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Using Custom Reports

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Jake Crown
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Though SharpSpring provides different types of sales and CRM reports, you may want to generate reports that show information from many different sources. You can create a customized report that shows only the information that you want.

These reports are designed to give you all the information you need to measure your current sales performance—and to forecast performance for the future. 

This article will detail how to create and use the Custom Reports feature.


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Accessing Reports 

You can access the the Custom Reports feature from a few different places in SharpSpring.

Access the Custom Reports feature by navigating any of the following pathways in SharpSpring's left toolbar:

  • Analytics > Custom Reports
  • 12personas.png  User Menu > Product > Custom Reports
  • 12personas.png  User Menu > Settings > Features > Saved and Scheduled Reports > Create
    


Reports Toolbar

The Custom Reports feature has several core components.
These are prominently featured in the toolbar, which is always present on the left side of every Custom Reports page.

The following options are available from the toolbar:		  
Click to enlarge.
   
Icon  

Option

  

Description

 

openchevron.png

  

Display Toolbar






Displays and hides the toolbar.

 
list.png  

Saved Reports

  

A list of all saved customized reports. Saved reports will appear in an expanding menu. Reports are grouped by those you have created, and also those reports created by others in your company. 

You can refine the list of saved reports by entering search terms in the  search.png  Search bar. 

Clicking + Custom Report will let you create a new customized report, which can then be saved for future use.

 
filter-lines.png  

Report Filters






A series of filters that narrow your search parameters and otherwise show specific report information.

The available report filters will vary based on the individual widget types and categories you include in your customized report.

  
plus2.png  

Widgets






All available report information options. These reports are made available in modular format.

These widgets can be dragged-and-dropped into the report canvas. From there, the widgets can be rearranged and resized as desired. 

 
           


Creating Reports

Before you can generate report data through the Custom Reports feature, you will need to create a customized report. To create a customized report, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Click + Custom Report. 
  3. Enter a name for the report in the Report Title field.
  4. Select a color theme from the Theme drop-down menu.
  5. Click Create.
  
Click to enlarge.
   
 
Note: If you have already created a report, your most recent report will be opened when accessing the Custom Reports feature.
   


Using Widgets

Widgets are the main component of the Custom Report feature. These widgets provide an at-a-glance view of different types of data. You can configure your reports to show data with any combination of these different widgets. To use widgets in your reports, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Create or edit a report.
  3. Click  plus2.png  Widgets in the toolbar.
  4. Drag-and-drop the desired widget onto the canvas.
  5. Hover over the widget.
  6. Click  12pencil.png  Edit.
  7. Optionally, update the name of the Widget in the Display Name field.
  8. Enter widget information into the Edit Report Widget panel, as needed.
  9. Add additional widgets as desired.
  10. Rearrange added widgets as desired in the canvas.
  11. Click Save.

When adding widgets, be aware of the following:

  • Widgets follow a display hierarchy. Widgets that show statistics are placed at top of the customized report. All other widget types are displayed below statistic widgets. You cannot move statistic widgets below other widgets.

  • Widgets come in small and large sizes. Statistic widgets are small. All other widget types are large. By default, a single line of widgets in the report canvas can fit a maximum of 6 small widgets or 2 large widgets. Small widgets cannot be moved below large widgets.

  • Widgets can be expanded as necessary. When widgets are expanded, a single line of widgets in the report canvas can fit a maximum of 3 small widgets or 1 large widget.
  
Click to enlarge.
Note: Widgets will vary in the information they present. The Edit Report Widget panel will be different for each widget type. 
Note: Click  trash.png  Delete when hovering over a widget to remove it from the canvas.
Note: Click-and-drag widget fields to resize them horizontally.


Editing Reports

Once created and saved, customized reports can be edited as necessary. To edit a customized report, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  3. Click the name of the desired customized report.
  4. Modify widgets, filters, and other information as desired.
  5. Click Save.
  
Click to enlarge.
 
Note: When editing a report, the Edit setting in the
12more.png  More actions menu will become View. 
 
Note: If you have already created a report, your most recent report will be opened when accessing the Custom Reports feature.
 


Searching Reports

There may come a time when you have created many different reports. Instead of manually searching for reports, you can enter different words or terms into the Saved Reports search bar to quickly locate the reports you are looking for. To search for reports, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  3. Click  search.png  Search.
  4. Enter the search parameter into the Search field.
  5. Optionally, click  cancel-circle.png  Delete to clear the search parameter. 
  
