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Evolution reports

An evolution report provides information showing the evolution through time of the indicators used on the analyses selected in a given report. This report allows you to compare current and historical statistics to determine the improvement or degradation of the analyzed data.

An example of an evolution report

Before you begin

At least one type of analysis is created in the Profiling perspective.

About this task

In this example, you create a basic column analysis using simple statistics and generate an evolution report on this analysis. This evolution report provides us with the evolution of the simple statistics indicators through comparing current and historical statistics to determine the improvement or degradation of the data in the analyzed column.

Procedure

  1. Follow the steps outlined in Creating a basic analysis on a database column to create a simple column analysis.
    In this analysis, you analyze one column using the Row Count, Blank Count and Distinct Count indicators.
    Configuration to apply the Row Count, the Blank Count, and the Distinct Count indicators.
  2. Right-click the analysis name in the DQ Repository tree view and select New Report from the contextual menu.
    The report editor is displayed with the selected analysis already listed in the Analysis List.
    Overview of the Analysis List section with an analysis already listed.
  3. In the Analysis list view and from the Template type list, select Evolution as the type for the report you want to generate.
  4. Select the Refresh All check box to refresh the listed analysis before generating the report.
  5. Click Generated Report Settings to display the corresponding view, and then define the settings for the generated report.
  6. Click Presentation Settings to open the corresponding view, and then personalize the presentation settings for the generated report.
  7. Click Database Connection Settings and set the connection parameters to the database where you want to store the report results.
    For further information about creating a report, see Creating a report on specific analyses.
  8. Click the save icon on the toolbar of the report editor to save the report settings.
  9. From the toolbar of the open report editor, click Run report to generate the report file.
    The listed analysis is executed, the data is historized in the report database and a report document is generated in the selected format (PDF, HTML, XSL, or XML). Every time you generate this report, it will compare the current and historical statistics to determine the improvement or degradation of the data in the analyzed column.
    Example of a report with the current and historical statistics.

Results

In every evolution report, you will have two graphics: the first indicates the change in the statistics and the second indicates the percentage of that change.

The above report then tracks the evolution through time of the row count, distinct count and blank count of the data records in the column.

Information noteImportant: If you import the items in an evolution report in another project in Talend Studio, the evolution chart will not display the data of the previous project. For further information on how to show the evolution of data through all projects, see Migrating evolution reports below.

Migrating evolution reports

Evolution reports show the evolution of data given some dimensions such as project name, analysis name, report name, etc. When one of these dimensions is different, Talend Studio can not find a direct link among the data.

About this task

When you import an evolution report from one project in Talend Studio to a different project that has a new name, this report will not show the history of the evolution of data in the old project. If the project name changes, no link is established between the old analysis results and the analysis results in the new project. So the report starts at a new point in the new project and shows any evolution of data from that point onwards in this new project.

Two options are available for you to migrate evolution reports between projects and keep seeing the evolution of data through these different projects:
  • Import the evolution reports into a new project that has the same name of the old project. For further information about creating a local project when launching Talend Studio, see Creating a project at initial Studio launch.
  • Use a different name for this new local project but customize the JRXML template and use it to execute the evolution report.

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