As of 7 am on 9/3/2002, you should have access to the sa degree progress instance (also referred to as spaa) which houses the

Running an BI PUBLISHER report with bursting the first time

A BI PUBLISHER report which contains bursting must be run thru the process scheduler. This means that each user who desires to run a report must add a new run control for the first run. Special details follow:

1. WARNING: The normal end result of a “report” is an object (spreadsheet, pdf, etc.) which the user who runs the report can interpret prior to distribution. In other words, if something is WRONG with the report, the user has an opportunity to make changes and rerun the report. When a BI PUBLISHER report includes bursting, the end result are emails sent from the system to the intended recipient. It is highly suggested you run the query underlying the BI PUBLISHER report BEFORE you allow the bursting feature to send emails. This will allow you to review the data and determine if it is indeed the data you desire to email. Under normal circumstances, the name of the BI PUBLISHER report is the same name as the query or connected query. You might also consider reviewing the shell RTF document which is part of the BI PUBLISHER report; especially if the merge document is prone to frequent changes. Better to review the doc before sending it vs. being sorry you sent an incorrect shell document.

2. Adding a run control. Navigate: Reporting Tools/BI publisher/Query Report Scheduler. Suggest you name the new run control the same as the underlying BI PUBLISHER report, press Add.

3. The data source will be query unless you were told the source is a connected query. Type the name of the BI PUBLISHER report (again, probably the same as the process scheduler request) and press the magnifying glass. IF you are scheduling an BI PUBLISHER report for which the underlying definition has changed since the last time it was run, the field named template id MAY need to be updated to reflect this change. The template id, by default is the name of the query and BI PUBLISHER report suffixed with a single digit which increments (_1, _2, _3, etc.)

4. IF the underlying query has prompts, they should appear. Enter appropriate values in the prompts, then press OK. IF you are scheduling the report subsequent times, you may need to update the underlying values which are saved in the run control. Press the update parameters button and make sure to save the values for future runs.

5. On the query report scheduler screen, make sure the values entered for the prompts appear. If not, or if running the report subsequent times, press the Update Parameters hyperlink to change the prompted values to use for the report run. You may wish to save the run control at this time, then press the Run button.

6. Set the Server Name to PSUNX, the Type to Email and the format to PDF . IF you desire a format other than PDF, let Pete DeSmit know so the report definition can be changed. IF you have been told to select a different format (such as XLS so the user receives a MS Office Excel file) select the proper value. IF you desire to review the results prior to having them bursted and emailed, select a type=WEB and an appropriate format. If run using type=WEB, the results will be bursted and appear in your reporting tools and either reporting console or report manager tab.

7. Click the distribution hyperlink. Leave the folder name blank. Enter an appropriate value in the email subject field. Enter an appropriate value in the message text field. The actual report contents will be sent as a file attached to the email, NOT in the body of the email. For this reason, it is highly suggested the message text include some verbiage of the form: Please see attached for xyz and do this that or the other thing with the contents.

8. UNLESS you want each and every bursted value to be sent to someone OTHER than the intended person, leave the Email Address List blank (default). Entering one or more valid email addresses in this field is the equivalent of adding the email address to a normal email message. PLEASE BE CAREFUL ENTERING EMAIL ADDRESSES IN THIS FIELD. Remember, the email addresses you enter will receive one email for each intended user, which may be hundreds, sometimes thousands. Also remember you are bound by University data stewardship policies and procedures. Sending JMU data to an email address outside JMU should be carefully considered prior to use.

9. Leave the defaults (your eid) in the Distribute To field. Like the email address list box described above, you may add rows and enter valid eids into this field. Same warning applies to the use of this field as noted above. PLEASE BE CAREFUL ENTERING DATA IN THIS FIELD! The eids you enter will receive ALL bursted results.

10. Leave the email with log and email web report check boxes OFF

11. Click OK, then OK. The report should now be scheduled. The bursted results should appear in the inbox of the person running the report with a copy sent to the intended recipient.

12. All bursted emails will be sent from an email address named “IS – Student Administration” Although this email address is monitored by the Information Systems product team, your email body should ask the recipients to NOT use the reply or reply-all feature. As a courtesy, you are asked to send an email message to [e-mail] prior to running an BI PUBLISHER report which utilizes bursting stating when the report will be run, and approximate number of emails being sent and to whom to forward any replies they receive. Again, if a recipient uses the reply or reply all button, emails are returned to the address [e-mail] monitored by the SA team. They would appreciate knowing who to forward such emails to.

Run, locate, and view BI publisher reports. BI PUBLISHER reports which do NOT include bursting, can also be run without being scheduled. Navigate: Reporting Tools/ BI publisher/Query Report Viewer. Search for the report, then press the hyperlink labeled “view report” after selecting which format you desire. After the report runs, output will appear in a new window.