Executive Reporting Builder can be utilised to generate custom-made reports with snapshots of Quick Updates tailored for specific reporting audiences with different reporting requirements. This results in significant time savings in collating data across the organisation to generate reporting outputs and in re-typing information for different reports. Sign-off and approval levels are also available for Manager and Director levels and can be used, for example, for community-based, Executive, Board or Council level reporting.

To access Executive Reporting, go to Tools > Executive > Build.

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The following options are available in this screen:

• Reporting year filter: dropdown menu to filter out executive reports for a specific period.

• New button can be used to create a new executive report.

• Edit button can be used to view/edit an already created report.

Go to Tools > Executive > Build.

There are two methods to create Executive Reports:

Method 1

Click on New button on Executive Reports page to start creating the report. The application screen displays a page to enter name and reporting period for the new report.

• STEP 1: Enter a suitable name in the 'Name' field.

• STEP 2: Define the reporting period by entering the relevant dates to the 'Date From' and 'Date To' fields. The content for the report is taken within this specified period.

• STEP 3: Click the save icon to save the report in the database. Once the page refreshes, the Executive Report Editor is displayed with individual tabs for Actions, KPIs, Scorecards and Commentary. Organise the data in the report using these tabs.

• STEP 4: Use the spell-check feature to correct any spelling mistakes in the reports.

Method 2

The second method to create a report using the structure of an existing report and populate it with data according to requirements.

• STEP 1: Click Edit button alongside a particular report that needs to be duplicated. The system displays the Executive Report Editor page.

• STEP 2: Define a reporting period by entering the relevant dates to the 'Date From' and 'Date To' fields.

• STEP 3: Enter a new title for the report in the 'Copy to' field. Using copy icon, you can create a new report based on the existing one.

• STEP 4: The content of a report needs to be approved by Managers/Directors by giving a sign off. When a duplicate is created the sign off details of the original report is also copied to the duplicate. Remove all existing sign off details from the duplicate by ticking the 'Reset Sign off’ check box. Skip this step if the newly generated report also needs to be signed off by the same managers/directors of the original report.

• STEP 5: You can select all the executive comments to be copied to the new report by ticking 'Include Executive comment'.

• STEP 6: Click Copy button to create a duplicate report. Once the page refreshes, the Executive Report Editor is displayed with individual tabs for Actions, KPIs, Scorecards and Commentary. Organise the data in the report using these tabs. Use the spell-check feature to correct any spelling mistakes in the reports.

• STEP 7: You can include a description for the report using the space given for 'Description'.

• STEP 8: If you wish to assign this report to be displayed as default report when you access the executive portal, you can tick the check box against 'Default Report'.

• STEP 9: Click the trash Can icon at the top right corner which is visible throughout the build area to delete the current report.

• STEP 10: Clicking the close icon displayed at the far top right closes the current record. Ensure that all data entered is saved prior to clicking this button.

Action details can be added against executive reports as required.

To add actions to the report follow the below given steps.

• STEP 1: From Actions tab on the Executive Report Editor, click the Add Actions button to move to the Executive Action Search screen, where a search can be performed for the actions required.

The Executive Action Search page provides options (text entry and tick boxes) to search and filter out the required actions. These options are activated according to the organisational requirement during system scoping.

• STEP 2: Define the search criteria. By entering multiple search criteria, it is possible to optimise the search results.

• STEP 3: Click on the Search button to start the search. The screen displays the results.

• STEP 4: Select the actions from the search results by checking the tick boxes alongside the actions. To add all the search results to the report, the tick box at the top of the left most column to select all actions. Actions that are already added to the report are also returned with the search results but shown in a shaded format.

  Any existing Comments in the Progress, Executive or Business Highlights areas appear next to the Action. To use these comments in the report, check the relevant buttons to append the required comments to the action. Both Progress and Executive Comments cannot be selected for the same action as they are used as Executive Comments.

• STEP 5: Add the selected actions to the executive report by clicking Add Selected Actions button at the top.

The Actions tab in the Executive Reports Editor allows adding/editing comments to a selected action. To edit action comments, follow listed steps below.

• STEP 1: Click Edit button alongside the particular action to edit the comments for that action (see below screen).

• STEP 2: Make amendments to the comments. Click Update to save the changes in the system. Click Cancel to discard the changes. Use the spell-check feature to correct any spelling mistakes in the reports.
  To include action information in reports, the Manager and Director must sign-off on the action and its comments by checking their respective tick boxes.

• STEP 3: Click Remove to remove a particular action from the report.

• STEP 4: Click History to view an audit trail of the action.

The KPIs tab in the Executive Reports Editor provides the ability to add KPI information and comments on KPIs in Executive Reports.

KPIs are linked to the executive report by dragging and dropping the required KPIs from the list of KPIs (right side panel) onto the report content area.

To link KPIs to Executive Reports follow the below steps.

• STEP 1: Link a KPI to the report by dragging and dropping a KPI from the list of KPIs.

• STEP 2: Specify a relevant Reporting Year for the KPI comments using the drop down list.

• STEP 3: Type in the comments on the KPI.

• STEP 4: Press the Update button to confirm the KPI linking and to save the comments in the report.

