How do I setup a Package Reports Schedule for Tableau Reports in ATRS?

The Package Schedule is designed to automatically create multiple reports at scheduled times and deliver them together to specified destinations. The wizard will guide you through the process of setting up a Package Schedule.

Package Report Schedule for Tableau Reports.

The purpose of the wizard will be to guide you through the process of setting up a number of reports to be generated at defined intervals and delivered to one or more defined destinations - together.

How to Create a Package Schedule Report for Tableau Reports?

Step 1: Navigate to Package schedules.

The following screen will be displayed, for you to complete General information.

Step 1: Create a Package Name.  This must be unique.

Step 2 (Optional):  You may change the Create In folder or accept the default.  The Create In folder is the Parent folder where you wish the schedule to be stored. These are ATRS specific folders.  To select a different folder click on the (...) button to the right of the window.
Step 3 (Optional): You may enter a Description.  A Description may help others identify the use of the schedule. 

Step 4 (Optional): Enter some keywords which can be used later by Smart Folders to identify this schedule.

Step 5: Click  Next to move to the scheduling Tab of the Wizard.

Step 6 Scheduling: Choose when the report will execute. There are a variety of options and if none of them suit you may create your own scheduling frequency using Custom Calendars.  For a full explanation of each of the scheduling options review the Scheduling Article.

Step 7: Proceed to the Destinations section of the wizard by clicking on the "Next" button.

Within this section, you will choose the delivery destination for your schedule. The central list will show all the destinations you have added to the schedule. You can rearrange the order of these destinations by using the green up and down arrows.

Step 8: Click Add to add a destination. 

• Edit: Select a destination and click to edit it's properties. Or simply double-click on the destination.
• Delete: Select a destination and click this button to delete it.
• Import: click here to import from the list of default destinations.
• For more information about Type of Destinations, click [here].

Step 9:  To Append Date/ Time Stamp to the Report output check this option, then choose the required format.  You may even adjust the date by X days if required.

Step 10: Proceed to the Reports section of the wizard by clicking on the "Next" button.

Reports Wizard

 

A package may be created with no constituent reports and then the reports can be added later. However, you may also add reports at this stage in the wizard - and amend, delete or add some more later.

How to Add Reports to a Package 

A Package Schedule is made up of individual reports.  To add reports to the package follow the next steps and repeat for each report that you want to add to the package.

Report Wizard

Step 1:  Click on the "Add" button. This action will bring up the Package Schedule Wizard Screen where you can choose reports, view and modify the Report Properties.  The following screen will be displayed.

Step 2:  Choose the Tableau Account from the dropdown or Add  New .This is the Tableau Account that is required to access the desired Tableau Report.

• Item Path: Select the Tableau report that needs to be scheduled. A tableau report can only be added if the ATRS server can reach the report path.
• Report Name: Once you have selected the report from the drop-down list, this field will automatically populate with the chosen report.
• Enabled: If the checkbox is selected, the report will run according to the schedule. On the other hand, if it is not checked, the report will not be activated and will not run on the scheduler.

Step 3: Proceed to the Output Formats section of the wizard by clicking on the "Next" button. 

Step 4: Choose the desired export format for the report by selecting from the options provided in the dropdown list.

Step 5: Proceed to the Parameters section of the wizard by clicking on the "Next" button. 

Parameters

Step 6: In this section, you will determine the parameters for your report (if any).  If your report has no parameters, you may skip this section by clicking next.

For each Parameter Name, enter a  value and select a Parameter Type from the drop down list.

In a single schedule, only one parameter value can be run at a time per parameter. 

• Set as Null: Set no value for this parameter.
• Ignore: Do not run this parameter, ignore it at runtime.
• [Insert Menu]: You can insert constants, formulas and database field values instead of a static "typed in" value. Right-click in the parameters field to expose the Insert menu.

• Selecting Date Parameters via Calendar: If your report contains a date parameter, you can either manually enter dates as described earlier in this topic, or select the desired date from the built in calendar. Simply click in the date parameter field to open the calendar. Select the desired date. Click OK.
• Preview: Shows you a preview of the report.

Step 7: Proceed to the Naming section of the wizard by clicking on the "Next" button. 

Naming

ATRS will use the Default Naming Convention which which will be in the following format: reportname.format extension, e.g. Superstore_sheets_Overview.pdf.

If you prefer a different name to that of the report you may use Customize the output file name option. 

