Working With Report Batches

If you have several reports to run, you can save time by creating a batch to run them together, rather than individually.

Creating report batches

If you have several reports to run, you can save time by creating a batch to run them together, rather than individually. All types of users can run report batches. However, the contents of your batches depend on your role in the process.

An asterisk ( * ) in the file name extension indicates that the file has been published.

Creating a report batch

If you have several reports to run, you can save time by creating a batch to run them together, rather than individually.

The procedure you use differs depending on your role.

Report Publishers

To create a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. Choose File > New. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

3. Choose File > Save As. The Save dialog appears.

   

4. Complete these fields:

   Field	Description
   Save in	If necessary, select the folder in which you want to save the batch.
   File Name	Type a name for the report batch.
   Files of type	Select Report Batches (*.rbt).

5. Click Save. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears, with the name of the report batch in the title bar.
6. Click the Close button in the top right corner. The Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog appears. If the report batch does not appear in the list, select Any group in the Templates Published to drop list.

   

7. Once you have created the report batch, you can proceed to Adding report templates to a report batch, or Adding report batches to a report batch.

Report Authors and Users

To create a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. Choose File > New. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

3. Choose File > Save As. The Save dialog appears.

   

4. Complete these fields:

   Field	Description
   Look in	If necessary, select the folder in which you want to save the batch.
   File Name	Type a name for the batch.
   Files of type	Select Report Batches (*.rbt).

5. Click Save. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears, with the name of the report batch in the title bar.
6. Click the Close button in the top right corner. The Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog appears.
7. Choose Tools > Refresh. The report batch appears in the Local batch files list.

   

8. Once you have created the report batch, you can proceed to Adding report templates to a report batch, or Adding report batches to a report batch.

Adding report templates to a report batch

After the report batch has been created, you can add reports to it.

The procedure you use differs depending on your role.

Report Publishers

To add a report to a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Create the report batch, as described in Creating a report batch.
2. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

3. If you want to add a report template to a report batch that you have published to the database, select the group to which you published it in the Templates  published to drop-down list. A list of report batches published to that group appears. For a list of all report batches, select Any group.
4. Select the report batch to which you want to add a report template and choose File > Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

5. The Local Files section lists each DataView and report batch you have saved locally. The Published Files section lists report templates and report batches you have published to the database for use by other users. Published report templates and batches are listed according to the groups to which they have been published. You can change the group in the Group list.

   In either of these sections, select the DataView or report template you want to add, and click the right arrow button to move it to the Current Items in Batch field.

   Note: If you intend to publish this report batch to the database, make sure you include only published reports and published batches in the report batch.

   • If, when preparing the report template, you decided to keep all dimensions frozen (to prevent users from selecting any of the symbols in the report), the report appears in the Current Items in Batch field. Proceed to step 12.
   • If, when preparing the report template, you decided to allow users to select symbols in any of the dimensions in the report, the Select Symbols dialog appears, showing the dimension for which, you must now select the symbols yourself. (Users are still able to change these symbols when they access the published batch.) Proceed to step 6.

   

6. Complete the following:

   Field	Description
   Available Symbols	The available root symbols for the unfrozen dimension appear in this field. When you find a symbol to use as a root symbol for that dimension, highlight it, and click the right arrow button to move it to the Selected Symbols list. (If you know the name of a symbol, you can also type the name in the text field beside the Find Next button, and then click the button.)

7. Repeat step 6 for each root symbol you want to include in the report for that dimension.
8. In the Dimension Report Settings section, complete these fields:

   Field	Description
   Auto-Expand Symbols	To show the child symbols of the parent symbols in the report, select this field.
   Depth	Select the number of levels of child symbols you want to show in the report.
   Print a separate report for each selected symbol	To print individual reports for each symbol in the Selected Symbols list and for the child symbols of those selected symbols, select this field.
   Depth	Select the number of levels of symbols beneath the selected symbol, for which you want to print a separate report.
   Type	Select one of the following: All: To print individual reports for the selected symbol and all symbols within the selected symbol. Parents only: To print individual reports for the selected symbol and all parent symbols within the selected symbol. Leaves only: To print individual reports only for leaf symbols within the selected symbol.

9. Click OK and repeat step 6 to step 8 for each dimension for which you are prompted to select symbols. When you finish selecting symbols, the Edit Report Batch dialog appears, showing the report template in the Current Items in Batch field.

   

10. In the Current Items in Batch field, select the report template you have just moved there, and complete these fields:

    Field	Description
    Output type	Select one of the following: Output to Printer: To print the report. Output to PDF: To save the report with the file name extension pdf. Output to Image: To save the report as an image file, with the file name extension png.
    Output Folder	If you chose to save the report as a pdf file or png image file, type the path and folder name for the location in which you want to save the file.
    Output Filename	If you chose to save the report as a pdf file or png image file, type a name for the file.

