NetResults Tracker Help
Metrics

The Metrics operation is a way to gather and display statistical information based on your Tracker data. The information can be displayed as bar, pie, or line charts using system defined or user defined Chart Layouts to specify the format for the chart. You can limit the records used as input to the statistical calculations (Input Records) by specifying a Saved Query. Only those records which match the Saved Query will be used when performing the statistical calculations. Chart parameters can be stored away for future runs as Saved Charts (for global, group, or personal use).

Running a Chart

A chart can be generated using the "Project Status (Default) [Users]" Saved Chart or any other saved chart that has been added by a Tracker user with the appropriate privilege(s) by performing the following steps:

  1. Select a chart from the Saved Chart pulldown field (by default, only the default saved chart "Project Status (Default) [Users]" will appear in this field
  2. The options displayed in the Chart Layout, Input Records, and Chart Title fields will be automatically filled with the settings in the Saved Chart selected. If desired, make other selections for the Chart Layout, Input Records, and Chart Title fields.
  3. Click on the Show Chart button to display the chart.
  4. Make changes to the formats of the chart displayed by using the Dynamic Chart Layout Options. Details on the options available can be found in the Chart Layout Options section.
  5. To change the parameters used to display the chart, click on the Change Parameters button to return to the Chart Selection page.

Printing a Chart

After generating a chart, you can click on the Print link in the upper right corner of the page to print the chart.

Note: Any changes made to the dynamic chart layout options (such as changing from 2D to 3D chart layout) after you generated it will not be in the printed version.

Exporting Chart Data

After generating a chart, click on the Export link in the upper right corner of the page to export the chart data to a CSV (comma separated values) file. You can then open this file with another tool such as Microsoft Excel or Crystal Reports.

To create a chart in Microsoft Excel from the exported data, "rubber band" (left-click mouse and drag a rectangle around) the data plus column and row titles (exclude rows 1 through 3, but include the individual row/column titles in row 4 and column A along with the data in your selection) and click the Chart Wizard icon (or select Insert->Chart...). Click the Finish button in the Chart Wizard to accept the Microsoft Excel default settings for the chart; or make selections, click on the Next button, then click Finish to create a chart with custom settings. Please review the Microsoft Excel Help for further information on Excel charts.

Chart Notes

After generating a chart, you can click on the Notes link in the upper right corner of the page to see additional information about the format of the chart type being displayed.

Set a Default for the Metrics Page

You can set a default such that whenever you click on the Metrics icon a particular Saved Chart, Chart Layout, Input Records, and Chart Title will be ready to be displayed by clicking on the "Show Chart" button. By setting a default, you will be one click away from seeing your default chart when you go to the Metrics page. This is useful if there is a particular chart you will be displaying on a frequent basis.

To set a default for the Metrics page:

  1. Select a Saved Chart, Chart Layout, Input Records, and Chart Title to be used to generate your default chart
  2. Click on the Set as Default button at the top of the page

Save

The "Save" operation allows you to change the saved chart layout, input records, or chart title associated with a saved chart. You must have the appropriate privilege to perform this operation on a group saved chart. To make changes to a saved chart on the Metrics main page:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. In the Saved Chart pulldown, select the saved chart you wish to modify
  3. In the fields for Chart Layout, Input Records, and Chart Title make the desired changes
  4. Click on the Save button

Save as New

The "Save as New" operation allows you to save a new chart based on the settings displayed on the "Select a Saved Chart" page or when previewing a saved chart. On the "Select a Saved Chart" page, this operation allows you to create a new saved chart with different selections for Chart Layout, Input Records, and Chart Title.

To use the "Save as New" operation on the "Select a Saved Chart" page:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. Make selections for the Saved Chart, Chart Layout, Input Records, and Chart Title
  3. Click on the Save as New button
  4. Enter a name for the new saved chart, then select whether the saved chart will be a group or personal saved chart. If you select "Group" for the Saved Chart Type field, select the group that should have access to this saved chart in the Group field.
  5. Click OK to complete the operation

To use the "Save as New" operation after previewing a saved chart, review the instructions in the preview section.

Restrictions Related to Saved Group Charts and Chart Layouts

Depending on the user group privileges that have been assigned to your by your Tracker Administrator, you may only be able to use certain operations on certain saved charts or chart layouts for groups. For example, if you are a member of 2 user groups, but only have privileges to edit group saved charts or chart layouts for one of those user groups, some of the operations (e.g. "Add", "Edit") may be disabled when selecting a saved chart or chart layout for a group where you have limited privileges.