You may also choose to Customize output extension, this is useful for system integration. For example, the default extension for a character separated file is "CSV," but you can give your export an extension of "txt" so that the file can be read by another already existing system you may have. You may also right-click and use the Insert Function to insert a value.

Append date/time to the report output is useful for the following reasons:

• If the filename is the same each time, and it is being exported to the same folder each time, then it will be overwritten by the latest one each time. By appending date and time to the filename, each file remains unique, and no files are overwritten.
• You can track which reports ran and when they ran by looking at what the report is named.

Step 8: Proceed to the Exception Handling section of the wizard by clicking on the "Next" button. 

Exception handling can be configured for each report within the package, as well as for the package as a whole.  

• Check if the Report is Blank: If a report is blank because it genuinely returned no data, recipients can misconstrue this as an error with the scheduler. This option allows you to identify genuine empty reports and instruct ATRS on what to do with them.
• Check if the Report Export fails: If the Report Export Fails, you will then be able to schedule some Custom Tasks to instruct ATRS on what to do next.

Step 9: Click OK to Return to the Main Package Scheduling Wizard

Main Package Scheduling Wizard Continued

Once you return to the main scheduling wizard you can then choose from the following options:

• Merge all Excel Files: Merge Excel outputs into a single Excel file. The reports will merge into an .xlsx file while maintaining their format and style. Checking this box will bring up additional Excel options. 
• Merge all PDF Files: Merge PDF outputs into a single PDF file. The reports will appear in the merged PDF in the order they are displayed in the package schedule. Checking this box will bring up additional PDF Options.
• Merge all Text Files: Check this option to merge all text files and give the file a name.
  
  
• Run Package using Multiple threads: This allows up to 8 reports to be exported simultaneously.
• Each report in the package can run concurrently.
• See [Multi-threading] for more info.
• Enable snapshots and keep them for (days): Keep a copy of the report for how many days.

 

Step 11: Click Next to proceed to Exception Handling for the Entire Schedule.

Exception Handling

Step 12 Exception Handling: This may have already been set for each report within the Schedule now you can set it for the entire Schedule.  For more information about Exception Handling please review the Exception Handling Article

Step 13: Click Next to proceed to the Custom Tasks Section of the Wizard.

Custom Tasks Wizard

In the section you have the option of setting up custom tasks. Custom tasks are business process automation tools that can be auto triggered before or after a report runs.

For more information on Custom Tasks, [click here].

Step 14:  Click finish to complete and save the schedule.

 

Package Schedule Report Context Menu

Right-Click on a schedule to see the following actions:

• Properties: Make changes to the schedule by either editing it here or simply double-clicking on the schedule.
• Open: Opening the package will display its individual reports.
• You can right-click on each of the constituent reports to see the context-sensitive menu shown in the picture above.
• Add Report: Use this to add one or more reports to an existing package.
• Copy: Use this to copy the schedule. Right-click in the "white space" of the folder you wish to copy it to and select Paste button.
• Paste: Paste a previously copied schedule.
• Rename: Renames the selected report.
• Enabled: Schedules are enabled when there is a check icon beside this option. To stop a schedule from running, or to "pause" it for a while, select this option to remove the check icon. Disabled schedules will not run until they are enabled again.
• Move: This will enable you to move the Package to a different Folder in ATRS.
• Execute: This button will execute the schedule immediately. Note that the next run date and time is not moved on as a result of a manual execution. They only move on if the schedule is run automatically by one of the schedulers .
• Delete: Selecting this option will delete the schedule.
• Execute On: Use to option to execute the schedule to another collaboration server. 

• Refresh: Pulls through changes to just that report which were made outside ATRS.
• Tools - Generate Script: This feature generates a SQL script, allowing you to copy a schedule from one instance of the software to another for seamless replication.

• Tools - Test Package: Use this option to test the schedule and export it to selected "test" destinations.
• Tools - Split into Single Schedules: This will split all the constituent reports in the package into Single Report Schedules.  Please Note: Once you have split a Package into Single Schedules the Package will no longer exist.
• Tools - Create Shortcut: Use this option to create a shortcut you can save in any location on your PC. Execute the shortcut to execute the schedule in ATRS.

Package Report Schedule Properties

To access the properties of your schedule, simply right-click on the schedule and choose the "Properties" option. From the properties menu, you can make edits to the schedule settings, view the Schedule History, and even share schedules with other users.