Reportcaster Guide Release 8.2 Version 01M

ReportCaster Guide Release 8.2 Version 01M March 31, 2021 Contents Preface ........................................................................ 13 Conventions ........................................................................14 Related Publications .................................................................15 Customer Support ...................................................................15 Information You Should Have ..........................................................16 User Feedback ......................................................................17 Information Builders Consulting and Training ............................................ 17 1. Introducing ReportCaster .....................................................19 About ReportCaster ..................................................................19 ReportCaster Overview ...............................................................20 Creating a Schedule in a Self-Service Installation ........................................ 21 Section 508 Compliance ............................................................. 22 ReportCaster Processing ............................................................. 23 Time Zone Considerations....................................................... 27 Daylight Saving Time Considerations...............................................27 Establishing a Location for the ReportCaster temp Directory.......................... 28 Distribution Server Features ...........................................................30 Distribution Server Startup.......................................................30 Important Configuration Considerations When the Distribution Server is Installed Separately From the WebFOCUS Client.....................................30 Recovery.......................................................................31 Scanback......................................................................32 ReportCaster Server Configuration Tool............................................ 33 Distribution Server Failover and Workload Distribution................................33 2. Using the ReportCaster Console ...............................................37 Using the ReportCaster Console .......................................................37 Server Status .......................................................................38 Viewing the Distribution Server Status............................................. 38 Separate Job Queues for Each Data Server....................................41 Server Performance ..................................................................42 Failover Distribution Server Status and Tasks ............................................42 ReportCaster Guide 3 Contents Job Status ..........................................................................44 Job Log ............................................................................ 45 ReportCaster Configuration ........................................................... 45 Configuration Icons............................................................. 45 Configuration Tab Folders........................................................48 Changing Configuration Settings.................................................. 49 Changing Default User IDs....................................................... 50 Distribution Server Settings...................................................... 50 Configuring ReportCaster Failover and Workload Distribution.....................58 General Preferences.............................................................60 Specifying Schedule Task Settings...........................................61 Specifying Schedule Format Settings.........................................62 Specifying Schedule Distribution Method Settings..............................63 Email Distribution...............................................................64 Notification.................................................................... 70 FTP Settings................................................................... 73 Zip Settings....................................................................78 Using the Zip Encryption Protection Default Plug-in............................. 80 Other Schedule Defaults.........................................................83 Log Purge and Library Expiration.................................................. 83 LDAP Setting...................................................................84 Data Servers Settings........................................................... 86 Configuring Reporting Servers With ReportCaster...............................90 Report Library Settings.......................................................... 91 Restricting Library Distribution Options........................................97 Using Blackout Periods ...............................................................98 Configuring Weekly Blackout Periods............................................. 103 Weekly Blackout Period Settings............................................104 Configuring Monthly Blackout Periods.............................................105 Monthly Blackout Period Settings...........................................106 Configuring Single Day Blackout Periods.......................................... 107 Single Day Blackout Period Settings.........................................108 Configuring Every Day Blackout Periods...........................................108 4 Contents Every Day Blackout Period Settings......................................... 108 Importing Blackout Periods......................................................110 Viewing Blackout Period Import File Format...................................112 Single Date Blackout Period Import File Entry Layout...........................112 Weekly Blackout Period Import File Entry Layout...............................112 Monthly Blackout Period Import File Entry Layout..............................113 Every Day Blackout Period Import File Entry Layout............................ 113 Extracting Blackout Period Profiles............................................... 117 Extracting File Formats....................................................117 Execution IDs ......................................................................119 Global Updates .................................................................... 121 Purge Job Logs .....................................................................124 3. Creating and Maintaining Distribution Lists ...................................127 Creating a Distribution List .......................................................... 127 Editing and Deleting a Distribution List ................................................130 Accessing Distribution Lists ..........................................................131 Publishing Distribution Lists.....................................................133 Bursting a Report .................................................................. 135 Bursting Guidelines and Limitations..............................................138 Creating an External Distribution File ..................................................141 Importing a List of Members to Create Distribution Lists .................................143 Creating a Dynamic Distribution List .................................................. 145 Specifying Multiple Email Addresses ..................................................147 4. Creating Schedules ......................................................... 151 About the Basic Scheduling Tool ......................................................151 Basic Scheduling Tool Quick Access Toolbar.......................................152 Basic Scheduling Tool Ribbon................................................... 152 Creating a Schedule in the Basic Scheduling Tool .......................................154 About Tasks in the Basic Scheduling Tool ..............................................156 Task Options in the Basic Scheduling Tool........................................ 156 Setting a Delay for an Alert Schedule.............................................159 Specifying Parameter Values.................................................... 161 ReportCaster Guide 5 Contents Deleting a Parameter..................................................... 174 Creating a New Parameter.................................................175 Selecting a Report Format...................................................... 176 Schedule Pre-Processing and Post-Processing Procedures...........................177 Advanced Task Settings........................................................ 178 Distribution Options in the Basic Scheduling Tool .......................................179 Using the Email Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool.....................179 Considerations When Distributing DHTML Reports as an Inline Email Message....186 Specifying Email Server Options............................................ 189 Using the FTP Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool.......................190 Using the Printer Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool.................... 193 Using the Report Library Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool..............195 Library Bursting To Top-Level Folders Using the Basic Scheduling Tool.................202 Using the Repository Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool.................205 Distributing to the File System Using

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