The basic steps to using Evergreen’s reporter are:
- Create a template. See [[Creating Report Templates]].
- Alternatively, find a template and clone it into your folders if it was created by another user. See [[Cloning Report Templates]].
- Run the report, also referred to as creating a report definition.
- View your output either through the staff client or via your email.
Running a report #
You can run one-off reports on demand or schedule recurring reports to run automatically. To run the report, you fill out the reports form to create a report definition, which tells Evergreen how to run the report, what information to include, and what type of output to provide you with.
In the My Folders section at the left of the screen, select the caret beside the Templates folder to see your template folders. Use the carets to expand the folder tree until you find the folder containing the template you would like to use for your report.
Select a folder name to display the contents.
Double click on the desired template name or check the box beside the template you wish to use and then right click or use the Actions menu to select New Report.
Enter a name for your report. Report names must be unique, or the report cannot be saved. You may also wish to add a description of the report.
The display columns selected in the template are listed on the Columns tab. You can navigate between tabs by clicking on the tabs or by using the Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of the screen. Cancel will take you back to your folders.
When you are creating a report from a template, you cannot edit the columns.
On the Filters tab, enter the values for the filters that require input. See below for more information about filtering. When searching for your org unit in the list, you can use the filter to search quickly.
On the Layout and Scheduling tab you can make a number of choices about the final output.
- Pivot Label Column and Pivot Data Column are optional. Pivot tables are a different way to view data. If you currently use pivot tables to manipulate report data in Microsoft Excel, it is better to select an Excel output and continue using pivot tables in Excel. Note that pivot tables are only suitable for some types of result data.
- Select the checkboxes to Choose your output format(s). Multiple options may be selected.
- Select the Calculate grouping subtotals checkbox to add an unlabeled row or column with the subtotals for each grouping and an unlabeled grand total row or column. Note, group subtotals and grand totals will only be useful with some reports.
- Excel output will create a file to export the data to Excel.
- CSV Output will create a data file in comma-separated values format. This is the file format required to do a batch load on the Item Status screen.
- HTML Output creates a simple table view of the data that is viewable in your browser environment. HTML Output is sometimes referred to as tabular output.
- Bar Chart will create a very simple bar chart of your data. Note, bar charts will only be useful with some reports.
- Line Chart will create a very simple line chart of your data. Note, line charts will only be useful with some reports.
- Leave the Recurrence and Scheduling options as is unless you are running a recurring report.
- Optionally, enter an email address to send the report completion notification to. By default, this field will contain the email address saved in your staff account. Additional addresses can be added separated by a comma.
- On the right side of the screen, Choose the Report Folder and Output Folder you would like to save the report and output in and then select Save Report.
A confirmation (toast message) will appear in the lower right of the screen indicating that the report has successfully saved.
Unless you have scheduled the report to run at another date and time, it will run immediately. The amount of information you are requesting may extend the time it takes for the report to finish. If it’s a very large report, we recommend running it overnight.
Once the report is complete, you can access the output in the Output Folder you selected previously.
Report filters #
The filters in a report template allow library staff to set the parameters on which the report runs. The ability to select values for certain filters when running a report means a single report template can be used multiple times to generate reports on slightly different data. For example, the same report template can be used to generate separate lists of items using particular circulation modifiers.
Hardcoded Filters #
Hardcoded filters are set when the report template is created. These filters cannot be changed when running a report. Common hardcoded filters include:
| Column | Transform | Action | User Params | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bibliographic Record → Record ID | Raw Data | Not in list | -1 | Exclude all records where the bibliographic record ID is -1 which is all pre-cat records. |
| Call Number/Volume → Call Number/Volume ID | Raw Data | Not in list | -1 | Exclude all records where the call number ID is -1 which is all pre-cat records. |
| Circulation → Check In Date/Time | Date | Is NULL | Include only items that have not been checked in. | |
| Circulation → Circulating Item → Copy Status → Name | Raw Data | Equals | name of an item status | Include only items that are in the specified item status. |
| Circulation → Fine Stop Reason | Raw Data | Not in list | LOST | Exclude items that have stopped generating fines because they have been set to lost. |
| Item → Is Deleted | Raw Data | Equals | f | Include only non-deleted items. |
| ILS User → Is Deleted | Raw Data | Equals | f | Include only non-deleted patrons. |
Date Filters #
Date filters are generally set up to be a specific date, a specific month, or a date range. Date filters may include tips about how the dates should be entered. For instance, in a date range, the earlier date should always be entered in the first date box.
Recurring reports #
Save time by scheduling recurring reports to run your regular reports automatically. Monthly circulation and patron registration statistics are good candidates for recurring reports.
Staff with access to the reporter can set up recurring reports to email a link to the password-protected report output to another staff member.
To set up a recurring report, follow the procedure in, above, until you reach the Recurrence and Scheduling sections and then follow the steps below.
Check the box for “Recurring Report?” In the now visible Recurrence Interval field enter your desired interval. Reports can run on a hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly interval.
Select Schedule Report for Later and in the new date field set the date and time of the first run of the report.
Viewing report output #
Once a report is finished, the output is stored in the specified Outputs folder and will remain there until deleted. We recommend you download the output you wish to keep as it may automatically delete after 30 days.
If an email address was included in the report definition, Evergreen will send an email containing a link to the password-protected report output. Only staff members with permissions to view reports or full access to the reporter will be able to open the report output in either the staff client or via the email link.
Viewing Output via the Reports Interface #
In the My Folders section select the caret beside the Outputs folder to see your output folders. Use the carets to expand the folder tree until you find the folder containing the output you’d like to view.
Select the folder name to display the contents.
Output will display either under Pending or Complete. Use the Refresh Grids button at the top of the screen or the Refresh button under each section if your output hasn’t completed yet.
Double click on the line for the output you would like to view or check the box beside the completed output you would like to view and right click or use the Actions menu to View Output. The report output will open in a new browser tab.
The report name and description will display as well as links to the output options you selected when running the report. The URL can be shared with other library staff who have reporter permissions.