Agreements: Analytics
Overview
Bars, lines and pies, oh my! The Analytics experience allows you to create visually appealing charts representing trip data. Share how many agreements you have from each department. Or see how many of a particular agreement type you have, grouped by partner. This is just the beginning of the possibilities with Analytics! Take a spin and share your thoughts!
Before getting started, it's helpful to note that the Analytics tool operates differently from classic reporting tools in Terra Dotta. You'll now be focusing first on defining what information you want and need from your agreements. These data points might be agreement name, partner name, agreement type, and agreement dates. Once you've defined what data you're looking for and determined how you wish to group this data (e.g. first by partner name, then agreement type), you'll then have your query. Then you'll be able to apply filters based on the individual needs you have and create your desired report. In this way, it is possible to use one query from which you can create multiple reports based on how you filter.
This article discusses the following topics related to Analytics:
Additionally, this article presents a high-level view of how report building may be experienced. We look forward to adding more updates to this article as Analytics continues to take shape.
The Analytics appears on the Reporting page, which is accessible by any Agreements admin. Specific access to Analytics requires users to have the appropriate permission(s).
There are two permission options:
- Report (Create/Edit)
- Query (Create/Edit)
Report (Create/Edit) only allows the user to create and edit reports based on queries shared with them.
Query (Create/Edit) only allows the user to create and edit queries.
If a user does not have either of these permissions, then they will only be able to view the respective queries and reports that are shared with them.
Important Note: The permission to create queries allows that user to see all data within the site. Therefore, the Query Permission should only be granted to those users who need to have access to everything.
Permissions Best Practice
As a best practice, it is recommended that an office create three permission groups as follows to manage the appropriate personas and add users accordingly:
- Analytics Masters: For main site users who have both the report and query permissions.
- Analytics Report: For those who can create, edit, and share reports.
- Analytics Query: For those who can create, edit, and share queries.
Accessing Analytics
Navigate to Agreements > Reporting > Analytics to access the builder.
From the Analytics home screen, access a full list of your queries and reports.
A maximum of 100 queries is allowed per site. To create a query, click the plus sign in the lower right corner of the screen. From the Query Builder page, you will add a title and, if desired, a description of your query.
To continue, choose your desired product. For Travel Registry clients, you will choose "Travel Registry". You can also choose "AlertTraveler" if you wish to create a query, and potentially a corresponding report, using AlertTraveler data.
From here you will choose your data source from which to build a query. "Agreements" allows you to pull any information about an agreement, including all details from any agreements and proposals that are in the system. Look for more data source options in the future as this feature continues to be enhanced.
From step 2 "Fields", you will first choose the fields, or data points, in the left hand box that you wish to include in your query and then choose how you wish to group them using the right hand box.
"Fields" and "Group By" options display in alphabetical order. Clicking the box to the left of a category will select all data points within it. Clicking the carrot will open the category, allowing you to choose individual fields within this category.
After choosing the fields required for the query, choose how the query should be grouped. If the end result is a table of data to be exported, a grouping is not required. However, if the goal is to create a chart with the data, such as a bar chart or line graph, a grouping must be selected.
Within the "Fields" section, you can determine how the results should be sorted. You will also see the order in which they're listed in the group by section (denoted by the number to the left of the sort option).
With the "Group By" section, the type can be changed by clicking the option.
If a numerical value is selected, such as a rating or a numerical response to a question within a form, then the following calculations are also available.
After selecting the fields for the query and how you wish to group the results, you can filter to a particular subset, such as agreement status, agreement type, or partner name, by clicking "Add filter". Filters are optional and are a way to limit the data set users can see if you share the query with others. Simply filter to include the information you want others to be able to access.
Simply type to start your filter search. Be sure to click "Apply" to select the appropriate filters. Once your filter is selected, you can choose the desired values. Multiple filters can be applied.
After filtering to the desired subset, this query can be shared with an individual or a group currently in the system. If the query is to be shared with someone not yet in the system, they should be added to the appropriate permission group first. This step in the query building process can be edited after saving it.
Once the query is configured, it can be saved or it can be run to immediately view the results (running will automatically save the query).
If a title has not been entered prior to clicking "Save" or "Save & Run", the system will select a name in order to save the query. This name can be edited.
Clicking "Save" in the "Query name" widget will save or save and run the query, depending on what was initially chosen. "Save" will take the user back to the main "Query" page while "Save & Run" will take the user to the "Query Execute" page, which shows the results in table format. From here user can go to the main query page, edit the query configuration, or create a report using this query.
From the Report Builder page, you will add a title and, if desired, a description for your report. To continue, choose your desired query. Queries will populate at the bottom of the builder page.
Upon clicking "Query", you are moved to the "Visualization" step and prompted to select your desired graphic type.
Choosing a stacked option allows you to not only select the two groups you want to show in the graph, but also allows you to rename the X and Y-axis labels.
After selecting a graphic type, choose filters from which to group the data in your report. Filters available here that are related to applicant parameters are dependent on the parameters created on your site.
Once a filter is selected, you are able to drill down and pick the desired value options for each filter.
Step four of building a report is "Scheduling". When scheduling is enabled, a configuration panel appears from which you can set your dates and frequency options.
Finally, share options can be configured with email notification to an individual or group.
Click "Save" or "Save & Run" to view your saved report.
From the results page you can change the title, description, dates, chart type and whether or not the report is public (others with access to "Analytics" can see it) or private (only you as the creator can see it). Filters can be added and aggregates can be removed and changed.
Below the visualization, click on the "Show DataTable" button to view more information. This data can be exported into an Excel file by clicking on the "Export" tab.
Report Examples Using Analytics
- Details for all agreements
- Number and types of agreements per partner
- Number and types of agreements per sponsor
Explore the in's and out's of the future of Terra Dotta reporting, Analytics. See how it can be leveraged to help meet your office, and your institutions, reporting needs. Examples on how to use Analytics were demonstrated!
This is just the start of the future of reporting at Terra Dotta, so play around and share your thoughts.
This webinar was held Thursday, May 14, 2020 and presented by Christina Meredith, Product Specialist - Travel/Agreements, and Robert Brigman, Product Owner - Travel & Analytics.
Additional Resources
Here are other resources that may interest you: