ToolZ has quite a few capabilities, and here are the answers to some mostly asked questions about them.
Will ToolZ let me...
Re-use a report for multiple clients or surveys?
No. At this time, ToolZ’s target is very specific custom reports, intended for a single client, survey, or group of linked surveys. ToolZ reports can be copied and modified to suit additional clients or surveys, but are not inherently re-usable.
Build reports for very large clients?
Yes. We have improved our feed mechanism such that it can now support large numbers of locations and/or shops. It’s not recommended (and at some limit, not supported) to output large quantities of data in a ToolZ report, but it is now possible to load large clients into ToolZ.
Build reports for very large surveys?
No. Several hundred questions, sections, and/or multi-checkbox answer options will cause the ToolZ table to be wider than we currently support. If you only need a subset of questions and sections, you can use Question/Section Linking to limit the number of questions/sections that are exported to ToolZ.
Build reports for all of an MSP’s clients and surveys?
Not at this time. Again, our data feed mechanism is limited, and can’t currently support a very large number of feeds running on a regular basis.
Build reports on something other than job data?
No. Currently only specific types of job-related data are available, as specified here.
Display aggregated numeric values (count, avg, sum, min, max) across entire data set?
Yes, the documentation for how to do this can be found here.
Display aggregated numeric values (count, avg, sum, min, max) broken up by grouping?
Yes, in that case you would want a “RESULT” type of report, documented here.
Display aggregated numeric values (count, avg, sum, min, max) broken up by multiple groupings (crosstab, nesting)?
Yes, ToolZ can handle a variety of crosstab and nested report types.
Display individual shops (log-type reporting)?
Yes, this would require a datapoint type of report.
Display summary row information?
Generally, yes, ToolZ can display total rows and columns for a variety of report types. These can be done using aggregates or extra groups, depending on the report type. It is also possible to summarize many values using calculations. However, ToolZ cannot currently total up completely unrelated data (i.e., data not within the same RESULT, CROSSTAB, or NESTED chunk) and cannot dynamically total up properties (e.g., calculate the sum of points for all Yes/No questions).
Drill down through data?
There is not currently a standard mechanism for allowing data drill-down. In some situations, it is possible to build one manually, as in this example.
Add graphs to my report?
Yes, ToolZ allows for some basic graphing capabilities using our Graphing Service, as shown here. It also uses HighCharts to generate more complex graphs, as shown here.
Add score gauges to my report?
Yes, ToolZ allows for the display of basic scoring gauges, as described here.
Highlight particular data based on its values (heat mapping)?
ToolZ supports static heat mapping that can be coded directly into the template using conditionals and css, as shown in this example. ToolZ does not currently support heat mapping that is controlled by the report user.
Build reports that display top/bottom sections or questions?
No. It is not currently possible to sort many properties relative to each other (e.g., sort all average question scores and display the bottom five).
Calculate percentages?
ToolZ supports many types of percentage calculations, including:
- Percentage of one property out of another (e.g., actual points out of possible points)
- Percentage of a particular group member’s count out of the total count (e.g., percent of yes responses)
- Percentage change from one group member to another (e.g., percent increase/decrease in score since last month)
Display calculated values?
Yes, ToolZ will allow you to do several types of calculations, including:
- Compare a value to its previous value
- Compare a value to an overall value
- Combine multiple properties into a new value
Note that very complex calculations may not be supported. Calculations between totally unrelated data are also not supported (i.e., data not within the same RESULT, CROSSTAB, or NESTED chunk). Further, you cannot currently sort or filter by calculated values.
Display previous/next trending values?
Yes, ToolZ supports trending reports that display values for previous/next date ranges. It also supports calculations between these values.
Display ranks?
Yes, ToolZ allows you to rank group members by aggregated values and datapoints by property values. Items can be ranked against the entire dataset or against other items within the same grouping (e.g., rank locations within their regions). Note that it is not currently possible to rank a calculated value or percentage.
Display advanced statistical values?
Currently, ToolZ supports only count, average, minimum, maximum, and sum. Other calculations, such as standard deviation, are not supported at this time.
Display results filtered by a selected group member?
Yes, results can be filtered by hardcoding filter values into the report template or by adding selectors to your report controls. It is also possible to restrict displayed group members to those selected without limiting higher-level summary numbers. Additionally, default filters can be applied in the report URL by submitting a tracker notice or email.
Display results filtered by multiple group members?
ToolZ currently only supports this type of filter in the template or URL. There is not currently a user interface element that allows for selecting multiple group members (e.g., display results where day of the week is Saturday or Sunday).
Show report data that is not filtered by the user’s filter selections?
Yes, instructions for how to do this can be found here.
Display results filtered by a property value?
ToolZ supports hardcoding property value filters into the template (e.g., include only shops with a score over 90%). Property filters can also be applied in the report URL by submitting a tracker notice or email. Property filters that are selected by the report’s user are not currently supported.
Display results filtered by an aggregate value?
ToolZ supports filters of this type only at the template level. They are not currently supported at the UI or URL level.
Display the standard "Show Only Shops In" filter menu?
ToolZ does not support this kind of combined filter menu. However, it is possible to add selectors for each of a client’s levels, groups, ULGs, and waves individually.
Create filter menus that interact dynamically with each other?
No, ToolZ does not currently support ‘smart’ filter menus that interact to prevent the user from selecting contradictory filters.
Change the default date range for a report?
The default range is January 1 to December 31 of the current year. There is not currently an interface for you to change the default range, but it is possible to change on our end. Just shoot an email or tracker notice and we can make that change.
Display a "start month and number of months" type date selector?
At this time, ToolZ supports only manual date ranges (start date/end date).
Sort my report results?
ToolZ supports hardcoded template-level sorting by property values, aggregate values, and group member names. It also supports sorting by specific columns in crosstab reports. It does NOT support sorting by calculated values.
Most types of clickable column header sorting is supported. There is full support for clickable sorting of datapoints, aggregate results, and crosstab reports. The support for clickable sorting of nested results is limited to only sorting the innermost nested level.
Limit the number of report results shown?
Yes, ToolZ supports hardcoded template-level limits as well as limiting the number of results via paging controls. However, it does not support having the user specify a number of records to display in a non-paging scenario.
Allow the user to select which group to report on?
ToolZ does support a dropdown that will allow the user to determine which group to report on (for example, display monthly scores for the selected group). However, it is not currently possible to limit the groups displayed in this dropdown, meaning that all reportable groups will be displayed.
Restrict report results based on user permission?
ToolZ has an awareness of what locations and levels managers have access to and automatically limits displayed results to those locations and levels. However, it does not currently limit the group members displayed in dropdown filter menus (for example, a location filter menu will display locations the manager may not be able to see). Also, in a crosstab type report, where group members without data are displayed, a manager may see empty rows for group members he does not have access to.
ToolZ does not currently know about surveys that are hidden from certain manager types. It does have information about which questions are visible to which manager types, which can then be used to filter dynamically displayed questions to only those visible to lower-level managers or to client masters. This type of filter must be coded into the report template and cannot dynamically change based on the type of user viewing the report.
Display report results that are not filtered by user permission?
Yes, you can tell ToolZ to ignore user permissions for some or all of the data you display on your report. This will allow you to display company-wide and higher-level averages that are not restricted to the locations that the user has access to.
Doing this requires that a behind-the-scenes setting be enabled for your report, so please submit a support ticket if you need this functionality and we can enable it for you.
Customize the appearance of a report?
Yes, ToolZ gives you complete control over a report’s HTML and CSS.
Customize the appearance of a report based on the type of manager viewing it?
Yes, ToolZ has two tags that are automatically filled in based on the type of manager viewing the report. These tags can then be used to show or hide different report sections.
Add custom javascript to a report?
Yes, you can add custom javascript on the JavaScript tab of the report editor. Note that this will only run on-screen and not in PDF or Print mode.
Write a translated report?
A ToolZ report can be written in any language you desire. However, it does not currently support multiple languages, or automatically switching languages based on the user’s preference. Certain items, like submit buttons and month labels, may be possible to translate on a case-by-case basis (send in an email or tracker notice).
ToolZ also does not currently support Alternate Question Text. Question and answer option text will only be exported in the survey’s default language.
Generate my report as PDF or Spreadsheet?
Yes, ToolZ inherently supports Print (no controls or nav), PDF, and Spreadsheet views.
In some cases, you may wish to remove some of these display options. For example, a very wide report meant only to be viewed online may not display well within the confines of a PDF page. Additionally, it can be difficult to get Excel to properly place images and data tables relative to each other, so you may want to hide graphs in Spreadsheet mode. HighCharts do not render in Spreadsheet mode.
Generate my report as a CSV or tab-delimited file?
No. Although you can format ToolZ results in any manner you choose, the report will still be rendered with outer HTML.
Generate the same report for multiple filter values automatically?
For example, a client may want a summary report generated for each of their locations and assembled into one large PDF.
ToolZ does not support this inherently. However, we have a separate mechanism called Taskie that can worth with both ToolZ and SASSIE to, in most cases, automatically generate a report repeatedly with different filters and assemble the output. The feasibility of using Taskie in your particular situation will need to be assessed by SurfMerchants prior to committing to the project.
Create Chameleon Dashboard widgets?
No, currently ToolZ reports cannot be used within the context of Chameleon Dashboard or shop view widgets. However, a ToolZ report can be displayed on the Client Home Page in addition to or as a replacement for the Chameleon Dashboard.
Reproduce the Client Shop View?
No, ToolZ is designed for aggregate reporting rather than the detailed display of a single shop. It should not be used as a method to replicate or customize the Client Shop View. Contact us if you need to combine an existing ToolZ report with a Client Shop View.
Reproduce the Survey Summary?
No, ToolZ is not well built to handle dealing with mixed question types within the same data display. It can display data for many questions of the same type but displaying multiple question types combined typically requires hardcoding the report for every question on the survey, which is not recommended.