Purpose Statement

Learn how to configure automated report scheduling and delivery within the Ad-Hoc Reports module. This feature allows administrators to set up recurring reports that automatically generate and send via email or SFTP on a predetermined schedule, ensuring stakeholders receive critical data consistently without manual intervention.

Background Information

The Report Schedule feature enables departments to automate their reporting workflows, ensuring compliance deadlines are met and key personnel receive timely updates. This functionality is particularly valuable for monthly compliance reports, weekly operational summaries, and daily activity reports that need consistent delivery to multiple recipients. The scheduling system supports various file formats and delivery methods to accommodate different organizational needs and external system integrations.

Required Permissions

Users must have the following permissions to schedule and send reports:

• Ad-Hoc Reports Access: Ability to create and manage ad-hoc reports
• Report Scheduling: Permission to configure automated report delivery
• Email Configuration: Access to email delivery settings (if using email delivery)
• SFTP Configuration: Access to SFTP endpoint settings (if using SFTP delivery)

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing Report Schedule

1. Navigate to Reports Module > Ad-Hoc Reports > Create Report
2. Complete all required tabs through the Grouping section
3. Click Next at the bottom of the page or click the Report Schedule tab directly
4. Click the plus icon next to "Add Schedule" to create your schedule

Configuring Delivery Method

5. Choose your preferred delivery method:
   • Email: Select the email radial button and enter one or more recipient addresses in the provided field
   • SFTP: If your agency has configured SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol), select this radial and choose an endpoint from your system options

Setting File Format Options

6. Select your desired file type by clicking the appropriate radial button
7. Optional: Check "Exclude column headers" if transferring data to another program that doesn't require headers
8. For SFTP only: Toggle "Add date and time to file name" to differentiate between report instances

Note: PDF files are limited to 2,000 records in size.

Adding Custom Message

9. Toggle the message button to enable the custom message feature
10. Enter your message in the text box (maximum 500 characters)
11. This message will appear in the email body to help recipients understand the report contents

Configuring Schedule Timing

12. Set the Start Date for when the schedule should begin (can be future-dated)
13. Set the Start Time for when the report should send on each occurrence

Setting Recurrence Patterns

14. Optional: Check "Only Send if Report contains 1 or More Rows" to prevent empty reports from being sent
15. Choose your recurrence pattern:

• Daily: Enter the number of days between each report
• Weekly: Select the number of weeks between occurrences, then check the specific days of the week
• Monthly: Choose the interval (1 for monthly, 3 for quarterly, etc.), then select either:
  • Specific date option: Enter the numerical date (e.g., 15th of each month)
  • Weekday option: Choose occurrence and day (e.g., Second Thursday)

Setting End Conditions

16. Choose when the scheduled reports should stop:

• On This Date: Select a specific end date
• After X Occurrences: Enter the total number of times the report should send
• No End Date: Report continues indefinitely until manually adjusted

Completing Setup

17. Click Next to proceed to the Filters tab, or click the Filters tab directly to continue report configuration

Best Practices

• Test your scheduled reports with a small recipient group before full deployment
• Use descriptive custom messages to help recipients understand report contents and purpose
• Consider time zones when scheduling reports for multi-location agencies
• Set reasonable recurrence patterns to avoid overwhelming recipients with too frequent reports
• Use the "Only Send if Report contains 1 or More Rows" option for exception-based reports
• Regularly review and update recipient lists to ensure reports reach current stakeholders
• For compliance reports, schedule delivery well before deadline requirements
• Use SFTP delivery for automated data integrations with external systems

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: My scheduled report isn't sending. What should I check? A: Verify that your start date and time are configured correctly, check that recipients' email addresses are valid, and confirm your agency's email or SFTP settings are properly configured.

Q: Can I modify a schedule after it's been created? A: Yes, you can edit existing schedules by returning to the Report Schedule tab and selecting the schedule you want to modify.

Q: Why is my PDF report incomplete? A: PDF reports are limited to 2,000 records. If your data exceeds this limit, consider using CSV or Excel format instead, or apply filters to reduce the record count.

Q: What happens if the SFTP endpoint is unavailable? A: The system will attempt to retry the delivery. Contact your IT administrator if SFTP connectivity issues persist.

Q: Can I send the same report to different groups with different schedules? A: Yes, you can create multiple schedules for the same report with different recipients and timing configurations.

Related Articles

• Report List Features
• Ad-Hoc Reporting: Tabular Grouping
• Ad-Hoc Reporting: Summary Grouping
• Ad-Hoc Reporting: Filters