The Metrics operation is a way to gather and display statistical information based on your ProblemTracker 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).

Generating 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 ProblemTracker 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.

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

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 top 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 top 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, click here for instructions.

Adding a Saved Chart

To create a saved chart, perform the following steps:

1. Click on the Metrics icon in the top button bar
2. 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.
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 top 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 top 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

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 top 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.

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:

• Default Chart Layout
  Select a chart layout to be used with this saved chart. For information on creating a Chart Layout, click here.

• Default Input Records
  This option determines which records will be included when displaying the chart. Select "<All Records>" to include all records in the database or choose a Saved Query to limit the records included in the chart.

• Default Chart Title
  Enter a title to be displayed at the top of the chart

• Calculate the ... (y-axis for a line chart)
  Select a calculation to be done on the set of records you chose in "Default Input Records" above. If you selected a Chart Layout to produce a line chart, the selection made in this section will become the y-axis when the chart is displayed.
  • number of input records
    Selecting this option indicates that the number of records included in the chart data will match the number of input records determined by the "Default Input Records" field.
    Example 1: If you select this option and "<All Records>" is selected for "Default Input Records", the chart data will display all records in the database.
    Example 2: If you select this option and a Saved Query is selected for "Default Input Records", the chart data will display all records in the database that match the criteria in the Saved Query selected.

  • calculated value of an Integer or Float field
    Selecting this option indicates that a calculation (average, total, minimum, maximum) should be performed on the values of an Integer or Float field present in the set of records selected in "Default Input Records".
    Example: If you select this option and "average" value of "Estimated Size" field, then the chart will calculate the average value of the Float field called Estimated Size within the set of records selected for "Default Input Records".

  • calculated time between 2 date fields in a particular date increment
    This option allows you to calculate a time (average, total, minimum, maximum) between the values of 2 date fields in a set of records.
    Example: If you select this option and "average" value from "Date Reported" to "Fix Date" in "days", then the chart will calculate the average time in days between the date fields selected for the set of records listed in "Default Input Records".

  • calculated time for record to progress from one state to another
    This option allows you to calculate a time (average, total, minimum, maximum) between the time a record was in a particular status (state 1) to the time when a record was in another status (state 2) over a set of records. This calculation uses the Record History to compare the date a record was in state 1 to the date a record was in state 2. The calculation will be the same if a record moved directly from state 1 to state 2 or passed through other states before moving to state 2.
    Example: If you select this option and "average" value from "Reported" to "Closed" in "days", then the chart will calculate the average time in days it took a record to go from the Reported state to the Closed state.

  • number of records added
    Selecting this option indicates that the number of records included in the chart data will match the number of records created within the set of records listed in the "Default Input Records" field.

  • number of transitions to a state from another state
    This option allows you to calculate the total number of transitions that were made into a state (state 2) from another state (state 1). Selecting the option "<Any State>" for state 1 indicates that all transitions that moved a record from any state (including state 2) into state 2 will be included in the chart data. Selecting the option "<Any Other State>" for state 1 indicates that all transitions that moved a record from any state (except state 2) into state 2 will be included in the chart data. This calculation yields the total number of times a transition between 2 states occurred. The calculation will count each time the transition occurred even if it occurred on the same record multiple times.
    Example: If you select "Scheduled" as state 2 and "Reported" as state 1, then the calculation will be the total number of times any record moved from the Reported state to the Scheduled state.

  • number of records moved to a state which passed through another state
    This option allows you to calculate the total number of records that moved to a state (state 2) and passed through another state (state 1). Selecting the option "<Any State>" for state 1 indicates that the calculation will yield any record which has moved to state 2. Selecting a specific state for state 1 limits the calculation to records that passed through state 1 and state 2. Unlike "number of transitions," this calculation will not include multiple "hits" for the same record. Even if the same record passed from state 1 to state 2 multiple times, it will only count the record once as it is counting number of records and not number of transitions. Also, if a record loops while in state 2, the record is assumed to have completed the move from state 1 to state 2, when it first moves into state 2. This calculation can take a long time to run.

