Overview
Report Generator permits Role-defined groups of users 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, Report Subscription can be enabled for Report Generator. This feature allows Admin to flag a report as subscribable. This will allow Users 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 for the report, make it active and available for Subscription. (See Create a Report for more help.)
- In Report Settings (on the Report Design page), the following fields are relevant:
- Report Group: name of the report group this report belongs to for the purpose of Report Generator
- Is Active: 'Yes' allows the report to be flagged as in use
- Available to Subscribe: (optional) 'Yes' allows the report to use the Subscription feature
- Report Description: meaningful description of the report (e.g., use, purpose and content) displayed in the Report Generator screen to provide Users with helpful information about the report
- PDF Output Template: (optional) name of prepared PDF template for this generated report. If used, the template must have been created and available for use; if left blank, the default CSV file is used.
- Email Subject: Subject heading for email sent with attached report (if Subscription is enabled)
Step-by-step guide for Admin
During the Report Design stage, a report is assigned a Report Group. When configuring Report Generator, you decide the following:
- which group(s) of Users (all or by Role) have access to Report Generator.
- which group(s) of Users (all or by Role) have access to Report Subscription. (Note - Roles should be the from same set as those in Report Generator.)
- which Report Groups are accessible by which group(s) of Users (all or by Role). (Note - Roles should be the from same set as those in Report Generator.)
1. Enable and configure Report Generator settings
Report Generator can be enabled globally (for all Users) or restricted to specific Roles using the Override feature. If a User is granted access to Report Generator, when logged into the website, the Report Generator function can be accessed in the Dashboard menu.
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.
The Enable Report Generator toggle is is the global ON/OFF setting for the feature.
Toggle ON for all users to have access to Report Generator.
Leave it OFF if you only want certain roles to access Report Generator.If you are allowing only certain roles to access Report Generator, Role overrides need to be set.
- 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 all Users to schedule report updates to be emailed to themselves and/or other selected recipients. Leave OFF and set overrides for this functionality to be available only for selected Roles. (See Subscribe to Report.) Note - This option can be switched off but its use requires Report Generator to be enabled.
- To save your settings, click Save or Save & Exit.
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.
