the target, the report generates a break for each sort occurrence. A total is calculated for each occurrence group.

At the end of the report, a graphical analysis of the respective section for each group of occurrences in the population is displayed.

NB: If the sort criterion is of the type "Date", the breaks are carried out on a monthly basis.

If the sort field is equal to the primary key in the target, only a sorted list without breaks is generated.

Print to file

The "Functions - Print to file" is used to extract the sample in the form of an external file. The file format can be selected from a wide range of choices, the most common of which are shown in the grid below.

The structure and the generated file sort depend directly on the presentation support used to display the confirmation window.

A pre-extraction file view is displayed before undertaking the export. This makes it possible to quickly verify the complete contents of the file.

• Presentation supports

Before displaying the contents of a sample, it is sometimes necessary to view the support characteristics for this presentation. This is particularly useful if there is a need to review the nature of the sort carried out by the system.
The buttonis provided for this. A click on this button opens the presentation support associated with the target.

This button is used together with the "Print view" function. It is possible to selectively modify the sort criteria of the presentation support.

The launch of a new print view immediately takes into account this modification. The new sort criteria acts directly on the graphical dimension analysis. This improves, print after print, the understanding of the sample breakdown.

This type of manipulation is to be reserved for personal presentation supports. In fact, the modification of the presentation support characteristics being used in a simultaneous fashion by many users can lead to problems.

NB: The modification of a presentation support via this button, does not however have any effect on the current confirmation window. In order to benefit from a new window structure taking into account a new presentation support, the latter must be reopened.