Adding, Editing, Copying, and Deleting Data Insights

You define data insights to capture certain aspects of your jobstream executions that can help you determine the behavior and performance of the executions either in real time or over time. A data insight definition is made up of various settings:

• Settings that define which data is included in the data insight and how it is presented:

  • Basic Information: The data insight type, name, time zone, and an optional description

  • Filters: To select the data that you want to include, based on the attributes available for the data insight type

  • Columns: To define which data columns you want to show on the data insight table, and sort orders

• Settings that allow you to capture the data or make the data available to others:

  • Schedule: Optionally, to define a schedule for AAI to automatically email specified recipients a snapshot of the data in a specific format.

  • Sharing: To make the data insight visible to other users to view or to give some users editing rights to the data insight.

  • Printing: Primarily, to define the format of the outputted file with the snapshot of the data for scheduled emails

This page includes the following:

Use the following steps to add a new data insight based on any of the available templates for the different types of data insights.

The settings that you save in the data insight definition are the defaults for that data insight. Anyone viewing the data insight (you and, if you shared it with others, the viewers and editors) can change the filter settings and column configurations dynamically and temporarily while viewing the data insight and then revert to the original definition without saving any of their changes.

To add a data insight

Use the following steps to add a new data insight from the Data Insights list. They guide you through defining what appears on the data insight and how it is presented. At the end, they point you to further steps for defining scheduling, sharing, and printing.

1. Start on any tab view of the Data Insights list. For information, see The Data Insights Page.

2. Click the + Data Insight button in the toolbar on the right.

3. On the Basic Information tab, enter the following values:

   data insight type, cannot change data insight type

   • Type: Select a data insight type from the drop-down list. The type determines the base filter and column configuration settings for the data insight.

     The type is the only setting in a data insight definition that you cannot change after initially saving the data insight.

     Each data insight type is a template with predefined data fields and filters to extract and present data for a specific purpose. These specifications are built into the internal type definition and cannot be changed. The predefined configuration is a starting point for your own data insights. When you define or edit a data insight, you can further filter the data and change the sorting order and column configurations. When you view the data insight, you can temporarily and dynamically change these configurations.

   • Name: This is the name of the data insight that will appear on the Data Insights list, in the title of the data insight view, and in output file names. It must be unique within this AAI installation.

     Tips:

     The name should communicate the purpose or the scope of the data insight. This is particularly important when the data insight is shared with other people, who will see it on their Data Insights list or dashboards, or for the name of the output files that can be produced from the data insight.

     Also, be sure to follow any naming conventions that are established within your AAI user group or across your company.

   • Time Zone: The time zone that you want the dates and times in the output to be presented in. Your preferred time zone is selected by default.  

   • Description (optional): This is a good place for notes to yourself or to anyone you share editor access to the data insight with. For example, explain the purpose, the intended consumers or stakeholders of the data. This can also be a place where the owner and editors can communicate their changes to the settings.

   Note:

   At this point, you can save the data insight. All other values will keep the default values. The default Columns and Filters settings are based on the data insight type, Schedule and Sharing are not defined, and Printing is defined for PDF output.

4. On the Columns tab, configure the columns and sort order for the data table that will be produced.

   Note:

   The settings you define here are the defaults that anyone viewing the data insight can temporarily override, but will be reset when closing the data insight or logging out. For more information, see Viewing and Using a Data Insight.

   1. Select the columns to include in the data table. Columns with key data are required and are therefore already selected and grayed out.

   2. Under Select the sort option in order below, define the sort columns in the order of the sort hierarchy. The rows will be sorted by the data in the column in position 1 of this list, and within those values, they can be further sorted by the data in the column in position 2, and so on. Also select the radio button to specify the direction of the sort (Ascending or Descending).

      To remove a sort level, click the X at the end of the row.

      Note:

      In the headers on the data table, up or down arrows indicate an ascending or descending sort order, and a superscript number 1, 2, 3, and so on, shows the sort hierarchy.