11. Repeat step 5 to step 10 for each report you want to include in the batch.
12. To remove a report from the batch, select the report in the Current Items in Batch field, and click the left arrow button.
13. When you have finished selecting report templates for the report batch, choose File > Save. The report batch is saved locally.

    Note: You can also publish the report batch to the database so that other users can access it. If the batch has already been published, you must publish it again.

14. Click the Close button in the top right corner to return to the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog.
15. Proceed to Adding report batches to a report batch, or Running report batches.

Report Authors and Users

To add a report to a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Create the report batch, as described in Creating a report batch.
2. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

3. The Local batch files section lists report batches you have saved locally. The Published batch files section lists report batches the Report Publisher has published to the database. In either section, select the report batch to which you want to add a report, and choose File > Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

4. In the Published Files field, select a Report template (rtp) that you want to include in the batch, and click the right arrow button.
   • If, when preparing the report template, the Report Publisher decided to keep all dimensions frozen (to prevent users from selecting any of the symbols in your report), the report appears in the Current Items in Batch field. Proceed to step 9.
   • If, when preparing the report template, the Report Publisher decided to allow users to select symbols in any of the dimensions in your report, the Select Symbols dialog appears, showing the dimension for which, you can select symbols. Proceed to step 5.

   

5. Complete the following:

   Field	Description
   Available Symbols	The available root symbols for the dimension appear in this field. When you find a symbol to use as a root symbol for that dimension, make sure the symbol is highlighted, and click the right arrow button to move the symbol to the Selected Symbols list. (If you know the name of a symbol, you can also type the name in the text field beside the Find Next button, and then click the button.)

6. Repeat step 5 for each root symbol to include in the report for that dimension.
7. In the Dimension Report Settings section, complete these fields.

   Field	Description
   Auto-Expand Symbols	To show the child symbols of the parent symbols in the report, select this field.
   Depth	Select the number of levels of child symbols you want to show in the report.
   Print a separate report for each selected symbol	To print individual reports for each symbol in the Selected Symbols list and for the child symbols of those selected symbols, select this field.
   Depth	Select the number of levels of symbols beneath the selected symbol, for which you want to print a separate report.
   Type	Select one of the following: All: To print individual reports for the selected symbol and all symbols within the selected symbol. Parents only: To print individual reports for the selected symbol and all parent symbols within the selected symbol. Leaves only: To print individual reports only for leaf symbols within the selected symbol.

8. Click OK and repeat step 5 to step 7 for each dimension for which you are prompted to select symbols. When you finish selecting symbols, the Edit Report Batch dialog appears, showing the report in the Current Items in Batch field.

   

9. In the Current Items in Batch field, select the report, and complete these fields:

   Field	Description
   Output type	Select one of the following: Output to Printer: To print the report. Output to PDF: To save the report with the file name extension pdf. Output to Image: To save the report as an image file, with the file name extension png.
   Output Folder	If you chose to save the report as a pdf file or png image file, type the path and folder name for the location in which you want to save the file.
   Output Filename	If you chose to save the report as a pdf file or png image file, type a name for the file.

10. In the Current Items in Batch field, select the report, and complete these fields:
11. Repeat step 4 to step 9 for each report you want to include in the batch.
12. To delete a report from the batch, select the report in the Current Items in Batch field, and click the left arrow button.
13. When you have finished selecting report templates, choose File > Save. The batch is saved locally.
14. Click the Close button in the top right corner to return to the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog.
15. Proceed to Adding report batches to a report batch, or Running report batches.

Adding report batches to a report batch

After the report batch has been created, you can add reports to it. You can also add other batches to it.

The procedure you use differs depending on your role.

Report Publishers

To add a report batch to a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Create the report batch, as described in Creating a report batch.
2. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

3. If you want to add a report batch to a report batch that you have published to the database, select the group to which you published it in the Templates published to drop-down list. A list of report batches published to that group appears. For a list of all report batches, select Any group.
4. Select the report batch to which you want to add a batch and choose File >Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

5. The Local Files section lists each DataView and report batch you have saved locally. The Published Files section lists each report template and report batch you have published to the database for use by other users. Published report templates and batches are listed according to the groups to which they have been published. You can change the group in the Group list.

   In either of these sections, select the batch you want to add, and click the right arrow button to move it to the Current Items in Batch field.

   Note: If you intend to publish this report batch to the database, make sure you include only published report templates and published batches in the report batch.

