NoPublic, bureaucrat, administrator
6,632
edits
Changes
no edit summary
<center>
| width="195pt" | '''iReport'''
| width="195pt" | '''Data export'''
| width="195pt" | '''MINT'''
| width="195pt" | '''Other external reporting tool'''
| align="left" | Includes building iReport templates for more sophisticated reporting as well as exporting data for use in external tools such as Microsoft Excel
| align="left" | Includes exporting data to CSV format for use in Excel as well as cutting and pasting from tables.
| align="left" | Web-based reporting and data analysis tool allowing ad-hoc data exploration, creating dashboards for tracking indicators and creating reports.It is best used with the staging area.
| align="left" | The most complicated kind of reporting where users connect to backend databases using SQL, Crystal Reports, ArcGIS Desktop, etc., to perform queries and generate reports
*Manipulating data using external tools
*Pivot tables and charts based on one item
| align="left" |
*Creating dashboards targeted to specific audiences
*Easiest way to get {{IMSMANG}} data into Excel
*Can manipulate data in common applications
| align="left" |
*Several data sources can be combined or integrated
*Limited customisation of resulting data (formats, conditional display, etc.)
*Not ideal for incorporating multiple reports together within a larger report
| align="left" |
*An decent internet connectivity needs to be available
{{IMSMANG}} also allows information managers to connect advanced reporting tools such as Crystal Reports or ArcGIS Desktop directly to its relational database for highly advanced report generation. With this capability, information managers can use custom reporting solutions to connect with {{IMSMANG}}, allowing for complete control of {{IMSMANG}} outputs. Or, managers can modify existing reporting solutions to connect to {{IMSMANG}}, which leverages technology already implemented in the programme and limits the need for retraining.
{{note|Using When using external reporting tools is a complex activity requiring an advanced understanding we recommend to connect to the '''[[IMSMA Staging Area | Staging area]]''' instead of SQL, reporting tools and the {{IMSMANG}} database. It does require knowledge about the IMSMA data model. Contact contact your [[Information Management Team | GICHD IM advisor]] if you have questions.}}
===Connecting other External Reporting Tools===__NOEDITSECTION__
The process for connecting external reporting tools is essentially the same for all tools. External tools connect to the {{IMSMANG}} relational database via an ODBC connection. Information managers establish this connection by installing the ODBC driver for PGSQL. When this is complete, information managers can connect any ODBC-compliant tool to the {{IMSMANG}} database, including reporting tools, other database packages and SQL management tools. Examples include:
{| class="wikitable"! scope="col" | Reporting tools || scope="col" | Database packages || scope="col" | SQL management tools|-*| Crystal Reports|| Microsoft Access || PGSQL Query Browser*|-| ArcGIS Desktop*iReport*Microsoft Excel Database packages *Microsoft Access*|| OpenOffice Base|| Navicat|-*| iReport || Microsoft SQL Server*Oracle|| TOAD SQL management tools*PGSQL Query Browser|-*Navicat*TOAD | Microsoft Excel || Oracle || Heidi SQL*Heidi SQL|}
When connecting an external reporting tool to {{IMSMANG}}, it is recommended that information managers build database views within the database to do any necessary data transformations. While it is possible to directly import or connect {{IMSMANG}} database tables in external tools and perform transformations within the external tools, the recommended method is to do transformations within the {{IMSMANG}} database using database views and then import the resulting views into the external tools.
}}
{{NavBox Getting started with IMSMANG Administration}}
[[Category:VIE]]