• STEP 5: Comments on KPIs can edited by clicking the Edit button. Use the spell check feature to correct any spelling mistakes in the reports. Once the changes are made, press Update button to apply the changes, or Cancel to discard the changes.

• STEP 6: To view a graphical representation of the KPI, click the Graph button.

• STEP 7: To view the audit trail of the KPI, click History button.

• STEP 8: The Latest Comments button retrieves the latest periodic comment entered against a particular KPI.

The Scorecards tab in the Executive Reports Editor allows adding Scorecards to the selected Executive Report. Scorecards already developed in the Scorecards area can be linked to the report.

• STEP 1: Drag and drop the required scorecards from the list on the right hand side of the screen onto the report content area.

• STEP 2: Select the relevant reporting year for the scorecard from the dropdown list and enter the executive comments against the scorecard.

• STEP 3: Comments for the Scorecards may be edited by clicking the Edit button. The 'Latest Comments' button retrieves the latest periodic comment entered against a particular Scorecard. Use the spell check feature to correct any spelling mistakes in the reports.

• STEP 4: Click Update to apply the changes, or Cancel to discard the changes.

The Commentary tab in the Executive Reports Editor allows entering comments to the executive reports at any level of the Planning or Organisational tree. A custom-made report can be created which can capture these comments at different levels (allows for a new area of capturing comments into the reports which are unavailable within the planning structures).

To add comments to Executive Reports, follow the steps below.

• STEP 1: Click on the Commentary tab within the executive report to view the planning and organisational hierarchy.  

• STEP 2: Click the required level on the tree to add the comments to view the comment entry areas on the right side of the screen. There are three areas to choose to add comments; namely, Default Comments, Outcome Comments and Budget Comments.

• STEP 3: Click Edit to open the comment entry form. Use the spell check feature to correct any spelling mistakes in the reports. Enter a title and the comments and then click Update to save.

To identify if there are comments entered at any particular level in the Hierarchies, you can switch on a setting that will enable icons to appear at these levels (Folder icons as shown below). You identify which comment types you would like this activated for (show against all Comment Types or Default Comments, Budget Comments or Outcome Comments).

To switch this on, navigate to the 'System Settings' area under Menu > Administration > Settings and switch on the setting 'Executive Comments Tracking'.

These comments fields do not show in standard template reports. To view these comments, a custom report template needs to be created. Please contact the CAMMS Support for more information.

Access to the Executive Portal is limited to Administrators, Strategic Planners, Directors and Business Unit Managers so they may easily update and sign off relevant executive level reports built for variety of purposes.

It directs you automatically to your level of the organisational hierarchy  and the report flagged as ‘Default’ within the Executive > Build area, but you may select a different report and/or a different reporting year when it's required. If a description or a set of instructions have been included within a report, it will also be displayed.

You would only be able to view the items linked to your hierarchy level.  However, users with Administrator or Strategic Planner security permissions will be presented with a view always default to top most level of the organisational hierarchy and they will be able to view and sign off any item in the system.

The portal comprises of individual sections for,

• Show Commentary: allows entry of various comment types (configured by your Administrator) at your level of the organisation.

• Actions: allows entry of an executive comment and/or business highlight against the configured actions.

• KPIs: allows entry of an executive comment against the configured KPIs.

• Scorecards: allows entry of an executive comment against configured Scorecards.

Under any of these section, maximum of 5 records can be displayed and if you wish to see the list of all the records available under a specific topic, you have to click on the area which shows the number of records (Showing X of Y). This will expand the update area displaying maximum of 15 records at once, and therefore if there are more than 15 records, the remaining will be ordered within numbered pages. You can use the number buttons to navigate to the other pages.

Once you have selected the report you need to update, follow the below steps:

8.1 To Update Commentary

The type of comments that can be added under this section will be configured under Administration > Executive Comment Type.

• STEP 1: Click on the Show Commentary bar to expand the update section.

• STEP 2: Type the title and comments under each comment type and select save option. You can append comments from levels below according to your requirements.

• STEP 3: Click on the Commentary bar again to collapse the update area.
  Alternatively, these comments can be added through the Executive Report editor in the Build area. For more information see section: Adding Executive Comments.

8.2 To Update Actions, KPIs and Scorecards

You can see the actions , KPIs and scorecards that are linked to this report according to your Org Link.

• STEP1: Type the executive comments.

• STEP 2: Include the title and comments under the business highlights column. You can append comments from levels below using the adjacent append comment button.

You can update individual or multiple records under one section at once.

• STEP 3: If you are the Business Unit Manager, you can sign off the relevant records by ticking the adjacent tick boxes and save the changes. For example, If you wish to sign off single or multiple Actions, you can tick the tick-boxes against the records and save the change.

The same updates can be done through the Executive Report Editor in the build area.

You can send an email with regard to the relevant record, by clicking on the email icon.

8.3 Sign off Rules

These actions, KPIs and Scorecards will not be considered as signed off until a user with Director access or above also signs off using the same process. (With the exception of Administrator and Strategic Planner)

• Business Unit Manager Signs off + Director Signs off = Record signed off

• Business Manager Signs off + Director doesn't sign off = Record not signed off

• Business Unit Manager doesn't Sign off + Director Signs off = Record signed off

Please refer the Common Icons to use the icons effectively, when you are updating individual or multiple records.