6. Repeat step 5 for each batch you want to add to the report batch.
7. To remove a batch from the report batch, select the report in the Current Items in Batch field, and click the left arrow button.
8. When you have finished selecting report batches for the report batch, choose File > Save. The report batch is saved locally.

   Note: You can also publish the report batch to the database so that other users can access it. Furthermore, if the batch has already been published, saving your changes does not update the published version of the report batch.

9. Click the Close button in the top right corner to return to the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog.
10. Proceed to Adding report templates to a report batch, or Running report batches.

Report Authors and Users

To add a report batch to a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Create the report batch, as described in Creating a report batch.
2. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

3. The Local batch files section lists the report batches you have saved locally. The Published batch files section lists the report batches the Report Publisher has published to the database. Select the report batch to which you want to add a batch and choose File > Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

4. The Local Files section lists batches you have saved locally. The Published Files section lists report templates and report batches the Report Publisher has published to the database. In either of these sections, select the batch you want to add, and click the right arrow button to move the batch to the Current Items in Batch field.

   

5. Repeat step 4 for each batch you want to add to the report batch.
6. To remove a batch from the report batch, select the batch in the Current Items in Batch field, and click the left arrow button.
7. When you have finished preparing the batch, choose File > Save. The report batch is saved locally.
8. Close the Edit Report Batch dialog. The Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog appears.
9. Proceed to Adding report templates to a report batch, or Running report batches.

Opening report batches

You may want to edit the content and settings of your report batches from time to time. To do so, you must open the batch file you want to edit.

The procedure you use differs depending on your role.

Report Publishers

To open a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. If you want to open a report batch that you have published to the database, select the group to which you published it in the Templates published to drop-down list. A list of report batches published to that group appears. For a list of all report batches, select Any group.
3. Select the batch you want to edit and choose File > Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

4. Make changes to the batch as described in Creating report batches.

Report Authors and Users

To open a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, click the Batches tab.

   

2. To view the most current list of published batches, make sure none of the report batches are selected (if any template is selected, you can clear it by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking it), and choose Tools > Refresh.
3. Select the batch you want to edit and choose File > Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

4. Make changes to the report batch as described in Creating report batches.

Refreshing report batches

Depending on your role, you may be able to use the refresh feature to restore the content of batches with the most recently published version of those files.

Refreshing a local batch

You may be able to use the refresh feature to restore the content of a local report batch with the most recently published version of those files.

For example, let’s say you publish a report batch to the database, and then make changes to your local copy. If you decide at a later time that you do not want to publish those changes, you may want to make your local copy match the published one on the database.

To restore the content of your local report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. For Templates published to select the group to which you published the report batch, the local version of which you want to restore. A list of report batches published to that group appears. For a list of all report batches, select Any group.
3. Do one of the following:
   • To restore all local report batches that have been published, make sure none of the report batches in the list is selected (if any report batch is selected, you can clear it by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking it), and choose Tools > Refresh. A confirmation dialog appears.

     

     Click Yes. The local versions of all published report batches are restored to show the content of the published versions.

   • To restore a single local report batch, select it in the list and choose Tools > Refresh. The local version of the report batch is restored to show the content of the published version.

     Click Yes. The local versions of all published report batches are restored to show the content of the published versions.

Refreshing a published batch

You may be able to use the refresh feature to refresh the content of batches published to your group with the most recently published versions.

To refresh the content of a published report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. Do one of the following:
   • To refresh all published report batches, make sure none of the report batches in the list is selected (if any file is selected, you can clear it by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking it), and choose Tools > Refresh.
   • To refresh a single published report batch, select it in the list and choose Too ls  > Refresh. The report batch is refreshed.

Running report batches

A report batch runs a collection of reports at one time, rather than individually. For more information on creating a report batch, see Creating report batches.

Previewing and changing symbols in a report batch

Before you run a batch, you can preview the symbol content of the reports within that batch. Depending on how the reports were prepared, you may be able to change the symbols as well.

The procedure you use differs depending on your role.

Report Publishers

To preview the symbol contents of the reports in your report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. If you want to preview the symbols in a report batch that you have published to the database, select the group to which you published it in the Templatespublished to drop-down list. A list of report batches published to that group appears. For a list of all report batches, select Any group.
3. Select the batch whose symbol content you want to preview and choose File >Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

4. To view the symbol content of a particular report within the batch, select that report in the Current Items in Batch field, and click the Edit Report Settings icon in the toolbar. The Select Symbols dialog appears.

   

5. For Dimension, select the dimension whose symbols you want to view or change. The symbols for that dimension appear in the Selected Symbols list.

   Note: Some buttons and fields may be unavailable. If so, you can only view the symbols in that dimension of the report.

