WebFOCUS Online Help > Managed Reporting End User > Using Two-Way Email > Requesting a Report
In this section: How to: |
After you receive and store your templates, you can request a WebFOCUS report. A template is the means by which you request a report and supply parameter values if required.
A Two-Way Email template contains information about the associated report. It may also prompt you for one or more parameter values that define the scope of the report. If a template prompts you for a value, you must supply one; otherwise, the report will not run.
A report template may request an update to a data source rather than a report.
The following is a sample template requesting a report:
Enter a product category on line 1 of your reply. Valid product categories are Coffee, Food, Gifts. ---------- <TWOWAY> YXBwL3RvdGFscmV0LnR4dCwjdGVsbG1ldGVzdHNuLHByb2dyYW1tL3By b2dyYW1tLmh0bSwwLjE4OTQ5NTI3NDE0NjIxMDky </TWOWAY>
The tags <TWOWAY> and </TWOWAY> delimit an encrypted Extensible Markup Language (XML) stream describing the report, including its associated domain. Two-Way Email needs this information to retrieve the report code from the Managed Reporting Repository and route it to the WebFOCUS Reporting Server for execution.
The prompt at the top of the sample template instructs you to supply a parameter value on line 1 of your reply. In this case, you must enter the name of a product category that exists in the data source, such as Coffee, Food, or Gifts. If you enter Coffee, the report will contain only data that applies to that category.
The subject of the e-mail typically identifies or describes the report.
If your device or program has an option to include the body of the e-mail (for example, Reply with Text or Include Original Text), select it. This option ensures that the content of the template is included in the reply. Two-Way Email requires the content to correctly process the reply.
To accept the default value of a parameter, type a period (.) on the applicable line in your reply. This action ensures that Two-Way Email will read the value properly.
The e-mail may indicate valid values from which you can choose. If it does not, and you are not sure how to respond, ask your Managed Reporting Administrator or Developer.
Two-Way Email will return the requested report to you.
The following are examples of requesting a report and accepting the default value of a parameter.
Suppose you want a report that shows the number of units sold, and the total dollar amount of sales, for a particular product category. The report is associated with a Two-Way Email template called Sales Report for User-supplied Category : TW. It requires a parameter value for the product category of interest.
A Managed Reporting Administrator or Developer can create the Standard Report and template for you, as described in the WebFOCUS Managed Reporting Administrator's Manual.
Enter a product category on line 1 of your reply. Valid product categories are Coffee, Food, Gifts.
If your device or program has an option to include the body of the e-mail (for example, Reply with Text or Include Original Text), select it. This option ensures that the content of the template is included in the reply. Two-Way Email requires the content to correctly process the reply.
PAGE 1 Category Unit Sales Dollar Sales -------- ---------- ------------ Food 1384845 17229333
Suppose you want a report that shows the number of units budgeted, and the number of units sold, for a particular product category and store code. The report is associated with a Two-Way Email template called Budgeted Units by Category and Store Code : TW.
For the product category, you can supply a value or accept the default. For the store code, you must accept the value provided by the Administrator.
A Managed Reporting Administrator or Developer can create the Standard Report and template for you, as described in the WebFOCUS Managed Reporting Administrator's Manual.
Enter a product category on line 1 of your reply. Valid product categories are Coffee, Food, Gifts. You can accept the default, which is Gifts. To accept the default, enter a period (.) on line 1 of your reply.
It also informs you that the only allowed store code value is R1019.
If your device or program has an option to include the body of the e-mail (for example, Reply with Text or Include Original Text), select it. This option ensures that the content of the template is included in the reply. Two-Way Email requires the content to correctly process the reply.
Two-Way Email sends the report to you:
PAGE 1 Category Store ID Budget Units Unit Sales -------- -------- ------------ ---------- Gifts R1019 79552 78869
| WebFOCUS |