5. On the Filters tab, you can define two settings that control the which rows are included in the data table of the data insight:

   Note:

   The settings you define here are the defaults that anyone viewing the data insight can temporarily override, but will be reset when closing the data insight or logging out. For more information, see Viewing and Using a Data Insight.

   1. Simple filters: Define these by clicking the filter icon and then selecting columns and specifying the filter criteria, as you do with all simple filters in AAI. For more information, see Using Filters (Web Interface).

      Note:

      The Date Range filter must be defined to prevent too massive a data pull that would clog up your processing resources. By default, it is set to the Last 30 Days.

   2. The Group by field for the graphic that is rendered in the data insight. Select a field from a list of valid key fields for this data insight type.

      The Group by field is used to aggregate the data to present in the graphic on the data insight page. When viewing the data insight, you can change the Group by field and the graphic will be newly rendered accordingly.

      In addition, this field affects the Quick Filter feature that is embedded in the graphic. Namely, you can click any segment in the chart to instantly filter the table to show only the data rows that match the field value in the segment.

6. At this point, you have completed changes to all the settings that affect what appears on the data insight and how it is presented. You can continue in one of the following ways:

   • Define settings on any or all of the remaining tabs of the data insight before saving it. For information see:

     • Scheduling Data Insights

     • Sharing Data Insights

     • Printing Settings for Data Insights

   • Save the data insight now by clicking one of the following:

     • Save: This saves all settings, closes the definition, and returns to the Data Insights list.

     • Save & Run: This saves all the settings and then produces and downloads an output file as defined on the Printing tab. The default is a PDF file.

Before editing a data insight, it is worth noting the following:

• Who can edit: You must be the owner or an editor (as defined in the Sharing settings of the data insight definition).

• What cannot be changed: You can edit any setting except the data insight Type. (An internal ID number keeps the integrity of the data insight, even when you change the name.)

• What happens at save: Your saved changes will go into effect immediately. This means:

  • The previous data insight is replaced with the changed version.

  • Everyone who can view the data insight (the owner and everyone listed on the Sharing settings) will see the edited version.

  • The changes appear on both the data insight that you access from the Data Insights list and on dashboard widgets using the data insight.

• Considerations for other users and recipients: Because viewers are not notified and there is no history of changes, consider the following:

  • Be aware of who the data insight is shared with.

  • Be aware of who might receive regularly scheduled output files of the data insight, both as defined in the Scheduling settings for automatic emailing and that are distributed through processes outside of AAI.

  • Consider using the Description field on the Basic information tab as a place to note version changes.  

To edit a data insight

Use the following steps to edit a data insight. They guide you through editing what appears on the data insight and how it is presented, and then they point you to further steps for sharing, printing, and scheduling.

Open the Actions menu for the data insight from one of two places:

• On the Data Insights list, click the Actions button (the vertical ellipses) in the Actions column.

  (If this column is hidden, click the Columns button to the right in the menu bar above the list, and then select the column name to show it.)

• On an open data insight page, click the Actions button (the vertical ellipses) at the far right on the toolbar.

2. Select the Edit action.

3. On the Basic Information tab, enter or change the following values:

   • Name: This is the name of the data insight that will appear on the Data Insights list, in the title of the data insight view, and in output file names. It must be unique within this AAI installation.

     Tips:

     The name should communicate the purpose or the scope of the data insight. This is particularly important when the data insight is shared with other people, who will see it on their Data Insights list or dashboards, or for the name of the output files that can be produced from the data insight.

     Also, be sure to follow any naming conventions that are established within your AAI user group or across your company.

   • Time Zone: The time zone that you want the dates and times in the output to be presented in. Your preferred time zone is selected by default.  

   • Description (optional): This is a good place for notes to yourself or to anyone you share editor access to the data insight with. For example, explain the purpose, the intended consumers or stakeholders of the data. This can also be a place where the owner and editors can communicate their changes to the settings.

4. On the Columns tab, configure the columns and sort order for the data table that will be produced.

   Note:

   The settings you define here are the defaults that anyone viewing the data insight can temporarily override, but will be reset when closing the data insight or logging out. For more information, see Viewing and Using a Data Insight.