Click to enlarge.
When searching reports, be aware that your own customized reports are grouped at the top of the saved report list. Your company’s reports—specifically, those reports that you have not created but you still have access to—are grouped below your reports.
     


Setting Filters

By default, widgets will show display data with as much information as possible. This might be beneficial for reports that look at the larger picture, but your reports will most likely need to focus only on a certain amount of information. You can use report filters to display only the data that you want. To set filters for customized reports, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Ensure that you have a saved customized report. 
  3. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  4. Click  12pencil.png  Edit to open the desired customized report.
  5. Click filter-lines.png Report Filters. 
  6. Select the desired period of time in the Date Range calendar menu.
  7. Select the desired company in the Company drop-down menu.
  8. Select the desired forms in the Forms drop-down menu.
  9. Select the desired media assets in the Media Center Assets drop-down menu.
  10. Select the desired emails in the Emails drop-down menu.
  11. Select the desired campaigns in the Campaigns drop-down menu.
  12. Select the desired users in the Users and User Tags drop-down menu.
  13. Select the desired lead statuses in the Lead Statuses drop-down menu.
  14. Select the desired task types in the Task Types drop-down menu.
  15. Select where task information will come from in the Task Source drop-down menu.
  
Click to enlarge.
   
 
Note: Agencies can select either their own agency data or data for any of their clients in the Company drop-down menu.
   
 
Note: Company selection is limited to only one choice. Data from multiple companies cannot be mixed together in one report widget. You will need to use one widget for each different company.
   
 
Note: Click  12close.png  Delete to delete individual filters in a filter menu. Click  cancel-circle.png  Delete All to delete all of the filters in a filter menu.
   
 
Note: Click Reset Filters to clear all of your current filter selections.
When setting filters, be aware of the following:
  • Filter menus will appear in the toolbar only if their respective widget is part of the customized report. For example, the Emails filter will not appear in the toolbar if the customized report does not have a filter that requires email information.

  • Filters can be saved to reports when in Edit mode. Once saved, filters will remain as you set them until you save the report with a different set of filters. 

  • Filters cannot be saved to reports when in View mode. Filters set in View mode are temporary and will reset to their defaults when the report is closed.


Scheduling Reports

Once a customized report has been configured and saved, it can be scheduled to be sent via email. To schedule customized reports, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Ensure that you have a saved customized report. 
  3. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  4. Open the desired customized report.
  5. Set filters as desired if they were not previously set.
  6. Click  12more.png  Options > Schedule.
  7. Select the desired customized report from the Select a report to send drop-down menu.
  8. Select one of the following options in the Select a time to schedule the report section:
    • Send immediately forces the email to send as soon as the scheduling is complete.
    • Schedule for later uses a calendar to select a desired date and time to schedule reports.
  9. Select how often this scheduling will be repeated in the Recurrence drop-down menu.
  10. Enter the names of as many contacts or lists as desired to schedule the report to in the To field.
  11. Enter an email subject line for the scheduled report in the Subject field.
  12. Enter the email body message in the Message field.
  13. Optionally, click Include private share link.
  14. Click Schedule.
  
Click to enlarge.
Scheduled reports will be sent to email recipients as a .PDF attachment. Private share links are links to the report's individual cloud dashboard and will be inserted into the email's body.
     


Exporting Reports

Once a customized report has been configured and saved, it can be exported as a .PDF file. To export customized reports, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor.
  2. Ensure that you have a saved customized report.
  3. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  4. Open the desired customized report.
  5. Set filters as desired if they were not previously set.
  6. Click  12more.png  Options > Export PDF.
  7. In the browser tab that opens, review the .PDF file.
  8. Save the customized report .PDF file to your local machine.
  
Click to enlarge.
Different web browsers or .PDF viewing programs have different means of saving, downloading, or printing a .PDF file. Refer to their help documentation for more information.
     


Exporting Widgets

You can export data from individual widgets. Exported data will be saved to your computer as a .CSV file. To export widget data, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Create or edit a customized report.
  3. Add a widget.
  4. Set filters as desired if they were not previously set.
  5. Click Save to save any widget changes.
  6. Click  download.png  Export .CSV in the added widget.
  7. Click Export Manager in the information box that appears.
  8. Click the exported customized report widget file.
  9. Open the downloaded .CSV customized report widget file. 

