Setting Up Exception Reporting

You can create an exception report which is a report that only produces results when a defined threshold is not met. You can then schedule this report to run on a regular basis and use it to trigger the distribution of another report whenever the exception report returns a result (i.e., exceptions). In other words, the content report is only sent if certain data anomalies or events occur. This is called exception reporting or event-based reporting.

Example use cases include:

Send a detailed sales report if sales are down by more than 10%.

Send a link to a report if new data has been loaded.

Call center volume is dramatically increasing or decreasing.

Sales on the rise/decline beyond expected targets.

Pipeline not growing as expected.

Accounts with Accounts Receivable over 30 days.

Approaching limits on web-based advertising/usage.

High-Level Steps to Set Up Exception Reporting

Create an exception report to use as the trigger report.

Create a content report to be distributed when the trigger report returns results.

Create a schedule to run your trigger report (which will subsequently distribute your content report).

To create an exception report to use as the trigger report

  1. In Designer, create a new report.

  2. Add a filter to a column that defines the exception you want to report on.

    1. Select the filter operator from the list.

    2. Select the filter style. The styles available are based on the data type.

    3. Choose the options to filter by. This displays differently depending on the selected filter style.

    4. When you have finished with the filter selection, select Apply.

  3. Verify the result set displays one or more exceptions.

    Important: The trigger report must contain a table only and no chart.

  4. Click Save. This report is now your trigger report (used in report scheduling as the trigger report that can drive your exception reporting).

To create the content report that is distributed when the trigger report returns results

  1. If the information does not already exist in Birst, create a file (such as an Excel spreadsheet) containing the information you want distributed as a result of the exception report.

    For example, you could create a report that details the Product Distribution by Category, using the Category Name variable from the exception report example.

  2. Click Save

To create a schedule to run your trigger (exception) report

  1. Navigate to Admin > Space Management > Select a Space > Notifications.

  2. Click + Create New Notification.

  3. Specify the Name of the new notification.

  4. Specify an email address in the From field.

  5. Select Report Driven as the as the email To type.

  6. Click the Foldericon in the Search Reports field to select a report. The Report Catalog is displayed. Select your report.

  7. Complete the remaining fields for the notification. For example, you can set up a recurring notification schedule.

    Tip: You can use a report parameter in the email subject in order to use the prompt value from the report to customize the subject. For example:
    Customer Listing for $P{Employee Full Name}

  8. Select the Attachment Format for the notification.

  9. In the Trigger Report field, select your trigger report. Click the Folder icon to display the Report Catalog, then select the trigger report from the list.

  10. Click Save.

Whenever the trigger report is run (based on the report schedule you created) and produces results, the report you specified as the content report will be distributed based on the exceptions produced by the scheduled trigger report.