Purpose Statement

The Bulk Edit Sharing feature allows users to update the sharing settings for multiple Ad-Hoc Reports at one time.

This feature reduces the administrative work required when reports need to be shared with additional users, ranks, or roles. It is especially useful when a department member changes positions and needs to provide their successor with access to reports associated with their previous responsibilities.

Background Information

Fire and EMS personnel may create dozens or hundreds of Ad-Hoc Reports to support operational functions such as:

• Incident analysis
• Performance monitoring
• Scheduling
• Hydrant management
• Inspection tracking
• Compliance reporting
• Department analytics

Previously, sharing settings had to be updated one report at a time. Bulk Edit Sharing allows eligible reports to be selected from the report list and updated together.

Ad-Hoc Reports can use the following sharing settings:

• Only Me: The report is private.
• Everyone: The report is available to all applicable department users.
• Selected Users: The report is shared with specific users, ranks, or roles.

Bulk Edit Sharing can add new users, ranks, or roles to existing custom sharing settings without removing the people who already have access.

Bulk Edit Sharing does not transfer report ownership, clone reports, or update folder-level or dashboard-level sharing.

Required Permissions

You must have permission to edit or update each report included in the bulk sharing change.

Eligible reports may include:

• Reports you created.
• Reports another user created and shared with you with editing access.
• Reports you are otherwise authorized to update.

Reports for which you do not have editing permission cannot be included in the update. These reports may appear unavailable or be excluded from the selectable report list.

Contact your agency administrator when you need editing access to a report.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open Ad-Hoc Reports

1. Select the Module Stack icon.
2. Select Reports.
3. Select Ad-Hoc Reports.
   
   

The Ad-Hoc Reports page opens to the report list.

 

2. Select the Reports

1. Select the Bulk Select icon.
2. Select each report whose sharing settings you want to update.
   
   
    

You can select as many reports as needed, provided you have editing permission for each report.

 

3. Open Bulk Edit Sharing

1. Select the Bulk Actions dropdown.
2. Select Bulk Edit Sharing.
   
   

The Bulk Edit Sharing window displays the selected reports, their current sharing settings, and the proposed new settings.

 

4. Choose a Sharing Type

Select one of the following options:

• Only Me
• Everyone
• Selected Users
  
  

The report preview updates to show which reports will be affected by the selected setting.

 

5. Share Reports with Everyone

Select Everyone to make the selected reports available to all applicable users in the department.

Reports that are currently private or shared with a limited group may display a warning because their visibility will increase.
 

6. Share Reports with Selected Users, Ranks, or Roles

Select Selected Users to share the reports with specific people or groups.

1. Open the selection dropdown.
2. Choose whether to search by user, rank, or role.
3. Search for the appropriate user, rank, or role.
4. Select the applicable result.
5. Add the selection to the sharing list.
6. Repeat the process for any additional users, ranks, or roles.
   
   

For example, you can share reports with everyone assigned to the Battalion Officer role and also add a specific user.

When a user, rank, or role is added to a report currently set to Only Me, the report changes to a custom sharing configuration.

7. Configure Editing Access

When the editing option is available, select how editing access should be handled:

• Don’t Update: Keep each report’s current editing settings.
• Enable: Allow the selected users, ranks, or roles to edit the reports.
• Disable: Remove editing access while retaining applicable viewing access.

Viewing a report and editing a report are separate permissions. Review this setting carefully before applying the update.


 

8. Review Report Warnings

Reports highlighted with a warning (yellow background) will experience a significant visibility change.

Warnings may appear when:

• A private report will become visible to additional users.
• A report available to everyone will be restricted to a smaller audience.
• A report will be changed to Only Me.
• Users may lose access.
• Additional users will gain access.

Review each highlighted report before continuing.


 

9. Remove Individual Reports from the Update

To exclude one report from the sharing update:

1. Locate the report in the preview list.
2. Select the Trash icon next to the report.

Removing a report from the preview does not delete it. The report is only excluded from the current sharing update.

10. Remove All Reports with Warnings

To exclude every report displaying a warning:

1. Select Remove All with Warnings.
2. Confirm that the highlighted reports are removed from the update list.

The reports retain their current sharing settings.

11. Apply the Changes

1. Review the new sharing settings.
2. Confirm the selected users, ranks, or roles.
3. Review the editing access setting.
4. Review the reports included in the update.
5. Select Apply Changes.

If any included reports have warnings, a confirmation message appears.

12. Confirm the Warning

Review the confirmation message and the reports whose visibility will change.

Select Ignore and Update to confirm the warnings and apply the new sharing settings.


 

Use Case Example

A department’s hydrant manager created multiple reports for hydrant inspections, testing, servicing, and maintenance activity. The hydrant manager is transitioning to a different role, and another department member will assume those responsibilities.

The current hydrant manager can:

1. Select the applicable hydrant reports.
2. Open Bulk Edit Sharing.
3. Add the new hydrant manager or the applicable department role.
4. Enable editing access when the new manager will maintain the reports.
5. Review any visibility warnings.
6. Apply the changes.

The incoming hydrant manager can then access and run the same reports used by the previous manager.

Best Practices

• Review all selected reports before applying a bulk update.
• Use roles or ranks when access should follow a department position rather than one person.
• Add specific users when access is required regardless of their assigned role or rank.
• Use Don’t Update when you do not want to change existing editing permissions.
• Grant editing access only to personnel responsible for maintaining the reports.
• Review all warnings before selecting Ignore and Update.
• Use Remove All with Warnings when you only want to apply changes that do not significantly affect visibility.
• Review report access during personnel or responsibility changes.
• Confirm that sensitive reports are not being shared with a broader audience than intended.
• Avoid changing reports to Only Me unless you have confirmed that other users no longer need access.
• Remember that changing sharing settings does not transfer report ownership.
• For large updates, group reports by purpose and update them in manageable batches.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why can’t I select a report for bulk editing?

You must have editing or updating access to the report. Reports that you can only view cannot be included in the bulk sharing update.

Why is a report highlighted with a warning?

The proposed change will significantly alter who can view or edit the report. The report may become available to more users, or existing users may lose access.

What does Remove All with Warnings do?

It removes all highlighted reports from the current sharing update. It does not delete the reports or change their existing sharing settings.

Can I remove only one report from the update?

Yes. Select the Trash icon next to the report in the preview list.

What happens when I add someone to a report set to Only Me?

The report changes from private sharing to a custom sharing configuration that includes the added user, rank, or role.

Will adding a new user replace the people who already have access?

No. For reports already using custom sharing, the new users, ranks, or roles are added to the existing sharing settings.

What happens when I change an Everyone report to Selected Users?

The report’s visibility is reduced to the selected users, ranks, or roles. A warning appears before the change is applied.

What happens when I select Only Me?

The reports become private, and other users may lose access. A warning appears before the change is applied.

Does sharing a report automatically allow someone to edit it?

No. Viewing and editing are separate permissions. Use the editing setting to enable, disable, or retain the current editing access.

Can I transfer ownership with Bulk Edit Sharing?

No. Bulk Edit Sharing does not transfer report ownership.

Can I update dashboard or folder sharing with this feature?

No. Bulk Edit Sharing applies only to eligible Ad-Hoc Reports selected from the report list.

Why do I have to confirm the update?

Confirmation is required when the selected changes may increase or reduce report visibility. This helps prevent unintended access changes.

What should I do if the update does not complete?

Confirm that you still have editing access to every selected report. Remove any reports you cannot edit and try the update again. Contact First Due Support if the issue continues.