Be aware that exported widget data will only cover that widget, and not the customized report as a whole. 

  
Click to enlarge.
   
 
Note: The export file will be downloaded to your web browser's file download location. 
   
 
Note: The information box will not disappear until it is closed or you click the Export Manager link.
     


Copying Reports

If you have a widget layout that you want to either add to or use another set of filters with, you can copy the customized report and modify the copied report to better suit your needs. To copy customized reports, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Ensure that you have a saved customized report. 
  3. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  4. Open the desired customized report.
  5. Click  12more.png  Options > Copy.
  6. Enter a new name for the report.
  7. Click Copy.
  8. Make any desired changes to the copied report.
  9. Click Save.
  
Click to enlarge.


Deleting Reports

If you no longer need a customized report, you can permanently delete it. To permanently delete a customized report, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Ensure that you have a saved customized report. 
  3. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  4. Open the desired customized report.
  5. Click  12more.png  Options > Delete.
  6. Click Delete.
  
Click to enlarge.


Requesting Widgets

There are many widgets available for customized reports, but you may find that you need a different kind of widget to show the information that you want. You can request that SharpSpring develop new widgets through the Sharp Ideas website. To request widgets, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Create or edit a customized report.
  3. Click  plus2.png  Widgets in the toolbar.
  4. Click  bulb.png  Request Report Widget.
  5. If necessary, enter your Sharp Ideas login credentials.
  6. If necessary, click Report Widgets for Custom Reports. 
  7. Do either of the following:
    • Search for a report widget idea similar to your own.
    • Enter a new report widget idea.
  
Click to enlarge.
While SharpSpring will endeavor to fulfill your requests, be aware that not every widget request is feasible or able to be developed.

Refer to Providing Feedback and Feature Requests with Sharp Ideas for more information on Sharp Ideas and the idea submission process.
 


Changing Themes

Customized reports can be set to display their information in a number of different visual themes. To change the visual theme of a report, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Create or edit a customized report.
  3. Click  12brush.png  Switch theme. 
  4. Select one of the following themes:
    • Multicolor Light
    • Multicolor Dark
    • Sahara
    • Grape
    • Forest
    • Aquamarine
    • Navy
  5. Click Save. 
  
Click to enlarge.
 
Note: Themes will not be applied to the report until the report has been saved.
 


Cloud Dashboards

You can share your customized reports. Reports are shared through Cloud Dashboards, which are preset displays that are broadcasted to external monitors or televisions. Shared reports can be accessed via URLs that are unique for each individual report. To share reports through Cloud Dashboards, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Custom Report Editor. 
  2. Ensure that you have a saved customized report. 
  3. Click  list.png  Saved Reports in the toolbar.
  4. Open the desired customized report.
  5. Set filters as desired if they were not previously set.
  6. Click  cloud.png  Create Cloud Dashboard.
  7. Select one of the following report options:
    • Private links let only those users logged in to your SharpSpring instance view the report.
    • Public links let anyone with the URL view the report.
  8. Click Copy Link.
  
Click to enlarge.
 
Important: You cannot share a report when you are editing the report.

Once copied, you can paste the copied link URL in a browser tab or an email.

When clicked, the shared report will open as a dashboard view of all added widgets and related data. This view will display the information that appears as a result of your filters.

Clicking  expand.png  Full Screen will display the report window in a full screen mode and will hide the associated URL.

Clicking  compress.png  Normal Screen will restore the report window to its original size.

   Click to enlarge.


The Launchpad

Created custom reports can be used as dashboards on the Launchpad. The Launchpad provides you with an at-a-glance look at your upcoming tasks, recent activity, and most important metrics. The Launchpad itself is a collection of different dashboards that house specific information. This information can largely be customized by using your created custom reports to better display the information that you want to see.

You can create your own custom reports and set them to be the default tab that you see when you first log in to SharpSpring during a given day. This means that, instead of a being presented with a generic and static startup page, you can use any of your custom reports to create individual Launchpad dashboards that showcase widgets reporting on metrics that are useful to you.

Refer to Launchpad Overview for more information on using custom reports with the Launchpad.

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