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Hitachi Vantara Lumada and Pentaho Documentation

Schedule Reports

Parent article

You can use the Schedules page of the Pentaho User Console to schedule a report to run at regular intervals, on certain dates and times, and with different parameters. You can also set a scheduled report to be emailed automatically, if your system administrator has configured the server for emailing reports. After you schedule a report, you can pause or delete a schedule, as well as edit the schedule to change the frequency of the report, parameters, or email settings.

The system administrator may set up times when you cannot run a scheduled report, for example, to perform system maintenance, or to minimize scheduling during peak times. If any blocked out times are set up, you can view these times so you can choose an alternate schedule.

Schedule a Report

You can run reports from the User Console using scheduling options to launch reports during off-peak hours or on a recurring basis.

Procedure

  1. Log on to the User Console, and then click the Browse Files button.

  2. In the Folders pane, browse to the folder containing the file that you want to run.

  3. In the File pane, click on the file that you want to run.

  4. In the File Actions pane, click Schedule.

    The New Schedule dialog box displays.New Schedule dialog box in User Console
  5. Enter your selections for the following fields:

    FieldDescription
    Schedule NameSpecify a name for the schedule, which will also be the name of the generated report content. If no name is entered in the Schedule Name field, the default is the name of the report file.
    Append timestamp to generated contentClick this check box to append the value specified in the Generated Content Name with a timestamp. When selected, a menu displays with a list of timestamp format options. Use the Preview panel to view how the name will display on the generated file
    Generated Content LocationSpecify a location for the generated content. Click Select to browse to a folder location to choose it.
    Overwrite existing files with the same name and timestampClick this check box to overwrite any existing files that have the same name and timestamp as the one you are running and saving to the specified location.
  6. Click Next. The schedule fields display.

    New Schedule for Recurrence in PUC

    If selecting a recurrence, be sure to select start and end dates, as well as a recurrence pattern.

    FIeldDescription
    Recurrence

    Choose a time interval for the report from the Recurrence list. Options include:

    • Run Once: Runs the file one time.
    • Seconds: Runs the file repeatedly at the time interval (in seconds) specified in the Recurrence pattern.
    • Minutes: Runs the file repeatedly at the time interval (in minutes) specified in the Recurrence pattern.
    • Hours: Runs the file repeatedly at the time interval (in hours) specified in the Recurrence pattern.
    • Daily: Runs the file repeatedly either every weekday or at the time interval (in days) specified in the Recurrence pattern.
    • Weekly: Runs the file repeatedly on the day(s) specified in the Recurrence pattern.
    • Monthly: Runs the file repeatedly on the day of the month specified in the Recurrence pattern.
    • Yearly: Runs the file repeatedly on the date specified in the Recurrence pattern.
    • Cron: Runs the file according to the Quartz cron attributes in the Cron String field. If you want to enter a custom time interval, choose the Cron option.

    If blockout times have been scheduled by your administrator, a View Blockout Times button appears on the bottom of the New Schedule window. Click View Blockout Times to view the list of blockout times. For more information, see Prevent Scheduling by Setting Blockout Times.

    Start TimeSpecify a start time to run the file.
    Recurrence patternDepending your selected time interval in the Recurrence field, specify the recurrence pattern.
    Range of recurrenceSpecify the start and end dates for running this report. The report will begin running according to the specified recurrence pattern on the start date specified and complete its run cycle on the end date specified in this section.
    Start Date (Run Once)If you select Run Once for Recurrence, then specify the date to run the report.
    Cron String (Cron)If you select Cron for Recurrence, then specify the Cron syntax. Consult the Quartz cron attributes reference to learn the Quartz Cron syntax.
  7. Click Next.

    The selected report may run using several parameters which you may be asked to specify, such as output type.
  8. If your Pentaho administrator has set up an email server, you may elect to email a copy of the report to selected users.

    For example, you may want users in the Finance department to receive the Excel output of the report via email every time the report is run on the recurring schedule.
    • Click No to skip emailing a copy of the report to users.
    • Click Yes to email a copy of the report to users. Fill in the fields that display with the users’ details, and then click OK.
  9. When you have completed your parameter selections, click Finish.

Results

The schedule is created and appears in the list in the Schedules window of the User Console.
NoteFor more information on how to email copies of reports to users when scheduling a report to run from the User Console, see Set Up Emails for Scheduled Reports.

Edit a Schedule

You can edit a schedule to change the frequency of the scheduled report, report parameters, and email settings.

Procedure

  1. Click the Home drop-down menu on the upper-left and click the link to the Schedules.

    The list of schedules appears in the Schedules page.
  2. Click the schedule you want to edit in the list, then click Edit in the scheduling toolbar.

    The Edit Schedule window appears.
  3. Type to rename the schedule in the Schedule Name field.

  4. Choose a new time interval for the report from the Recurrence list.

  5. Choose a new Start Time and Recurrence Pattern, as well as new Start and End by dates for the schedule. Click Next.

    If blockout times have been scheduled by your administrator, a View Blockout Times button appears on the bottom of the New Schedule window. A list of blockout times is viewable by clicking View Blockout Times.
  6. Choose what type of file you would like the schedule to create from the Parameters field. Click Next.

    The email option will only appear if your system administrator has enabled email on the server.
  7. Click OK.

