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Enterprise Reporter 3.5.1 - Report Manager User Guide

Quest Enterprise Reporter Report Manager Introducing the Report Manager Running and Scheduling Reports Creating and Editing Reports Troubleshooting Issues with Enterprise Reporter Appendix: PowerShell cmdlets

Working with Report Parameters

When you collect data in Enterprise Reporter, all data from the target is collected. To create meaningful reports, this data must be filtered, sorted and organized for specific needs. Parameters are used to filter the data.

When you add multiple parameters to a report definition, you can also group parameters to further filter the information included in a report. Each group supports a single AND or OR operator.

•
An example of an inclusive grouping (joined with AND)
•
(Type of Account equals User) AND (Account Name starts with P)
•
An example of an exclusive grouping (joined with OR)
•
(Account Name starts with P) OR (Account Name starts with S)

You can further connect groups with AND or OR operators to create even more complex filtering.

•
For example,
•
[Domain Name includes CA]
AND
[(Domain User Expiration Date is in the past 29 days) OR
 (Domain User Expiration Date is in the next 15 days)]
would include information that matches the criteria from the first group OR the second group.

Only one child level of grouping is supported.

•
For example,
•
[(Type of Account equals User) AND
((Account Name starts with P) OR (Account Name starts with S))]
OR
[(Type of Account equals Group)]
has nested groups and is unsupported.

See also:

•
What is a Parameter?
•
Types of Parameters
•
Parameter Operators
•
Custom Query Data Types
•
Working with Parameters

See also:

•
What is a Parameter?
•
Types of Parameters
•
Parameter Operators
•
Custom Query Data Types
•
Working with Parameters

What is a Parameter?

A parameter consists of the following:

 
Table 36. Parameter Elements
Element
Description

Prompt
•
Appears as the title of the parameter when running the report. You configure this prompt to explain to the report user what the intention of the parameter is. It should clearly convey the values the user needs to enter.
•
A prompt is required for Optional and Required parameters. For more information on parameter usage, see Types of Parameters .
•
The maximum size for a prompt is 128 characters.
•
Sample prompts:
Choose the start and end date for the data in your report.
Enter the names of all domains you want to include.

Field
•
The field that will be queried by the parameter.
•
Within a report, you can set as many parameters as you need to get the information you are looking for. You can create multiple parameters for the same field.
•
For more information on choosing the fields to include in your report, see Modifying the Fields to be Included .

Condition Operator
•
Sets the basis for the conditions that will be set to filter the available data.
•
The operators available vary depending on the field. For a list of operators, see Parameter Operators .
•
Examples of operators: Includes, Equals, Between.

Default Value
•
These values are presented when the report is run, and the user can choose to run the report using the default values, or to change the values to anything they want.
•
For Optional and Required parameter types, you can choose to create a default value, or list of values, depending on the operator.
•
Default values are required for Hidden parameters.
•
The form of these values is determined by the field and operator. For example, a date takes the form dd/mm/yyyy. Some operators allow you to create lists or ranges. You must enter values in the correct form before you can finish creating the parameter.

Types of Parameters

There are three types of parameters that you can create. By paying careful attention to choosing the proper parameter type, you can ensure that you get the right balance of user interaction and preset information, and that your report serves its intended purpose. Each type of parameter has to have specific elements in order to be accepted.

* 
NOTE: If you do not enter everything required for a particular type of parameter button, the OK button will be unavailable.
 
Table 37. Parameter Usage Requirements
Parameter usage
When creating the parameter
When using the parameter to run the report

Required

You must provide a prompt explaining the user input required when running the report. You can choose to supply a default value to the user, who can use that value or change it.

You cannot run the report unless this parameter is given a value.

Optional

You must provide a prompt explaining the user input required when running the report. You can choose to supply a default value to the user, who can use that value or change it.

You can run the report with or without a value.

Hidden

You must provide a default value. This value will be used when the report is run. You do not need to provide a prompt.

The user running the report does not see this parameter in the parameter card list.

Parameter Operators

The operators that are available for use depend on the data type of the field you are working with. The following table outlines the operators available.

 
Table 38. Parameter Operators
Operator
Description
Data types

Between

Returns all data between the two values you provide.

For example, if you choose a field that contains text, and search between A and C, it will return all values that start with the letters A, B and C.

String

Number

Date

Contains

Returns all data containing the value you provide. The value can be found anywhere within the field.

For example, if you enter AN, as long as that sequence of letters is found anywhere in the field, the data is returned.

This is a very flexible operator. Many of the operations you can do with Contains can also be done using other operators. It is primarily intended for use with wildcard characters. Wildcard characters must be surrounded by square brackets. Supported characters (for strings only):

•
[*], which replaces any number of characters
•
[?], which replaces a single character.

