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Lesson 12: Email Distribution – Returned Reports

In this lesson, we will create a report showing returned items for each expense owner.

Create a New Report

Right-click on the Expense Analysis (Line Item/Matter) object and select NEW > REPORT.

  • Add the following fields to the report as dimensions (BY):
  • Header (Segment) – Owner (Segment) – Expense Owner (Field)
  • Header (Segment) – Report ID (Field)
  • Header (Segment) – Report Name (Field)
  • Header (Segment) - LineItem (Segment) – StatusApproved (Field)
  • Add the following field to the report as a measure (SUM):
  • Header (Segment) - LineItem (Segment) – Amount (Field)

Create a Filter to See Only Returned Items

  1. Right-click on the StatusApproved column and select FILTER VALUES.
  2. In the prompt, double-click on < VALUE >, select Type CONSTANT, click the drop-down to Get Values, and add the value RET.
  3. Click OK twice to close the Filter for STATUSAPPROVED window.

Add the PersonID Field and Hide the StatusApproved Field

The PersonID determines distribution when the burst option is selected for distributing an email report. This column must be the left-most dimension on the report. It does not have to be visible.

  1. Add the Header (Segment) – OwnerID (Field) as the first dimension.
  2. Right-click on the OwnerID column and change its Visibility to Hide.
  3. Hide the StatusApproved column.

Create a Page Header Based on Expense Owner

  1. Click on the Expense Owner column. On the Field – Expense Owner tab, in the Break group, select Page Break.
  2. Go to the Home tab, Report group, select the Header & Footer drop-down and select Page Header.
  3. Enter: The following expense reports were returned and are awaiting action on your Chrome River dashboard. Then close the Header & Footer window.

Format the Information for an HTML Email

The reversed color of the column headers will not display in an email. We will underline the column headers instead.

  1. Click on the Expense Owner column. In the Field – Expense Owner tab, Style group, click on Title Style. Select the Underline button.
  2. Repeat this process for each column header.
  3. Click on the Amount column. In the Field – Amount tab, in the Format group, click on the Comma button.

Save the Report

  1. In the Quick Access Toolbar, click the Save button. Save the report in this location: Content > [Your Company Name] > My Content.
  2. Name the report “Lesson 12: Email Distribution – Returned Reports."
Update Distribution Files via Drivers

A distribution file is a list of users belonging to one of the following four groups: Delegates, Group Routing, Owners and Owners + Reports To (Manager).

In order to update a distribution file with the latest user information, you need to run its corresponding distribution driver. Be sure to run the driver regularly so that it will be updated with the current users in the system. The following four drivers correspond to the four distribution file choices:

  • Delegates: Updates the list of delegates.

  • Group Routing: Updates the list of approval group members.

  • Owners: Updates the list of expense owners, assigned users or invoice requesters. (For use with reports that need to be sent only to expense owners, managers, invoice requesters or assigned approvers.)

  • Owners + Reports To (Manager): Updates the list that includes expense owners and their direct managers (i.e., "Reports To"). (For use with reports that need to be sent to owners/requestors/assigned approvers and to their managers.

Follow these steps to run the driver corresponding to the distribution file you wish to update.

  1. Go to the Analytics Dashboard > AD HOC REPORTS tab.

  2. Select WORKSPACES > STANDARD REPORTS > DRIVERS.

  3. Depending on distribution file you wish to update, right-click UPDATE DISTRIBUTION FILE – OWNERS, UPDATE DISTRIBUTION FILE – GROUP ROUTING, UPDATE DISTRIBUTION FILE – DELEGATES, or UPDATE DISTRIBUTION FILE – OWNERS + REPORTS TO (MANAGER).

  4. Select RUN.

  5. Make sure you see the message "Successfully created distribution list!"

 

If desired, you can run a driver file automatically by attaching a schedule and saving it in the My Content folder. The suggested recurrence is "Daily," and the suggested recipient is no-reply@chromeriver.com, since driver file results do not need to be sent to a user.

Run the Email Report

To run the email, we need to schedule the report. In the scheduler screen are all the options for our email. Before beginning, you will need to submit a request via the Chrome River Help Desk to get your company's distribution file name (see step 5).

  1. Go to the Analytics Dashboard, AdHoc Reports tab.
  2. Go to Content > [Your Company Name] > My Content.
  3. Right-click on Lesson 12: Email Distribution – Returned Reports and click on Schedule > Email.

  4. Click on the Distribution tab and choose Type: Distribution File. A distribution file is created for your company by Chrome River to allow you to schedule a particular report to be distributed to all Chrome River users in your company.
  5. Enter the name of the distribution file. (e.g., /var/reporting/distribution/A948_www.tcc.com.txt)
  6. Enter a From name. Example: "Expense Management Department"
  7. Enter a Reply Address.
  8. Enter a Subject. Example: "Your Returned Expense Reports."
  9. You could send your report as an attachment. We will send the message right in the email (so people will read it!).

  10. Click the Task tab.
  1. Check the Burst Report check box. This will send each line of the report to the appropriate person. Otherwise, everyone in the distribution list will get every report. For complete details, see Burst Scheduled Ad Hoc Reports via Email.
  2. For Report Properties, the default will reflect what was set in the Procedure. If it is not already selected, check Override the Format Specified in the Procedure and choose HTML - Web Page.
  1. Click SAVE & CLOSE, then save the Schedule to My Content.

  2. Find the schedule in the My Content folder, right-click it and select RUN.
  3. Make sure you get the message "Procedure Ran Successfully."

Check the Log

  1. On the Schedule Explorer tab, go to Content > [Your Company Name] > My Content.
  2. Double-click on Lesson 12: Email Distribution — Returned Reports schedule.

  3. Click on the Log Reports tab. This is a great tool for troubleshooting. Double-click on an entry to see the detailed log report.

View the Email to Test

Verify that your email is formatted properly. You may wish to create a filter on your report so that it only generates a single email whenever you manually run it. You can then test the results without emailing to the entire organization.

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