Report Schedules

Run and Deliver Reports Automatically

Perhaps one of the most compelling additions of the Reporting v3 module is the new Scheduling system. Because the reports can be run in the Gateway, it gives you total flexibility on when reports should run and how they should be delivered.

How it works

For any Scheduled Report, there are two settings which require configuration:

  1. When the Report executes

  2. The Action which occurs following Report Generation

Additionally, parameters can be optionally overridden by scheduled reports. Reports can have multiple Schedules, and multiple Actions per Schedule. Schedules run with minute resolution, meaning that we can schedule a report down to a specific minute (if second resolution is required, scripting can fill that void). It is important to note that Schedules execute on the Ignition Gateway. This means that schedules should be created to Gateway local time, NOT Client/Designer time.

Schedules

Creating a scheduled report is easy. On the Schedule tab, you'll notice the UI is split. On the top is a table which contains a list of all your schedules and a description of the schedule, as well as the Actions that will occur following report generation. To add a new schedule click on the images/download/attachments/6035778/AddButton.PNG button on the top-right corner of the Schedule tab. In doing so, you've created a new Schedule which can now be configured.

Schedules are driven via Cron formatted strings, a popular scheduling format used in computing. If you aren't familiar with Cron, don't worry, we've created an intuitive UI that will allow you to set schedules easily without having to learn anything new. The Schedule UI provides some convenient pre-made Common Settings. If there isn't a setting for you in the Common Settings combo box, choose one that is close and then simply customize it using any of the selection boxes below. You can also enable or disable the schedule by checking the Enabled option.

images/download/attachments/6035778/report_schedules.PNG

Parameters

The Scheduler presents an additional opportunity to set parameter values. Alter default values to tailor scheduled reports without having to change the Report's design or configuration. For instance, imagine a report which summarizes how many Widgets a factory produced during a given shift. Rather than create a separate report for each shift, we can create multiple schedules (one for each shift) and simply alter a shift parameter. Using Parameters and Schedules, users can avoid creating multiple reports while keeping projects more maintainable.

images/download/attachments/6035778/schedule_override_parameters.PNG

The Parameter "Line" is being overridden to the value of the "Reporting/ActiveRun" tag.

Actions

Actions are triggered following the generation of a scheduled report. There can be any number of Actions associated with a Schedule, covering virtually any requirement for automatically storing, distributing or notifying upon completion of the report. Each action has its own custom configuration interface to make adding and editing Actions simple.

images/download/attachments/6035778/schedule_action.PNG

Print File

Configure print settings which execute when the report is generated. This is often used to create hard copies of reports automatically.

Email

Your report can be emailed to a list of email addresses or users with specific Roles. You can configure the Subject, Filename, and Body of the email.

FTP

Send your report to a file server for backups or storage. Automatically back up your reports to a service.

Save File

An easy way to save a report to a location on your local Gateway computer or shared network drive.

Run Script

A Run Script Action provides the ability to fully customize how a finished report is handled. The Run script Action provides the report's data as well as the bytes generated according to the Format option in the configuration panel.

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