[Wactclc-alma] Making analytics reports available

[Guidry, Wade]

Elena,

As an alternative, just have them log into Alma instead, and they can view the dashboard from the Alma Analytics menu.

Since I assume these are campus users that are already being loaded into Alma, just assign them ‘Course Reserves Viewer’ role, so that they can log into Alma to view the dashboard. That should work. You’ve already got the patron role set for that dashboard, so anyone that can log into Alma should be able to view the dashboard.

The other option would be to create a stripped down version of the report as a stand-alone analysis, so that it’s more compatible to being converted to PDF for email distribution.

Just FYI, the reason why the link to the dashboard doesn’t just “work” is because you have to be authenticated to Alma first, to give you access to analytics.

Technically, the link will work if you first log into Alma. So, you could have them log into Alma (giving them a role to allow them to do so), and then having them use the link.

But since they’re logging into Alma at that point, they could just view the dashboard from within Alma instead.

[cid:image001.png at 01D6CEF0.6679CEA0]


Wade Guidry
Library Consortium Services Manager, WACTCLC
wadeg at bigbend.edu<mailto:wadeg at bigbend.edu>
(509) 760-4474
http://www.wactclc.org


From: Wactclc-alma <wactclc-alma-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> On Behalf Of Daniel Moore
Sent: Wednesday, December 9, 2020 1:48 PM
To: WACTCLC Alma Discussion <wactclc-alma at lists.ctc.edu>
Subject: Re: [Wactclc-alma] Making analytics reports available

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Hey Elena,

I'll admit that I've not been fully invested in community developments with regards to Analytics since the pandemic started, but I've only heard of solutions like what you're proposing working best with an external site that hosts Analytics data pulled out of Alma using the Analytics API. The API itself and how it's encoded in the dashboard determines security. The page in which the data are displayed could be super low tech like a bunch of HTML tables or super high tech like an Angular page. Here's an example: https://library2.lincoln.ac.nz/dashboard/

You've already mentioned the issue with authentication being the primary barrier between you and your stakeholders from seeing analytics data. Ex Libris, I think, wants to push its API as a secure way of publishing data. In many cases, it really is an efficient way of exporting data to different ecosystems, though it requires setting up the Developer Network keys and then making sure whatever Analytics report you want to deliver has data formatted in a way that your web team could work with.

-Dan

On Wed, Dec 9, 2020 at 11:42 AM Elena Bianco <Elena.Bianco at skagit.edu<mailto:Elena.Bianco at skagit.edu>> wrote:
Hi all:

I wonder if anyone has tried this. I created a dashboard in analytics that features four reports related to our laptop and hotspot checkouts. I noticed that analytics allows you to create a Bookmark link for dashboards. However, you have to be logged into Alma already to view it. I tried to send that link to people outside of the library (people in our IT department want to see those numbers since they are the ones purchasing the equipment we distribute to students), but they got sent to the Oracle Analytics login and password and that isn't set to authenticate directly through LDAP.

That means that in order for them to see the dashboard they have to log into Alma, go into the Analytics menu and click on the Dashboard there. I was hoping that I could just send them a link and they could look at it.

Then I tried creating an Analytics Object that would be emailed to people every week, but for a Dashboard, that's only a pdf file of the front page - it doesn't include reports that I've added onto the second and third pages of the Dashboard.

That means, the only way I can see to provide access to these figures is to set up a scheduled email subscription for all four reports that goes to people's email inboxes. Which is fine, but I really wish I could get that link to the dashboard to work for non-library people from off-campus.

Any advice or suggestions? I checked with our IT guy who said that it looked like this might have to be configured from the Ex Libris side. I couldn't find anyplace in Alma config where I could set authentication for off-campus to analytics.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Take care,

Elena

Elena Bianco

Systems & Technical Services Librarian

Skagit Valley College Library

2405 E. College Way

Mount Vernon, WA 98273


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--
Regards,

Dan Moore
Systems and Collections Librarian
Edmonds College Library
(425) 640-1526
Pronouns: he, him, his
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