• Perform calculations ... (x-axis for line chart)
  Select an option to add a further constraint to the data that resulted from the option in the Calculate the ... (y-axis for line chart) option above.
  • for every option menu item in a pulldown field
    Selecting this option will perform the calculation selected in the Calculate the ... (y-axis for line chart) option above for every option menu item within the pulldown field selected.
    Example: If you select this option and "Status" as the pulldown field, the chart will display a separate calculation for each Status in your database.

  • as of the current date and time (single calculation)
    This option indicates that the chart should perform the calculation selected in the Calculate the ... (y-axis for line chart) option above as of the current date and time.

  • as of the end of or during a time increment for the previous X time increments
    This option indicates that the chart should generate the calculation selected in the Calculate the ... (y-axis for line chart) option above as of the end of or during each time increment for the number of increments selected.
    Example: If you select "as of the end of" each "day" for the previous "2" "weeks", the chart will generate 14 calculations (one value for the calculation as of the end of each day for the last 2 weeks).

    Dates are displayed as two part dates (month & day), except that the first (left most) calculation and any calculation that begins a new year will include a three part date (month, day, and year). All date parts are displayed using 2 digit values (with leading zeros if necessary), including the year. The date format is based on the personal preference of the user who clicked Show Chart. The time zone used for calculations (to determine midnight of a date) is the time zone specified in personal preferences of the user who clicked Show Chart. If you select "during each week" or "during each month," each week or month will be displayed as two dates with a hyphen between the two (a date range).

    When you select week or month, the calculation may include a partial week or month as the most recent value (month to date, week to date) so that it always includes information up to and including the current day. Selecting month will always give you a partial month for the most recent (right most) value, unless today is the last day of the month. When you select "during each month," the months will always begin on the first of the month. When you select "as of the end of" or "during" each week, for the previous N weeks, you will always get data for a full week in each calculation. However, if you select "as of the end of" or "during" each week for the previous N months or years, you may get a partial week value (so that the data includes exactly N months or exactly N years). To get data that always includes exactly one week for each data point, use N weeks (rather than N months or N years).

  • as of the end of or during a time increment for a date range
    This option indicates that the chart should generate the calculation selected in the Calculate the ... (y-axis for line chart) option above as of the end of or during each time increment for the specified date range. If you do not enter a value for the end of the date range (second date), the chart will use the day on which the chart is run (it will use today as the value). The dates you enter should not include a time component (only month, day, and year).
    Example: If you select "during" each "day" from "01/01/2002" to "01/05/2002", the chart will generate 5 calculations (one value for the calculation during each day in the date range specified).

    Dates are displayed as two part dates (month & day), except that the first (left most) calculation and any calculation that begins a new year will include a three part date (month, day, and year). All date parts are displayed using 2 digit values (with leading zeros if necessary), including the year. The date format is based on the personal preference of the user who clicked Show Chart. The time zone used for calculations (to determine midnight of a date) is the time zone specified in personal preferences of the user who clicked Show Chart. If you select "during each week" or "during each month," each week or month will be displayed as two dates with a hyphen between the two (a date range).

    When you select week or month, the calculations may include a partial week or month at the beginning and/or end, as necessary to fit within the date range. If you select "during each month," months are displayed from the first of the month to the end of the month, with the possible exception of the first and last months displayed. The first month may be a partial month if your date range does not begin on the first of the month. Your last month may be a partial month if your date range does not end on the last day of the month.

• Breakdown calculations by a pulldown field
  Checking the box for this option indicates that the calculations generated based on the selections made above should be broken down by a pulldown field. For each calculation, a value will be displayed for each option menu item in the pulldown field selected. In addition, if the chart layout selected for the saved chart contains a legend, one legend entry will be present for each option menu item in the pulldown field selected.
  Example: If you enable this option and select "Status", the chart will display a calculated value for each state in your database.
• Don't chart data for a breakdown value if its data is all zeros
  Checking the box for this option indicates that a calculation for a particular option menu item in the field selected for "Breakdown calculations by a pulldown field" should not appear on the chart if its value is zero.