Returns all data that matches the combination of text and wildcard characters that you provide. For example:

•
Fin[*] returns all data that starts with Fin, and has any number of characters after it. (For this case, you could also use the Starts with operator)
•
Fin[?] returns anything that starts with Fin and has a single additional character.
•
[*]Finance returns any data that ends with Finance. (For this case, you could also use the Ends with operator)
•
[*]Finance[*] returns any data that has Finance anywhere in the field. (For this case, you could also use the Contains operator.)
•
F[*]e excludes any value that starts with F and ends with e.

String

Does not Contain

Returns all data except those containing the value you provide.

For example, if you enter AN, if that sequence of letters is found anywhere in the field, the data is not returned.

You can use wildcard characters in the same manner as Contains.

String

Does not end with

Returns all data except that ending with the value that you provide.

String

Does not start with

Returns all data except that starting with the value that you provide.

String

Ends with

Returns all data that end with the value you provide.

String

Equals

Returns only the data that exactly matches the value you provide. Equals is not case sensitive.

String

Number

GUID

Boolean

Date

Equals with group expansion

Enter an Account Name. Results include the data for the selected account as well as the data for any group of which it is a direct or indirect member.

For example, if an account is a member of Group A and Group A is a member of Group B, the results will include values/data for the account as well as Group A and Group B.

Account Name attribute

Identity unique display name attribute

Excludes

You provide a list of values. Returns all values except those matching your list. This acts as an OR when joining the list you provide—it returns data that does not match any one of the values.

For example, if your Excludes list is Austin, Dallas and Houston, if a field includes any of the values, the data will not be returned.

The Excludes operator also acts like an OR with numbers (integers). For example, use it to exclude NTFS folder level 1 OR folder level 4 OR folder level 5. However, to exclude NTFS folders up to folder level 5, use the operator Less than or equal to.

Supported wildcard characters (for strings only):

•
[*], which replaces any number of characters
•
[?], which replaces a single character.

Wildcard characters must be surrounded by square brackets. For a full explanation of the use of these wildcard characters, see Contains .

String

Number

Date

Greater or equal to

Returns all data larger than and including the value you provide.

String

Number

Date

Greater than

Returns all data larger than the value you provide.

String

Number

Date

Has a value

Has two possible values: True or False. If you choose True, returns all data where the field is populated. If you choose False, returns all data where the field is empty.

String

Number

Boolean

Date

In the next

Enter a number of days. Returns data with a date range from the date and time you run the report to the number of days in the future that you enter.

For example, if you run the report at 16:30 on December 12, and you enter six days, you will get data with the dates from December 12 at 16:30 to December 18 at 16:30.

Date

In the past

Enter a number of days. Returns data with a date range from the date and time you run the report to the number of days in the past that you enter.

For example, if run the report at 16:30 on December 12, and you enter six days, you will only get data with a date from December 6 at 16:30 to December 12 at 16:30.

Date

Includes

You provide a list of values. Returns all values that match any item on your list. This acts as an OR when joining the list you provide—it returns data that does not match any one of the values.

For example, if your Includes list is Austin, Dallas and Houston, if a field includes any of the values, the data is returned.

The Includes operator also acts like an OR with numbers (integers). For example, use it to include NTFS folder level 1 OR folder level 4 OR folder level 5. However, to include NTFS folders up to folder level 5, use the operator Less than or equal to.

Supported wildcard characters (for strings only):

•
[*], which replaces any number of characters
•
[?], which replaces a single character.

Wildcard characters must be surrounded by square brackets. For a full explanation of the use of these wildcard characters, see Contains .

String

Number

Date

Less than

Returns all data smaller than the value you provide.

String

Number

Date

Less than or equal to

Returns all data smaller than and including the value you provide.

String

Number

Date

Matches

You select two fields. Returns only the data where the contents of one field is identical to the other field. Matches is not case sensitive.

String

GUID

Not between

Returns all data that is not between the two values you provide.

For example, if you choose a date field, and set the values to not between December 10, 2011 and January 15, 2012, you will get all corresponding data from December 10 and before, and January 15 and after.

You must enter the lower value first, followed by the higher value.

String

Number

Date

Not equals

Returns all data except for the value you provide.

String

Number

Date

Boolean

GUID

Not in the next

Enter a number of days. Returns all data except for the time period from the date and time you run the report to the number of days in the future that you enter.

For example, if you run the report on December 12 at 16:30, and you enter six days, you will get all data except that with a date from December 12 at 16:30 to December 18 at 16:30.

Date

Not in the past

Enter a number of days. Returns data with any date except for the time period from the date and time you run the report to the number of days in the past that you enter.

For example, if you run the report at 16:30 on December 12, and you enter six days, you will get all data except that with a date of December 6 at 16:30 to December 12 at 16:30.

Date

Starts with

Returns all data that starts with the value you provide.

String

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