Creating a report

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Applies To: Forefront Identity Manager

The BHOLD Reporting module of the Microsoft® BHOLD Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) provides two wizards that step you through the process of creating a report. The Basic Report and Advanced Report wizards are identical except that the Advanced Report wizard provides more advanced fields to choose from.

To complete the wizard, you provide information in each of the following stages:

  • Report provides the name of the report, the category in which it will be grouped in the BHOLD Reporting portal, and additional information that you can use to describe the report and define its purpose. All items except Report name are optional.

  • Fields lets you specify which database fields you want to query. In some cases, database fields are identified by using descriptive names, while other fields are identified by their internal database names.

  • Query gives you the ability to define how each field is to be queried and displayed in the report.

  • Sort order allows you to add sorting criteria to the report. You can sort the rows according to one or more columns in the report

  • Breakdown specifies how rows are to be grouped in the report, based on the sort order that you selected in the preceding stage.

  • Filters let you choose a subset of the records that you want to view. You can combine filter expressions for particular report fields using a logical OR operator, and you can also specify a run-time filter that lets users select a field value to use as a filter when running the report. For example, the built-in Number of Users by Orgunit report specifies a run-time filter on the parent organizational unit (orgunit); when a user runs the report, the user selects the parent orgunit of the orgunits to display the number of users in.

    Important

    If you combine a run-time filter and one or more filter expressions for the same report field, the run-time filter list displays all values for the report field, but the expression filters are applied for the final output. For example, if you specify a runtime filter plus a STARTS WITH B filter expression for the orgunit field, the run-time filter displays all orgunits. If the user selects a parent orgunit that does not begin with the letter B in its name, the report results will be empty.

Beginning with the Fields stage of the wizard, at each stage you can click Preview to see a sample of the resulting report. Click Previous to return to the wizard stage you were in when you requested the preview. Click Save to save the report and exit the wizard.

Note

Run-time filters do not apply to the preview report.

Warning

While working in a report wizard, do not click any menu item in the left pane. If you do, any changes you have made in the wizard will be lost.

For information about modifying an existing report, including important directions for removing filter expressions, see Modifying a report elsewhere in this guide.

To create a report

  1. In the BHOLD Reporting portal, click New Basic Report or New Advanced Report.

  2. In the Report wizard stage, in Report Name, type a unique name for the report. You can also type additional information, as needed. If you do not specify a Report Category, the report will be saved in the Custom category.

  3. Click Next.

  4. In the Fields wizard stage, expand one or more groups, select the check box of each field that you want to include in the report, and then click Next.

    Important

    The order in which you select check boxes determines the order of the fields in the report. That is, the first check box that you select puts that field in the first column of the report, the field of the second check box that you select is displayed next, and so on.

  5. In the Query wizard stage, do any of the following:

    • To change a column header in the report, under Column header on Report, type a new name.

    • To specify the type of query you want to perform for a field, select one or more of the following check boxes:

      • Missing records to include records that do not have a value for the field.

      • Show to display a column for the field.

      • Clickthrough to format the field as a link that, when the report is run, displays a selection of reports that can be used to view additional information about the item in the field.

      • Count to display the total number of items that have values in the field instead of the actual values.

      • Min to display the lowest value in this field from all items instead of the values in all items.

      • Max to display the highest value in this field from all items instead of the values in all items.

      Note

      Some check boxes might not be valid for all fields. Also, Max takes precedence over Count and Min.

    • To remove a field from the query, click Delete to the right of the field name. This will also clear the check box in the Fields wizard stage.

  6. Click Next.

  7. In the Sort order wizard stage, double click one or more field names in the box to sort the report results by that field. To reverse the sort order, select the Descending check box.

  8. Click Next.

  9. In the Breakdown wizard stage, click Delete next to a field name if you do not want to group items in the report under that field.

  10. Click Next.

  11. In the Filters wizard stage, do any of the following:

    • To add a run-time filter for a field, select the Run Time Filter check box next to the field name.

    • To add a filter expression for the field, click the pencil icon next to an empty box to the right of the field, in the Filter Assistant dialog box, click a filter operator, type a value for the field, and then click Accept Condition. You can add up to four filter expressions for each field. BHOLD Reporting evaluates multiple filter expressions for a field by using a logical OR operator.

  12. Click Next.

  13. If the results are as you expect, click Save. Otherwise, click Previous to step backwards through the wizard stages to correct any errors.

See also