Jim,
Log into DFM, and select Reports from the Control Center tab. The bottom option there is Schedule. Once you click on that, you will see all of the canned reports that are available(and any you may have created).
- You have to give the report a name that has value to you.
- Then choose what you want to report.
- Select your preferred file format.
- Choose if you want deleted objects reported(This is only usable if the selected group is Global)
- Select if you want to see all fields in a report - To some, many of these fields really aren't needed. We use HTML and therefore can't even choose it.
- Report Arguments is the level at which you want to report - Groups of objects, Systems, Roles, etc.
- Graph to schedule - most things don't have a graph, if you select a report with a built in graph, you will still get the graph even if it shows "No Graphs Available". I honestly am not familiar with this field, just never had the need.
- Schedule - I find this part annoying, you have to have the schedules created(via the link on the right) to select them. If you put all your information in, then try to create a schedule...you will be entering it all again. If you are new to DFM, you spend a lot of time putting all this in and *poof*, page change, retype it all. Lesson here: Create all of your schedules first!
- Recipients - email addresses to send it to.
All of this assumes you have your mailhost information setup under Setup, Options, Alerts and Events.
If you get to creating your own reports, they will show up under the report section as well. One thing DFM does really well, in my opinion, is allow you to build reports. That is done under Schedule, Custom. It will probably take you some time to figure out where everything is and how you want it all put together, but it can pay off.
Our reports are saved to a NAS drive, which a Unix box has access to. I have scripts that go into the directory, and puts all of the reports we get via email into a webpage so they are all available in one location, that is very easy to access, for anyone who wants to look.
