Overview
Report Generator permits defined groups of users (by Role) to re-run (generate) certain reports themselves. During the report design stage, a report can be assigned a Report Group and made active for Report Generator. When configuring Report Generator, Admin selects the Report Groups that can be accessed via the Report Generator. All active reports in selected Report Groups will be viewable. Viewing restrictions can be set so that only nominated Roles can access particular Report Group reports.
As an additional option, generated reports can be enabled for Report Subscription. This feature allows the User to set up a scheduled reporting task so that their generated report can automatically be updated and emailed to themselves and any nominated recipients on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Report design notes
- Report design is an Admin level function. During this process, Admin can assign a Report Group to the report and make a report active for Report Generator and Subscription. (See Create a Report for more help.)
- In Report Settings (on the Report Design page), the following fields are relevant:
- Report Group:
- 'Is Active': set to 'Yes' (allows the report to be active and can be generated)
- 'Available to Subscribe': set to 'Yes' (allows the Subscription feature for the report - optional)
- 'Report Description': description for the report
- 'PDF Output Template': prepared PDF for generated reports (optional - if used, the template must have been created; if not used, the report is a CSV file)
- 'Email Subject': Subject heading for email sent with attached report (if Subscription is enabled)
Step-by-step guide
1. Enable and configure Report Generator settings
(This step is an admin role function so the settings will not be displayed to other roles.)
Report Generator can be enabled for globally (for all users) or restricted to specific roles using the Override feature.
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To enable Report Generator:
- In the CMS, navigate to Settings → Feature Management → System.
- Toggle on Scheduled Reporting and click Configure.
In the 'Scheduled Reporting Features Settings' screen, go to the Enable Report Generator toggle.
CAUTION
The Enable Report Generator toggle is is the global ON/OFF setting for the feature. Unless you want all users to be able to access all reports that can be generated, DO NOT toggle this on. Instead, leave it disabled and add Roles as overrides. Only users assigned these Roles will be able to access the Report Generator function.
- To add an override, click Overrides.
- Click the Add An Override button.
- In Role, select the role you want to add.
- To switch on the Override, toggle on Override Value.
- Click Confirm.
- To add any other Role Override required, perform steps b-e.
- Once you have exited the Overrides screen, in the main screen, click Save or Save & Exit.
- (Optional) Toggle on Enable Report Subscription to allow users to schedule report updates to be emailed to themselves and/or other selected users. (See Subscribe to Report.) Note - This option can be disabled but its use requires Report Generator to be active.
- Once 'Enable Report Generator' is enabled, the Run Reports menu item is available in the Reporting menu globally or for the set of CMS Roles and/or Users. Run Reports provides users with system and user reports to which they have been granted access.
2. Generate a report
Users can only generate (run) reports they have access to. Such reports are available through the Run Reports menu in CMS or the Report Generator as a Dashboard item on your website.
To generate a report:
- Log in to your website and click Dashboard.
- On your Dashboard, scroll down to the 'My Pages' section and click Report Generator.
- By default, the Reports list displays all active reports you have access to. Find the report you wish to generate. You can search by name or scroll down the list. If you want to find an inactive report or view all reports in the system, tick the 'Show Inactive Reports' checkbox and click the Search button.
- For the selected report, click the Edit Selection Report Criteria button. The Report Selection Criteria section is displayed.
- In Report Name, edit the name so it is more meaningful for your purposes. Note - a generated report can only be edited and managed by the user who generated it.
- The Search section contains the report's fields. Note - The availability of 'Search', 'Group By' and 'Sort By' for customisation will be different for each report, depending on how it has been designed. If options are available, select preferences as you require.
- To generate the report, click the Generate button. The report will be downloaded to your computer as a CSV file unless the PDF option has been set up for your website.
- Open the file to view it.
- (optional) If available, once the report is generated, the Subscribe button appears. If you want to schedule for report updates to be emailed to you or other users on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, click Subscribe. See Report Subscription help for details.
- If you did not select to subscribe (Step 9), click Close when you have finished with the 'Report Generator' facility.