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:

• whether a chart is a bar, pie, or line chart
• whether a legend should be displayed
• whether labels should be displayed to reflect the names of the data categories

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

1. Click on the Metrics icon in the top 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.
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.

The following chart options are available for any chart type (bar, pie, line):

• Width x Height
  Enter the dimensions of the area that should be used to display the chart. We recommend using "600 x 400" so that the chart area is visible within the bounds of a user's screen when the browser window is maximized. Using a setting like "800 x 600" or "1200 x 800" will cause most users to have to use a browser's scroll bars to see the full chart area.

• Label Length
  A label in the chart is generated from the records included in the chart data. Enter the maximum number of characters allowed for a label in the chart. If a data field is longer than the number of characters specified here, it will be truncated when used as a chart label.

• Display dynamic layout options (below) with chart
  Checking the box for this option will display the chart layout options below a chart generated by using the "Show Chart" operation. This option enables you to make changes to a chart's layout options after the chart is displayed without altering the original saved chart layout.

Each chart type (bar, pie, line) 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
Pie Chart Options
Line Chart Options

Bar Chart Options

• Use 3D mode
  Enables the chart to be displayed in three dimensions instead of two

• Bar Type
  Determines how the bars should be displayed when the data is broken down by a particular pulldown field. Selecting "Side by side" will display the bar for each category side by side or "Stacked" will display the break down categories stacked upon each other for each bar.

• Show Legend
  Displays a color coded legend to explain the data categories displayed in each slice

• Legend Position
  If "Show Legend" option is enabled, this option determines whether the legend appears to the left or the right of the chart

• Show Bar Labels
  Determines whether the labels for each bar should be displayed

• Bar Label Style
  If "Show Bar Labels" is enabled, this option determines where the bar labels should be displayed. Selecting "Below and Floating" will show the labels below each bar as well as when the mouse is moved over a bar. Choosing "Floating (mouse over)" will only display the label when the mouse is moved over a bar. "Below" will display the label below each bar.

• Show Bar Outlines
  Whether each bar should be outlined

• Bar Label Angle
  If "Show Bar Labels" is enabled and "Bar Label Style" is set to either "Below and Floating" or "Below", this option determines the angle of the label. If the labels have a large number of characters, using "90" or "270" for this option will yield the best results.

• Show Range Adjuster
  Whether the range adjustment bar should be displayed. Enabling this option allows you to change the range of the Y-axis by scrolling the range adjuster along the bar. This option is useful for focusing in on a particular area of the chart.

• Bar Alignment
  Whether the bars should be displayed horizontally or vertically

• Show Range Labels
  Whether the labels for the Y-axis should be displayed

• Show Range Lines
  If the "Show Range Labels" option is enabled, this option determines whether lines should be displayed for each value marked on the Y-axis

• Show Value Labels
  Whether the number of items in a category should be displayed in each bar

• Value Label Style
  If "Show Value Labels" is enabled, this option determines where the values should appear. Selecting "Floating (mouse over)" will only display the value when the mouse is moved over a particular bar, or "Inside" will display the values within each bar, or "Outside" will display the values above each bar.

• Show Bar Scroller
  Whether the bar scroller should be displayed. Enabling this option allows you to change the number of bars shown on the X-axis by moving the scroller along the bar. This option is useful for focusing in on a particular area of the chart.

• Initial Bar Display
  If "Show Bar Scroller" is enabled, this option determines which bars should be displayed on the X-axis. Selecting "All" will display all data, or "First 20" will show the first twenty bars in the data set, or "Last 20" will show the last twenty bars in the data set.

