Recursive object levels

You can use recursive object types to create sets of levels that are reflected in the reporting framework for use by report authors.

A recursive object type can have a parent object and child objects of its own type, potentially multiple layers deep. Examples of recursive object types include business entities, sub-accounts, sub-mandates, and sub-processes. For example, a business entity can have a parent business entity, such as Global Financial Services, and multiple child business entities, such as Compliance, Finance, HR, and IT, each of which can have child business entities.

The following object types are recursive within the IBM OpenPages® with Watson™ application:
  • Business Entity (SOXBusEntity)
  • Sub-Process (SOXSubprocess)
  • Sub-Account (SOXSubaccount)
  • Sub-Mandate (Submandate)

For more information, see Rules for defining sets of recursive object levels.

You can use recursive object levels to create a representation of corporate data that uses common names for each level of the set. The levels give the report author more context for creating reports (see Table 1).

When the reporting framework is generated, all levels of recursive object types are reflected in the data model of the reporting framework. These structures allow report authors to create, for example, drill-down reports where users can progressively navigate through the levels to more detailed data.

For a finer level of control, you can also specify which recursive object level sets you want available in a namespace (see Configure reporting framework namespaces).

Note:
  • You must have at least one child object level for each recursive object level set.
  • If you remove or edit child object levels in a recursive object level set, reports that use these levels will no longer run.

To configure business entity recursive object level sets, see Configuring business entity recursive object levels.

Example

A report author works for Global Financial Services (GFS), a large multinational bank, with an organizational structure that has many business functions and groups. The report author must create reports so business users at GFS can assess the risks that are associated with various processes that go across the company's business units. GFS organized its business around functions, divisions, departments, and units.

You might create a new recursive object level set with child levels for the Business Entity object type and name it Organizational Hierarchy. The purpose of the new set is to return data about the various business processes and their associated risks for each organizational level of the business. The child levels are shown in the following table.

Table 1. Sample recursive object levels
Level number Level name Example Business Entity instance user data
1 Group Global Financial Services
2 Global Function Client Markets
3 Division Asia
4 Department Underwriting
5 Unit Japan

After you define the business levels of the organizational structure, you need to determine which business entity is the starting point for scoping the data. In this example, you want the reporting data to start at the Global Function level. In the Starting Entity field, enter /Global Financial Services.

When the reporting framework is updated, a new Risk Assessment folder with the corresponding level folders and query items is created in the OpenPages_Platform_Reports package. The new folder is in the GRC Objects > Business Entity folder for report authors to use when they create Cognos® reports.