question Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo) in Platform Analytics forum

Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

eamoncampbell — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 14:27:20 GMT

Is there any way/workaround to arrange for job data collection parameters using a (fixed start date)/(relative end) combination?

It does not appear to be possible to configure the collection parameters as with the mock-up above but is there any way to achieve this outcome or similar?

Any input appreciated.

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

Geoffrey2 — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 03:59:40 GMT

There does not appear to be an out-of-the-box way to do that.

You could try setting it to Fixed. Then using a scheduled job to update the End date each day before the data collector executes.

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

pieter_goris — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 13:23:35 GMT

Eamon, why would you want to do this?

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

eamoncampbell — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:07:33 GMT

Thanks Geoff,

Any suggestions/pointers as to how about setting up the scheduled job to update the end date (is there scripting involved here)?

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

eamoncampbell — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:09:27 GMT

Hi Pieter, - We are looking into this in order to avail of some additional features provided in the P.A tool that is not available to the base reporting (Trending) - as requested by a client.

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

Geoffrey2 — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:36:59 GMT

If your Data collector runs at 9am every morning, then create a Scheduled Script Execution that updates the one "relative" date that you need every day at 8am (or something). Just make sure you test it in case you get issues with different time zones, etc.

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

pieter_goris — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 10:43:32 GMT

Maybe you can elaborate on the use case, perhaps what you need can be achieved in a different way. With setting a fixed start date at Jan 1 2013 and collecting the scores every day over again than the numbers for Jan 1 2013 are likely not gonna change, or are they?

Remember that with PA the collection of scores is separated from the visualization, unlike with reporting where opening a report will run the scores collection again.

Cheers, Pieter

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

eamoncampbell — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:36:58 GMT

Excellent - we will try this out Geoffrey!

Looks to be working a treat Geoffrey - In this particular case using the 'Execute Now' button withing the Update Fixed End - Scheduled Script Execution page. Just one modification was required to your script to gdt.getDate().getDisplayValue() as gdt.getDate() was succeding to only clear the score_fixed_end field.

Thanks again

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

eamoncampbell — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:40:40 GMT

In this case Pieter, yes - the data can change and does so frequently. It is the additional features offered in PA that reporting can not offer that are of interest to us here while we currently are running normal reports on same data.

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

pieter_goris — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 14:42:35 GMT

Interesting, does that mean that one can not 'trust' yesterday's or today's report as the number reported for January 23 2013 might change in tomorrow's report?

Re: Data Collection parameters (relative/fixed combo)

eamoncampbell — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 15:43:00 GMT

Actually Geoffrey - Do you know if it would be possible to use this technique with a ServiceNow base report. In this way we could be looking to update specific date/time fields within a scheduled report? If possible please could you provide a sample pseudo/script to reference report & report variables.