Working with Report Widgets
The Report Widget allows the User the ability to create data summary reports using traffic data collected by the DCMS.2 system. The Report Widget displays data summarized on a web page and formatted in a spreadsheet-like format. These web-based spreadsheets can be saved in a variety of digital file formats, which can be distributed for use outside of the DCMS web site. DCMS.2 supports PDF, RTF, CSV, HTML, and Microsoft Excel file formats.
The Reports Widget is a very powerful analytical tool, which provides the user the ability to automate their data analysis requirements. Since DCMS.2 uses a Microsoft SQL database and a web-based report formatting application to organize and format data, the system can be configured to deliver information at the convenience of the user. For example, the ability to schedule the date and time when a traffic report is created can save the user many hours in data gathering, formatting, and analysis time.
To Select a Report
By Clicking on the Reports Widget link in the Gallery Widget, the Reports Widget folder window will appear. This initial "Home" Widget window shows the directory of Reports available in DCMS.2. Selecting a Report from the Display Name column of the Reports Widget allows the User to immediately start the process of formatting a report. Clicking on the Home button from any Reports window will take the User to the "top" Reports Widget folder window.
To Schedule a Report
By Clicking on the "Schedule Report" or "Run in Background" icons in the Reports list allows the User to determine when the Reports will be generated and at what time interval. When "Run in Background" is Selected, the Parameters Window appears in the Reports Widget (see below for more details). When "Schedule Report" is Selected, the Jobs Scheduled list Window appears in the Reports Widget (see below for more details).
Scheduling Reports is a 4-step process, the Job, Schedule, Parameters, and Output. First the Job is defined, the type of Report, its identifying Label, and associated Description. Next the Schedule is set up, and then the Report Parameters are configured to establish the Report preferences. The final step is to choose a digital file format for the generated Report, PDF, RTF, CSV, HTML, or Microsoft Excel.
To Manage the Jobs Scheduled
The Jobs Scheduled list Window allows the User to manage there preformatted Reports. These preformatted Reports can be saved and rescheduled to run at a later time, without having to redefine each Report every time it is needed. Old Reports can also be Removed, or deleted from the list.
Defining New Reports
When the "Schedule Report" is Selected, the Jobs Scheduled list Window appears in the Reports Widget. Click on the Schedule Job button to begin Defining a new Report. Click the Next button to begin Scheduling the Report.
Scheduling Reports by Recurrence
By Selecting the No Recurrence radial button, the Report can be Scheduled to run immediately or on a specific day. By Selecting the Simple Recurrence radial button, the Report can be Scheduled to run immediately, or continuously every "x" number of Minutes, Hours, Days, or Weeks.
Scheduling Reports by Calendar Recurrence
By Selecting the Calendar Recurrence radial button, the Report can be Scheduled to run on a variety of scheduled times, on specific dates, days of the week, or on specific months of the year.
Setting the Parameters of the Report
The Parameters of the Report establishes the data preferences for the Report. For example, is this a weekly Report representing 7 days worth of traffic data, is the data aggregated into 5-min, or 60-minute "bins" or resolution, and establish which Group to use to collect the data.
Selecting the file format for the Report
DCMS.2 supports PDF, RTF, CSV, HTML, and Microsoft Excel file formats. Once the Report is created, DCMS.2 can send the Report, in the file format chosen, to an email address. Click Save to add the new Report to the Jobs Scheduled list in the Reports Widget directory.
