Creating a report

Creating a report involves the following steps:

Selecting a template.

Selecting databases and sources.

Setting up report options.

Previewing the report.

Each of these steps is described in more detail in the following topics.

To begin creating a report:

Start .

Select Manage Reports and click New to start the new report wizard.

Selecting a template

Type the name of the report in the Report Name field.

Select the template you want to use from the Report Template list.

Click Next.

Selecting database and sources

Specify your database ( is selected by default). To connect to a different database (for example, an archived database), select it from the Database dropdown list, or click More.

Select each source name (“device”) that you want to include in your report. Select Show Details if you want to see additional information for the devices.

Note

Show Details is only available when you select Show only sources applicable to the template.

If the report template you are using requires a Time of Use (TOU) schedule (such as “Energy and Demand”), the TOU Schedule section appears in the dialog. Select a TOU schedule from the list or click Manage to create a new one. (See "Creating a new TOU Schedule" on page 1 for further information.)

A typical TOU schedule has On Peak, Off Peak and Shoulder Peak periods. The Energy and Demand report template requires a TOU schedule. If you do not want to use a TOU schedule, simply create a TOU schedule with a single Tariff period.

Setting up the report options

The report options are organized in the window by the tabs Date Range, Distribution, Validation, Display, and Notes.

Date Range

Select the date range you want to use for your report:

Ask for Date Range when report is generated prompts you to supply a date range when the report is run (interactive mode).

Pre-specified Date Range lets you select a specific period. For example, select Last Month to set to run the report using data from the previous month. Select Fixed Range to specify a start and end time/date. Select Custom Relative Range to specify a date range relative to the current time and date.

Note

In applications where a report is generated based on a power quality system event or similar setpoint condition, specifying Custom Relative Range can include data that shows how the system was behaving before the event occurred.

Distribution

Select any or the entire set of the Distribution options (you must select at least one):

Show report on screen is selected by default; this displays the report on screen each time the report is generated. Clear this box to disable displaying of the report.

Save Excel report to folder stores the report in the folder you specify using the Browse button.

Save HTML report to folder saves an HTML version of the report in the folder you specify using the Browse button.

Note that there are certain elements and behaviors in the HTML report that may appear differently from the original Excel report. This is due to the HTML conversion process in Excel. Search the Microsoft support knowledgebase for more information.

Send report to printer prints the report each time it is generated. Select the printer you want to use from the list.

Email report to recipients sends the report (in Excel format) to an email address, using Microsoft Outlook 2003. Click New to add a new email address or Delete to remove an existing one from the list.

Validation

Select Include duplicates and missing entries in source data to enable error checking.

Use the Hours, Minutes and Seconds boxes to specify an expected time interval between each record.

Select Only show duplicates in the status information to display duplicate records in the report. Select Do not show duplicates in the report to delete redundant records from the report.

Duplicate data collection is disabled in by default. To enable duplicate data collection, the parameter SaveDuplicates must be set to 1 in the dbo.Registry table in the database. Contact your SQL Server administrator if you require this change. Also note that enabling duplicate data collection results in more rapid growth in the size of the database.

notice

loss of data

Do not make unauthorized changes in the software product's databases.

Only personnel with advanced knowledge of the software product's databases should make database parameter changes.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in irreversible database changes.

If you want to insert records automatically for ones that are missing, select Replace missing records with then select Values from the previous row, An empty row, or A zero value.

Display

Select one of the options to control how handles raw data sheets in the report (Show, Hide, or Delete).

Note

Delete (raw data sheets) is useful when you want to reduce the report’s file size (this particularly applies to those reports that contain a significantly large amount of data).

The Display Options grid lists other options you can turn on or off. Double-click the appropriate row to turn the option on or off.

Notes

Use the Notes tab to enter details about your report template, such as revision history. To insert a line break, hold down CTRL and press ENTER.

Previewing the report

To see a preview of the report without saving or distributing it, click Preview. Click Back To Report Generator button to return to the main window. Modify the settings, if necessary. Otherwise, click Finish to save your report and return to the main screen.

Creating a new TOU schedule

To create a new TOU schedule:

Click Manage in the TOU Schedule section in the dialog to open the TOU Schedules dialog.

Click New to open the TOU Schedule Properties dialog with a blank TOU schedule with a single tariff.

Use the left pane to select the item you want to edit, then use the right pane to enter, modify, or set the values.

Note

If an existing (configured) TOU Schedule appears in the list, you can use it as a template to create a new one with similar On Peak/Off Peak periods. See "Copying an Existing TOU Schedule" on page 1.

Select New TOU Schedule then use the TOU Schedule Name field to rename it (for example, “2007 TOU Schedule”).

Select Tariff 1 to display the Tariff Details in the right pane, then use the Name field to type a name for it (for example, “Off Peak”).

Use the rate boxes ($/kWh, $/kW, etc.) to enter the tariff rates.

In the left pane, click the + beside the tariff to expand it. Select the text underneath it (All Day, Every Day...) to display the Tariff Period fields. Use the From and To boxes to set a time range and a date range for the tariff period.

To create another tariff period, select the tariff period you just configured, then click New to add a new tariff. Set the time range and date range for this new tariff period.

To create a new tariff (for example, Off Peak), select the tariff name, then click New. Repeat the above steps to rename the tariff, set the rates, and set the tariff periods.

Holidays

Select one of the Off Peak periods, then click New.

Rename the tariff (for example, Holidays) and click on the day and times underneath to configure the tariff period.

Select the appropriate country holidays from the list.

Add or remove individual holidays as required.

Note

Make sure there are no gaps or overlapping date or time ranges in the TOU Schedule.

Copying an existing TOU schedule

To create a TOU Schedule using an existing one as a template, select it then click Copy. Rename the copy and modify its properties as needed.