Scheduling Queries

If you have a query that is returning too large (too many rows are being returned and you cannot see them all) or takes too long to run, you can schedule it to run by submitting a process request in the scheduler. Additionally, if you want a query to run regularly, you can set a schedule in the Scheduler.  

 Detailed Information  

Table of contents


Submitting Process Requests

To submit a process request, log in to the desired databases and go to Reporting Tools > Query > Schedule Query.
If you are already in Query Manager or Viewer, search for the query you would like to schedule and click "Schedule" in the Schedule column to the right of the query name.

Showing the location of Schedule link

Creating a Run Control ID

If you already have a Run Control ID, click "Search" and it will show a list of your IDs. Click the desired Run Control ID and proceed to "Schedule a Query."

Showing search button for run control ID

The first time you schedule a report, you must create a Run Control ID.  Run Control IDs are used whenever a process is run in PeopleSoft. They allow you to create, save, and reuse a list of reports. You will only see the Run Controls that you created. Click "Add a New Value" to create a new ID. Enter a name for the Run Control ID.  You can use up to 30 alphanumeric characters (DO NOT use spaces).  Additionally, you can never delete a Run Control ID, so try to only create them when needed.  

Showing the Add button and add a new value tab 
Click "Add" to go to the next step.

Back To Top

Schedule a Query

On the "Schedule Query" page, you should enter a "Description". Also, you can set parameters if the query has prompts. Click "OK" to go to the next step.

Showing the description box and OK buttons on schedule query window

If you see the screen below, click "Run" to go to the next step.

Showing Run button on the schedule query window

You can also Schedule a Query to run on a set schedule (once a month, every day, etc.) using the "Recurrence" dropdown, and it can deliver an email to notify users when the query results are available.


Back To Top

Process Scheduler Request

Viewing output from a batch process is PeopleSoft is typically limited to the person who submitted the process or to an ID with special privileges. There is, however, a way for a user to inform others that a process has run and in some cases, to view the output of the process.

Format Row Limits

You can change the Format of the output you desire by selecting from the drop-down menu under "Format". The default format output is TXT. Frequently, reports are run in XLS format and opened with Excel. Please be aware, the row limit for xls files is 65,536. XLSX format row limit is 1,048,576, however it is not available as a Format option. There are no row limits on the txt option which creates a csv file that can also be opened with Excel.

You can also Schedule a Query to run on a set schedule (once a month, every day, etc.) using the "Recurrence" dropdown, and it can deliver an email to notify users when the query results are available.
Choose "Distribution" to create the email that will send the finished report to the specified recipients.

Showing Format and Distribution column on the process scheduler request window

On the "Distribution Detail" window, the "Email Web Report" checkbox must be selected in order to send out an email with a link to the report.

The 'Email Subject' and 'Message Text' information should be filled in. The 'Email With Log' checkbox is a special case to include a link to an SQR Log file when appropriate. This usually remains unchecked.

The behavior of 'Email Address List' in conjunction with 'Distribute To' deserves special mention. If 'Email Web Report' is checked then the people in the 'Distribute To' list are sent an email if their ID has an email associated with it. If the 'Email Address List' is also populated, those recipients are in addition to the ones in the 'Distribute To' list. A person in both fields will get two emails. However, only a person in the 'Distribute To' list can successfully view the output. A recipient in the 'Email Address List' who is not in the 'Distribute To' list will get the email, but will not be able to successfully click on the included link. So if there was value in letting someone know that the job ran, but not allowing them to see the output, they would be in the 'Email Address List' but not the 'Distribute To' list.

showing the distribution detail window

Recipients in the Email Address List must be separated by a semicolon (;) and one space. Do not put recipients on separate lines.

By default, the 'Distribute To' contains the id of the submitter, but more can be added. All those in the 'Distribute To' list can view the output of the process, but if nothing else is checked on the page, they would have to know to look for the output.

Each user will receive an email with a live link to retrieve the query output. The user must be logged in to MaineStreet to retrieve the output. A person who is not already logged in, or who doesn't have authority to view the file, will get thrown to the default logon screen for that system. Since that is not the MaineStreet Portal login screen that users are required to log in from, login is not allowed from that screen. So the only way to view the output of the report is for the user to be authorized (by being in the 'Distribute To' list) and be logged into the system already when clicking on the link. Note that if your query does not run properly, you will still receive an email, however it will not contain the intended data.

When finished, click OK to go back to Process Scheduler Request.

Click OK again on the "Process Scheduler Request" window.


Back To Top

Process Monitor

Click Process Monitor on the Schedule Query page.

showing the location of the process monitor button

In the Process List, you will see your report.  Keep an eye on the Run Status column as it moves from Queued through "Processing" to "Success".
Click Refresh to see the most current Run Status.   Once the report becomes Success and Distribution Status becomes Posted, click Details

Showing the search button and status column on the process list page

Click on View Log/Trace to see the report results. 

(Here is also where you can choose Delete Request to delete reports or Cancel Request you no longer require to keep in your process monitor.)

showing the location of view log link

On the View Log/Trace page, click on the file that has the format you chose earlier to open and view your results.

showing the location of the link to the data file

You can leave a report running and return to the Process Monitor at any time to check progress. For ease, add the process monitor page to your favorites by clicking Favorites in the upper left of your screen and choosing Add to Favorites.

Back To Top

Environment 

PeopleSoft Query