   1. Select the columns to include in the data table. Columns with key data are required and are therefore already selected and grayed out.

   2. Under Select the sort option in order below, define the sort columns in the order of the sort hierarchy. The rows will be sorted by the data in the column in position 1 of this list, and within those values, they can be further sorted by the data in the column in position 2, and so on. Also select the radio button to specify the direction of the sort (Ascending or Descending).

      To remove a sort level, click the X at the end of the row.

      Note:

      In the headers on the data table, up or down arrows indicate an ascending or descending sort order, and a superscript number 1, 2, 3, and so on, shows the sort hierarchy.

5. On the Filters tab, you can define two settings that control the which rows are included in the data table of the data insight:

   Note:

   The settings you define here are the defaults that anyone viewing the data insight can temporarily override, but will be reset when closing the data insight or logging out. For more information, see Viewing and Using a Data Insight.

   1. Simple filters: Define these by clicking the filter icon and then selecting columns and specifying the filter criteria, as you do with all simple filters in AAI. For more information, see Using Filters (Web Interface).

      Note:

      The Date Range filter must be defined to prevent too massive a data pull that would clog up your processing resources. By default, it is set to the Last 30 Days.

   2. The Group by field for the graphic that is rendered in the data insight. Select a field from a list of valid key fields for this data insight type.

      The Group by field is used to aggregate the data to present in the graphic on the data insight page. When viewing the data insight, you can change the Group by field and the graphic will be newly rendered accordingly.

      In addition, this field affects the Quick Filter feature that is embedded in the graphic. Namely, you can click any segment in the chart to instantly filter the table to show only the data rows that match the field value in the segment.

6. At this point, you have completed changes to all the settings that affect what appears on the data insight and how it is presented. You can continue in one of the following ways:

   • Define settings on any or all of the remaining tabs of the data insight before saving it. For information see:

     • Scheduling Data Insights

     • Sharing Data Insights

     • Printing Settings for Data Insights

   • Save the data insight now by clicking one of the following:

     • Save: This saves all settings, closes the definition, and returns to the Data Insights list.

     • Save & Run: This saves all the settings and then produces and downloads an output file as defined on the Printing tab. The default is a PDF file.

When you want to copy a data insight, it is worth noting the following:

• Who can copy: Anyone who can view or edit the data insight.

• Copying shared data insights: If you are allowed only to view a data insight, you cannot edit its definition, so copying is the way to have a data insight that you can edit and save changes to.

• What happens when you copy:

  • A new data insight named Copy of [original name] is created.

  • The copy is saved with the filters, column configurations and group by settings that you see when you initiate the copy action, not the ones set in the original data insight definition.

  • The time zone setting from the original data insight is carried over.

  • Schedule and Sharing settings are cleared, and Printing is set to the default PDF settings.

  • You find the copy on both the All and Created by me tabs of your Data Insights list.

  • You are the owner of the new data insight, so you can take any actions on the data insight including deleting it.

• What cannot be changed: The data insight Type.

To copy a data insight

Use the following steps to copy a data insight. They guide you through defining what appears on the data insight and how it is presented, and then they point you to further steps for sharing, printing, and scheduling.

Open the Actions menu for the data insight from one of two places:

• On the Data Insights list, click the Actions button (the vertical ellipses) in the Actions column.

  (If this column is hidden, click the Columns button to the right in the menu bar above the list, and then select the column name to show it.)

• On an open data insight page, click the Actions button (the vertical ellipses) at the far right on the toolbar.

2. Select the Save as Copy action.

3. On the Basic Information tab, enter or change the following values:

   • Name: This is the name of the data insight that will appear on the Data Insights list, in the title of the data insight view, and in output file names. It must be unique within this AAI installation.

     Tips:

     The name should communicate the purpose or the scope of the data insight. This is particularly important when the data insight is shared with other people, who will see it on their Data Insights list or dashboards, or for the name of the output files that can be produced from the data insight.