6. For Dimension, select the dimension whose symbols you want to view or change. The symbols for that dimension appear in the Selected Symbols list.
7. Depending on how you prepared the report template, you may be able to change its symbols. To do so, complete step 6 to step 8 in Report Publishers.
8. When you are finished, click OK. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.
9. Repeat step 4 to step 7 for each report in the batch whose symbols you want to preview.
10. When you are finished previewing the symbol content of the reports in the batch, click the Close button in the top right corner. The Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog appears.
11. You can proceed to Running a report batch.

Report Authors and Users

To preview the symbol contents of the reports in your report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. Select the batch whose symbol content you want to preview and choose File >Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

3. To view the symbol content of a particular report template within the batch, select that report in the Current Items in Batch field, and click the Edit Report Settings icon in the toolbar. The Select Symbols dialog appears.

   

4. For Dimension, select the dimension whose symbols you want to view or change. The symbols for that dimension appear in the Selected Symbols list.

   Note: Some buttons and fields may be dimmed. If so, you can only view the symbols in that dimension of the report.

5. Depending on how the Report Publisher prepared the report template, you may be able to change its symbols. To do so, complete step 5 to step 7 in Report Authors and Users.
6. When you are finished, click OK. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.
7. Repeat step 3 to step 6 for each report in the batch whose symbols you want to preview.
8. When you are finished, click the Close button in the top right corner. The Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog appears. You can proceed to Running a report batch.

Running a report batch

A report batch runs a collection of reports at one time, rather than individually. For more information on creating a report batch, see Creating report batches.

Once you have prepared your report batch, you can run it. Before you do, make sure you have completed the steps in Previewing and changing symbols in a report batch.

The procedure you use differs depending on your role.

Report Publishers

To run a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. If you want to run a report batch that you have published to the database, select the group to which you published it in the Templates published to drop-down list. A list of report batches published to that group appears. For a list of all report batches, select Any group.
3. Select the batch you want to run and choose File > Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

4. Choose Batch > Run Batch. The Run Report Batch dialog appears, listing the reports and batches in the report batch.

   

5. To preview a report, select it and click Preview.
   The Report View appears, displaying the report you selected. To close the report, click the Close button in the top right corner. The Run Report Batch dialog reappears.
6. To run the batch, click Run Batch. If any of the reports are printed, the Print dialog appears.

   

7. Specify your print options as required and click OK. The Batch Status dialog appears, listing any errors that may have occurred.

   

8. When the batch is complete, click OK. The Run Report Batch dialog appears.
9. Click the Close button in the top right corner to close the dialog.

Report Authors and Users

When users run a batch published to their group that contains a report that was not published to their group, that report does not run, but the rest of the batch runs normally.

Note: This assumes that V3 compatibility mode is in effect for your system. Contact your System Administrator for more information.

Even if a user belongs to more than one group, he or she is signed on to only one group at a time, and therefore is limited to running reports published to the currently active group.

To run a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. Select the batch you want to run and choose File > Open. The Edit Report Batch dialog appears.

   

3. Choose Batch > Run Batch. The Run Report Batch dialog appears, listing the reports and batches in the report batch.

   

4. To preview a report, select it and click Preview. The Report View appears, displaying the report you selected.
5. To close the report, click the Close button in the top right corner. The Run Report Batch dialog reappears.
6. To run the batch, click Run Batch. If any of the reports are printed, the Print dialog appears.

   

7. Specify your print options as required and click OK. The Batch Status dialog appears, listing any errors that may have occurred.

   

8. When the batch is complete, click OK. The Run Report Batch dialog appears.
9. Click the Close button in the top right corner to close the dialog.

Deleting report batches

If you no longer need a report batch, you may be able to delete it.

Caution: If you follow this procedure, you cannot reverse your decision. Use with caution.

The procedure you use differs depending on your role.

Report Publishers

To delete a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. If you want to delete a report batch that you have published to the database, select the group to which you published it in the Templates published to drop-down list. A list of report batches published to that group appears. For a list of all report batches, select Any group.
3. For Location, select the folder containing the report batch you want to delete, if necessary.
4. Select the batch you want to delete.
5. Press the Delete key. A confirmation dialog appears.
6. Click Yes. The application deletes the report batch.

Note: When you delete a report batch that has been published to the database, you delete the local version of that report batch only. The published version still exists on the database.

Report Authors and Users

To delete a report batch, follow these steps.

1. Open the Longview Analysis and Reporting dialog, and click the Batches tab.

   

2. For Location, select the folder containing the report batch you want to delete, if necessary.
3. In the Local batch files list, select the report batch you want to delete.
4. Press the Delete key. A confirmation dialog appears.
5. Click Yes. The application deletes the report batch.