Common Reporting Challenges

[#1]

Workfront’s robust reporting capabilities combine real-time data with customized dashboards for a powerful visual of how work is being done across the entire organization. The reporting tools and standard user interface is easy to use, however, with so many report options to select, it can be a challenge in figuring out which object type to start with or which filter or grouping to apply. 

This week’s blog will focus on common reporting challenges across multiple objects with simple action items to give you the data you need. 

RECORD COUNT OF PROJECTS

Common Challenge: I want to see a list, or record count, of all projects that I’m assigned to. How can I get this information without running a task report, grouping it by project name, and then counting the number of projects? 

Solution: Currently, there is not a native field within Workfront that can provide you with a record count of projects, so advanced text mode is required. Follow the steps below to learn how:

1. From the Reports area, select a Project Report.

2. In the filters area, switch to text mode and paste the following:

EXISTS:A:$$EXISTSMOD=EXISTS

EXISTS:A:$$OBJCODE=ASSGN

EXISTS:A:assignedTo:ID=$$USER.ID

EXISTS:A:assignedTo:ID_Mod=in

EXISTS:A:projectID=FIELD:ID

3. Group the report by Portfolio (or Program) name. 

4. Save and close the report. in the bottom right hand corner you will see a total count of all projects that you are currently assigned to. 

PRO TIP: Make this report visible system-wide so that everyone can see a list of all projects they are assigned to, or add it to a dashboard that users view every day. Because a user-based wildcard has been applied, the results will be adjusted based on the logged-in user viewing the report. 

NOTE: For a 2019 LEAP presentation, Workfront Remote Consultant’s Jason Webre and Tony Messam taught a technical session on EXISTS filters that can be accessed on-demand through the link here. 

ALL TASK ASSIGNMENTS

Common Challenge: When looking for a list of all tasks assigned to users on your team, only those in which the user is the Primary Assignee show up on a task report. How do I get all assigned tasks to appear, regardless of whether or not they are the Primary Assignee? 

Solution: Use an assignment report to view all tasks your team members are assigned to. Follow the steps below to learn how to create this report. 

1. Navigate to the Reports area and select an Assignment Report.

2. Apply the filter for Assigned to > Manager ID > Equals > $$USER.ID and Task Status > Not Equal > Complete.

NOTE: Wildcards decrease the number of reports that you need to create in your system. You can create one report and share it with several users, and the results change based on the user who is logged in and looking at the report. Learn more about wildcards in the article, Wildcard Filter Variables in the new Workfront experience.

3. From the columns tab, add task name, task planned start/due dates, task percent complete, project name and assignment status.

4. Group the results by Assigned to > Name followed by Project > Name. 

5. Add a column chart that has Assigned to > Name as the bottom (X) axis and record count as the left (Y) axis, grouped by Project Name. 

6. Save and close the report. 

PRO TIP: Don’t forget to share this report with other managers so that everyone in the organization can benefit, without having to spend time recreating! 

RESOLVING OBJECT DATA

Common Challenge: Incoming work requests are converted into new projects (or tasks). How do I link to the resolving object on my issue report so that I can see which ones have been converted and to view any progress? 

Solution: When issues are converted into projects (or tasks), the resolving object can be referenced using native fields from the standard user interface. Follow the steps below to learn how to include these fields in your issue report:

1. Navigate to the Reports area and select an Issue Report

2. From the columns area, add Resolve Project > Name. Additional columns may include Resolve Project > Percent Complete and Resolve Project > Status. Feel free to rename these column headers using the Advanced Options > Create Custom Label field.  

3. Save and close your report. 

PRO TIP: To view the converted issue and the name of the user who entered it from a project report, add two new columns and paste the following text mode:

displayname=Converted Issue

valueformat=HTML

valuefield=convertedOpTask:name

displayname=Issue Entered By

valueformat=HTML

valuefield=convertedOpTask:enteredBy:name

ACTIVE PROOF APPROVALS

Common Challenge: Proofs that have already been approved are still showing up on the report. The results are also hard to read — a proof appears multiple times (one line for each approver). How can I view only pending decisions in an organized way? 

Solution: Within a Proof Approval report, add the filter for Proof Approval > Awaiting Decision > Equals > True. That should remove all proofs where a decision has been made. In terms of making the report more visually appealing and easier to read, group the results by the document name. Follow the steps below to learn how:

1. From the Reports area select a Proof Approval Report.

2. Apply the filter for Proof Approval > Awaiting Decision > Equals > True. To narrow the results further, only include the most current version of the proof by adding Is Current Document Version > Equals > True. 

3. Go to the groupings area and switch to text mode. Paste the following, then click Done. 

group.0.valuefield=documentVersion:document:name

group.0.valueformat=HTML

textmode=true

NOTE: If there are several proofs awaiting a decision and you want to further group the results by project name followed by document name, adjust your text mode grouping to the following:

group.0.displayname=Project

group.0.valuefield=documentVersion:document:project:name

group.0.valueformat=HTML

group.1.valuefield=documentVersion:document:name

group.1.valueformat=HTML

textmode=true

4. Save and close your report. Notice that the results are organized by the file name so that you can easily see, or collapse, each grouping. 

[#2]

Hi @jon_chen ! Landed here seeing if a proof approval report conundrum was answered here. Not quite. I have the proof approval reports you describe above already, but the challenge I'm facing is that when there are multiple approvers on a proof, WF still considers it pending until all approvers have made a decision. How can I get rid of proofs that a user has already made a decision on, even if other approvers have not? We have proofs pending [my] approval and even when they make a decision, if others haven't, it'll still show until all approvers have.

[#3]

Hi @Madalyn_Destafney Thanks for your response. I will reach out to the respective Product SME regarding your question and will request that he/she provides a response as soon as possible.

[#4]

@Madalyn_Destafney Are you speaking specifically to the "My Approvals" widget? Or a different report? If it was on the My Approvals widget, it shouldn't display if that user had already made a decision. If it is a general report, then it will be pending until all decision makers have made a decision or the "Only one decision required" is selected.

[#5]

@jbarron , I'm referring to a proof approval report. This is the part I am wishing there was a way around: " it will be pending until all decision makers have made a decision." When someone is looking at proofs pending their approval, if there is more than 1 approver it'll still show pending even if they've already made a decision, which is annoying for the approvers that have already made a decision. How can we get around it? Looking for a similar concept like 'done with my part' on a task but for proof approvals.

[#6]

@Madalyn_Destafney unfortunately, there is not a way around that today but with the new approvals experience we are working on, it will be easier to identify outstanding approvals for individuals.