Overview
As you’re creating custom reports, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the best results. The foundation of good reporting is clean data and strategies for exporting your data into useful reports. Learn about best practices for custom reports in this article.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Maintain clean data
The quality of data that you put into AMS+ directly affects the quality of data that pulls into your reports. If you notice any discrepancies in the report data, you can locate the associated record(s) and make changes on the spot as needed. Then, run your report again to view the updated results.
Start small, adjust, refine
When you first build a custom report, you may find it helpful to start with a small number of columns. Experiment a little by previewing your report often. The report preview will give you an opportunity to review the results before you export the data.
Columns
If you’re only using columns, your report preview should return some results. If no results appear, your account may not have the associated data on file.
Filters
Once you’re comfortable, add a filter or two to get an idea of how they influence the results. In general, the more filters you use, the more narrowed your query becomes and less data pulls into your report. If no data appears, check your filters. You may be using too many filters or your filters may not make sense.
Saving
Save your report often. If you run into errors, you can always backtrack and troubleshoot.
Common questions
What is an unrecognizable field?
An unrecognizable field means that something changed in your account field options or settings after you saved your custom report. Unrecognizable fields can cause your saved report to error when previewing. To fix this error, select the ‘Edit Filters & Columns’ button and remove or replace any unrecognizable fields in the Report Filters and Report Columns panels. Then, re-run your report preview.
Please note, only the report owner can update the shared report. If it’s shared with you, you can notify the report owner or create a copy and remove any unrecognizable fields.
Why isn’t there any data in my report preview?
If your report only includes columns, you may not have the associated data in your account. Try locating the associated records and add data where needed, or create the associated records. Then, preview your report again to confirm the changes took effect.
If your report includes filters, you may be using too many or your filters may not make sense. Try removing all filters and add them one at a time. Each time you add a filter, preview your report to help you figure out which filters are excessive.
Can I run reports in multiple tabs or windows of the same web browser?
No, you can only run reports in one tab or window of the same web browser.
The preview is telling me something went wrong, what went wrong?
Due to the complexity of the reporting module, we can’t predict every issue that might arise when generating your report. In the event that we are unable to produce the results based on your chosen columns and filters, it’s best to start over and choose a smaller subset of columns and filters.
Remember to follow the Start small, adjust, refine method referenced above. Also, saving your report often when changes are made can help prevent this error message from occurring.