Is batched reporting possible?

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Tim Hendrickson
Tim Hendrickson
Tenth Anniversary 25 Likes 10 Comments Photogenic
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
I have a few state-by-state reports that I'm occasionally asked to run for all 50 states.  Currently I have a query where it asks which state I want to run these on so it can run my report specifically for that state.  What I'm wondering is, is there a way to automate Raiser's Edge through some kind of batched reporting so that I don't have to manually re-run each of these reports 50 times?
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  • JoAnn Strommen
    JoAnn Strommen Community All-Star
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    Whew!  Another user may have some better ideas.  I thought of two possibilities.



    1.  How much data are you pulling in these reports and what report are you running?  Just a query and taking data to excel?  If so, would it be an option to split the data into separate reports by filtering on state after you've gotten data into excel?  Macros could maybe help with it too.



    2.  Don't know the costs involved but there is queue optional function for RE that from my understanding can be used to run queries/reports at set time like overnight. Here's the knowledgebase link: https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/48215
  • Jen Claudy
    Jen Claudy
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    If you know MS Access, you can export your data (all states at once) from RE and then set up an Access database that will show that data by state.  Similar to Excel, but Access might be a better option if you run this fairly often (takes longer to set up the first time, but then saves you time, usually, every time you run the reports).



    Crystal Reports might be an option, but I don't know enough about them.  And as JoAnn mentioned, the Queue module might help...but I don't know much about that either (other than it's on my list to find out more!).
  • Debra Holcomb
    Debra Holcomb
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    Could you create a pivot table report in RE that starts the breakdown by state?  



    If you wanted to use REQueue, you would have to create 50 reports and add them a queue which will output 50 reports for you.  You only have to set it up once and then it will run all of them for you at the click of a button (or when scheduled).  I use REQueue daily.  It's worth the time and investment.   (But you cannot put pivot reports in queue).  
  • James Andrews
    James Andrews
    Ancient Membership 100 Likes 100 Comments Photogenic

    Debra Holcomb:

    Could you create a pivot table report in RE that starts the breakdown by state?  



    If you wanted to use REQueue, you would have to create 50 reports and add them a queue which will output 50 reports for you.  You only have to set it up once and then it will run all of them for you at the click of a button (or when scheduled).  I use REQueue daily.  It's worth the time and investment.   (But you cannot put pivot reports in queue).  


    I will add the caveat that setting up Queue can be a huge pain, especially if you're running it on a computer that is not yours.  Having the correct RE, local and network share security rights for both you and the username on the computer that you're running it on can be a mess to configure.  I have several Queues set up that I can run when needed, but that for some reason just won't run in the overnights when I have them scheduled, and I've been unable to figure out why.  I got in touch with blackbaud about it, and the guy who helped me admitted that he dreaded getting Queue questions, because there are just so many places where things can go wrong.



    I mean, not "go wrong" like a catastrophic failure of your database.  Just go wrong like, not work.
  • Tim Hendrickson
    Tim Hendrickson
    Tenth Anniversary 25 Likes 10 Comments Photogenic
    To give some background, these are primarily a couple of LYBUNT/SYBUNT reports (with contact info) in prep for our local ambassadors around the country so they know who to target before the end of the year.  We’ll be running these from now through roughly January.  The SYBUNT is significantly larger with what I’d estimate each state to have a few hundred people in it.  The LYBUNT is obviously much smaller.  I could run the whole thing as a query and output it to Excel, but my guess is it would probably take about the same amount of manipulation and time to get it to work.

     

    I also have an extensive recognition summary report that’s run monthly based on a state-by-state level for a couple of funds on a year-over-year span, and including dollars and number of donors who gave over a certain amount.  Currently this report is run 6 times (at roughly 5-10 minutes each) to produce a single report in Excel.

     

    I may look into RE:Queue and see how involved it is and if it might do what I’m trying to do, much as I’d hate to have to create 50 of each of those two reports and 6 of the other.  Depending on cost, it may not be worth getting this module since I’d mostly be running these 3 reports with it.

     

    Likewise I may give Crystal Reports a look, as that has been on my to-do list for a while now.

     

    I’m not sure if a pivot table would suit my needs, since I’ve never used them, but I’ll give that a look too.

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