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Knowledge Center

Ad-Hoc Reporting: Settings

Purpose Statement

The Settings tab in an Ad-Hoc Report allows users to control how a report is formatted, shared, stored, and edited. These settings ensure reports are presented clearly, shared appropriately, and protected from unintended changes while remaining accessible to the right users.

Background Information

Ad-Hoc Reports in the Reports Module are highly customizable and designed to support a wide range of operational, administrative, and compliance reporting needs. After defining report criteria and filters, the Settings tab provides final configuration options that determine:

  • PDF output formatting

  • Report visibility and sharing

  • Editing permissions

  • Folder organization

  • Save and run behavior

These settings help agencies maintain consistent reporting standards while enabling collaboration and reuse across teams.

Prerequisites:

  • Access to the Reports Module

  • An Ad-Hoc Report already created or in progress

Required Permissions

To configure and manage Ad-Hoc Report settings, users must have:

  • Reports Module – Create/Edit Reports permission

Additional visibility or edit permissions may be required depending on agency configuration.

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Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to the Settings Tab

  1. Open the Reports Module

  2. Select Ad-Hoc Reports

  3. Click Create Report or open an existing report

  4. Navigate from the Filters tab to the Settings tab

 

2. Configure PDF Header Options

Under PDF Settings, choose what information appears in the PDF header:

  • Include Description – Displays the report description from the Basic Information tab

  • Include Criteria – Displays the report criteria from the Criteria tab

These options help provide context when reports are shared or printed.

The PDF Settings allow you to choose if you want to include the Description (from the Basic Information tab) or the Criteria (from the Criteria tab) in the header of the PDF of the Report.

 

3. Select PDF Orientation

Choose the PDF orientation for printing:

  • Portrait – Best for reports with fewer columns

  • Landscape – Recommended for reports with many columns

Note: CSV or XML exports do not use these print settings. Formatting for those files is handled by the program used to open them.

The next PDF Setting allows you to choose if you want the PDF to be oriented in Landscape or Portrait for printing. If you only have a few columns, Portrait would be good. If you have many columns, Landscape would be better.

 

4. Set Report Sharing Visibility

Sharing settings determine who can see the report:

  • Only Me – Visible only to you

  • Everyone – Visible to all users in your agency with Reports Module access

  • Selected Users – Visible only to specific users you choose

 

5. Select Specific Users (If Applicable)

If Selected Users is chosen:

  1. A user selection modal opens

  2. Check the box next to each user’s name

  3. Click the blue arrow to move them to the Selected list

  4. Click Add to save your selections

When you select Selected Users as your Sharing Setting, a modal will pop up to select people in your agency. Click the checkbox next to their name and then click the blue arrow to move them into the Selected box. Click Add when all users have been selected and moved over.

 

6. Allow or Restrict Editing Access

You can allow shared users to edit the report by checking Allow other users to apply changes to this report.

  • Users with access will see the pencil (edit) icon

  • Any edits made will permanently change the original report

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Important Note:

In most cases, this option should remain unchecked. Users can instead clone the report and make changes to the copy, preserving the original report configuration.

 

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7. Choose Report Folder Locations

  • All reports are automatically saved to All Reports

  • Reports you create are also saved to My Reports

  • You may select additional folders by clicking the folder field and choosing one or more locations

This helps keep reports organized for easier access.

Reports will always be stored in the All Reports folder by default. Any report you create will also be stored in the My Reports folder. You can select additional folders by clicking in the box to bring up the folder options and selecting the one(s) you want.

 

8. Save, Run, or Cancel

In the upper-right corner:

  • Play – Saves and immediately runs the report

  • Save – Saves and closes the report

  • Cancel – Closes the report and discards changes since the last save

When you are finished with the Settings your Report is done. In the upper right corner, the Play button will Save and then Run the Report. The Save button will Save and Close the Report. The Cancel button will close the Report and cancel any changes made since the last save.

 

9. Access Your Completed Report

Once saved, your Ad-Hoc Report can be accessed and run at any time from the Report List.

 

Best Practices

  • Use Landscape orientation for wide reports to prevent column truncation

  • Limit edit access to prevent accidental changes

  • Encourage users to clone reports instead of editing shared originals

  • Use folders strategically to keep commonly used reports organized

  • Include report descriptions to add clarity for shared users

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Why can’t another user see my report?
A: Verify the Sharing setting and confirm the user has Reports Module access.

Q: Someone edited my report unexpectedly. What happened?
A: The “Allow other users to apply changes” option was likely enabled. Consider disabling it and having users clone the report instead.

Q: Why doesn’t PDF orientation affect my CSV export?
A: CSV and XML files do not use PDF formatting. Layout is controlled by the external application used to open the file.