Common Reporting FAQs
What is the difference between reports and dashboards in OTBI and OAC?Â
OTBI reports and dashboards are developed directly from source tables and the data is real-time. Modifications to these reports and dashboards require a developer.
OAC reports and dashboards are developed using data that has been extracted from the source system, transformed, and loaded into data warehouse tables before being used in reporting tools. The reports and dashboards developed in this tool have self-service options so consumers can modify, slice, and dice the data, and save versions of reports to their own folders, called ‘My Folder’ in the catalog.
The data in OAC is not real-time, and there is versioned data available for student data. Some modifications in OAC may require a developer.
What if I get an error when I run a report?
- Are you receiving an error or a ‘no results’ message? No results can mean there aren’t results for the selected parameters or criteria, or you don’t have access to the data in the output of the report.
- Have you checked Boise State Reporting for scheduled outages or maintenance windows?
- Have you used the report before and verified you have access to the data?
- Are all required parameters and criteria selected and appropriate for the output?
- Have you closed your browser and cleared the cache?
- Submit a Help Desk Self-Service ticket to Production Support:
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- Provide your answers to questions 1-5 from above.
- Provide the navigation to the report.
- Provide the parameters/criteria you used for running the report.
- Provide screenshots of the error message if applicable.
What if the data looks incorrect in a report?Â
After checking your report, please submit a Help Desk Self-Service ticket to Production Support. Our Production Support team will check the OTBI/OAC models and the data load to determine where the data quality issue is occurring.
If everything matches the data source and the data source itself is incorrect, then Production Support will escalate the issue to the Data Source team. The data source team may fix the issue or they may indicate an alternate option to meet your reporting needs.
If the data quality issue lies in the development of the report, and substantial development is required for the fix, the Production Support team will forward the ticket to the BIRS team.
What if I can’t find the report I need?Â
If you have searched Boise State Reporting and the reporting catalogs and cannot find what you need, please submit a data request through the data request form on Boise State Reporting.
Requests through the data request form are reviewed by campus data partners to determine the appropriate department for the request. Requests are then prioritized and responded to by the individual departments. Response times will vary depending on the department’s current workload.
In the future, the Data Cookbook will make it easier to find details on reports and dashboards along with functional areas and data stewards.
What if I want to request a change or enhancement to a report?
If the report is not producing an error, and you would like to make a change or request an enhancement, submit a request through the data request form on Boise State Reporting.
Requests through the data request form are reviewed by campus data partners to determine the appropriate department for the request. Requests are then prioritized and responded to by the individual departments. Response times will vary depending on the department’s current workload.
What if I need training on how to run a report?
- Is there a job aid available for the report? (Most reports on Boise State Reporting have a job aid linked.)
- Is there a contact in your department or in a similar position you can reach out to for help?
- Submit a Help Desk Self-Service ticket to Production Support.
What if I need training on how to use the data in a report?Â
The Data Cookbook provides data definitions that may help better understand the data in a report.
In the future, the Data Cookbook will make it easier to find details on reports and dashboards along with functional areas, data stewards, and an enhanced glossary of data definitions. If you are unable to answer your questions using the Data Cookbook, please contact the department or data steward for the type of data you are consuming.
Does Boise State have a data visualization tool like Tableau or Power BI?
Yes. Boise State has Oracle Data Visualizer. Additional information is planned soon.