Automating a task
Video Tutorial
BIRT Analytics supports automating tasks that initiate specific actions. A task initiates an action based on a trigger of one of the following types:
*
A task having a time trigger runs at a set time.
*
A task having an event trigger runs when a selected event occurs.
To automate a task, create a scheduled task to execute when the set trigger occurs.
About event types
Available events vary based on plug-ins installed. For each event, you specify a condition when you configure the event, including an attribute, an operation, and a value.
For example, you can create the following event condition:
Full Name = Michael
In this event, a task triggers each time the value Michael appears in the field Full Name.
Available events appear in the following groups:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Typical event attributes are:
*
*
*
*
Date in analytical engine format. This attribute has to be used in SQL queries that invoke date or date-time fields.
About action types
BIRT Analytics supports communication, query, program execution, data analysis and data modeling actions.
Available actions appear in the following groups:
*
*
Sends a message via email to one or multiple recipients. To create a Send email action, you configure the following details: e-mail contents, event trigger, or time trigger attributes. Right-click in the Content editor to display available content options. Content options vary, based on the task trigger. Common examples of email task triggers include:
*
Sends an email with campaign execution results. This mail can be delivered to each user who has been involved in a campaign execution process.
*
Sends an email to all the users related to a campaign triggering a task. This email will be sent to users having permissions for the current campaign stage and a valid email account on the database.
*
Query. A query action evaluates whether data matches a condition. Correct query syntax follows:
action, filter, operator, value
where
*
*
*
*
*
Runs a campaign execution.
*
Loads all campaign responses associated to an event in a new database table.
*
Exports all records from a selected cell in a campaign. Sets the event or campaign date of execution, the records to export (all the records, all the records except control, only control) and an exportation report that will be used as a template for exporting.
*
*
Deletes a column. User must indicate entire column name [database].[table].[column].
*
Deletes a table. User must type the full table name, for example, [database].[table].
*
*
Applies the Decision Tree or Clustering data mining model. The Decision Tree or Clustering Analysis must be properly configured, trained and saved.
*
Set an action to apply the model in a deferred way.
In either case, the result is a column containing results of the applied model.
Creating a scheduled task
A scheduled task includes a trigger, task details, and an assigned action. The following procedure summarizes high-level steps for creating a scheduled task.
1  
2  
3  
4  
How to create a task triggered by time
1  
2  
3  
*
*
4  
5  
6  
For example, double-click the selector icon for Month. In Month, select values for the minute, hour, day, month, and day-of-week that specify when the task triggers. Choose OK. Not every field requires a value.
Default values are: minute = 0, hour = 1, and current day. Default settings trigger a task on this day of each month at the hour and minute 0.
Figure 8-1  
7  
How to create a condition for an event trigger
1  
2  
Figure 8-2  
3  
Figure 8-3  
4  
Figure 8-4  
5  
How to assign an action to a scheduled task
1  
2  
Figure 8-5  
3  
For example, to create a Send email action, provide values for the following properties, using the toolset provided in Action detail editor, as shown in Figure 8-6.
*
*
*
*
*
Figure 8-6  
4  
Figure 8-7  
How to edit action details
1  
2  
How to remove an action from a scheduled task
1  
2  
Figure 8-8  

Additional Links:

Copyright Actuate Corporation 2013 BIRT Analytics 4.2