     Also, be sure to follow any naming conventions that are established within your AAI user group or across your company.

   • Time Zone: The time zone that you want the dates and times in the output to be presented in. Your preferred time zone is selected by default.  

   • Description (optional): This is a good place for notes to yourself or to anyone you share editor access to the data insight with. For example, explain the purpose, the intended consumers or stakeholders of the data. This can also be a place where the owner and editors can communicate their changes to the settings.

   Note:

   At this point, you could save the data insight. All other values will keep the default values. The default Columns and Filters settings are based on the data insight type, by default Schedule and Sharing are not defined, and Printing is defined for PDF output.

4. On the Columns tab, configure the columns and sort order for the data table that will be produced.

   Note:

   The settings you define here are the defaults that anyone viewing the data insight can temporarily override, but will be reset when closing the data insight or logging out. For more information, see Viewing and Using a Data Insight.

   1. Select the columns to include in the data table. Columns with key data are required and are therefore already selected and grayed out.

   2. Under Select the sort option in order below, define the sort columns in the order of the sort hierarchy. The rows will be sorted by the data in the column in position 1 of this list, and within those values, they can be further sorted by the data in the column in position 2, and so on. Also select the radio button to specify the direction of the sort (Ascending or Descending).

      To remove a sort level, click the X at the end of the row.

      Note:

      In the headers on the data table, up or down arrows indicate an ascending or descending sort order, and a superscript number 1, 2, 3, and so on, shows the sort hierarchy.

5. On the Filters tab, you can define two settings that control the which rows are included in the data table of the data insight:

   Note:

   The settings you define here are the defaults that anyone viewing the data insight can temporarily override, but will be reset when closing the data insight or logging out. For more information, see Viewing and Using a Data Insight.

   1. Simple filters: Define these by clicking the filter icon and then selecting columns and specifying the filter criteria, as you do with all simple filters in AAI. For more information, see Using Filters (Web Interface).

      Note:

      The Date Range filter must be defined to prevent too massive a data pull that would clog up your processing resources. By default, it is set to the Last 30 Days.

   2. The Group by field for the graphic that is rendered in the data insight. Select a field from a list of valid key fields for this data insight type.

      The Group by field is used to aggregate the data to present in the graphic on the data insight page. When viewing the data insight, you can change the Group by field and the graphic will be newly rendered accordingly.

      In addition, this field affects the Quick Filter feature that is embedded in the graphic. Namely, you can click any segment in the chart to instantly filter the table to show only the data rows that match the field value in the segment.

6. At this point, you have completed changes to all the settings that affect what appears on the data insight and how it is presented. You can continue in one of the following ways:

   • Define settings on any or all of the remaining tabs of the data insight before saving it. For information see:

     • Scheduling Data Insights

     • Sharing Data Insights

     • Printing Settings for Data Insights

   • Save the data insight now by clicking one of the following:

     • Save: This saves all settings, closes the definition, and returns to the Data Insights list.

     • Save & Run: This saves all the settings and then produces and downloads an output file as defined on the Printing tab. The default is a PDF file.

When you want to delete a data insight, it is worth noting the following:

• Who can delete: Only the owner of a data insight can delete it.

• Considerations for other users and recipients: When you delete your data insight, you delete it for everyone who has access to it. It disappears from all tab views of their Data Insights list and their dashboards, and any scheduled runs and emailing are discontinued. Therefore, be cautious about deleting a data insight that you or your editors have shared.  

To delete a data insight

Open the Actions menu for the data insight from one of two places:

• On the Data Insights list, click the Actions button (the vertical ellipses) in the Actions column.

  (If this column is hidden, click the Columns button to the right in the menu bar above the list, and then select the column name to show it.)

• On an open data insight page, click the Actions button (the vertical ellipses) at the far right on the toolbar.

1. Select the Delete the action.

2. Confirm the deletion.

See also:

• Understanding Data Insights

• The Data Insights Page

• Viewing and Using a Data Insight