Fourth Analytics: Scheduled Dashboards and Reports

Overview

This article shows how to schedule PDF versions of individual Fourth Analytics Dashboards to be emailed to users, and how reports for multiple users can be set up. This functionality can be useful for certain Fourth Analytics users who may not log in to the system on a regular basis but still have a need and interest to see the data from various Dashboards.

Scheduling a Dashboard

• Navigate to the Dashboard required to be scheduled as an automated email
• For the default Dashboard configuration to be used, select Default View from the drop-down, as shown in Fig.1
• Alternatively, apply Filters as required and select * Unsaved View to create a 'Saved view'
• After choosing a view, select the clock face icon to open the scheduling panel

Fig.1 - Selecting a view, and the clock face icon

In the scheduling panel there are two options: 

• Email all current and future tabs in the dashboard – Sends out the entire Dashboard, all tabs, including any that are added in the future
  or
• Email only selected tabs – Choose specific tabs from the drop-down (as shown in Fig.2) and select Apply

Fig.2 - Email only selected tabs option

• Select the required Repeat options - Daily, Weekly or Monthly
• Select the Time – This is when the report request is sent. It may take up to 15 minutes for the email to be delivered, depending on the complexity of the dashboard

Fig.3 - Selecting Repeat and Time options

The scheduled email’s subject line will be titled as per the selected Dashboard.

• To rename the email subject line, select Define custom subject and message

Fig.4 - Define custom subject and message

• A bespoke message can be added using the Email Message field if required
• To revert to the default settings, select Hide additional email settings
• When all options have been chosen, select Schedule

Fig.5 - Entering bespoke email subject and message

Individual Dashboard PDF files will be attached to scheduled emails that are sent out.

Fig.6 - PDF attachment and unsubscribe link

Removing a Schedule

All scheduled Dashboard emails contain an ‘unsubscribe’ link which can be used to cancel them if required.

• As shown in Fig.6 select the 'click here' to cancel a scheduled Dashboard email

Confirmation of the cancellation will be displayed.

Scheduling Global Reports to Multiple Users

Fourth can configure dashboards and individual reports to be sent to multiple Fourth Analytics users within the same business. Only Fourth Analytics users can receive scheduled reports, but they don’t need to have full access to Analytics to receive them. Reports sent to multiple users are called Global Reports.

Users with ‘Editor’ access can schedule Global Reports themselves.

What can be Scheduled?

Global Reports can include Dashboards, individual tabs and reports.

Fig.7 - Dashboards, tabs, reports

Populating the Scheduled Reports Template

For Fourth to configure Global Reports, a template can be completed and provided by the customer.

• Download the template attached to this article
• Complete the template – mandatory fields listed below
• Navigate to https://help.hotschedules.com/hc/en-us and select Submit a Request for our team to configure this on your behalf

Template Fields

• First Name and Last Name – The user’s first and last name.
• Fourth Account Email Address - This email address must match with that in the user’s existing Fourth Account record for Single Sign-On verification.
• Scheduled Reports Email Address - This is where any personal or global scheduled reports will be sent. The Fourth Account email address is likely to be a personal one, which can be risky if large volumes of customer data is included in the schedule. Fourth recommends using a work email address for this.
• Scheduled Reports/Dashboards/Tabs – The required Dashboards/tabs or reports to be scheduled for the user. Dashboards and tabs can be sent together in a PDF format. If scheduling reports, these can be sent in the following formats: Inline message, PDF, Excel (XLSX) or CSV.
• Frequency and time – The frequency of the report, and the scheduled time. These are in half-hour increments, e.g. 9, 9:30, 10. Please note: This will not be the arrival time - it may take up to 15 minutes for emails to be received.
• Subject – The subject line that will feature on the generated emails, e.g. Weekly Overview Reporting.
• Message – This is a windown of text that will feature on the body of the email, above the attached PDF/XLSX/CSV reports.
• Notes – For example, if the user should be receiving reports only, and any other relevant details specific to them.

Fig.8 - Example scheduled reports template