NetResults ProblemTracker
Using Saved Queries and Reports

Overview

A ProblemTracker report is composed of a search criteria (query) and an output layout (report format). You can define and save both queries and report formats. This enables you to quickly select from a list of frequently used queries, rather than re-entering all the query parameters for each query. You can use either group or personal saved queries. You can always save a personal saved query, and if you have been given permission by your Administrator, you may also be able to save a query or report for use by all users in your assigned user group.

Saved queries are managed by the Saved Query bar which appears on the Query Page below the status bar, as shown below:

Using the Saved Query bar, you can define new queries, edit or remove existing saved queries, and run or preview a saved query. Group level saved queries are listed followed by the User Group name in square brackets. Admin users can access saved queries for all user groups without having to be a member of each group.

Saved report formats are managed by the Saved Report bar which also appears on the Query Page below the status bar, as shown below:

Using the Saved Reports bar, you can define new report formats, and edit or remove existing saved report formats. Group level saved report formats are listed followed by the User Group name in square brackets. Admin users can access saved reports for all user groups without having to be a member of each group.

Restrictions Related to Adding Saved Queries and Report Layouts

In order to create a saved query or report layout for a user group, a user must have the necessary privileges. Without these privileges, a user can only create personal saved queries and report layouts.

Field Level Visibility in Saved Group Queries and Reports

Field Level Visibility is the feature that allows fields to be restricted by user group in various areas of ProblemTracker such as the Add, Edit, and View pages and in Queries and Reports. That is to say that the system can be configured such that each user group may see a different set of fields in each area of ProblemTracker. Therefore, when creating saved group queries and report layouts, all fields may not be displayed depending on field visibility settings for the group selected.

When a field is not visible to the user group selected in a saved group query, the field will be set to the default value when the saved group query is run. In most cases, this default value is "*", which will include all possible values for the field in the saved group query results. In the case of the Deleted field, the default is "No" such that all records that have not been marked as deleted will be included in the results of the saved group query.

In the case of report layouts, if the field is not visible to the group selected for the saved group report layout, the field will not appear in the list of possible values for each column of the report.

Please contact your ProblemTracker if you wish to include a field in a saved group query or report layout that is not visible to the selected user group.

Add a Saved Query

To add a saved query, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. Click on the Add button to the right of the Saved Query pulldown. Note: to create a Saved Query that is similar to an existing Saved Query, select the existing Saved Query in the pulldown menu to the left before clicking the Add button.
  4. Select the Query Type. If it's a group saved query, select the name of the group to which this saved query should be visible. You will only be able to select the user groups in which you are a member (however, the ProblemTracker Administrator can add saved queries for any user group). Click Next to proceed.
  5. In the form that appears, enter a query name (this is the name that you will use to retrieve the query) in the Query Name field.
  6. Enter the criteria for the query as you would for an ad-hoc query.
  7. Click on the Add button

Run a Saved Query

To run a saved query, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. In the Saved Query pulldown at the top of the page, select the saved query you wish to run
  4. Click on the Run button to the left of the saved query pulldown

Preview a Saved Query

Many times you may wish to verify the criteria of a saved query before running it or perhaps modify it slightly before running it. The ProblemTracker saved query Preview feature allows you to do this.

To preview, optionally modify, and run a saved query, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. In the Saved Query pulldown at the top of the page, select the saved query you wish to preview
  4. Click on the Preview button to the right of the Saved Query pulldown
  5. The parameters for the saved query appear in the query dialog below. Modify the query parameters if desired.
  6. Click on the Run Query button in the query dialog to run the query

Set Default Saved Query Drop-Down Menu Selection

To set the query which you would like to appear in the Saved Query drop-down list when you first browse to the Query page, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. In the Saved Query pulldown at the top of the page, select the saved query you wish to save as the default
  4. Click on the Default button to the right of the Saved Query pulldown. The page will be refreshed and the Status will say "Default Query has been updated.".

Edit a Saved Query

To edit a saved query, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. In the Saved Query pulldown at the top of the page, select the saved query you wish to edit
  4. Click on the Edit button to the right of the Saved Query pulldown.
  5. A page containing the current query parameters is displayed. Edit the query parameters as desired.
  6. Click on the OK button to save your updates.

Delete a Saved Query

To delete a saved query, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. In the Saved Query pulldown at the top of the page, select the saved query you wish to delete
  4. Click on the Delete button to the right of the Saved Query pulldown

Standard Saved Queries within ProblemTracker

Within ProblemTracker, there are three saved queries that are installed by default:

Add a Saved Report Format

To add a report format, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. Click on the Add button to the right of the Report Layouts pulldown
  4. Select the Report Layout Type. If it's a group report layout, select a group to which this report layout should be visible. You will only be able to select the user groups in which you are a member (however, the ProblemTracker Administrator can add saved report layouts for any user group). Click Next to proceed.
  5. In the form that appears, enter a report name (this is the name that you will use to select the report format) in the Report Layout Name field.
  6. Select how to align text fields (left, center, right).
  7. Select the maximum size for text fields.
  8. Select the fields you would like displayed.
  9. Click on the OK button

When the "Assigned To" or "Reported By" fields appear in a report layout, users with the privilege "View User Information" will be able to click on the user's name in the query results to display the user's profile information (e.g. phone number, email address, company name).

Edit a Saved Report Format

To edit a saved report format, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. In the Report Layouts pulldown, select the report layout you wish to edit
  4. Click on the Edit button to the right of the Report Layouts pulldown
  5. A page containing the current format is displayed. Edit the format as desired.
  6. Click on the OK button to save your updates

Delete a Saved Report Format

To delete a saved report format, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. In the Report Layouts pulldown, select the report layout you wish to delete
  4. Click on the Delete button in the Saved Reports bar

Use a Saved Report Layout in a Query

To run a query using a particular report layout, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. Enter the query directly or start with an existing Saved Query by selecting it in the Saved Query pulldown, then clicking on the Preview button.
  4. Select the report layout wish to use in the Report Layout pulldown in the Query dialog section (below the Run Query button)
  5. Click on the Run Query button

Associate a Saved Report Layout to a Saved Query

To associate a saved report layout to a saved query, follow these steps:

  1. Login to the workgroup
  2. Click on the Query icon in the Button bar
  3. Select the Saved Query in the Saved Query pulldown, then click on the Edit button to the right of the Saved Query pulldown.
  4. In the Report Layout pulldown, select the desired saved report layout.
  5. Click on the OK button to save the change

Standard Saved Report Layouts within ProblemTracker

Within ProblemTracker, there are three saved report layouts that are installed by default: