About Parameter Sets

Parameter sets determine the resources to be reported. Each parameter set is a list of resources and/or ‘containers’ of resources. These ‘containers’ are usually Analytics folders, but some resource types can also be contained within groups. For example, if running an agent report, a user would typically select a parameter set which is a list of agents and/or a list of folders that contain agents. If the parameter set includes folders or groups, then the report shows the resources currently in those folders or groups at the time the report runs.

User Created Parameter Sets

Users can create and save their own parameter sets, but these must be saved in their home folder or in the same folder as the report for which they are used. Users will need permission to manage parameter sets in the folder in which the parameter set is to be created (this generally means that they should have the Basic, Advanced or Analyst role in that folder).

Users will also need permission to browse the resources that they will add to the parameter set, which typically requires them to have the Basic, Advanced, Supervisor or Analyst role in the folder containing those resources.

Users do not have permission to save parameter sets to the standard report folders, so a parameter set must be saved in the home folder to use it with a standard report. Linked reports or personalized reports in another folder can have the parameter set in the same folder.

A user can be given read-only access to use a parameter set that was created by another user, if they are granted the ‘Browse Shared Reports and Gadgets’ role for the folder containing the parameter set.

Default Parameter Sets

When using standard reports, it may be useful to use the default parameter sets. These automatically select resources to show for each user who runs the report, relative to that user’s permissions and location in the folder hierarchy. In order to view the default parameter sets, users must have the Show Default Parameter Sets user setting enabled. Reports can use the default parameter sets in the following ways:

• Report on all resources that the user has permission to see across the organization. This option is labeled with the company name followed by an asterisk. For example, My Agents in /EightBank/*.

• Report on all resources that the user has permission to see within the department or business area. This department or business area must be defined as a folder in Analytics. This option is labeled with the name of this folder. For example, My Agents in /Customer Service/.

• Report on all resources that the user has permission to see within or below the department or business area. This department or business area must be defined as a folder in Analytics, and the areas below it must be sub-folders. This option is labeled with the name of this folder followed by an asterisk. For example, My Agents in /Customer Service/*.

Parameter Set Limits

A maximum of 3000 resources can be passed into a report at report execution time. This counts all the resources that are dynamically included via folders and groups. If the limit is exceeded, then the parameter set will be truncated and the report may return partial data as a result.

User Permissions to View Resources

Even if resources are included in a parameter set that is used with a report, the ability to see those resources in the report is governed by permissions. Without the relevant permissions, a resource from the parameter set will be excluded from the report.

For default parameter sets, this is based on the permissions of the user running the report (or in the case of a scheduled report, the user who owns the schedule). The report will only show resources they have permission to view.

Where user-created parameter sets are used, visibility of resources in the report is based on the current permissions (at report execution time) of the user who last saved the parameter set. This means that it is possible for an administrator with open permissions to define parameter sets on behalf of users with highly restricted permissions, who can use those parameter sets on a read-only basis. The restricted users will be able to generate the reporting they need without being able to stray beyond the boundaries set by the administrator. 

Care should be taken when sharing parameter sets between users, to ensure that a user is not inadvertently given the ability to report on resources which are inappropriate for them.

About Parameter Sets for Real Time Reports

When using real-time reports for Digital channels (chat, email, etc.) there is an additional step which must be performed in addition to defining a parameter set. Any users, user groups or queues that you wish to report on must be enabled for monitoring in the Advisor Desktop.

If a real-time report is run with a parameter set that includes resources not enabled for monitoring, then those resources are still visible in the report, but their metrics all show as unpopulated or zero values.

To enable a resource for monitoring, at least one monitor must be built to include the required resource and metrics. This monitor can be created by any user with supervisor actions access (e.g. supervisors, administrators). If each resource and their associated metrics are included in at least one Monitor, then any Analytics user with appropriate permissions can run a real-time report in Analytics which includes this resource as part of the parameter set.

The Monitor can belong to any user. It does not need to belong to the same user(s) who runs the Analytics report(s). The most efficient method to accomplish this is for an administrator to create a generic supervisor login and use this login to build a ‘master monitor’ that includes all users, groups, queues and metrics. The master monitor need to be maintained as and when new users, groups and queues are added. The generic login is useful to ensure that this maintenance task can be passed on if the original administrator leaves the organization.

For more information on building Monitors in the Supervision console, please refer to the Monitors section in the eGain Administrator's Guide.