Managing analytics and analysis apps

Analytics and analysis apps allow you to create data analysis logic using the powerful ACLScript language while leveraging the processing power of the server-based AX Engine to run your scripts.

What are analytics?

An analytic script, or "an analytic", is a regular script with an analytic header. The analytic header is a series of declarative tags that allow the script to run in Robots, on AX Server, or in the Analysis App window. The analytic header includes input parameters that a user populates in advance, which allows the analytic script to run unattended, either immediately, or at a scheduled time.

Tip

Analytic scripts are almost exclusively developed and tested in Analytics, which supports easier development. Use AX Client to make simple updates to existing analytic scripts that are stored on AX Server.

Using analytic scripts

Once you import an analytic to AX Server, you can use AX Client to run, schedule, and edit it. Like other items in folders, analytics are displayed in the Server Explorer. The icon representing an analytic depends on its type.

For more information, see:

• Importing and exporting analytics
• Analytic icons and analytic types

Master and linked analytics

A master analytic is a single analytic that is linked to by one or more linked analytics. A linked analytic is a read-only shortcut to a master analytic.

You can update and maintain a master analytic in one place and protect it from unauthorized alteration. The changes you make are then distributed to any linked analytics. Updates flow in one direction: from master to linked analytics.

Linked analytics allow you to run the analytic with input values and schedules specific to the linked instance of the analytic. From a linked analytic, you cannot alter the master analytic or the logic of the linked analytic itself.

Exporting master and linked analytics

Analytics does not support master and linked items. If you export a master or linked analytic, it appears in Analytics as a standard analytic.

What are analysis apps?

An analysis app is an Analytics project that is packaged for use in Analytics Exchange or the Analysis App window. Analysis apps contain one or more analytic scripts, and can also contain data tables and interpretations.

Using analysis apps

On AX Server, any Analytics project containing at least one analytic is imported as an analysis app. When working with analysis apps in AX Client:

• if you run analytics that are bundled in analysis apps from AX Client, any functionality designed for AX Web Client or the Analysis App window is ignored
• analysis apps that run in the Analysis App window (.aclx file) cannot be imported into AX Server without first repackaging the analysis app as a .aclapp file

  For more information, see Importing and exporting analytics

Why use analytics and analysis apps?

Using analytics and analysis apps, you can:

• run them at any time for ad hoc analysis or schedule them for continuous, repetitive analysis
• create analytics that automate simple or complex audit tests and output the results to AX Server for further analysis
• run analytics whenever necessary to update data tables, or schedule analytics to update data tables automatically
• schedule analytics to run during off-peak or non-working hours to improve the overall productivity of your audit team
• specify input values required to customize the behavior of an analytic before you run or schedule it

  Example you may be able to choose the data tables used by the analytic or set date ranges or other relevant values, and you can view the history and details for each time an analytic has run.