Workflows and Conversations in Discover

The workflow and/or conversation tools allow users to add actionable annotations to data and reports.

  • If using the built-in conversations tool - these are threaded commentary and a chat-style experience
  • If using a custom workflow - these are multi-step workflow experiences as designed by a developer

Note: workflows must be enabled from the Admin console.

Workflows vs Conversations

Custom Workflows in Pyramid are generic mechanics to annotate data points, hierarchy members and reports. The workflow can then be used to attach some type of content or "payload". The workflows are open capabilities in to which developers can use to build their own mini workflow apps. Conversations are a specific workflow type, that allow users to write comments in conversation threads with other users. The conversation framework is included in the application out-of-the-box and allows users to converse with each other via threaded discussions and comments, turning analytical content into actionable analytical content.

Conversations

The following comments are specific to the conversations workflow. However, many may apply to custom workflow templates.

Types of Conversations

When starting a new conversation at the member or cell level, users have the option to create either a global or report specific conversation.

Model Conversations

Model conversations apply to the selected member or cell globally, across the given data model. This allows you to comment on a given member or cell whenever it appears in a data discovery in the given data model. When the member or cell appears in a data discovery (in both Discover and Present), you can simply open the related conversation and add a comment.

Report Specific Conversations

Report specific conversations apply to the specified member or cell within the given data discovery only. You will not be able to view the conversation from other data discoveries, even if they contain the given member or cell.

Conversation Scope

You can start a conversation from both Discover and Present. From Discover, you can start a conversation at the report level, member level, or cell level.

Report Level

To report on a data discovery (as opposed to a specific member or cell within the discovery), comment at the report level. Report level conversations are only enabled after the data discovery has been saved. To start a report level conversation, go to the Home ribbon and click Conversations (red highlight) to open the Conversations panel.

From the Conversations panel, use the icons on the right (red highlight) to filter conversations. You can filter conversations to show report specific and/ or global conversations. Click here to learn more.

Click the New Conversation icon (blue highlight) to begin a new conversation.

Member Level

To comment on a member within the data discovery, create a member level conversation. In this way, you can comment on a specific member in the query, such as Australia. To do this, right click on the required member in the visualization and select Start New Conversation from the context menu.

A member level conversation can be defined as report specific or global.

Data Point / Cell Level

To comment on a data point, start a cell level conversation. This allows you comment on a specific data point in the query, such as Australia & Bikes & Cost. To do this, right click on the required cell in the query, and select Start New Conversation from the context menu.

A cell level conversation can be defined as report specific or global.