Analytics is a shared workspace
It is not possible to restore analytics objects that have been accidentally deleted, modified or moved.
Keep the catalog organized and to help avoid duplication of work, use descriptive words in the analysis name and description. Keywords in both the name and the description are searchable, and
Please be aware of the guidelines below to ensure our work is preserved!!
| DOs | How to | DON'Ts |
|---|---|---|
| Make a copy of the analysis and save it in a different section before making any changes. | As with Harvard University shared reports, you must save an Alma or Community report to My Folders (or a subfolder) before you can modify it. This is like the Save As function in Microsoft products: you're creating an entirely new copy of the analysis to your personal folder, with no connection to the original.
After saving the report in My Folders, it no longer has restrictions set by the originator and you can edit the criteria to meet your needs. | DO NOT modify analyses or dashboards other than your own. |
| Use descriptive words in the name of your analysis | Example: "Highest circulating books from last fiscal year - DES" | |
Include a description to accurately identify your analysis and its purpose. Adding your name and date will help with managing the catalog. | To create a description when saving a new analysis:
To create a description when viewing the analysis in the catalog:
Example: | DO NOT save an analyses in Shared Folders without your name in the Description. |
Analysis Name/Title Best Practices
Required: <what you’re measuring> by <what you have as detail>
Optional add-ons to name if you have multiple versions of the analysis or if otherwise appropriate:
– summary / detail
– chart / list / summary
– with prompt / without prompt
– print format / download format
Note: Version numbers are helpful when developing an analysis but do not include them in the name of the analysis in Shared Folders. You are encouraged to add the version number to the Description area of the analysis.
Analysis Description Best Practices
The Description area appears under the analysis title in the Analytics Catalog. Description text is searchable.
Include this information, in this order:
Purpose of the analysis: This should be brief, and understandable to a reader who does not create analyses themselves.
Technical details: These are things that will help other analysis creators understand how the analysis was constructed. This may include notes about what dimensions, measures, filters and/or prompts are included, particularly any fields, measures, formulas that are not visible on the Criteria tab.
Version history: If the analysis is a modified version of an analysis from Alma or Community shared folders, include the original name (so that it is possible to go back and look at the original if desired).
Creator: Record author and date in parentheses (first and last name YYYY-MM-DD) at the end of description
Description Area Format
Separate the different elements of the description with dash-dash (i.e. -- )
Avoid the use of initials, special characters, or abbreviations.
Look at how the description appears in the Catalog, which shows only the first few lines of the description. The full description will show up if you go into Properties, but most people will view it in the Catalog index.
Examples of Well-Named and -Described Analyses
These are three different examples of well-named and well-described analyses, using the Best Practices above:
