Currently, scheduling functionality is available primarily for workbooks and dashboards developed using the Classic reporting method. Extending similar scheduling capabilities to workbooks and dashboards developed using Data Visualization (DV) would significantly improve the usability and adoption of these reporting capabilities.
The current limitations around scheduling Data Visualization workbooks require business users to manually execute, export, and distribute reports. This can be time-consuming, particularly during critical business periods such as month-end and year-end close.
To improve productivity and enable more effective use of Data Visualization workbooks, it would be beneficial to provide scheduling capabilities that include:
- Scheduled workbook execution and storage - Ability to schedule the execution of Data Visualization workbooks and automatically save the generated output to a designated shared or trusted location.
- Timestamped workbook output - Ability to generate and store workbook outputs with a timestamp in the file name. This would allow users to retain and access reporting information corresponding to a specific point in time.
- Scheduled delivery in multiple output formats - Ability to schedule workbook output in commonly used formats such as PDF, PNG, or XLSX and automatically distribute the output through email to an authorized list of recipients.
- Scheduling using predefined parameters - Ability to schedule workbooks using predefined parameter or filter values. This would allow reports to be generated in advance and would reduce the need for users to manually execute reports during critical processing periods such as month-end and year-end close.
- Scheduling aligned with data refresh -Ability to schedule workbook execution following completion of the FDI data refresh. In addition to ensuring that reports contain the latest available data, scheduled execution may help pre-populate relevant caches and improve subsequent report response times during periods of high business activity.
Providing these scheduling capabilities for Data Visualization workbooks would reduce manual reporting activities, improve timely access to information, and enable business users to make more effective use of FDI reporting capabilities.