Adding a Saved Chart

To create a saved chart, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. If desired, select a saved chart in the Saved Chart pulldown to be used as a starting point for the new chart, then click on the Add button to the right of the "Saved Chart" pulldown

  3. Enter a name for your Saved Chart in the Saved Chart Name field
  4. In the Saved Chart Type field, select whether this chart will be a personal or group saved chart. Selecting "Group" indicates that any member of the user group selected in the "Group" field below will be able to access this saved chart.
  5. If "Group" is selected in the field Saved Chart Type above, select which user group will be able to access this saved chart in the Group field. You will only be able to select from user groups in which you are a member (However, the Tracker Administrator can add saved charts for all user groups). If a user group is not available for selection, you may not be a member of the user group or you may not have sufficient privileges to add a chart for a user group. If you are a member of the user group or are logged in as a user with the Admin privilege, the user group may not have visibility to at least one Project and Form. Only user groups that have visibility to at least one Project and Form (configured in the Admin section) will be available for selection when creating group saved charts.
  6. Click Next to continue

  7. Select the criteria for the Saved Chart. Click here for full details of the criteria selections for a saved chart.
  8. Click on the Add button

Editing a Saved Chart

To edit a saved chart, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. Select a saved chart in the Saved Chart pulldown
  3. Click on the Edit button to the right of the Saved Chart pulldown
  4. Make changes to the criteria of the saved chart
  5. Click OK to save the changes

Deleting a Saved Chart

To delete a saved chart, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. Select a saved chart in the Saved Chart pulldown
  3. Click on the Delete button to the right of the Saved Chart pulldown
  4. Click OK to confirm the operation

If a saved chart is selected as one of the Home Page reports for one or more users, you will not be able to delete the saved chart until another report is selected in the Preferences section for each user.

Preview a Saved Chart

The preview operation allows you to make changes to the criteria of a saved chart before using the "Show Chart" operation to display the chart. This operation is useful when you want to display a chart with a change in the criteria for a saved chart, but want to preserve the saved chart's original settings. This is also useful for creating a new saved chart based on the criteria of an existing saved chart.

To preview a saved chart, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. Select a saved chart in the Saved Chart pulldown
  3. Click on the Preview button to the right of the Saved Chart pulldown
  4. If desired, make changes to the criteria
  5. Click Save to save your changes. To create a new saved chart with the criteria displayed, click on the Save as New button. Otherwise, click on the Show Chart button to display the chart.
  6. If you clicked on the Save as New button, you will be prompted to select a name, chart type, and group for the new saved chart.

Standard Saved Chart within Tracker

Within Tracker, the chart Project Status (Default) [Users] is installed by default. The description below is how the chart is configured by default, but your Tracker Administrator or another user with the appropriate privileges may have changed the chart's settings. This chart cannot be deleted.

Project Status (Default) [Users]
A saved chart that will generate a pie chart, which displays the relative number of records in each possible state for the project, form and workflow created by default in the workgroup.

Saved Chart Criteria

Each saved chart has criteria which defines the data and formats that will be displayed when the chart is generated. The options available when creating a saved chart are explained below:

Saved Chart Layouts

A saved chart layout provides the formats used to display a saved chart. A saved chart cannot be displayed without selecting a saved chart layout. Examples of the formats that a saved chart layout provides are:

To create a saved chart layout, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. In the Chart Layout field, select the default saved chart layout that corresponds to the chart type you wish to use. For example, if you wish to create a saved chart layout for a bar chart, select the default saved chart layout called "Bar - default [Users]"

  3. Click on the Add button to the right of Chart Layout field
  4. Enter a name for your saved chart layout in the Chart Layout Name field
  5. In the Chart Layout Type field, select whether this layout will be a personal or group layout. Selecting "Group" indicates that any member of the user group selected in the Group field below will be able to access this saved chart layout.
  6. If "Group" is selected in the field Chart Layout Type above, select which user group will be able to access this saved chart layout in the Group field. You will only be able to select from user groups in which you are a member (However, the Tracker Administrator can add saved chart layouts for all user groups). If a user group is not available for selection, you may not be a member of the user group. If you are a member of the user group or are logged in as a user with the Admin privilege, the user group may not have visibility to at least one Project and Form. Only user groups that have visibility to at least one Project and Form (configured in the Admin section) will be available for selection when creating group saved chart layouts.
  7. Click Next to continue

  8. Select the options for the Saved Chart Layout. Click here for full details of the options available for a saved chart layout. A sample chart is displayed in the lower right corner of the page. As you make selections to the chart layout options, the sample chart will reflect these changes.
  9. Click on the Add button to save the chart layout

Chart Layout Options

The Chart Layout Options determine the formats used to display the data of the saved chart selected.

Each chart type (bar, pie, line, table) has its own set of chart layout options as follows. Click on the link below to see the options that correspond to the chart type selected. For all chart types, checking the box to the left of the option enables the option to be applied to the chart layout:

Bar Chart Options
Line Chart Options
Pie Chart Options
Table Options

Bar Chart Options

The following options are available for bar chart layouts.

Line Chart Options

The following options are available for line chart layouts.

Pie Chart Options

The following options are available for pie chart layouts.

Table Options

The following options are available for charts displayed as a table.

Edit a Chart Layout

To edit a chart layout, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. In the Chart Layout field, select the layout you wish to modify
  3. Click on the Edit button to the right of the Chart Layout field
  4. Make changes to the layout, then click OK

Deleting a Chart Layout

To delete a chart layout, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Metrics icon in the Button bar
  2. In the Chart Layout field, select the layout you wish to modify
  3. Click on the Delete button to the right of the Chart Layout field
  4. Click OK to confirm the operation




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