Scheduled Reports
A report is used to extract data associated with a menu in real time in order to generate a custom statistical report (in PDF or CSV format, etc.) that is more complex than the reports built using standard filters.
It can be run:
- Immediately, via the associated menu.
- At a scheduled time based on a frequency defined for the scheduled report. The statistical report will automatically be sent by email to a list of recipients.
Example
The Service Desk Activity report is defined for the Service Operation menu.
- It can be displayed using the Service Operation menu.
- You can create scheduled reports if you want to send monthly activity reports to managers in the IT Department.
Notes
- You can create or modify scheduled reports as long as you have the appropriate rights to the Administration > Reports > Scheduled Reports menu.
- Once they are enabled, scheduled reports will appear as scheduled tasks.
- The sender of the email and the sender's email address must be specified in the A_PARAMETERS table.
- Schema: A_COMPANY
- Table: A_PARAMETERS
- Fields to modify:
- MAILER_SCHEDULER: Specify the sender name, e.g. EVO_SCHEDULER
- MAILER_SCHEDULER_ADDR: Specify the sender's email address, e.g. scheduler@name_of_customer.com
- If the execution of a scheduled report is not triggered, check that the Scheduler is started and correctly configured.
Caution
- If you delete a scheduled report, its definition will be completely deleted. If you want to stop running it temporarily, you should disable it using the relevant wizard. This way, its configuration will be stored.
- Avoid selecting a filter with dynamic values in a scheduled report because users will not be able to specify these values. All of the data will be returned and this may create a very large report.
Best Practice
- To present data in a scheduled report by domain, you should create as many scheduled reports as the domains required.
- When you create a scheduled report, you should backdate its start date so that it will run immediately. This enables you to check the contents of the report immediately without waiting for the first execution date.
example
- Current Date: 10 February.
- First execution date: 1 March.
==> In the Next Compute Date field, enter the first day of the month prior to the current date, i.e. 1 February.
- If the running of scheduled report B depends on the completion of scheduled report A whose processing time is unknown (due to large data volumes, access time, etc.), we recommend that you schedule the tasks in a sequence instead of defining a specific time for running scheduled report B.
Running scheduled reports
- Ensure that there is sufficient disk space for large files on the application server and on the email server.
- Check if there is a file size that must not be exceeded for attachments sent by email.
- Check that the configuration for receiving reports on your Web server is correct.
Ensuring optimal network performance
- Schedule the running and sending of complex scheduled reports during periods where users do not need to access Service Manager, i.e. at night or on weekends.
- If the processing time of a query exceeds five minutes, it will automatically be interrupted by the engine that runs scheduled reports. This is done to ensure optimal network performance. If this happens, you should optimize the definition of the query.
See SQL optimization recommendations.
Characteristics specific to versions 2016 and earlier
The Scheduled Report form in versions 2016 and earlier is different:
Menu access
Administration > Reports > Scheduled Reports
Scheduled reports that are enabled appear in Administration > Scheduled Tasks > Scheduled Reports.
Screens description
Name: Name of the scheduled report.
Domain: Name of the domain for which the scheduled report is defined. A domain enables you to generate reports using data for a given location, department, equipment type or category.
- By default, scheduled reports are defined for the Whole Company domain.
To generate reports for several domains, you should create as many scheduled reports as the domains required.
Frequency: Used to indicate the frequency for running the scheduled report.
- The frequency will be applicable after the date specified in the Next Compute Date field.
- The parameters depend on the selected frequency.
- Every [N] Months/Day/At (Hour UT): Specify the relevant frequency using Universal Time (UT).
- Depends on: Used to sequence the running of two scheduled reports successively. Select the scheduled report whose processing precedes the execution of your scheduled report from the drop-down list.
Next Compute Date (Note: Only if the frequency is not Depends on): Date and time at which the scheduled report should next run.
- The date initializes the start of the frequency.
example Frequency: Every seven days at 7 am; the next compute date is a Saturday ==> The scheduled report will run every Saturday
- You can also update the date using the Enable wizard. Enter a date earlier than the current date in order to run the scheduled report immediately.
To (Employees)/To (Groups): List of recipients of the scheduled report.
- These recipients must be listed in the Employee Directory or Group Directory.
- You must select one or more recipients, i.e. employee or group.
- Each recipient must be separated using the semicolon, ;.
Title: Subject of the scheduled report in the email sent to recipients.
Message: Body of the email sent to recipients.
List of reports: All of the reports to be sent to recipients in a given output format.
- Click
to associate a new report with the scheduled report. - Only filters and views defined for the report will appear.
Procedures and Wizards
How to create a scheduled report
Step 1: Create the new scheduled report.
1. Select Administration > Reports > Scheduled Reports in the menu.
2. Click + New.
3. Specify the information on the scheduled report.
4. Select the reports to be sent by email to the recipients.
5. Click Finish.
The list of scheduled reports will be refreshed.
Step 2: Enable the new scheduled report.
1. Select the scheduled report.
2. Run the Enable wizard.
3. Enter the First Calculation Date, click Next and click Finish.
Step 3: Check that the scheduled report is correctly enabled.
1. Select Administration > Scheduled Tasks > Scheduled Reports in the menu.
2. Check that the scheduled report appears in the list of scheduled tasks.
How to check that the scheduled report is enabled or disabled
Step 1 : Check the activation of the scheduled report.
1. Select Administration > Reports > Scheduled Reports in the menu.
2. Select the List view.
3. Check the Enabled box for the scheduled report.
- The box is checked: The scheduled report is enabled.
- The box is not checked: The scheduled report is disabled.
Step 2: Check the creation of a scheduled task.
1. Select Administration > Scheduled Tasks > Scheduled Reports in the menu.
2. Check that the scheduled report appears in the list.
- The scheduled report appears in the list: It is scheduled to run on the configured frequency.
- The scheduled report does not appear in the list: There is no running scheduled for the report.