Results

The schedule is edited and appears in the list in the Schedules window of the console.

Delete a Schedule

After you have scheduled a report, you can easily delete the schedule without deleting the report from the Pentaho User Console.

Procedure

  1. Click the Home drop-down menu on the upper-left and click the link to Schedules.

    The list of schedules appears in the Schedules page.
  2. Click the schedule that you want to delete in the list.

    The schedule is highlighted.
  3. Click Delete in the upper right of the toolbar to delete the highlighted schedule.

    The schedule is deleted, leaving the report intact.

Results

The previously scheduled report no longer runs at the specified interval.

Manage Schedules

As an administrator, you may create, run, delete, stop, edit, or resume schedules through the Schedules page in the Pentaho User Console.

After a report is scheduled by any user, an admin may edit, pause, or delete that schedule, as well as change the frequency of the report, change parameters, or adjust email settings. To distribute reports using email, make sure you have configured the email server. You also have the ability to prevent users from scheduling specific files or reports.

You might need to control when schedules can run by setting up periods of time to forbid schedules. Setting up blockout times allows you to perform administrative functions, such as system maintenance or managing server traffic during peak usage times.

Prevent Scheduling of a Single Report or File

In the Pentaho User Console, all new reports are enabled for scheduling by default, but as an administrator, you can control which files can be scheduled to run.

Procedure

  1. From the User Console Home menu, click Browse Files.

    The Browse Files page appears.
  2. Browse to the location of a report from the Browse pane on the left of the Browse Files page.

    The Files pane in the center populates with a list of reports.
  3. Click to select the report for which you want to deny scheduling, then click Properties in the Folder Actions pane.

    The Properties window for that report appears.
  4. Click the General tab in the Properties window, then disable the box next to Allow Scheduling.

  5. Click OK.

Results

Users are no longer able to see the Schedule option next to this report and the report is not able to be scheduled.

Prevent Scheduling by Setting Blockout Times

From the Pentaho User Console, you set up specific times on the server to block the running of schedules, which allows you to perform administrative functions such as system maintenance or managing server traffic during peak usage times.

Procedure

  1. From the User Console Home menu, click Schedules

    The Schedules page appears.Blockout Times dialog box
  2. Click the Create Blockout Time button or the green Plus Sign (+) in the Blockout Times tool on the left side of the Schedules screen.

    The Blockout Time dialog box appears.New Schedule Blockout Time dialog box
  3. Enter values in the Recurrence, Start Time, Duration or End Time, and Start Date fields for the blocked out time.

  4. Click OK. If Run Once is selected in the Recurrence field, a dash displays under the Start Time and End Time fields in the blockout list, until the blockout time passes.

Results

The Blockout Time is created and no schedules will run on the Pentaho Server during that time. Users are able to view a list of blocked out times when they are creating schedules.

Schedule Deletion of Generated Files

As an administrator, you may want to delete older generated files or content in order to free up space in the Pentaho Repository.

From the Pentaho User Console, perform the following steps:

Procedure

  1. Click on Administration in the drop-down menu on the upper right, then click on Settings.

    The Settings page appears.Settings for Deleting Generated Files
  2. To manually delete generated files now, confirm the age of the files to be deleted, then press Delete Now.

    The generated files older than the specified age are deleted.
  3. To schedule regular deletion of generated files, press Schedule Deletion.

    The Schedule Deletion window appears.
  4. Enter an age for the generated files in the field specifying number of days.

  5. Choose a time interval for the schedule from the Recurrence list.

  6. Choose a Start Time and a Recurrence Pattern, as well as Start Date and End Date for the scheduled deletion. Click OK.

Results

The Deletion Schedule is created and the generated files older than the specified age are deleted during the scheduled times.

Set Up Emails for Scheduled Reports

A convenient way to share reports is to specify an email server to be used by the Pentaho Server to send these reports to recipients. This feature works with the report scheduling feature to automate the process of emailing reports to your user community. Having an email server is not required to configure the Pentaho Server. If you want to get started quickly or do not have information about your email server, skip this task for now. You can always come back to it later.

Set Up the Mail Server Page

You use the Administration page within the Pentaho User Console and access the Mail Server page to set up the e-mail server, as shown in the following example steps:

Procedure

  1. Log on to PUC, click Administration in the upper-right corner, then click Mail Server from the items on the left.

    The Mail Server page appears.Mail Server Page in PUC
  2. Enter your email server settings.

    SettingDescription
    Host Name (SMTP)Address of your SMTP email server for sending email.
    PortPort of your SMTP email server, usually 25. For Gmail, the value is 587.
    Use AuthenticationEnable to use authentication for email.
    User NameUser ID to connect to the email server for sending email.
    PasswordPassword used to connect to the email server.
    Server TypeTransport for accessing the email server, usually SMTP. For Gmail, SMTP is required.
    Email "From" NameName that appears in the "From:" field in an email. If left blank, the default email name for this field is Pentaho Scheduler.
    Email "From" AddressAddress that appears in the "From:" field in an email. If left blank, the default email address for this field is Pentaho Scheduler.
    Use Start TLSEnable if the email server requires a Start TLS connection.
    Use SSLEnable if the email server requires an SSL connection. This value must be enabled for Gmail.
  3. Click Test Email Configuration, then click Save.

    A success message appears.