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Edward G. Miner Library

Alma Analytics: Getting Started

Training opportunities and additional resources found here

About Alma Analytics

Alma Analytics is Alma’s built-in data analysis and reporting tool. You can use Analytics to compose analyses, run reports, and create dashboards for staff.

Analytics User Roles - to work in Analytics, the Designs Analytics and/or Analytics Administrator roles are needed. If a role in Analytics is necessary, please contact your supervisor for approval. It is recommended prior to requesting a report or adding an Analytics role to use Alma's Advanced Search.

Not an Analytics user and need a report? Email AlmaRequest, or contact your Analytics functional point person.

Analytics Tips

  • Make sure you 'save as' all reports so you aren't changing someone's report
  • When using filters, make sure to delete any applied filters you don't need.  Changing the filter doesn't replace one already there it adds a new one. 

Functional Point Person

If additional help is needed, please 
contact your functional point person.

George Eastman Museum:
     Anna-Sophia Zingarelli-Sweet

Miner Library:
     Sue Atkins
     Jennifer McCarthy

River Campus Libraries/MAG/CRDS:
     Angela Grunzweig
     Sarah Sexstone

Sibley Library:
     Sadia Hussain
     Sandy Lemmon

*NEW Guidelines for saving files in the UR Shared Folder

  • Files should be saved by what is being measured with a brief 1-2 sentence description including the purpose and creator.
  • When saving a brief 1-2 sentence description, be as detailed as possible. Include creator’s name after the description. Including the description and creator’s name can enhance a user’s search for a file.
  • All personal folders/files should be saved to a user’s “My Folder”. Only files that are intended to be shared with other users should be included in the UR Shared Folder.
  • Some files may fit into one or more department or functional area within the tentative shared folder structure. Choose the folder with which it most closely matches. A file does not need to be saved in multiple locations.

*Examples of possible file names using the tentative guidelines:

                Items received by date

Use date prompt to display the items received. (Creator's name)

General circ stats by library

Displays general circulation statistics for all library locations. (Creator's name)

Expenditure by material type – Last three years

Displays annual expenditures per material type. (Creator's name)

Analytics Definitions

Term Description
Analysis

Criteria and query used to run a report.

 
Report

Output of an analysis.

 
Run-on-Demand Reports

Available to run at any time.

 
Scheduled Reports

Subscribe to receive them via email.

 
Dashboard

A collection of reports.

 
Subject Area Data in Analytics that is organized into subject areas such as Funds Expenditure, Fulfillment, Users, Fines and Fees, and Physical Items. Subject areas contain folders, measure columns, attribute columns, and hierarchical columns.
Fact Table Consists of the measurements, metrics, or facts related to a business process and contains the core part of the subject area.
Dimension Tables that contain descriptive attributes (or fields) that are typically textual fields or discrete numbers behaving like text. Dimension attributes such as Library Code, Vendor Name, or Loan Date give facts a context.
Measurement Column A column of data in subject areas that holds a simple list of data values that can change or can be counted or aggregated in some way.
Description Column A column in subject areas that holds a flat list of values that are also known as members. No hierarchical relationship exists between these members, as is the case for members of a hierarchical column
Hierarchical Column A column that holds data values that are organized using both named levels and parent-child relationships. This column is displayed using a tree-like structure. Individual members are shown in an outline manner, with lower-level members rolling into higher-level members.
Is Prompted Valid for a column containing text, numbers, or dates and is used to include only those records in the column where no pre-filtered values are desired.
Prompt User

Valid for a column that contains text, numbers, or dates and is used to enable a user to select the dashboard or report prompt operator when running the report.