Introduction to Alerts

Alerts

Alerts are commonly used to call the attention of the user to a specific item or action that has reached some pre-established limits. These limits are often called targets, budgets, benchmarks, etc. and are a standard to which an item is compared. In all mature Business Intelligence applications, you will find the capability to trigger alerts when some conditions are not met. Xcelsius has one of the most advanced and user friendly Alert methods available. Its flexibility, use and application is covered in this section.

Xcelsius lets you define alerts on most charts and single-value components. When alerts are enabled on these components, the component will represent the current level of the alert by displaying the specific color that corresponds to that level.

How to Use Alerts

Using simple and easy-to-understand- methods, you can configure and customize the Alert levels, colors, methods, etc.

On the Property Sheet, select the Alert Tab. This tab is available for those components, that by nature and logic, are expected to have alerts.

The Alert Definition

There are three alert methods that are widely used in the market:

These methods are based on different ways to measure the performance of the actual values against the target.  In some cases, it is good to be below target. In other situations, it is good to be above target, and in other cases, it is good to be on the target.

• Low values are good: Use this alert method when an actual value lower than the target value indicates acceptable performance. Examples: when measuring expenses or other cost-related accounts, where the objective is to spend less than the target. Acceptable color is located to the left; unacceptable color is located to the right.
• High values are good: Use this alert method when an actual value greater than the target value indicates acceptable performance. Examples: when measuring revenues or income-related accounts, where the objective is to be at or above the target. Acceptable color is located to the right; unacceptable color is located to the left.
• Middle values are good: Use this alert method when an actual value close to or below the target indicates acceptable performance. Examples: when measuring inventory or headcount-related accounts, where the objective is to be close, above, or below the target. Values outside of this range with respect to the target indicate unacceptable performance. Acceptable color is located at the center.

Calculating the Colors

Calculating the Alert colors is a bit more complex than it might look. Fortunately, Xcelsius already has all the formulas and validations in place so that you can focus on the result, not the method. The following table describes the formulas used to calculate the alert color:

Defining the Alert Levels

The Alert Levels section is used to define the threshold points of the alerts as well as the colors associated with each alert level.

The Alert Levels are defined in one of two ways, depending on the selected Alert Method - either Percent Based or Value Based

• Percent alerts

  The levels are defined by one Target and a number of percentages. Each level is derived from the combination of a percentage and the Target. For example, with a target of 1000 and a level at 90%, a level is created at 900 (90% of 1000). When the Target is bound to the spreadsheet, changes to the value of the underlying spreadsheet cell will be reflected in the component alert levels.

• Value alerts

  The levels are either manually entered or selected from a spreadsheet range. When the levels are bound to the spreadsheet, changes to the values of the underlying spreadsheet cells will be reflected in the component alert levels.

Defining Targets

In the case of Percent Based alerts, a Target must be defined as a reference point for the percentage levels specified. In most components, you can specify the Target(s) by manually entering them, or by selecting them from the spreadsheet. When the Target(s) are bound to the spreadsheet, changes to the value of the underlying spreadsheet cells will be reflected in the component alert levels.