Create a Custom Report

There are two types of report available via the CMDB toolbar: custom and saved. A custom report is a report that you create to obtain information about a set of CIs. A saved report is a custom report that you have named and saved so that you can run it on demand.

To construct a custom report:

1. Select Reports | New Report from the CMDB toolbar. The Custom Reports page is displayed.

2. In this step, you specify the CIs on which the report will be run in the CI Search Criteria section. This can be done by either selecting a saved search from the Saved Search drop-down field or by creating a new search.

   Warning

   Important

   Whether you create a new search or use one that is saved, the search results must contain CI attributes. Attributes for the results are specified in the Output tab of the CI Search page. If you do not have CI attributes in the results, there will be nothing on which to report.

   To create a new search, refer to CMDB Search.

3. After you have created the new search, click the Return Criteria button. The criteria of the new search are displayed on the CMDB Report page in the CI Search Criteria section. If you are unhappy at any point with the search, you can click the Edit button to go to the CI Search page and make changes to the current search or click the Reset button to eliminate the current search entirely and begin again.
4. Select the report information you want returned in the Metrics Graphics section, as well as the report type, as follows:
   • Metric Type—Select the type of metric to be displayed in the report.
     • Count—Counts the number of CIs that contain the specified attribute. For example, you could run a report that counts the number of PCs in your organization, subtotaled by vendor/manufacturer. This might tell you that you have X number of PCs from Dell, Y number from Gateway, etc.
     • Average—Determine the average of field values for the CIs in the report. For example, you might build a report that gives you the average cost of the PCs in your organization. Average only applies to real number or integer fields.
     • Sum—Add the field values for the CIs. For example, you might build a report that adds up the depreciation on PCs. Sum only applies to real number or integer fields.
     • Minimum—From the set of CIs, returns the lowest value found in the specified field. Minimum only applies to real number or integer fields.
     • Maximum—From the set of CIs, returns the highest value found in the specified field. Maximum only applies to real number or integer fields.
   • Attribute—Specify the attribute from which to extract the count, average, sum, minimum, or maximum. Only attributes selected in the Output tab on the CI Search page are displayed. If you selected a report showing the average, sum, minimum, or maximum for an attribute, the Attribute drop-down field only displays real number or integer attributes.
   • Subtotal by—Specify the value on which you want the report subtotaled. For example, if you specify a report containing the average cost of PCs, you might subtotal the report by manufacturers. The report might then contain data that showed the average cost of a PC from Dell, Gateway, etc.
   • Format—Display report results in a table (i.e., only text is displayed in a table format), chart (i.e., data is represented in either a pie chart or bar chart), or table and chart (i.e., both the table and chart formats are displayed; both the table and the charts display identical information).
   • Chart type—Select either a bar chart or a pie chart.
5. If you wish to save the report so that you can run it on demand at a later time, enter a name for the report in the "Optionally, save this report as" field and then click the GO button. If you don't wish to save the report but just want to run the report, click the GO button without entering a report name. The report is created and displayed in a new window.