Pie Chart Options

• Use 3D mode
  Enables the chart to be displayed in three dimensions instead of two

• Show Pie Labels
  Displays the label for each category within a slice of the pie

• Show Legend
  Displays a color coded legend to explain the data categories displayed in each slice

• Legend Position
  If "Show Legend" option is enabled, this option determines whether the legend appears to the left or the right of the chart

• Show Slice Separators
  Whether lines (borders) should be displayed to separate each pie slice

• Slice Style
  Determines how a pie slice should be formatted when it is selected by double clicking on a particular pie slice Selecting "Detached" displays the selected pie slice slightly removed from the rest of the pie, or "Circle" adds a circle inside the slice to note which one is selected, or "Triangle" adds a triangle inside the slice to note which one is selected

• Show Slice Values
  Whether the number of items in a category should be displayed in each pie slice

• Slice Value Style
  If "Show Slice Values" is enabled, this option determines where the values should appear. Selecting "Floating (mouse over)" will only display the value when the mouse is moved over a particular pie slice, or "Inside" will display the values in each pie slice.

• Show Slice Percentage
  Whether the percentage of a category should be displayed in each pie slice

• Slice Percentage Style
  If "Show Slice Percentage" is enabled, this option determines where the percent value should appear. Selecting "Floating (mouse over)" will only display the value when the mouse is moved over a particular pie slice, or "Inside" will display the values in each pie slice.

• Show Slice Labels
  Whether the label for each category should be displayed when the mouse is moved over a pie slice

• Use 3D mode
  Enables the chart to be displayed in three dimensions instead of two

• Show Stacked
  Enabling this option will display the lines for each break down category stacked on top of each other.

• Show Legend
  Displays a color coded legend to explain the data categories displayed in each slice

• Legend Position
  If "Show Legend" option is enabled, this option determines whether the legend appears to the left or the right of the chart

• Show Value Labels
  Whether the number of items in a category should be displayed at the corresponding point in the line.

• Value Label Style
  If "Show Value Labels" is enabled, this option determines where the values should appear. Selecting "Point" will display each value on the point in the line which corresponds to the category, or "Outside" will display each value above the point in the line.

• Show Value Scroller
  Whether the value scroller should be displayed. Enabling this option allows you to change the values shown on the X-axis by moving the scroller along the line. This option is useful for focusing in on a particular area of the chart.

• Initial Value Display
  If "Show Value Scroller" is enabled, this option determines which values should be displayed on the X-axis. Selecting "All" will display all data, or "First 20" will show the first twenty points in the data set, or "Last 20" will show the last twenty points in the data set.

• Show X-Axis Labels
  Whether the labels for each point on the X-axis should be displayed

• X-Axis Label Angle
  If "Show X-Axis Labels" is enabled, this option determines the angle of the label. If the labels have a large number of characters, using "90" or "270" for this option will yield the best results.

• Show X-Axis Lines
  Enabling this option will display a line for each category listed on the X-Axis

• Show Range Lines
  If the "Show Range Labels" option is enabled, this option determines whether lines should be displayed for each value marked on the Y-axis

• Show Range Labels
  Whether the labels for the Y-axis should be displayed

• Show Range Adjuster
  Whether the range adjustment for the Y-Axis should be displayed. Enabling this option allows you to change the range of the Y-axis by scrolling the range adjuster along the bar. This option is useful for focusing in on a particular area of the chart.

• Show Value Highlights
  Enabling this option will display a circle at each point on the line that represents a data value

Edit a Chart Layout

To edit a chart layout, perform the following steps:

1. Click on the Metrics icon in the top 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 top 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

Summary Reports

To obtain a summary report, click on the Metrics icon in the top button bar, then click on the "Go To Summary Reports" button. The following summary reports are currently supported:

• User Summary
  This reports shows a summary for each user in ProblemTracker. The summary includes the number of records assigned to the user broken down by Status and Product.
• Product Summary
  This report shows a summary for each product in ProblemTracker. The summary includes the number of records with a particular product selected broken down by Status and Assignee.