Actions for Downloading, Printing, and Emailing Data Insights
The Actions menu gives you several options to capture a snapshot of a data insight in an output file. These are by printing, downloading, or emailing the data insight. Each of these options produces an output file that you can keep for yourself or send to colleagues, partners, customers, and stakeholders. The snapshot captures the data as it is filtered and configured at the time that the output is triggered. This topic covers each of these options and when it is useful to use them.
This topic does not cover how the owner or editors of a data insight can schedule regular snapshots to be captured and emailed to select people. For information about that, see Scheduling Data Insights.
This page includes the following:
Understanding the Different Output Options
There are three options on the Actions menu that you can use to capture a snapshot of a data insight in an output file:
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Download (CSV)
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Print (PDF)
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Email
The Actions menu is available from the following places:
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On the Data Insights list, on each row for the data insights listed. For information, see The Data Insights Page.
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When a data insight is open, from the toolbar. For information, see Viewing and Using a Data Insight.
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On each dashboard widget.
What is common to all three output options
Whether you choose to download, print, or email a data insight the following is true:
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If you trigger the option from the Data Insights list, then the output file contains the data as it is defined in the Filters and Columns settings in the data insight definition.
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If you trigger the option from an open data insight or on a dashboard widget, then the output file contains the data as it is filtered and with column configurations and sort order at the time that the output is triggered, even if you have unsaved changes. This allows you to play with the data insight to surface the data that is interesting to you at the moment and then capture it, without having to save those changes.
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The output is a static snapshot of the data at the time of the captures. This is unlike sharing a data insight, which gives users access to the data insight in real time. For information, see Sharing Data Insights.
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The options are available to any and all users who can view the data insight. This includes the owner, editors, and viewers.
Downloading a CSV of a Data Insight
When you download a data insight, you get a CSV file with the data just as it was defined or presented at the when you initiated the download. The file contains the data from the table but no graphic.
Downloading a data insight is useful when you want to do any of the following:
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Open the file in a spreadsheet application and then further sort, filter, and arrange the data.
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Import the data into other programs further analysis
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Send the file to colleagues or other stakeholders, even if they are not AAI users.
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Keep a snapshot of the data before changing the filters and column configurations. By producing several snapshots, you can compare the results.
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Archive the data snapshot for future use.
To download a CSV file of a data insight
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Open the Actions menu for the data insight from one of two places:
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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.)
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On an open data insight page, click the Actions button
(the vertical ellipses) at the far right on the toolbar.
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Select Download (CSV).
A CSV file is produced and is sent to your local Downloads folder. The name of the file is the name of the data insight plus the current date, for example, "AutoSys_Audit_Last24Hrs_2024-01-29.csv".
Alternatively, if you are the owner or an editor of a data insight, you can trigger a CSV file when you are adding or editing the data insight. The output format on the Printing settings have to be set CSV, then you can click the Save & Run button from the Add or Edit dialog.
Printing a Data Insight
When you print a data insight, you get a PDF file with the data just as it was defined or presented at the when you initiated the print. The file contains both the data table and the graphic.
Printing a data insight is useful when you want to do one of the following:
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Keep a snapshot of the data before changing the filters or column configurations. By producing several snapshots, you can compare the results.
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Send the file to colleagues or other stakeholders, even if they are not AAI users.
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Archive the data snapshot for future use.
Using the Email action, you can send a PDF in an email in one step directly from AAI. For more information, see Emailing a Data Insight.
To print a PDF of a data insight
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Open the Actions menu for the data insight from one of two places:
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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.)
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On an open data insight page, click the Actions button
(the vertical ellipses) at the far right on the toolbar.
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Select Print (PDF).
Depending on how your browser settings are defined, either the PDF opens in a new browser tab, or a PDF file is produced and sent to your local Downloads folder. The name of the file is the name of the data insight plus the current date, for example, "AutoSys_Audit_Last24Hrs_2024-01-29.pdf".
Alternatively, if you are the owner or an editor of a data insight, you can trigger a PDF file when you are adding or editing the data insight. The output format on the Printing settings have to be set to PDF, then you can click the Save & Run button from the Add or Edit dialog.
Emailing a Data Insight
When you email a data insight, a PDF is produced and sent to the recipients that you specify with a message text. The PDF that is created for your email is a snapshot of the data insight just as it is defined or presented when you initiated the email, even if you have unsaved changes to the data insight definition. The file contains both the data table and the graphic.
Emailing a data insight is useful when you want to do one of the following:
- Provide a snapshot of a data insight directly to anyone, even if they are not AAI users.
- Consolidate two steps in one action: printing a PDF of a data insight and then emailing the downloaded PDF.
To email a PDF of a data insight
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Open the Actions menu for the data insight from one of two places:
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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.)
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On an open data insight page, click the Actions button
(the vertical ellipses) at the far right on the toolbar.
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Select Email.
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Type email addresses of recipients and then click Add Recipients. You can add them individually or enter multiple addresses separated with commas.
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Enter a Subject and a Description, which will be the message in the body of the email
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Click Send.
It is important to note that what the PDF includes depends on the Printing settings in the data insight definition. If the output format is set to PDF, then the number of pages that are included in the PDF depend on the setting, which might be fewer than all the rows that your filters might collect. If the output format is set to CSV, then the PDF will always have all pages. Contact the owner if you have questions about the settings.
Emailing must be configured by your AAI administrator. If it is not, you will not see the Email option in the Action menu.
For AAI administrators: You configure the email server by configuring your SMTP server. You do this in one of two ways:
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In the AAI Configuration Tool. For information, see Configuration Tool - Other Tab.
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Using the related CLI code. For information, see SMTP Configuration Commands.