Sharing Content

Users can share and distribute content via 3 functions driven from the backstage Share button:

• Printing
• Exporting
• Email

Email

The application will auto-generate an email with a link to the current report and its parent book or dashboard when the user clicks on the email button. Since this item is going to be emailed and "shared" with another user, the item and its parent must first be saved to the server, so that the recipient's links are valid when used.

Emailing does NOT attempt to share the output or the underlying data directly with the recipient. Instead, the recipient must click the link in the email to launch the client in a browser. As such, the recipient must have:

• a valid license to login into the application (functional access)
• security access to the content (content access)
• and, must have access to the DATA in the underlying cube (data access)

Printing

Printing involves the user electing to output their content to either PDF or XPS document formats, so that they can be physically printed or shared in some other fashion.

Unlike email, printing content actually reproduces the output inside a "soft" print document that can then be emailed or printed out for wider distribution. Obviously, recipients do not need to have access to functionality, content or data in order to consume distributed analyses via printing.

Click here for more on printing.

Exporting

There are 2 techniques for exporting content. The main technique is by distributing content through the export functions on the backstage. The alternative is to do a "quick export" directly off the report canvas.

Backstage Exports

Backstage exporting involves the user electing to output their content to the Excel (2003 or 2007-2016), Word (2007-2016) or PowerPoint (2007-2016).

Excel

Like printing, exporting content to Excel actually reproduces the output of a report inside an Excel document that can then be emailed out for wider distribution. Obviously, recipients do not need to have access to functionality, content or data in order to consume distributed analyses via exporting.

Word and PowerPoint

Exporting content to Word or PowerPoint produces static content with graphics and formatting.

Quick Exports

Quick exporting is provided a short cut for exporting query content as an XML document directly from the report context menu. The document is formatted to work with Excel, and provides a "quick-and-dirty" technique for pulling data out of the application for use elsewhere. Importantly, this is the only technique for retrieving data out of the Story Board into Excel.

Click here for more on exporting.