Alma Analytics

Alma Analytics is an add-on tool that extends the basic reporting functions in Alma. It's build on Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Editions (OBIEE) and uses Structured Query Language (SQL) to extra data and compile reports and analyses.

Many "reports" are available as the results of basic or advanced searches in Alma itself, but Analytics provides searching and analysis at a deeper or more complex level.

Harvard Staff Documentation

• Running Reports in the Analytics menu in Alma
• Data updates in Analytics
• How to access Alma Analytics
• Analytics Best Practices
• User Preferences
• Analytics Terminology and Structure
• Analytics menu bar
• Folder structure in Alma Analytics - Revision in process
• Run & Modify a Shared Analysis
• Create a New Analysis
• Filters
• Column Properties
• Formula Basics
• Advanced Formulas
• Prompts
• Report Layout
• Working with Dashboard Customizations

Field Descriptions by Subject Area

• Local Param fields - Harvard mappings
• Shared Dimensions across Subject Areas
• Physical Items and Physical Items Historical Events
• Titles (bibliographic level) and Events (record change events)
• Fulfillment, Requests, Users, and Fines and Fees
• E-inventory 
• Funds Expenditure
• Borrowing and Lending Requests (Resource Sharing/ILL)
• Usage, Cost Usage, and Link Resolver Usage
• Field descriptions for all subject areas

Learn More About Alma Analytics

Alma Analytics is a robust tool with many features, and you'll learn best by doing. Use these resources to guide you as you practice creating and running analyses.

Support

Get Help with Alma Analytics from the Analytics & Reporting Working Group

Analytics and Reporting Working Group Drop-in session recordings

• Notes for Q & A with HUIT Reporting, Analytics and Integrated Data team, March 7, 2024
• LibAnswers form for requesting assistance from ARWG with Alma Analytics or HART, January 4, 2024 
• HART dashboard: HD & ReCAP Item coding errors on December 7, 2023
• HART dashboard: Google Library Inventory items on November 2, 2023
• Google Library Inventory subject area in HART on Sept 7, 2023
• Introduction to the new Analytics UI in Alma (recording) and slides (PowerPoint) on August 3, 2023
• Cataloging statistics dashboard in Alma Analytics on July 6, 2023
• MARC Fields table in the Alma Metadata subject area in HART on June  8, 2023
• Alma Analytics dashboard: Funds, Encumbrances, Expenditures, and Gifts - Beta on May 4, 2023

Analytics and Reporting Working Group Training - Training

Analytics Overview 

• Analytics Overview script
• Analytics Overview - Online Training Module

Creating Analytics

• Creating Analytics script
• Creating Analytics class homework
• Creating Analytics - Exercise 1: Modifying an Existing Analysis
• Creating Analytics - Exercise 2: New Analyses
• Creating Analytics - Exercise 1: Modifying an Existing Analysis (Funds Expenditure) (MS Word document)
• Creating Analytics - Exercise 1: Modifying an Existing Analysis (Fulfillment) (MS Word document)
• Creating Analytics - Exercise 2: New Analyses (MS Word document)

Reporting Discussion List

Subscribe to the Reporting Discussion List at Harvard

The HL-reporting-discussion list is used for internal communication between Harvard library staff engaged in activities related to reporting and/or analyses, across Harvard’s available systems, including work done in Alma Analytics and Cognos.  The list is intended for informal peer support: asking questions, troubleshooting, sharing discoveries, exploring tools and resources, and other discussions about reports, analyses, and their use in Harvard library. 

The Harvard Library's Reporting Discussion Group co-conveners serve as moderators. Subscription requests are approved by list owners and moderators. 

Harvard Reporting & Analytics Tool (HART) Training & Documentation

HART/OAS 6.4 Self-Service Training Program, 2022-2023

Knowledge Base Resources

Ex Libris Training & Documentation

Introduction to Alma Analytics and Terminology, documentation overview

Ex Libris Alma Analytics training, video tutorials, range from 8 min to 29 min

Analytics documentation, support documents

Common Alma Analytics Procedures, tip sheets

Presentations and Documents on Analytics, PowerPoint presentations and PDFs, many by Ex Libris staff and some by other libraries

Alma Advanced Analytics (2018 Technical Seminar Slides)

Introduction to Alma Analytics Data Visualization

Using filters with Alma Analytics Data Visualization (Video)

How to use an input file together with Alma Data in Alma Analytics Data Visualization (Video)

How to create a forecast using Alma Analytics Data Visualization (Video)

Support Materials from Other Libraries

University of Western Australia Introduction to Ex Libris Alma Analytics (rev. 2015)

University of Minnesota Alma Analytics wiki page

Alma Analytics Training Series, video series by Lisa Bartle, Coordinator of Collection Development at California State University: San Bernardino

"And You Thought Your Were Nerdy!" Fun with Alma Analytics (ELUNA 2019 presentation) by Lisa Hamlett, Application Support Analyst II at Emory University

Off-the-Grid Reporting: A Few Handy Reports in Alma Analytics (ELUNA 2019 presentation) by Mike Rogers, Enterprise Systems Manager, University of Tennessee