Solving Automation Reporting Problems with Dream Report

Renee SikesApplications EngineerDream Report Brand Manager

Agenda

• Challenges in automation reporting• Overview of Dream Report architecture• Fast, Flexible and User-Friendly features

– Review of previously discussed features– New features:

• Templates• Item Search and Replace• Tag Dictionary• Custom Archive Import• Dynamic Report Generation

• Live Demo• Next Steps• Q&A

Reporting for Automation

• Common Problems– Accessing both real-time and

historical data from numerous sources

– Costly to implement– Requires IT, programming skills– Manual data entry– Distribution and automation of

reports– Resource intensive– Costly to maintain– Mobile support– Quality support and training– Licensing

Dream Report is the solution!

Product ArchitectureAutomatically Publish and Distribute

Generate and execute

Design and configure

Data Logger

Real-Time Data and Alarms

Access existing 3-d party archives

Design Reports

Configure Data Aggregation

Generate Reports

HMIs, PLCs, DCS, SCADA, …

K A F

Web Portal File Server eMail Printers Mobile

Connect to Data Sources

HISTORIAN access

• OPC HDA

• ODBC & OLE

• CSV files

• Native drivers for proprietary archives

REAL TIME data and alarms

- OPC DA-AE

- Native Drivers

Dream Report logger can archive real time data into any open database

• SQL Server

• MySQL

• Oracle

• Access

• …

Provide Data Provide Data

Provide Data

Provide Reports

• Design reports in easy environment

• Use Page Templates

• Use Report Templates

Define and execute periodically any type of calculations:

Min, Max, Average, Current, Integral, Duration, Counter, SQL commands, free Mathematical Calculation…

Automatically:

On Schedule

On Event

Manually:

Select Report

Change period or select batch

Generate new report

Fast, Flexible and User-Friendly

• Speed up report development time by 15-20 times– Simple configuration saves

time and money– Can save the cost of a full-

time job

• Use in virtually any industry• Quickly and easily bring

data into valuable, professional looking reports– No specialized knowledge

required

Fast, Flexible, User- Friendly: Supported Features

• Report Templates• Virtual Instance Reports• Tag Dictionary• Item Search and Replace• Custom Archive Import• Dynamic Report Generation

• Project Wizard• Simple Design Interface• Dynamic Data Objects• Schedule and Automatic

Report Distribution

Page and Report Templates

• Page templates– save static objects and

limited dynamic objects

• Report templates– Saves all report objects

and options for settings

• Manage objects independently after applying

• Useful Tip: Use Report templates to move reports between projects

Search and Replace

• Where it is used: – Report templates– Report objects

– Virtual report instances– Tag Dictionary– Dynamic Report Generation

• Scope of replacement– Single object type– All objects in report– All objects in all reports in the

project– One-shot, on demand replacement

during report generation

Virtual Report Instances

• Create multiple pre-defined instances of the same report template

• Use the same template with different pre-defined tags– Use built-in Search and Replace feature to quickly change out

tags

Tag Dictionary

• Create a single tag dictionary for all reports in project

• Update all objects in a project using a particular item

Custom Archive Import

• Periodically import new values from an external database– Prevents data loss– Enables Advanced SQL queries

Dynamic Report Generation

• Generates reports on demand, where time period is defined by user at runtime– Re-create lost reports– Increase time resolution for detailed problem analysis– What If? scenarios

• Available in both Runtime Management Console and through Web Portal

Live Demo

• Dream Report Fast, Flexible, and User-Friendly Features– Templates– Search and Replace– Tag Dictionary– Custom Archive Import– Dynamic Report Generation

What Tools are Needed?

• Licensing based on tag and web portal count– Contact us to discuss your project

• Like what you see? Have a project in mind? – Let us show you how Dream Report can solve your reporting needs

• Free Demo Available– Limits to 25 tags– Development will run for unlimited time, Runtime for 30 minutes at a

time

www.softwaretoolbox.com/DreamReport

Contact Information & Other Learning Opportunities

• Questions later?– Renee Sikes

• rsikes@softwaretoolbox.com

– Software Toolbox Tech Support• support@softwaretoolbox.com• 888-665-3678 or +1 704-849-2773

• Product Website– http://www.softwaretoolbox.com/dreamreport

• Other learning opportunities– Recording of this webinar– Visit softwaretoolbox.webex.com